Interesting plot, great setup with a good premise: freshly named prom queen Bailey had jumped from a bridge the night of the prom. Now all her classmates are adults and it is time to look back at the mystery, especially when the nosy true crime podcaster Hannah is in town, hoping for some dark secrets to reveal. Can former best friend Brooke, who had been abandoned by Bailey for more glitzy crowd of mean girls, find out what really happened that fateful night?

School mysteries and sleuthing in the past are my favourite trope, so I was very hopeful. But while the setup is great, as I have said, the execution is weak. The motives and the work with them is uneven; persons involved are very gullible and trusting to every word they hear without any reasonable doubt; the characters are one-dimensional. The last chapters bring a resolution that is quite weak in the terms of the absence of the real motive and the last chapter offers very unrealistic "plot twist".

A murder mystery that swaps to and from different times. My absolute favourite. This is written well and will keep you reading. I took this on holiday and read it in one day. The prologue sets the scene and the culprit seems obvious…..till you read the next chapter. Strong 4 stars.

I feel torn when it comes to this book. There were parts I loved and parts I really did not, so I feel I have to give a middling rating.
I loved the mystery element. I read a lot of mysteries and enjoy when I don't know what's coming. I love not knowing whodunnit or why. This book did keep me guessing right up until the end and I didn't see it coming
I disliked the characters though. The podcaster Hannah was the worst. Every single Hannah I've ever met has been an absolute delight. She brought shame to the name. I can't fathom why more people didn't tell her they'd sue her if she included them in her podcast. The rest of the characters were very one dimensional
I loved the switch between current day and 2003. It really was a great way of gently revealing more information
I disliked the way that the characters didn't seem to have matured during the time between the flashback and current day. I'm the same age as these characters and they definitely did not feel like peers
The epilogue felt like it was taken from a different book but I'd have enjoyed more of that kind of content
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I've read a couple of books by this author and couldn't get into the other but this was a thrilling read with good tension. I didn't see the twist coming at all.

I definitely enjoyed this book, Prom Queen by Laura Wolfe has being one of my favorites books I have read this far, the first chapter definitely pulled me in, there was not a single chapter that bore me, it is super easy to read, and this story is fast paced, it had a lot of mystery and who done it, this is a book I would recommend and that it is worth to re read many times.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for so graciously providing me qirh this e-ARC! I am very thankful and once read will update this review placeholder with my thoughts and also review on my Social medias.

A great book which kept me gripped throughout! It drew me in straight away & I was totally hooked & couldn't put it down until I was finished!

i LOVE a good mystery-thriller, so this was definitely something i couldn't put down; that being said, the writing was definitely lackluster. it felt very one dimensional: "this happened, then that happened, then she said this and then he said that". plot was fun, characters were greats, i just love a good mystery!

From the moment I saw the cover for Prom Queen I just had to read it. I mean that cover and title I just love it! And I am happy to report that I loved the book to. New author for me and I sure as hell wasn’t disappointed.

I was totally hooked from start to finish when we meet Brooke who returns to her hometown 20 years after her best friend was crowned Prom Queen and officially dyed from a tragic death. But Brooke is on a mission to find out what really happened to her friend.

Building the story upon layer by layer with chapters alternating between the past and present. Be prepared to be taken on a rollercoaster ride that will have you racing to the end for one shocking ending.

Prom Queen is what a psychological thriller is all about. It is full of twists and turns and characters I didn’t know who to trust. I loved everything about it and love that I have round a new author to read.

This is without a doubt a 5 star read. Grab yourself a copy on the link below.

Massive thank you to Noelle at Bookouture for inviting me to take part on this blog tour.

I enjoyed this book, the chapters were short and snappy and it kept in line with the characters over the time periods.

Enjoyed this book

Twenty years ago, prom queen Bailey was found dead by the train tracks. Officially, it was ruled as an accident despite the whole town thinking something fishy was happening. When her former best friend Brooke returns to the small town of Cove Haven to sell her mother’s house, she’s bombarded by a podcaster who is attempting to find out the truth behind Bailey’s passing. Not only is Brooke a suspect, but so is everyone else.

This was such a fun and quick YA suspenseful thriller. The small town vibes in this book were spot on, and it felt like a true whodunnit. I also really enjoyed the human aspects of this story. As a reader, you definitely got a peek behind the curtain on how Bailey’s passing affected everyone in the town. Every character seemed to have some kind of secret, and it kept the story moving along. This was a great popcorn thriller, and I would definitely pick up another book from this author!

Pretty entertaining book, but definitely not the best I've ever read. I enjoyed it but there were multiple, personal issues I had with parts of the story. I would say it's just okay.

