The Best of Friends, by Lucinda Berry, explores the dynamics between and among a group of teenage boys (who are best friends) as well as their three mothers (BFFs forEVER) when a terrible tragedy occurs.

Written by a trauma psychologist (yikes), the story is told from various perspectives and (TBH) at first I had to actually draw out a sort of org chart for the three families. Once I got them straight, it was a fun read. Since the author lives in LA, she was able to perfectly capture the sort of quintessential wealthy southern California suburban community, which the families are just sure is the perfect place to safely raise their perfect children…

The three women are Dani, Lindsey, and Kendra, and their teenage sons are Caleb, Jacob, and Sawyer, respectively. One night an accident happens (or was it?) leaving one boy dead, one in a coma, and the third so traumatized he can’t speak.

As the mothers investigate the incident, they discover things that they didn’t know and reveal things they have chosen to deny or avoid. At the same time, the police are investigating, including a detective known to them…well, sort of: “He doesn’t even have a Facebook profile. What kind of a person doesn’t at least have that?”

Dani is married to Bryan, a real dog (“Alcohol turns him into a special kind of monster”). and they are the parents who might be seen as obviously at fault, since (mini spoiler alert) it was their gun. Lindsey, Jacob’s mom,  is a special kind of shallow, describing the details of her home in terms of how she picked out her furniture thinking about the effect she wanted it to have. For her, it’s all about how things LOOK. Of the three, she is the only one who “didn’t move up” to the nicer neighborhood, so maybe she is insecure about that…in any case, she spends a lot of time in pursuits such as worrying about her new couch: “…I never expected people to sleep on it.” They live right behind Kendra and Paul, parents to Sawyer and their other son Reese, who seems pathetically forgotten as the drama unfolds.  

As things are revealed, all three women come to realize their idyllic life is really just a façade, there is no safe place, and the image they present to the world can be shattered in a heartbeat.  This was a quick read, and raises many issues around topics including image vs. reality, jealousy, parenting, domestic abuse, and trauma. Great for book clubs.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing a copy in return for this honest review. Four stars.