What do you think?
Rate this book
Come with Me
Two women. An old friendship rekindled. A growing fear. Not everything is as it seems in a dark and twisty novel of suspense by the Edgar Award–winning author of Deer Season.
Gwen Maner is a widowed single mom, returning to her Ohio hometown with her daughter. And thanks to former acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, this is the start of Gwen’s new and promising life.
Nicola’s secured Gwen a lucrative job, rented Gwen a house on her same street, and won the heart of Gwen’s daughter, but she almost seems too good to be true. She’s so selfless. So charismatic. And so take-charge. Gwen is sure Nicola is yearning only for someone to get close to. After all, according to Nicola, her marriage is falling apart, and her best friend just up and left one day.
But how well does Gwen really know Nicola? What does Nicola ultimately want? As their lives become more entwined, and Nicola’s grip tightens, Gwen begins to think that Nicola isn’t helping Gwen and her daughter but vying for control of every aspect of her life. And the consequences may be deadly.
Gwen Maner is a widowed single mom, returning to her Ohio hometown with her daughter. And thanks to former acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, this is the start of Gwen’s new and promising life.
Nicola’s secured Gwen a lucrative job, rented Gwen a house on her same street, and won the heart of Gwen’s daughter, but she almost seems too good to be true. She’s so selfless. So charismatic. And so take-charge. Gwen is sure Nicola is yearning only for someone to get close to. After all, according to Nicola, her marriage is falling apart, and her best friend just up and left one day.
But how well does Gwen really know Nicola? What does Nicola ultimately want? As their lives become more entwined, and Nicola’s grip tightens, Gwen begins to think that Nicola isn’t helping Gwen and her daughter but vying for control of every aspect of her life. And the consequences may be deadly.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2023
363 people are currently reading
7,007 people want to read
About the author
Erin Flanagan
5Ìýbooks166ÌýfollowersErin Flanagan's forthcoming novel, Come with Me (Thomas & Mercer), releases in August 2023. Her novel Deer Season (University of Nebraska Press) won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author and was a Macavity finalist for Best First Mystery. Her second novel, Blackout (Thomas & Mercer) was a June 2022 Amazon First Reads pick. She is also the author of two collections: It's Not Going to Kill You and Other Stories, and The Usual Mistakes. Erin is an English professor at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a regular book reviewer for Publishers Weekly. For more information about her and her writing, please visit or say hello on Twitter at @erinlflanagan.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
November 11, 2023
At the shockingly young age of just thirty-two, Gwen Maner is grief stricken to find herself a widow after her husband’s sudden heart attack. A freshly minted single mom to eight year old Whitney, her already shaken world well and truly falls off its axis when she discovers her finances are anything but solid. Having spent the last decade being a stay-at-home mom, she’s now in the unenviable position of looking for a job with hardly any qualifications to speak of.
In her first step towards possible employment, Gwen decides to phone her former acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, hoping her company just might have an opening. Faster than she could’ve imagined, Gwen finds herself employed with an envy-inducing salary as well as a swanky new home both thanks to Nicola herself. To top it all off, Whitney seems to be falling for her mother’s newfound friend hook, line, and sinker, a fact that only wins Gwen over more.
In the back of Gwen’s mind, however, it all seems just a little too good to be true. But then, who is she to turn a blind eye to a good thing. After all, Nicola is the kind of person she has always aspired to be—an unstoppable woman who takes the bull by the horns but also comes across as charming and kind. And for all Gwen knows, Nicola is just looking for a friend herself since her own life is hardly picture perfect. With her marriage on the rocks and nary a girlfriend in sight, maybe their fledgling friendship means just as much to Nicola as it does to Gwen.
But as the months pass and their two worlds grow more and more intertwined, Gwen finds herself tied to Nicola in more ways than one. What started off as stress relieving help is now feeling more and more like control. At first it felt nice to be taken care of again, but now Gwen wonders if there is anyway to get the reins of her life back without causing offense. After all, the consequences of letting someone little more than a stranger take over could be altogether more deadly than she’d ever imagined. When it comes right down to it, how well does she really know this woman who has forced her way into her family?
I have to say, the first book by Erin Flanagan that I’ve read, Come with Me, for the most part, did not disappoint. A splendid mix of a toxic friendship and a woman discovering her own worth, I was captivated by the quotable prose from the very first word. What in particular did I love? Well, read on, my book besties, and you’ll see�
Let me start at the top then, shall I? After all, the absolute best part of this downright epic domestic suspense novel were the characters themselves. Complex and fully fleshed out, each had tantalizing backstories that grabbed me and didn’t let go. Told primarily via two POVs, their identities were crystal clear while also presenting plenty of gray to what made them who they were.
As for the plot, I was just a tad bit let down by it for much of the book. A long, slow burn as Gwen got her feet under her in Dayton, I kept waiting—and waiting—for the power play to begin. Although I do have to say that when it did start in earnest, I found myself ripping through the pages as fast as I could. And then I finally reached that barn burner of a climax. Perfectly crafted into a breathtaking ride, the intense showdown had my heart pumping fast and hard to be sure.
