Very well-written novel of life at a boarding school with a slight twist. One of the main characters is in charge of the school newspaper, she's learning how to report a crime against her friends with the right amount of emotion. Pleasing read for anyone but maybe a little more relevant to the teen reader.

This was told from the points of view of Amy and Liz. Amy was Sarah’s best friend who found her body along with her boyfriend, and Liz who was an ambitious journalist. I wanted to know why Amy and Sarah fought the night before her demise, and I wanted to find out who killed the two teens and why.

I was intrigued by the prestigious and bougie boarding school along with the bratty students. I love a dark academia plot, but this one was just okay to me. The buildup was strong, but I wish the ending and motive had a bit more insight than what was given.

This was a twisty, entertaining read and if you are a fan of YA mystery I would recommend. The ending was very well done and I couldn't figure out who did it which was automatically a plus for me. I enjoyed the characters and the setting, it made the book more tense and exciting while the dynamics between the characters was fun to read.

Three stars for this one.

Amy and her best friend Sarah are seniors at Meadowbrook Academy in Connecticut when Sarah and her boyfriend are murdered in Sarah’s dorm room; Amy was asleep in the next room when they were killed, along with her own boyfriend. As the investigation begins it turns out that Sarah lied about a lot of things.

Liz, the editor of the school newspaper and social outcast wants to find out what happened, hoping she’ll win a journalism scholarship. As she searches for answers she risks bringing the murderer’s wrath down on herself next.

Another YA for YA. This one was just all right for me, but I do love things set at boarding school, where everyone is at risk of murder constantly. It must be exhausting.

Cute! I was able to guess who did it. The murder was quite brutal though and I wish there was more info on what actually happened.

Jessica Goodman is an auto-buy author for me! I love YA thrillers and this did not disappoint. The boarding school setting was so good! I loved this one.

I've been into YA mysteries lately (as is much of the reading world, given the popularity of A Good Girl's Guide To Murder and the books that have come out in its wake), so I jumped at the chance to read The Meadbowbrook Murders when Netgalley offered it up. It is a really solid entry to the genre, and I absolutely recommend it if this is an itch that you want to scratch.

I really enjoyed that the points-of-view alternated between the roommate of the murdered student and the high school newspaper editor. Both voices felt distinct, and I enjoyed that there was the YAish element of both of them growing up a little bit over the course of the story and figuring out what kind of person they want to be. I was a little worried that the solution to the mystery was being telegraphed a little too hard, but it remained twisty and turny and left me surprised in the end.

I knew it! I totally guessed who the killer was but the author did a great job at making me second guess myself! There were so many hints and evidence planted to make one suspect quite a few people.
It was the motives that were unclear but made me second guess and think.
Liz, seeing the murders as a good story, rubbed her peers the wrong way and was hard to trust. Then there was Amy, the dead girls roommate.
Everyone suspected her, and then her boyfriend. It got complex in a good way and kept me on my toes. I was completely drawn in and rooted for who I thought was innocent.
Then to find out just how twisted the murderer was....wow 🤯
Definitely recommend for those that like a good mystery, with a taste of thriller, school settings and drama!
Not sure how I feel about the ending though. I just wanted....something more. But overall great read and would recommend it 😊

A nice easy Y/A read. I enjoyed this book. It had nice short chapters that drew you right into the lives of the characters. It keeps a pretty good pace so you don’t really feel like there is too much going on and you have a hard time keeping track.
If you’re a Y/A or even an adult looking for an easy fast mystery I highly recommend trying this one out. A few twist to kinda throw you off. But I’m sure you will enjoy it.

very thrilling! did not see the plot twist coming at all. the book kept my attention all throughout. the plot was very interesting and the characters were likeable. no complaints! will read more from this author

This is a YA mystery of who murdered two prominent seniors at an exclusive boarding school. Amy wakes up to find her roommate and the roommate's boyfriend murdered. There is no sign of forced entry to their suite and at first it seems only Amy is a suspect because she was seen fighting with her roommate the night before at a party. Sara, the roommate, and Amy were also best friends. Amy was sure she knew everything about Sara, but as time goes on she learns Sara had many secrets.

The school must move Amy to another room and that just happens to be the one the editor of the school paper, Liz, resides in. The story alternates POV between LIz and Amy. They don't like each other at first and seem to be working against each other in the investigation.

There are many times I had to remind myself this is a YA book and not meant for adults. I am a sucker for a book set at a boarding school and that is what made me pick this up. However, the students in the book seem to have a lot more say in their lives than most teenagers. I am sure this appeals to the younger set, but I had to work at suspending my disbelief. It was also evident pretty early on to me who the killer was though the author throws out a lot of red herrings.

If you enjoy a murder mystery meant for young adults then this is a great book for you! Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!

I'll always have a soft spot for YA books, especially mysteries, and this was a fun one. Fast paced, well crafted, and hard to put down. The characters felt very real - even the more minor ones - and the vibe of the school and the town were really well done.

Jessica Goodman is a YA murder mystery queen, but this wasn't my favorite. She moves this story along at a fast clip, but the plot and characters seemed pretty paint-by-numbers for this one: When Amy's best friend Sarah and her boyfriend Ryan are murdered, Amy's senior year at Meadowbrook, a posh boarding school, becomes a nightmare. The book alternates between Amy's POV and Liz's, the newspaper editor-in-chief and a yearbook scholarship student, as they try to solve the murders. The short chapters and alternating POVs kept the book moving, but it was easy to figure out the murderer and I think the contrast between rich, snobby Amy and scrappy, intrepid scholarship student Liz was too familiar a trope to feel original. I missed some of the richer original details and characters from some of Goodman's past novels. Nevertheless, she remains a finely tuned master of her genre.

