A whip-smart comedy of manners for the era of buzzing gadgets.
The Washington Post
"Carter Bays is best known for the long-running sitcom How I Met Your Mother. His debut novel The Mutual Friend is like a sophisticated literary version, centering on a New York City-based ensemble with plenty to say about the discontents of modern life and the difficulty of connection."
NPR
An ecstatic debut. . . . A modern epic brimming with charm; it romps between multiple concurrent storylines, but everything coalesces masterfully as all the scattered puzzle pieces fit together.
BuzzFeed
The co-creator of How I Met Your Mother delivers delightful,
un-put-downable and legen wait for it! dary love stories in his debut novel.
E! News, "15 Books to Add to Your Beach Bag This June"
Funny, sad, and deeply wise, this one-of-a-kind book will renew your faith in humanity and make you
really want to put down your phone.
Real Simple"
The Mutual Friend is GREAT. Carter Bays is one of the funniest people I know. More importantly though, he always finds the heart and truth in all of his humor. I just loved it. Put down the phones. Unless you re reading
The Mutual Friend on it."
Jason Segel
"I love this love story! The dialogue is so good, also it's very funny. What more could I want?"
Mindy Kaling
"This is a rare thing: an original, intelligent novel that s not just a perfect summer beach read, but one that deserves serious awards consideration as well. Put down your phone and pick it up A major accomplishment.
Kirkus (starred)
"An imaginatively tender and uncannily exact tale of life on the internet. . . .
The Mutual Friend is vast in scope, startling in its precise capture of the reality of intertwined digital lives, and satisfies its ambition with an unexpected humanity and vulnerability.
Booklist (starred)
The Mutual Friend is a stylized, laugh-out-loud funny social satire with devastating aim. . . . Like
The Bonfire of the Vanities for the era of reality TV and social media . . . All told, it s riveting.
BookPage (starred)
"An imaginatively tender and uncannily exact tale of life on the internet. . . .
The Mutual Friend is vast in scope, startling in its precise capture of the reality of intertwined digital lives, and satisfies its ambition with an unexpected humanity and vulnerability.
Debutiful
The Mutual Friend is the most extraordinary and beguiling novel I ve read in years. Carter Bays weaves together a huge, eclectic cast of messy, imperfect, and bewitching characters . . . As soon as I put the book down, I wanted to start reading it all over again.
Clare Pooley,
New York Times bestselling author of
The Authenticity ProjectI know it sounds like a bad joke or weird curse to wonder what would happen if Charles Dickens or
Bonfire of the Vanities-era Tom Wolfe had Twitter, but the actual, happy result would be
The Mutual Friend a novel of New York in a strange time that probes its large and foibled cast with humor, real insight, and sparkling charm.
John Hodgman, author of
Vacationland and
Medallion Status and host of the Judge John Hodgman podcast
The Mutual Friend is like a 10-course dinner party with your frankest, wittiest friends confiding all their secrets. It has plenty of full-on belly laughs, but also such granular emotional insight and sharp-eyed observations about modern life and love. This novel makes you feel wonderfully seen, at your best and at your worst, by somebody very kind and very, very funny, who points out all the foibles and fractures you thought nobody noticed and let s you know you re not alone.
Elan Mastai, author of
All Our Wrong Todays"The Mutual Friend is a big, heart-squeezing ode to all that matters most, dressed up in the disguise of a fun, juicy ensemble story bubbling over with comically bad dates, career missteps, and awkward adult friendships. You'll laugh; you'll cry; you'll stare out the window and contemplate the meaning of life. I did, anyway."
Mary Laura Philpott, author of
I Miss You When I Blink and
Bomb Shelter
"A hugely clever and thoroughly entertaining magic trick of a novel that shows the ways in which we re all connected, both virtually and in real life. This book with all its wisdom and humor, its detours and surprises was a total delight. I loved it!"
Jennifer E. Smith, author of
The Unsinkable Greta JamesPoignant, heartbreaking, and full of hope. This beautifully written book perfectly captures the connections and relationships that shape our lives. I couldn't put it down.
Kate Spencer, author of
In a New York MinuteThrough his tapestry of characters, Carter Bays beautifully and hilariously captures the connection and isolation at the heart of being a human being, now. This book is like a modern-day War and Peace, without all the boring war parts.
Raphael Bob-Waksberg, author of
Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged GloryA completely unique and addictive read with a captivating cast of characters,
The Mutual Friend is a memorable, clever novel about connection and love and all the things that make us human. Charming and unforgettable, this story left an impression on my heart.
Holly Miller, author of
The Sight of You
