Crime Reads Book Club: We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

We Were Never Here” by Andrea Bartz is an involving domestic thriller; there are not too many surprises for anyone who reads a lot in the genre, but a tight plot and taut pacing makes it hard to put down.

Kristen and Emily have been best friends since college. Both had solitary upbringings, and they became uncommonly close at college. They’re now on the brink of their 30s, and still best friends.

But Kristen has moved to Australia for work, leaving Emily in the US. And Emily is starting to think that Kristen’s friendship isn’t enough for her; she wants a romantic relationship, marriage, kids.

The two women meet up in Chile for an off-the-grid holiday. It’s not the first time; they’ve had more than one adventurous holiday together. Towards the end, this one goes horribly awry. Kristen is attacked by a backpacker and has no choice but to kill him. They must cover up the murder to save themselves. After all, he was a bad guy, wasn’t he?

Remember watching movies with your hands over your eyes because they’re scary, but peeping through your fingers because you just have to know what happens? “We Were Never Here” provokes exactly the same feeling.

You know something awful is coming, you have a pretty good idea where it’s coming from, but you can’t step away until you know exactly what the awful thing is. This sense of suspense makes it hard to stop reading, even though the broad strokes of the story are pretty obvious.

Join us on Saturday, December 9th at 3:00 PM to discuss this thrilling mystery by Andrea Bartz while we enjoy hot chocolate and snacks.