I love that the thrills started right from the beginning of the book. This was a YA thriller that was full of suspense. I enjoyed the fast pace of the storyline, and I found myself very invested in the podcast. I love thrillers that feature podcasts, and this one didn't disappoint. I was hooked, and found myself fully invested in the characters. I was so anxious to know what happened and who the murderer was. I wasn't sure who or what to believe. There were a lot of twists and turns, and the dual timelines between the past and present was very well written.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book- such a page turner based upon a woman returning to her home town where an old tragedy lingers from her prom night when the prom queen and her best friend died- it seemingly is looking like murder and with all others in the area moving on with their lives who was responsible? Great story loved it

**Review of "Prom Queen" by Laura Wolfe**

Laura Wolfe's "Prom Queen" is a gripping young adult thriller that effectively captures the high stakes and intense emotions of high school life. Wolfe masterfully builds suspense around a prom night that promises more than just dance and romance, cleverly weaving a tale of mystery and intrigue that keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

The strengths of the novel lie in its robust character development and the vivid portrayal of teenage dynamics. Wolfe’s characters are relatable and well fleshed out, with the protagonist's journey being both compelling and emotionally resonant. The dialogue is sharp and feels authentic, echoing the voices of contemporary teenagers with precision and empathy.

Wolfe also excels in setting a vivid scene; the descriptions of the prom and the school create a familiar yet suspenseful backdrop for the unfolding drama. The plot itself is well-paced, mixing traditional elements of a teen thriller with fresh twists that avoid cliché and keep the narrative lively and engaging.

However, the novel occasionally suffers from predictability in some of its plot twists, which might leave readers looking for more originality slightly underwhelmed. Additionally, while the climax is thrilling, some aspects of the resolution come off as rushed, which might detract from the overall satisfaction of the story’s conclusion.

Overall, "Prom Queen" earns a solid four stars for its engaging plot, strong character arcs, and Wolfe’s knack for suspenseful storytelling. It’s a commendable addition to the YA thriller genre, offering both excitement and thoughtful commentary on high school life.

PHENOMENAL! Loved it! The perfect popcorn thriller that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. I couldn’t put it down and the plot twist was SO good.

This gave me Gone Girl vibes mixed with Pretty Little Liars. Hooked from the start and tore through the pages, brings you back to think about the people you once knew in high school. What do you think of those people now verses when you knew them in what seems like a previous life. Viewing certain situations as time has passed and people have grown can bring back memories and a new insight. Get ready for a roller-coaster of memories and new clues, twists and turns and an ending that I did not expect!

I was hoping this would be more of a thriller. It felt more like a YA mystery. I didn’t care for Hannah at all. I will give this author another read though. The pace was fast.

A brilliant read
Brooke returns to her home town and the scene of her best friends death Bailey she jumped in front of a train or did she
Lots of twists and turns thinking you know what has happened and then another twist comes along
A great page turner
Thanks NetGalley

#PromQueen #NetGalley
Twenty years ago, Bailey Maddox was found dead by the train tracks. Bailey had be crowned prom queen just hours before she was found dead. Bailey wasn't supposed to be the prom queen and someone was going to make her pay for it. Bailey and Brooke were best friends, they had a friendship necklace with their initials painted in nail polish on the back of the locket. When Bailey was found dead, her half of the necklace was found further down the train tracks, Bailey never took that necklace off. Bailey's death was ruled an accident, but her best friend Brooke knew it wasn't an accident. Someone wanted Bailey dead, but who? Bailey's death was ruled as a suicide, but Bailey would have never committed suicide. Did Bailey really jump in front of train or was she pushed? When Bailey tried out for the cheer team and made the squad, she made a new group of friends, Brooke didn't like that because she felt like she was losing Bailey to a group of girls that were only using Bailey. Prom Queen is told in an alternating POV from then, the night of prom and leading up to Bailey's death, and now to finally find justice for Bailey Maddox.
Twenty years after the death of Bailey Maddox, Brooke Webber has finally returned to her childhood home. Brooke's mom has passed away and now she's cleaning out her mom's house to put on the market. Brooke hasn't been home since Bailey's dead because it always brings back painful memories. When Brooke returns to her childhood hometown, she sees flashes of Bailey everywhere, a flash of Bailey's locket on a woman in a cafe. That woman would be Hannah. Hannah has her own podcast, "All The Dark Corners". Hannah is in town trying to find answers to Bailey's death, but as she's asking questions, she's digging up dark secrets and bringing back painful memories for those who were there the night of Bailey's death. As Brooke starts appearing on Hannah's podcast, she keeps finding little white notes every place she goes. Does someone believe Brooke killed Bailey? Brooke and Bailey didn't do the smartest things when they were teenagers, but who hasn't? Why would they want Brooke to disappear?
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me an advance copy.