Today its my turn on the blog tour for When We Were Young by Dawn Goodwin. Thanks to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources and Dawn Goodwin for my ARC of the book.
Four best friends. One of them is dead. Are their secrets safe?
Uni friends Stacey, Paula, Bev and Valentina used to be inseparable until one weekend before graduation when nothing was ever the same again.
Thirty years later, reunited at Valentina’s funeral, Stacey receives a letter written by her late friend asking for one last wish… that the three friends go back to where things fell apart and finally bury the hatchet.
As they revisit their old haunts of their uni days and follow a series of clues left by Valentina, their friend’s death begins to look suspicious and it is up to them to find out what happened – but they all have secrets to hide.
They say good friends are hard to come by, but when there is so much at stake and someone is lurking in the shadows, how do you know who is a friend and who is a foe?
A psychological thriller that is told from dual timelines. The past and the present, of Stacey, Valentine, Bev and Paula. Four Uni friends.
The present sees Bev, Paula and Stacey reunited at Valentina’s funeral. All in their early fifties, it seems time has not been kind to any of them. Stacey receives a letter from Valentina,requesting everyone to get back together and try to resolve their issues from the past.
The story alternates from present to past with both mysteries unfolding as the story develops. I have to say, I was eager to discover what drove these four women apart in the past. Valentina’s death being the mystery in the present, how did she die and why? Would the other three women be targeted next? They make it their mission to try to find out what happened. The only problem being they each have things to hide.
These are characters that have been created so realistic. They have flaws and they are so human. Each woman with their issues, alcoholism, abusive relationship,unhappy marriage. So real and anyone of them could live next door or be a friend in this world. I really felt like I was with them on their ‘mission’. The past shows us that just one thing sent them reeling of their paths through life and this does reflect real life too.
I was gripped by this book, especially with the mystery person who we hear from too. No spoilers here from me, read the book and you will understand. It created that edge of your seat feeling at times.
I found this a proper page turner and read it in one sitting. I was really unwilling to put it down, so I just read! (No one got fed until I finished anyway!) A recommended read if you enjoy psychological thrillers.
Purchase Link smarturl.it/WhenWeWereYoungDG
Author Bio
Dawn Goodwin’s twenty-year career has spanned PR, advertising and publishing, both in London and Johannesburg. A graduate of the Curtis Brown creative writing school, she loves to write about the personalities hiding behind the masks we wear every day, whether beautiful or ugly. Now a company director, what spare time she has is spent chasing good intentions, contemplating how to get away with various crimes and misdemeanours, and immersing herself in fictitious worlds. She lives in London with her husband, two teenage daughters and British bulldogs Geoffrey and Luna.
Social Media Links –
https://www.instagram.com/dgoodwinauthor/
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 