Tell Two Friends

by Ann Garvin

A wickedly funny and empowering thriller about women, the manipulators who underestimate them, and keeping your dignity while saving the day by the author of I Thought You Said This Would Work.

Jane Baye is a regular person, good at a lot of things, but identifying the serial killer right in front of her isn’t one of them.

In 1990, college senior Jane wrote to an incarcerated woman because it seemed like a nice thing to do. Thirty-six years later, that felon, actually a man, has moved in next door. He’s watching her every move, with a decades-long plan for Jane that a nice person like her would never see coming.

Especially because Jane is wrapped up in her own a small-town golden boy with talk of forever and a diabolical history of cheating. When she exposes her ex, the entire town of Wonder Lake turns against her.

It’s no wonder she doesn’t see what’s coming on the night of the Norwegian heritage festival.

But woe to those who mistake Jane for a pushover. When celebration becomes a fight for survival, the very qualities that make her ordinary become the weapons she’ll bet everything on.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary, Strong Female Lead, Suspense

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2026

About the author

Ann Garvin Ph.D. is a nurse, a professor, and USA Today Bestselling Author. She thinks everything is funny and a little bit sad. Ann Writes stories about women with a good sense of humor who do too much in a world that asks too much from them.

Ann teaches creative writing at Drexel University in their Low- Residence Masters of Fine Arts program and lives in Wisconsin with her anxious and overly protective dog Peanut.

She is the founder of the multiple award-winning Tall Poppy Writers and is dedicated to helping authors find readers and vice versa. Learn more about Ann Garvin at: anngarvin.com

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tell Two Friends by Ann Garvin

I was a bit confused at the beginning of the book, meeting a young Jane, a college senior, and learning about her pen pal, and then meeting her in the present day because I had expected her present day self to be younger than she is but instead the present day is thirty six years later. It's just a me thing, I thought this older Jane might be in her late thirties and I was way off. Once I got my head around her real age, I was better able to get into the story.

Jane has been so wrapped up in her schooling and career that she might not have had much time for dating. Plus she's felt pretty invisible among the women who she thought were prettier and more socially adept. Jane is more than happy being home with her dog, books, music, and with visits from her brother, his wife (Jane's best friend), and their daughter. Jane's fifteen year old niece, Cricket (her parents really like bugs) is living with Jane while her parents are off in Vietnam hunting bugs. Cricket, of the extremely messy room, is a brilliant kid in every way, seems so much older than her years, and is constantly giving Jane the psychological/social advice that Jane so sorely needs on a daily basis.

Jane is on the bad side of this little town where she teaches. She married late in life and missed all the blazing red flags flapping her in the face about what a creatin her scumbag of a husband was/is and she exposed him to the world and that's not gone down well in this town full of her ex's relatives. Now her ex seems to want back into her life and Jane is not having it. But she's also not going to put up with a lot of other things that seem to be happening to her and her home. Thank goodness she has her dog, Gunther, (worthless as a watch dog, though) and her niece to keep her company and to give her advice.

The second half of the story really pulls everything together. One thing that is very evident in this story is to not judge people by first, second, or third impressions. We can get off on the wrong foot by doing that and may not allow our brains to correct so we can really see people for who they are and that means we can lose out on knowing those around us. It's important to see through the imposters but also important to see the gems who might be our neighbors or co-workers. In the end, this has been a feel good book for me and I'll be checking out this author's other books. I enjoyed reading this story with Jayme and DeAnn so be sure to check out their thoughts on the story.

Pub September 8, 2026

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a QUIRKY story and the author sets the tone for it in the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book-so DO start there!

Jane Baye is Wonder Lake, Wisconsin’s town Pariah. Her crime? She exposed her EX, the town’s golden boy, for the three timer that he was, and the town turned against her.

But, she continues to live there, hoping to earn Tenure at her University and working on the APP that she hopes will secure her place there. The idea-women can check it to make sure that the men they are involved with are monogamous.

Jane may be a bit naive-a bit too NICE and a bit too TRUSTING.

In 1990, college senior Jane wrote to an incarcerated woman named Lynn because it seemed like a nice thing to do. Thirty-six years later, that felon, actually a man, has moved in next door!

He is watching Jane, and her 15 year old niece, Cricket and learning their routines and schedules as they go about preparing for Wonder Lake’s one claim to fame-the Syttende Mai Festival, with its Norwegian dancers (like Cricket) its baked goods and Artisan crafts.

He’s got a plan, and Jane will never see it coming because she couldn’t ever imagine that a possible SERIAL KILLER might have just moved in next door!

I wasn’t sure what his agenda was? Did he want to date the woman who had been so nice to him when he was in prison, or was he here to kill her for failing him in some way?

Fortunately, Cricket (the star of the book for me) is wise beyond her years, and she is schooling Jane on the mixed messages that men often send-and the ways that they manipulate women who have been socially conditioned to believe certain things and behave certain ways.

Maybe between the two of them, and with a little help from some friends, they will SURVIVE all of this!

It took a bit for the story to find its footing, but the twist in the second half made it worth sticking with. Everything is wrapped up nicely by the end of this unique story so if you are seeking something a bit different-this could be it.

3.5 stars rounded up for surprising me!

NOTE: Gunther the dog does not come to any harm!

A buddy read with Marilyn and DeAnn! Check out their reviews for additional thoughts!💭

NOW AVAILABLE

Thank You to Lake Union Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts!

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Festival Stars *now available

We first meet our main character, Jane Baye, in her younger days and learn about her pen pal days. Did you have a pen pal growing up? Now, Jane is a physics professor and shunned by the town because she spoke publicly about her now-ex-husband’s infidelity and deception. His family is beloved in town. Now, she’s living with her teenaged niece Cricket, caring for her while her parents are off on a spider adventure. (I feel like there’s another book there!)

