• The Bad Friend

  • Never Tell Collection
  • By: Caroline Kepnes
  • Narrated by: Julia Whelan
  • Length: 1 hr and 19 mins
  • 3.8 out of 5 stars (73 ratings)

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The Bad Friend  By  cover art

The Bad Friend

By: Caroline Kepnes
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
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Publisher's summary

Secrets, betrayal, and jealousy are at the heart of a friendship in an unnerving short story about truth and self-deception by Caroline Kepnes, the New York Times bestselling author of You.

Ellen has a lot to be thankful for. Her fiancé, Troy, is perfectly sweet. Her childhood friend Tanya, despite her edgier taste in men, is like a sister to Ellen: her closest friend—and rival. So familiar and yet, over the years, so many secrets between them. For Ellen, what lies ahead is a series of choices that will add up to a life she never could have imagined.

Caroline Kepnes’s The Bad Friend is part of Never Tell, a heart-pounding collection of stories about secrets, lies, and mind games. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Just keep the endings to yourself.

©2024 Caroline Kepnes. (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

What listeners say about The Bad Friend

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What did I just listen to?

Omg. This story gave me chills and left me shook. The narration is amazing and her writing style is beyond words.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wow, what a secret to hold on to!

It's interesting that while reading this, how very easy it is to pick out who the bad friend is, but in the end, can the same do be said? Jealousy will have you seeing things in ways that don't always align with the truth. Everything that goes ain't gold, and every coin has another side.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
  • EJ
  • 03-25-24

Ugh

Ew, Ellen is vapid and shallow; and her friend, Tanya, is just the same. Ellen has no idea what makes her happy let alone able to express that to her husband. She can’t be honest with herself let alone with anyone else. She can only compare her life to others. It’s no wonder that her life was miserable.
An Amazon Original, part of the Kindle Unlimited catalog.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A Great Listen for Fans of 'You'

Caroline Kepnes does it again with 'The Bad Friend,' a gripping short story from the collection 'Never Tell.' This story weaves a haunting narrative of secrets, betrayal, and jealousy, all centered around the complex friendship between Ellen and her childhood friend Tanya. As Ellen navigates a path filled with difficult choices and hidden truths, Kepnes masterfully captures the essence of suspense and psychological drama. The prose is sharp, the narration spot-on, and the pacing is perfect for an intense one-sitting listen. Whether you're a fan of Kepnes's 'You' or new to her work, this story will hold you in its thrall until the inevitable conclusion. A must-listen for anyone who loves a well-crafted psychological thriller.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

What complicated characters in less than 90 minutes - damn, Caroline Kepnes is so good at this!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb Storytelling

Great narration for fast-paced, twisty, story. Girl gets played by bad friend,
ends up with her bad boyfriend, only to realize that she herself had laid the groundwork.
All the wrong moves hit her like lightening strikes. Fascinating psych-out.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent narration

Julia Whelan is the queen of narration. She makes every book outstanding! The plot and writing were also great!

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Terrible negative story

I didn’t like anyone in this book with the exception of one character, who was just a side character. The story was horrible as well. I don’t understand the point, much less the reviews that say it will “keep you on the edge of your seat” what?!? Umm, no. If you keep waiting for something to happen, you will be as shocked as I was when the story just ended….

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

What in the world?

I generally really like this author and love the narrator.
This shirt story, however, is just awful, depressing and has such terrible, unlikable characters. This is one hour of my life I can never get back.

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