We hear a lot about romantic relationships turned toxic, but how do we know when our friendships turn sour?
Author Mel McGrath, quite literally wrote the book, The Guilty Party: a tale of toxic friendship gone terribly wrong.
On a night out, four friends witness a stranger being attacked. They decide to do nothing to help. But is the real enemy within the group? Below, Mel gives us her insight into how to tell when your friendship has taken a turn for the worst.
You know it’s time to let go when:
1. They gaslight you into feeling unsure about yourself when you go to them for advice.
2. They turn your achievements into their commiserations – you go to them with good news and they focus on how it affects them.
3. They call to find out how you are, but really it’s an excuse to talk about themselves.
4. They are demanding of your time, expecting immediate responses to texts, and they don’t like you spending time with other friends.
5. They actively bitch about your other friends, planting seeds of doubt about other relationships in your life.
6. They sulk when they don’t get their way.
7. They don’t empower you. Good friends are like cheerleaders, but this friend will actively criticize you and your decisions.
8. You don’t actually like hanging out with them – you may have an impending sense of dread about going for dinner with them – but you’d rather not face the guilt trip if you cancel.
More about the book:
On
a night out, four friends witness a stranger in trouble.
They decide to do nothing to help.
Later, a body washes up on the banks of the
Thames –
and the group realises that ignoring the woman has left blood on their hands.
But why did each of them refuse to step in?
Why did none of them want to be noticed that night?
And who is really responsible?
‘MASTERFUL’ Guardian
‘IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT’ Erin Kelly
‘UTTERLY COMPELLING’ Crime Monthly
‘5*’ Heat
’WELL-CRAFTED AND CHILLING’ Woman
‘MCGRATH IS A DIAMOND-HARD TALENT’ Financial Times
Dive into the hottest thriller of the summer now.
