The New Friend by Alex Kane

Release: 25th August 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Hera Books
Source: Zooloo Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon UK, Amazon US

Arabella MacQueen had a tough start to life. She grew up with an alcoholic mum, . And she was under the care at the age of 8. Also, she got into trouble as a teen. Now she’s in her late twenties and has turned her life around.

Until the night of madness that sees her imprisoned for 10 months.

Little does she know that prison would be the turning point of her life. Roxanne Barr quickly takes her under her wing. And the two women forge a friendship that lasts beyond the prison walls. Now Arabella is running her own hair salon and excited to see how her life of freedom looks, building a future with boyfriend Eddie and a friendship with Roxanne and her boyfriend, Jake.

But Arabella doesn’t know the truth about Roxanne. Her reputation as the head of Glasgow gangland and not afraid to turn to violence to keep her status. Besides, she doesn’t know that her new best friend has hidden secrets. And that she has plans for Arabella that might lead her into some very dangerous places. In this dirty game, eventually, Arabella is going to have to learn you can’t always trust those closest to you.

About the Author:

Alex Kane is a psychological thriller writer who lives in Glasgow. She is a huge fan of the genre, with her favourite authors in the genre being Lisa Hall, BA Paris and Sarah Stovell.

If she is not writing, she will be playing with her cat, reading, or drinking tea and/or gin (sometimes all of the above).

You can connect with Alex on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

The New Friend Review:

Oh my goodness! “The New Friend” is a twisted thriller with revenge, blackmail, and murder, and was much better than my expectations.

Firstly, I must say I loved the large cast of characters. We have many characters, like Jez, Jake, Eddie, Roxanne, Billy, Cole, and Arabella. The author toggles the chapters between these characters, and it was so much fun to see how their characters interconnected. There is never a dull moment in the tale as the author takes us on an exciting tale of drug lords and money launderers.

Ah, Arabella! Where do I start with her? My heart went out to her throughout the story, from the moment she gets bullied, gets thrown in prison to the mess she finds herself in later. Yet, despite all that, she is good-natured and only wants to lead an everyday life. I despised Roxanne so much in this story. The author writes the characters so passionately that I felt strongly towards most of them.

Moreover, the author adds quite a lot of thrilling moments to the story. Some of my favorite highlights of the tale were when Arabella finds herself in the center of murder or when Jez realizes that someone has outsmarted him. I also liked some of the supporting characters like Jake and how the author handled his inner turmoils. This book honestly presents a grim image of how opportunistic people are and makes you think twice about trusting someone into your life.

Also, the author ends the story slightly, and I would love to read a continuation with these characters, particularly between Arabella and Roxanne. Overall, “The New Friend” is a gripping, fast-paced thriller filled with action and excitement.