If you’re looking for the book that’s going to define your 2026 reading list, pull up a chair. I just finished “The Family Friend” by Claire Douglas, and honestly? Even if you’ve been on the fence about her previous thrillers, this is the one that’s going to make you a total convert. It’s polished, it’s addictive, and it’s arguably her best one yet.
The premise is classic Douglas, but with a sharper edge. We follow Imogen, who spent one pivotal summer as a teenager staying with a charismatic artist. It was a refuge; her mum had just walked out on her dad, and that summer felt like a sun-drenched escape, not just becasue of the boy next door.
Fast forward to the present: that same artist is dead. Suspiciously so. And in a twist , she’s left her entire house, with financial support to Imogen. Most are suprised and wonder why – if im honest witha dog in th emix im suprised there wasnt a ‘care plan’ for him too, just because we all love to know they’re being looked after!
What makes this such an easy, breezy read is how Claire Douglas handles her characters. You don’t have to work hard to figure out who to root for.
- Imogen feels like a real person, flawed, a bit lost, but deeply inquistive.
- The Villains? Oh, they are deliciously punchable, even if they re not as obvious all the way through
- The Dynamics: You’ll find yourself naturally gravitating toward certain characters while getting that “itchy” feeling about others from the very first chapter.
While the mystery of the artist’s death is the engine, it’s the background noise that kept me turning pages until 2:00 AM. Douglas layers the tension perfectly:
- The Career Crisis: Imogen is currently suspended from her job, adding a layer of “nothing-to-lose” desperation to her investigation into Dorethea, and allowing her the time to wonder and research.
- The Toxic Boyfriend: He’s controlling in that subtle, “I’m just doing this for your own good” way. Watching Imogen ignore the red flags is frustrating in the best way possible you just want to reach into the book and shake her.
- The Family Secret: This is the big one. Imogen grew up believing her dad killed her mum. But as she digs into the past, that “fact” starts to look a little more questionable despite all the evidence.
It’s not just one “whodunnit.” It’s a “who-is-everyone-actually?” The subplots don’t feel like filler; they feel like the walls closing in on Imogen from every direction.
The pacing is snappy, the atmosphere is thick with secrets, and the payoff is genuinely satisfying. It’s the kind of book you can devour in a weekend but will think about for a week.
Claire Douglas has officially set the bar for psychological thrillers this year.
The Family Friend is available from 12 March 2026.
One More Chapter 