Friend Request by Laura Marshall – Paperback published by Sphere (Little Brown) 2018

Described as a psychological thriller, this is Laura Marshall’s debut novel. 

Maria contacts Louise via Facebook. Nothing unusual in that; they were at school together and were even best friends for a short time. 

Louise has moved to London and now has a new life, maybe not the one she wanted but nevertheless she has a nice home, a fulfilling and successful career and a longed for child. 

And Maria? She’s been dead for 25 years.  

After the initial contact, other strange things happen: Louise thinks she’s being followed, a precious photo disappears from her flat and a school reunion is arranged, but by whom? 

Tautly written and cleverly plotted, nevertheless I was surprised at the number of reviews which mentioned the twist at the end. I could see where it was headed from around the third chapter. But Dear Reader, I was wrong! Quite wrong. 

Definitely a one-sitting read, made more unnerving by being partly set a few hundred metres from where I live. 

No wonder this is a best seller. I expect to read soon that the film rights have been bought. And if not, why not?

Laura Marshall is interviewed for this month’s Writers Talking