Not going to lie, I was a teeny bit wary about this one at first 😅 BJT, I am so glad I picked up! This is going to be the revenge read of the summer! It packed a punch for a debut and left you asking yourself, in that position, what would you do? It kind of gave me Big Little Lies vibes in that sense, and I enjoyed it! Readers looking for a unique thriller on the market will definitely enjoy this one! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this book in exchange for honest review!

Four childhood friends until one is killed leaving Dylan, Priya and Isabel together in grief and in believing the killer, Peter Miles, a local cop got away with murder. Their combined believe leads them to kill Peter Miles, revenge so sweet but is it? Killing Peter changes each one of them, and when each person starts receiving threats, will the trio stick together or will the threats and the police investigation be their undoing.

This was a bit of a slow read for me. It took until almost half the book before I got into the story and wanted to know how it ended. The twist at the end I figured out just a few chapters before it was revealed. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, the writing style was good, the characters were written as young, immature-ish types, I mean really spitting into the beer of the deceased. The plot isn’t a who-dunnit but rather the aftermath of murder, how it affects each person and what does hiding secrets do to a life.

With all the twists and turns this book is a real winner. Strong women characters who believe in vigilante justice. It is no only men who can be tough women can also.

That twist! The psychological guilt that tortures the teens leads to an interesting discussion about blame and guilt and what has long lasting effects

I really liked this book. It was fast-paced and I didn't guess the ending. I liked the era-early 90s, that it was set in. It was a good example of how strong female friendships and bonds can be. Thanks for letting me read this!

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

When the man who killed Doctor Rebecca Grant comes into the Aces of Space, the bar where she works, Dylan Darcy is relieved that he does not recognize her. After all, they’d spent only about two minutes together nearly a year ago and her then-blonde hair, now grown longer, was currently died black.

But Beck had been her best friend; since her death, Dylan thought about her almost all the time. But she was finally coping . . . until her killer walked in and sat down at the bar.

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Vigilante justice is alive and well as three friends seek to avenge the murder of their friend. Their staggering loss still feels overwhelming; their decision they make is problematic. The characters are well-defined, believable and relatable.

Fast-paced and intriguing, the thought-provoking tale pulls readers in from the outset and keeps them guessing as the plot takes several unexpected twists. Suspenseful and captivating, the unfolding narrative explores friendships and guilt as it races toward a denouement many readers will not see coming.

However, the unnecessary use of a particularly offensive expletive may be off-putting for readers; it lowers the rating for the book.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley
#PeterMilesHastoDie #NetGalley

This book has good suspense and keeps entertained throughout as three friends avenge their murdered friend. This is Katie Collom’s debut novel and I cannot wait to read more from her. You get to feel the pressure that each trend is under as they try to keep going and stay ahead of the police.

3.5 Not what I expected at all! The characters had much more going on than just plotting to kill Peter Miles. Good suspense and an interesting twist.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

i support women’s wrongs

thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

this book was INTENSE and fun and twisty and satisfying. i love books with strong female characters and friendships

the three main characters are connected through friendship but also through a devastating loss and an even more devastating decision after that. their feelings of loss and guilt feel so real, it all jumps off the page.

the ending was immensely satisfying. this book was fast-paced and well written.

i’ll be keeping an eye out for more books from this author

Interesting premise, engaging cast of characters, and a very quick and entertaining read. The payoff at the end wasn't quite as satisfying as I hoped, but this was a great choice novel for a long flight.

Three friends set out to avenge their murdered friend, and Peter Miles is their target. Can these three pull off a murder and keep their secret or will one of them crack under the pressure? Right from the start I loved the plot of this book and the writing kept me engaged throughout! I fully admit I did not expect the outcome but I was satisfied with the ending. This book was thought provoking and suspenseful and I could not stop reading because I just had to know how this one was going to end. I like that each friend played their role and each one had their different pressures and it kept me wondering if one of them would cave to police pressure. This book will have you wondering who will take the fall right up until the end.

I really enjoyed this debut novel from Katie Collom and I'm looking forward to reading more from them in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine | Bantam for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of Peter Miles Has to Die by Katie Collom due to be published August 12, 2025.
Peter Miles must die. And Dylan Darcy, Priya Shah, and Isabel Guerrero—a bartender, a nurse, and a student—must be the ones to kill him. He murdered their best friend and got away with it. The murder is easy – the hard part is afterwards. When they start being investigated, they start to panic a little. Will they get away with it, or will the detective find out they did it?

What a great read! After the murder, the three women acted so differently. Would they give in to the pressure, or be able to cope with it? “Someone” wrote a chapter from inside a prison every six or seven chapters – which girl was it? Or was it someone not even related to this case? It certainly kept me guessing until the end – I loved it!
#NetGalley #KatieCollom #Ballantine #PeterMilesHasToDie

Thank you to Bantam Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

This is my first read from this author and it won't be the last! I ate it up in 2 sittings and kept my interest while keeping me on the edge of my seat.

This book had so much packed in it. It is a story about friendship, revenge, guilt and justice. This is an emotional story but also a dark thriller. You have three friends wanted to make Peter Miles die because he killed their best friend. The murder is easy, the after is the hard part. This is a really great book. Pick this one up!

Collom's debut thriller packs a punch. It explores the deadly consequences of vigilante justice. The premise is deliciously unsettling—three friends commit what they believe is the perfect murder, only to discover that revenge comes with a soul-crushing price tag.

The narrative dances between the sweltering late '90s Texas setting where the murder occurs and the cold, unforgiving walls of the state penitentiary in the early 2000s. What haunted me wasn't figuring out who killed the corrupt cop—we know that from the start—but watching guilt slowly devour the characters from within as they realize there's no escaping what they've done. This structural choice creates a fascinating psychological exploration of how guilt affects each character differently in the aftermath of their violent act.

Against a backdrop of law enforcement sexism and discrimination, the story builds to a genuinely shocking twist that I never saw coming, leaving me both satisfied and disturbed in equal measure.

A big thank you to Bantam Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited for this and it did not disappoint. It was dark and thrilling. The plot thickened and thickened. Highly recommend this read. You will not regret it.

I actually enjoyed this. I’d like a little more detail on a certain scene, but it worked itself out. The reveal took a little longer than expected, but still sort of surprising.