This book was right near the top of my TBR list. All the reviews I had seen for it were positive, and it had the look of a riveting, truly edge-of-the-seat domestic thriller, so I had pretty high expectations when I began to read it at the start of this week.
Did it meet my expectations? Yes and no. It definitely succeeds in creating a gripping mystery, where the answers are tactfully hidden, and there are several red herrings, which Marshall uses very effectively. But in between all the tense moments and twists, I just felt there was a lack of originality.
That is not to say it isn’t well written, or indeed a well-crafted story which makes strong use of what is actually a reasonably simple concept. I just didn’t connect with it as much as I have with other books in the same genre.
What Is It About
Louise Williams is going about her life, but it is changed in an instant by a new friend request on Facebook. It is said to be from Maria Weston, somebody who she knew from her school days. Just one problem – Maria died over 25 years ago.
As things develop and Louise begins to receive more messages from Maria, the secrets of her past actions are dragged back up to the surface, and she regains contact with some of her former classmates, and all the time we are made aware that Louise blames herself for Maria’s death.
The novel is mainly set in 2016, but occasionally goes back to 1989 to the events which led to Maria’s disappearance. In 2016, a school reunion leads to a major turn of events, which has Louise fearing for her life and that of her four-year-old son, Henry.
But as the terror that engulfs Louise reaches its conclusion, it emerges that the answer to everything lies a little closer to home…
This was Laura Marshall’s debut novel, having chosen to fulfil her writing ambitions after 20 years working in conference production. Friend Request has been nominated for two literary awards, and she is currently working on her second book, expected to be released later this year.
She lives in Kent with her husband and two children, and just like many new authors in this genre, has produced a bestseller with her opening work.
This is a very rounded and comprehensive thriller, with a mystery that will keep you guessing right up until the end. Marshall uses the themes within the novel to build tension and leave the reader truly engaged and wondering what really did happen to Maria all those years ago. It also provides some very interesting and relevant observations on the use and prominence of social media.
But it is not perfect. I noticed some similarities to other books, such as the final revelation, and the revolving between two different time periods. The ending was also a little rushed, in terms of tying the loose ends. So overall, it is readable and provides a lot of mystique, but it lacks that something special to make it stand out among other books in the genre.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 