By: Tracy Buchanan
ISBN: 978-1542032223
Publisher: Lake Union
Publication Date: 10/25/2022
Format: Other
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
OCT 2022 MUST-READ BOOKS
The old house hides her darkest secret—and there’s no running away this time…
Twenty years ago, Liz left Easthaven to escape the memory of one tragic night at Lakewell Manor. Only she and her best friend Tamsin saw what really happened, and in the aftermath they drifted apart. Now she’s forced back after a nasty divorce, with two daughters in tow, the shadows of that terrible night lurking on every corner. With a custody battle looming, she’s one wrong move away from her life falling apart completely.
So when news arrives that Tamsin, too, is returning to Easthaven, Liz fears their reunion will bring the awful truth spilling out into the open. But when she finally meets Tamsin, now mistress of the clifftop house whose locked gates have guarded the friends’ secret all these years, she’s in for a surprise. Tamsin looks different, and she doesn’t remember Liz, let alone what happened that night…
Something is clearly wrong. But confronting Tamsin means reliving the nightmare Liz has been running from for twenty years. Can she risk exposing what happened that night, knowing that the truth will destroy everything?
My Review
Tracy Buchanan's —SECRETS BETWEEN FRIENDS is a gripping suspense mystery with dual timelines with dark secrets, lies, and friendship where nothing is as it appears.
Liz Barrowman left Easthaven twenty years earlier after a tragedy that occurred at Lakewell Manor—a cliffside home of her best friend, Tamsin Lakewell.
A career in journalism which was her dream—was cut short due to her divorce (terrible husband). She returns to her home with her two children and takes a job as a postal carrier, living with her horrible mean mother.
Liz soon learns her former BFF, Tamsin, now a famous poet, has also returned to the same town with her fiancé. Liz has not seen her since that horrible night 20 years since Gabe died.
Something appears off the day after she reconnects with Tamsin; she is a different person than the one she sees the next day. What is going on?
She is determined to solve the mystery. (lots of drama here) Who is Fake Tamsin, and what has she done with Tamsin? Is the secret Liz and Tamsin have hidden for over 20 years about to destroy them?
Written in the first person POV of Liz, now and twenty years ago. Not a lot of likable characters, especially the emotionally abusive mother. Liz comes across as being flawed, and nosey (sleuthing) with all her note-keeping, but in the end, she is tenacious.
I was drawn to the front cover (love old seaside homes) as appeared to be very atmospheric, thinking it may be similar to a Carol Goodman psychological thriller. However, unfortunately, it was not. For me, SECRETS BETWEEN FRIENDS seemed more of a cozy mystery with a lot of drama.
Set in England, the book is written in the first person present tense POV of Liz, now and 20 years ago when Liz and Tamsin were both sixteen and were best friends. I preferred the earlier timeline versus the present.
For readers who enjoy a lighthearted mystery. My first book by the author, and look forward to reading more. The audiobook was narrated by Natalie Beran for an engaging performance.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 25, 2022
About the Author
Tracy Buchanan is a bestselling author whose books have been published around the world, including chart toppers My Sister’s Secret, No Turning Back, Wall of Silence and Trail of Destruction. She lives in the UK with her husband, their daughter and a very spoilt Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called Bronte.
Before becoming a full-time author, Tracy worked as a travel journalist, visiting and writing about countries around the world. She has also produced content for the BBC and the Open University, and rubbed shoulders with celebrities while working for a London PR firm.
When she isn’t spending time with her family and friends, Tracy spends her days writing with her dog on her lap or taking walks in forests. READ MORE
For more information about Tracy, please visit www.facebook.com/TracyBuchananAuthor and www.tracy-buchanan.com.
