This is the first book I have read from Kit Frick but it certainly will not be my last. She was able to weave an amazing mystery while dropping in some ghostly allure that I enjoyed. In fact, the flashes of memories and nightmares are one of the (many) aspects I could not get enough of.

Frick is able to create such a vivid main character in Anna, yet leaves you questioning whether she is delusional, compulsive, or unnaturally obsessed with the missing Zoe. The entire narrative leaves you wondering what is real and what is just a figment of a demented mind. AND THAT CONCLUSION?! Readers will be left reeling.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those you love modern spins on classic gothic literature.

Knowing that I had a recent love for mystery/psychological thrillers, a friend recommended I Killed Zoe Spanos to me. Not that long ago the two of us read another thriller as a buddy read and when she heard about this one she thought it would be another one the two of us would enjoy together. I can report she was right. Unfortunately I read way ahead of her because once I started I couldn’t seem to stop, but we both agreed this was definitely exactly what we were hoping for.

I Killed Zoe Spanos starts with Anna Ciccioni, a teenage girl from New York, that is moving to the Hamptons for the summer to nanny for a little girl. When Anna arrives in town she starts to notice people sometimes stare at her. She soon finds out she looks a lot like Zoe Spanos, a girl that was presumed dead around New Years when she went missing. As summer moves on Anna starts having memories of the town which is a place she has never been before. She isn’t sure what is going on, but with the help of a local teen journalist she is going to find out why she is having memories of a girl she never met and a town she has never been to before.

I had a lot of theories about I Killed Zoe Spanos while I was reading. And I loved that. I loved that it made me question what I thought I knew. It made me look at everything going on to try and figure it out. When I realized I was right about one part I was so happy, but another part I didn’t really see coming and that is what I love about a great mystery thriller. Anna was just as clueless as the rest of that and like her I really just wanted to know what happened. I also really liked the use of the podcast aspect. It reminded me of Sadie by Courtney Summers and I loved that book.

I can’t really say much about the specifics about I Killed Zoe Spanos. It’s hard to talk about without giving anything away. All I can tell you is if you like mystery and thrillers this should be on your TBR.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks also to the FFBC for including me on the blog tour for this book! You can find my full review and my favourite quotes on my blog (link in bio). 3.5 stars

This was a thrilling YA mystery that was written with a mixed-media format that I really enjoyed. It's being likened to Sadie and while I can see why, it should be kept in mind that the narrative is quite different. I also haven't read Rebecca so I don't know how accurate the comparisons or influences are. The start of the book was admittedly confusing and it took a while for me to immerse myself in the story and to wrap my head around what was happening. But once I did and the pace rapidly picked up around the 20-30% mark, I ended up eagerly speeding through the rest of the novel to find out what happened.

The story was told in alternating timelines between the past summer (when Anna was babysitting ) and the present day (when Anna has confessed--not a spoiler since you find this out in the first chapter) and I liked how it was presented. Frick's writing style is easy to read and engaging. I really enjoyed the mixed-media format as it kept the pace fast and easy to read. It was a combination of police interview transcripts and the transcript of a teenage run podcast to solve the mystery of Zoe's disappearance/death. I would be interested in checking out the audiobook for this because I can imagine that if it's done the same way Sadie was, it'll be an amazing and enhanced reading experience.

One thing that surprised me was how creepy and atmospheric the writing was. I didn't expect to be so creeped out reading this book but Frick really knows how to set an eerie and sinister, and almost supernatural atmosphere that had me curling my toes up under my covers and had me sleeping with the lights on. This was definitely not the sunny, party-filled Hamptons that you normally see on screen and read of in books!

I thought all of the characters were pretty unlikable and I never came to care for any of them. They came off as pretty shady (and awful friends), and selfishly motivated which made it hard to feel invested in their situations. Anna gave me very strong unreliable narrator vibes, which is pretty normal with mysteries/thrillers, but that also added to my confusion of what exactly was happening to/with her character. Was this something more towards mental illness or was it more paranormal? Despite being confused about what was real and what wasn't, the suspense of not knowing also kept me on the edge of my seat and eager to find out more.

There were a few plot twists and some were predictable while others, including whodunit, did manage to surprise me. That said, I was pretty disappointed by the whole reveal and with how everything was explained. I had to suspend my disbelief from the start, especially when in chapter one the police are basically interviewing a minor without parental consent/presence, and they were threateningly coercing her to give a confession just to close the case. That was already a bit of a flag for me, but also, the police might as well not have even been mentioned because of how useless their presence was in the book. When we get to the end and there were too many coincidences explained away to be probable, it just became... unsatisfying. I can't say anything more without giving things away, it just felt very convenient and maybe even raised more questions. Although most of my original questions were answered, I think I was expecting a bit more and this fell flat and it's what brought my rating down to 3.5 stars.

