3.75 stars rounded to 4, because the characters stayed with me, and I felt I knew them! The author did an excellent job with characterization.

I felt I needed more though about Ally and her motivation for trying to save Jake for two years, when everyone else gave up on him. That bugged me.

I’m happy to say I figured it out!! 😄 Overall, I enjoyed the read and finished it as quickly as possible!

Thank you, NetGalley, Liz Lawson, and Delacorte Press for the eARC.

I am so indifferent about this book. Did I like it? Yes. Were there slow parts? Yes. Was the ending fairly predictable? Yes. Did it keep me interested? Yes.
So, say all that to say…give a try yourself because I don’t know what to think about this one 🤣

YA novels are normally not my thing, but I enjoyed this one. It was written in a voice that was more adult and I enjoyed the story and the characters.

It took me a while to get into but man it was worth the wait. The story is perfect for YA Mystery fans. Think One of Us is Lying but better!

This was a fun YA thriller! It was full of twists and turns that kept me on my toes throughout the read. Thank you to Netgalley for this e-arc.

I loved this mystery! An easy recommendation for teens or adults who like an evenly paced plot with well-developed teen characters and some nice big red herrings and reveals. The last quarter was especially riveting and the twists so exciting. I also enjoyed the absence of swearing which is another plus for clean reads fans.

Thanks to netgalley, the publisher & author for the ARC. The twists and turns had me guessing multiple times! I would have never guessed who done it! So glad I got approved for it & I cannot wait to buy my daughter a copy. She is a huge fan of Kathleen Glasgow (who is a coauthor for many books w/ Liz Lawson, and also last name of a teacher) I loved the descriptive scenery & absolutely everything & cannot wait to read More by this author!

📖 Title: Murder Between Friends-standalone

✍🏾 Author: Liz Lawson-new to me author

📅Publication date: 4/22/25 | Read 4/21/25

📃 Format: eBook 384 pgs.

Genre:
*YA-high school
*Mystery/Thriller

Tropes:
*friendship
*amateur sleuths
*family drama
*small town gossip
*journalism

👆🏾POV: Multiple

⚠️TW: murder, corruption, cheating-not h/H, bullying/harassment, small town, drug-dealing

🌎 Setting: Brawner, VA 10/2025

Summary: Two years after the murder of their English teacher, three BFFs Ally, Henry, and Grace fell out and now they must work together to solve this crime the right way.


👩🏾 Heroine: Ally Copeland-missing her deceased father

👩🏾Heroine: Grace Topham-witnessed the perpetrator and put them prison

👨🏾 Hero: Henry Hanson-his brother Jake has been in jail for the crime for 13 months

🎭 Other Characters:

*Miriam Applebaum-teacher who was murdered
* Jacob "Jake" Hanson-Henry's brother
*Lara Topham-Grace's sister
*Evan Miller-Lara's fiancé
*Mrs. Flowers-Miriam's sister

🤔 My Thoughts: I was entertained from start to finish. There were many twists and turns in this murder conspiracy that everyone held back secrets. These kids were resourceful and brave against the powerful and unethical.

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 1/5 🌶️kissing only

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's| Delacorte Press, and Liz Lawson for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

dnf at 37%

no rating 😜

14+

content to the 37% mark

romance: 3/10 (mentions of past relationships, mentions of hooking up, mentions of kissing)

cursing: 4/10 (shit, bitch, damn, hell, f-ck a few times. it’s pretty non frequent.)

violence: 5/10 (killing and blood 🤷‍♀️)

other: mentions of drugs and a scene where they’re sold on page. mentions of alcoholism. mentions of smoking

tw: loss of parent


- OVERVIEW -

i’m ngl. this just wasn’t holding my interest.

at first i was sucked in. it had a strong beginning, but after around 12% i just couldn’t focus. idk if this was to do with the plot or if that’s all on me (probably the latter if i’m being honest). but it didn’t feel like i was reading a book i liked. it felt like i was slogging through thick mud.

if you were to ask me what stood out to me in this book, i would say ‘the phone numbers’. lwk idk if the numbers are real but i was curious to see what would happen if i dialed them 😀💅

all this being said, i would possibly pick this book up again in the future when i’m in the mood for a thriller. but as a mood reader, thrillers just don’t sound good to me rn. if i had the wherewithal to read this book at this point in time, chances are i would enjoy it

but i have neither time nor energy nor desire to. :(

-ZE WRITING-

i will say, i loved it. the prose was nice and the pacing was pretty good.
i read the agathas a few years back which was co-written by liz, and i loved it. it was one of the first thriller books i’ve read so i’m no stranger to her writing. it was nostalgic in a way

i have no hate for this book, in fact, i would recommend it if i knew if there’s any other content in the second half


- PLOT -

annddddd my usual youtube clickbait title description of the book 😋

my boyfriend’s brother’s in prison and it’s all my fault *shocking*

that’s not a spoiler btw bc it was in the first chapter and it might also be in the summary but i haven’t read it 🥲😅
but the whole point of the book is a friend group gets broken up bc one of them testified against the other friend’s brother and gets him in prison 🤠

- CHARACTERS -

ngl none of them made an imprint on me.
ally was selfish and has trust issues
henry is TOO trusting
and grace reminds me of my friend lon 😭


- CONCLUSION -


🤷‍♀️ you should read this if you want to

If you’ve ever had a messy high school friendship (or ten), Murder Between Friends will hit you right in the teenage trauma—except with more murder and less cafeteria pizza.