The only pieces of this puzzle that didn’t quite live up to the rest were one of the twists and the conclusion. Unfortunately, the supposed shocking reveal, which came right at the tail end, was something I just so happened to guess early on. I do have to say, however, that if I hadn’t seen it coming, it would’ve been one heck of a jaw-dropping twist. As for the conclusion, it felt altogether to abrupt for my tastes, especially given how drawn out the beginning happened to be.
By the time I closed the cover, though, this finely layered plot and brilliantly played obsessive relationship won me over through and through. A quick, easy read that was the definition of a popcorn thriller, it had very real B.A. Paris vibes. So if the synopsis gets your attention at all, definitely give it a go. I, for one, was not disappointed. Rating of 4.5 stars.
👉 Be sure to head to my Amazon Storefront to order. I get a small commission and would love your support!
Trigger warning: fatal heart attack, death of a husband, bullying, gaslighting, mention of: prostitution, drug use, infidelity
In her first step towards possible employment, Gwen decides to phone her former acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, hoping her company just might have an opening. Faster than she could’ve imagined, Gwen finds herself employed with an envy-inducing salary as well as a swanky new home both thanks to Nicola herself. To top it all off, Whitney seems to be falling for her mother’s newfound friend hook, line, and sinker, a fact that only wins Gwen over more.
In the back of Gwen’s mind, however, it all seems just a little too good to be true. But then, who is she to turn a blind eye to a good thing. After all, Nicola is the kind of person she has always aspired to be—an unstoppable woman who takes the bull by the horns but also comes across as charming and kind. And for all Gwen knows, Nicola is just looking for a friend herself since her own life is hardly picture perfect. With her marriage on the rocks and nary a girlfriend in sight, maybe their fledgling friendship means just as much to Nicola as it does to Gwen.
But as the months pass and their two worlds grow more and more intertwined, Gwen finds herself tied to Nicola in more ways than one. What started off as stress relieving help is now feeling more and more like control. At first it felt nice to be taken care of again, but now Gwen wonders if there is anyway to get the reins of her life back without causing offense. After all, the consequences of letting someone little more than a stranger take over could be altogether more deadly than she’d ever imagined. When it comes right down to it, how well does she really know this woman who has forced her way into her family?
I have to say, the first book by Erin Flanagan that I’ve read, Come with Me, for the most part, did not disappoint. A splendid mix of a toxic friendship and a woman discovering her own worth, I was captivated by the quotable prose from the very first word. What in particular did I love? Well, read on, my book besties, and you’ll see�
Let me start at the top then, shall I? After all, the absolute best part of this downright epic domestic suspense novel were the characters themselves. Complex and fully fleshed out, each had tantalizing backstories that grabbed me and didn’t let go. Told primarily via two POVs, their identities were crystal clear while also presenting plenty of gray to what made them who they were.
As for the plot, I was just a tad bit let down by it for much of the book. A long, slow burn as Gwen got her feet under her in Dayton, I kept waiting—and waiting—for the power play to begin. Although I do have to say that when it did start in earnest, I found myself ripping through the pages as fast as I could. And then I finally reached that barn burner of a climax. Perfectly crafted into a breathtaking ride, the intense showdown had my heart pumping fast and hard to be sure.
The only pieces of this puzzle that didn’t quite live up to the rest were one of the twists and the conclusion. Unfortunately, the supposed shocking reveal, which came right at the tail end, was something I just so happened to guess early on. I do have to say, however, that if I hadn’t seen it coming, it would’ve been one heck of a jaw-dropping twist. As for the conclusion, it felt altogether to abrupt for my tastes, especially given how drawn out the beginning happened to be.
By the time I closed the cover, though, this finely layered plot and brilliantly played obsessive relationship won me over through and through. A quick, easy read that was the definition of a popcorn thriller, it had very real B.A. Paris vibes. So if the synopsis gets your attention at all, definitely give it a go. I, for one, was not disappointed. Rating of 4.5 stars.
👉 Be sure to head to my Amazon Storefront to order. I get a small commission and would love your support!
Trigger warning: fatal heart attack, death of a husband, bullying, gaslighting, mention of: prostitution, drug use, infidelity
August 28, 2023
We’ve all had one. You know you have. *That* friend. The one who love bombs you, and is always there for you (creepily) yet needles at your insecurities and is quick to remind you that if it weren’t for her you’d be lost. She’ll share the spotlight with you, sure. But only when it benefits her! And if you call her behavior out for what it is, she’ll gaslight you, point the finger at you and tell you that you’re projecting. Sigh. This is why we can’t have nice things.
If you can relate to anything I just wrote, this thriller is for you!
Erin Flanagan knows toxic friendships. Brash, bold, impressive Nicola meets meek, insecure, widowed mother Gwen and it all seems too good to be true—at first. This novel has so many nail-biting, page-turning moments and I was just like—please, please don’t let anything bad happen to the dog (dog was safe). There’s also a healthy dose of dark humor and you can’t help but have empathy for Nicola (empathy gets our sort into trouble every time!) But yeah. This one felt personal to me. Real personal. Effing five bright stars, as high as they can go.
If you can relate to anything I just wrote, this thriller is for you!
Erin Flanagan knows toxic friendships. Brash, bold, impressive Nicola meets meek, insecure, widowed mother Gwen and it all seems too good to be true—at first. This novel has so many nail-biting, page-turning moments and I was just like—please, please don’t let anything bad happen to the dog (dog was safe). There’s also a healthy dose of dark humor and you can’t help but have empathy for Nicola (empathy gets our sort into trouble every time!) But yeah. This one felt personal to me. Real personal. Effing five bright stars, as high as they can go.
