Dig two graves is a truly twisted tale. Full of unexpected plots and will keep you guessing until the very end. If you enjoy books about lies, betrayal and murder, then this is the story for you.
Do you ever really know someone? Neve finds out in this fast paced and deceitful story. Here is the summary of the story:
Seventeen-year-old Neve Lanier has a passion for black-and-white film noir and dresses like a character from the 1940s and 50s. Which has made it hard for her to make friends at her high school in a snobby San Diego, California, suburb. When Yasmin Attar transfers in and also has a hard time fitting in, they become best friends. But Yasmin has her eyes set on becoming part of the popular crowd. Something she achieves by betraying Neve and making her even more of an outcast. Neve's parents think attending a Girls Leadership and Mentorship camp is just the thing to build up her confidence before her senior year. At GLAM, Neve is surprised and grateful when she's befriended by the blond and beautiful Diane Russell. Despite being warned by her roommate, Inara Escobar, that Diane is "trouble" and shouldn't be trusted, Neve's desire to have a new best friend (who she also has a crush on) means she ignores the warning. After Diane shares that she's been sexually assaulted by her stepbrother, Javier, Neve tells Diane about Yasmin's betrayal. What if, suggests Diane, I kill Yasmin and you kill Javier? Playing along, Neve agrees, thinking Diane can't be serious. But when Neve returns to school in the Fall, she learns Yasmin has been murdered. Not only is Neve a suspect, Diane is trying to blackmail her into killing Javier.

After listening to Gretchen McNeil speak on a panel at the Vegas Book Fest I was determined to read some of her work. That being said, I was absolutely delighted to find I had one of her books downloaded on my Kindle.

Dig Two Graves is about Neve, a high school student who has become ostracized at school thanks to her former best friend. The summer before her senior year Neve is forced to attend GLAM camp, a three-week all-girls camp and Neve is not excited. But while she is there she makes a friend, Diane, and confesses to her that she wishes her ex-best friend was dead. Diane jokes that she will kill Yasmine, is Neve kills Diane's stepbrother. Or at least Never thinks Diane is joking until she returns to school that Fall and finds out that Yasmine has been murdered. And of course Neve is the prime suspect.

Even though I had a pretty good idea of where this was going to end up, I really enjoyed the ride. This was a fun, smart YA mystery that will hopefully get some classic noir movies some new fans. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Ms. McNeil.

Gretchen is well-known for her banter within stories and this one is no exception. She's also great about writing characters people might call unlikeable (my favs, personally). The twist definitely got me! This one has all of the makings for a Netflix movie.

Neve Lanier is a noir-film fanatic and outcast at her school. After her best friend betrays her, Neve attends a girls only empowerment camp for the summer. She meets Diane, who quickly becomes a close friend. The girls jokingly promise to murder someone for each other at the end of camp. Later on, Diane keeps her word and forces Neve to complete her end of the bargain.

I found the first third of this book pretty boring. I understand the point was to introduce the characters and the plot, but it just seemed to take too long. Once the summer camp was over, the plot sped up and it was a fun and engaging reading. There were a lot of twists and turns along the way. I liked the incorporation of Strangers on a Train and other film-noir references.

Unfortunately, this is one that I could just not seem to get into. I DNF this novel but encouraged everyone to read it as my opinions are just my own and many people have loved this book.

I will always be here for a new Gretchen book.

I liked Neve. She's struggling with high school and the betrayal of her former BFF and I liked that we started with her feeling vulnerable and searching for something. There are a lot of characters here, but Neve is firmly the star.

Plot wise, it was good. There's a lot of banter, some great movie references, oh, and that pesky murder thing. Only Gretchen can put all of that together and make it work. I did enjoy the few twists and while I wanted just a bit more from the epilogue, I'm probably just being greedy.

Overall, it was a fun and quick read and I can't wait to see what's next.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest, personal review. I was initially intrigued by the premise of this book but unfortunately it did not meet the expectations of the story I was looking forward to. Neve is betrayed by her best friend and when she heads off to an empowerment camp, she gets embroiled in even more drama when she meets Diane. The story seems to be inspired by Two Strangers on a Train but it just doesn't capture the reader the same way. The protagonist was too hard to relate to or empathize with but maybe another reader will enjoy this story more than I did.

