Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the new novel by Eliza Jane Brazier - 5 stars!

The newly wealthy Parker family move from Texas to Southern California for a fresh start. Mom Heather is determined that her girls have all the advantages she didn't, including horses. They sign up at a nearby riding complex and Heather soon becomes a "barn mom." Maple, the youngest daughter, is mostly scared of horses and knows she's not as good as the other girls. Piper, the more natural on a horse, is mad at her mom for the move and wants no part of the horse scene before she leaves for college. But the whole family soon gets involved in buying a horse and being part of the riding community. But everyone is out for themselves, keeping secrets, and someone winds up dead.

Oh, what delicious fun this was! Drama between the girls, between the moms, the handsome horse trainer who all the women desire, then throw in a dead body! The reader knows from the start that the police are investigating a death, but doesn't know who died. Interview snippets are interwoven with the chapters from multiple characters POV. All of these characters are perfectly believable and relatable, even though it may be on a different wealth scale. I'm not a horse person but I raced through this book and loved it!

Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier

Published: June 6, 2023
Berkley
Pages: 413
Genre: Psychological Thriller
KKECReads Rating: 5/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Eliza Jane Brazier is an author, screenwriter, and journalist. She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she is developing If I Disappear for television.

“We’ll be there with you every step of the way.”

Heather is a newly wealthy woman, and she wants to give her daughters the best of everything. Maple wants her mom to be proud of her. Piper wants her mom to back off. Heather is struggling financially but can’t tell anyone. And she has to keep up appearances, which is getting more difficult. Who knew being horse people could be deadly?

This was like Dance Moms but on horses. The levels of toxic, petty, and backstabbing were off the charts. But the way this world was represented was fantastic.

Horses are expensive, and both sides of this coin were shown. The desire to be the best, to get the most training, and to win was so palpable you could feel it was jumping from the pages.

The characters in this novel are complicated. I liked Heather, especially as the story developed. I found Maple's storyline excellent, and I love that she grew into herself. Piper was a solid character.

The shady sides of this story were so well done! The sneakiness, the gossip, and the jealousy were intense. The way this story expanded into the chaos was delicious.

The dirt was dusty, and the tea was hot.

What an original idea! I loved being immersed in the horse world, something I know NOTHING about. I didn't feel like I was being inundated with horse facts, but I felt like there was enough to give me what I needed to be able to understand the story. The characters were very unlikable but written to be that way. I think Piper was my favorite!



I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

A fun summer read.

This is an enjoyable toe dip into the world of competitive horse jumping, and a well-paced page turner.

Good Rich People was a better story and felt more like solidly done social commentary, but this is also an interesting peek into the absurd habits of the uber wealthy.

The best part of the book is learning about the world of horse jumping and elite barns, and I wish the book had devoted more space to that than the characters feuding and maneuvering. It’s compelling and intriguing to see what will befall this group of people, but since none of them are especially likable or complex, I would have preferred the book to have included more “horse insider” content and a bit less repetitive infighting among the characters.

I also don’t understand why this was set in California. The author literally says in the book that the west coast is considered a bit of a joke in the horse world, so why not set the book on the east coast where the elite competition takes place?

It’s a fun a light read regardless, and I did learn at least a few things about show jumping.

DNF at 15%. I am here for “rich people behaving badly” stories but this one just wasn’t drawing me in. Any time I set it down, I wasn’t compelled to pick it back up. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and PRH Audio for the advance reading and listening copies.

A huge helping of drama and a sprinkle of murder, Girls and Their Horses is the Real Housewives of Rancho Santa Fe and I am here for all of it! I was entirely drawn in to the world of California’s wealthiest moms and their mean girl daughters. This book is fast-paced and full of deception, back-stabbing, and fake friendships. What adds to the drama is that although this group spends nearly every waking moment together training, only one girl can come out on top at the end of summer horse show. We are told at the beginning of the book that there is a murder but we have no idea who is dead or how they died. Sporadically dispersed throughout, there are glimpses of the police investigation which give us clues to try and answer these questions.

I finished this book in one day mostly by listening to the audio narrated by Helen Laser. This is my first time listening to Helen and she is amazing! She brought all the drama and emotions to each character which made it a truly immersive experience. I’ll definitely be looking into other works she has narrated!

Are you a horse person?
I have to be honest, I am not a horse person. I used to have to ride horses at camp and I hated it. The smell, the discomfort, the lack of control. Hard pass.

