Friend Request by Laura Marshall - A Review

Maria Weston wants to be friends. But Maria Weston is dead. Isn't she?

In 1989 Louise notices the new girl who transferred here mysteriously late in the year. Maria is everything the girls Louise is friends with aren't, authentic, funny and brash. Maria and Louise are quickly on the way to being friends.

In 2016 Louise, now a single mum to a 4 year old, receives an e-mail which stops her in her tracks: Maria Weston wants to be friends on Facebook. Cruel decisions that were made and dark secrets that have been long buried come back as does the night that would change their lives forever.

Louise knew if the truth about what happened came out she might lose everything, her job, her son, her freedom. After Maria reappears Louise is forced to reconnect with the people from her past she had severed ties with. Whilst piecing everything together Louise realises there is more to the story than she realised. Louise must find out what really happened before the person behind the Maria Weston Facebook page reveals all.

Friend Request is a book perfect for todays culture, social media, bullying and the anonymity in which you can use to torture another person are what makes this book a gripping thriller which will make you rethink the amount of time you spend on social media.

The slow start made it a hard read to begin with but it quickly drags you into the story and the characters. How can someone who died 25 years ago add you as a friend on facebook? You quickly become hooked and start to try and unravel the mystery along with the main charcter.

Jumping from the present to 1989 you get the full picture of what happened and how the events of that tragic night unfolded. There are enough twists to keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. The social media theme makes it a relevant and current story which you feel yourself connecting with more than with other thrillers.

This book should be on your reading list as it is unique, gripping and truely thrilling. Get through the first few chapters and the pay off is worth it. The ugly end is plausible and one you will never see coming.

Snapping Turtle Rating: 4/5