This book was easy to get into and easy to read with well developed characters and plot. A couple of twists made it deliciously deceptive and thrilling. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good YA thriller!

Murder Between Friends is an excellent thriller! I guessed one twist about halfway through and thought that was it. Little did I know, I was in for a second! The characters are well developed and easy to like. They were definitely written like teens, which is not always the case. This is one I’d love to see as a movie!

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for the chance to read this book.

I liked this one, yes it was a YA simple read but it was good and kind of a fun little playing detective series type book. I enjoyed it and the friend dynamic between the 3, very realistic type of friendship. Pretty quick read

What is a little murder between friends? Do not let the title deceive you - these friends are more Sherlock Holmes than murderers. Grace and her former best friends Ally and Henry are on a mission to right some wrongs, determining who actually murdered their teacher. The twist? Henry’s brother Jake is in prison for the crime. The worst part? Grace testified she saw him, leading to his arrest. In a mystery full of suspense and multiple twists and turns, this novel kept me turning the pages up until the very end. Unlike other mysteries, this one keeps you guessing right to the very end!

As far as YA books go, this one would be ranked close to the top! The plot line for this story was well thought out and expertly executed. The triangle of sleuths created a competitive atmosphere and the dynamics of friendship amongst teenagers were a main theme throughout.

This story is perfect for anyone looking for an easy to read whodunit that can appreciate the fictional characters for what they are. There are multiple twists that keep the reader on their toes and delivers an ending wrapped up with bows. The pacing was on point and the characters were distinctly different with conflicting ideas. Overall, a successful read for YA that could also work well as a palate cleanser for adults looking to break away from the repeating tropes with similar twists of the adult reading world. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for this ARC.

It was a bit confusing jumping from different POV but the twist at the end was jaw dropping. I thought I had it figured it out and then BAM! The last few chapters pulled me in and left me super surprised.

A perfect blend of high school drama and real world, adult consequences, this strikes the perfect balance of a high stakes murder investigation while still feeling relevant and appropriate for YA readers. Plenty of red herrings and plot twists to keep us guessing until the very end, this was an excellent read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

They're all starting to blend together and basically the formula in 2025 is a teacher and drugs and students mixed together with bad choices. This one felt eerily similar to [book:Nothing More to Tell|51559209].

Either way, I know the thriller mysteries are still popular and when there's a murder to solve and someone who has been pinned for it that likely wasn't the actual culprit, it's always going to be a lot of story and (for me) a lot of suspension of disbelief that teens are more competent than investigators and police. But it works to include multiple POVs to up the ante and a timeline for each chapter.

This book was a great YA read! It was full of mystery, suspense, and many twists. Some of them I was able to predict and some of them I did not. It kept me wanting to read more; that's always a good thing! The twist at the end was chef's kiss!!

This will not be my last Liz Lawson read! :)

Overall, I rate it 4⭐⭐⭐⭐ - it is definitely safe for young teens to read. My teen daughter would love it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was fantastic! It was a super quick read and right up there with authors like Maureen Johnson, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, and Holly Jackson. I will definitely read more by this author! Great writing style and dynamic characters.

Finding a novel that feels like the classic 80s and 90s YA thrillers is absolutely a joy, and MURDER BETWEEN FRIENDS is that.

This twisty little book follows three friends, Gracy, Henry, and Ally as they are torn apart. Years later, they are thrown together again as an old crime comes back to haunt them and they realize that things may not be as they thought.

I love when kids get to be detectives, and good ones, too. Liz Lawson is able to write this kids as actual people who are smart, capable, and are solving crimes that adults don't think they could. It's always refreshing to have a YA novel in which the YA reader is respected with the subject matter.

Liz Lawson really hits what it's like to be a teenager. The characters are not perfect and experience frustrations, angst, and drama between themselves and their world. It's something that any YA reader can relate to.

✨ Arc Review ✨ Out now ✨

✨ 2 years ago a murder tore 3 best friends apart. Now the murderer is set free awaiting news on if there’s going to be a new trial or not. The ex friends are going to have to fast the past and each other.

Grace, Henry, and Ally grew up together. It wasn’t until Grace testified against Henry’s brother and her testimony got him convicted of killing their teacher that they parted ways.

2 years later…

Ally and Henry hate Grace.
Henry’s brother, Jake, is released due to a mistrial.
Grace is doubting what she actually saw.

Grace reaches out to Henry and they decide they should investigate with Ally. Jake’s reaction is to leave it alone. That’s just not an option for them though… They have to try to trust each other again and make sure the right person is the one going to jail!

✨My thoughts: I really love YA thrillers! Some might say it’s far fetched for kids to be smarter than detectives and cops but I’ve always loved it. If you enjoyed Pretty Little Liars, you’ll enjoy this. It’s fast paced and I couldn’t put it down because I needed the next piece of the puzzle. The twists were GOOD. I had it figured out and then Liz throws the fake out and I was like oh damn… then the bomb drops and I literally yelled “ I knew it!!!” 🤣
I enjoyed the characters a lot and I loved how everything weaved together nicely and it was wrapped up perfectly! It was a fun, twisty read that I definitely recommend!

Thank you @lzlwsn and @netgalley for the advanced copy!

