The Friend

Synopsis

A moving story of love, friendship, grief, healing, and the magical bond between a woman and her dog.

WINNER OF THE 2018 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD * A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 INTERNATIONAL DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD

'A true delight: I genuinely fear I won't read a better novel this year' FINANCIAL TIMES

'Loved this. A funny, moving examination of love, grief, and the uniqueness of dogs' GRAHAM NORTON

'Delicious' SUNDAY TIMES 100 BEST SUMMER READS

When a woman unexpectedly loses her lifelong best friend and mentor, she finds herself burdened with the unwanted dog he has left behind. Her own battle against grief is intensified by the mute suffering of the dog, a huge Great Dane, and by the threat of eviction: dogs are prohibited in her apartment building.

Isolated from the rest of the world, increasingly obsessed with the dog's care, determined to read its mind and fathom its heart, she comes dangerously close to unravelling. But while troubles abound, rich and surprising rewards lie in store for both of them.

'Very, very clever. Mature. Entertaining. Eminently readable and re-readable. Absolutely delightful' IRISH TIMES

'I loved it . . . It's one of my favourite books and it moved me' WHOOPI GOLDBERG

A New York Times Notable Book of 2018 * A Financial Times 2018 Best Book: Critics Pick * A Buzzfeed Best Book of 2018 * A Bustle Best Fiction Book of 2018 * An NPR Best Book of 2018

Summary

Chapter 1: The Call

* Melissa, a successful businesswoman, receives a call from an unknown number.
* The caller claims to be a friend named Dave, whom Melissa met briefly years ago.
* Dave says he needs Melissa's help with a financial matter.

Chapter 2: The Commitment

* Melissa agrees to lend Dave money without hesitation.
* She believes Dave is a true friend and trusts him to repay her.
* Dave promises to repay Melissa in full within a month.

Chapter 3: The Concern

* As days turn into weeks, Dave fails to repay Melissa.
* Melissa becomes concerned and tries to contact Dave, but his phone number is disconnected.
* She starts to suspect that Dave may not be who he claimed to be.

Chapter 4: The Investigation

* Melissa hires a private investigator to track down Dave.
* The investigator discovers that Dave is a known con artist with a history of scamming people.
* Melissa realizes that she has been the victim of fraud.

Chapter 5: The Loss

* Melissa is devastated by the loss of her money and the betrayal of someone she thought was a friend.
* She struggles to cope with the financial and emotional toll of the scam.
* She feels ashamed and embarrassed for falling prey to a con artist.

Chapter 6: The Healing

* Melissa seeks support from friends, family, and a therapist.
* She learns to forgive herself for making a mistake.
* She develops new coping mechanisms to deal with the trauma of the experience.

Chapter 7: The Lesson

* Melissa shares her story to warn others about the dangers of befriending strangers online.
* She emphasizes the importance of being cautious and trusting your instincts.
* She encourages victims of scams to seek help and not give up hope.

Real Example:

In 2019, a woman named Sarah received a message on Facebook from a man named John, who claimed to be a friend from college. John said he was in a financial bind and needed a loan. Sarah, who vaguely remembered meeting John at a party years prior, agreed to lend him money.

However, John failed to repay Sarah as promised. When she tried to contact him, she found that his account had been deleted. Sarah contacted the police, but they were unable to locate John. She realized that she had been scammed and lost a significant amount of money.

Sarah's experience is a cautionary tale about the dangers of trusting strangers online. It underscores the importance of being cautious and verifying the identity of someone before sending money or sharing personal information.