While I enjoyed the end (even though I guess the killer) the characters were very unlikable and I couldn't root for either protagonist. Liz obsession with being a jouanlist was beyond strange, and Amy didn't seem to have any authentic emotion even though her friends were murdered. Goodman books also seem to follow a similar pattern of having a "poor" character and a rich character, but the "working class" character is written in a way that makes it seem like Goodman has never met anyone like that at all. Strange and unnecessary trope. I also miss the old covers of Goodman books. They used to be so dynamic and interesting, but these AI covers are so boring. I will say the book picked up at the end and while I liked her debut novel, Goodman books seems to be mostly copy and paste.

Thank you Penguin and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Amy and Liz attend Meadowbrook Academy, a boarding school in Connecticut. Amy just had a fight with her best friend, but they’ll make up in the morning, except she finds her roommate and her roommates boyfriend dead. Liz isn’t like the other students, she’s on scholarship and needs a big break to get a scholarship to journalism school. When news of the murders breaks she finally has her chance to write an article that is sure to get het what she needs. Amy is devastated, she didn’t hear a thing, but there are secrets she needs to keep about that night. When the two become roommates their relationship is full of tension. But they’ll may need each other to figure out who murdered their classmates. After all Amy was the only other person in the room. Will they find who killed them? Will Liz get her story? Or will they both find themselves in danger? Thrilling and unputdownable! It’ll have you questioning everything and everyone! Another hit mystery for Jessica Goodman!

Unfortunately, this one was kind of meh for me. I thought the plot moved quite slowly and was a bit underdeveloped. I felt like I never really got hooked to the story. I would have rated this book two stars if it weren't for the ending plot twist, which actually managed to shock me.

Shady Characters

Jessica Goodman is one of my favorites when it comes to YA murder mysteries. She delivered another winner with this soon to be released book. From the very beginning I was captivated by the mystery of who killed Sarah and Ryan. Especially when so much evidence was pointing at Amy’s boyfriend. I must admit that I figured out who the bad guy was very quickly. It wasn’t obvious, but there was just something about the character that set off alarm bells for me. The journey to exposing the truth was fast-paced and very interesting.

Beyond the double murder storyline, there was the angst of an unhappy roommate situation. Amy and Liz seemed to be so different from each other. I really enjoyed the evolution of their friendship. Trauma forced them to rely on each other, but something good came out of it. The girls found a safe space in each other. I think that was my favorite takeaway from this book.

This was an entertaining story with lots of twists and wow moments. It was a very enjoyable four star read for me. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Teen, and Jessica Goodman for the advanced copy for me to review.

My favorite Jessica Goodman book so far! This book will leave you on the edge of your seat and questions EVERYTHING! Like how could a roommate not hear her best friend and her besties boyfriend being murdered literally steps away?! And how said roommate has a very sus looking boyfriend?!

The setting, a private school full of dorms and twisty underground tunnels, CHEFS KISS. The pacing? On point! The mystery and intrigue had me picking up this book every chance I got lol. The fact that every student in the friend group could have been the murderer?? Excellent!!

I truly didn’t see the twist coming and needed this perfect escape of a book! If you’re looking for a fun twisty ya mystery, definitely check out this one!

Sarah and Amy have been best friends and boarding school roommates since freshman year of high school, and now that it’s their senior year at, Meadowbrook Academy, they can’t wait to experience all of their “lasts” together. Only the week before school starts, Amy walks into Sarah’s bedroom to find her murdered, along with Sarah’s boyfriend. This is a classic “who-dun-it” murder mystery, with more than a few suspects and twists and turns. Told in multiple voices of Amy and Liz, Amy’s new roommate and the editor of the school paper, readers are strung along the detective trail as new evidence comes to light little by little. While I had the murderer pegged pretty early on, it might throw some readers for a loop. Highly recommended for those who love a good murder mystery.

The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman is a chilling, page-turning thriller that blends the suspense of a classic whodunit with a sharp commentary on privilege, secrets, and the lengths people will go to protect their own. Set against the backdrop of a New England boarding school, this novel grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go until the very last twist.

The story kicks off with a horrifying tragedy—the brutal murder of Sarah and her boyfriend in their dorm room. Amy, Sarah’s best friend and roommate, is left to face the devastating aftermath as the prime suspect. The first week of senior year, which should have been full of carefree moments and excitement, turns into a nightmare. But as the investigation unfolds, we learn that nothing is as it seems. The layers of deception, manipulation, and lies quickly build a gripping tension that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

What makes *The Meadowbrook Murders* stand out is its dual perspective: Amy, who is entangled in a web of lies, and Liz, an outsider who becomes determined to uncover the truth. Liz is the quintessential underdog, a smart, determined girl with a lot to prove. Her relentless pursuit of justice not only makes her a compelling character but also drives the plot forward in unexpected ways. As Liz digs deeper into the tangled history of Amy, Sarah, and the rest of the school's elite, the story begins to explore some uncomfortable truths about power dynamics, privilege, and the consequences of keeping dangerous secrets.

The author’s writing is sharp and atmospheric, perfectly capturing the eerie setting of the school with its mix of tradition and danger lurking just beneath the surface. The characters are well-crafted, each with their own complexities and motivations. Amy’s guilt and grief are palpable, while Liz’s curiosity and determination make her a character you root for from the start.

For fans of suspenseful, character-driven mysteries with a dash of social commentary, this book is a must-read.