My Best Friend's Murder is the perfect example of how to take a really simple concept and turn that into a brilliant thriller. Bec and Izzy have been best friends since childhood, although this friendship has always been tinged with competitiveness and a certain toxicity. Now adults, the toxicity gets knocked up a gear through a series of misfortunes and revelations. When Izzy is found dead by Bec, she quickly realises that she may be the prime suspect.
The first thing to note is that I think the blurb is actually a little misleading. I would say Izzy's body is not found until at least halfway through the book, and the focus is split equally between building tension up in Izzy and Bec's friendship, and Bec then living on past Izzy's death. You really get to dive deep into these characters and find out all intricacies in their relationships, and this paints a really full and interesting picture for when the body is found.
I really liked the characters a whole lot. Bec isn't the most likeable person around but that was quite refreshing, and it helped balance the story so she wasn't just the innocent victim of Izzy. Izzy is a piece of work but with depth, and the more you learn about her, the less black and white things become. I think thrillers like this really need to have that depth in order to be compelling, and this book certainly doesn't disappoint in that aspect. I also really enjoyed Bec's brother and the role he played in the story. It's rare for characters in a thriller to have healthy sibling relationships and it made Bec feel a bit more real, as well as being a key part of the plot. Similarly, Izzy's young child was actually a strong part of the story and not just a plot device. These sound like basic things but it's amazing how many thrillers don't develop these kinds of characters.
The plot itself is also solid. Like I said, it is simple but I mean that entirely as a compliment. This was especially welcome when listening to the audiobook (which is fantastically narrated) as I could listen whilst doing other things and not lose track of what was going on. Rather than trying to focus on huge surprises, instead a muddier picture is drawn throughout so you're never quite sure if you're seeing things correctly. It means that tension and dread build up in a way that makes you slow to realise, and the attachment to the characters keeps you invested every step of the way.
Overall, My Best Friend's Murder is a fantastic thriller and a great audiobook. If you like character-based thrillers which focus on intense relationships and the complex dimensions they can have, I thoroughly recommend checking this out. I am always looking for good thrillers about female friendships and I am pleased to say I have found one.
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