Scenes of the Crime is a mystery centered around former college friends who get together as the anniversary approaches of the disappearance of one of the friends. The friend who was the glue for the group. 15 years prior, five friends visited a family winery on spring break. The friends all go to the same college and are roommates, it seems the one friend, Vanessa, who is the focus of the disappearance was the glue that connected them all together as their friendship was superficial at best. Vanessa disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and nobody is being clear with each other on what truly happened that night. Fast forward 15 years and the narrator, Emily is now a screenwriter. She is in a Los Angeles coffee shop, writing for a TV show that she hates and bored with her life, she sees a woman that reminds her of her lost friend and here she decides to revisit the winery with all of her former friends to finally unravel the mystery of what happened to Vanessa. It soon becomes clear however, that she not so much cares as to what really happened to Vanessa, but to be able to write the ultimate screenplay to market to Hollywood so she can get out of her hated job. As everyone agrees to get together, it is soon discovered they are all hiding secrets. I found that I did not like anyone in this story, the missing friend Vanessa, played up to the poor little rich girl scenario in college quite well, she was hated by her grandmother for being the product of an affair, and instead of making her own path, decided to live her life full of manipulation of others, including her own affair with a professor and manipulating her friends. She failed all of her classes and instead of ownership manipulated others into believing she was something special and deserved pity. The other friends were two girls who came from money, and one odd girl out who had to work to try and take care of her mother's medical bills as well as her school expenses. Emily was also the odd girl out, she seemed to be more middle class rather than upper class and she silently judged everyone in the group while lying to their faces in order to 'keep the peace'. The author, Jilly Gagnon, would go back and forth between chapters as present, past and screenplay that Emily was writing. I found this to be very distracting and the screenplay added nothing to endear me to the story. I often skipped over these parts as they ultimately did not provide any believable background to the story of Vanessa's disappearance. The story dragged on at points and by the conclusion the surprise ending fell flat for me. I was hoping that at least one of the characters would have endeared themselves to me, but I found them all to be narcissistic and flat characters. This book was not for me, but I do believe there is an audience for it. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine Books for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a great read! I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. It held my ATTENTION and kept me on my toes! A sold 4 star read!!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this one ahead of publication!

A twisty thriller involving close friends, a mysterious disappearance and multiple time lines are the core of this dark mystery.

From the publisher:
It should have been the perfect spring break: Five girlfriends. A remote winery on the Oregon coast. An infinite supply of delicious wine at their manicured fingertips. But then their center—beautiful, magnetic Vanessa Morales—vanished without a trace.

Emily Fischer was perhaps the last person to see her alive. But now, years later, Emily spots Vanessa’s doppelganger at a local café. At the end of her rope working a lucrative yet mind-numbing gig on a network sitcom, Emily is inspired to finally tell the story that’s been percolating inside her for so long: Vanessa’s story. But first, she needs to know what really happened on that fateful night. So she puts a brilliant scheme into motion.

This is a thriller that really takes you on a ride - from the lush scenery, to the frenemies that are talking their way out of any responsibility, to the cut scenes that Emily is writing - as she is using this experience to write a movie based on her true life story. It’s an interesting story for sure, although I did find myself getting a little confused to timelines and how things actually happened, since Emily’s scripts are in each chapter (a fun plot device!) I also found it a little tough to read such manipulative characters - it seems like many books I’ve read lately that involve female friendships ALWAYS have toxic traits to them, but if you are into mysteries that involve groups of female friends, this is definitely one you should pick up.

The premise of this book was interesting, done before , a missing friend, a leader a bright star, a group of toxic friends going back to honor her disappearance 15 years before. One of them is a screenwriter and wants to write a screen play to work out what happened to her. Unfortunately the scenes written that way, didn't work for the flow of the story. There was a lot of descriptions and a slower pace, all in all was hard to get invested in it. I had higher hopes for this but it didn't really work for me

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for an advance copy of this book of suspense, involving a a group of friends, with a secret and a screenplay is just dying to be written.

