Girls and Their Horses is Eliza Jane Brazier's best book yet! Set in the world of rich kids riding horseback in an elite stable - filled with tons of drama amongst both the adults and the kids, this is the type of book I called "deliciously devious" - and I loved every single page.

4.5 stars

Thank you to Berkley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Posh horse barn + nouveau riche + a dead body on page one = a nuanced mystery/thriller that I couldn’t put down all weekend.

We cycle among five characters’ perspectives, which made for rich character development. I didn’t love any of the characters—but I couldn’t hate them either. I was invested in every one, and kept trying to figure out the end (I didn’t, BTW). While I’m sometimes wary of books about rich people behaving poorly, Girls and Their Horses isn’t really about rich people (though wealth plays an integral role in how the characters interact with each other).

You don’t have to know anything about horses to enjoy this book, and I was propelled to keep reading. Thank you so much to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the digital review copy!

First, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for giving me an arc of this book. I have always been a horse girl so when I saw the description of this book, I knew I had to read it. The description that this is dance moms meets the horse world is the truest thing in the world. I really liked all the characters even ones who got to my nerves occasionally. All of the horse things were extremely correct and very well done which made me happy. I also liked the idea of that we see the police interviews and then we flash back into what was going on. it was fun to read those interviews and then to see what new clues we got about who the killer was and who died. I kind of guess who the killer was but I was surprised about who ended up being murdered. As someone who doesn’t read thrillers, I very much enjoyed this book.

I enjoyed the mystery element of this one. As a reader, you know right away that a body was found at the horse stalls, but you don’t know who. From there, the book flashes back and uses multiple POVs to reveal what transpired and who died.

This is a bit of a slow burn, but I didn’t mind. I was interested in the story. It depicts the good, bad, and ugly of excess wealth as well as how mothers who try to live vicariously through their children create toxic environments.

I didn’t really like any of the characters, so that was a bit of a barrier to overcome but I wanted to discover who died and how so I kept with it until the end.

I think if you’re a horse person and ride those beautiful animals and are familiar with that world, you’ll get even more from this story. I’m not, but still thought it was a fun read.

3.5/5 rounded up to 4

Welcome to the cutthroat world of showjumping. Money, rivalry, and dark secrets are front stage in this book where the only things you can trust are the horses. Buckle up, or rather, mount up for a wild ride to find out just who will stop at nothing to win.

I loved the multiple POV's and timelines. I was hooked right away and had to know who had done it! I give this one the blue ribbon. It would make a fantastic Netflix series.

This book is like the show Dance Moms but with horses!

Short Synopsis:
Heather Parker just moved with her filthy rich husband and two teenage daughters to California. They immediately immerse themselves into the horse world. There’s drama. There’s secrets. And oh yeah, a death.

My Thoughts:
My daughter is very into horses, but after reading this one, I’ll be thinking twice about putting her into regular riding classes. 🤣

I enjoyed learning about the horse world and all the drama. I was immersed and kept wanting to find out what happened. There were parts that felt a bit long, but the quick, short chapters offset that. All the characters are terrible. But terrible in a way you can’t look away from.

Read if You Like:
🐎 Horses
🐎 Dance Moms
🐎 Drama
🐎 Slow-burn mysteries
🐎 Teenagers behaving badly

Since I'm a woman who's loved horses since I was a girl, I was eager to read this book, and it gave me a good look at the inner-circle of having and showing the best jumpers. I was never at that place. I had horses more for trail riding.

The way the story unfolded from different points of view kept me wanting to read the next chapter to pick up the thread from a character. And the way the identity of the person who'd been killed was not revealed, added another level of urgency to the read.

The main characters of Heather, the mom and the two daughters, Piper and Maple, have character arcs that slowly develop as the story does. By the end of the book, they are all more fully developed than at the beginning, and perhaps that was part of the plan by the author. Even if it wasn't, it was a good technique, building a connection between character and reader that gets stronger.

This was an enjoyable read and the mystery is intriguing, as is the resolution.

Girls and Their Horses is a thriller set in the equestrian world filled with lies and deceit. At the center of the story is the Parker family, who recently moved from Texas after making a substantial amount of money. Heather was an aspiring rider in her past, so it has always been her passion to have her two daughters, Maple and Piper, have the life she never had. Now that they are loaded, she can buy them the best gear, training and horses. She can be a little pushy with her kids, but she may be out of her league when she shows up at RSFE demanding they let her daughters train. She can definitely afford it, but at what cost to her family? The other mothers are jealous of the Parkers wealth and influence. Pamela is the main ring leader and her daughter Vida is truly evil. They have blown through an inheritance and are hoping to manipulate the Parkers and the owner of the barn. This story dives into the high stakes world of horse riding and mothers trying to live out their dreams through their daughters. It’s a fast paced thriller with complex characters and a well thought out plot. I enjoyed this one and cannot wait to see what Brazier comes out with next!