We also have Truman, he’s moved into the apartment next door, and he’s meticulously tracking both women and their dog and working his way meticulously through his plan for them. It felt like he was up to no good, and I worried about Jane and Cricket.

The town they live in has a huge annual Norwegian festival with dancing and food. Initially shut out, Cricket is now invited because of some injuries to other dancers. Jane reluctantly participates in the family activities. The anticipation builds as the night of the festival gets closer.

Jane is working on an app to try to help others like her who are tricked by liars and manipulators. What are the telltale signs? An intriguing idea! Her ex is trying to worm his way back into her life, and there are a couple of other men intrigued by her.

I went into this one completely blind (don’t read the synopsis!), but I see that this author has written several books before this one. I must say that I was completely puzzled for the first half while the author set up the story and characters. I liked the second half where we got the big reveals, and there were some twists that I never saw coming. There were some humorous moments, which were refreshing. I also appreciate the author’s originality!

This one made for a good buddy read with Marilyn and Jayme.

My thanks to Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.

[Marcie McPherson · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱.

I really wanted this one to work for me, but I wasn't that impressed in the end.

There are a lot of characters, a lot of different things happening, and plenty of threads competing for attention. Everything does eventually come together, but I spent so much of the book trying to keep track of what was going on that I struggled to actually care about the characters or what happened to them.

I also didn't find it particularly funny, which was disappointing given the humour in the book.

The audiobook was a definite bright spot. Peter Berkrot's narration really stood out to me, while Andi Arndt was also good.

A story with an interesting premise, but ultimately just too much going on for me to become emotionally invested.

Thank you to Ann Garvin, Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

🎉 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝗻𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻! 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲! 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲.

[halfserious · Rating 4 out of 5]

The “About the Author” section at the end of this book describes Ann Garvin as a writer who “writes about women who do too much in a world that asks too much from them”. My review could safely end here and it would honestly be enough because I’ve been racking my brain to describe Jane Baye - physics teacher, reluctant app developer and local pariah through no fault of her own - and was unable to come up with a better description for her particular brand of weary pluckiness. From the very first page, this book offers a refreshing mix of deadpan funny and surprisingly touching passages, weaving these together with rich descriptions of the main characters whose earnestness and resilience best shines through when times are all but pleasant and calm. Jane, her niece Cricket, who was by far my favourite character of them all, and their small crew of scarce, yet steadfast supporters grapple with the events described in the story with the bravado often displayed by women who are not natural fighters but have had to deal with more than their fair share of unpleasantness in a world ruled by small-town politics and machismo.

I must admit I’m on the fence about how to best describe the genre: even though the book has all the hallmarks of a soft-boiled mystery, the parts written from the perspective of the ex convict who moved to the apartment next to Jane’s are unusually dark, as is the main twist that I never saw coming and that was masterfully executed. The only thing I would possibly change in this book, even though it admittedly serves as an excellent backdrop for the story to unfold, are all the references to Norwegian customs, traditions and culture that seem to be shoehorned into the book one too many times for it to be believable and sound natural. As ridiculous as this little grievance may sound, I refuse to believe that Norwegians, much less their descendants living in the US, say “uff da” as often as Garvin would have us believe, and many other aspects of Norwegian culture only seem to be mentioned in the book for the sake of it, which I found mildly irritating.

Despite this minor annoyance, which will possibly only irk me and nobody else, after all, this remains a solid good-natured mystery with some poignant messages that ring particularly pertinent in this day and age.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ann Garvin for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Monica (switching platforms) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This thriller caught my attention with its blurb, and I was looking for a little break between my two usual genres, romance and fantasy, so I thought this would be the perfect palate cleanser. The premise sounded really interesting, but unfortunately, the story didn’t pull me in. Since I don’t read many thrillers, I suppose I’ve come to expect that feeling of being immediately drawn into the story, with the tension building until everything comes together and hopefully leaves you shocked by the end. Unfortunately, that wasn’t really the case here, and for most of the book, I found the story quite flat, for the final part

The different POVs were quite interesting in theory, but they worked differently for me. Jane’s chapters felt very mundane for most of the story as we followed her everyday life, her messy divorce, her relationship with her niece, and all the small-town drama surrounding her. These were all interesting pieces of her life, and I could understand many of her actions—divorce is obviously not easy to deal with—but within a thriller, I was hoping they would eventually tie more strongly into the suspenseful side of the story. Instead, I often found myself wondering, Jane… what are you doing? and feeling quite disconnected from the actual thriller plot.

Truman’s POV, on the other hand, added some much-needed rhythm to the story, while the stalker’s chapters were easily the most interesting for me. They finally brought the creepy, unsettling atmosphere I had been expecting. He was so weird, and the fact that he seemed to know exactly where these women were going, what they were doing, and what was happening in their lives was genuinely creepy. I kept thinking, okay, THIS is the thriller I was promised. I also found his awareness of the struggles women face particularly interesting, even though I wish that aspect had been explored more deeply.

Cricket was a cute addition as well. She sometimes felt like the typical teenager you find in a modern-day story, but I really liked her dynamic with Jane. The two of them made a sweet, slightly chaotic duo, and their relationship was one of the more enjoyable parts of the book for me.

The Norwegian Heritage Festival, on the other hand, was a peculiar and interesting addition to the story. It gave the setting some personality and created a nice backdrop for everything happening around Jane, especially as the story moved towards its final act.

As an audiobook, the narration was lovely and easy to listen to overall. I did occasionally find myself getting a little lost in the story, and I sometimes struggled with Truman’s narrator, but I think his performance ultimately suited the character really well.

