Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lauren Muñoz for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Very Dangerous Things coming out July 29, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was obsessed with Suddenly a Murder, so I was really excited to get this book. I really enjoy this author’s writing. I don’t think I enjoyed this one as much as the first book. I don’t think the books are related. I liked this book, but I don’t think the characters were as strong. I think I got a little confused with who was who. I thought there would be a little more suspense and mystery. I would check out other books by this author though.

4.5 ⭐️

What a ride! I was guessing whodunit the entire time I was reading! 🤔

This plot was so interesting, right from the beginning! From one suspect to the next, Dulce and her friends investigate the haunted halls of J. Everett High, hitting one dead end after another and leaving me to scratch my head in confusion. I don’t think I’ve ever been so stumped as I was with this mystery. But when the truth came out in the end, I was so shocked that I didn’t see it before! 😱 Who really killed Xavier Torres? Was it his ex-girlfriend, Sierra, or did it go much deeper than that…?

Dulce was a vibe. Smart, brave, and a little distrustful (for very good reasons), she led her best friend Emi and her new friend Zane on a wild chase to find the killer before time ran out. The characters changed and grew as the story progressed, adding depth and relatability to the story. And there were some who didn’t change at all and really made my blood boil. You know it’s good writing if it can affect me like that. 😂

And that ending? Does this mean we’re getting a series? I hope so! I want more of Dulce and her gang of investigators, please! 🙋‍♀

I totally recommend this book if you love YA mysteries with some great characters, clever plotting, and fun quotes at the beginning of each chapter from Dorothy L. Sayer’s books. This story will be in my head for the rest of the week. ☺

A great mystery that kept me guessing!! 🙌

Every time I thought I knew who did it, I was wrong! I really enjoyed the Dulce character too! Definitely recommend checking this one out, especially if you enjoy YA and mysteries! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers, and Lauren Muñoz for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

Short and Sweet Review

Dulce attends J. Everett High School and every year the school plays a mystery game to test their criminology students. Dulce usually teams up with her best friend Emi for the competition and this year is no different, they plan on using the prize money to go on their dream trip. When Xavier, the student who’s playing the murder victim is actually found dead, things change immediately. Sierra, Xavier’s ex-girlfriend becomes the main suspect. Sierra asks for Dulces help, the only problem is they have a troubled past but with a lot of encouragement from Emi, Dulce decides to take the case.

I love mystery books and I wouldn’t say this is my favorite book but it was pretty good. I loved the idea of these high school students going to a school that mainly focused on criminology and the idea of a murder mystery competition every year sounded fun. There’s a lot going on in this book so I’ll try to break it down. Dulce is our main character and she lost her mom a few years ago and the story the police have told her has never sat right with her and since then she’s been trying to figure out what really happened that night. Our side characters are Emi, Dulce’s best friend, Zane the new kid in school and also Dulces love interest, and Sierra Xavier’s ex girlfriend and Dulces ex best friend. Dulce was an okay character she was motivated but she also isn’t a professional detective so she does make mistakes but she always tries to remedy them. We also get chapters that are flashbacks to the time when Dulce’s mom just passed and how her friendship with Sierra crumbled. In our present time we have the mystery competition taking place and Xavier was just found dead. Sierra is a suspect and needs help to prove her innocence but Dulce is reluctant to get involved but she changes her mind. Dulce does most of the sleuthing even though she has a team. I feel like sometimes the other characters got in her way and she could have been more productive on her own. Dulce learns a lot about Xavier’s murder and her moms. Honestly the book takes place in a small town and with that there’s a lot of corruption that goes on. I enjoyed the ending and everything made sense. If I had to say there was a problem it would be that the book felt convoluted and it led to the book feeling like it was dragging.

Overall, this was a good book and the mystery and setting will draw readers in and leave them excited for what’s going to take place. I would recommend this book especially for someone in the mood for a mystery, you’ll get two for the price of one.

This was a fun YA mystery thriller that kept me guessing throughout! I did have an inkling as to the murder suspect but I was still surprised as the author did a good job of establishing several plausible killers. I have been enjoying the YA mystery thriller genre lately and this is another great option. The main character Dulce was likeable and the friend group was cute and I would like to potentially see more books set in this murder high school.

I received an eARC thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group. All opinions are my own.

Read: July 8th - July 15th
Format: E-book
Rating: 4 stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'm finding that I really enjoy Lauren Muñoz as an author. I also liked her book "Suddenly a Murder", so I was happy to get this e-ARC. It didn't disappoint.

