Day: December 18, 2021

The New Friends is an engaging thriller that serves as a cautionary tale: be careful of who you befriend – especially while on vacation.

While it is a good rule of thumb to follow, it feels like it is a little too simplistic in the telling of the actual story. In that regard, the first half is better than the second half.

The setup of the story is excellent. Jamie and Becky are “every people.” They work hard at their jobs, scrimp to save for a vacation, and make the best out of the situation they are in. In other words, relatable for many people.

Unfortunately for them, this also means that they are easily intrigued by what they want but can’t have.

Enter Phil and Mel.

You can guess the overall arc of the story from the blurb. But there are a few subtleties to mention as well.

Everybody wants something they don’t have in this book. Jamie wants a comfortable lifestyle where he doesn’t have to work as hard. Becky wants a family and stability. Mel wants friends. And Phil wants bigger marks.

In this regard, Phil and Jamie are very similar in their desires, as are Becky and Mel. It is interesting that the men seem to be more interested in the material while the women focus on the emotional/personal.

I did not put that together while reading, however. It only occurs to me as I am writing this review.

Another thing I am realizing is that there are many more parallels between the characters than I originally thought. Phil will stop at nothing to continue his con, but Mel also will stop at nothing (including sacrificing herself) to stop Phil.

Where everything is a little unclear is in the character motivations. I am still uncertain as to why Mel has an attack of conscience. Why now? Why this couple?

Jamie and Becky seem happy with their lives and give no indication of desiring more prior to meeting Phil and Mel, so Jamie’s insistence also seems to come from left field.

These are a few reasons that I think the first half is better than the second. The author seems to have given more thought to the build-up than to the aftermath.

The second half of the book is rushed, and nothing is fleshed out as well as in the first half. The moments that are supposed to be the most thrilling fall flat.

Actually, one of the most compelling scenes occurs without the reader seeing it at all. We only learn the details from what a character tells us. This is a huge misstep. Action should be in “real-time.”

It also all wraps up very quickly with (again) a narration of events instead of full scenes that the reader gets to experience.

Ultimately, this is repeated often enough that it became disappointing. It is also what kept The New Friends from being four stars or higher.

However, there are some good moments, and I still recommend The New Friends.

You can also check out The Passenger by this author.

Author Bio 

Daniel Hurst writes psychological thrillers and loves to tell tales about unusual things happening to normal people. He has written all his life, making the progression from handing scribbled stories to his parents as a boy to writing full length novels in his thirties. He lives in the North West of England and when he isn’t writing, he is usually watching a game of football in a pub where his wife can’t find him. Daniel writes psychological thrillers. The New Friends will be his fourth novel published with Inkubator Books.