With her three children in tow, Cece has joined husband Sol in Brighton. But she is disconcerted to find that her twins’ new school was the scene of a recent bashing of alpha mum Yvonne. With Yvonne still in a coma, Cece becomes close to Maxie, Anaya and Hazel, who all seem guilt-ridden about the attack on their friend and are each hiding a major secret.
While it was initially difficult to keep track of each woman, this story really keeps you guessing about their secrets and who is responsible for Yvonne’s injuries. The women’s pasts are delved into with depth, ensuring readers can enjoy well-developed characters and a pageturner plot.
Dorothy Koomson's latest novel, The Friend, ask: what secrets would you kill to keep? The summary says: "After her husband's big promotion, Cece Solarin arrives in Brighton with their three children, ready to start afresh. But their new neighbourhood has a deadly secret.
Three weeks earlier, Yvonne, a very popular parent, was almost murdered in the grounds of the local school - the same school where Cece has unwittingly enrolled her children. Already anxious about making friends when the parents seem so cliquey, Cece is now also worried about her children's safety.
By chance she meets Maxie, Anaya and Hazel, three very different school mothers who make her feel welcome and reassure her about her new life. That is until Cece discovers the police believe one of her new friends tried to kill Yvonne. Reluctant to spy on her friends but determined to discover the truth, Cece must uncover the potential murderer before they strike again ..." The Friend is out in May 2017.