Too Close for Comfort by Eleanor Moran (Book Summary)

Purchase Too Close for Comfort by Eleanor Moran via Amazon: https://amzn.to/3p002ux

Mia Cosgrove is a psychotherapist based in London. She was dragged to Little Copping when her best friend, Lysette, called her. Lysette was crying on the phone and was telling Mia that she needed her.

Lysette informed her that her friend Sarah had died, and it was speculated that she had committed suicide. The police found an unsent message on the phone that says “I’m sorry.”

Lysette belongs to a group of friends that Mia eventually met as she took on some responsibilities. There were 5 of them: Kimberley, Helena, Alex, Sarah, Lysette. Mia has been invited to hang out with them, and most of what they talk about are how much they miss Sarah.

Mia, later on, became an essential part of investigating Sarah’s death. When they learned that Mia was a shrink, they started having appointments. Mia’s boss also eventually assigned her to Sarah’s case – to assist the friends and family she left behind and disclose what she learned that could be important to the investigation. Mia got torn between wanting Sarah’s death solved and protecting Lysette.

Things got more complicated with the investigation because, after the funeral, Max’s teacher (Peter) committed suicide with a note that was an apology – and it looked like a reply to Sarah’s unsent text. Max is Sarah’s son. After Peter’s death, everyone speculated that he was having an affair with Sarah. There was also footage of Sarah and Peter that was released. In the CCTV footage, Sarah and Peter were happily talking. That was on the same day he died. It is now clear to everyone that their deaths were because of their complicated affair since Sarah is a married woman – however, Mia is convinced that Peter is innocent.

While Mia was hanging out with Lysette’s friends, she discovered a few things. Mia began to hate Kimberley – beautiful, wealthy, and fit but very manipulative. One time, Kimberley attempted to kiss her. She told Lysette about it, but she just shrugged it off, telling her that she just misinterpreted her friendliness. Mia also discovered that Lysette is in trouble – financially and emotionally. Lysette has been involved in drugs with Sarah. She has been taking drugs before and after Sarah’s death, and when Sarah died, she was left alone to face the debts they have from dealing drugs.

In one charity event, Lysette got drunk and allowed Mia to see her sniffing coke. She also mentioned something happening in Kimberley’s house – something no one must know. Lysette was just about to tell her, but Kimberley arrived and interrupted them. She told Mia that there was no need for her to babysit Lysette, so she went somewhere else to get some drink. Just in time, Jim approached. Jim is Lysette’s brother with whom she had a relationship. That night, Mia and Jim kissed, and coincidentally, Mia’s fiance arrived and saw them.

Mia decided to leave since the case seemed to already be close, and she needed to sort out her personal life, but on her last days, an article was released, mentioning Mia’s words – put together to mean differently. Mia had a friendly chat with a journalist, but she never expected her words to be tangled and used against her. Lysette got angry at her, telling her that she made everything complicated. Mia got frustrated, and she thought that it was really her cue to leave – however, another visitor came. A girl named Jennifer knocked on her rented room. Jennifer is Peter’s sister, and she confided in Mia because she read the article and caught a glimpse of hope that the accusations towards her brother will be proven wrong. Mia knows that she couldn’t fully trust Jennifer – but a part of her knows that everything Jennifer says just confirms her suspicions.

Before leaving to go back to London, Mia decided to visit Kimberley. When they were face to face, Mia told her what she uncovered – but Kimberley was still in control of the situation and didn’t look threatened at all. In the middle of their argument, Lysette appeared. She had been sleeping upstairs, and she was groggy. Lysette slurred as she spoke. She said that she was so tired of keeping it all to herself – so she just decided to show them Sarah’s diary. The three of them read the journal. Sarah didn’t mention names, but Mia soon figured out how it happened.

THE TRUTH:

Sarah and Lysette have been dealing drugs, and Kimberley was helping them with it. On the day Sarah died, she was about to meet another drug dealer. She died because someone had pushed her. She was about to send a message to Peter, telling him she was sorry about a situation he got involved in.

It was Lisa who killed Sarah. Lisa is the ex-wife of Sarah’s husband. Sarah’s husband, Joshua, is older than her. Joshua left Lisa for Sarah. Later in their marriage, Sarah discovered that there was still something going on between Joshua and Lisa. This was mentioned in her diary. She had been stalking Lisa, and she is sad because even if she is married to Joshua, she doesn’t feel like he is hers.

Lisa killed Sarah because of what happened to Max in Kimberley’s house. Max swallowed a pill and was rushed to the hospital. It was Kimberley who told Lisa about what had happened.

Sarah and Peter didn’t have an affair, but he loved her. Sarah is happy when she is around Peter, but to her, he is just a friend. As for Peter’s situation, he got involved with Kimberley. Kimberley complained that Peter had been stalking her, but it was the other way around, according to Peter’s sister. It was Kimberley who had been harassing Peter, grabbing him, kissing him. But Peter is in love with Sarah, and when he rejects Kimberley, she tells her husband that Peter took advantage of her.

Sarah’s case has now been solved. 

3 months later, Mia and Lysette met. Lysette is no longer doing drugs, and they already left Little Copping to start fresh. Mia, she is working on her relationship with Patrick. He was able to forgive him for seeing her kissing Jim.

The End of Too Close for Comfort by Eleanor Moran.

List of Characters:

• • • • • • Mia Cosgrove – Psychotherapist
          • Lysette – Mia’s bestfriend
          • Patrick – Mia’s fiance
          • Jim – Lysette’s brother, Mia’s ex
          • Kimberley, Helena, Alex, Sarah – Lysette’s friends
          • Sarah – the woman who died
          • Max – Sarah’s son
          • Joshua – Sarah’s husband
          • Lisa – Joshua’s ex-wife
          • Peter – Max’s teacher, Sarah’s friend
          • Jennifer – Peter’s sister

Purchase Too Close for Comfort by Eleanor Moran via Amazon: https://amzn.to/3p002ux