Review: 'Queen Bee' by Nina Manning

 After enjoying Nina Manning's The Bridesmaid, I promised myself to enjoy whatever came my way next from Nina Manning as well. Thankfully Queen Bee very much lived up to my expectations and gave me a rollicking ride of drama and suspense. Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 1/26/2022
Publisher: Boldwood Books

A brand new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Bridesmaid and The Daughter in Law.
In the quiet village of Helesbury, Miranda Wallace prides herself on being the most popular member of her small social circle; the perfect friend, the best mum – the queen bee.

Until one day, Verity arrives. Cool and indifferent, Verity is everything Miranda isn’t, but she threatens to shatter Miranda’s picture-perfect life.

Suddenly plagued with insecurities, Miranda is certain Verity is hiding something. And Miranda knows all about secrets and the damage they can cause, because she’s hiding some of her own.

So when Verity threatens to reveal the truth about Miranda and destroy the perfect life she’s built, Miranda knows she has to act to protect the people she loves – even if the results are deadly.

Friendships really are crucial to a happy life. As someone who is still hesitant about romantic relationships, I have often benefitted from the grace of friendships, from the way friends can provide both support and necessary moments for growth. Especially amongst women, friendship can be crucial in providing that mirror in which to reflect upon your own experiences, your own worries, etc. So even if Manning's Miranda is a little dramatic in her tight grip on her friendship with Evie, I could appreciate her fear of losing that connection, that joy, that a tight friendship brings. But then I've also learned that you cannot hold onto people too tightly. No one person can be everything for you, neither a partner nor a best friend is capable of being there for every aspect of your being and your life. Since I have already learned that lesson, I'd have hoped to see a little more of it in Queen Bee. But then, what is a village suspense novel without heightened drama?

Miranda has survived her first year in the quiet village of Helesbury, after a quick and dramatic exit from bustling and vibrant London. But she is enjoying village life. Her husband and daughter are happy, and Miranda is happy too, especially now that her friendship with Evie is this close. This closeness is what she has always wanted, and what she almost lost back in London. So when a new woman called Verity moves to the village and strikes up a tight friendship with Evie, Miranda feels unmoored. Everything becomes suspicious and her worst habits and instincts begin to return. But perhaps there really is more to Verity than meets the eye. And so starts a suspenseful book full of drama. While I saw the major twist coming after the first half of the book, I still enjoyed the way in which Manning got us there. 

I once again enjoyed Nina Manning's writing style. Her prose flows very easily and it is a joy to read. Manning has an eye for the detail that brings a scene to life, that helps flesh out a character. Queen Bee is not very deep, in that it revels in the details of easy country living, farmers markets, and social media perfection. But it is fun, it is entertaining, and does exactly what is promises. One downside to Queen Bee is that the ending is such a twist, that much of what has gone before becomes almost irrelevant. Miranda is so tightly wound as a character, so full of insecurities and concerns, yet the grander story at play does not rely on these elements. As Miranda is our main character, I would have loved to see her be served a little more, get a little more closure and attention for her own storyline.

I give this novel...

3 Universes!

Queen Bee is what I had hoped for from my next Nina Manning read: an entertaining read with enough secrets to keep you going till the end.