Definitely going to check out more from Liz Lawson!!!

Thank you Penguin Random House and NetGalley for this eARC of MURDER BETWEEN FRIENDS.
The premise drew me in, as I'd never heard of the author before, and while I'm glad I picked it up I'm left feeling... meh.
Three best friends, torn apart by tragedy, are caught up in a web of lies that goes deeper than they ever expected. The various layers kept me turning the page and I didn't see the final twist coming until the last moment. Probably the most exciting part of the book of I'm being honest.
The writing had a quick pace that kept the story from dragging and Lawson did a good job making the POVs sound distinct. Ally, in particular, had a very strong voice.
However, the story wasn't without its issues for me.
The characters were... annoying. With the exception of Henry, they struck me as incredibly immature, even for their age. Half the time I felt like I was reading about 13-15 year olds. Ally, in particular, really grated on me and by the end her POV chapters were tiresome.
The social drama really did feel more like middle school. Even the "grown ups" throughout the narrative just read as incredibly immature and petty. This was exaggerated even more so in the article samples provided. Some from the HS paper, some from gossip tabloids, and some from the actual professional paper of the town. They all read like the sort of comments you'd find on Facebook. Nothing at all how one would expect a journalist to write.
Overall I was entertained, but glad to reach the final page. I would consider picking up something else from Lawson, but I'm certainly not rushing out to read through her backlist.
3/5 stars.

Where to start… I’m grateful to NetGalley for the ARC and the chance to discover a new author. That said, this book felt a bit too YA for my taste. It was packed with all the classic teenage tropes—high school drama, friend drama, jealousy over shifting friendships, and more. If you can think of a teenage dilemma, it was probably in there. The plot felt a bit far-fetched, and while the writing itself was solid, the story just didn’t hold my interest.

Murder mystery in a small town will always be one of my favorite things to read.

Liz delivers a gripping, fast-paced mystery thriller that will keep you guessing till the last page. We get a multi-pov, following a group of ex-friends playing detective to solve a murder mystery case that has sent the town in shock. It is filled with angsty teen drama, suspense, and small town politics. Captivating, suspenseful, and well executed plot twist had me at the edge of my seat. If you're a fan of A Good Girls Guide to Murder then you'll love this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for providing me and e-arc of the book. :)

Friends were torn apart by a murder in their small town, reunited with the promise of a different conclusion

Two years ago, Grace, Henry, and Ally were inseparable - until Grace's testimony helped send Henry's brother, Jake, to prison for the murder of their English teacher. Now, after a mistrial, Jake is suddenly released... and Grace is no longer so sure about what she saw that night.

With Jake's retrial looming, Grace, Henry, and Ally are pulled back into each other's lives - and into the case that tore them apart. But the closer they get to the truth, the more twisted things become... and it's clear someone doesn't want what actually happened to get out.

I really liked how this book handled the investigation - it felt believable. The characters hit roadblocks, got shut down by adults, and actually had to work for answers. The multiple POVs gave great perspective and the local news articles sprinkled throughout added an extra layer to the mystery. I did have my suspicions early on about who the real culprit was, but the author kept enough doubt and shady suspects in the mix to keep me second-guessing. Overall, this was a quick, twisty read and a solid pick for YA mystery fans. I gave it 3 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

The story was fast pace which kept my attention. A lot of twists and turns when it comes to kids trying to solve a big time murder in a small town. The characters reminded me of friends growing up in a small town of course without the murder.

Those childhood friendships that everyone should have, the good, the bad, and the murdered. Memories are a tricky thing but one would think they would remember who they saw mustering their friend. Especially when both the killer and victims are well known. But once again memories are a tricky thing and can change easily.

The concept of the story is a good and solid one. The writing style is good but could use some polishing. Overall this is going to be a good summer whether it’s by the poolside or just a good read. One star was taken off because of the polishing needed and I felt the characters could be a bit more developed.

Murder Between Friends caught my eye, because I loved The Agathas that Liz Lawson wrote with Kathleen Glasgow. So sign me up for a new thriller by this author. Liz Lawson's writing style makes it easy to fly through this book, and made it hard to put down. Add multiple POVs and I just needed to keep on reading to find out what happened.

Jake was sent to jail after being charged with the murder of one of the high school teachers in this small town. Two years later, he's set to be released and three friends start questioning what really happened the night of the murder. Henry (Jake's brother) wants his brother home and has been looked down upon since the sentencing, Grace isn't sure if she actually saw what she claimed to the police, and Ally just can't believe Jake could be capable of this.

We get all three of their POVs while they try and figure out what really happened the night their teacher was murdered, and they're also trying to find a way back to their friendship before that horrific night. While in many ways it's hard to believe a group of teenagers could do a better job than cops, there of course have been cases where they fail. Also, small town politics is a big thing in Murder Between Friends. A whole family being looked down upon because one person does something wrong goes a bit far in my mind.

The only reason this book didn't get a higher rating from me was the fact I guessed the whole twist we would get near the end of this story. I saw it pretty early on and I'm someone who prefers to be surprised by the twist. I'll definitely read more thrillers by Liz Lawson if she'll write them.

My review will also be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on May 8th.