Despite the slightly disappointing reveal and ending, this was still a thrilling YA murder mystery that I think will be a big hit for many this summer (I know my opinion is in the minority for this one)! Frick's eerie atmospheric setting and engaging writing style will keep you on your toes and eager to read on to find out how the rest of the story unfolds.

This was a great YA mystery. It does almost make you want to put it down as it begins very slowly. Beware that the beginning is slow but it does pick up pace fairly quickly. It is difficult to relate to Anna, but it depends on the reader. She was fine with my reading, the voice was also great. Once you are able to get into the story a bit, it also might get better in that regard. Easily can be read in one sitting.

I LOVED this book! I read for hours straight to finish it and discover the truth. I read so many mysteries that I am always thrilled when I am surprised. I was unable to guess the whole ending of the book so that was definitely a nice surprise. If you like mysterious page-turners, this one is for you!

A solid YA mystery. Although the beginning moved slowly and it was difficult to connect with Anna, the novel picked up pace once we were introduced to Martina's podcast. Once we were able to delve into the actual mystery of Zoe's disappearance instead of Anna's lifetime regrets, the book was more enjoyable and binge-worthy.

I Killed Zoe Spanos is a fun summer read for fans of true crime podcasts and heady, psychological thrillers. While some of the twists are are predictable, some are truly surprising. This book features two timelines, one during the summer while Anna is working as a nanny in the Hamptons, and one timeline in the fall after Anna has been arrested for the murder of Zoe Spanos, her doppelganger.

I think this is a fun YA read, but missing the heart-pounding suspense that adults want in a thriller. While I prefer Karen McManus or Maureen Johnson's who-dun-its, this is still one that I would recommend for a young adult mystery collection.

This is a book I will definitely recommend to my students, especially students who love a good suspense novel. The plot keeps readers engaged and the inclusion of the podcast transcripts adds to the story. If one is familiar with podcasts, the transcripts read exactly how a podcast would sound. The timeline switches between present and past which also helps move the story along. The only thing that kept this a four-star rating instead of five is the main character. Some of her thoughts and actions seemed forced in order to "develop" the memory/lack of memory character trait. I didn't really connect with her, and while this may be a deal-breaker with other novels, the plot is strong enough to keep the reader engaged. "I Killed Zoe Spanos" will make a great addition to any suspense novel collection.

A fun, twisty summery mystery.

I Killed Zoe Spanos is the story of Anna, a girl from New York City who takes a summer nanny job in the Hamptons. Of Zoe, a girl who went missing in the same Hampton town Anna works in, and Marina, Zoe's classmate and an amateur reporter who starts a podcast to explore what might have happened to Zoe.

The sore's structure could have been confusing - it jumps forward and backward and is told from the point of view Anna in the past, Anna in the present, and Marina in the present - but it worked for me.

I did guess one aspect of the story but did not guess a lot of the other pieces of the puzzle. If you like twisty, mysterious stories, definitely check this one out!

It's been a huge struggle for me, as a reader, to get properly into mysteries and thrillers. I've always read so many other genres that I've never fully understood why this one hasn't resonated with me.


But, I've been trying to broaden my horizons as a reader, which I am so thankful for because it led me to this gem.


At first, I can say that I was beyond confused as to how the main character of this book had anything at all to do with any of the events that happened before we meet her.


But, very quickly I learn that Anna, who this story revolves around, isn't the most reliable of narrators. But, I think even she knows this, as she struggles through the book with holes in her memory.


Because of the nature of this story, I'm hesitant to say too much because I never want to give anything away.


So, I'm going to stick with what stood out to me the most--and that would be the fantastic writing by Ms. Frick.


I truly cannot praise her enough, as I was swept away in this story that I had no idea how it would end! And, I typically really enjoy a predictable ending.


But, this was done so well--with so many characters that I wanted to read more about.


If you're like me and don't read too many in the mystery or thriller genres but would like to begin--I fully endorse I Killed Zoe Spanos. There's just enough mystery to keep the reader enthralled but not so to make me have to go back and reread passages out of confusion.


I can't wait to read more from this genre--and especially this author!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book!
My review will be available at the given link on 6/26/20 as a part of a blog tour.