An awesome update of Hitchcock's classic film, Strangers on a Train! The twists and turns in this murder mystery keep the reader hurtling along with Neve, the main character. This book was deliciously devious, and I can't wait to recommend it for the students in my library!

Definitely a very different kind of ya mystery/suspense than I have read. I was definitely engaged in the plot the whole time even if some of the details weren't lining up perfectly for me. The characters were a bit rough at times, and maybe not as fleshed out as they could have been. The interesting plot and premise were great though, and the ending was a shock for sure! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Dig Two Graves, the latest young adult novel from author Gretchen McNeil, leaves much to be desired despite its references to topics of interest and importance.

Film noir-meets-teen thriller was, in this case, cheesy overkill. I loved the concept, but the execution was poor. Important topics – like mental health, the LGBTQ+ community and sexual assault – were addressed superficially, almost carelessly, and often felt forced. McNeil has written good books but unfortunately this is not one of them.

The first half of Dig Two Graves is an excessively lengthy account of GLAM, a teen summer camp. Readers learn that protagonist Neve was betrayed and bullied at school by her ex-best friend and GLAM camp is supposed to provide a fresh start, or at least some time away from the drama, as well as an opportunity to make life-long friendships. The drama continues at camp and is every bit as cringeworthy as the backstory that led Neve there. Neither the story nor the writing improves throughout the book.

Neve is not a likable protagonist. She has a distasteful attitude from start to finish and treats other people poorly. She makes insulting and sexist remarks and yet the reader is expected to empathize or otherwise relate to the cliché that Neve is just “different”, not a typical girl-next-door, and dealing with family baggage. The fact that Neve is bisexual does not acquit her from treating women, in particular, harshly. Neve’s sexuality is also not conveyed as being an important part of her personality, opinions, and life – it mostly feels like a gimmick to have her attracted to Diane and Javier. McNeil ultimately leans on queer tropes for an unsatisfying plot twist.

Neve’s father battles serious mental health issues and Neve is mad at him for it (no other sentiment is really entertained insofar as this father-daughter relationship goes) for the entire story. Not to mention that folks are getting murdered, but Neve is getting lost in the popular guy’s dreamy hazel eyes, while dad has been arrested for murder. The story and characters are consistently cheesy and careless.

Film noir is largely a treasure of the 1950s… where it should have stayed as far as this book is concerned. While fusing the classic genre with a present-day teen thriller did pique my curiosity, Neve’s noir interest added nothing meaningful to the story. Her express quotes and attempts at making dark film parallels to her current circumstances were neither endearing nor necessary, and the copy-paste moments were not clever. Overall, the references read like a dry monologue and felt shoehorned in a way that did not add intrigue, depth, or value.

Unfortunately Dig Two Graves entirely missed the mark for me.

I did not expect to sit down and consume this entire book in one sitting. I definitely completed this entire book in one sitting.

Neve has had a really difficult last few months. Her best friend,Yasmin, turned out to care more about her social status than about Neve. Neve really only had Yasmin, and once Yasmin spreads rumors about Neve in order to get the attention of a boy, Neve really feels all alone.

Neve does have one potential opportunity to make some friends before the start of her senior year--a special two-week camp where girls get to know one another and make friendships that last a lifetime. And though Neve is skeptical, she makes friends with Diane, a beautiful and passionate girl who appears to be misunderstood by everyone. Diana and Neve share some traumatic experiences, and when Neve jokingly makes a promise, turns out Diana isn't joking. And when Yasmin turns up dead, Neve's the prime suspect, but there is much more to this case than what meets the eye.

I really enjoyed this twisty-turny novel. The second half of the book definitely had some Pretty Little Liars vibes, and the mystery and final twist had me reeling. Such a fun book, and I definitely know I have teens that will love it.

Recommended for ages 14+.

All I’m going to say is, be careful who you choose to be friends with. One day it may come back to bite you.

This was such a fantastic read! I've read books like this before with a strangers on a train plot line, but I was excited to see how it would play out with these characters, since I trust Gretchen McNeil to tell a good story. And she did!

The beginning really had my blood boiling right away. Yasmin was not a good friend, and then when we flash forward to summer, and knowing that something went wrong, as it was revealed, that just poor friend behavior. Especially for the reasons that she did it. She didn't deserve to die, but her actions were awful!

This thriller, with the blackmail of having to kill Javier, it was pretty intense. And with her complicated family life, with her dad, and the issues with Yasmine-and now the lingering threat, well, Neve has a lot of pressure put on her! I felt so badly!