Overall, the book ended up feeling much more like a wild small-town drama with a thriller subplot than an actual thriller. The premise had so much potential, but I never felt that the suspense, humour, or serial-killer angle fully came together for me. This could definitely be a fun choice for someone looking for a chill, fast-paced, easy-to-read story with some small-town drama, humour, and a creepy subplot. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough for me, and I kept waiting for the story to really take off.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

[Martha van Zyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not entirely sure what it was about Tell Two Friends that hooked me so quickly, but I loved it from the start. Sometimes a book just has that magical combination of characters, humour, tension, and slightly unhinged circumstances that makes you want to keep turning the pages. This was an easy four stars for me.

At the centre of it all is Jane Baye, who might be one of the most wonderfully ordinary heroines on the page. Jane is capable, kind, and pretty good at plenty of things. Unfortunately, spotting the serial killer practically under her nose isn’t one of them.

Back in 1990, when Jane was a college senior, she started writing to an incarcerated woman simply because it seemed like a nice thing to do. Fast-forward thirty-six years, and it turns out that her former prison pen pal wasn’t a woman at all. He was a man, he’s now living next door, and he has been nursing a very specific plan involving Jane for decades.

You know. Normal neighbour stuff.

The problem is that Jane has quite a lot going on without realising she’s starring in someone else’s long-term nightmare.

Her romantic life has recently spectacularly imploded thanks to Wonder Lake’s small-town golden boy, a man with big promises about forever and an even bigger history of cheating. When Jane finally exposes him, you’d think the town might rally around her.

Nope.

Instead, Wonder Lake effectively decides that Jane is the problem, because apparently nothing brings a community together quite like defending the charming man who behaved badly.
This whole small-town dynamic was one of the things I enjoyed most about the book. Ann Garvin gives Wonder Lake that familiar feeling of a place where everyone knows everyone, everybody has an opinion, and secrets have an annoying habit of becoming public property. There’s humour running underneath the drama, even as the story becomes increasingly tense.

Jane herself is the reason the book works so well.

She isn’t written as some impossibly clever thriller heroine who notices every clue, predicts every twist, and can suddenly take down a criminal using skills she picked up during a suspiciously convenient childhood hobby. She feels like a real person. She misses things. She makes assumptions. She gets distracted by the mess happening directly in front of her.

Things really escalate around Wonder Lake’s Norwegian heritage festival, when what should be a night of celebration takes a seriously darker turn. From there, the story shifts into full survival mode, and Jane proves that being ordinary doesn’t mean being weak.

In fact, that’s probably my favourite thing about Tell Two Friends.

Jane’s strengths aren’t flashy. They’re the qualities people often overlook: resilience, practicality, determination, kindness, and the ability to keep going when everything has gone spectacularly wrong. Watching those traits become her greatest weapons was immensely satisfying.
There’s also something deliciously unsettling about the central premise. A small act of kindness made decades ago becomes the starting point for something Jane could never have predicted. That idea alone gives the story a creepy undercurrent that stays with you even during its lighter moments.

Tell Two Friends manages to be suspenseful without losing its personality. It’s funny, tense, character-driven, and just strange enough to keep things interesting. The combination of small-town drama, betrayal, dark secrets, and an incredibly determined woman made this ridiculously easy to read.

If you enjoy thrillers featuring ordinary women thrown into very extraordinary situations, complicated small-town relationships, dark humour, and villains who are far too close for comfort, Tell Two Friends is well worth adding to your list.

Just perhaps think twice before starting a prison correspondence programme.

You never know who might move in next door.

[Jude (HeyJudeReads) Fricano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @anngarvin and @lakeunionpublishing #partner for this gifted copy of:

Tell Two Friends by Ann Garvin
Pub date: 9.8.26

What a hoot this story is right from the beginning! You know you're in for something good when you can hear Ann's voice even though you're reading the physical copy. Her wit and humor are so much a part of this story that keep you wondering, and keeps you rooting for the underdog!

four 1.2 stars

Description: "
A wickedly funny and empowering thriller about women, the manipulators who underestimate them, and keeping your dignity while saving the day by the author of I Thought You Said This Would Work.

Jane Baye is a regular person, good at a lot of things, but identifying the serial killer right in front of her isn’t one of them.

In 1990, college senior Jane wrote to an incarcerated woman because it seemed like a nice thing to do. Thirty-six years later, that felon, actually a man, has moved in next door. He’s watching her every move, with a decades-long plan for Jane that a nice person like her would never see coming.

Especially because Jane is wrapped up in her own a small-town golden boy with talk of forever and a diabolical history of cheating. When she exposes her ex, the entire town of Wonder Lake turns against her.

It’s no wonder she doesn’t see what’s coming on the night of the Norwegian heritage festival.

But woe to those who mistake Jane for a pushover. When celebration becomes a fight for survival, the very qualities that make her ordinary become the weapons she’ll bet everything on."

[kim v · Rating 3 out of 5]

All is not what it seems in Tell Two Friends. This book was good but didn’t wow me. The pacing was leisurely for about the first 65% and didn’t really pick up until the end. I did enjoy the idea of the MFC, Jane, being intellectually smart but not street smart. I also liked her niece, Cricket, trying to keep Jane up to date on what behaviour not to accept from men.
Peter Berkrot gave Truman an appropriately creepy voice to point where I couldn’t listen to this in bed.
There were a lot of details at the start of the book that worked for making Jane a relatable character but ultimately did little to enhance the plot. TTF is humorous at the beginning and suspenseful towards the end, but maybe should have been just one or the other. I feel the audiobook format works best for this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for this advanced audio edition.