May 3, 2023
Come With Me is the latest gem from Erin Flanigan, and just like her other mysteries, this one does not disappoint! Flanigan has long been one of my favorite writers for her finely crafted characters. Come With Me features Gwen, a single mom reeling from the death of her husband and doing her best to provide for her daughter, Whitney. Almost heaven sent, Gwen is offered a job from Nicola, an old colleague who Gwen did an internship with. Nicola is always there to help Gwen in the toughest of moments, offering a shoulder to lean on and help with her new job as well as housing. But things aren’t always what they seem to be.
This book is a slow burn that builds with a collection of red flags. We’ve all had that one friend, the one who seemed so helpful and then� But what is one to do when you NEED the friend who’s so dangerous?
Come With Me is a page turner full of interesting characters. It will keep you guessing late into the night!
This book is a slow burn that builds with a collection of red flags. We’ve all had that one friend, the one who seemed so helpful and then� But what is one to do when you NEED the friend who’s so dangerous?
Come With Me is a page turner full of interesting characters. It will keep you guessing late into the night!
April 19, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for my e-ARC.
Reunions are…complicated. Unpredictable. Fraught with uncertainty and tension. While some eagerly anticipate them, others dread them.
Gwen and Nicola(“Nikki) met as interns and struck up a friendship of sorts. But they seem mismatched. Gwen always felt frumpy, plain, and inadequate compared to Nikki’s confident, stylish, and charismatic persona.
Much has changed for Gwen in the intervening years and she finds herself, apprehensively, reaching out to Nikki not knowing what to expect. Little did she know she was in for some surprises.
I liked the premise and set-up of this book. Its alternating perspectives and time shifts really gave me an insight into the players. But the final pages had me confused about the true identity of one of them.
Reunions are…complicated. Unpredictable. Fraught with uncertainty and tension. While some eagerly anticipate them, others dread them.
Gwen and Nicola(“Nikki) met as interns and struck up a friendship of sorts. But they seem mismatched. Gwen always felt frumpy, plain, and inadequate compared to Nikki’s confident, stylish, and charismatic persona.
Much has changed for Gwen in the intervening years and she finds herself, apprehensively, reaching out to Nikki not knowing what to expect. Little did she know she was in for some surprises.
I liked the premise and set-up of this book. Its alternating perspectives and time shifts really gave me an insight into the players. But the final pages had me confused about the true identity of one of them.
December 14, 2023
Erin Flanagan is 3 for 3 on great thrillers! This is my third book by Flanagan, and probably my second favorite. A quick read, full of anxiety, toxic friendship, and some good plot twists. I could easily see this being a Netflix movie!
March 16, 2024
The book was fine. It was well written and a decent story I just feel like it built up and built up then the thing happened and it was done. Isn’t that how most books are yes but this one just didn’t do it for me.
July 18, 2023
Gwen Maner is a widowed single mom, returning to her Ohio hometown with her 8 year old daughter. Nicola Kimmel is Gwen’s old colleague when they were both interns. Nicola helps Gwen get a job at the place they interned, rents a house for Gwen on her same street, and Gwen’s daughter adores her. Gwen struggles with confidence whereas Nicola was very confident and take charge. Things seem too good to be true. When things start to happen and Gwen starts to question things , Gwen starts to question if Nicola is trying to be a good friend or does she have an alternative motive. For example, Gwen’s mom ends up on the bedroom floor with a head wound. Gwen gets a flat tire. In the end Nicola takes Gwen’s daughter and brings her to her childhood home on a farm where her drug addict mother lives. Gwen finds them and Nicolas mom is holding a knife to the little girl’s neck. She takes the little girl to the hayloft where the little girl is pushed off and Nicola ends up catching her but Gwen pushes the mother off killing her. Nicola gets arrested for the murder of her husband and Missy, another intern they knew and disappeared. Gwen ends up visiting Nicola in jail because she holds the secret that she pushed her mother.
The twist: Nicola is actually Celeste, her older sister. The real Nicola was killed after their mother threw Nicola from the hayloft. Nicola took on her sister’s identity.
The story was a slow burn and had alternating timelines and multiple points of view. The toxic friendship is rooted in past traumas. Gwen’s desperation and circumstances made her easy for manipulation. It shows how past traumas shape people. I enjoyed the twist but wish it had more depth. There were no shocking revelations and nothing keeping me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed how Gwen found herself becoming independent and confident.
The twist: Nicola is actually Celeste, her older sister. The real Nicola was killed after their mother threw Nicola from the hayloft. Nicola took on her sister’s identity.
The story was a slow burn and had alternating timelines and multiple points of view. The toxic friendship is rooted in past traumas. Gwen’s desperation and circumstances made her easy for manipulation. It shows how past traumas shape people. I enjoyed the twist but wish it had more depth. There were no shocking revelations and nothing keeping me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed how Gwen found herself becoming independent and confident.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2023
3.5. Single White Female vibes. Toxic, obsessive female friendship that morphs from perfect to concerning to terrifying.
April 23, 2023
When rekindling an old friendship seems like a good idea but it isn't. It. Really. Isn't. The toxicity sometimes found in female friendships is a trope that's done fairly often. Also, it's a trope I happen to adore. This was done up to the nines. The twists and turns were hairpin and executed well. For a tense and breathtaking ride. The prose is an annotated dream. My highlighter and I can't wait to get a physical copy! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for making this gem available for early reading.