But a slow burn psychological thriller about super wealthy, nutso horse moms, yes please. Girls and Their Horses opens with a murder investigation of an unnamed woman and spends the rest of the book trying to divulge what happened. It had all the makings of a good episode of Dance Moms but instead of Abby Lee Miller, it was the verbally abusive trainer/instructor. It was new money vs. lifetime horse people. It was affairs, rocky marriages, rebellious teens and so much more. I devoured it and was so lost in this unbelievably well described and detailed horse world that I think I actually started to like horses.

This is a thriller about people obsessed with horses, and what this obsession does to them.

The Parkers are new money, and want the best of everything life has to offer, including the best horses and the best trainer. But their entry into this new world stirs up false loyalties and jealousy, and even death.

This was a really good book. The characters were fascinating, as was the world of horse riding and show jumping. The suspense was upped from the start, with knowing the police are investigating a death, but not knowing who is dead. There are a lot of twists and secrets from the past, and a sense of menace hanging over everything. I would definitely recommend this book.

Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier is an intriguing peek into the competitive world of horses & the drama, discipline & in turn, high stakes danger that comes with it in this case. There is mystery, murder, millionaires & mayhem all wrapped in one stable.

Because the reader from the beginning is aware of the mysterious tragedy that happens at the end, it establishes a foreboding tone throughout that is equivalent to the dark & tense soundtrack of horror movies. This book cleverly draws the reader into the stark competition of this world as well as the dramatic dynamics that exist within in.

I’ve always had a healthy respect and admiration for horses & their obvious beauty, but I will say I know very little about that world. This was a fascinating & dramatic entrance into the horse world.

The mystery is done in a way for which I didn’t know what was going to happen, which I always appreciate. I figured out one part earlier in the book, but the biggest thing had me guessing until it happened. I will leave this vague to leave the mystery for the reader.

For horse lovers &/or crime fans, this is an interesting mystery that has both!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the free arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

3.5 stars

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Yes! I had no idea I needed a book set in Southern California about girls in competition horse jumping and the drama that goes along with it, but I did! It was not at all what I was expecting and reminded me a bit of Big Little Lies with parts in the present with detectives, and the majority being a flashback to everything that led up to what they’re investigating. It was perfectly timed with just enough backstory on the main characters to really help me connect with them. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will definitely recommend to others!

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that there’s nothing quite like girls and their horses. Whether we grew up with them or wanted them or just spent an exceptional amount of time reading every book in the Saddle Club series multiple times, almost every woman, at some point, has gone through a horse phase. So perhaps the real surprise of author Eliza Jane Brazier’s latest novel, Girls and Their Horses, is that it hasn’t existed before now, the sort of addictive, messy, perfect-for-summer thriller that every one of those horse girls, both past and future, will immediately embrace.

Set in the high-stress world of competitive showjumping, with all its overbearing parents, toxic coaches, and mean-girl cliques, Girls and Their Horses is part murder mystery, part coming-of-age tale, and part delightful voyeuristic dive into the dark corners of a world most of us have, at one point, probably longed to see. As a result, every horse girl in your life will thrill at this biting, satirical gem, which thoroughly eviscerates both the extravagant lifestyles of the 1% and the hyperspecific weirdness of horse culture all at once.

This is such an interesting peek into the world of horses and competitions. The adults are not very likeable and the teenagers are products of what they've seen and heard. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Helen Laser and though the book has many viewpoints I was never confused about which character was speaking and I enjoyed her voice. I loved the twist in the story and despite the bad behavior I found myself caring what happened to the teens and I thought the ending was perfection.

There really are no people quite like horse people. Money is spent and time and lives are dedicated to win ribbons and trophies. There’s lots of gossip in the barn by the rich spoiled riders and the mothers are even worse as they live their lost opportunities vicariously through their daughters. Heather Parker and her family have just moved to Rancho Santa Fe from Texas hoping to start over. Extremely wealthy, she’s determined to find a new stable for her daughter, Maple, to ride at. The only problem … Maple is timid, talentless and fearful. Heather has already pushed her other daughter, Piper too hard causing her to quit, but Maple is her second chance. When she finds Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian (RSFE) just a mile from their new home, she’s willing to do almost anything, pay almost any amount to join their “club”. She doesn’t realize that she’s just become their golden goose. It’s four months until the Southern California International Horse show and Heather is determined that Maple will be a part of it. There is quite a bit of competition and things turn ugly at times, but no one was prepared for the death of one of their own. Brazier takes us on quite the merry chase as we know immediately that someone has died, but we don’t know who. With so many red herrings along the way it might not be easy to figure out just who, but the ride is totally worth it and the ending might just surprise you! Enter the elite world of show jumping, where secrets are kept at great cost and where everything isn’t always what it seems. Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Girls And Their Horses by Eliza Brazier is an excellent and galloping ride into Southern California high society where everyone is judged not by character but by their net worth.
The story focuses on a newly relocated Texas family that dearly wants to fit in with the other wealthy people in their community. How do they do that? They buy their daughter, Maple, the best and most expensive horse even though she is not a skilled rider. Drama ensues as a corpse is discovered in the stable, and gossip and innuendo follow as people fall in and out of love.
The novel is well-written, and the plot is enthralling. The pages move swiftly, and at the end, the reader will think twice about the people they befriend.