[Denise Robbins]

Author interview tk

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

To paraphrase author Ann Garvin, “This book is funny but in a serial killer way . . . “ “It’s funny, sad, and scary – is that a thing?” Yes, it is. I don’t know how she did it, but Garvin pulled it off in spectacular fashion. Tell Two Friends keeps you on edge from the very beginning with never-relenting suspense and a claustrophobic sense of creepiness, but it’s also ironic, humorous and thought-provoking. Alongside the constant unease and the anger-provoking pettiness of the Wonder Lake townsfolk is a growing list of questions you can’t help but ask yourself, about how women behave and how they are perceived, about how far is too far if you’ve been wronged and can’t let it go, about awareness of your surroundings, about actions and reactions.

At the core of the book is a delightful story about Jane Baye and her fifteen-year-old niece Cricket and what happens in their lives over the course of a couple of months. Flashback briefly to studious College Jane, who thought writing to an incarcerated criminal was a good deed, and then move forward decades to now. Jane is a physics professor at the local university, divorced, not looking for a relationship, happy to have Cricket with her while Cricket’s parents – Jane’s brother Teddy and her best friend Molly – are off doing scientific spider research. Upcoming is Wonder Lake, Wisconsin’s claim to fame: the annual Syttende Mai celebration, complete with elaborate Norwegian dancing and equally elaborate authentic costumes. High school students are the primary dancers, but parents are expected (read that as required) to participate fully with food, dance, any necessary tasks, as requested (dictated) by the Simpsons, who run the festival – and most of the rest of Wonder Lake: Jane’s ex-husband’s family in fact.

Jane and Rob Simpson had a six-month courtship and a year-long marriage. She discovered he had other wives, other families, and when she outed him on social media the town turned on her, for their economic problems, for overreacting, for not sticking by her man; she became a pariah overnight and that was three years ago. Life in Wonder Lake becomes difficult but Jane stays and decides as her tenure project to develop an app to help women identify unfaithful partners. Might not be popular but she believes in it, even if it means she’ll never get out of her own head about this failed relationship. As if the app and the festival aren’t enough there’s Jane’s new neighbor, Truman. Looks kind of shady and sketchy, but he’s a competent handyman and seems harmless enough; their dog Gunther loves him. But every chapter where we are privy to Truman’s thoughts will make you shudder: who is he really, what is his plan, and his timetable? Is there some unlikely connection to 1990 and the prison letter-writing?

Tell Two Friends is one of those books you will want to speed through because author Garvin has the suspense ramped so high you can’t stop reading, but as soon as you are finished you want to pick it up again immediately and study it. So much seems obvious but there is so much beneath the surface, and so many questions. On one hand the app seems a little silly, but why shouldn’t women ask these questions. In fact, there are a lot of questions women should ask and reflect on. Cricket has written a paper on the patriarchy and the awareness (or lack of) women have, the modifications they make to their behavior, the fault they find in themselves and readily expect . . . not harsh or preachy but definitely a message there and once you start to acknowledge it you can’t stop. The writing is excellent; every word precisely chosen. Every situation precisely arranged. Jane expects rejection or mistrust from every corner: her neighbors and colleagues, the police, the new professor Kyle. She is attracted to her co-worker Tom but assumes he is not interested before he has a chance to actually say so. After her experience with Rob she doesn’t trust her own judgement and behaves in exactly the ways Cricket’s paper advises her not to. Truman seems helpful and harmless, but is he? He is always there, always thinking, always planning and because we are aware of his inner dialogue we are much more wary of him than Jane is.

Tell Two Friends is insightful and entertaining, with an explosive ending and twists and revelations you don’t see coming. It’s so well written and well plotted, with nuanced characters that make you react with every emotion possible. I received an advance copy of this book from the author. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be reading it again soon; author Garvin has so much to say and I feel I will hear more of it with each re-read. I recommend it without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I’ve written before in my reviews, I like to pay attention to the epigraphs when they appear in books. They are often a great way to get a preview of the book and I think this one attributed to Ada Leverson, a witty fin-de-siècle British writer (and friend of Oscar Wilde) does exactly that. “ You don’t know a woman until you have a letter from her.”

In 1990 Jane Baye was in college and began corresponding with an incarcerated person that continued over the years. Fast forward to April 1, 2026, where Jane is in a bar surrounded by people who “either silently scorned or freely heckled her depending on the day.” She’s there because she’s required to attend the annual Physics Department get-together. Her divorce from local Wonder Lake golden boy, Rob Simpson, of the town’s first family, probably wasn’t the worst fate, but her interview with NPR occurring after her university put out her future plans. - on which her career and tenure depended - didn’t bode well. As the interviewer stated: “You’re going to marry, if you will, the laws of attraction and technology to expose infidelity.” Beyond that life goes on in this Norwegian town (lots of fun new words) but then it appears a criminal maybe in their midst. For Jane it’s work and looking after her niece, Cricket, while her parents are on sabbatical studying spiders in Vietnam. For the criminal it may be something else.

The story is told from two POVs: Jane and the mysterious Truman Franklyn who appears to have some connection with Jane. Truman’s watching Jane and his waiting to do something is eerie and suspenseful and you may wonder where it’s all going - you have to read the book to find out, it’s a good one.

I really liked Jane and the book’s humor. The town and its inhabitants are crazy fun and all those Norwegian extras are icing on the cake. I think that’s what makes small town mysteries so much fun. This is a perfect book for a cozy read and for lovers of cozy mysteries. PS: Ada’s epigraph was perfect for this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for granting me access to this fun ARC.