Writing can be a great way to try and create moments in a person's life that one has let slip away, sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for bad. Maybe a person might try journaling their thoughts, concentrate on moments that one would like to remember, a fun time, or the last time one saw a friend. Free associate where others where, what might have happened, and get it down on paper. Or one could do what the main character in the thriller Scenes of the Crime by Jilly Gagnon does a try to turn an event into a screenplay that might make a career, or get a a young writer killed.

Ten years ago five friends went on a spring break to a remote winery in Oregon, far from the maddening drunken crowds. Quiet, with a chance to relax, do some self-care, lots of wine a good time was being had by all until the unthinkable happened. Vanessa, the one the group was based around, disappeared completely. Emily a screenwriter on a popular show Emily can't stand might have been the last to see Vanessa, something that comes back to Emily when a woman who looks like Vanessa appears in a coffee shop. Emily knows she is missing something, and sees an opportunity. Find out what happened to Vanessa, and maybe make a screenplay out of it. Emily gets the gang together at the same place, and begins to notice problems, in the stories that the girls are telling. Emily slowly comes to the realization that someone knows the truth about Vanessa, and isn't looking to be a co-writer on Emily's script.

A thriller for the beach, with enough chills and thrills, and twists to make the sun have to work overtime. The story is good, the mystery works, and the plot moves well, though there is a few pacing issues in the middle, and a lot of exposition in the beginning, but that works itself out. Emily can be a little self-centered, but as a character Emily does get better, though sometimes you want to yell at Emily about missing the obvious. The idea about making a screenplay is different and I liked the idea of that quite a bit. Read this before it comes to Netflix. This would be a perfect one season miniseries.

Recommended for fans of Megan Abbot, Rachel Hawkins and Lucy Clarke. A clever story perfect for the beach.

Her best fiend disappears and her firmed tries to recreate the girls trip from which she disappeared. What could go wrong? Emily searches for the answer and sees her friends lookalike at a coffee shop. Emily searches and searches for answers. Will she find her friend Vanessa? This is pretty good but a bit slow and I found myself not really invested in the outcome.

Interesting premise and deliberate execution.

Four friends revisit the location of the death of their friends. Each, deeply mistrusting if the others. Each with her own secrets to conceal. Each with her own motivations for hiding pieces of her past and revisiting the “scene of the crime.”

The writing had glimpses of greatness but the pacing left this reader a bit underwhelmed.

t should have been the perfect spring break: Five girlfriends. A remote winery on the Oregon coast. An infinite supply of delicious wine at their manicured fingertips. But then their center—beautiful, magnetic Vanessa Morales—vanished without a trace. Emily Fischer was perhaps the last person to see her alive. But now, years later, Emily spots Vanessa’s doppelganger at a local café. At the end of her rope working a lucrative yet mind-numbing job on a network sitcom, Emily is inspired to finally tell the story that’s been percolating inside her for so long: Vanessa’s story. But first, she needs to know what really happened on that fateful night. So she puts a brilliant scheme into motion. She gets the girls together for a reunion weekend at the scene of the crime under the guise of reconnecting. There’s Brittany, Vanessa’s cousin and the inheritor of the winery; Paige, a former athlete, bullish yet easily manipulated; and Lydia, the wallflower of the group. One of them knows the truth. And how much can Emily trust anything she learns from them . . . or even her own memories of Vanessa’s last days?

I was introduced to Jilly Gagnon in All Dressed Up so when I saw she had a new book out, I requested it and thank NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request. As in the other book of hers I read, she writes and twisty, psychological novel with many surprises. Her characterizations are outstanding. I highly recommend it.

Years ago five friends went to a remote winery in Oregon. Unlimited wine should have made for a good weekend, but the most popular girl vanished without a trace.

Emily can’t let go of that night. She thinks she was the last one to see Vanessa alive but she isn’t sure. When she is sure she sees Vanessa in a coffee shop, she decides to tell the story herself. To do that she needs to go back. With all of them.

The four of them were all there but what have they been up to since? Thrown together and all of them suspects, it could be a dangerous time.

I can tell you I did not care for this one. Why? The screenplay parts were dragging the story down I thought. I just didn’t care for the way it was done. It was a good idea, but the execution fell short for me.

