A Friend Indeed
Twisty and ingenious, A Friend Indeed is an engrossing psychological thriller perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Ruth Ware.
When single mom Jo Dykstra was at her lowest--jobless and penniless--her childhood friend Dana McFarlane helped her out big-time by securing her a teaching job and thus an opportunity for a new life in the affluent Pacific Northwest town of Glebes Bay. So, when Jo gets a frantic late-night call from Dana, sobbing and desperate for help, it feels like a chance to help her friend in return.
The last thing Jo expects to see when she arrives at Dana's oceanfront mansion? Her friend's handsome and wealthy husband, Stan, dead, sprawled face down on the floor. Dana admits to killing her husband following years of secret abuse and begs Jo not to call the police. For nearly two decades, Dana's marriage and family had looked picture perfect. Who'd ever believe that pillar-of-the-community Stan was a monster? Determined to cover up her husband's killing and shield her kids from scandal, Dana convinces Jo to help her dispose of the body.
But the cover-up starts to crumble when a blackmailer threatens to expose their crime. Hounded by gossipy neighbors, ill-fated lovers, and zealous cops, truth and lies are laid bare between Jo and Dana, putting their families in danger and threatening to shatter a thirty-year friendship. Shocking and fast-paced, A Friend Indeed is a riveting tale about the power of friendship and the deadly weight of lies.
Earn by promoting books
Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.
Become an affiliate
Elka Ray is the author of the mystery Divorce Is Murder, set in her hometown of Victoria, BC, Canada. A joint UK/Canadian citizen, Elka has spent two decades living as an expat in Vietnam, working as a journalist, researcher, copy editor, and communications consultant. She lives by the beach with her husband and three children. A Friend Indeed is her first foray into psychological suspense. To learn more about Elka and her work, visit www.elkaray.com or connect with her on Instagram @elka.ray.
"In her sensational new novel, A Friend Indeed, Elka Ray delivers a darkly atmospheric tale of lifelong friends--Dana and Jo--whose trust in each other gets tested when Dana's husband turns up dead. A nifty nod to noir played out between two women, Ray keeps the writing acid-sharp. Dana and Jo may be grown-ups with children of their own, but their deceptions hearken back to those of the teenagers they once were. Ray--in a masterful tick, tick, tick like a metronome--exposes the secrets each woman keeps from the other. As the characters' mutual suspicions ratchet up, they each begin to unravel. Or so it seems. A Friend Indeed--like its writer--is devilishly smart with twists that are more delicious to unwrap than a box of chocolates."
-- "Deborah Goodrich Royce, nationally bestselling author of Reef Road""'Is real friendship possible when your power's so unequal?' That's the question at the heart of this propulsive novel, which explores just how far you'll go for an old friend. Despite their differences, struggling single mom Jo Dykstra and sophisticated socialite Dana McFarlane have remained best friends for decades. But when Dana asks for Jo's help doing the unthinkable, the lines between friendship and manipulation become blurred--on both sides. A tale of deception and betrayal, this novel will leave you breathless until the last page."
-- "Liz Alterman, author of The Perfect Neighborhood""A searing psychological portrait of an old friendship, tested to the limits, overwhelms the readers with truths we have all encountered. How far would you go for your best friend? An unputdownable novel, the characters are vivid, relatable, and the situation all too believable. This is a writer who can conjure up the tiny details, real and imaginary, of a childhood friendship renewed. With a plot that twists and turns yet is totally convincing, it enthralls to the very last line. A friend in need. A friend indeed. What an apt title."
-- "A. D. Scott, author of the 5-star Kirkus-reviewed Highland Gazette series""Readers who raced through books by Liane Moriarty, Celeste Ng, and Eleanor Barker-White will appreciate Ray's compelling, well-paced, and plot-driven mystery. With twists and turns until the final pages, A Friend Indeed dives into the complexity of female friendships, shifting loyalties, and the allure of the unknown."
-- "Booklist""A treat for lovers of shocking stories about betrayal and the sacrifices we make for love."
-- "Claire Polders, author of A Whale in Paris, Infallible, and The Disappearance of Eva Zomers"
