I picked this book up because the blurb said One Of Us Is Lying meets Knives Out. It did not dissapoint. I love the locked room trope and with 6 suspects to pick from I could not turn the pages fast enough. I was on the edge of my seat until the very end because everyone had a motive. Why did Izzy bring the knife? This book is a must read!

I loved this. I loved Izzy's character and her relationship with Kassidy. Thank you for the arc netgalley.

Pitched as One of Us is Lying meets Knives Out, Suddenly a Murder is a YA isolated closed circle mystery that takes a lot of inspiration from Golden Age mysteries wow interrogating some of the racial and social injustices of that era and of today’s society.

I thought the idea was good and the book kept me turning pages, which is a quality that I look for in a good mystery novel. However, the pacing was inconsistent. The story flips back-and-forth between first person, present, and past third person, and in the past timelines we get back story from all of the teenagers that are currently on the island. I found that to be disjointed, especially in the beginning. I also didn’t love that our main characters method of gathering clues was just sitting in a secret passage, listening to the police interviews. And I couldn’t figure out if she was meant to be the detective character or if we were supposed to be seeing how she covered up her crime, which I think was maybe the point, but I didn’t like it. There were also some twists at the end that I could see being divisive, like I see where the author is coming from, but I’m not sure it fully came together for me, and I think it will work for some readers, but for others not so much.

3.5 stars rounded up!

This was a fast-paced and enjoyable murder mystery! The immerse 1920s/Gatsby-esque setting was done well and almost. felt like a character in the story. Suddenly a Murder is a story about 7 teens who embark on a post-graduation weeklong party, with every moment carefully curated to replicate the 1920s and two of the participants' favorite film. But, someone winds up dead and one of the friend group did it! I did eventually guess part of the final twist, but parts of it still surprised me. Overall, this was a fun read and I think it will really appeal to my students who like mysteries, but don't want the frequent body count/gore that often comes with books that lean more to the thriller/almost horror side.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

3.5 stars 🌟

This was a very fun murder mystery. I enjoyed the setting, the 1920s party theme was really fun, and the characters are interesting. The story was engaging and it kept me guessing until the very end. While I did eventually figure out who did it, I was certainly not prepared for the why. I will say that the story did leave me with a few unanswered questions. I really would have liked a little more at the end, maybe an epilogue to see the aftermath and wrap some things up, but overall it was a very enjoyable book!


Thank you, Lauren Muñoz, Penguin Young Readers Group, and NetGalley, for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

The title of this book is so fitting. This is a YA murder mystery. Izzy and 6 others get to spend a week on a small island after graduation for a 1920s themed party. Tensions are already high when Izzy’s best friend’s boyfriend is found dead. Tensions get even higher when investigators arrive on scene.

This locked room mystery was so much fun. I honestly thought I had it figured out but nope! I was wrong. My only issue with this book was the POVs changing. I did get a bit confused a few times, but once I got used to that I was fine. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good murder mystery! 4 stars from me. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC.

Suddenly…eventually…things happen…not a lot. Not much to care about. I would like to go on about this less because going on more makes it seem like there is something to cart about…characters…plot…anything. Alas…no.

What could be a better graduation party than a 1920's themed week at an island estate where your favorite murder movie was filmed? That is what Kassidy planned for her best friends, but the week turned deadly as her boyfriend is killed. As the police and the friends investigate, they realized every person had a reason to kill him, but who did it and why? Izzy Morales, Kassidy's best friend, tries desperately to figure it who since she is the one who brought the knife to the island. This will be added to my first order for school! Thank you netgalley & Putnam & Sons for the egalley-- order yours now!

When senior Cassidy throwss the 1920s style party at the fluent home of her favorite old movie it seems she invited everyone who had an ax to grind with her boyfriend Blaine and although this wasn’t her intention when he wound up dead the cops had a hard time figuring out who did it. Throughout the book the reader thinks they know but I was shocked as I am when not knowing the twist in any book. From Rick standoffish heartthrob Marlow to Chloe athlete Allison life of the party Ferguson even Cassidy‘s not so rich best friend is a Dora everyone has a motive and although the first 20% of the book I found myself getting bored but once the murder happens the book becomes Uber interesting. The book mainly focuses on Isadora who also shared a secret with Blaine and seems to be driven to be in on the investigation as I have said in many reviews teen thrillers or one of my favorite genres and although at first I thought this book was going to disappoint it really came through in the end it is a book I highly recommend any solid four-star read. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for my free ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I really liked the setting of this story--themed locked-room mysteries are so much fun. The characters and their relationships were fun, and the murder mystery itself was well-plotted and a fun ride. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this and I would love to read more in this world and/or from this author! Great vibes, great characters, and great mystery!

suddenly A Murder is a clever locked room mystery story with interesting characters, social dynamics, and an interesting murder mystery. This book is exactly what you would expect from a YA book featuring a murder mystery.