[★ · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, a thriller about a woman who just has a lot going on in her life, with a man who knows her every move, yet somehow has never given himself away, combined with some humour then and there? yea, that was supposed to something i should've loved a lot!! unfortunately, it just didn't click for me

the book description sounded promising, but book itself started off in a way that just didn't have me pulled in when it came to the story. I personally always expect trillers to have me from the very first chapter, so i cant say i was that impressed with this. We kept hearing about her life, her divorce with a man that she probably should've moved on from a while ago, and the town that i didn't care about.
I also didn't care much about the characters, apart from the weird stalker, but only because i found him and his actions interesting to observe. his chapters added the thriller i was promised when i started reading this. he was weird, somehow very well aware of the women's problems, where they were going, what they were doing and all of that was??? wow so creepy ???

The writing wasn't to my liking. erm, gen Z words and humour, use of "yapping" and "big-ass" and like... seriously?? i think those words are fine to use if the context is right, like there is time and place where they just fit the writing flow, unfortunately that wasnt the case here, as we were supposed to feel uneasy by the story

Felt more like a wild drama than a thriller. Jane could've been a nice character, i understand her actions. divorces aren't easy to deal with, but i just couldn't feel bad for her. i was often wondering what in the world she was doing 🥹🥹 Her niece felt like any other teenager in a modern day book. She had her priorities set straight and like!! yes girl!! i agree with you!! Jane and her were really sweet, such a silly duo

Overall, this could be a nice read for anyone looking for a chill, fast paced and easy to read thriller. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough for me

Huge thanks to Netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for a review!! All thoughts are my own.

[Deanna Loves to Read!!:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a unique story that had a little bit of mystery, thriller and quite a bit of heart!

in 1990, Jane was a college student. She had started writing letters to an inmate- that she thought was a woman. Jane has always believed that letters can encourage, lift up and make someone's day. One day, the inmate writes to Jane telling her that they have to quit writing each other.
Fast forward to the present. Jane is at the Physics Department mandatory party. Everyone around her is staring or making fun of her. This is because she recently divorced her husband, Rob. Rob comes from an important family in the area. She also went on an interview with NPR to talk about her new project- an app that will use the laws of attraction to expose if your spouse (or someone else) is cheating. This puts her track for tenure in jeopardy. Then there is her new neighbor, Walter. He is mysterious and different, and has recently been paroled from prison. Things are about to get very interesting.

What stood out to me were the characters. They are all likeable and I could relate to almost each and everyone! Watching Jane face the challenges that have come up, and face them while growing in confidence was fun to read about! Her niece, Cricket, was a great encourager to Jane. Cricket is mature for her age, but as you read about how she is raised, it reads realistically. And can we talk about the dog, Gunther!! 💖 He is not the best watchdog, but he is an important character in the story!

Told through the two POV's of Jane and Walter, it seemed that the story was headed in a certain direction. But then... the second part of the story drops more information and we see how their two narratives are woven together. I felt it was written really well! I kept flipping the pages because I just had to know where this was going! It is not a fast paced thriller, but more of a drama with a little mystery thrown in!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

This is the first of Ann's books I've read.

It's an exciting premise and good story but I struggled with the actual writing of it at times. It felt a bit...."in a box", like she knew the fundamentals of creating a story but had stuck to those rather than expand into her voice. That was hard to explain so hopefully that made sense, but it might be a story you need to read yourselves. It wasn't enough to spoil the enjoyment of the book but it was a bit of a niggling point for me.

Having said that, the writing of it got so much better as it went along. It sped up and had more depth to it and by the end I found myself so hooked and really enjoying it.

The characters are well written. Our main character Jane is struggling and going through a lot of hardships that aren't necessarily her doing and I really felt for her. Because we get to know the characters around Jane before she does - particularly Truman, who is a shifty wotsit - you end up wanting to protect her. There are a few secondary characters who are all fine but don't quite match up to the main two.

There is quite a lot going on that it feels a little too much at times. It is fast paced at the beginning and at the end, but the middle does slow down a bit and it was harder to maintain my focus.

It's got thriller elements and mystery, with a bit of romance thrown it, but for me, it doesn't quite settle on something.

There are a lt of Norwegian references which, again, are not enough to ruin the enjoyment of it, but unless I missed it, apart from the synopsis there was no real context as to why this little town in the States were speaking Norwegian that it felt a little random.

I did enjoy it but there were a few things that I couldn't ignore such as pacing and conflicting genres. But the last 30% or so really help balance the rest and saved it for me.

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧 Audio Review: Really enjoyed the dual narration for the audiobook!

📝 Story Review: I really enjoyed this story because it seemed rather clear cut… until it didn’t. - And so the plot thickened!

This was a more lighthearted thriller, (despite there being a serial unaliver in it) that also focused on one woman’s failed relationship and how her effort to bring attention to the cheating and manipulation, resulted in her being made an outcast. She began doubting her ability to see the truth about people and her own self worth. Her niece actually helped her throughout this book, letting her know what different behaviors meant and how they were used to diminish women. So while you wondered about the former inmate living next door and what exactly he was planning or when he’d make his move, you were also curious as to how the FMC’s personal life would turn out and if she’d learn how to trust herself again.

It was a lighter read, but with some real life serious topics and a good little thrilling twist thrown in! (I feel like those who enjoy cozy mysteries, would enjoy this book.)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Tropes 👇

- Black Sheep of the town
- Ex Drama
- Learning to stand up for yourself
- Mysterious neighbor
- Canine companion
- Past Prison Pen Pal (of sorts)
- Unsettling vibes
- Norwegian Heritage Festival
- Serial Unaliver
- Surveillance

CW’s 👇

- Manipulation & cheating by an ex
- Mention of Polygamy
- Alcohol use
- Attempted physical assault
- Self defense with a stun gun
- Drugging someone
- Breaking & entering
- Brief flashback to physical assault in prison/knifing/head trauma

Audio Release Date: September 8, 2026
Audio Run Time: 9 hrs
Narrated By: Andi Arndt & Peter Berkrot
Genre: Women’s Fiction; Mystery/Thriller
POV: Third Person; Dual

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for this ALC in return for my honest review.

