Four teens, a car crash, and consequences none of them ever expected. After a party before the start of school Spencer Sandoval and her boyfriend Ethan as well as another school mate Tabby and their friend Chris all get into a car accident, Chris is pronounced dead, Spencer has no memory of that night, and Ethan is being sent to prison and blamed for Chris’s death. When Spencer wakes up in the hospital she has no memory of what happened that night or what occurred during the crash. The only thing she knows is that there is something more going on and that Ethan is not the one to blame. Yet the more she looks into it the more secrets and betrayals are revealed and then there is also the fact that someone does not want her to remember what actually happened. Spencer is determined to regain her memory and find out who is truly to blame but she soon discovers that she broke up with Ethan that very night and that they had been fighting because she caught him cheating on her and that both Chris and Tabby are not as innocent as they seem and have their own secrets. Yet the question remains, what actually happened? The story is also set among the backdrop of a elite LA Private school where money can get you far ahead and there also happens to be a special honor roll list known as the Headmaster’s List that students strive to get on... and three of the people in the car were on it and the one person who wasn’t died... There also happens to be a crime podcast occurring that is covering the case as Spencer investigates it too, and with the help of a very sweet service dog named Ripley ( after Aliens) and Ethan’s best friend Jack, Spencer will get down to the bottom of this case no matter what. This was an okay mystery read, the podcast format was meh and kind of irritating to get back and forth on, and I was kind of expecting more from this mystery and it felt a bit anti-climatic to me. It definitely gives off One of Us is Lying vibes and I think if you enjoy a mystery about teens then definitely give it a go, it just was a bit underwhelming for me.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This was a fun read, but ultimately, it didn't leave a huge impression. I guessed both of the major twists fairly early in the book, and even if the author didn't change them, I think she could have done more to layer them. The majority of the plot and characters felt pretty surface-level, and while it was an engaging read, it could have been more suspenseful.

I'm a huge fan of Melissa de la Cruz and I loved how dark The Headmaster's list is. Perfect for fans of Diana Urban and Kyla Zhao. The Headmaster's List is incredibly gripping.

This was an entertaining read full of your typical tropes. Most of the characters are well developed, especially the main character, Spencer. The addition of Ripley was a heart warmer. As far as being a mystery, it does not have a lot of suspense. Most readers will figure out what happened from the beginning. There are a couple of twists at the end that some may not see coming but they are not all that astonishing. The foreshadowing could have been a little less purposeful and more subtle to give the reader more of a shock.

Thank you, Net Galley, for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was an interesting murder mystery. I liked it even though I find myself struggling to like the genre's tropes: obsessive teens, clueless parents, the token little sister, the podcaster, clueless police who don't do their job, the 'twist' that ends up not being THE twist.

De La Cruz manages to do all of the above, but she is more likable than some of her author contemporaries. The main character of the novel is a likable, smart POC who cannot remember the night that her boyfriend's car crashed going 120 mph and killed a 15 year old boy in the back seat. She starts to investigate the crash at the same time that her boyfriend goes on trial for manslaughter.

Here is the issue: I figured it out within the first page. The twist was so obvious. I was almost annoyed to the point that I couldn't read anymore. I don't feel like they even tried to hide what really happened that night. It's clear that the author and publisher knew it, so they have added in a secondary twist, that was STILL not that shocking. True, you have some teens that are new to the genre that would have no idea, but I think there are many teens who are smart enough to figure it out.

And that is the issue with the entire teen murder mystery genre. The adults are all idiots who are genuinely horrible people. (I actually wanted to hurt the headmaster in the second chapter.) The students are all accidentally on drugs or are allowed to act outrageously. The mysteries are never really mysteries.

So, that is my review. This novel by Melissa de la Cruz was mediocre, but still better than that of her contemporaries.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the premise is good, plot is intriguing, and characters are well-developed. On the other hand, it wasn't as suspenseful as it could have been and it felt like something was missing. It was an enjoyable read, however it did not make a lasting impact.

The Headmaster’s List succeeds in portraying teen life in a realistic manner. Where many authors fall short, de la Cruz creates a world that feels true to Gen Z without being an overly dramatic, Euphoria-style universe. Where the book falls flat to me is in the execution of the mystery plot; when relying on a character with memory loss it can either enhance the plot or impair the reader’s experience: this story does the latter. Overall this was a fun read, but not something I would recommend to mystery or suspense fans.

Being on the headmasters list at her prestigious school is something that Spencer has worked hard for earning a 4.9 GPA and a reputation for never giving up. That all is out in jeopardy when a horrific car crash leads to her being injured and the loss of a classmates life. Now her ex boyfriend is on trial for the accident and she has no memory of the evening! She knows something isn’t right though and as she tries to get her memories back and try to keep her ex out of jail one thing becomes abundantly clear, someone wanted to hurt the people on The Headmaster’s List. A fun read with a podcast feel.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this advanced copy. The Headmaster’s List was a fast paced read. I enjoyed this book so much, but I feel like it could of gone a different way. The title and plot of this story could of easily played out in a different way. Also, I seen where people compared it to Riverdale but I never understood that connection.

I’m going to be in the minority here but I just didn’t love it. I figured out the “twist” at the very beginning so the whole book dragged for me. It just didn’t feel like too much was going on and it wasn’t thrilling or suspenseful. Sadly, this book just wasn’t for me. All opinions stated are solely my own. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review.

Intriguing high school characters involved in a car crash makes for an exciting and propulsive read. Utterly captivating. A must read.

