"The One That Got Away with Murder" is a gripping thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Set in the affluent backdrop of Happy Valley, the story revolves around the enigmatic Crestmont brothers, Robbie and Trevor, who seem to have it all—looks, wealth, and charm. However, beneath their polished exterior lies a dark secret: a string of mysterious deaths surrounding their ex-girlfriends.

Author Trish Lundy masterfully crafts a tale of suspense and intrigue as we follow Lauren O'Brian, the new girl in town with her troubled past. She finds herself entangled in a dangerous liaison with Robbie Crestmont. As the plot thickens, Lauren discovers damning evidence that points to Robbie's involvement in the deaths, throwing her into a perilous dilemma.

What sets this novel apart is its expertly woven web of secrets and lies, keeping readers guessing until the very end. The character development is superb, with each figure harboring hidden agendas and motivations. Every persona adds depth and complexity to the narrative, from the affluent elite to the outsider looking in.

The pacing is relentless, with twists and turns at every corner, ensuring that the reader remains captivated throughout. As danger lurks closer, tensions escalate, culminating in a shocking climax that will leave you breathless.

Overall, "The One That Got Away with Murder" is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. With its compelling storyline, well-drawn characters, and heart-pounding suspense, it will stay with you long after you've turned the final page. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a thrilling ride into the dark heart of secrets and betrayal.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ARC, these opinions are my own. This sounded really good and I’m so glad it was! Lauren has spent the summer hooking up with Robbie. She’s refused to get any closer than that since the fire that drove her from California. But then, at a party, she learns that everyone views Robbie as a murderer. Not only that but they also think his brother Trevor is a murderer too. Both had a girlfriend that died and both happened to be the only ones around at the time. There was never enough evidence to convict them though, and with their family being wealthy it’s not really a surprise. Lauren decides she’s going to find out what happened to both girls, especially after finding evidence that indicates Robbie may have done it. But lines get complicated the more time she spends with him. She’s also facing a lot of hate from her soccer team for spending time with murderers. On top of that her mom’s new boyfriend is around all the time. Are Robbie and Trevor innocent? Or are they the killers everyone believes them to be? Can Lauren escape the fire of her past? And just how dangerous is looking into the two deaths? This one had me hooked! I planned on just listening during downtime at work but I was sucked in and had to finish it! I was so intrigued by the concept of these two brothers both being accused of murder! There were so many time that I thought I’d figured out a piece just to be wrong! Also so many believable suspects that it’ll keep you guessing! And Lauren’s past makes for an interesting side story that will have readers craving to know more! Helen Laser and Joshua Quinn do an excellent job narrating the book as well! Highly recommend for mystery lovers!

Way too fast paced to really let the plot or characters develop. I think the author has good ideas, but this book feels rushed.

I love a good thriller! I really enjoyed this YA Thriller written by Trish Lundy.
This story focuses on Lauren, the new girl in the town of Happy Valley who just moved from California. Lauren is coming to Happy Valley in hopes of leaving her past in California behind, and enjoying finishing her senior year of high school, and playing soccer. Before Lauren starts high school in the fall, she meets Robbie Cresmont who works at the medical facility Lauren's mother is a nurse at. Soon after starting her senior year, Lauren discovers that the Cresmont family has a reputation, and rumors swirl around the family because of two young girl bodies have been found near the Creswell estate. Lauren's name is dragged and rumors about Lauren's past are used to discredit her, and that she is disliked by others because of her relationship with Robbie.
I really enjoyed this YA thriller, and I liked that you could not figure out who the murderer was until the end. I also liked that the ending tied everything together and did not leave the reader hanging. It will all make sense, and you will enjoy following the trail of clues with Lauren.
Thank you Net galley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to review this book. I recommend this book if you love a great YA thriller.

TW: so many Penn State mentions in this book! #HailToPitt 🤭

This was a fun, thrilling murder mystery. The audiobook had some pacing issues in between transitions that got old, fast, but I truly enjoyed this book.

SPOILER!!!
The red herrings totally got me and I was SHOCKED to find out who the real killer was. The ending felt a little rushed after spending an entire book digging into basically everyone besides the killer, but that pie related killer relieve was just too sweet.
END SPOILER!!!

I felt like this book did a really great job of displaying a certain type of extremely messy but intrinsically motivated high school crowd that felt extremely relatable.

Most YA thrillers are a hit or miss for me but debut novel The One Who Got Away with Murder was utterly AMAZING! I knew right away that this was going to be an addictive and fast read for me. As the story developed I quickly became engrossed in finding out who the killer was. I was kept in suspense until the reveal and I was totally shocked. I did feel a little disappointed that the “why” wasn’t completely explained but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every minute of the ride.

I always enjoy narrator Helen Laser, she was outstanding as Lauren and was engaging throughout the entire book. Joshua Quinn’s creepy interpretation of the killer was spot on and even gave me chills.

If you’re a fan of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus then The One Who Got Away with Murder is a must read. I can not wait to see what’s next from Trish Lundy.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, author Trish Lundy, and NetGalley for this Advanced Listening Copy.