NetGalley/ September 5, 2023, RHPG/BALLENTINE

Emily's friend Vanessa disappeared 10 years ago and is presumed dead. Emily can't help but wonder all these years if she had a hand in her friends disappearance. Emily is a screenwriter and wants to tell Vanessa's story, but she needs to know what really happened first. She gathers the three other girls at a remote winery along the Oregon coast for another girls getaway. It turns out that one of them knew the truth all along.

The story alternates between the present and a screen-written story of the past/present in the eyes of Emily. This was a creative way to incorporate that into the storyline and I enjoyed it. For the most part all of the female friendship's were toxic which highlights some of the real issues one can encounter amongst female friends. I enjoyed this story and recommend for anyone who likes a good locked room mystery!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a heart-pounding novel that will captivate readers from start to finish. The author skillfully crafts a suspenseful narrative filled with unexpected twists and turns, ensuring an enthralling reading experience.

The story introduces readers to a diverse cast of characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. As the plot unfolds, their lives become intertwined in a high-stakes game of danger and deceit. The author expertly maintains a sense of suspense throughout the book, keeping readers guessing and eagerly turning the pages to uncover the truth.

One of the book's greatest strengths lies in its ability to create a palpable atmosphere of tension and unease. The author's vivid descriptions and attention to detail transport readers into the world of the story, making them feel as if they are right alongside the characters, experiencing the thrilling events firsthand.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Scenes of the Crime.

I've never read this author before so I was excited my request was approved. I'm always eager to read a new author, hoping I'll be surprised and/or engaged by the writing.

This was a big NO from me.

Where do I start?

1. Wholly unlikable characters. I don't mind unlikable people, but even unlikable characters have something to like/dislike about them.

Everyone had personal agendas and grudges they've been nursing for years. Seriously, they all need therapy.

2. What's with the long paragraphs? Has no one heard of paragraph breaks?

3. Those screenplay drafts were distracting to read, not to mention not accurately written as a screenplay. You don't include descriptions or emotional cues in screenplays.

4. The big reveal, all the lies at the end, were TOOO hard to suspend disbelief for. I just couldn't and wouldn't believe Lydia and Vanessa's scheme, what Vanessa has been doing all this time, and that ending. Nope, sorry.

5. Nothing unique about the premise; a friend goes missing (naturally, she was young, gorgeous, and manipulative), and fifteen years later, her frenemies have gathered together to 'remember' her at a remote location. Naturally.

6. The writing is good, but the narrative drags. There's very little to no suspense and urgency, until the end if you can believe that scene.

7. You have to plod through numerous descriptions of the winery, the landscape, the ladies drinking and drinking some more, Emily's internal monologuing about what happened in the past, what's happening now, and what should happen in her screenplay drafts.

I'm all for exposition and background but most of the descriptions took up more than half a page. See #2.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early but this wasn't for me.

In Scenes of the Crime by Jilly Gagnon, an ambitious screenwriter tries to solve her friend’s disappearance by recreating their fateful final girls’ trip in this locked-room mystery.

I thought the cover was creative, a bit creepy, and set the stage for the story. However, the story fell a bit flat for me. The story is about toxic relationships and is told partly via storytelling and screenplay format, which is an interesting way to unfold the plot. It was a bit confusing at first.

The mystery was okay and a bit predictive. The setting was nice.

This is the first book I've read by this author. It was not my favorite book I've read this year, but I would check out more by this author.

I give this a 3 out of 5 stars as the final third of the book picked up and kept me invested.

#ScenesoftheCrime #NetGalley @atrandom @jillygagnon

Unfortunately, I ended up liking this same author’s book All Dressed Up much better. I found this read to be rather underwhelming and none of the characters overall to be that engaging or likable. The story centers around a girl’s trip in the wake of the death of one of the groups’ friends and the interpersonal conflicts and tensions that ensue. Each friend plays a different role in the group, such as emotional mediator or stirrer of the pot, and each of those roles contributes to the group dynamic in different, unique ways.

