IAN DOWN UNDER VS. WE WERE NEVER REALLY FRIENDS

Ian joins a reunion on a private island and discovers that friendships aren’t the only things getting cut short in Timothy King’s We Were Never Really Friends.

TITLE: We Were Never Really Friends

AUTHOR: Timothy King

GENRE: Horror/Thriller

PAGES: 202

FORMAT: e-book

PRICE: $4.99 e-book, paperback TBA

RELEASE DATE: 12^th May 2026

G’day all, it’s your ARC reviewer friend from the land that’s surrounded by water and things in it that want to eat you – otherwise known as Australia. This week I’m taking a little “vacation” with Timothy King and his novel We Were Never Really Friends. When I say I’m on vacation, I mean I’m absolutely not on one, but I DID spend a few nights glued to this book like a barnacle to a boat hull. Anyway, despite that awkward introduction, I had a blast devouring King’s latest, and here’s why.

The premise is a cracker: a bunch of late-twenties friends, Ryan, Chris and Jerome are on their way to a reunion getaway with their wives, hoping to relive the glory of their high-school days. The reunion is being held on a private island bought by Roger, the younger brother of Ryan who was always on the outskirts of the friendship group. Now, the only thing is, almost every one of the characters involved is toxic enough to require a hazmat suit. We’re talking festering resentments, betrayals, and selfish motivations, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If there was anything left of their genuine friendships from their past, you’d need a microscope to find it now.

When they get to the island, naturally things start to go wrong almost immediately. There’s no cell reception and no internet, which is a tragedy in itself for folk like this. Then scandals bubble to the surface, old wounds reopen, and when one of them is injured, they find themselves stranded when their boat and radio have been sabotaged. Tension spikes, and then the killings begin, courtesy of an unknown assailant in a ghillie suit, and suddenly this toxic reunion turns into a battle for survival.

If this sounds like the perfect setup for a Hollywood-style popcorn slasher, you’d be absolutely right. This book practically begs to be made into one. It’s like an extreme version of I Know What You Did Last Summer with lots of descriptive gore and kill scenes, and more deliciously messy character drama. King leans into the fun of the genre while still delivering the suspense and pacing of a solid thriller, making it a great crossover read for thriller fans who don’t mind a bit of blood splatter.

As with any Timothy King novel, the writing is sharp and addictive, the kind you can lose several hours to without noticing. His pacing is spot-on, fast enough to keep you turning pages but not so fast that the character exploration and drama get lost. I tore through this in just a few reading sessions, which is always my personal sign of a banger, which this one most assuredly is.

I give this 4.8 backstabbing former high schoolers out of 5.

Ian Gielen is a writer of all things spooky and a horror fanatic. Ian embraces his inner geek with pride, his dedication on display in the intimidating collection of horror novels and video games that threaten to take over his living space. He is mad for all things Alien, Star Wars, and cats; his furry companions are always there to keep him company as he scribbles down his latest ideas. With the sheer number of furry and human companions in his life, it’s a wonder he isn’t a little crazier than he already is.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.