Just Between Us

Author: Rebecca Drake
Genre: Suspense
Type: e-book
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin
First Published: January 9, 2018
First Line: "Funerals for murder victims are distinguished from other services by the curiosity seekers."

Book Description from GoodReads: Four suburban mothers and friends conspire to cover up a deadly crime in this heart-stopping novel of suspense in the tradition of Lisa Scottoline and Lisa Unger.

Alison, Julie, Sarah, Heather. Four friends living the suburban ideal. Their jobs are steady, their kids are healthy. They’re as beautiful as their houses. But each of them has a dirty little secret, and hidden behind the veneer of their perfect lives is a crime and a mystery that will consume them all. 

Everything starts to unravel when Alison spots a nasty bruise on Heather’s wrist. She shares her suspicions with Julie and Sarah, compelling all three to investigate what looks like an increasingly violent marriage. As mysterious injuries and erratic behavior mount, Heather can no longer deny the abuse, but she refuses to leave her husband. Desperate to save her, Alison and the others dread the phone call telling them that she’s been killed. But when that call finally comes, it’s not Heather who’s dead. In a moment they’ll come to regret, the women must decide what lengths they’ll go to in order to help a friend.

Just Between Us is a thrilling glimpse into the underbelly of suburbia, where not all neighbors can be trusted, and even the closest friends keep dangerous secrets. You never really know what goes on in another person’s mind, or in their marriage.

My Rating: 3 stars

My Review:  Just Between Us focuses on four suburban moms, the secrets they keep and the lengths they'll go for each other to keep those secrets hidden. But what happens when your secret comes out?  How far would you go to help a friend?  These are the questions that Rebecca Drake asks her readers in this new suspense read.

Readers will notice a strong Big Little Lies vibe which is enticing and smacks full of girl power. There are some twists and I thought it was a good read but could have been a lot better in terms of suspense and character development. Its appeal began to falter for me after that fateful phone call when many of their actions became too far-fetched to the point of being silly.

Each chapter is told by a different character, but these four friends were hard to differentiate from each other and I didn't feel the connection between them. When you add in remembering which husband, kids and career belong to each character, it became quite a task to remember who was who and that interrupted the building tension. 

Overall, this was a decent read that focused on secrets and lies of four friends. While this wasn't a big hit with me, I can see this book being enjoyed by those who want a lighter suspense read set in a Desperate Housewives/Big Little Lies-type setting. 

Disclaimer: This ARC was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.