May 15, 2023
Ok, first, I liked this book! But, the characters, rich and really unlikeable, didn’t fully ring true. A quick read and a satisfying if abrupt ending. I think it would play out well in a Lifetime or Netflix movie. This would be a great vacation or beach read.
April 28, 2023
Loved this book so much! Love that it's about dynamics between friends and am crazy about all of these characters. And the suspense is delicious! I highly recommend!
September 4, 2023
This book felt like a Lifetime Original Movie.
August 26, 2023
Edgar-award winning author Erin Flanagan returns with a new novel entitled COME WITH ME and it proves to be a white-knuckle psychological thriller of the highest order. At play here is the relationship between two women, who first met as interns at the same company while in college, who reconnect with explosive consequences.
The story opens with a trip into the past, back to the year 2012 where Gwen Maner entered the conference room of Dack & Anders and met with her two fellow interns --- Nikki and Missy. She hit it off with Missy but found Nikki to be a bit standoffish. Things did not go well at the internship with Gwen and she was often surprised that she was not terminated. Still, it became a part of her past in Ohio that she left behind when she moved to Colorado and got married and started a family.
One thing that Gwen did take with her from Nikki were the five rules that she lived by. In fact, they were posted at her desk at work. These five rules are also used by Erin Flanagan to introduce the different sections of the story. The story jumps primarily between the years 2012 and 2022 and are told from the points of view of both Gwen and Nicola a.k.a. Nikki. We witness in 2022, right after the COVID-19 pandemic, Gwen and her husband Todd out to dinner with friends. It is at this particular meal that Todd suffers a massive coronary and dies.
Now, Gwen and her eight-year-old daughter Whitney are on their own and in desperate need of a regular income. The reason behind this is that husband Todd failed to let on to his wife what dire straits his company was in, to the point where their savings and insurance were wiped out and Gwen left with practically nothing to sustain life as a now singer mother. Her only recourse is to move back to Ohio and stay temporarily with her mother until she gets her feet on the ground. That begins with getting gainfully employed and prompts her to look up her former employer, Dack & Anders. Much to her surprise, her old friend Nicola has risen up the ranks to the role of COO --- so she decides to reach out.
Surprisingly, Nicola not only remembers Gwen but feels for her situation and offers to create a job for her at D&A, even though Gwen’s resume is quite thin. Upon arriving in Ohio, Gwen immediately interviews with the company and is a slam dunk for the role created for her by her old friend. Nicola also recognizes that Gwen is not thrilled about living with her mother, even temporarily, and surprises her with a paid for condo in the same development she lives in. With Nicola now playing the role of boss and landlord, it appears that she is an indelible fixture in the lives of Gwen and Whitney. At this point, Gwen has no idea just how deep this relationship has become and also will never be able to predict how much further Nicola plans to take things.
It starts slowly, with Nicola inserting herself into Whitney’s life and coaxing her unwavering support by allowing the young girl to have full access to her new puppy. Matters will get far more serious when the super-assertive Nicola stands up to Gwen’s mother and makes an instant enemy out of her. When Gwen’s mother is found knocked senseless in her own home, a condition the doctor’s attribute to her diabetes and dizziness, Gwen suspects the worst --- that Nicola had a hand in this.
That brings me back to the five rules, which Nicola still has posted in her office:
#1 � Don’t Let Anyone Make You Feel Small
#2 � Know Your Friends
#3 � Trust Your Instincts
#4 � Never Look Back
#5 � Truth, Not Facts
Flanagan’s use of these five points within Nicola’s personal mantra is a thing of brilliance and provides a chilling heading to each section of this novel where they all fit perfectly into the narrative.
If it sounds like you’ve read this tale of obsessive relationships before you will be pleasantly surprised at where Flanagan takes things. Readers will root firmly for Gwen, even when things seem bleakest for her. That provides the satisfaction within this terrific thriller. COME WITH ME is a memorable read with characters you will not easily shake and an unsettling storyline that will have you looking over your shoulder the entire read.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
The story opens with a trip into the past, back to the year 2012 where Gwen Maner entered the conference room of Dack & Anders and met with her two fellow interns --- Nikki and Missy. She hit it off with Missy but found Nikki to be a bit standoffish. Things did not go well at the internship with Gwen and she was often surprised that she was not terminated. Still, it became a part of her past in Ohio that she left behind when she moved to Colorado and got married and started a family.
One thing that Gwen did take with her from Nikki were the five rules that she lived by. In fact, they were posted at her desk at work. These five rules are also used by Erin Flanagan to introduce the different sections of the story. The story jumps primarily between the years 2012 and 2022 and are told from the points of view of both Gwen and Nicola a.k.a. Nikki. We witness in 2022, right after the COVID-19 pandemic, Gwen and her husband Todd out to dinner with friends. It is at this particular meal that Todd suffers a massive coronary and dies.
