Heather Darwent’s The Things We Do To Our Friends, is a psychological thriller set in Edinburgh. It tells the story of Clare, a misfit who arrives in the city hoping to reinvent herself. She aspires to make new friends, friends who will help her become the person she believes she can be. Soon she meets an ambitious, monied group of students who have big plans for her, but their plans are potentially dangerous, their intentions shrewd yet unscrupulous. Clare must reckon with how far she’ll go for the group, and what she’ll do to hide her own terrible secrets…

We asked Heather to recommend seven deadly friendship novels that partner perfectly with her debut.

The Things We Do To Our Friends
By Heather Darwent
Published by Viking

The inspiration around the book was friendship in all its glory, the negatives, and the positives. I wanted to write something that placed these connections at the heart of the plot as I’m endlessly fascinated by the platonic relationships we make through our lives, and how these can sour and become toxic.

The challenge was to create friendship on the page: the chemistry, the shared history, and indeed the idea of ‘banter’ that can be hard to express. If the group is too big, it’s hard to form distinct characters, but then a certain amount of characters are needed to create a delicious tension. It’s tricky, and some authors nail these logistical challenges. These are seven of my favourite novels with intriguing, and sometimes deadly, friendship groups. All of these books give such a focus to friendship and make for fascinating reads.

The Truth Will Out by Rosemary Hennigan  

In The Truth Will Out, Hennigan uses the backdrop of the theatre, and it leads to a claustrophobic narrative. The group convenes to put on a play, recreating a tragic event from the past, and the complex friendships and tensions set around the rehearsals are cleverly crafted.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

It would be remiss not to mention The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Here, the friendships are flawlessly constructed, an elite group who feel so incredibly real. The way the group falls apart as the book descends into a dark thriller means it’s impossible to look away.

The Secret Place by Tana French

School friendships have a certain allure to them. The characters are not yet fully formed: the insecurities heightened; alliances uncertain. This is a crime novel that also serves as a brilliant character study.

The Lessons by Naomi Alderman

I loved this atmospheric book that begins in an Oxford College. The friendships here are charged with rippling tension, and the story follows the characters into their adult life as the friendships morph into co-dependency.

Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton

The ruthless narrator, Louise, makes for a compelling voice in Burton’s debut. I found the Ripleyesque plot to be truly gripping, and it’s beautifully written with plenty of twists and turns.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A YA novel that explores the charms and pitfalls of a gilded upbringing. Here, the relationships between the teenagers are expertly pitched against the adult ties. There’s bucket loads of toxic behaviour, plus a gasp-inducing twist ending.

The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

The girls in my final pick are truly horrible. Each time you think they couldn’t get more malevolent; they surprise you in this twisty thriller. The dual timeframe works really well, and a college reunion is an enticing setting for a final showdown.

The Things We Do To Our Friends by Heather Darwent is published by Viking, priced £14.99.