I KILLED ZOE SPANOS has healthy doses of a murder mystery, a girl with a mysterious past, tenacious teen investigators, and true crime podcasting, which makes it feel a few steps above the usual teenage missing person story. It has two narratives, one being Anna Cicconi, the outsider who claims she killed Zoe, and Martina, the best friend of Zoe's sister and aspiring podcaster who wants to figure out what happened to Zoe. Anna's is filled with ambiguity, as it's in the first person and she may be unreliable, while Martina's is in the third person and lets the reader see a bigger picture. Having two different POV perspectives sometimes doesn't work, but Frick utilizes it in a way that lets us organically see all the puzzle pieces that are needed to solve the mystery. Add in Martina's podcast transcripts (which are interesting in the way that they are also potentially unreliable as they may show Martina's blind spots and biases) and you have another, more unique perspective that adds a bit more. The mystery kept me guessing for the most part, and I was pleased by most of the reveals and twists (though I also think that there may have been an overreach with one last surprise which felt unnecessary). That said, the characters themselves didn't really move beyond standard tropes, with Anna as the mysterious 'is she a villain or is she a victim?' theme and Martina as the 'tenacious teen sleuth' character.

I KILLED ZOE SPANOS is a solid thriller mystery that would be perfect for summer reading!

“I killed Zoe. And it was a terrible, terrible mistake.”

I’m not gonna lie, I absolutely did not figure out anything that was happening in this book. I was confused from the time weird things started happening to Anna all the way through to the end. Now, maybe part of that is because I’ve never read Rebecca so I didn’t see the twists coming and I’m not sure how the endings compare. But I’m going to chalk it up to Kit Frick’s amazing writing.

Anna’s summer in the Hamptons is a wild ride. What Anna thinks is going to be a summer of nanny-ing becomes a summer full of people mistaking her for a missing girl and slowly recovering memories that all seem to involve that same missing girl. But that’s impossible because Anna never met Zoe, right?

I really like the setting of fun summer days versus the creepy looming that I picture of Windermere. It really fits all the secrets that get spilled over the course of this book, the shadiness of some of the characters, the missing memories. The excerpts from the podcast almost makes me wish that I had experienced this as an audiobook because I bet it is phenomenal.

I Killed Zoe Spanos is the type of thriller that pretty much anyone could love.

This story trails a twisted journey of Anna who doesn't quite remember everything correctly. She has had a bad habit of drinking too much and blacking out in the past. She has decided to take a summer nanny job to give herself a fresh start- to get away from bad influences and be the person she wants to be. ​

I will say that this story was slow at the beginning and took much longer for me to get into than most YA thrillers that I read. First, the introduction to the two differing points of view was muddled, that it took me a little bit too long to sort out in my mind. This was a bit frustrating as a start, but once I made it about 40% through the book- the rest flew by. When I first began and it seemed to be taking me longer than expected, I told myself that I would get the book through 40-50% before I considered abandoning it. I am so glad I gave it more time because by the time I got to that point I was hooked.

Honestly, this book is filled with twists and turns that I did not even anticipate. I really enjoyed seeing how the other half lives in the Hamptons, and get into this mystery. At times it was a slow burn, but just because the fire starts slowly, sometimes those fires are the hottest.

I Killed Zoe Spanos comes out SOON (Jul 1st, 2020)! I would not miss it if I were you!
http://kaitlynrcarpenter.weebly.com/blog/i-killed-zoe-spanos-by-kit-frick

If you're looking for a compelling beach read, look no further.  I Killed Zoe Spanos will keep you in that beach chair for hours.

This is my first time reading this author, but it absolutely won't be my last.  I was glued to this book from the beginning and conjured up tons of theories about what was happening during the course of the story.  Even then, only part of one of them turned out to be correct by the end. 

Martina's podcast is a clever way to introduce backstory - what happened with Zoe, who the suspects were, what the police did or didn't do, etc., and it gives the reader a peek into her head since her POV is shared along with Anna's.  The alternating chapters between past and present made me even more curious to learn how the characters got from point A to point B, and it's one of my favorite storytelling techniques.  With such an intricate plot, I can just imagine the story boards the author must have created.

Although it works well with the story, I had to suspend my disbelief a tad with the way the investigators handled Zoe's case.  Still, I devoured this book in two days.  Pay close attention near the end - things move fast and a lot of questions are answered.

With a heavy dose of red herrings and twists to keep you guessing, I Killed Zoe Spanos is a must read for mystery/thriller fans.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This one keeps you on your toes the entire time!

Anna a former party girl who wants to change takes a job as a nanny on Long Island aka (The Hamptons) for the summer. As soon as she is there she starts having these flashback memories or serious deja vu like she has been there before but isn't really sure. Then she starts getting mistaken for Zoe Spanos a college student from the area who disappeared on New Year's Eve. Anna teams up with Martina, who started a podcast on Zoe's disappearance and is Zoe's sister's best friend to try to figure out what happened to Zoe Spanos.