[Meddings_Musings: Emlura M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite discovering I have almost all of Ann Garvin’s books marked as TBR, ‘Tell Two Friends’ is the first book I’ve actually read from her.

And let me say, considering ‘Tell Two Friends’ was an excellent FIVE STAR read for me, I will absolutely check out her other books!

I thought I knew exactly what was going on and was delighted to discover I was wrong! My dog’s heads whipped around as I quite literally gasped and said “what?! No way!”

I might have also shook my fist in the air, saying “Argh!” when I realized I was wrong while excitedly proclaiming “that’s awesome!”

This book is about Jane, a woman in her 50’s, staying with her 15 year old niece, Cricket. Cricket’s parents are Jane’s brother and her college roommate and best friend.

Jane has experienced a pretty major set back and has become doubtful of her ability to read people. But her brilliant niece is right there to stand beside her aunt. The two make an excellent team!

I also especially loved this because my father’s side of the family is 100% Norwegian, starting with the grandparents of both of my paternal grandparents.

My Grandma Lura made amazing lefse (LEF - sa) and brought it to our house every year for Christmas. Sadly, I never saw my grandma make it but she shared the family recipe with my mom who tried her best despite her non-Norwegian heritage 😊

I have the recipe now too but have always been fearful of completely ruining it and destroying my memory of what good lefse should taste like! But, books like this remind me to give it a go!

‘Tell Two Friends’ by Ann Garvin is proposed to release September 8th and you’ll most certainly want to check it out!

Thank you NetGalley, Ann Garvin, and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review. Twas a delicious delight 🤍✨

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting one because I’m honestly not even sure I would call it a thriller. It felt more like women’s fiction mixed with a mystery and some darker, creepy moments thrown in.

The premise definitely got me. Jane wrote to a prisoner when she was in college, and now 36 years later, that person may be living right next door and watching her. I mean... obviously I needed to know where THAT was going.

There is a lot happening in this story though. Jane has the drama with her ex, basically an entire town that has turned against her, her teenage niece Cricket living with her, her job, and then everything happening next door. At times I felt like there were so many different things going on that I wasn't completely invested in any one of them.

I really liked Cricket, though. She was probably one of my favorite parts of the story, and I loved her relationship with Jane. I also liked the whole idea of women learning to trust their gut, recognize manipulation, and stop feeling like they have to be nice just because that's what we're expected to do.

The audiobook narration was really good. Andi Arndt and Peter Berkrot were great together, and I liked having the two different narrators for the different perspectives. I definitely think the audio helped keep me interested, especially during the parts where the story wasn't completely grabbing me.

The second half picked up and I enjoyed it more once I could finally see where everything was going.

Overall, I liked it. I didn't love it, but it was different, the premise was interesting, and the narration was really enjoyable. I think 3.5 stars feels right for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️½ rounded to 4.

Thank you to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Pamela Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell Two Friends by Ann Garvin is one of those books that’s hard to put into a neat little genre box, and I mean that as a compliment. It’s part thriller, part dark comedy, part small-town drama, with a whole lot to say about women, relationships and what happens when we stop trusting our own instincts.

Jane Baye is such a refreshingly real main character. She’s smart and capable, but she’s also messy, distracted and completely unaware of some VERY important things happening right under her nose. After being betrayed by her ex-husband and somehow becoming the town villain for exposing his bad behavior, she’s already dealing with enough. Then things get considerably more complicated, and much, much darker.

What I loved most was the balance of humor and suspense. There were moments that genuinely made me laugh, followed by moments where I wanted to yell, “JANE. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION.” The small-town dynamics were especially good. As someone who was raised in a small town the gossip, grudges, loyalties and ridiculous politics all felt painfully believable.

Underneath the entertaining story, though, there’s also a smart look at how women are taught to second-guess themselves, make themselves smaller and worry about how other people perceive them. It gives the book some substance without turning it into a lecture.

I appreciated the twists and I definitely did not have everything figured out.

This book was funny, creepy, clever and surprisingly thoughtful. It kept me entertained all the way through. If you like thrillers with dark humor, strong female characters and ordinary people finding out exactly what they’re capable of when things go completely off the rails, put this one on your list.

[Read_with_Beans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for providing me with an ALC of Tell Two Friends by Ann Garvin, narrated by Andi Arndt and Peter Berkrot. Additionally, I would like to thank Lake Union Publishing for an eARC.

This book confused me. It felt like it was trying to be a cozy mystery but had too many elements that felt too extreme for the book to be cozy. I know the book is set in the Midwest, which, as someone from the East Coast, simply feels like a slow, cozy place. So maybe this book felt cozy because it was written by someone from the Midwest and took place in the Midwest, but the author actually wanted to write a non-cozy book. Honestly, I have no idea, and I feel like this book had no idea what it wanted to be either.

The character development felt lacking, and the story/plot felt lost and disjointed as well. I really wanted to like this book, but I found it more frustrating than enjoyable.

Regarding the audiobook, I thought it was fine. I initially struggled with understanding the male narrator's voice because his enunciation of words was lacking. I enjoyed the female narrator immensely. The production quality felt different between the two narrators, almost as if the male narrator was recorded in his house and the female narrator was recorded in an actual studio. There was such a vast difference in the quality of narration; it left me wishing the entire audiobook had been narrated by Andi Arndt. She was incredible.

Overall, my experience with this story and audiobook was very disappointing. I would not recommend this book or audiobook. However, with that said, I found Andi Arndt to be an excellent audiobook narrator; I would definitely listen to a different book narrated by her in the future.

