A Friend Indeed

Quotes

“Readers who raced through books by Liane Moriarty, Celeste Ng, and Eleanor Barker-White will appreciate Ray’s compelling, well-paced, and plot-driven mystery. With twists and turns until the final pages, A Friend Indeed dives into the complexity of female friendships, shifting loyalties, and the allure of the unknown.” Booklist

“A searing psychological portrait of an old friendship, tested to the limits, overwhelms the readers with truths we have all encountered. How far would you go for your best friend? An unputdownable novel, the characters are vivid, relatable, and the situation all too believable. This is a writer who can conjure up the tiny details, real and imaginary, of a childhood friendship renewed. With a plot that twists and turns yet is totally convincing, it enthralls to the very last line. A friend in need. A friend indeed. What an apt title.” A. D. Scott, author of the 5-star Kirkus-reviewed Highland Gazette series

“In her sensational new novel, A Friend Indeed, Elka Ray delivers a darkly atmospheric tale of lifelong friends—Dana and Jo—whose trust in each other gets tested when Dana’s husband turns up dead. A nifty nod to noir played out between two women, Ray keeps the writing acid-sharp. Dana and Jo may be grown-ups with children of their own, but their deceptions hearken back to those of the teenagers they once were. Ray—in a masterful tick, tick, tick like a metronome—exposes the secrets each woman keeps from the other. As the characters’ mutual suspicions ratchet up, they each begin to unravel. Or so it seems. A Friend Indeed—like its writer—is devilishly smart with twists that are more delicious to unwrap than a box of chocolates.” Deborah Goodrich Royce, nationally bestselling author of Reef Road

“A high-stakes thriller…The stellar performances of both actors exemplify how employing two narrators can augment an audio production. Each actor delivers a completely distinct emotional bandwidth.” AudioFile

“A treat for lovers of shocking stories about betrayal and the sacrifices we make for love.” Claire Polders, author of A Whale in Paris, Infallible, and The Disappearance of Eva Zomers

“The twists come fast and furious…A Friend Indeed was a lot of fun, and I look forward to reading more of Elka Ray’s books.” Books, Bones & Buffy

“‘Is real friendship possible when your power’s so unequal?’ That’s the question at the heart of this propulsive novel, which explores just how far you’ll go for an old friend. Despite their differences, struggling single mom Jo Dykstra and sophisticated socialite Dana McFarlane have remained best friends for decades. But when Dana asks for Jo’s help doing the unthinkable, the lines between friendship and manipulation become blurred—on both sides. A tale of deception and betrayal, this novel will leave you breathless until the last page.” Liz Alterman, author of The Perfect Neighborhood

Awards

• Real Book Spy Pick
• Books, Bones & Buffy Pick
• Criminal Element Pick
• A Hasty Book List Pick
• CrimeReads Pick
• Nerd Daily Pick