The Headmaster's List is Melissa de la Cruz's first foray into YA mystery, and begins with a car crash. Spencer, a star lacrosse player and academic overachiever on the headmaster's list at her prep school, has lost her memory of the crash, but she does know two things: her newly ex-boyfriend was driving the car and a boy died in the crash. But since she can't remember anything and her ex is going on trial for manslaughter, Spencer is determined to find out what really happened that night. Her ex might be a fast driver, but he's not reckless and he definitely wouldn't drive drunk...would he? So Spencer dives into the underbelly of her prep school, digging for answers with her ex-boyfriend's best friend at her side.

For a first attempt at YA mystery this is a solid read. I was invested in the characters and wanted to know how the mystery would unfold. I also felt the stakes raised at the appropriate places and I never felt out of the loop of the narrative. There are a few twists at the end that are resolved nicely, although I definitely saw at least two of them coming so I wouldn't say they're totally knock-you-out-of-your-seat. Still a fun read and will recommend.

You have to love a book with a murder podcast involved…this book had a good plot line, and a couple good plot twists to even it out. The pace was good, and it ended up being a quick read since it was highly engaging.

This book was such a good one with a twist up to the very end! I read this one in just one setting. I have read some of the author’s works before and this one did not disappoint.

Spencer, a scholarship student at an exclusive prep school, has made the Headmaster's List: the list for the best of the best - the most academically gifted, the most athletically successful and the most contributors to service learning projects and activities. Spencer has worked hard to make the list and has her future perfectly mapped out. When she makes the decision to attend a party at the last minute, her world comes crashing down around her. The party results in a tragic accident that leaves one student dead and one going to jail. The accident leaves Spencer injured and without a memory of the evening. Her flashbacks of that fateful night leave her feeling as though the police have missed a key piece of evidence in what really happened.

This was a great, twisty read - well written and a bit of a departure from de la Cruz's fantasy genre in which she usually writes. I would recommend this title to fans of Karen McManus.

I figured there would be a twist at the end, but was almost to the end before I figured it out. The nonbinary character, 'Tabby, seemed contrived and there was really not a reason for them to be as pointedly identified as nonbinary except to have a diverse character in the book. In fact, in this galley copy, the pronoun identifiers "slipped" several times. All in all, though, a good book that will be enjoyed by fans of this genre.

Thanks Netgalley and Roaring Brook Press for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I very much enjoyed this book especially as the characters started digging into the mystery! Spencer wakes up in the hospital she was in an accident where her boyfriend was driving. He and another passenger weren’t hurt but a boy died. Spencer can’t remember anything but flashes from the party they’d been at before the accident or the accident itself. Now as her ex has been arrested for manslaughter due to reckless driving, the flashes she gets tell her something is not right. She’s determined to get her memories back and with help of her exes best friend Jackson she’ll stop at nothing to get answers even as someone starts threatening her to stop looking. Can she find answers before something bad to her? Is something happening with Jackson?I enjoyed Spencer’s determination to find her missing memories! I did feel the story to a little bit to start really getting into the mystery, I think it really started to pick up about a quarter of the way through! After that I was hooked and couldn’t put it down! Ethan (the ex) was a character I couldn’t decide if I liked… he was a turd but also could have been worse. And the ending took me by completely surprise I hadn’t seen that coming at all! I should say the very ending, the part before that wasn’t a complete surprise and tied in with the story nicely! If you like twisty mysteries you should definitely check this one out!

One of us is lying meets Gossip Girl/ Riverdale crossover : such a gripping, exciting, unputdownable YA mystery!

Los Angeles, the home of rich and famous : is shaken with the scandalous and tragic incident takes place at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Benedict Canyon: a terrible car accident resulted with the death of fifteen years olsa Chris Moore: a honorable student of Armstrong Prep!

Three other teenagers were also in the car. Two of them survived with minor injuries including the driver and Tabby Hill the loner of the school.

Black Porsche 911 Targa was driven by Ethan Amoroso: who crashed at high speed, shredding the car into ribbons.

His girlfriend who caught him in the act cheating her with their classmate Hailey: high achiever- A grade student Spencer Sandoval: seriously injured, having a concession, sent to critical care!

Spencer tries too hard to fill the blanks in her memory. Ethan is already charged for reckless driving and child endangerment: he will probably spend more time in jail and this is not the first accident resulted with tragedy he got involved into!

All of those students in the car are on Headmaster’s List: only a few students are chosen every year at Armstrong Prep: private school for rich and soon to be famous nestled among green lawns of movie stars and moguls in the hills. If you are chosen to be Headmaster List, you’ll be guaranteed to be accepted by any Ivy League college!

Ethan has been sober, already sent to rehabilitation camp before and learned his lesson well! So why would he drive under influence and risk his entire future?

Spencer still suffers from PTSD and nightmares about the accident night! The last thing she remembers is catching Ethan cheating on her and their big fight! Did somebody put drugs in her drink?

But why did she accept to be in the same car with Ethan after their breakup and why Tabby and Chris were with them?

Peyton Salt is famous podcaster exploiting Ethan’s situation to earn more audiences and popularity, forcing her connections to reach crime scene photos and juicy information about the case’s progression. She is determined to crucify Ethan: because he’s rich, spoiled and he always gets away with the misdemeanors he’s get involved!

Spencer is still pissed off but she still cannot believe Ethan can be killer. She has to find out what just happened at the accident night with the help of Ethan’s best friend Jackson Chan who is caring, patient guy, helping her to prove Ethan’s innocence!

The pacing was fast and intriguing! You devour this riveting page turner in one sitting! The book absolutely keeps you in your toes! Final twists and revelations were perfectly executed!
Ripley the dog was my favorite character!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/ Roaring Book Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.