This book is so similar to the format of Big Little Lies. It begins with a murder and people being interviewed. Then goes back and forth from events leading up to the death and interviews. But all in the world of horses! It was all about dynamics in horse racing with the haves and have-nots. The catiness is on another level!! This Mother’s Day I had to highlight the mothers in this book! They are manipulative, conniving and will stop at nothing to get the best for their daughters. We all want what’s best for our children right?? 🫣

Super entertaining and sharp. I didn't love it quite as much as Good Rich People, which had such a fun, oddball tone that really set it apart. But this book was fun and a page turner, and painted a very enticing picture of the world of horses,

Extravagant wealth. Competitive horse riding. A dead body in the stables. Giddy up!
GIRLS AND THEIR HORSES is an inside look at the cut-throat world of elite horse riding. The horse girls are mean, the rich moms are petty, and money can’t buy talent–but it sure does try.

Told from multiple perspectives, the story follows the Parker family as they move from Texas to an exclusive Southern California ranch. Desperate to fit in with the “barn moms'', Heather Parker purchases the best horse money can buy for her daughter. Their relentless pursuit for the competitive edge leads to a mysterious death. Detectives must uncover the truth buried in a tangled web of equestrian opulence .

I’m not a horse girl, but I loved being immersed in these stables full of secrets. The story went down easy (think Big Little Lies meets Heartland) and will make for perfect poolside reading. The stakes were high, the drama was juicy and nothing is more dangerous than mothers who stop at nothing to live vicariously through their children.

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DATE: June 6, 2023

Many thanks to Berkley for an electronic ARC and the opportunity to participate in the blog blitz. Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks the week of publication.

I’VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH TO TALK ABOUT “GIRLS AND THEIR HORSES” by Eliza Jane Brazier 📣👧🏻🐴

Berkley gifted me a galley of “Girls and Their Horses,” and I read it on a plane on New Year’s Eve. It’s out June 6, and yesterday @today called it a “thriller of the summer” and I 100% agree.

Before I hype this one anymore, a caveat: This is a fantastic book, but YMMV if you’re not a horse girl. I haven’t ridden regularly since college, but I identify as a horse girl and always will. This book married soapy suspense (my favorite genre!) with Joanna Campbell’s Thoroughbred series — the books that made me a reader. So I need you to understand that this is a very niche high, but IYKYK. If you’re a fan of @may_cobb’s East Texas dramas or @rachelkollercroft’s “Stone Cold Fox,” this one will be up your alley, regardless of your horse girl status.

This is the story of a new money family trying to make their way at an exclusive barn in Southern California. Heather desperately wants to fit in with the wine drinking barn moms, despite their mean-girl antics. But it’s show szn, the pressure is on, and by the end of summer, someone ends up dead.

You’re just along for the ride (heh) in this one. I love this author’s voice — “Good Rich People was also a wild ride! — and I could not get enough of the barn drama.

Who doesn't want to become part of the horse world? It is enticing, exciting, exhilarating, and highly competitive. Not just in the ring, but in the barn. Not just any barn, the barns that run millions of dollars to build and will cost you around $10,000.00 a month to board and ride there. Do I have your attention now? I used to ride horses when I was younger and in a completely different climate. Even then I knew horse people are not like normal people. Eliza Jane Brazier brought this element to life. It made you want the best, to be the best, and to not stop at any cost.

The Parker family has just arrived in California to start their new life. Their younger daughter Maple was dealing with traumatic bullying at her last school in Texas. They needed to get her out of the situation and California sounded perfect. Heather grew up riding horses and wanted that same experience for both her girls. Piper has already jumped ship on this idea since Heather is so intense and unrelenting. Maple is up for it and Heather knows just the barn they need to be a part of Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian. You can feel the money just driving up to the arenas needs to convince the head trainer and owner to let her daughters ride there. The best way to do that, money! This is not just any barn. There are sinister backstories that are galloping to come out. As someone ends up dead, you are left to wonder who...

This book wraps you up in everything nouveau riche. Messy mom friendships, mean girl attitudes, backstabbing, lies, deceit, barn love, soul crushing trainers, and the fear that you are not good enough. The anticipation of who was actually murdered drives you mad and you fly through the pages. Trying to guess who and why. Some of it you will figure out, but not all. Thank you to Eliza Jane Brazier and Berkley Books for my gifted copy.