The One That Got Away With Murder is an addictive YA thriller that will keep you hooked. It was nicely done and wonderfully crafted, it was very well written for a debut. Keep in mind it is a YA book, it reads as such.

Lauren is a perfectly flawed, sometimes dumb teenager. She makes very questionable decisions. The characters would've benefited from being a little more fleshed out, but honestly to me I was more invested in the killing.

It was a super fast paced book. It kept stirring me in different directions, thinking you'd found out who the killer was. The ending was very unexpected, the killer revealed as well and it shocked me ! Was it a little rushed, yes but it was a super fun read and kept me highly entertained.

🎧 The narration by Helen Laser & Joshua Quinn kept me on my toes and highly engaged. They had great tones to their voices and the emotions could be felt through their voices. It was a really fun audio to listen to.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio & @trishlundy for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Henry Holt, and @macmillanaudio for my free copy! I listened to the audiobook and read the arc.

This YA thriller was very easy to listen and quite enjoyable. The narrator and author were able to capture my unwavering attention. The ending was thrilling and very unexpected,

Lauren is the new girl in town running away from her delinquent past in California, with her Mom and future step-dad. Lauren meets brothers Robbie and Trevor Cresmont, wealthy and privileged, suspected of being involved in the deaths of their respective girlfriends. With no prior knowledge of the brothers past, Lauren starts seeing Robbie and discovers a bloody bikini top during a weekend trip to the boys lake house. Dismayed at what she has found, she distances herself and keeps her discovery. secret

She receives mysterious threatening texts and calls, then her new soccer friends turn against her. Lauren doesn’t know where to turn. Her mother is too busy with her own boyfriend, who is attentive and nice but monopolizes all of her time. Her new future step-sister is hiding a dark secret,

Who should she suspect? Can she trust these brothers with a shady past or listen to her new friends and leave them alone?
So many suspects with motives. Who can Lauren trust and who is out to get her?

Fans of Holly Jackson’s, ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ will absolutely love this thriller mystery!

Okay so the red herring(s) got me but I also WASN’T surprised at whodunnit because a part of me was 👀👀👀 I’m considering this a win for me lmao.

When that second narrator popped in???? The chills! I definitely think the audiobook helped up my stress (in a good way, it’s a thriller!), especially at that moment. I was definitely creeped out. Lauren’s narrator was a good fit for the book as well.

The conclusion was a bit rushed and I wanted more of a “why”reveal moment, but overall this was a strong YA thriller with a few different twists that kept me guessing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5


I received an ALC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

This audio was a great companion to a fun, thrilling story!

I loved that it kept me guessing until the last minute. I suspected every single character at one point and time and that's what makes a story unforgettable to me. I really enjoyed Lauren's backstory and how nicely it fit into the whole story.

Such a strong debut!!! Trish's writing is really good, I loved the mystery and how it kept me guessing the entire way through till the end. It's a really strong YA mystery that should 100% be on your radar for 2024!!

there were some parts with the audiobook where it sounded as though the story skipped forward missing a few pages but other than that the narrator was good!

I was SO SURE I knew how this was going to end. But boy was I wrong! I usually at least have a suspicion of someone but this one took me by complete surprise and I’m here for it!

YA novels are hit or miss for me, but this was definitely a hit! It’s sometimes hard for me to imagine teens in these scenarios but maybe that’s just because I’m an old fogey now and I was such a sheltered little naive girl when I was in high school haha

The characters in this novel were well written and unique. And the narrator did a nice job portraying them that way.

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to and review this audiobook.

Lauren is the new girl in town who is trying to have a fresh start at her new school and leave behind the dark secret that forced her and her mom to leave California. Lauren isn't trying to make friends but she does find a cute boy that works at the care home with her mother. She's all set to have a great senior year and a great year on the soccer team since she has been proving herself at tryouts. The other girls on the team invite her out to a party and Lauren only goes to get away from her mom and the new boyfriend who is always around. While at the party, another girl notices that Lauren is texting a boy named Robbie and asks if he is from her old school. Lauren says no and the girl freaks out on her before dropping the bombshell that Robbie's previous girlfriend was killed under mysterious circumstances at his lake house. Robbie has already invited her to the lake house over Labor Day weekend. That's not all, it would seem that this is a family issue because Robbie's younger brother's girlfriend also died within the last year from a supposed drug overdose. Lauren is going to find out for herself if there is wrong with Robbie's family and decides to take him up on his offer.

What an amazing and crazy story!!! This was completely non-stop and everyone is a suspect!!! I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and highly recommend it!

Read Completed 3/15/24 | 3.5 stars, rounded down
I've been having some decent success with YA thrillers so I decided to take a chance on this one with its eye-grabbing cover and synopsis with a hook. This kept me reading and I was entertained, but I ultimately didn't love the direction it took and there were a few places that I would have liked just a bit of an improvement, in my opinion.

