I Killed Zoe Spanos is a fun summer read for fans of true crime podcasts and heady, psychological thrillers. While some of the twists are are predictable, some are truly surprising. This book features two timelines, one during the summer while Anna is working as a nanny in the Hamptons, and one timeline in the fall after Anna has been arrested for the murder of Zoe Spanos, her doppelganger.

I think this is a fun YA read, but missing the heart-pounding suspense that adults want in a thriller. While I prefer Karen McManus or Maureen Johnson's who-dun-its, this is still one that I would recommend for a young adult mystery collection.

This is a book I will definitely recommend to my students, especially students who love a good suspense novel. The plot keeps readers engaged and the inclusion of the podcast transcripts adds to the story. If one is familiar with podcasts, the transcripts read exactly how a podcast would sound. The timeline switches between present and past which also helps move the story along. The only thing that kept this a four-star rating instead of five is the main character. Some of her thoughts and actions seemed forced in order to "develop" the memory/lack of memory character trait. I didn't really connect with her, and while this may be a deal-breaker with other novels, the plot is strong enough to keep the reader engaged. "I Killed Zoe Spanos" will make a great addition to any suspense novel collection.

A fun, twisty summery mystery.

I Killed Zoe Spanos is the story of Anna, a girl from New York City who takes a summer nanny job in the Hamptons. Of Zoe, a girl who went missing in the same Hampton town Anna works in, and Marina, Zoe's classmate and an amateur reporter who starts a podcast to explore what might have happened to Zoe.

The sore's structure could have been confusing - it jumps forward and backward and is told from the point of view Anna in the past, Anna in the present, and Marina in the present - but it worked for me.

I did guess one aspect of the story but did not guess a lot of the other pieces of the puzzle. If you like twisty, mysterious stories, definitely check this one out!

It's been a huge struggle for me, as a reader, to get properly into mysteries and thrillers. I've always read so many other genres that I've never fully understood why this one hasn't resonated with me.


But, I've been trying to broaden my horizons as a reader, which I am so thankful for because it led me to this gem.


At first, I can say that I was beyond confused as to how the main character of this book had anything at all to do with any of the events that happened before we meet her.


But, very quickly I learn that Anna, who this story revolves around, isn't the most reliable of narrators. But, I think even she knows this, as she struggles through the book with holes in her memory.


Because of the nature of this story, I'm hesitant to say too much because I never want to give anything away.


So, I'm going to stick with what stood out to me the most--and that would be the fantastic writing by Ms. Frick.


I truly cannot praise her enough, as I was swept away in this story that I had no idea how it would end! And, I typically really enjoy a predictable ending.


But, this was done so well--with so many characters that I wanted to read more about.


If you're like me and don't read too many in the mystery or thriller genres but would like to begin--I fully endorse I Killed Zoe Spanos. There's just enough mystery to keep the reader enthralled but not so to make me have to go back and reread passages out of confusion.


I can't wait to read more from this genre--and especially this author!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review this book!
My review will be available at the given link on 6/26/20 as a part of a blog tour.

I KILLED ZOE SPANOS has healthy doses of a murder mystery, a girl with a mysterious past, tenacious teen investigators, and true crime podcasting, which makes it feel a few steps above the usual teenage missing person story. It has two narratives, one being Anna Cicconi, the outsider who claims she killed Zoe, and Martina, the best friend of Zoe's sister and aspiring podcaster who wants to figure out what happened to Zoe. Anna's is filled with ambiguity, as it's in the first person and she may be unreliable, while Martina's is in the third person and lets the reader see a bigger picture. Having two different POV perspectives sometimes doesn't work, but Frick utilizes it in a way that lets us organically see all the puzzle pieces that are needed to solve the mystery. Add in Martina's podcast transcripts (which are interesting in the way that they are also potentially unreliable as they may show Martina's blind spots and biases) and you have another, more unique perspective that adds a bit more. The mystery kept me guessing for the most part, and I was pleased by most of the reveals and twists (though I also think that there may have been an overreach with one last surprise which felt unnecessary). That said, the characters themselves didn't really move beyond standard tropes, with Anna as the mysterious 'is she a villain or is she a victim?' theme and Martina as the 'tenacious teen sleuth' character.

I KILLED ZOE SPANOS is a solid thriller mystery that would be perfect for summer reading!

“I killed Zoe. And it was a terrible, terrible mistake.”