Now, Gwen and her eight-year-old daughter Whitney are on their own and in desperate need of a regular income. The reason behind this is that husband Todd failed to let on to his wife what dire straits his company was in, to the point where their savings and insurance were wiped out and Gwen left with practically nothing to sustain life as a now singer mother. Her only recourse is to move back to Ohio and stay temporarily with her mother until she gets her feet on the ground. That begins with getting gainfully employed and prompts her to look up her former employer, Dack & Anders. Much to her surprise, her old friend Nicola has risen up the ranks to the role of COO --- so she decides to reach out.
Surprisingly, Nicola not only remembers Gwen but feels for her situation and offers to create a job for her at D&A, even though Gwen’s resume is quite thin. Upon arriving in Ohio, Gwen immediately interviews with the company and is a slam dunk for the role created for her by her old friend. Nicola also recognizes that Gwen is not thrilled about living with her mother, even temporarily, and surprises her with a paid for condo in the same development she lives in. With Nicola now playing the role of boss and landlord, it appears that she is an indelible fixture in the lives of Gwen and Whitney. At this point, Gwen has no idea just how deep this relationship has become and also will never be able to predict how much further Nicola plans to take things.
It starts slowly, with Nicola inserting herself into Whitney’s life and coaxing her unwavering support by allowing the young girl to have full access to her new puppy. Matters will get far more serious when the super-assertive Nicola stands up to Gwen’s mother and makes an instant enemy out of her. When Gwen’s mother is found knocked senseless in her own home, a condition the doctor’s attribute to her diabetes and dizziness, Gwen suspects the worst --- that Nicola had a hand in this.
That brings me back to the five rules, which Nicola still has posted in her office:
#1 � Don’t Let Anyone Make You Feel Small
#2 � Know Your Friends
#3 � Trust Your Instincts
#4 � Never Look Back
#5 � Truth, Not Facts
Flanagan’s use of these five points within Nicola’s personal mantra is a thing of brilliance and provides a chilling heading to each section of this novel where they all fit perfectly into the narrative.
If it sounds like you’ve read this tale of obsessive relationships before you will be pleasantly surprised at where Flanagan takes things. Readers will root firmly for Gwen, even when things seem bleakest for her. That provides the satisfaction within this terrific thriller. COME WITH ME is a memorable read with characters you will not easily shake and an unsettling storyline that will have you looking over your shoulder the entire read.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
October 30, 2023
A story about being gullible. Being controlled without realizing you are being controlled because you’re in love/in lust. Or are complacent about questioning anything because it’s just easier that way. It’s thought that a lot of who or what you are, what you grow up to be, is impacted by your social and value programming in childhood. Somewhere along the way, your eyes open up more and more and you start questioning things but it’s a new feeling, one you might be unsure of and how to react. How everything you’ve got might all be pulled away and then you’re left with nothing. To start all over with absolutely nothing? Who is going to help me? What will you do then? Who can you trust?
Sometimes life lessons don’t set in the first time. They just get deeper, more ingrained. They also get more serious, more deadly. No longer are you responsible for just your own self, but now there’s also a young daughter, your aging hoarder mother who needs much more care then you can handle personally and financially. And a cointern, a “friend� from the past, who swoops in with perfect timing to rescue and nurture/groom and provide the too perfect job with too high pay, and the list goes on…this is the answer to our characters dilemma while also feeling like not only is this her boss, her savior, she is also acting like a true “friend.� A person in her life as she’s never had. Concerned and caring, but is she really? Is there an ulterior motive? Read it and find out!
Sometimes life lessons don’t set in the first time. They just get deeper, more ingrained. They also get more serious, more deadly. No longer are you responsible for just your own self, but now there’s also a young daughter, your aging hoarder mother who needs much more care then you can handle personally and financially. And a cointern, a “friend� from the past, who swoops in with perfect timing to rescue and nurture/groom and provide the too perfect job with too high pay, and the list goes on…this is the answer to our characters dilemma while also feeling like not only is this her boss, her savior, she is also acting like a true “friend.� A person in her life as she’s never had. Concerned and caring, but is she really? Is there an ulterior motive? Read it and find out!
August 29, 2023
Disappointed in this one. I read her great book Deer Season from a couple years ago and gave 5 stars to that one so i was excited to try this new one. This was not the same style of book at all. For me, this new one was a disposable thriller with zero surprises that i only kept reading because of how much i liked the previous book i read. Others might enjoy, but for my tastes 2 stars
October 19, 2023
This story is single white female meets toxic relationship, which defiantly kept me on my toes. I loved this story because it showcases that all relationships can be toxic. But just how toxic can it go before it become all-consuming and what will you do to escape it?
This story is about two women, a friendship rekindled. Not everything as it seems in this dark suspense story.
Gwen is a widowed single mom, returning to her hometown in Ohio with her daughter. She reaches out to an old acquaintance Nicola who helps her get a job and a place to live.
But as her and Nicola grow closer things are not as they seem, from her boyfriend to what really happened to the fall out of her last girlfriend. Nicola tries to control Gwen using all means possible including her daughter. As Gwen starts digging into Nicola past things start to turn dark and deadly.
Can Gwen escape the control of Nicola before she becomes one of her victims of control.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of this book for my honest review.
This story is about two women, a friendship rekindled. Not everything as it seems in this dark suspense story.
Gwen is a widowed single mom, returning to her hometown in Ohio with her daughter. She reaches out to an old acquaintance Nicola who helps her get a job and a place to live.
