The Debutantes is a super fun YA thriller! If you love Holly Jackson & other YA thriller authors you’d love this! The plot had me engaged from the first few pages and the vibes felt like Pretty Little Liars — perfect for autumn.

The New Orleans setting is so intriguing and the debutante culture is described so well (it’s not as crazy in TN but it felt pretty accurate). Thrillers in the south just hit different.

The ending was a tiny bit predictable for me, yet I thought it was well done and there were a lot of twists & turns that kept me excited to read more. The characters weren’t super unique, but I still super invested in the story.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the advanced copy!

While I found the premise for this book interesting (normally I love YA thrillers and NOLA is such a cool location) I found the characters were all a bit too similar for me to stay engaged

I enjoyed this book! I have never read anything by this author before but definitely glad I took the 2 days to read this. This book brings you into plenty of scandals and underground secrets of new Orleans. Sometimes I'm able to guess the twists and ending but this one took me by surprise. Definitely recommend!

Thank you netgalley for the chance to review! This was a stellar read! This kept me intrigued throughout the entire read!

This was a reliable thriller novel but nothing crazy! I do love a secret society and the nuances of being "old money". This was intriguing to see the inner workings of some of these old society "clubs".

Set in New Orleans in the world of tradition and secrets, it’s up to a group of debutantes to investigate one of their own going missing in this addictive YA mystery/thriller!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved how the city of New Orleans was like its own character with how the weather, architecture, and history was mixed into the plot. It gave me Holly Jackson and Pretty Little Liars vibes with a group of badass girls exposing secrets in a closed off world of rich tradition and ancient ideas.

Highly recommend for lovers of YA mysteries and thrillers!

Told in three voices, and set in modern day New Orleans during Mardi Gras, Worley sets out to keep us readers on our toes with her plot twists and turns in this murder mystery. The story begins with the crowning of the newest debutante–a teen from old New Orleans money and high up in society. The twist here is that last season’s queen died, but was she murdered or did she truly overdose as the police records state? When this season’s newly crowned queen goes missing, three unlikely friends start sleuthing, and what they find opens up more and more issues. Highly recommended for anyone who likes teen mysteries and settings in New Orleans.

This was such a fun read, I could not put it down! Reminded me of something I would see in a high school (minus all the murder and mystery of course) of a group of friends not trusting each other. It was a fun change of pace from the normal books that I read. I am a big fan of reading a book from multiple perspectives so it was nice to read from Lilly, April, Piper and Vivian's perspective. "The Debutantes" is a spellbinding blend of romance and suspense, perfect for fans of historical fiction seeking a glimpse into the hidden lives of the elite.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I really wanted to like this. It gave pretty little liars vibes there for a minute, and I LOVE pretty little liars, which makes it even more of a bummer that I didn't enjoy this. It had the making of a great YA book. A complicated group of friends, murder, mystery, a little bit of romance, parental drama, but I just wasn't satisfied with the way everything was ultimately written. The story ended up being really predictable, and the last quarter felt really rushed to me. I don't think the book needed to be any longer necessarily but I think the first bit could've been condensed more to allow for a more drug out ending. I didn't hate it, it was an easy read and a nice break from some heavier stuff I've been reading lately. I just wish it gave a bit more.

Great read that is a combination of Jessica Goodman and Karen McManus. Apart from the beginning. That starts abruptly without me caring for the characters, I quickly became hooked.
Full review on the podcast this Saturday.

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the
E-ARC! Very enjoyable thriller. Really enjoyed the plot twists too. Definitely recommend.

The Debutantes was an exciting and riveting YA thriller - pulling back the curtain on the angelic and glittering world of debutant balls and exposing secret misogynistic organizations pulling the strings in the systems of power in New Orleans. There no shortage of drama in this novel - both in the high society circles and also the sometimes petty high school friendships/relationships. There were plenty of twists and turns - some were definitely not what I was expecting. Told through multiple perspectives - it took me a little bit to get a handle on each of the characters - but then I literally couldn't stop reading. Definitely recommend - it was a fun and fast-paced read. This was a great contemporary YA thriller - would love to read another young adult thriller from this author. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

Welcome to the glittering, sequin-studded, and slightly murderous world of New Orleans debutantes—a taut YA thriller that’s equal parts juicy scandal and dark mystery, perfect for anyone who likes their drama with a side of masked intrigue.

The story kicks off with Lily LeBlanc, the reigning queen, summoning her court: her best friend Vivian, her boyfriend's sister Piper, and her old frenemy April. The trio is thrust into a tangled web of secrets and danger when Lily vanishes, and the mysterious Jester starts unveiling truths that the elite would rather keep hidden. The setting is lush, the stakes are high, and the suspense is palpable.