Secrets reveal themselves as the plot develops and builds as all of the friends come to terms with their pasts and how those pasts affect their ultimate futures. This was definitely a slow-burn and I found that I became a little disengaged by the end, even though there were little moments worth staying for that kept me invested enough to finish. What I enjoyed was the chilling sense of atmosphere that the winery inspired, where the events of the novel took place, as well as the creative integration of the screenwriting as that was one of the main character’s professions. I found both of those aspects to be well-done when the actual characters experienced grief or the daunting undertaking of confronting their pasts or sense of selves that changed, evolved, and became heightened over time.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

I requested to read and review this book for free from Bantam an Imprint of Random House Publishing Company. This book had many twists and turns. It can be read anywhere but for a mature audience I would recommend. This book has drama and mystery. This book will leave you keep wanting to turn the page! The ending was something I didn't except. Friendship sometimes can bring out the best in us and other times not so much the best. What is true friendship? You will meet friends Emily Lydia, Brittany, Paige and Vanessa. They think they are each other friends but are they really? What is the truth? What would you do for people that you call your friends?

Thank you Random house-Ballantine for the chance to read this ARC by Jilly Gagnon!

The story was well written but the parts that were written like a script made me wonder if that was what really happened or if it was fabricated by the script writer, Emily. In the end, she wrote a script that was loosely based on the actual events of her friend’s disappearance which made me wonder about this even more.

While this was not my favorite book, I will definitely check out other books by Jilly Gagnon.

I loved the premise of this story and I enjoy and good mystery. I also enjoyed going back and forth between the script and present time. The pace of the book lost my interest in certain parts but it was overall and enjoyable read.
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

Frenemies, strong setting, sharp suspense — I loved this book. Will be featuring it on the 08 September episode of my podcast The Library of Lost Time.

*3.5 stars rounded down to 3 stars on the scale*
Centered around the effects the disappearance of a college student had on her friend group, Scenes of the Crime follows a group of friends on their return to the site of their friend's disappearance in an attempt to gain closure on what really happened.
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It was very interesting to read how the author alternated between actual events and the screenplay draft of one of the main characters. At first, this was confusing because the details in the draft did not always match the actual narration but once I realized it was intended, I could appreciate it better.
I liked how none of the friends can trust each other because it is representative of how hard it is nowadays to make deep connections, especially in college. The mystery itself was not too engaging, and the interactions between the women made it feel like a YA piece, which I feel a little on the fence about.
The book ended with a sense of unfinished business, which was really satisfying, because it leaves room for the reader's imagination.
If you're looking to try something new, add this to your TBR and check it out when it releases in September!📚🤞🏾
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Check out my review posted on May 5, 2023 on Instagram: @booksareavibe
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr3E8HfLd8a/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Scenes of the Crime by Jilly Gagnon has all the markings of a great, fun rompy little mystery- a missing friend, a reunion of old college friends, long-held grudges and tentative connections, a winery, a screen-writing narrator- it should have been a slam-dunk read for me. I really enjoyed her previous novel, All Dressed Up; so I expected this to be just as light and humourous, with just the right amount of suspense and edge. I was let down. The main character, Emily, catches a glimpse of Vanessa while sitting in her favorite coffee shop; yet, Vanessa vanished during a wild college girls‘ weekend at the winery owned by Vanessa‘s grandparents. This sighting sets in motion a return to the winery with the group in order to get closure on Vanessa’s disappearance (and assumed death). Emily contacts the original women- successful, married, ‘have-it-all’ blogger Brittany (and Vanessa’s cousin); former athlete, wine saleswoman Paige; emo wallflower Lydia; and screenwriter Emily all gather at the winery. And it is clear their friendships have not made it past the night of Vanessa’s disappearance. And each woman seems to have a reason to avoid the details of what happened that night. Slowly, the edges are peeled back and everything is not all that it first seemed to be…

The main issue I have with the story is that about halfway through it just stops making sense. There is one scene that builds tension, but the rest is filled with tepid attempts to flashback to the night of Vanessa’s disappearance. The real story of that night simply doesn’t make sense. I didn’t buy it. At all. And the resolution makes even less sense. The writing itself is fine, it’s the plot that did me in. It felt rushed and unfinished. The premise had promise, but the ultimately it just didn’t click. I struggled to finish this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the eARC. Publishing date is September 5, 2023.