[Denise Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane is a professor and temporary guardian to her niece while her brother and his wife are on a field study abroad. Jane is divorced from a favorite son of the town, which leaves her few true friends. Jane's working on an app to help her get tenure, and her niece keeps telling Jane that a paper she wrote would help with the app. Her niece is in an important dance troupe which will perform at the Norwegian heritage festival, and it's an honor to be part of the dance and all of the festivities.
As Jane navigates life with her niece, little strange things start happening. She befriends the new stranger next door, and he becomes her handyman, repairing doors and windows, and installing a security doorbell. The cheating ex is back and claims to still love her, there's a colleague who seemed a potential love interest, and then there's the new professor who seems too eager to befriend her. And she's still trying to find a way to create the app.
Unbeknownst to Jane, the stranger is recording her every move, making plans, and stashing things in her basement. Always there to lend a helping hand, but there's a teen boy who's always around, and the stranger is suddenly keeping track of him, too. 
Something's about to happen during the Norwegian festival, things take a twisty turn, and suddenly Jane's trying to figure out what is true and what is not, and she needs to make decisions to save the life of her niece, the neighbor boy, and herself from an unexpected serial killer. 
A riveting read which had me from page one. Great pacing, and a wonderful mix of humor and thrill to keep you entranced till the end. A must-read!

[Pam Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of Ann Garvin’s best yet. Take a main character, Jane, who is doing her best in tough circumstances (post-divorce, town holds a grudge against her, going-for-tenure related stress, etc) and throw in a suspicious neighbor who is plotting something, a teenage live-in niece wise beyond her years, and a town crazily consumed by an upcoming Norwegian festival…and the story unfolds from there.
Jane is funny and clumsy and filled with heart, but missteps as she tries to understand love, marriage, and cheating with her logical brain. As she navigates deciding who she can trust, and as she is learning about fighting the patriarchy from her 15 year old niece, she has to sort her responses to her charming but cheating ex, her unknowable, stone-faced but helpful neighbor, and the handsome newcomer in town who seems aggressively interested in her.
The best part of the book was following Jane’s growth from victim to victor as she learned to trust her gut and metaphorically flex her muscles instead of deferring to Midwest Nice. Some great awareness-building regarding the treatment of women was baked into the pages of the wild story—well done!
Garvin’s characters are always likable, resourceful, and primed to learn and grow, and this book is no exception. The story was clever and fast-paced, with some twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.
I enjoyed the book a great deal and recommend it as a book about a female character finding her footing, with mystery, romance, and humor serves up as side dishes.

[Jacqueline Firkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wickedly fun and sharply observed story about an intrepid but floundering physics professor, her out-the-cheaters app development, the small Midwest community that rallies against her when one of their own comes under fire, and the mysterious new neighbour keeping an eye on everything from his upstairs window for -reasons-. Garvin’s sense of humour shines in this one, as do her shrewd observations about human foibles, particularly in depicting the small-town allegiances and animosities that form after the heroine dares to make public the moral failings (and actual crimes) of a man who has the town’s unquestioning support. I mean, really. How dare she! The side characters are fabulous, from the heroine’s outspoken teen niece with her Gen Z point of view and deep understanding of human relationships, to the well-meaning tarot-reading department chair, to the handsome fellow professor with his swoon-worthy ability to (gasp!) actually listen, to the tenderly infatuated neighbourhood kid who shows up at all the wrong times. Or maybe all the right times. There’s a fabulous dog. A ton of fun with the town’s deep investment in their upcoming Norwegian festival. A hint of romance. A light thread of suspense. And a thoughtful, witty look at boundaries, trust, and the sheer effort required in being a woman, especially one who cares intensely about her work, her family, her home, and her community. Garvin’s heart and humour are such gifts for the rest of us to enjoy. I loved this.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of Tell Two Friends by Ann Garvin in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! Jane and Cricket completely won me over, and I especially loved Jane because I saw little pieces of myself in her and in some of what she experienced with her ex.

Jane is funny, kind, a little messy, book smart, and not always the best at reading people. She’s been through enough to make her question her own judgment, but underneath all of that is a very strong woman. I loved watching her figure that out.

And Cricket! Whip smart, clever, quick-witted, and kind. I absolutely loved her.

Ann Garvin has a way of writing strong women who sometimes forget that they’re strong. I’ve loved every book of hers I’ve read, and Tell Two Friends is another favorite.

There are some seriously creepy moments, a whole lot of small-town drama, and one HUGE twist that I absolutely did NOT see coming. Then came a few smaller twists that kept everything moving. I was hooked!

I also highlighted so many things in this book. Two of my favorites:

“Hiding her feelings took a lot of energy, and she was tired of it.”

YES. 🙌

And:

“The art of learning from the past for a better future was not a subtle or theoretical journey.”

So much truth in that one.

Funny, suspenseful, empowering, and full of women I couldn’t help but root for. I loved it!

[Piccolo’s Pages]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: stalker thriller
Plot: an ex con stalks a women in small town Wisconsin
Spice:🚫

Summary:
36 years prior, FMC writes a random letter to an incarcerated woman. Now, that felon is actually a man / stalker, and FMC is too wrapped up in her small town hating her to notice. As she helps her niece prepare for the big Norwegian heritage festival, she’s completely unprepared for what’s to come.

Opinion:
This is a quick read about a young women in small town Wisconsin who’s trying her best for her niece in a town that despises her for a stupid reason. The reader follows her POV and her stalker’s POV over a short time course leading up to the town’s huge Norwegian festival.

This is one of those books where it wasn’t bad but it didn’t blow me away either - it’s right in the middle. The beginning and middle were a bit lackluster but once the events started happening, I became more invested. Was some of it outlandish? Yes. Plot twist? Yes. Memorable? Sure.