The book’s strengths lie in its ability to build tension and create an atmosphere dripping with Southern Gothic charm. The twists and turns will keep you guessing, and the ultimate reveal is satisfying, if not a bit predictable for seasoned thriller fans.

Now, for the not-so-glamorous bits. Keeping track of the characters felt like a Mardi Gras parade—colorful but chaotic. With multiple POVs and a host of side characters, it was sometimes hard to remember who was scheming against whom. And while the trio of Vivian, Piper, and April each bring something unique to the table, their voices occasionally blur together in the whirlwind of plot twists and masked ball drama.

This book is a whirlwind tour through the glittering, treacherous world of New Orleans' elite, perfect for those who love their thrillers with a side of Mardi Gras mystique. This book promises a tantalizing mix of high society drama and dark secrets, and for the most part, it delivers. With its premise of debutantes, dead queens, and a mysterious Jester throwing the biggest party of the year into chaos, it's hard not to get sucked in.

Okay this was actually a really intriguing read! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was definitely curious at the idea of a murder mystery set in the world of Mardi Gras.

The different view points took me a little bit to get used to, but once I did; it was pretty fascinating to read! This was pretty fast paced and quite a who dun it. I definitely didn’t guess the bad guess right away which is always a good sign!! Overall, this was a quick and easy read that I’d definitely recommend!

Lots of trigger warnings in this one. No likeable characters, maybe the dead girl. Very disturbing subject matter, more so since it happens a lot. I dud enjoy the writing style and will read more by the author. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins' Press for the opportunity to read The Debutantes. Its Mardi Gras season and the balls have begun for the Les Masques Ball. This season starts under the shadow of the former queen dying the previous year. The queen this year is Lilly LeBlanc and the season starts with a bang as someone tries to sabotage the night that she and the maids are presented. Lilly goes missing after the ball. Vivian her best friend, Piper her boyfriends sister and April who is the quiet one start searching for answers and trying to find Lilly. The three girls all attend the famous Beaumont School but are from friends. The girls go on a adventure that tells a very different side of the famous elite that are part of the Krewes during Mardi Gras. If anyone has ever lived in or loved New Orleans this a fun trip down memory lane of the city and the Mardi Gras season.

This was not the debutante ball that anyone planned or wanted. Last year's queen, Margot, was found dead of an apparent overdose the day after last year's ball. This year, during what was supposed to be the crowning moment for this year's queen, Lily, someone threw red paint (meant to mimic blood) on her white dress while a projector showed images of Margot. Then Lily disappeared. But before she disappeared, she sent e-mails to three of the "maids" telling them to meet her at a specific location the next day. The three girls -- Vivian, Piper, and April -- are surprised to see each other. Lily and Vivian are best friends, but Lily does not really hang out with Piper, and April certainly does not fit in with Lily's crowd. However, with Lily missing and the authorities not showing any concern, it will be up to these three girls (and some friends) to unravel the mystery. In so doing, their own secrets will be exposed but so will much more deadly secrets that rich and powerful families have worked hard to keep hidden.

The story has plenty of surprises and suspense. Families protect their own, and it is no different here, with parents making deals and crossing lines to protect their children and vice versa. However, there is only so much that money and power can "fix", especially when people are pushed to the point where they believe they have nothing to lose.

Wow! Was this fantastic!!! A "sit down and don't get up until you have turned the last page" type of book. Anyone who loves contemporary YA thrillers with bite will LOVE this! I can hardly sing its praises enough. This was by first book by Olivia Worley but it certainly won't be my last. Highly recommended and if I could, I would give it 10 stars!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for my arc!


This was an interesting read. I went in expecting just a typical YA thriller but this ended up being so much more. Felt very much like Pretty Little Liars mixed with Gossip Girl in New Orleans. highly reccomend.

This was a wild ride 🎢

A death that doesn’t add up ➡️ a missing Queen 👸🏼 ➡️ a cult… I mean “Gentleman’s” club?!

🚨 Monsters are closer than you think 🚨

This was Pretty Little Liars in New Orleans and I’m not complaining! At first the different point of views had me questioning how they were all connected but it didn’t take long to get sucked into the story.

It was fast paced 💨
It was exciting 💥
It was mysterious 🫣

If you liked… Pretty Little Liars (who is it?!), Gossip girl (oh the drama!), and the Originals (really based on setting. There’s no 🧛🏻‍♂️ or 🐺)

Put this on your list!