The criminology private school setting in an old manor was 👌🏼It gave reason for our characters' knowledge and access to certain things while also having the really interesting murder game investigation aspect. Of course, it didn't stay a game for long 🤭

Muñoz does this thing where she has alt-PoV chapters, and just like in "Suddenly a Murder", they added a lot of clues and context so sift through. Dramatic irony is always so fun to play with, and you get it in spades when you get to see those alt-PoV segments 😁

I really enjoyed Zane. Though I may just be bias because I love the name Zane and characters with heterochromia.

The cast overall was varied, with some making me want to shake them without hating them, which I think is a good thing. Don't shy away from making your characters shakable!

The mystery itself was great! I had a theory by about a quarter in that fleshed mostly out by mid-book, and it was mostly right. So the book does a great job guiding you to figuring it out. I do feel like maaaaybe the motivation could have been a bit deeper, but hey. I enjoyed it regardless.

Look forward to what she writes next!

I am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

At first glance, the cover of Very Dangerous Things gave off strong Scooby-Doo vibes, so I braced myself for a light, perhaps overly juvenile mystery. But I was pleasantly surprised—this is a smart, suspenseful YA thriller with emotional depth and a compelling mystery at its core.

Set at an elite boarding school where solving crimes is an integral part of the curriculum, the story centers on Dulce, a sharp and introspective teenager navigating grief and trauma. Every year, students participate in a high-stakes, CLUE-style murder mystery competition. But when a real classmate turns up dead, the game becomes disturbingly real. Now, Dulce and her crew must piece together the clues before the town’s hopelessly out-of-his-depth sheriff can catch up and before the killer strikes again.

Author Lauren Muñoz builds a darkly atmospheric world filled with secrets and quiet danger. Dulce’s voice feels deeply authentic—she’s emotionally raw, observant, and often lost in thought, which makes her easy to relate to. Her personal journey is just as gripping as the murder plot, exploring themes of identity, loss, and the lies we tell to protect ourselves.

The pacing is tight, with just the right mix of tension and twists to keep you hooked. While a few turns in the story feel a bit too convenient, the overall structure is solid, and the stakes remain high throughout. The characters aren’t always likable, but their flaws feel true to how teens act under pressure.

If you’re drawn to dark academic settings, layered mysteries, and emotionally driven stories, Very Dangerous Things is a strong pick. I wonder if I can find the Lord Wimsey Mystery novels? I would enjoy that world as well (hint, hint).

Thank you so much, Netgalley, Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, and Lauren Muñoz, for the advance readers copy of this page-turning mystery.

4.5 stars!

This was just a really fun time! It had me genuinely stumped and desperate for answers in a way that's rare. I was changing my theories and suspect list every other chapter. It never felt too repetitive or obvious, and at one point it felt like it really could be anyone. Even my wildest theories seemed possible.

I think this was incredibly well thought out and put together. Great characters, great backstories, great setting, great motives, just really great.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5/5 stars

✧ Murder mystery
✧ Criminology students
✧ Everyone’s hiding something
✧ TWs: death, murder, grief

After reading Lauren Muñoz’s debut last year, I was really excited to receive this ARC and check out her sophomore novel! It was a quick read that kept me on my toes (I finished it in a single day), and I had a lot of fun!

I found the concept of the criminology school that this story takes place in pretty unique, though it wasn’t very fleshed out, unfortunately. The book is only ~350 pages, so there wasn’t much time in the story to give many details, but I was still a little let down. The characters, though, seemed deep enough for a shorter, standalone mystery/thriller novel. Each of the side characters had a distinct personality, which made for a pretty lively cast – although unfortunately, that made our main character, Dulce, a bit less interesting in comparison. I do think that the relationships pretty accurately portrayed the messiness of high school friendships and romances, which was fun to read!

One of my biggest pet peeves in books is useless flashbacks, and unfortunately, I think this one fell into that trap. I believe that one of the appeals of reading a mystery/thriller is figuring out the story alongside the main character. When you have flashbacks from the perspectives of other characters, the reader suddenly gets more information and knowledge, which inevitably cheapens and weakens the moment that the main character finds out for themselves. This made it so that I wasn’t super shocked when most of the big reveals happened.

That being said, I didn’t figure out who the killer was and how the murder was done (which I think was pretty creative), so props to that! This book followed the trope of characters thinking the mystery is solved ~80% through the story, but something’s not quite right – which is always fun for me as a reader! However, the villain monologue at the end made me quite annoyed because I am getting so, so tired of them. There was a moment right before the villain revealed themselves that Dulce was about to figure everything out on her own, and then her intelligence got a bit overshadowed. I am begging mystery/thriller authors to come up with another way to get information across than this trope.

