The False Friend by Myra Goldberg

In Myra Goldberg’s third novel, she does a good job writing psychological suspense.  The story takes place in a small upstate New York town.  The main character Celia was a friend of Djuna but there is a lot of competition between the eleven year olds.  They are the ringleaders of a quintet of girls that are caught in an escalating cycle of test, reward, and punishment.  Everything peaks one afternoon walking along a forbidden woodland road.  Celia watches as Djuna gets into a stranger’s car.  At least that’s the story she gives the police.  Nothing was ever found of the adductor or Djuna. 

Twenty years later Celia is successful and has a relationship with Huck.  The relationship is being sabotaged by her memories that Djuna fell into a hole in the ground.  Celia returns home to tell people about the new details and deal with the lie she told.  However, the other witnesses state Djuna did get in the car.  The other girls tell Celia she was sweet to some people but was cruel and bullying to others.  Celia’s image of herself is shattered and images of childhood become confused.  What is the truth about that day in the woods and how did Celia treat the other girls?  As Celia searches for the truth there are startling and powerful consequences.  I was kept guessing until the final pages.