GIRLS AND THEIR HORSES is another masterfully written suspense from Eliza Jane Brazier. I could not stop reading this one, not just because the plot is so compelling, but also because I recognized so many characters in this book from my own life. Not actual people— but any mother whose kids have participated in any sort of competitive sport or arts will recognize the women and girls on these pages. Brazier NAILS the portrait of mothers who turn a pastime into a lifestyle and their daughters who are trying to grow up at the same time they’re being groomed for dreams often not of their own making. GIRLS goes dark places, following a mother and daughter who go to extreme lengths to accomplish a goal that most people would never value. The book has as much to say about cultural values (or lack of them), familial relationships, and the corruption of wealth as it does about the horse world specifically, and Brazier delivers on both levels. Like her previous offerings, this book will live in your head a long time after you’ve finished it. A sharp, stellar, painfully insightful suspense, GIRLS AND THEIR HORSES is in a class of its own.

This is a book that I couldn't put down. Centered around a horse stable in a soap opera style are the horses and their owners and trainers. Relationships are explored between mothers and daughters and spouses. Filled with longing and angst. Veers off with some unlikely events towards the end but still a great read.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Another solid glimpse into the world of the extremely wealthy - Girls and their Horses follows the dark and seedy underbelly of the competitive horse world, where barn family replaces blood and sometimes, a little is spilled for the good of the family. It was, at times, a bit all over the place, but in general I enjoyed this twisted tale of people with too much money and an unhealthy obsession with horses.

Another high tension, high drama story from Eliza Jane Brazier! I know nothing about horses or the horse world, so this was a fascinating look into that subculture. Brazier writes about the horses with such tenderness and the humans with such sharp, unflinching observations. No one in this story is especially likable, but they are all compelling and nuanced. I could not stop turning the pages!

As someone who has ridden horses since they were 3 years old, never has a book resonated more with me! Brazier does a phenomenal job capturing the joy, drama, and chaos that comes with owning and competing horses, all while creating captivating characters. It has been a long time since I have read a book where I despised SO. MANY. CHARACTERS. but still couldn't put the book down. I'll be recommending Girls and Their Horses to anyone who is willing to listen.

When the Parkers suddenly become insanely rich, Heather immediately decides to move the family to California, away from her husbands mistress and her youngest daughters bullies. While Piper is no longer interested, Maple will do anything to be good enough for her mom. Thrown into the world of horses, barns, and their incredibly rich owners, the entire family quickly becomes enmeshed in the horse world. When someone ends up dead, the perfect world of Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian starts to crumble.

Whew, the horse world is crazy y’all! Like seriously, these people are cut throat. My heart broke a little for Maple, she just wanted to be liked, included, and loved by her mom and continued to do something she wasn’t passionate about to please her mothers wishes. This book kept me flipping the pages wondering not only who ended up dead, but how and why. Was it one of the girls? Heather for being too overbearing? Douglas for sleeping with too many women connected to the barn? Pamela for not having enough money? The end left me wanting just a bit more, but I still really enjoyed this one!

Brazier has gifted us with an addictive and unputdownable suspense. This is an expose on the elite world of teen horse competitions and you will never look at horse riders the same. Brazier’s characters, with their vast array of predilections and bad habits, absolutely come alive and jump off the page. On page one, we learn that there is a murder, but we have no idea who or why until the very end, which reveals twist upon twist. This is a fun, fast-paced and highly entertaining read for fans of Megan Abbott and Megan Miranda.

I loved Brazier’s 2022 release, Good Rich People so I've been dying to read Girls and Their Horses!

Girls and Their Horses is centered around the newly rich Parker family. The Parker family is looking for a fresh start for their newly lavish lifestyle, so they relocate from Texas to an exclusive community in Rancho Santa Fe. The mother of the family Heather grew up around horses and she intends to give her two teenage daughters, Piper and Maple, the equestrian life she never had.

Heather soon signs the girls up for lessons at a local stable with more upscale clientele called Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian. Soon the Parkers become embroiled with the group at the stables and also become entangled with both mean girls and mean mom cliques, barn romances, and lots of dark secrets. The girls are under a lot of pressure and the mothers will stop at nothing to get their daughters ahead. But before the summer is over, the barn life becomes lethal and someone ends up dead.

As a resident of the horse capital of the world (Kentucky), I am pretty familiar with the equestrian world. I know not only how competitive horse people are, but also how much money goes into the sport. Brazier captured the equestrian world perfectly.

Competitive stage moms, backstabbing friends, a sleazy trainer, and a suspenseful murder mystery are just a few highlights of this story. We are introduced to a variety of complex characters who become more emotionally charged as the story progresses. The helicopter moms and their bratty kids have so much at stake when it comes to the competitions, and I found myself fully engrossed in their stories.

I'm happy to say that this thrilling page-turner lived up to my high expectations and even exceeded them! This is my second five star read by Eliza Jane Brazier so I automatically put her on my list of auto-buy authors.

Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier will be available on June 6. A massive thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted copy!