My Sweet Friend by H.A.Leuschel. "Beyond the faรงade we were all human, fragile and sensitive to judgement." Helene conducted research into the consequences of lying and I mean serious lying and this interesting novella is the result. It touches on mythomania, more commonly known as pathological lying, where guilt doesn't exist at all. If parameters exist between truth and fiction, they are so blurred they are unrecognisable. It is written in first person with two very different narrators: one nice "The Sweet Friend," the other malicious. The story is set in France, mainly in Paris although Alexa Dubois escapes for a break to Biarritz, apparently on sick-leave through exhaustion. It's 2017. Alexa has just started a new job in Paris working with Rosie, Jack, Monique and Marc connected to sales and marketing as an accounts manager. Initially, Alexa had made a strong impression on all but Monique. Jack fancied her. Rosie just loved her to bits and uses words such as magnetic, captivating, aura and charisma. The boss was positive in stating:"She's almost too good to be true." Monique was the only one to see through this faรงade:"She gives me the creeps" and "There is something about her I don't like." Clever girl! We are told that Alexa had been working in America but had recently come from one of the U.K's biggest P.R companies. Her c.v. had been glowing and her references "immaculate." Immaculately attired also, creative and bubbly, it didn't take long for the girls to become inseparable. But then the situation soon changed. Rosie tried to contact Alexa several times about a final document Alexa was supposed to have given Rosie before suddenly disappearing on sick-leave. Alexa was adamant she had sent it then blamed Filipe or Monique for doing the "dirty" on her, perhaps? She even suspected Jack. Rosie confides to her that it didn't look good having time off. We soon learn that Miss Perfect falls short of the mark. There were punctuality issues and it was acknowledged that Alexa had a short fuse. Rosie, forever the sweet friend at the early stages, defended her lateness to Jack and Monique. Rosie was also sympathetic to Alexa's claim of being stalked by her ex who thought he wanted to destroy her. His calls were "relentless, abusive, awful." We learn that Rosie's mother had Alzheimers and she was struggling to cover the cost of her mother's care until Alexa agreed to help her out financially but how long would that last? Rosie was grateful but at the same time, she was filled with foreboding and unease. Perhaps instinctively she knew that Alexa wasn't to be trusted? Pity she didn't trust her instincts. Her fling with Jack ended as soon as he saw through this faรงade. He called her a "lost cause" and a "damn good liar " and "shallow." This was perfectly true. She used Rosie and poor Rosie had to have counselling sessions to come to terms with this abuse and conquer her insecurities caused by her overbearing, confusing, painful and destructive relationship with Alexa. She told Yvonne that she felt she was "walking through fog
sometimes, feeling disorientated." Imagine wishing that a friend had never entered your life! This is how Rosie felt about Alexa. I spot a moral. Compulsive, lying disorder destroys people and their relationships and this message is clearly conveyed by the writer. Playing mind games and controlling people is a no-goer. Would you let a friend treat you like this? I end on this note. Can first impressions ever be trusted? How well do we know our friends and how well do they know us? REVIEW it by Carol Naylor. Publisher: Helene Leuschel Publishing 2017. Available from Amazon.