I’m not gonna lie, I absolutely did not figure out anything that was happening in this book. I was confused from the time weird things started happening to Anna all the way through to the end. Now, maybe part of that is because I’ve never read Rebecca so I didn’t see the twists coming and I’m not sure how the endings compare. But I’m going to chalk it up to Kit Frick’s amazing writing.

Anna’s summer in the Hamptons is a wild ride. What Anna thinks is going to be a summer of nanny-ing becomes a summer full of people mistaking her for a missing girl and slowly recovering memories that all seem to involve that same missing girl. But that’s impossible because Anna never met Zoe, right?

I really like the setting of fun summer days versus the creepy looming that I picture of Windermere. It really fits all the secrets that get spilled over the course of this book, the shadiness of some of the characters, the missing memories. The excerpts from the podcast almost makes me wish that I had experienced this as an audiobook because I bet it is phenomenal.

I Killed Zoe Spanos is the type of thriller that pretty much anyone could love.

This story trails a twisted journey of Anna who doesn't quite remember everything correctly. She has had a bad habit of drinking too much and blacking out in the past. She has decided to take a summer nanny job to give herself a fresh start- to get away from bad influences and be the person she wants to be. ​

I will say that this story was slow at the beginning and took much longer for me to get into than most YA thrillers that I read. First, the introduction to the two differing points of view was muddled, that it took me a little bit too long to sort out in my mind. This was a bit frustrating as a start, but once I made it about 40% through the book- the rest flew by. When I first began and it seemed to be taking me longer than expected, I told myself that I would get the book through 40-50% before I considered abandoning it. I am so glad I gave it more time because by the time I got to that point I was hooked.

Honestly, this book is filled with twists and turns that I did not even anticipate. I really enjoyed seeing how the other half lives in the Hamptons, and get into this mystery. At times it was a slow burn, but just because the fire starts slowly, sometimes those fires are the hottest.

I Killed Zoe Spanos comes out SOON (Jul 1st, 2020)! I would not miss it if I were you!
http://kaitlynrcarpenter.weebly.com/blog/i-killed-zoe-spanos-by-kit-frick

If you're looking for a compelling beach read, look no further.  I Killed Zoe Spanos will keep you in that beach chair for hours.

This is my first time reading this author, but it absolutely won't be my last.  I was glued to this book from the beginning and conjured up tons of theories about what was happening during the course of the story.  Even then, only part of one of them turned out to be correct by the end. 

Martina's podcast is a clever way to introduce backstory - what happened with Zoe, who the suspects were, what the police did or didn't do, etc., and it gives the reader a peek into her head since her POV is shared along with Anna's.  The alternating chapters between past and present made me even more curious to learn how the characters got from point A to point B, and it's one of my favorite storytelling techniques.  With such an intricate plot, I can just imagine the story boards the author must have created.

Although it works well with the story, I had to suspend my disbelief a tad with the way the investigators handled Zoe's case.  Still, I devoured this book in two days.  Pay close attention near the end - things move fast and a lot of questions are answered.

With a heavy dose of red herrings and twists to keep you guessing, I Killed Zoe Spanos is a must read for mystery/thriller fans.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This one keeps you on your toes the entire time!

Anna a former party girl who wants to change takes a job as a nanny on Long Island aka (The Hamptons) for the summer. As soon as she is there she starts having these flashback memories or serious deja vu like she has been there before but isn't really sure. Then she starts getting mistaken for Zoe Spanos a college student from the area who disappeared on New Year's Eve. Anna teams up with Martina, who started a podcast on Zoe's disappearance and is Zoe's sister's best friend to try to figure out what happened to Zoe Spanos.

This book is SO GOOD! I was hooked from the very first page. It’s full of unreliable and untrustworthy characters, confusing memories, and surprising twists that blew my mind. I was kept guessing up until the very end! I highly recommend for anyone who loves a good YA mystery!

Who actually killed Zoe Spanos? Well, someone admits to it, but she may not have actually done it. This is a story that starts in the middle, which is one of my favorite writing tropes. I Killed Zoe Spanos is mystery, but it's also a bit of a coming-of-age story. Who are we if we don't remember our past and the things we have done?

I wasn't 100% sure going in that this was a book I was going to like. Sure, I requested it on NetGalley, but that's no guarantee I'm going to like a book. Well, I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed this story. It's thrilling, mysterious, and a little bit poignant. All in all, it's quite a beautiful story.

I Killed Zoe Spanos publishes 7.1.2020.

