When I read the blurb for this, I just knew I had to read it. A modern-day "locked room" mystery but in a 1920s setting? That sounded awesome!

However, while the storyline itself is pretty well done, and I definitely did not see all the twists and turns coming, it was really difficult to like any of the characters, especially after their friend has been murdered and they just... don't really seem to care all that much. I know they're all eighteen and literally just graduated from high school, but their reactions just didn't make sense to me at all.

The flashbacks got a little confusing as well, because they aren't in chronological order, and while the "now" narrative is first-person present tense from Izzy's POV, the flashbacks are third-person past tense from various characters' POVs, depending on what's being described/explained. That made it a bit jarring to follow along, especially when we learn things from another character's flashback that Izzy doesn't know about in the present, so it almost feels like a continuity error at first read until you remember that the "main character" during that flashback wasn't her.

There's also a "consulting detective" involved in the case who seems like the author's attempt to create her own Sherlock Holmes/Hercule Poirot, albeit female. There's a lot of attention given to her but not the actual homicide detective, so at times, it felt like this was almost supposed to be a "backdoor pilot" of sorts for that character, and though Izzy is the main character of this book, we'll actually be following the consulting detective in future books as she's called in/asks to investigate a particular crime.

After finding out this was a debut, I felt a little bit better about it, as this author definitely has potential, and I would be interested in reading whatever she comes up with next (and seeing if my theory about the consulting detective being the common thread holds true). Though I hope it's a little more organized and the characters are a bit more tolerable than this one.

3 stars

**I received a free copy from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and comments contained within are my own.**

I adored this one! The characters, the setting, the murder! It was great. I adored this one! The characters, the setting, the murder! It was great.

This book was okay... I liked the twists in it, but it was a little too far fetched and I wasn't a big fan of how it ended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

This is just not for me. The switch in past vs present but also going from third to first person made it really confusing to follow and get into the story

The first 1/3 was kind of boring and the main character feels like she has no personality. Most of the characters only traits were that they’re rich.

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

This book was full of twists and turns. I loved the 1920’s party vibe that was happening in the background of the story. The mystery in the book was very well done and it had me guessing throughout the book. The cast of characters all had skeletons in their closets and motive for murder. This felt like a game of Clue and was a fun read.

Loved this.
Genious setting and amazing 1920s vibe - perfect for a little murder.
Even though I saw the murder from a mile away, I don´t hold that against the book - I´m no longer the target audience - and the set-up of the book and the plot are just masterful.

A unique and interesting locked room thriller that kept me intrigued but overall a little disappointed in the predictability of the twists and turns.

2 stars!

I was unfortunately very disappointed in this book for so many reasons. Anything compared to Knives Out is an auto read for me, and then mix in a locked room mystery and I'm absolutely sat. However, I felt like the mystery in this book was honestly not that great, and I felt uncomfortable at times that these were only high schoolers.

I think one place where this book really suffered was the characters. No one really had any personality trait except being rich, except for the guy who wanted to be an olympic rower. I thought the 1920s aspect was going to be more integrated into this, but you honestly could've taken that part out and the book would've been the exact same.

I also don't feel like anyone (except the killer) had any motive for committing the murder so when it was explained I was like yep. I also strongly disliked the main romantic subplot (I did not find the man compelling nor did I believe they liked each other), and the main character Izzy didn't actually figure things out but instead just listened in on the detectives.

Finally, don't even get me started about the end of the book. (Minor spoilers ahead) The grooming storyline??? The victim blaming??? The detective knowing who Izzy was the whole time??? That definitely docked the story down for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love a good locked room thriller! This book kept me guessing and turning those pages. The last 3rd of the book was very action packed. I enjoyed it!

This was an interesting graduation celebration turned murder mystery. It's intriguing and has twists and turns at every corner. It makes you question who the real killer is and what the real motive is.

With comps like One of Us Is Lying and Knives Out, this book has a lot to live up to—and Muñoz delivers! The atmosphere is stellar and there’s plenty of suspicious motives to go around. Suddenly a Murder is a fun and compelling locked room mystery that nods to classics like Agatha Christie while weaving in hard-hitting modern issues. Looking forward to Lauren Muñoz's next book!

Thank you Penguin Teen and PRH Audio for the free advanced copy!

