My Ex-Best Friend: A Novel of Suburbia

I had no idea this was the author's first book. I am completely impressed. I took this book with me on vacation and finished it in two days. I came to this site to see if she has since written other books but decided to write a review. I highly recommend this book.

Beth Brophy's new mystery has everything: sympathetic characters, believable plot, and good writing. It's...well, cozy! Claire Newman's best friend, Lydia, dies just as Lydia has moved to re-establish contact after five years of extrangement. At first the death appears to be a suicide but of course we soon begin to share Claire's suspicions. Claire's investigation takes her to a psychiatrist, a soccer coach and, of course, Lydia's husband, a neurologist.The action unfolds smoothly and it is easy to care about the characters. Most people will guess whodunit, but that's not a big deal. Even Claire's investigation fits her character: journalists learn how to dig behind the obvious.I hope we hear more from Beth Brophy. It's a welcome surprise to find a new writer who's got "it."

This is a story that has a plot like so many others out right now, the suburban mom, one who works outside the home, or maybe is a stay at home mom, but who gets involved in trying to solve a murder.However, this book is a notch above the others. I'm not sure if it is the fact that there is more than one mystery going on, was it suicide or murder, why did the friendship falter, and who was that person in the friendship? Do we really know our loved ones, the people we trust and depend on day after day?Ms. Brophy is a wonderful writer, and although I must say I was not surprised at the outcome, there were a few questions. It didn't matter that I had it figured out( mostly!), because the ride along the way to get there was well worth it.I look forward to her next book.

After twenty-three years of friendship, Lydia Finelli has dropped out of the life of Claire Newman just when she gave birth to the twins. A hurt Claire goes on with her life, balancing her family's need against her full time job as a star journalist at Nationweek. When Claire runs into Lydia at the local bakery, she asks Claire if she can call her, Claire who'd desperately needs to know why Lydia cut her off so completely agrees.Lydia sets up an appointment for Claire to meet her at her home. When Claire arrives, she finds Lydia dead in her bed, the victim of an apparent suicide. Claire reestablishes her relationship with Lydia's husband Matthew and his son Collin but can't help wondering why Lydia killed herself. As she starts investigating she finds small, but almost insignificant clues that prove that Lydia may have been murdered and she goes all out to confirm her theory even when she knows she is putting her own life in danger.Beth Brophy's underlying theme throughout the whole book is that evil often wears the face of goodness so people can't tell the monster living amongst them. Readers' hearts will go out to the heroine, a woman hurt by her friend's coldness, but who still cares enough about her to bring her killer to justice and make sure that her son is psychologically healing. Claire treats Lydia's death as she would a news-breaking story, investigating all reasonable theories and following up on the smallest clues. MY EX-BEST FRIEND is a fascinating work of psychological suspense.Harriet