The only certainty is that Maria Weston disappeared that night, never to be heard from again–until now. THE BLURB: A paranoid single mom is forced to confront the unthinkable act she committed as a desperate teenager in this addictive thriller with a social media twist. It is thrilling but not terrifying, so even if you are easily scared you will probably be okay with reading this book. The terrible toll bullying takes on the bullied, those close to them, and even the guilt years later of the one who had a part in the bullying. The author really knows how to pump up the suspense and tension until your head is spinning, trying to figure out who is telling the truth.

One of the great things about this novel is that there are lots of characters to try and pin the blame on. Trying to piece together exactly what happened that night, she soon discovers there’s much she didn’t know. I think many of us have been bullied before, but not to the degree displayed in this book (hopefully).But how far will she go to hide truths and protect the lies of the past and her part in Maria’s fate? Although I spent some time discussing these social issues, they are underlying themes the book is based upon. She was just young, stupid, insecure, and desperate to find her place in the social stratosphere that is High School and as adult Louise condemns herself for her past actions (something I wish fills my bullies with shame everyday) you almost want to reach out and let her know not to be so hard on herself.

Not surprising, that there are books being written about the dangers and perils of over-sharing lives on social media, when we unwittingly leave ourselves open to "stranger danger". The writing style was good, very easy to read, and I have a feeling I read it faster then my kindle would count. I know it would freak me out and probably make me stay away from Facebook for days, but of course that wouldn’t make a fast paced psychological thriller though, would it? I can just see one of the tower blocks that loom here and there like malevolent giants over the rows of Victorian terraces all turned into flats like mine that make up this part of south-east London.One thing struck me as I read this book and that is that one should not post too many personal details about one's life on Facebook, nor should you befriend a person you thought was dead and that you feel guilty about. Maybe that had been the problem all along; Maria Weston had wanted to be friends with me, but I let her down. Louise is a smart person, computer literate and she goes through all the expected steps to find out who sent the request. Alternating between 1989 (the last time Louise saw Maria) and 2016, this book slowly fills you in on events from the past as adult Louise reconnects with former friends and digs into exactly what happened so many years ago.

The red brick of the school buildings lurks in the background, familiar in a way but strange too, as if it belongs to someone else’s memories, not mine. Henry is at Sam’s tonight, so I’ve put in a long day working on some initial plans for a client who wants everything from walls to carpets and sofas in varying shades of beige and taupe, but at the same time doesn’t want the house to look boring. I'm not even sure which side of the story had me more engrossed as they both certainly kept the pages turning looking for answers. After two pretty heavy-going books – The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, which I really enjoyed, and Macbeth, which I didn’t, I was ready to get back to my happy place.Not just suspenseful, it also has great dialogue and the issues brought up are so relevant to what's happening in the world today. That said, I can be all about slow-paced books if they are immersive enough, and FRIEND REQUEST is as much a fascinating character study about the cruelty of teenage girl cliques, as it is a murder mystery. Though being dumped by her horrid husband, she is not mature enough to cut clean all the links with him. As the coffee machine hums its everyday tune, I half-listen to the news on the radio, which chatters all day every day in my kitchen: a sporting victory, a cabinet re-shuffle, a fifteen year-old girl who has killed herself after her boyfriend posted naked pictures of her online.

Maybe that had been the problem all along: Maria Weston had wanted to be friends with me, but I let her down.I don’t want to give anything away by saying too much but at the end, there are two reveals and one of them felt like it was put into the story just for the sake of having another “dun, dun, dunnn” moment. What makes this one so suspenseful is not only the way it is written, but the steady pace, and how things keep changing as you read. As the story progresses though it definitely picks up when more of the mystery within reveals itself and then it is less about mean girls.