This book is SO GOOD! I was hooked from the very first page. It’s full of unreliable and untrustworthy characters, confusing memories, and surprising twists that blew my mind. I was kept guessing up until the very end! I highly recommend for anyone who loves a good YA mystery!

Who actually killed Zoe Spanos? Well, someone admits to it, but she may not have actually done it. This is a story that starts in the middle, which is one of my favorite writing tropes. I Killed Zoe Spanos is mystery, but it's also a bit of a coming-of-age story. Who are we if we don't remember our past and the things we have done?

I wasn't 100% sure going in that this was a book I was going to like. Sure, I requested it on NetGalley, but that's no guarantee I'm going to like a book. Well, I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed this story. It's thrilling, mysterious, and a little bit poignant. All in all, it's quite a beautiful story.

I Killed Zoe Spanos publishes 7.1.2020.

4.5/5 Stars

Seventeen-year-old Anna is thrilled when she’s offered a job as a nanny in the Hamptons on Long Island. She’d wasted the last few months of her senior year drinking and partying in Brooklyn. She’s ready to save money for college, turn over a new leaf, and spend time hanging out on the beach.

She and her charge hit it off quite well, and she’s prepared to relax and enjoy her summer. However it doesn’t take long before Anna finds out she looks exactly like Zoe Spanos, a girl who went missing months earlier, and hasn’t been heard from since January. As days pass Anna keeps getting feelings of déjà vu, believing she’d spent time in the town and had met Zoe in the past. Things begin to get jumbled in her mind and the more they do, the more she’s convinced she killed Zoe. She confesses to the police, and is sentenced to a juvenile center.

Though Anna believes she’s guilty, one person feels there’s more to her story that needs to be explored. Martina, best friends with Zoe’s little sister, runs a podcast about Zoe that tries to figure out what happened to her. Martina is determined to ferret out the truth but, when it’s finally revealed, it will shock everyone.

Told in flashbacks from when Anna first arrived and her time in juvie, the story seemed a bit disjointed. Anna’s memories seemed out of place, and I couldn’t figure out why she was having them. However as more was disclosed, the more her memories made sense. When all was revealed in this whodunit I was completely shocked. I definitely did NOT see that coming!

I recommend this book for ages 16 and older.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: I Killed Zoe Spanos

Author: Kit Frick

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: Mystery lovers, thrill seekers

Publication Date: June 30, 2020

Genre: YA Mystery

Recommended Age: 16+ (death, arson, drugs, drug overdose, gore)

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 384

Synopsis: When Anna Cicconi arrives to the small Hamptons village of Herron Mills for a summer nanny gig, she has high hopes for a fresh start. What she finds instead is a community on edge after the disappearance of Zoe Spanos, a local girl who has been missing since New Year's Eve. Anna bears an eerie resemblance to Zoe, and her mere presence in town stirs up still-raw feelings about the unsolved case. As Anna delves deeper into the mystery, stepping further and further into Zoe's life, she becomes increasingly convinced that she and Zoe are connected--and that she knows what happened to her.

Two months later, Zoe's body is found in a nearby lake, and Anna is charged with manslaughter. But Anna's confession is riddled with holes, and Martina Green, teen host of the Missing Zoe podcast, isn't satisfied. Did Anna really kill Zoe? And if not, can Martina's podcast uncover the truth?

Review: This book is so good! I loved the slow build up to this novel and it’s more than a whodunit novel! It has highly developed characters with amazing backstories. The plot was intriguing and kept me hooked from beginning to end and the world building was stupendous!

The only issue I had with this book is that it is a bit slow but I was just invested in the story so much I wanted to breeze through it.

Verdict: Totally worth the read!

Anna is spending the summer nannying for a family in Heron Hills. She looks a lot like a girl who disappeared a few months back and her presence in the town has a lot of people talking. The body is then discovered and Anna is charged with manslaughter. what follows is a good fast-paced YA novel full of secrets and lies.

I enjoyed this book! I loved that it was quick, fast-paced, and had an interesting plot. There were a lot of layers to this book that I quite enjoyed and wasn't expecting when I first started. I also loved the back and forth timeline that weaved events together and kept me engaged and interested throughout. I also didn't see the ending or twist coming, which is always enjoyable in a thriller. I think the author did a good job with character development and creating characters that were multi-dimensional and flawed.

Although I have seen this book marketed to be similar to Sadie, I think the only similarity was the that there was a podcast. I also wouldn't say this book is scary or very dark, especially in comparison. Although that didn't stop me from enjoying this book, I think this comparison in marketing can lead fellow readers astray.