Why Did Emily Write 'We Were Never Here'?

Emily wrote 'We Were Never Here' to explore the dark side of female friendships and the psychological toll of keeping dangerous secrets. The novel digs into how trust can warp into something toxic when pushed to extremes. It's not just about the thrill of a murder cover-up; it's about how shared guilt binds people in ways they can't escape. The book mirrors real-life situations where friendships become co-dependent and destructive, showing how easily loyalty can turn into a prison. Emily's sharp writing makes you feel the characters' paranoia and desperation, like you're right there with them, questioning every decision.

After analyzing 'We Were Never Here,' I think Emily crafted this story to challenge the 'perfect friendship' trope. She exposes how even the closest bonds can fracture under pressure, especially when violence enters the picture. The main characters, Kristen and Lizzie, start as typical travel buddies, but their dynamic shifts irreversibly after a traumatic incident. Emily doesn’t just focus on the event itself—she zooms in on the aftermath, the lies piling up, and the suffocating dread of being discovered.

What stands out is how Emily uses setting as a character. The backpacking trips across Chile and Cambodia aren’t just backdrops; they’re catalysts for chaos. Isolated locations force the characters to rely solely on each other, magnifying their flaws. The tension builds not from jump scares, but from the slow unraveling of their sanity. Emily’s background in psychological thrillers shines here—she knows how to make ordinary conversations feel loaded with threat.

The book also plays with memory and reliability. Kristen’s perspective keeps you guessing: Is she a victim or an instigator? Emily deliberately blurs the line to make readers question how well they truly know their own friends. It’s a masterclass in suspense that lingers long after the last page.

Emily’s inspiration for 'We Were Never Here' likely came from her fascination with moral ambiguity. The book isn’t just a thriller; it’s a character study of people making terrible choices and then doubling down. She excels at showing how guilt eats away at Kristen and Lizzie differently—one spirals into anxiety, the other into manipulation. The dual timelines (past trips vs. present fallout) create a ticking clock effect, making their eventual confrontation inevitable.

I love how Emily subverts expectations. Instead of a straightforward whodunit, she gives us a 'whydunit.' The real mystery isn’t the deaths—it’s why these women keep returning to disaster. Their friendship isn’t just flawed; it’s addictive, like they’re trapped in their own folie à deux. Emily’s prose is razor-sharp, especially in scenes where mundane details (a misplaced scarf, an odd text) become ominous clues. If you enjoyed 'The Last Time I Lied,' you’ll love how she layers deception here.