The Meadowbrook Murders was a gripping & fun YA mystery novel. It's set against the backdrop of an elite boarding school (in New England ofc) where best friends and boyfriends are all keeping secrets.... the thing is, secrets don't keep - even after you're dead.

Told with dual POV from our two main characters, we get to witness the story unfold from the perspective of the best friend (Amy) and the school newspaper editor (Liz) as they both try to uncover the truth behind the double homicide at Meadowbrook Academy.

I enjoyed this novel, and think it is a great YA book for anyone who wants to dip their toe into a lighter dark academia read. I can see this book being a gateway novel to the darker & seedier side of the quintessential school thriller / dark academia genre. The twists were good, with enough doubt sown throughout the book to make the ending feel a bit more unpredictable. And speaking of the ending, I think the author did a nice job of getting all the pieces tied up nicely. Overall this is an engaging, well-written, and twisty YA novel!

Big thanks to the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and the author, Jessica Goodman, for the eArc of The Meadowbrook Murders! 💖

Overall this was a decent read. My actual rating is 3.5. While the mystery was pretty good I struggled to connect with the characters. It just didn't grab my attention like most mysteries do.

Jessica Goodman has done it again. The Meadowbrook Murders is a tightly written, compulsively readable thriller that had me hooked from page one. As a longtime fan of her YA mysteries, I went into this one with high expectations, and it more than delivered.

The setting is pure dark academia deliciousness: Meadowbrook is the kind of elite boarding school that practically begs for secrets and scandal, and Goodman leans all the way in. The atmosphere is perfectly eerie, gothic dorms, whispered rumors, and a past that refuses to stay buried. But what really pulled me in were the two main characters: Amy, the ambitious townie who’s constantly reminded she doesn’t belong, and Liz, the golden girl hiding more than just grief. Their voices were distinct, raw, and full of layered emotion.

I loved how Goodman handled the dual POV, and it gave the mystery so much momentum, especially as the cracks began to show in both girls' carefully managed lives. The suspense was steady and gripping, and just when I thought I had it figured out, the plot twisted in a way that made me gasp out loud. (That ending!!)

Beyond the murder mystery, though, this book has a lot to say about class, privilege, power, and what people will do to protect the lives they’ve built. It’s smart, sharp, and doesn’t waste a single chapter.

If you're a fan of One of Us Is Lying, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, or Goodman's previous books like They Wish They Were Us, you’ll absolutely devour this one. It’s dark, emotionally rich, and impossible to put down. I read it in a day and immediately wished I could read it again for the first time.

I really enjoyed Jessica Goodman's previous book, The Counselors, so I was excited to pick this one up. While this one was decent, it didn't have the spark that The Counselors did.

This murder mystery is filled with teen angst. I was interested to find out what happened, but I didn't necessarily connect with the characters. I found Liz unlikable at times. The mystery was decent, but I walked away with unanswered questions. I was in and out on this one. At times I was really interested and then other times, it was a bit slow.

Overall, a decent YA mystery but not super memorable.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a double murder of two teens at a boarding school right before the school year starts. We follow the best friend and roommate of the victim as well as a student journalist who is trying to break the story.

Unfortunately, this book was not good. I found the characters and the dialogue to be so cringe and clinche. It was like every scene was trying to be a dramatic teens diary entry. It was hard for me to even care about the murders because everything else felt so fake. Both of the narrators were just annoying and not likeable at all.

This book also had nothing original about it. It felt like every other YA mystery set at a boarding school and it just had nothing interesting about it.

I'm sad this one didn't work for me but I hope it finds the people who would love this one.