4.5/5 Stars

Seventeen-year-old Anna is thrilled when she’s offered a job as a nanny in the Hamptons on Long Island. She’d wasted the last few months of her senior year drinking and partying in Brooklyn. She’s ready to save money for college, turn over a new leaf, and spend time hanging out on the beach.

She and her charge hit it off quite well, and she’s prepared to relax and enjoy her summer. However it doesn’t take long before Anna finds out she looks exactly like Zoe Spanos, a girl who went missing months earlier, and hasn’t been heard from since January. As days pass Anna keeps getting feelings of déjà vu, believing she’d spent time in the town and had met Zoe in the past. Things begin to get jumbled in her mind and the more they do, the more she’s convinced she killed Zoe. She confesses to the police, and is sentenced to a juvenile center.

Though Anna believes she’s guilty, one person feels there’s more to her story that needs to be explored. Martina, best friends with Zoe’s little sister, runs a podcast about Zoe that tries to figure out what happened to her. Martina is determined to ferret out the truth but, when it’s finally revealed, it will shock everyone.

Told in flashbacks from when Anna first arrived and her time in juvie, the story seemed a bit disjointed. Anna’s memories seemed out of place, and I couldn’t figure out why she was having them. However as more was disclosed, the more her memories made sense. When all was revealed in this whodunit I was completely shocked. I definitely did NOT see that coming!

I recommend this book for ages 16 and older.

I received a digital advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: I Killed Zoe Spanos

Author: Kit Frick

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: Mystery lovers, thrill seekers

Publication Date: June 30, 2020

Genre: YA Mystery

Recommended Age: 16+ (death, arson, drugs, drug overdose, gore)

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 384

Synopsis: When Anna Cicconi arrives to the small Hamptons village of Herron Mills for a summer nanny gig, she has high hopes for a fresh start. What she finds instead is a community on edge after the disappearance of Zoe Spanos, a local girl who has been missing since New Year's Eve. Anna bears an eerie resemblance to Zoe, and her mere presence in town stirs up still-raw feelings about the unsolved case. As Anna delves deeper into the mystery, stepping further and further into Zoe's life, she becomes increasingly convinced that she and Zoe are connected--and that she knows what happened to her.

Two months later, Zoe's body is found in a nearby lake, and Anna is charged with manslaughter. But Anna's confession is riddled with holes, and Martina Green, teen host of the Missing Zoe podcast, isn't satisfied. Did Anna really kill Zoe? And if not, can Martina's podcast uncover the truth?

Review: This book is so good! I loved the slow build up to this novel and it’s more than a whodunit novel! It has highly developed characters with amazing backstories. The plot was intriguing and kept me hooked from beginning to end and the world building was stupendous!

The only issue I had with this book is that it is a bit slow but I was just invested in the story so much I wanted to breeze through it.

Verdict: Totally worth the read!

Anna is spending the summer nannying for a family in Heron Hills. She looks a lot like a girl who disappeared a few months back and her presence in the town has a lot of people talking. The body is then discovered and Anna is charged with manslaughter. what follows is a good fast-paced YA novel full of secrets and lies.

I enjoyed this book! I loved that it was quick, fast-paced, and had an interesting plot. There were a lot of layers to this book that I quite enjoyed and wasn't expecting when I first started. I also loved the back and forth timeline that weaved events together and kept me engaged and interested throughout. I also didn't see the ending or twist coming, which is always enjoyable in a thriller. I think the author did a good job with character development and creating characters that were multi-dimensional and flawed.

Although I have seen this book marketed to be similar to Sadie, I think the only similarity was the that there was a podcast. I also wouldn't say this book is scary or very dark, especially in comparison. Although that didn't stop me from enjoying this book, I think this comparison in marketing can lead fellow readers astray.

First off I was In a bit of a reading slump when I first started this and this book definitely pulled me out of it. This fun paced YA thriller takes you on a journey to the remote islands of the rich were Anna is hired to be the nanny for the Bellamy family. This is perfect timing Anna wanted to get away from the city and all her bad decisions. Anna soon finds her self confessing to murder and try’s to remember what truly happens on Herron Mills the past New Years Eve she can’t shake the she has been to this island before and has seen the girl who disappeared into the night that she thought made happen.

Throughout a big chunk of this book I was super confused. It just took a while for the pieces to fall into a place where it made sense for me. For the rest I think the mystery didn't really have any breadcrums leading up to its conclusion. When it came to Anna's life I do think it was set up well and it was difficult to piece together but it happened for me. The characters felt very one dimensional for me. Besides the two main characters I didn't really get any of the character's motivations, which might have added to the fact that I was so confused for a big chunk of this book. It was a quick read though so that's a plus.

