S. F. Prescott

A thought provoking page turner!

Sara Koffi is a writer and editor from Memphis, Tennessee, with a B.A. in English from Whittier College. As a writer, she strives to explore the nuances of “unlikable female characters” and humanize Black women by giving them space on the page to breathe. While We Were Burning is her debut novel.

Published April 16th, 2024.

I was hooked from the first page. With a compelling premise and a strong voice, this was a very easy read. I liked Brianna immediately, understanding her motives and the trauma driving her. I couldn’t help but feel frustrated for her, caught in between a domestic nightmare. I cared the most about her character and was rooting for her till the end. It was interesting to be inside Elizabeth’s headspace, and I can appreciate how the author was exploring the themes of “unlikeable” women, so it’s understandable why she made this woman so annoying. She was the typical privileged white woman who can’t get her shit together, and it’s a theme I enjoy in domestic suspense. The book is definitely plot driven and I found the pace steady, an easy beach read to pick up during the upcoming summer months. I enjoyed exploring the complex relationships between the women, and the darker aspects of their natures.

I would have liked a little more depth added to the supporting characters and bigger twists around the reveals. As enjoyable as it was, I wasn’t surprised by any of the character’s behavior, except Brianna’s. Her romantic choice in the end definitely added some shock value.

For readers who enjoy an easy popcorn thriller, female friendships, and dark themes.

Synopsis:

After her best friend’s mysterious death, Elizabeth Smith’s picture-perfect life in the Memphis suburbs has spiraled out of control—so much so that she hires a personal assistant to keep her on track. Composed and elegant, Brianna is exactly who she needs and slides so neatly into Elizabeth’s life, almost like she belonged there from the start. Soon, the assistant Elizabeth hired to distract her from her obsession with her friend’s death is the same person working with her to uncover the truth behind it.

Because Brianna has questions too.

She wants to know why the police killed her young Black son. Why someone in Elizabeth’s neighborhood called the cops on him that day. Who took that first step that stole her child away from her. And the only way she’s ever going to be able to find out is to entwine herself deep into Elizabeth’s life, where the answers to her questions lie. As the two women hurtle towards an electrifying final showdown, and the lines between employer and friend blur, it becomes clear that neither of them is what they first appear.