I liked the book well enough to keep reading it, but I felt like I needed more than the usual amount of suspension of disbelief to spend time in this world. Maybe it's because I know nothing about the world of horse riding and competitions, but mostly these characters felt inauthentic. Given the way the novel was set up it felt fairly inevitable who would be the person who was killed, which I prefer to be more surprising in this genre. Ultimately, I don't know what the takeaway of this book is for me which makes it hard for me to really love it.

The novel started out with some nicely paced domestic suspense. Ultimately I felt that the author overexplained the emotions and motivations of the characters rather than describing actions and letting the reader infer those emotions. Curiously enough some of the characters were not well developed especially Douglas. A disappointing read.

“Animals were like people who had never been ruined. They could love you with their whole heart. They never tricked you, or manipulated you, or hurt you with malice.”

Animals >>>>>>>people amiright?

Have you ever read a book that’s so good that you seriously contemplated calling out of work just so you can finish it? Whelp, this is that book for me. I was feeling some FEELINGS here. Anger the most, probably. The villains are so well written that I wanted to jump into the pages and go toe to toe with some of them. Oomph.

Girls And Their Horses is quite literally what this book is about. It’s new money (crazy money) coupled with old hurts, helicopter moms, devious women, even more devious men, and horses, horses, horses. I loved every word of it.

If you are looking for a can’t put it down, stay up past your bedtime book, look no further. Fabulous, man. Just fabulous.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a very well written murder mystery thriller. I found it extremely entertaining - like Desperate Horsewomen of Orange County, the reality show. This is a great thriller - I wondered if the author based this on the cheerleader mom murder case – I liken it to the obsession of the stage mom - only this depicts the obsessive horse mom. This is super as a beach read that will keep the reader in suspense. There are enough twists and turns that you won't see the reveal coming - you know it is a good mystery when you are thinking about who the victim will be and sigh in relief as your favorites survive. Brazier has the spirit of Agatha Christie in her and weaves and incredible contemporary whodunit as she utilizes multiple POVs and sucks you into the drama. I thoroughly enjoyed this - a little above average - 4.5/5 so I feel great rounding it up. I am going to have to check out her other titles.

Girls And Their Horses is all about rich people behaving badly. Horse moms are like dance moms but with even more money and live animals course.

This exchange between husband and wife sums it up perfectly. The husband, while observing training, states "It's all just very intense." To which his wife replies "Of course it is. It's girls and horses"

The book centers around Heather and her family. Recently coming into new money, Heather and her family move to California and join an elite club for horse training. Heather desperately wants her younger daughter Maple to compete, and therefore she is willing to do what it takes to get her to succeed.

In this new horse world, there are catty girls, devious moms and MURDER.

I absolutely loved this story. It's so unique, and the storytelling is great. Told in multi POV, with detective interviews thrown in, it kept my attention every minute.

Okay, I became shockingly engrossed in this and finished it super quickly. I have had only two experiences with horses-- the one time I rode one as part of Girl Scouts (my former local chapter had a lot come out in 2020 about how they treated scouts and leaders of color poorly-- big yikes!) and another in my physiology of mindfulness where I sat in a ring focusing on my breathing while a horse walked around to see the impact my physiology had on the horse lol. So... I don't really have any experience with horses and even less experience with horse people.

This was a fun look into that exclusive world--- horse showing is hella expensive! This novel filters between multiple viewpoints of women and girls in the horse world. First, there's horse mom, Heather, and her two horse girl daughters Piper and Maple who are new to the area. We start off the story with Piper being a former horse girl; she doesn't ride anymore, but that changes. We also have her younger sister, Maple trying to make her mom proud while also trying to find herself outside the shadow of her sister. Then there's another horse mom, Pamela, and her daughter, Vida.

Through the viewpoints of these five characters we not only learn about the thrill of horse shows, but the high cost of this lifestyle: physically, emotionally, and financially. In this novel you'll find horse facts, a lot of cattiness and pettiness between the characters-- they are mean girls(!), the complication of mother-daughter relationships, the complication of sister relationships, and some crimes including murder.

I don't want to give too much away, but I think many people will find this to be a unique and gripping read in a way you don't expect!