Watching Edie

Starred review from June 13, 2016
British author Way (The Dead of Summer) expertly explores the dark side of friendship in her psychological suspense debut. As teenagers in a small West Midlands town, popular Edie McRae—beautiful and stylish—and outcast Heather Wilcox—overweight and socially awkward—are unlikely friends. When Edie’s relationship with a controlling boyfriend leads to a tragic event, she runs away to London. Now 17 years later, 33-year-old Edie is a single mom, depressed, lonely, and living in a sad little flat in a southeast London neighborhood. Then Heather shows up unannounced, inserting herself into Edie’s life, taking charge of baby Maya, and refusing to allow visits from Edie’s uncle, the only relative Edie’s in touch with. At first, Edie is too morose to object, but as she slowly gains her strength, she wonders about Heather’s motives and who is making all those hang-up calls. The shocking revelation about what happened to change these two women’s lives casts a surprising light on each character’s motives. Agent: Emma Parry, Janklow & Nesbit.

July 1, 2016
Edie and Heather were an unlikely pair in high school. Edie was the beautiful girl who attracted people like moths to a flame, while Heather was an outsider, the weird girl people avoided. Yet their difficult family lives drew them together as they found solace in each other's company. Now, more than a decade later, their friendship is just a distant memory, one that Edie would rather forget altogether. Pregnant and alone, she keeps to herself, drifting through the present and avoiding the life she left behind. After she gives birth, Edie sinks into a deep depression, unable to care for herself or her baby. Heather appears out of the blue, ready to pick up Edie's shattered life. That's all Heather has ever really wanted: to take care of Edie, to be Edie's friend. And this is the perfect opportunity to prove herself. Way's (The Dead of Summer, 2008) seamlessly crafted tale of betrayal and obsession alternates between Edie's viewpoint in the present and Heather's in the past, culminating in a psychological thriller that is impossible to set down.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)