THE BEST FRIEND

Told mostly in conversation, this novel about a toxic friendship hinges on the quality of its narration. Luckily for listeners, Lucy Scott and Antonia Beamish deliver terrific performances of women who really aren't good for each other. The loose plot follows Lucy Scott's Kate and Antonia Beamish's Bella from a beginning as childhood besties in an English village through middle-age reconnection and damage, then an aged reunion. Kate is egocentric, vibrant, and dangerous. Bella is generous, quiet, and vulnerable. At least, that's how it seems. However, be forewarned that neither woman is reliably truthful. What is reliable is the skill of the narrators, who offer gripping conversational pacing and a slow build of tension as the power dynamics play out. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]