Firstly, this book had an amazing book. A family where the boys are killing their girlfriends and no one can prove it? Highly addicting. The concept was great and I was definitely interested to see what was going to happen. I don't think I really loved Lauren or her approach to everything, but I will give it to the author that a lot of the book felt genuine to a teenage experience and choices that one might make at 16-17 years old. Some of this book was "a little more YA" than I typically like now, but obviously it's a young adult book, so that's not a bad thing -- just a personal preference. There were some things that were definitely authentic and then there were some wild things like the coach kicking her off the soccer team because she's dating the boy they're all suspicious of and telling her the to her face. UHHH NO? You can't kick someone off of a school team because of a person they're dating. I guess it was supposed to be because of team cohesiveness? But he literally said that was the reason why. That seems like a good way to get fired.

Anyway. The plot was intriguing but I didn't always like the way it unfolded. The boys in question have a rich father complete with younger girlfriend (their mom also has a younger boyfriend for what it's worth) so naturally there's power there as well. There were a few moments where the pacing and the investigation felt clunky. Some of it felt a little too forced and like the author was trying to shove every possible suspect in there and it got a bit tiresome. I got a theory after one specific line at 33% of who was responsible for these girls' deaths and that turned out to be true. I'm a little surprised, but that one line gave it away for me, and it maybe wasn't even that obvious. BUT after we went through like 5-6 red herrings, it became increasingly more obvious.

Everyone's relationships were messy in order to make this a tangled web that Lauren and her friends had to unweave and it was a little dramatic for me at times. I guess I just get tired of all of the "popular kids drinking and doing drugs" story line but that's what makes for good drama, unreliable narrators, and conflict.

Okay, onto the good stuff. The ending was a little disappointing for me. Firstly that it happened so quickly and we barely even got to spend any time on the reveal. Of course there was a villain speech and it was so wildly out there that I felt like we either needed to dwell on some of these concepts MUCH earlier or have this person be much less... this. (Trying not to give away spoilers!) It felt like an unexpected giant twist and I didn't like how unexpected it was. Even guessing correctly and looking for clues, there really weren't many there and not to THIS intensity. I can see people loving it because of how wild it is, but it just was too over-the-top for me.

I enjoyed the read -- I'm not sure if I'd pick up another thriller from this author, mostly because it was more teen than I expected (again, not knocking it, but some YA vibes I connect with more than others). I'd probably be curious enough to try another!

This book was a mystery with twists, but not twists. I did guess early on the "who" of one of the twists, the other really wasn't a twist which was a bit disappointing. There is lots of content and information some of which wasn't really necessary. Though one piece was disappointing in the end and the other I guessed, the story itself was very interesting, and the pace was good and kept moving along. Overall a good and solid read.

I had a fantastic time reading this book! The mystery was so interesting-because what are the chances that both girlfriends of the Crestmont boys ending up dying? I had such a great time watching Lauren look into what happened!

The thing that she had with Robbie wasn't serious, just a summer thing, but when she goes to the lake house, well, things get complicated, because of the evidence that she found. Which prompts her to look into the case. And boy, where there a few things going on, especially with Lauren being on the soccer team with Victoria's old team.

Lauren has a past, she used to smoke and do drugs and something happened that caused them to move. We slowly got bits and pieces of that time, but it wasn't until near the end that we got the whole story, and it was really heartbreaking that all that happened to her, and what she did because of it!

It was really entertaining to watch events escalate, and the case continue on, and all the events along the way! The way her relationships with those around her changed, her mom, her soccer team, and Robbie, yeah, it was such a great read, and I loved how it came together! That one chapter from the bad guy's perspective...chilling!

Loved reading this book and I'd love to read more by Trish Lundy!

I FLEW through this on audio in a single day. That should tell you a lot!

I knew not even 10% in, I was in for a good book, and The One That Got Away with Murder is truly an impressive debut. Trish Lundy is one to watch in the YA thriller space and her next one will be an auto-buy for me!!!

My blurb: Perfectly scratches that Murdaugh Murders itch. A propulsive tangle of small town secrets and privilege for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen McManus.

I was hooked from the very start. The narrator did an amazing job with the story. It was a roller coaster of a story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I do not often read Young Adult books, but this one definitely held my interest. In the mystery of why young women have been found killed in a small town, we follow a group of friends who try to solve who is behind this. This book is the definition of there being more than meets the eye and everything is certainly not as it seems. This book will keep you guessing until the very end to find out what truly happened to these high school girls. Thank you to Macmillan Publishing, Trish Lundy and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy. This book will be released April 2024 and I would recommend it!

I received an ARC copy of the audiobook The One That Got Away from Netgalley. Publication date: April 16, 2024. I was looking for a thriller with plot twists so from the title I thought this book would deliver but it didn’t. The narration was fine in the beginning but in the last few chapters it switched to a male narrator and I kind of zoned out. It is a YA book which I enjoy but this book was predictable. The main character Lauren is new to the town and school and she ends up befriending Robbie who is suspected of killing his ex girlfriend. Lauren is warned to stay away from Robbie but she is drawn to him because of a secret she has and she wants to find out for herself if he really did kill his ex. It was one plot twist but it was predictable and didn’t have me on the edge of my seat.