Would I recommend? Probably not. Part of my liking for it, may be do to the Wisconsin nostalgia. Folks familiar with Stoughton, Wisconsin will definitely appreciate the culture and inspiration the author brought to her fictional town. I was; however, disappointed that the narrator didn’t bring heavier Wisconsin accents to the characters.

Takeaway:✨MAYBE✨
A PG stalker thriller that mid-westerners / fans of Stoughton, WI / Norwegian culture might enjoy.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thirty-six years ago in college, Jane decided to be pen pals with a female prison inmate. Now that inmate, who, as it turns out, is actually a man, has moved in next door to finally carry out his plans for Jane.

Jane, meanwhile, is completely oblivious and wrapped up in taking care of her niece Cricket and navigating the social circles in her small town (a small town who hates her now due to her ugly, public divorce).

The premise of Tell Two Friends sounded great to me and promised to be funny. Unfortunately I found the humorous bits were few and far between, the characters generic and flat, and the story shallow. There were good messages about how women can maintain their boundaries and stand up against the patriarchy, but those messages were shoved down our throats ad nauseum (what was that about show, don't tell?).

Jane, who must be in her late 50s at this point, comes off as an undeveloped, immature, naive woman, despite the fact that she has been through a messy divorce and is a physics professor.

The writing itself wasn't bad, but I think the story could have used more developing. Knowing what happens at the end of the book, I would have liked for more time to be spent on Jane's correspondence with the inmate as well as some more character development and interactions with the handful of characters who ended up being vital to the plot.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really liked this one! There were a couple of slower-moving spots in the early middle, during which I found my attention flagging slightly, but I'm a long-time fan of Garvin's work and knew she'd kick it into high gear soon enough - and I wasn't disappointed!

As always, her characterizations were spot-on and thoughtful - as well as completely relatable and likeable (even, if not especially, the curmudgeonly ones). I'm always pleased to see a solid mix of ages and personalities and perspectives in her stories, and this was no exception. the pacing and plotting were clever and original and I found the twists to be well-managed and unexpected, which is no small feat in this current literary environment. I also liked that she saved the explanation for the title until the end - it kept me guessing as to where she was going and why, and I found that intriguing.

There's a LOT going on in this one, and much of it can be surface-read for enjoyment as well as in-depth considered for enlightenment. To me, that's one of the gorgeous tricks that she pulls off in so many of her novels. It lets you think (and over-think) as well as just read, and that combination is hard to achieve. I found so many of the ideas about women and fear and self-doubt thought-provoking (particularly from her niece and her paper - which I wish had been included in full as an appendix!) and to have lingered in my brain after finishing the story. It makes me want to gift a copy to every female friend I have - and their daughters! This was a delightful story that made me think and groan and laugh out loud (at times nearly simultaneously), and I really loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.

[Amy Gingrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks for the complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review - it was the perfect read for a recent cross country flight. The thriller genre is not my usual pick, but I had read another title by this author that I enjoyed, so when I heard about this one, I was open to trying it. It did not disappoint! There was just enough tension in the story and among the characters that kept me turning the pages, but not enough to overwhelm with anxiety or fear. I was grateful for uninterrupted reading time on the flight, because once you get about a third of the way into the book, you won't want to put it down OR be disturbed! Two of the main characters, Jane and her niece Cricket, are a generation apart, but each is open to what they can learn from the other, especially Jane from her niece. The author does a great job of developing that relationship and bringing to light the ways that younger women communicate versus the generation before them (most notably, with the opposite sex) which play a big part in the plot development. There are some great friendships, small town drama, and of course a family dog, that all contribute to this fast moving story - I recommend that you put the release date on your calendar.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

📚 Tell Two Friends
✍️ Ann Gavin
🎙️ Andi Arndt & Peter Berkrot
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Truth be told, this one just wasn’t quite for me. The narration was lovely, but I found myself getting a little lost in the story at times, and unfortunately, it didn’t fully pull me in from beginning to end.

For much of the book, I wasn’t necessarily confused about what was happening, but more about when something was actually going to happen. We follow Jane Baye—a divorcee, former prison pen pal, substitute mom, and parent participant in the Norwegian Heritage Festival—through the ups and downs of her everyday life. We also get glimpses of Truman, Kyle, Tom, and some potential Bundy-esque tendencies, but I never felt like the tension quite reached the level I was expecting. The humor also didn’t land for me as often as I’d hoped based on the blurb.

That said, there were definitely some enjoyable moments, and I really appreciated the author’s writing style. While this particular story didn’t completely click for me, I’m still interested in checking out some of her other books—especially Bummer Camp and I Thought You Said This Would Work. Sometimes a book just isn’t your cup of tea, and that’s okay! 📚💕

[Leslie Oberhaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a unique, wonderful book! In her author's note Ann Garvin recounts describing Tell Two Friends as "...funny in a serial killer way". That tells you a lot of what you need to know about this book, but there is more.

In this story, Jane is reeling after her divorce from a womanizing charmer and is a social pariah in the town of Wonder Lake, where he ex's family is royalty. Jane is caring for her niece Cricket while Cricket's parents are working abroad, which puts her into contact with her her "biggest fans" way more than she'd like. Jane is working toward tenure as a physics professor and working to get her confidence back after being duped by her ex. She beats herself up over not being able to see through him. She's hesitant to date again, not trusting her instincts.

There is much, much more to this story but to get into describing the rest would spoil the reading experience I think. Instead I'll point out that this book is a mixture of contemporary/women's fiction and a mystery thriller. The "funny in a serial killer way" description isn't hyperbole.

If you like original books with uplifting personal journeys and/or a mystery at play, you will love Tell Two Friends as much as I did. And if you do, tell two friends! Once you read, you'll understand.