When a book starts with a confession, you know I am in. The book starts with Anna Cicconi confessing to killing Zoe Spanos, however, the split timelines allow readers to learn more about Zoe, her friends, family, and Anna. The first timeline is after Anna Cicconi has been arrested and is in a juvenille correctional facility and the second timeline is the summer after Zoe had gone missing leading up to Anna's incarceration. Through the first person narration of Anna's time as an "au pair" in the village of Herron Mills, readers, much like Anna, begin to question just about everything as the novel progresses. Anna is struggling with coming to terms with how she knows so much about Zoe, yet they had never met. When Martina Green, the host of the Missing Zoe Podcast comes along they work together to try to find out what truly happened to Zoe on New Year's Eve. The addition of the podcasting format similar to the novel, Sadie, was intriguing, well placed, and added another layer to the dueling timelines. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, it was quick read that was hard to put down. Readers who enjoy books like Sadie, A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, and We Were Liars will definitely enjoy this novel.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced Kindle Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is an incredibly intriguing read that kept me glued to the pages until the very end. Both fun and twisty, you’ll be kept trying to figure out both the mystery of Zoe’s death and the motivations of the various characters connected to her. Unraveling the events of Zoe’s disappearance and the investigation that came after is difficult, and I could not wrap everything up on my own. The conclusion was a bit unlikely in places, but certainly brought everything together.

I was a massive fan of Sadie when it was released a few years ago. I had never read anything like it before—the podcast element was a modern addition that brought something new to a standard YA mystery. I Killed Zoe Spanos feels the same way, but in no way is it a copy cat. This book had three different timelines: "then" (the summer), "now" (after Anna's confession), and excerpts and interviews from the Missing Zoe podcast.

I loved this. Basically any mystery that surprises me, I love it. Kit Frick's book was absolutely captivating. It was crafted so intricately, I was shifting my guess for the ending every 25 pages or so. The use of repressed memories as a plot device, especially in a mystery, was so clever and well done.

I felt like there was no wrap up with Paisley and her family. Anna spends her whole summer there—living in their pool house—but we don't hear from them during the aftermath. I would have liked that closure.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked Truly Devious and felt that this might follow along those lines. I like a good mystery, and I was intrigued about it being about a podcast as well. Suffice to say, I liked it more than Truly Devious. I felt that there were so many things that this book did well, and I was absolutely drawn into this book from the moment that I started to read it. Sometimes you think that there are going to be twists and turns and you know what is going to happen…I am so pleased I was guessing all the way until the end of the book. It was intriguing and delightful. I cannot recommend it enough!

The Writing
The writing of this book was amazing. I think that Frick did an excellent job with the writing. It was easy to read and I was engrossed in the book the whole way through. I got swept away with the writing and liked the contrast of the podcast and the actual events of before and after. I worried a bit about the before and after parts and that it would be confusing to parse them. Yet, there was such clarity in the writing that I didn’t have the problem at all.

The Pacing
Much like in the writing with the before and after, I worried about the pacing in terms of that as well. I wondered if the present would slow down the past or vice versa. Thankfully, it kept my attention because both parts were so distinct and so well done. I was never lost in the pacing nor did I ever feel that the book itself was too slow or too fast. I felt there was such a great balance of everything. I was addicted and could not stop reading until I found out what was going to happen.

The Plot
The plot was stunning. I thought the basic plot would be good, but little did I know just how much I was going to love all the parts of the plot. This one is worth taking your time with. There are some parts that if you miss a sentence or two you’ll miss what happens next. There was so much depth to it, and you’re trying to figure out the case along with the main characters. I could say far more about the plot, but it is totally worth experiencing yourself.

The Characters
Can you trust any of them? Maybe, maybe not. I love that about books. I love when you don’t know what the truth is, and you have to figure it out. I love that the characters aren’t perfect and are struggling. I loved them all. I loved to see all the different perspectives, and I loved getting more of the story through the “podcast”. I think that the book was made so much stronger by the fact that characters were unreliable. I felt they were so vivid and so vibrant, and I loved how they all interacted with each other. Overall, so amazing.

Overall
If you haven’t figured it out by now – I loved this book. It was amazing and I definitely want to purchase it because WOW it absolutely blew my mind. I am so excited to read other books by this author. I really clicked with everything overall and I am so thrilled with this book!