The Guilty Friend By Joanne Sefton (2019)

Educational, informative, and eye-opening. Not the thriller I had anticipated!

Not what I had expected. This book was so captivating and interesting. Just when I thought I had figured it out, the plot thickens.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joanne Sefton is an author of three novels: The Mother’s Lies (2018), If they knew (2018), and most recently The Guilty Friend (2019).

Twitter: @Joanne_Sefton

Website: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/s/joanne-sefton/

The Guilty Friend: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-guilty-friend/joanne-sefton//9780008294472?awaid=3787&utm_source=redbrain&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=css&gclid=CjwKCAjwiMj2BRBFEiwAYfTbCup_XngOh4UR9kdoPC0UOFlZmP2SLSbGb4HfkA7MXnthiQ4ZcFSi7BoCP6wQAvD_BwE&awc=3787_1590829733_6c3ce395705766e330fd6911b3f875fe

SYNOPSIS

‘One of them is dead. One of them is lying. Alex, Karen and Misty were an inseparable trio at university. But when Alex died suddenly, the remaining two friends could no longer look at each other in the eye, knowing they both had a part to play in her death.

Thirty years later, Misty and Karen have long since moved on with their lives. But when Karen thins she sees her former friend alive, she soon becomes obsessed with a past she thought she’d left behind.

Before long, the perfect life she’s built for herself starts to unravel, and it seems as though history might just be repeating itself…’  (Sefton, 2019).

 

REVIEW

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Guilty Friend. The concept behind the primary story was very educational, informative, and eye-opening. I found myself stuck to the book as soon as I started reading it. It was not the thriller I had anticipated!

I found myself constantly trying to place all of the pieces together as to what Joanne Sefton was aiming for, but I was nowhere near close. The ending was not predictable, and throughout the read, I thought I knew it all along. Although this book is not based on a true story, I found myself questioning whether or not it was in fact based on one. I found myself feeling empathy towards the characters, almost like as if it was actually happening today – which, of course, it is. I feel enlightened about what is going on today, what people are feeling, and how easily it can be to end up in a way that is unimaginable.

It was a very straightforward read, especially as it states the year and whose point of view is being expressed. It was easy to work out what is going on, where, and when. It was interesting to read the different point of views about the same experience, except it felt like I was making the decision about the consequences and which person was really the one to blame.

After reading this book, I found myself thinking about those who are affected by this. I think that Joanne Sefton is raising awareness, especially as the development of technology is drastically improving, of how social media can play an effect on an individual. Social media is changing the lives of many individuals, whether that is by representing a fake version of themselves or editing their images to show a false perception, it will make a difference to those who look up to them. Perception is key. How you perceive yourself is completely different from how someone else perceives you. Is The Guilty Friend a demonstration of what could happen if we do not think before we speak? Does Joanne Sefton remind us of how our speech and actions can affect someone?

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References:

Sefton, J. (2019) The Guilty Friend. London: AVON Books UK.