By: Keri Beevis
Narrated by Joshua Manning
ISBN: 9781666611762
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Publication Date: 06/21/2022
Format: Audiobook
8 hrs. 50 min
My Rating: 4 Stars ARC)
Billy Maguire, on his way to Scotland for a reunion with his university friends, stops for a few drinks en route. Then, on the deserted roads leading to the remote location, he manages to run over a pedestrian.
The man is alive, and Billy puts him in the back seat of his car, planning to leave him outside the nearest hospital. But then the man dies—and Billy panics. He drives to the reunion with the body in the car and begs his friends for help.
Tension swirls within the group at first, but when the dead man's ID reveals him to be a notorious criminal named Dougie McCool—and cash, a mask, and a knife are also found in his backpack—they're almost unanimous in the decision to get rid of the body and keep the money. The only problem is that some dangerous men are looking for McCool—including his brother, who is willing to brutally exploit every vulnerability in this circle of friends to get what he wants...
My Review
LOCK-IN Thriller! With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies.
Keri Beevis takes readers down a dark, twisty path teeming with secrets, obsession, greed, and REVENGE in WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE.
Griffin King invites the old university gang together for a weekend at a luxury remote Air BNB with hot tub in Scotland off the beaten track for his birthday—Amelia, Nancy, Ross, Jonah. Billy, and Griffin. A kind of reunion.
Six of them. Many SECRETS. Rewind the clock fourteen years. A lot of history. A lot of baggage. Unresolved issues.
For the next few days, it would be party central. The group has not seen one another in two years. Lots of catching up to do.
Everyone is there at the house but Billy (age 33). They know he is the least reliable of the bunch.
The others flew, but Billy decided to drive since funds were low. He is almost there. Remote fields and forest. He has the road to himself, or so he thinks. The unthinkable happens. Listening to Crash on the radio, tired, and drinking.
Caught up in the music, he misses a man walking down the center of the deserted road until the thud hits the car. OMG! Now what? Panic.
The man is dead. He placed the body in the car, would leave him at the nearest hospital, and drop him off. He cannot turn himself in since he was drinking. He cannot leave him here alone.
Instead, he decides to meet his friends first since he is running late. What will the friends say when he shows up with a dead body? They are ALL guilty now.
Now, my friends, this is where the multi-layered edge-of-of your-seat twists, turns, lies, and games begin!
You see, the man he just killed is a notorious criminal named Dougie McCool—someone is looking for him.
Cash (over $50K), a mask, and a knife are also found in his backpack. The friends vote and decide to get rid of the body and keep the money. The only problem is that some dangerous men are looking for McCool—including his brother. The latter is willing to brutally exploit every vulnerability in this circle of friends to get what he wants.
You see, there is more to this story. Why had Griffith planned this trip to get everyone to this remote location? Which friend can you trust? Which one will throw you under the bus?
Be careful when someone is out for REVENGE when you are locked in. Note to self: If someone invites you to a remote location for a reunion or vacation, DECLINE.
WOW! A mind-bender. With each page turn, there are unexpected dizzying jaw-dropping twists. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I look forward to reading more.
An unputdownable thriller with an explosive beginning, ending, and shocking twists in between. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Ruth Ware.
I have been reading many books about lock-ins suspense thrillers lately. They are nerve-wracking and INTENSE. I am currently reading ARC Lisa Unger's Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six (10/6) and loving it! Also, recommend The Guest House Robin Morgan-Bentley (9/13).
What Locked-Room books have you read RECENTLY?
I enjoy all these new audiobooks by Dreamscape Media on NetGalley, which gives me a chance to listen to some top-notch titles and newfound authors. I listened to the audiobook by Joshua Manning, who delivered a riveting performance!
Thank you to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an audio ARC to listen to, enjoy, and review.
Locked Room Mysteries
Locked room mysteries, also called “impossible mysteries,” is fairly simple on the surface: a crime is committed with no possible way for a murderer to get in or out of an area, or, a locked room. But the beauty of the genre is in the details, and the writer provides the reader all the clues they need to solve the case at the very beginning, layering in evidence and red herrings in expertly plotted mysteries that keep readers guessing. One of the most well-known writers of locked room mysteries is Agatha Christie;
Praise
With Friends Like These – Keri Beevis
“Who needs enemies?’
"A rip-roaring excitement-filled read."
—Book Mark
"Darkly funny and utterly terrifying. The best book I’ve read in a very long time."
—NJ Moss
"Dark humour, tension and a well-crafted twisty plot. A masterclass in writing."
—Patricia Dixon
"Darkly comic with Guy Ritchie vibes. I thoroughly enjoyed it."
—Caron McKinlay
"A book you will want to read in one breath. Enthralling and totally consuming."
—Dan’s Books
About the Author
Keri Beevis is the internationally bestselling author of M for Murder, D for Dead, Deep Dark Secrets, Dying to Tell, Trust No One, Every Little Breath and The People Next Door. Her brand new black comedy/psychological thriller (and her eighth novel published by Bloodhound Books), With Friends Like These, is out now. In 2021, Keri signed a four-book deal with Boldwood Books. Her first title with them, The Sleepover, will be released in October 2022. WEBSITE