But as her and Nicola grow closer things are not as they seem, from her boyfriend to what really happened to the fall out of her last girlfriend. Nicola tries to control Gwen using all means possible including her daughter. As Gwen starts digging into Nicola past things start to turn dark and deadly.
Can Gwen escape the control of Nicola before she becomes one of her victims of control.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of this book for my honest review.
May 3, 2023
This was a fun and quick read! I enjoyed the different characters and I’m glad they’re not my friends. Trust your instincts and read this book.
August 23, 2023
Lets just get to the good part...
5 stars
Now, we can begin.
This book right here is TWISTED!!! Wherever you think this book is headed, forget about it, I promise you, you're wrong.
I felt my legs wobble after concluding. I can only describe it as the feeling you get when you first put your feet on the ground when you get off a roller coaster.
Come with Me, is a wild ride.
Check out this teaser :
Two women. An old friendship rekindled. A growing fear. Not everything is as it seems in a dark and twisty novel of suspense by the Edgar Award–winning author of Deer Season.
Gwen Maner is a widowed single mom, returning to her Ohio hometown with her daughter. And thanks to former acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, this is the start of Gwen’s new and promising life.
Nicola’s secured Gwen a lucrative job, rented Gwen a house on her same street, and won the heart of Gwen’s daughter, but she almost seems too good to be true. She’s so selfless. So charismatic. And so take-charge. Gwen is sure Nicola is yearning only for someone to get close to. After all, according to Nicola, her marriage is falling apart, and her best friend just up and left one day.
But how well does Gwen really know Nicola? What does Nicola ultimately want? As their lives become more entwined, and Nicola’s grip tightens, Gwen begins to think that Nicola isn’t helping Gwen and her daughter but vying for control of every aspect of her life. And the consequences may be deadly.
5 stars
Now, we can begin.
This book right here is TWISTED!!! Wherever you think this book is headed, forget about it, I promise you, you're wrong.
I felt my legs wobble after concluding. I can only describe it as the feeling you get when you first put your feet on the ground when you get off a roller coaster.
Come with Me, is a wild ride.
Check out this teaser :
Two women. An old friendship rekindled. A growing fear. Not everything is as it seems in a dark and twisty novel of suspense by the Edgar Award–winning author of Deer Season.
Gwen Maner is a widowed single mom, returning to her Ohio hometown with her daughter. And thanks to former acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, this is the start of Gwen’s new and promising life.
Nicola’s secured Gwen a lucrative job, rented Gwen a house on her same street, and won the heart of Gwen’s daughter, but she almost seems too good to be true. She’s so selfless. So charismatic. And so take-charge. Gwen is sure Nicola is yearning only for someone to get close to. After all, according to Nicola, her marriage is falling apart, and her best friend just up and left one day.
But how well does Gwen really know Nicola? What does Nicola ultimately want? As their lives become more entwined, and Nicola’s grip tightens, Gwen begins to think that Nicola isn’t helping Gwen and her daughter but vying for control of every aspect of her life. And the consequences may be deadly.
November 13, 2023
Although Come With Me has all the hallmarks of a good thriller—friends who are not what they seem, mysteries to solve, twists that keep you up reading at 3 AM—what really sets it apart is the care with which Erin Flanagan portrays the main characters and their relationships.
By the time you finish reading the back cover, you'll have Nicola pegged as a predator and Gwen as her vulnerable dupe. But there's a lot you don't understand about them both, and uncovering what makes them tick leads you not only to a chair-gripping climax, but also a denouement that is surprising yet somehow TRUE.
Spiked with Flanagan's dark humor and heart-rendingly evocative turns of phrase, Come With Me will keep you thinking long after the last page.
By the time you finish reading the back cover, you'll have Nicola pegged as a predator and Gwen as her vulnerable dupe. But there's a lot you don't understand about them both, and uncovering what makes them tick leads you not only to a chair-gripping climax, but also a denouement that is surprising yet somehow TRUE.
Spiked with Flanagan's dark humor and heart-rendingly evocative turns of phrase, Come With Me will keep you thinking long after the last page.
September 15, 2023
This was a slow burner thriller for me, but definitely kept me interested throughout. With some huge twists at the end.
A solid 3.5 🌟
I was left a little lost at the end as I still didn’t grasp the big “why� surrounding Gwen.
Definitely worth the read!
A solid 3.5 🌟
I was left a little lost at the end as I still didn’t grasp the big “why� surrounding Gwen.
Definitely worth the read!
July 8, 2023
Come With Me by Erin Flanagan
Thomas and Mercer Publishers
Release Date August 22, 2023
Characters: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Suspense: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5
WOW! What a book. This is the one I have been waiting for. The one that stays with you after you finish because you want more. I have read others from Flanagan and they are all amazing so I saw this one and wanted to read it and give a review for it. I am so glad I did. Just like the others, this one will NOT disappoint you. This is a story of a friendship that turns very toxic and very twisted.
Gwen Maner loses her husband and because she was a stay at home mother and his death left her in financial perils,
she has to find a job and quick. She once interned for a company while in college and that was all of the experience she had. Thanks to an old acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, she was able to get a new job and a house to start her life all over again. She and Nicola became very good friends and Gwen’s daughter really enjoyed her as well. However, something seemed off. Why would Nicola go to the lengths she had for Gwen? What was in it for her?
