When Jo receives a frantic late-night call from her friend Dana, little does she know that it will lead to a series of events that will test their friendship to its limits. A Friend Indeed by Elka Ray is a fast-paced suspenseful thriller that delves into the dark secrets hidden behind closed doors and the lengths people will go to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The story begins with Jo rushing to Dana’s oceanfront mansion, only to discover Dana standing over her dead husband. Dana confesses to killing him after years of secret abuse, and pleads with Jo to help her cover up the crime. What follows is a gripping tale of deception, betrayal, and the consequences of keeping dark secrets hidden for too long.

The novel is written in dual points-of-view, allowing readers to see the story unfold from both Jo and Dana’s perspectives. These type of novels add an extra layer of depth to the characters and allows us to stay engaged throughout. While the two main characters have their moments, not many of the characters in A Friend Indeed are extremely likable. However, it does seem that Elka Ray did this on purpose to allow you to keep the mystery of what happened until the last page.

While A Friend Indeed can be classified as a whodunnit novel, it doesn’t really read as a typical one. The complex dynamics between Jo and Dana as they navigate the aftermath of Stan’s murder along with the twists and turns throughout the book give us a different feel that your normal whodunnit novels.

As fans of novels that keep you guessing and have a few twists and turns, this felt like it would be perfect. However, we found the numerous twists, reveals, and shocks to be a bit too much.

Although this novel is not perfect, the themes of friendship, betrayal, and loyalty, A Friend Indeed is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers who enjoy a good psychological thriller.

A Friend Indeed hits bookstores everywhere on May 14, 2024. Be sure to also check out the audiobook narrated by Andi Arndt and Hillary Huber on Libro.fm!

NOTE: We received an advance reading copy of A Friend Indeed from the publisher. Opinions are our own.