This is an author my students always flock to, so they were super jealous when they realized I received an ARC. Now, I do not think I would be able to use it for curriculum, but it is a book I recommended to my students and for my library to pick up! In pure Goodman fashion, she nailed the book with the characters, suspense, and plot.

Jessica Goodman's "The Meadowbrook Murders" is a thrilling enigma that will pull you into its dark heart and keep you guessing until the very last page. This isn't just a murder mystery; it's a tangled web of secrets, friendships, and betrayals that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew. From the first chapter, a sense of foreboding settles in, a feeling that something sinister lurks beneath the surface of this seemingly idyllic town.

Goodman masterfully weaves together past and present, gradually revealing the hidden truths that connect a series of shocking events. The characters are complex and layered, each with their own motivations and secrets, making it impossible to discern who is truly innocent. The atmosphere is thick with tension, and the suspense builds with each passing page, drawing you deeper into the mystery. You'll find yourself constantly changing your theories, second-guessing your instincts, and desperately trying to piece together the puzzle before the final, devastating reveal.

"The Meadowbrook Murders" is a gripping tale of obsession, secrets, and the lengths people will go to protect their own. It's a story that will haunt you long after you've finished reading, leaving you with a lingering sense of unease and a desperate need to unravel the truth. If you're looking for a mystery that will truly captivate and enthrall you, look no further. Jessica Goodman has delivered a dark and compelling thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Check out this teaser :

Secrets don't die.

It’s the first week of senior year at Meadowbrook Academy. For Amy and her best friend Sarah, that means late-night parties at the boathouse, bike rides through their sleepy Connecticut town, and the crisp beginning of a New England fall.

Then tragedy strikes: Sarah and her boyfriend are brutally murdered in their dorm room. Now the week Amy has been dreaming about for years has turned into a nightmare, especially when all eyes turn to her as the culprit. She was Sarah’s only roommate, the only other person there when she died—or so she told the police to cover for her own boyfriend’s suspicious whereabouts. And even though they were best friends, with every passing day, Amy begins to learn that Sarah lied about a lot of things.

Liz, editor of the school newspaper and social outcast, is determined to uncover the truth about what happened on campus, in hopes her reporting will land a prestigious scholarship to college. As Liz dives deeper into her investigation, the secrets these murdered seniors never wanted out come to light. The deeper Liz digs, the messier the truth becomes – and with a killer still on campus, she can’t afford to make any mistakes.

This is my first book by author Jennifer Goodman. The book cover is not that appealing but don’t let that affect you picking up this book. I enjoyed this popcorn thriller set on a private college campus and told in a dual viewpoint. It was a bit predictable but still entertaining. Read this if you enjoy the trope of campus murder mysteries.

I am a sucker for any book that Jessica Goodman writes, because I know that my students will enjoy them. This was a campus mystery about Amy, who wakes up to find her roommate/best friend murdered alongside her boyfriend. Amy is dealing with feelings of grief and PTSD as she struggles to make sense of what happened and deal with the knowledge that there is a murderer on her campus. She gets moved to a room with Liz, who also happens to be the school newspaper editor. Liz is not a kid from the incrowd who sees the world only through the eyes of a reporter and how she can win a journalism scholarship. Liz is the original person who broke the story of the murders on campus. As the two must work together to find the killer, the reader is taken on a journey of twists and turns.

I recently had the pleasure of reading this, and I have to say, it exceeded my expectations in so many ways. From the very first page, I was hooked by the engaging style and the intriguing characters. The author does an excellent job of building a world that feels both immersive and believable, making it easy to get lost in the story. The plot was full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story would surprise me with something unexpected. I highly recommend this and all their work.

This book was fine. I don’t think in 6 months I’ll be able to tell you anything specific about it. There’s a murder, the teenage journalist wants to solve it and someone is accused and we have to figure out if they really did it or not. There you go. It’s well done, but just blends into other ya murder mysteries where I’m left wondering Where are the adults??

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

While not a bad book, I found it to be very predictable. It didn't deliver on the dark academia vibe I was looking for even though it took place in a private school. It just didn't hit the mark.

An exclusive boarding school murder is always a trope I love, and Jessica Goodman is so great at teen mysteries. In this one, Sarah and her boyfriend are brutally murdered in the dorm room Sarah shares with her best friend, Amy. Amy was there at the time, which makes her the number one suspect. Except she insists she didn’t hear a thing and woke to find them.

I loved that I had to keep changing my guesses about the murderer whenever there was a new twist. Liz, the journalist we love to hate, played a pivotal role in the story as well, and Amy didn’t know if she could trust her or not. Neither did I! Goodman's specialty is delicately misleading readers. The ending was a surprise but completely believable.

If you enjoy dark academia novels, you should check this out!

For being a young adult book, this had really good writing, and I really appreciated that. The dark academia vibes were everything and the twist and turns definitely kept me intrigued .

I’m always up for a murder mystery set in an exclusive boarding school. Always. This didn’t disappoint. Full of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, and an ending that was satisfying. I recommend for a fun, fast read.

High school senior Amy’s best friend is found murdered, alongside her best friend’s boyfriend. Liz, an ambitious student reporter, is determined to get to the bottom of what happened.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC.

The Meadowbrook Murders is a slow-burn YA mystery that reminded me of Pretty Little Liars—full of red herrings, secrets, and layered clues that keep you guessing.

The story follows Amy, a senior at a fancy New England boarding school whose best friend and her boyfriend are brutally murdered in their dorm room. Amy was the only other person in the room that night, and as the police start digging, Amy tries to cover for her own boyfriend’s sketchy whereabouts. But when her best friend’s lies start stacking up, Amy realizes she might not have known her at all.

