I first picked up Friends with Secrets by Christine Gunderson as a Prime first when author friends recommended it. However, when I got the chance to listen to the audio narrated by Andi Arndt, I couldn’t resist. This women’s fiction story with suspense, murder and moms held me captive from beginning to end.
by Christine Gunderson
Narrator: Sarah Naughton, Andi Arndt
Length: 12 hours and 19 minutes
Genres: Thriller
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.4x
In a funny and suspenseful debut, Christine Gunderson explores the myth of the perfect mother, the bonds of female friendship, and the haunting impact of secrets.
What you see isn’t always what you get.
Take Ainsley. The gorgeous mother of two lives a picture-perfect life with her husband, Ben—aspiring politician and heir to a candy fortune—in suburban Washington, DC. But in reality, Ainsley has no idea what she’s doing and suffers constant anxiety that someone will figure out who she really is and where she came from.
Nikki’s fighting to keep afloat as a stay-at-home mother of four, subsisting on chicken nuggets and very little sleep. She’s a mess on the outside, and inside yearns for the validation—and the paycheck—of the television news career she left behind.
When a dangerous figure from Ainsley’s youth becomes a coach at her kids’ school, she fears the worst and confides in Nikki, spilling every detail of her former life.
Together, they devise a plan to expose the coach and safeguard their kids. But can they protect their own lives—and their new friendship—in the process?
This title is available in KindleUnlimited and includes the audiobook. I highly recommend added it to your fall listens. Two moms with seemingly nothing in common team together when a threat appears at their children’s school. A clever tale with characters you’ll root for.
Ainsley appears to have it all. She is always put together, gorgeous and married to an aspiring politician and heir to a candy fortune. Inside, she is filled with anxiety and harbouring a secret that could ruin her husband’s political ambitions.
Nikki, on the other hand, is a married mother of four who is struggling financially, mentally, and emotionally. She misses her profitable television career and longs for validation.
Their children attend a private school in the burbs of Washington, D.C. and their girls have become best friends. When a figure from Ainsley’s past becomes their school youth director, it sets off fears in both women. Ainsley confesses her secret and the two work together to take down the instructor.
As they investigate, their friendship blossoms, as do the women’s confidence. The author delivered a well-paced, page turner that touched on sexual abuse, women’s choices, school clicks and more. The suspense and danger built with a few nail-bitting moments, frustration and cheering.
I loved getting both women’s point of view, and that two narrators were used. Sarah Naughton and Andi Arndt did a stellar job of capturing their characters’ personalities and complimented each other. They enhanced my overall enjoyment of this tantalizing story and I highly recommend listening.
*kindleunlimited 🎧
About Christine Gunderson
Christine Gunderson grew up on a fourth-generation family farm in rural North Dakota where she read Laura Ingalls Wilder books in her very own little house on the prairie. She’s a former television anchor and reporter and former Capitol Hill aide. She currently lives in the Washington D.C. suburbs with her three children, Star the Wonder Dog, and a very patient husband. When not writing, she's sailing the Chesapeake Bay with her family, playing Star Wars monopoly, re-reading Jane Austen novels in the school pick up line or unloading the dishwasher.
About Andi Arndt
Andi Arndt is an audiobook narrator and producer with a growing catalog of titles in a variety of genres, both fiction and non-fiction.
About Sarah Naughton
Sarah Naughton is an actress, singer, dancer, and voice-over artist who hails from Syracuse, New York. She studied acting at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Sarah narrates a wide variety of genres, ranging from romance to young adult to mysteries and thrillers. Notably, she narrated the Audie Award–nominated Fairest by Gail Carson Levine.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Katherine
This sounds like a great listen! I love multiple narrators and these are both new to me. I’ll have to give this one a try.
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
I love both narrators and the story sounds thrilling! I have KU so that’s a plus too!
Mary Kirkland
That sounds good and something that could possibly happen in real life.
Sophia Rose
Nice! A Prime First Reads winner. I enjoy Andi Arndt’s narration work, too.
DEBBIE HAUPT
OOh Kimberly this sounds right up my alley thanks for sharing and it sounds like it’s very relevant for all thriller lovers
Anne - Books of My Heart
Thanks for sharing ones like this in KU with audio that you enjoyed. My list is so long but this sounds like it’s on it.