Grace, Henry, and Ally were once inseparable… until Grace testified that Henry’s brother killed their teacher. Fast forward two years, Jake’s released on a mistrial, and now the ex-besties have to team up to uncover the truth. Because nothing says “bonding” like re-investigating a murder that blew your lives apart.

These characters are messy, emotional, and totally believable. Grace is guilt-ridden, Henry is about to combust, and Ally is basically a human lie detector on caffeine. Their dynamic is like a group text full of subtweets and trust issues—and I loved every second of it.

Liz Lawson’s writing is sharp, fast, and full of tension that crackles like a live wire. The twists don’t just surprise you—they slap you across the face and then politely offer you a tissue. It’s addictive, emotional, and just the right amount of chaotic.

Basically: If you like your thrillers with angst, friendship drama, and plot twists that make you yell “WAIT—WHAT?!”, grab this one. But maybe don’t read it around people. Unless they’re okay with you gasping loudly and flinging the book across the room.

Small town vibes, mixed media, and an ending I didn’t see coming!
My only critique is that I could never keep Ally and Grace separate in my head. I was constantly searching for context clues to remember which one was which. I think more variance in writing styles for the different characters would have helped.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

ARC Review!!!
Thank you to NetGalley!!

This was a good read, fairly quick read. It starts right off the bat. I found Ally freaking annoying! I get that everything she went through but it made her so insufferable. The story overall was good. I never really had a feeling on who it might be. There were moments in time but nothing concrete so I think that was really well done. The English teacher twist was crazy!! The ending was crazy!!! I for sure didn't see that coming but made a lot of sense.
3 stars!!

A twisty mystery-thriller with enough clues and suspects to keep an amateur detective guessing and enough danger, drug deals, and creepy old houses to keep a reader's pulse pounding. I thought I'd guessed the ending, and I was wrong, so Liz Lawson gets bonus points! If you're a YA thriller reader, this is will fit the bill.

This YA thriller is a compulsive page-turner that hooks you from the start and refuses to let go. With a vibrant, clever cast of teen neighbors at its heart, the story shines as these sharp-witted friends band together to clear their wrongfully convicted friend, accused of murdering his teacher. The characters’ intelligence and chemistry make their detective work a joy to follow, blending wit and determination in equal measure.
Fast-paced, fun, and brimming with clever twists, this book delivers a perfectly crafted mystery that keeps you guessing. Ideal for readers who love immersive, character-driven YA with a knack for unraveling secrets, it’s a must-read that you won’t want to put down.

This book was really good ! I enjoyed the plot, but also the side plots with the characters and their own battles. It was a really nice read. I didn't expect all of the twists and turns and they were really good !

This is a gripping mystery about three former best friends torn apart by a murder and a testimony that changed everything. When the accused is released due to a mistrial, old wounds reopen, and doubt creeps in. As the clock ticks toward a new trial, Grace, Henry, and Ally must decide if they can trust each other again—and if they’re willing to risk everything for the truth. A tense, emotional read perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying.

At first it was a slow start and getting to know the characters was difficult but for the most part towards the ending the book picked up and it was very enjoyable to read.

I thought that this was a solid thriller. The pacing was a little inconsistent (the beginning is quite slow, then it picks up, and then the last bit of the book throws every twist at you but the kitchen sink), and I struggled to connect with the story through the characters because I just disliked them all so much (which I think may be intentional). But, I was curious to see what was going to happen and how the story would end.

This was a little bit of a struggle. It could have been about 150 pages shorter and accomplished a similar effect. The first 1/3 or so of the book was really slow and didn't really feel like it did anything to progress the story. There were too many twists at the end that felt unnecessary or super compelling with questionable motive. The characters were unlikeable. The 2/3 that progressed the story were well done and fun to read. But overall just an ok thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the characters in the book, they got me invested in their past and questioning what really happened that night.

I would like to thank NetGalley and also Random House Children’s Books for this ARC by Liz Lawson! Ally, Grace & Henry’s friendship is torn apart after the death of their English teacher. Grace was convinced that she saw Henry’s brother Jake walking through their English teacher’s yard the night she was unalived but after Jake is released she starts to question whether it was Jake she saw or someone else. As they all have to work together there will be secrets, betrayal and a shocking double twist. This book had me on the edge looking forward to the next chapter!! I rated this book 4 stars and it will be released 4/22. I recommend this book and hope to read more from the Author!