Gwen now feels that Nicola is just looking to get close to her because Nicola’s marriage is failing and her one time best friend walked out of her like. You will start to see how the author makes things more devious to give the reader doubts about Nicola. Flanagan starts to weave Nicola to be more bossy and in charge..The relationship becomes toxic and Gwen feels she has lost control of her life yet again. Will she pay a deadly price for this friendship? What is it that Nicola ultimately wants? You will need to read this book to find out. It is one hell of a ride.
Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
Thomas and Mercer Publishers
Release Date August 22, 2023
Characters: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Suspense: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5
WOW! What a book. This is the one I have been waiting for. The one that stays with you after you finish because you want more. I have read others from Flanagan and they are all amazing so I saw this one and wanted to read it and give a review for it. I am so glad I did. Just like the others, this one will NOT disappoint you. This is a story of a friendship that turns very toxic and very twisted.
Gwen Maner loses her husband and because she was a stay at home mother and his death left her in financial perils,
she has to find a job and quick. She once interned for a company while in college and that was all of the experience she had. Thanks to an old acquaintance Nicola Kimmel, she was able to get a new job and a house to start her life all over again. She and Nicola became very good friends and Gwen’s daughter really enjoyed her as well. However, something seemed off. Why would Nicola go to the lengths she had for Gwen? What was in it for her?
Gwen now feels that Nicola is just looking to get close to her because Nicola’s marriage is failing and her one time best friend walked out of her like. You will start to see how the author makes things more devious to give the reader doubts about Nicola. Flanagan starts to weave Nicola to be more bossy and in charge..The relationship becomes toxic and Gwen feels she has lost control of her life yet again. Will she pay a deadly price for this friendship? What is it that Nicola ultimately wants? You will need to read this book to find out. It is one hell of a ride.
Thank you to NetGalley as well as the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.
August 7, 2023
Gwen is knocked sideways when her husband unexpectedly dies and leaves her with no assets and a whole lot of debt. Reconnecting with an old friend, Nicola, seems like a good way to get a foot back into the working world. But things quickly start twisting. Nicola thinks she's got all the answers to Gwen's problems and isn't shy about pushing her agenda. Gwen starts questioning her relationship with her husband with parallel concerns about Nicola. For that part, it was a good look at how easy it can be to give up control over your own life but I was questioning Gwen and Nicola a lot well before this began. Pieces fit way too easily and I never quite got to the point where I cared about any of the characters or the outcome.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
September 2, 2023
I loved this twisty story about a newly widowed young mom. The book takes its time with the characters without sacrificing any momentum. I enjoyed how fully realized both Gwen and Nicola were, and how the flashbacks deepened and complicated our understanding of them as people as well as their friendship.
Erin Flanagan has such a knack for making her characters and her setting come alive through seemingly innocuous details. This passage made my heart clench:
“Celeste had insisted on buying [Nikki] an overpriced pair of burgundy clogs, convinced this was what college girls wore, while she herself slid further into Onita’s footsteps. The other night, Nikki had heard Celeste’s worn flip-flops shuffle across the floor and felt a wave of sadness crash through her body.�
As did this:
“To the left was the farmhouse, a light in the kitchen shone through the tacky sheer curtains. It looked like the dilapidated house was wearing cheap lingerie, but overhead, the sky was shifting like raw silk in pinks and oranges, the clouds morphing from blue to indigo.�
While this book is focused on a toxic female friendship, there’s also a powerful through line about mother/daughter relationships, as well as a complicated relationship between sisters. This is a thriller with a lot of heart, and unexpected moments of humor, that will keep you guessing till the end.
Erin Flanagan has such a knack for making her characters and her setting come alive through seemingly innocuous details. This passage made my heart clench:
“Celeste had insisted on buying [Nikki] an overpriced pair of burgundy clogs, convinced this was what college girls wore, while she herself slid further into Onita’s footsteps. The other night, Nikki had heard Celeste’s worn flip-flops shuffle across the floor and felt a wave of sadness crash through her body.�
As did this:
“To the left was the farmhouse, a light in the kitchen shone through the tacky sheer curtains. It looked like the dilapidated house was wearing cheap lingerie, but overhead, the sky was shifting like raw silk in pinks and oranges, the clouds morphing from blue to indigo.�
While this book is focused on a toxic female friendship, there’s also a powerful through line about mother/daughter relationships, as well as a complicated relationship between sisters. This is a thriller with a lot of heart, and unexpected moments of humor, that will keep you guessing till the end.
April 21, 2023
If I had to use only one word to describe this book, it would be gaslight. The main character, Gwen is a recent widow drowning in debt that she had no clue about. Going from a SAHM to a widow struggling to make ends meet for her and her 8 year old daughter, Gwen reaches out to Nicola, a colleague from an internship from their colleges days. And let’s just say it was perfect storm after perfect storm once Nicola was reintroduced to Gwen’s life.
Nicola is a very confident and effortless woman who takes Gwen under her wing when she makes the move back home from Colorado to Ohio hoping to restore her and her daughter’s life. Everything is going ~perfectly~ until they’re not� Gwen’s mom gets hurt, Gwen’s daughter seems to be growing way too close to Nicola and Nicola is over stepping so so so many boundaries. One thing after another Gwen finally starts putting the puzzle pieces together�
Multiple times while reading I wanted to literally scream at Gwen to stick up for herself, no means no, thanks but no thanks!!!