It’s senior week – the week before classes begin and all of the underclassmen arrive – at prestigious New England boarding school Meadowbrook Academy. Soccer players and roommates Amy and Sarah are ready for a year of lasts before they embark on new firsts. Then the best friends get into a massive fight at a boathouse party, to which everyone present has a front row seat. When Amy wakes up the next morning ready to forgive and forget, Sarah doesn’t respond to her texts. Then Amy notices something is off. When she enters Sarah’s bedroom, she finds Sarah and her boyfriend brutally murdered. Sarah and Ryan were perfect in every way, so who would want them dead? Meadowbrooke Gazette (school newspaper) editor Liz is determined to write a career defining article and earn a highly sought after college scholarship. Campus is in somewhat of a lockdown until a suspect can be apprehended, and everyone is paranoid. When the administration prevents Liz from writing about the case, she has to find a new angle; that’s when Amy is moved into Liz’s suite – the only other available senior room on campus. With limited access to their dorm suite on the night of the murders, suspicious glances – especially from her soccer teammates – turn towards Amy. Is the campus really safe once a suspect is taken into custody? Liz knows the whole truth isn’t being told, and she’s intent on uncovering what happened, no matter the consequences. Alternating between chapters between Amy and Liz, readers will race to discover who killed Sarah and Ryan and what secrets they may have been hiding.

THOUGHTS: Full of secret underground passages, mysteries, and lies, Goodman’s newest title will find readers among fans of mysteries or boarding school books.

Actually 3.5⭐️

I read this to see if it was an appropriate read for my pre-teen niece and it wasn't bad.

I'm not sure if she would enjoy the premise, but I will keep it in mind as her reading interests diversify.

While I did not love this I still liked it. 3 stars is a great rating because it’s right in the middle. I don’t read many mysteries because they tend to be slower reads. I did enjoy the ending and it was a nice change of my normal genre.

I was hoping for a quick paced, fun mystery and this one delivered! There's something about summer that makes me crave a mystery. I enjoyed that the characters really got to shine in this novel and that it all took place at a boarding school. Thanks so much to PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

A dual point-of-view, young adult murder mystery that sheds light on the dark side of privilege and power and showcases the strength of friendship. Amy is a suspect of the deaths of her boarding school roommate, Sarah, and Sarah’s boyfriend. Looking for her moment to shine, Liz, a journalist and student at the school, decides to investigate herself. Secrets unfold and messy truths unravel about that night. Amy’s seesaws between being painted in a bad light and also hopes for redemption. This story kept my interest despite being pretty predictable. 3.75

I like a good book that keeps you engaged but at the same time is unpredictable. The character development is amazing. Definitely a good read.

This was such a fun and fast paced mystery. The chapters were short which was perfect. It grabbed my attention and I devoured this book in one sitting.

3.5

I am hit or miss with dark academia thrillers because they usually follow the same premise and twists. With that in mind I need a wild ride to have me completely sold on the book.

The book had short chapters that kept me flipping pages quickly. Although a bit predictable I did start figuring out the ending a little early - but I enjoyed the wild ride! I enjoyed the POV for our main girls - especially since one was in the circle and one wasn't. As the reader you really saw the murders with two different lenses. I did enjoy the small character growth for both our main girls too. They were like water and oil at first but I loved watching them grow individually and together.

Definitely a binge worthy YA thriller for fans who loves a good boarding school mystery.

This story ticks many of the boxes that I have for an enjoyable dark academia story: secrets, murder, mystery, prestigious prep school, fast-paced, and interesting characters. The dual point of view tugs the reader back and forth between Amy, best friend of the deceased, and Liz, aspiring reporter. Amy is pulled in several directions, loyalty to the best friend that has been murdered and the secrets that she left behind, the friends from high society who seem to be turning against her. Can she trust her boyfriend? Her friends? Her new roommate? Liz ends up with Amy as her roommate after the murder and she struggles to balance seeing Amy as a real person or her big break.
The plot is interesting enough to keep the reader engaged. Although a little predictable, I did find myself wondering if my predictions would turn out to be correct. The chapters are short and go back and forth between Amy and Liz and this does a good job of keeping the reader engaged.
I’d recommend this to anyone the enjoys a dark academia mystery and is looking for a quick, compelling read.
Many thanks to Penguin Young Readers Group (via Penguin Teen Canada) and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book. The opinions expressed are given freely and are honestly and my own.