This was a fun little thriller and while I think after a bit you knew who was getting murdered and who was the murderer it was still interesting and a fun take on the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the ARC of this book!

YA murder mystery set in remote location is right up my alley. It's Knives Out meets Gossip Girl. A group of mostly rich kids go to a remote old mansion to have a graduation party before everyone leaves for college. Tensions are high and one of them is murdered. Detectives come to investigate, one being a Benoit Blanc-esque consultant who has taken an interest in this case for unknown reasons. The book flips back and forth from present day/post murder to the months/days leading up to the trip to help us peace together what each of the students is like and who could possibly want one of their friends dead. It kept me guessing for most of the book since so many people would have a motive. I enjoyed finding all the clues that lead to the reveal of the murderer and their reasons. A fun and quick murder mystery.

First - what a fun title for a book! And this book truly was a fun murder mystery to read. I loved the vibes it gave off, as if it was really set in the 1920s. The author did a great job setting the scene and tone for the book. I really wasn’t sure what the ending was going to be either, so I liked that I was a bit surprised. I was in the mood for a book I could devour fast, and this totally fit the bill.
This book is great if you like young adult and mysteries - especially murder mysteries!

Thanks NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC of this book!

Suddenly A Murder was the perfect read for me.

A 20’s themed graduation party? Who wouldn’t jump at that chance. Oh and it’s at a famous manor where movies were made long ago. Count me in!

Izzy and her friends are excited to wear themed clothes and stay in the manor for a last hurrah. All is great till someone dies. 😱

This is a classic ‘clue’ whodunnit and we have to figure it out. I didn’t guess correctly and I truly loved this book!

Give me all the premises like this. What a debut! Can’t wait to see what’s next for this author! Thanks for my early copy.

I am in love with this book. The mystery is awesome and the plot twists were genuinely surprising. Also I was so proud of the main character by the end. She is incredibly likeable. I loved the mystery.

To celebrate the end of high school a group of friends getaway to a glamorous manor and throw a 1920s party. Everything is going well until one friend winds up dead and the investigators determine murder. But they’re isolated on an island….so who committed the crime?

This gave me big Karen McManus or Good Girls Guide to Murder vibes, however the execution wasn’t there like with those books. I found the timelines and POVs were all over the place and really confusing at times. I did like how at the beginning the author sets it up so you think you know what’s going to happen but of course you don’t. Overall, it’s an easy read but I wasn’t super intrigued and was left pretty bored throughout.

I was not expecting some of the plot twists in this!

I liked the criticisms of rich kid culture that I felt were fairly prevalent throughout the story, I thought they applied well to the characters and to our current culture. My personal favorite character was our lovely protagonist Izzy Morales, she didn't have the whiny attitude I've grown to hate in YA main characters, and I appreciated her "get it done" attitude.

All in all it was a good mystery to pass the time and I don't regret reading it in the slightest!

🌟: 4.5/5
I've seen so many people describe this book as a YA version of Knives Out, and that feels completely accurate. There were so many wonderful twists and turns throughout the story, some I was able to predict, some that caught me more off-guard. I loved the backdrop of the 1920s-themed party, it added such a fun element to the mystery. Each character in the story has their secrets, and the combination between first-person POV in the present with third-person POV flashbacks allowed them to unfold in such a natural way, and had me flying through the pages from start to finish. Overall this is a mystery that I completely recommend if you love whodunit mysteries with a colorful cast of characters who all have something to hide.

Izzy’s extremely wealthy best friend Kassidy throws them and there friends a graduation party for the ages-a full immersion 1920’s themed week long celebration. But when Kassidy’s long term boyfriend is murdered, and the police arrive, suddenly the party is over and everyone if s suspect.

This book has so much going for it. There’s friendship, romance, suspense, scares, opulence, and even a Hercule Poirot mixed with Miss Marple-type character who accompanies the detective. The author cleverly plays with substantial red herrings from the very start, and the ending was one I did not see coming. I would recommend this book.