This book was a very quick read for me. I literally could not put it down.
Thanks, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this eARC! Publish date August 21 2023!
Nicola is a very confident and effortless woman who takes Gwen under her wing when she makes the move back home from Colorado to Ohio hoping to restore her and her daughter’s life. Everything is going ~perfectly~ until they’re not� Gwen’s mom gets hurt, Gwen’s daughter seems to be growing way too close to Nicola and Nicola is over stepping so so so many boundaries. One thing after another Gwen finally starts putting the puzzle pieces together�
Multiple times while reading I wanted to literally scream at Gwen to stick up for herself, no means no, thanks but no thanks!!!
This book was a very quick read for me. I literally could not put it down.
Thanks, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this eARC! Publish date August 21 2023!
August 3, 2023
What happens when a new friendship seems too good to be true? Newly widowed Gwen reconnects with an old acquaintance who provides her with a golden offer to help her rebuild a new life, and before Gwen knows what’s happening, her newfound friend has infiltrated every corner of her and her daughter’s life. How much help is too much help? And how to you extract yourself when the strings start to show?
This was a delightfully twisty and twisted read that was hard to put down. A good, suspenseful beach read.
Thank you Erin Flanagan, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.
This was a delightfully twisty and twisted read that was hard to put down. A good, suspenseful beach read.
Thank you Erin Flanagan, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read
September 1, 2023DNF. If I hadn't received it in a Giveaway, I would've tapped out early on, but I gave it 100 pages. Now that I've read how it ends, I'm a little pleasantly surprised with the direction it turns, but with how long it takes to pick up any sort of interest or suspicion, I know I would've moved on no matter if someone had told me it has an interesting ending.
The first 50 or so pages reminded me too much of another "chick lit thriller" I disliked (much more than this one), Laura Dave's The Last Thing He Told Me , same sort of set-up, same sort of simplistic, super-wholesome writing. The only interest I had was when it wasn't the main character's perspective, but the majority of the book is unfortunately the latter. The main character was just too unlikable, pathetic, codependent. Even though I know she learns to become more independent, it's just not a perspective that is enjoyable to read for nearly 300 pages (unless the reader can relate, I guess).
I was very mixed about the writing itself. A pet peeve of mine that has bothered me for many, many years is when female/YA writers unnecessarily detail what characters are wearing in nearly EVERY scene, even and especially when it's not necessary to the context. I can't count how many times I've read "cream-coloured," "pumps," or "put up her hair in a messy bun" over the years. To me, it's like the reader is playing dress-up-fantasy in their story, it's always so weird and juvenile. Other pet peeves: constant time jumps and really bad descriptors (I do not want to read about a character's piss stream or see a 30-year old woman using the phrase "his weiner" like a 10-year old). Yet! Flanagan has some strengths that I noticed throughout her writing, a lot of intuition about others and how they relate to one another as well as a few glimpses at setting suspense (which she did *remarkably* well in a specific flashback). They were enough to keep me reading. Just not enough to make me want to finish it.
The first 50 or so pages reminded me too much of another "chick lit thriller" I disliked (much more than this one), Laura Dave's The Last Thing He Told Me , same sort of set-up, same sort of simplistic, super-wholesome writing. The only interest I had was when it wasn't the main character's perspective, but the majority of the book is unfortunately the latter. The main character was just too unlikable, pathetic, codependent. Even though I know she learns to become more independent, it's just not a perspective that is enjoyable to read for nearly 300 pages (unless the reader can relate, I guess).
I was very mixed about the writing itself. A pet peeve of mine that has bothered me for many, many years is when female/YA writers unnecessarily detail what characters are wearing in nearly EVERY scene, even and especially when it's not necessary to the context. I can't count how many times I've read "cream-coloured," "pumps," or "put up her hair in a messy bun" over the years. To me, it's like the reader is playing dress-up-fantasy in their story, it's always so weird and juvenile. Other pet peeves: constant time jumps and really bad descriptors (I do not want to read about a character's piss stream or see a 30-year old woman using the phrase "his weiner" like a 10-year old). Yet! Flanagan has some strengths that I noticed throughout her writing, a lot of intuition about others and how they relate to one another as well as a few glimpses at setting suspense (which she did *remarkably* well in a specific flashback). They were enough to keep me reading. Just not enough to make me want to finish it.
April 14, 2024
This book had a lot of mixed emotions. I had trouble at times with the main character because there is no way someone could be that naive. It's a book with a lot of drama and a few twists. I did find it to be predictable but it was a quick paced book.
April 18, 2023
You want something weird to read , this is your book. Thought I had the end figured out, but threw me for a loop.
Thanks NetGalley for advance copy
Thanks NetGalley for advance copy
November 23, 2023
Sad to say just didn’t love this one. Couldn’t invest in characters I didn’t like or the overhyped drama. Promised build up came late and by then I was just ready to be done. Only finished to see how it ended but honestly would have been fine if they all died in a horrible car crash. Like 100 pages earlier.
January 14, 2024
Good but i guessed the twist.... ive read too many thrillers
Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.