The Meadowbrook Murders shines as a character-centric thriller. Its evocative writing and pervasive sense of unease linger long after the final page. Ideal for readers who appreciate atmospheric mysteries and nuanced emotional arcs rather than non-stop action. Even with a few minor pacing notes, the tension and eventual payoff are well worth sticking through

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Jessica Goodman returns with The Meadowbrook Murders, a dark academia thriller that blends the social tension of Gossip Girl with the investigative grit of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Set in the cloistered world of Meadowbrook Academy—a prestigious New England boarding school for the elite—this novel is a sharp, suspenseful exploration of secrets, ambition, and the cost of truth.

It’s the first week of senior year, and Amy Alterman is ready for the perfect start: parties at the boathouse, crisp autumn bike rides, and college applications with her best friend Sarah. But when Sarah and her boyfriend Ryan are found murdered in their dorm room, Amy’s dream week becomes a waking nightmare. As the only other person in the room that night, Amy becomes the prime suspect—especially after lying to the police to protect her own boyfriend.

Enter Liz Charles, the school newspaper editor and social outsider, who sees the tragedy as her ticket to a journalism scholarship. But as Liz digs deeper, she uncovers a web of lies, privilege, and manipulation that threatens to consume them both.

Told through the alternating perspectives of Amy and Liz, the novel offers a compelling contrast: one girl desperate to hide the truth, the other obsessed with uncovering it. Their uneasy alliance adds tension and texture, especially as their motives begin to blur.

Goodman doesn’t just use the boarding school setting for aesthetic—it’s a crucible of class tension, social hierarchy, and institutional silence. Meadowbrook is a place where appearances are everything, and truth is currency. The atmosphere is claustrophobic, the stakes high, and the privilege palpable.

While the murder mystery is central, Goodman never lets it overshadow the emotional arcs. Amy’s guilt, Liz’s ambition, and the slow unraveling of Sarah’s secrets are just as gripping as the whodunit. The final reveal is satisfying, if not entirely shocking—but it’s the emotional fallout that lingers.

- Power & Privilege: The novel interrogates how wealth and legacy protect some and endanger others. Meadowbrook’s elite students are shielded by silence, while outsiders like Liz must fight to be heard.

- Truth vs. Loyalty: Amy’s internal conflict—protecting her boyfriend vs. telling the truth—mirrors the broader question: What do we owe to the dead? And what do we owe to ourselves?

- Ambition & Identity: Liz’s drive to succeed is both admirable and dangerous. Goodman explores how ambition can isolate, especially when it’s fueled by trauma and exclusion.

- Some secondary characters (like the school administrators and Sarah’s parents) feel underdeveloped, serving more as plot devices than fully realized figures.

- The pacing dips slightly in the middle, though the final act delivers a satisfying crescendo.

The Meadowbrook Murders is a smart, emotionally resonant thriller that balances suspense with social commentary. Goodman continues to carve out her niche in YA mystery with a voice that’s both incisive and empathetic. This isn’t just a story about murder—it’s about the stories we tell to survive, and the truths we bury to protect the ones we love.

3.5 stars for me. When the narrator finds her best friend and best friends boy friend deceased in their shared dorm after a night of drinking the mystery begins. I suspected the villain from the start but I did enjoy the suspense of it. A fun YA read full of suspicion and intrigue.

Suspenseful and chilling - The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman unravels a tense, gripping small-town mystery. Goodman’s vivid prose and layered characters keep you guessing until the very end.

Jessica Goodman is so underrated in my opinion. This book is about two very different girls, Amy and Liz, who are brought together by the murder of a couple at their elite boarding school. Although I enjoyed Liz's perspective a little more, Amy's perspective added so much drama and backstory as far as the mystery into Sarah's death went. I did grow to like Amy more as the story went on and I'm glad that Goodman wrote this using the dual perspective. I thought that for a YA novel, this was fun for adults too if you keep an open mind and for younger readers, I think it gives good insight for anyone considering editing or reporting.

This was a fun, twisty boarding school murder mystery. I guessed who the killer was pretty early on, but there were enough red herrings to make me wonder if I was wrong. I actually liked the dual narrative in this one and found both leads likable, even if their actions often made me cringe. It was a fun, fast-paced read overall, especially if you don't overthink things.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.