Then we meet Liz, the school newspaper editor and social outsider, who’s determined to solve the mystery to win a big scholarship. As she uncovers more about what was really going on behind closed doors at Meadowbrook, she finds that everyone is hiding something. The deeper she digs, the more dangerous things become.

This book is a little slower at first, especially for readers used to fast-paced thrillers. But if you’re just getting into mysteries, especially as a teen or young adult, this is a great entry point. About halfway through, the plot really picks up—and I was completely hooked. I needed to know who the killer was and what was really going on. I didn’t guess the ending either, which is always a win for me.

This story made me think of This Book Kills by Ravena Guron. If you liked that one, I think you’ll enjoy this too. The Meadowbrook Murders is a classic whodunit with a dark academic twist, full of gossip, danger, and suspense.

This one was an interesting read for me, but it wasn't my favorite. I really felt like I struggled to connect with the voice and the writing, which is absolutely a me problem. I'm still very glad I had the chance to read this!

This is a fast paced murder mystery set in the world of academia and as a fan of Jessica Goodman, I was here for it! This story was very fast paced and involved a scandal at a private school. I wanted to see where the story was going and I kept turning pages to find out. I feel like many of my mystery loving kids will enjoy this book and like They'll Never Catch Us and They Wish They Were Us, I am sure this will be checked out of the library!

This was just fine. I'm a big fan of Jessica Goodman's popcorn thriller books, but I feel like this one just didn't have that addictive feel that most of her books have. Mostly I just couldn't stand reading from the perspective of Liz and the adults surrounding her. I was screaming at the book and the adults who were constantly telling her not to report on the story when that's literally what journalists do. Sometimes this book felt more like a critique on journalism than a murder mystery novel. I would have much preferred just following the Amy perspective, but I still wasn't THAT interested in her perspective either. I just feel like it was missing that "thing" that makes Jessica Goodman novels so fun to read.

I don't think I expect a whole lot from young adult thrillers anymore but I didn't enjoy this one. It felt extremely anti-climactic and honestly I was bored through a lot of it. I really disliked Liz's character with how pushy, self=righteous, and uncaring she was. The little twists thrown in and the big plot twist at the end didn't even shock me. I'm only giving it 3 stars because I did like the setting and how fast it was for me to read.

a suspenseful, twist-filled thriller set against the backdrop of a prestigious New England prep school. The premise is gripping from the start—Amy, the seemingly innocent girl whose life is turned upside down when her best friend Sarah and her boyfriend are brutally murdered. Amy is thrust into the role of prime suspect, but as she’s forced to cover for her boyfriend’s suspicious whereabouts, the layers of deception and dark secrets begin to unfold.

The story moves at a decent pace, and while the twists aren’t always entirely surprising, the book does a good job of keeping you on edge, questioning everyone’s motives. The dual perspectives of Amy and Liz work well, creating a complex narrative as both girls uncover more than they bargained for. The campus setting is effectively used to heighten the sense of isolation and danger, as the killer is still on the loose, and every character is a potential suspect.

While the book doesn’t necessarily break new ground in the mystery genre, it delivers a satisfying read with enough twists and intrigue to keep fans of YA thrillers engaged. It’s a quick, engaging story that will keep you guessing, especially as the deeper secrets start to surface and the stakes become more personal.

(3.5 rounded up to 4)

I enjoyed this book but it was a little predictable. I also wish it was a little more Dark Academic because that was what pitched to me & it was lacking in that department. I did like our main characters Amy & Liz (especially Liz) and I loved Liz’s growth by the end.

Will the killer be found?

At the Meadowbrook Boarding School, Amy is enjoying the senior week before the underclasses arrive on campus. She’s looking forward to spending time with her best friend Sarah and her boyfriend Joseph, who attends school in town. After a party the night before, Amy wakes up and knocks on Sarah’s door. When there’s no answer, Amy opens up the door to find Sarah and her boyfriend Ryan dead in a bloody bed. The school is shocked to the core and every student is terrified that they’re going to be the next victim. Amy is moved to room with Liz, the school newspaper journalist, who has high ambitions for reporting the news, on and off campus. Will the killer be found? Will the killer be stopped?

Likes/dislikes: I like how the characters each found a true friend when they didn’t expect to at all. It just shows that you never know where you’ll find a friend. Liz meets her journalistic hero and she learns quite a lot from her. Great character development.
Mature content: PG-13 for implied sex and underage drinking.
Language: R for 66 swears and 19 f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for bloody death.
Ethnicity: Jewish, Black, White are all mentioned.

I love me some dark academia; give me boarding schools & murder any day.

Overall, this was a pretty solid read. It was fast-paced and easy to keep reading, and the juxtaposition of rich prep school kids, lower-income prep school kids, and townies was interesting.

I did feel at times the dual narrations were too similar; sometimes I'd have to double check whose voice I was reading. And—this is the drawback of reading YA as a middle-aged mom—almost all of the parents were godawful!

I recieved a free advanced e-copy on NetGalley to review.

This is a boarding school murder mystery, and in my opinion a very average one. Nothing stood out to me as unique or interesting, but I wouldn’t call it bad. The pace was quite slow and the plot was predictable. The characters were fine if somewhat two-dimensional. All in, it felt very much like a mystery novel was outlined for the major requirements and the outline was executed. Yes, all the boxes were checked - but a bit lifelessly.

I do think there are better YA mysteries out there - but if you’ve already read them all this is an okay one to pick up.