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

A 1920s theme party with an added murder? Sounds like a recipe for a great read! This is about a group of friends that have recently graduated high school and apart from some teen drama, life is going pretty well. Until someone is discovered dead in their room! I'm not usually a fan of mystery without more thrilling aspects, but this one was good. I'm not sure if I liked the ending, but that makes for a more interesting book sometimes, doesn't it?

This book was not what I expected. In a good way. The mystery was well written. The characters were interesting and written in a believable manner.

This was a difficult one to rate. I'm going with to go with a 3.5

Suddenly a Murder is debut YA thriller/mystery that primarily follows the narrative of Isadora Morales as she heads out on a trip with other friends to celebrate graduating high school. They decide to spend time at the famous manor while completely immersing themselves in a 1920s theme. While there, Blaine, the boyfriend of Izzy's best friend, is murdered. As the characters go through intensive questioning by the police, readers are left trying to figure out who could have killed him when they all had a motive to do so.

What Worked: The writing is extremely accessible which made it an easy book to get through. I also enjoyed the 1920s theme mixed in with an atmosphere that felt like a mix of Agatha Christie and the game Clue. The reveals were actually quite shocking. Munoz did an excellent job having me believe that certain relationships existed between characters when nothing really did. It took me a while to figure out how the dots of the story connected together and who could have murdered Blaine. I appreciated the cultural and social commentary that Munoz mixed in with Izzy's storyline. It's needed and definitely mirrors the comments made by Munoz in a Publisher's Weekly interview. Munoz also made a creative decision with the writing that initially threw me off, but slowly became something that I appreciated. There are sections of the book that take place in the present and others that take place in the past. When readers work through those different sections, they'll notice that the point of view changes. The present is written in first person and the past is written in third person. It was an adjustment in the beginning, but I LOVED how this creative decision pulls the reader in and out of the story, creating a feeling of both distance and closeness as one progresses through the narrative.

What Didn't Work: I struggled with one part of the reveal and how a minor was held accountable for actions that should have been shouldered by the adult. I think that the reaction was out of anger and wanting to hold Blaine responsible for his actions; however, I think that it came off a little as victim-blaming which isn't, in my opinion, the view of the author, but a distraught character trying to process the issues caused by Blaine. I get the intent, but it reads a strangely in some ways.

Overall, this was a solid read. I'm looking forward to seeing what Munoz writes in the future. It's nice to see a new, diverse voice writing thrillers/mysteries for a young adult audience.

I love a good who done it trapped someone where with friends and the knowledge one of them did it. And I loved this one. But Kassidy! I felt for her and tragic end. Hands down worst part about this book. Leading up to it was fantastic though.

“𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝.”

I love a locked-room mystery! Lauren Muñoz’s debut delivers as a fun contemporary YA tribute to the genre.

The gorgeous cover and the setting of the book (on a private island in Ashwood Manor that was once a film set) had me sold. Wealthy popular girl Kassidy organizes an immersive 1920s experience for a group of classmates to celebrate their graduation from high school, like Clue come to life. Each character has a secret they didn’t want getting out, most of which were clever and felt appropriate to the teen characters (STIs, deportation, cheating, unrequited love, grief) and also made for interesting social commentary. I liked how Muñoz balanced each person with both unlikeable and likeable qualities - showing how people aren’t all completely one thing or another. Consulting detective Pilar de Léon reminded me of a female Benoit Blanc from Knives Out - eccentric and a bit flamboyant in presentation but sharp and incredibly observant. I liked how the secret passages were used to have Izzy listening in on the police interviews, as a clever way to give the reader information. The final reveals and clearing up of lies in the library with a storm raging outside provided some really good twists I didn’t see coming! I did struggle with the friendships amongst the group - I wish it had felt like they were closer so that not only the death had more of an impact, but also the final reveal.

Suddenly A Murder is a story of grit, pressure, grudges, and loyalty. It would make for a really good mini-series, and it is nice to see a diverse voice in YA mysteries. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for whatever Muñoz writes next. Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the digital copy!

I enjoyed this book. If you like thrillers, you'll likely have a good time reading this book. Good story, well written.

I didnt get a chance to leave a full review before the publication date, however I did read this one and gave it 3 stars