While I did have some issues with this one, mostly in the ending, I still had a good time reading it! This author has continued a streak of books with interesting concepts and messy, entertaining teenage drama, so I will absolutely continue watching her career and would recommend her to anyone looking for these elements, too!

“Very Dangerous Things” is a thrilling YA academic mystery reminiscent of “Truly Devious” and “Riverdale.” Their school specializes in murder. Alongside a normal schedule of classes, students can elect to take classes specializing in forensics or sleuthing. This year’s murder mystery project involves a dead body in the greenhouse, with a knitting needle. Dulce and her friends are hired to solve a real murder in order to absolve her ex-best friend. Full of hidden secrets, twists and turns, this story will keep you guessing! I really enjoyed the cast of characters, blurred allegiances, and budding romance.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I liked the concept of a game to teach criminology. However, I found the student to be to immature to really understand the realities of a murder. I felt that it was treated lightly. The characters were not completely fleshed out and at times it was hard to understand them. One thing that really bothered me was the jumping around of scenes and times. It was abrupt and confusing. I thought the book was just okay.

3.5 ⭐️ for Very Dangerous Things by Lauren Muñoz

Dulce and her friends attend a high school dedicated to mystery solving. Every year they compete as groups to solve a murder mystery to earn a prize. This year things become all too real as one of their classmates turns up dead. Can Dulce and the gang figure it out before the bumbling sheriff?

This was a decent and quick YA mystery. I enjoyed the plot and think a mystery school sounds like it would be a lot of fun. Very Dangerous Things had a plenty of twists and turns and an adorable cast of friends. I unfortunately wasn’t as invested in their friendships, they all seemed to make incredibly selfish decisions and choices. I do think this could be due to them behaving like the high schoolers that they are. The conclusion was out there, like it always tends to be in mysteries, but it definitely wasn’t predictable! If you like YA murder mysteries I think this is one worth giving a try!

Very Dangerous Things releases July 29th, 2025

Thanks to #netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read this E-arc

James Everett High, a criminology-focused school, hosts an annual murder mystery game that provides students with the chance to win a huge cash prize. Dulce and her best friend Emi are excited about competing for the prize this year to fund their dream trip to England. However, their plans are majorly disrupted and chaos ensues when Xavier, the student picked to play the “victim” in the game is found dead. Now, Dulce must work with her ex-best friend, nemesis, and number one suspect, Sierra, to solve the case and find the true killer.

I am clearly in the minority here, but I did not like this book very much. After finishing, I realize that I may not be the correct audience for this book, but I think the right reader would really enjoy it. First, the things I liked about it. The setting was intriguing and unique (how many other books take place at a high school focused on solving crimes with detective Harry Potter vibes?), and the characters were well-developed. Now, some of my issues with the book. Despite liking the characters at first, I quickly grew to feel that they were very immature, even for the YA genre, and the plot dragged on much longer than necessary. The great reveal at the end was a little unsatisfying to me, but I liked how the author teased future books and left the door open to make this a series with some interesting unanswered questions. I think this book would be perfect for readers that are actually of YA age, whereas a general audience who enjoys YA fiction may not enjoy it as much.

2.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I've been on a YA kick lately and this was perfect to add to my TBR. The mystery was interesting and there were enough little twists to keep me guessing throughout. I loved the setting, something about dark academia always draws me in. I was not a huge fan of any of the characters except maybe Dulce's dad but I didn't dislike any of them enough for it to ruin the storyline. Overall, a quick, easy read that holds your attention without being too far-fetched.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lauren Muñoz, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Title: Very Dangerous Things
Author: Lauren Munoz
Genre: Teen/YA Thriller
Publisher: Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: July 28, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages: 352

Although I am not the target audience for this but as a High School Guidance Counselor I love to read YA stories. It pleases me that I can recommend a book that I believe they would enjoy reading.
. As an adult, I enjoy thrillers.so was sure I would like this and was looking forward to reading it.

For decades it has become a tradition at J. Everett High to stage an annual murder mystery to
True Crime junkie Dulce Castillo wants to win.
Xavier Torres volunteers to play the victim. However, turns out he isn’t acting as it appears he has been murdered

When the investigation starts is seems ex-girlfriend Sierra Fox, is guilty.
She asks our super sleuth Dulce to help prove she is innocent.

Aww the ending was satisfying.

About the Author Lauren Muñoz ~ She is a writer, lawyer, and former teacher living in Southern California. She received her J.D. from Northwestern University, where she frequently skipped class to commune with her sun lamp. When she's not reading, she can be found knitting, crocheting, and collecting recipes for things she'll never bake. Find her on IG @laurenmunozbooks.