I loved all the twists and turns! I didn't know what was going to happen next, and boy, did it go in directions that I wasn't expecting! That final twist, and how she figured it out, was genius, and I loved watching it play out!

This was a really great mystery, and I can't wait to read more by Gretchen McNeil!

I have to say I completed this book in two reading sessions. I was invested in the story. Even though I knew what was going to happen I had to finish the story. I have loved all of the Gretchen McNeil books I have read and every one of them has hooked me. The writing is so engaging and easy to follow it sucks you right into the book. As I said yes, the story line was predictable but it doesn't take anything away from how good it is.
Neve is the outcast of her high school. Her mom and grandma wants her to go GLAM camp and boost her confidence. There she meets Diana. That is where her life goes from bad to worse.

Dig Two Graves is an outstanding YA thriller retelling of Agatha Christie's Strangers on a Train. When seventeen year old Neve is betrayed by her best friend Yasmin, she heads to camp and befriends Diane. The two complain about their lives- Neve complains about Yasmin and Diane complains about her predatory stepbrother Javier. The two agree to murder the other's problem, but Neve was just kidding and didn't take the conversation seriously only for Yasmin to turn up dead and Diane to come collecting. She blackmails Neve into getting the job done, but when Neve meets Javier, she falls for him. Was Yasmin even Diane's first victim? This is a story filled to the brim with twists, secrets, and lies. If you enjoyed McNeil's Ten, Dig Two Graves is another twist on a classic Agatha Christie novel. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy YA thrillers. This is an excellent one to check out!

I don’t think this book was for me. I’ve never been a big mystery and crime fan but the synopsis of this intrigued me enough to want to read this. Unfortunately, I just didn’t like this as much as I thought I would. However, if you like mystery and crime books, or if you’re a fan of Karen M. McManus or April Henry, I think this book is for you.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Dig Two Graves reads like a modern version of Strangers on a Train with female leads. Neve is betrayed by her best friend and is forced by her family to attend a girl empowerment camp, where she meets Diane. Diane starts off as a plucky, upbeat, innocent girl but she is not what she seems to be. Diane ropes Neve into a dangerous deal, not knowing where the stakes will lead.

I'm so sorry to write this. Normally I love Gretchen McNeil. It was a BATTLE to make it through this book. I would have not finished it if I didn't have to write a review for it. If you like it, that's awesome! I'm glad someone does. It was not for me at all. The story was predictable. The characters fell flat and seemed one dimensional to me. I just couldn't buy in. I wish I could have!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.*

This book gets off to a slow start but it pays off in the end. The young adult thriller is loosely based on the movie (and book) Strangers on a Train.
Neve becomes a social outcast at her school after her best friend sets her up. Her parents send her to GLAM camp hoping she will get a fresh start and make new friends. Well, she does but it doesn’t turn out the way her parents hoped. There are a lot of twists and turns in this one - most I figured out, but a couple surprised me. I like the way Neve struggles with her sexuality and her attraction to both boys and girls. It seems real and relatable. I didn’t love Neve’s attraction to a guy she has been told is a sexual predator, but then again, teens don’t always make the best choices. McNeil is a great author and I can see teens loving this one. A good choice for high school libraries.

I am a huge fan of Gretchen McNeil. I feel like she is an often overlooked or not as well-known author as she should be because all of her books have blown me away! (I feel like I say that every time I read her books, so sorry if I'm repeating that too much.) So I was really excited for this next one from her, and I was not let down at all! There were twists and turns all the way through, leaving me wondering exactly who we could trust and who was in on it, and who might actually be help for Neve.

While Neve likened the “deal” with Diane to the movie Strangers on a Train, in my head, from growing up in the 80s, I likened it to the movie, Throw Momma From the Train, which I’m sure also came from that movie. While this wasn’t humorous like the movie I was thinking of it had the same basic idea. But being a YA book, this was laced with all the different things teens deal with, bullying, wanting to be popular, but also wanting to be your own person.

It had great representation of a teen questioning her own sexuality and attraction to boys or girls. And maybe discovering it could be both that she was attracted to. The final reveal was really good, had like I mentioned a twist or two I didn’t expect. In fact this story also reminded me a bit of some of the twists in the movie Scream, with her dad getting blamed or set up to take the fall.

Another good read from McNeil that I will be sharing with my high school students.