I also enjoyed her acknowledgements~ Ms. Munoz tells us that her answer to – What Dead person would you like to have dinner with?
Her answer is Dorothy L. Sayers a mystery ~ and her quotes begin the chapters in this story.

I have to admit I didn’t notice so had to go back and check out a few chapters and, of course, saw the quotes as well as that they were from several of Ms. Sayers’s detective stories.
Yes her stories mostly feature the amateur investigator Lord Peter Wimsey

Want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group/G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 29, 2025.

Dulce Castillo goes to a high school that stages an annual murder mystery for the students to solve, and Dulce and her bestie, Emi, are determined to win. Unfortunately, the student tapped to be the "victim" this year, Xavier Torres, is actually killed, and his ex-girlfriend, and Dulce's ex-best friend, Sierra, is the one all the evidence is pointing towards. The last thing Dulce wants to do is help prove Sierra's innocence, but eventually she has to admit that things aren't adding up. Can these high schoolers solve the mystery of who really killed Xavier when the town cops don't appear to want to?

I loved this book. It had an interesting premise and great characters. The mystery was interesting and the pacing was steady, for the most part. The ending was satisfying, and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep me turning the page. Overall, this was just a really good read.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Lauren Munoz for the opportunity to read and review Very Dangerous Things.

Very Dangerous Things 🧶
4.5 ⭐️

Very Dangerous Things is a YA murder mystery akin to the Truly Devious series and Holly Jackson’s mystery/thrillers. It follows Dulce, a girl whose ex-best friend is framed for murder, and has to decide whether to help her or not.

Although it took me a bit to get into, I adored this book! It’s fun, fast-paced, utterly addictive, and features quirky characters. Despite having read quite a few YA mysteries at this point, this one kept me on my toes! I adored Zane, Emi, Ms. Moss, Enzo, and so many other characters.

Thanks to @netgalley and @penguinclassroom for the e-arc!

Qotd: do you read YA mysteries?

Dulce Castillo and her best friend Emi have come in second place for the last two years in their school's annual "game." J. Everett High specializes is criminology: most notably detecting and forensics. Every year the school, and its benefactor the Fox Family Foundation, hosts a "murder mystery" and the students compete in teams to determine the killer. This year Dulce and Emi are determined to win so they can use the prize money to take the trip to England that Dulce and her mother had planned for years before her mom died in a car accident.

When Dulce's former BFF, Sierra Fox, comes running into the cafeteria a few weeks into the school year screaming about finding the body of Xavier Torres in the greenhouse, everyone applauds her acting, thinking the game has begun. When she collapses and Dulce sees the blood, she knows it's not part of the game. As the investigation proceeds and all signs point to Sierra as being the killer, she tries to hire Dulce to find out who really killed Xavier. Dulce hates Sierra and doesn't want to help, but she knows that the sheriff is incompetent and has it out for Sierra, his former step-daughter. Can she really sit by and watch Sierra take the fall when so many people had motive and opportunity to kill Xavier? What do you do when doing nothing brings sweet revenge, but everyone is hiding something and your instincts are screaming at you that someone is getting away with murder?

Full of twists and turns, only one of which I saw coming, this book kept me up way past my bedtime! I chose this book because it was advertised as perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson, and Maureen Johnson and I have to say, as a fan of all three of those authors, a resounding yes! This twisty thriller will remind you of those other excellent high school whodunits! I definitely recommend Very Dangerous Things!

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

LOVED IT. 5/5 without a doubt.

If you know me, you know that I'm a sucker for YA mysteries. I go through quite an insane number and I enjoy them so very much! But this one stood out because the story had me HOOKED.

I've learnt that most YA plot twists need at least a little bit of a suspension of disbelief. That was NOT AT ALL the case with <i>Very Dangerous Things</i>. The plot twists were clever, shocking and so well laid out.

I absolutely love the author's writing style. This is my second Lauren Muñoz book and I GUARANTEE that she is going straight on my autobuy list. If you are looking for a captivating YA Mystery, look no further than Very Dangerous Things. 5/5 HIGHLY Recommend.

Reminiscent of The Secret History by Donna Tartt and your cozy murder mystery, Munoz brings a story of murder mystery game gone wrong. When Xavier Torres is found dead in the greenhouse of J. Everett High School, everyone assumes Sierra (his ex-girlfriend) did it because she was the last one to see him alive. Although Dulce isn't friends with Sierra anymore, she knows Sierra didn't do it. But that doesn't mean Dulce needs to help figure out who the real murderer is, does it?
Dulce and her friends embody their inner Wimsey (from Dorothy L. Sayers' novels) and find clues to solve the case. Along the way, they will make new friends, discover new crushes, and maybe restore old friendships.