Thank you so much to NetGalley and Liz Lawson for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Murder Between Friends coming out April 22, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own. .

I’ve read a few books by this author. I’m obsessed with the Agathas. I really love murder mysteries and the YA genre is fun. I thought the story was really interesting and complex. I enjoyed that they were once best friends and had gone through that trial together. It brought a lot of conflict. I definitely love the writing. I would have to say I didn’t love it as much as the Agathas series. But it was definitely a strong story, and I would definitely read more books by this author.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA murder mysteries!

This started off slow for me, but towards the end was so fast paced. Teenagers getting into trouble is one of my favorite themes. The plot was good, each character had a purpose, I was able to guess the twist but still enjoyed the story!

#MurderBetweenFriends #NetGalley
Two years ago, the murder of a neighbor tore three best friends apart--now the killer is going to walk free and the ex-friends are going to have to face the past--and each other--in another twisty thriller from the New York Times bestselling co-author of The Agathas.
Grace, Henry, and Ally grew up together on the same block. They used to be best friends--until Grace's testimony put Henry's brother, Jake, away for killing their English teacher. Now, two years later, Ally and Henry hate Grace, and Grace is doubting what she thinks she saw that night. It feels like everyone's getting a second chance, then, when due to a mistrial, Jake is suddenly released. And Henry knows his brother is innocent, but when Grace reaches out to say she’s rethinking what she saw the night of the murder, Jake’s reaction is confusing. He doesn’t want Henry—or Grace--getting involved.
For Ally not getting involved isn’t an option, and there’s nothing Grace can say to convince Ally she’s not the enemy. But can Ally afford to push Grace out when she’s one of the only other people willing to believe in Jake’s innocence? The clock is ticking. Jake’s new trial date is about to be set, and he's sure to be found guilty again unless there's new evidence to prove he's innocent. Grace, Henry, and Ally are going to have to decide whether you can trust an old friend now that they’re your enemy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for giving me an advance copy.

Murder Between Friends is a fast paced YA mystery/thriller with a final twist you won’t see coming! A neighbor is murdered and tears apart the friendship of three high school students, Henry, Grace and Ally. Two years later when Henry’s brother Jake is released from prison, they decide to dig deeper to find the truth of what really happened because they think Jake is innocent!
Thank so much to Liz Lawson, Net Galley andRandom House for an ARC! Cheers to your Release Day!

This is an adult mystery that dives into the complexities of friendship, trust, and the search for truth. The story revolves around three former best friends—Grace, Henry, and Ally—who are brought back together by a murder case that tore them apart two years ago.

Grace's testimony had put Henry's brother, Jake, in prison for the murder of their English teacher. However, a mistrial leads to Jake's release, and Grace begins to doubt what she saw that night. As the new trial date approaches, Grace, Henry, and Ally must work together to uncover the real killer.

The novel is not just about finding the person who killed the teacher but it also explores the dynamics among the characters. The author weaves suspense with emotional depth, making the readers question the reliability of each character's perspective. The story is fast-paced and filled with twists/turns, keeping you engaged until the very end.

Overall, this was a thought-provoking and suspenseful read that highlights the importance of trust and the impact of secrets on friendships. It's a must-read for everyone who loves suspense novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the advanced copy.

It was amazing! 5/5 no notes! The plot kept me on my toes and flowed so effortlessly throughout the story.

Thank you to Random House Children's and Netgalley for allowing me this ARC! I’ve been so excited to read this one!

This one had a Good Girls Guide to Murder vibe and I loved it! It’s a fun mystery, corky, YA thriller because it’s based around high school kids but as an adult I enjoyed this read! Easy, quick read. Enjoyed that it was told from the perspective of three kids instead of one but the author still managed to incorporate other characters as well. I definitely recommend reading this one, it’s a fun “who really did it” kind of story!

This was good, so similar to GGGTM in my opinion and One of Us is Lying.
Definitely flew through it fairly quickly, many twists, and turns that will have you second guessing.

This will definitely be a hit for the target audience especially those newer to mystery books.
I picked it up after reading and loving the authors previous books and I found it enjoyable if a bit predictable. I think it was clear from the beginning who the killer was but the ride was interesting and I enjoyed the added subplots we got.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the advanced copy.

Was given a chance to be an ARC for this book and it was great! 3 high school friends estranged after Henry's brother was convicted of murder. Ally, Grace and Henry come back together to figure out who really killed Ms. Applebaum and clear Jake Hanson name. Along the way they go on to discover other crimes that are happening. It's 3 crimes in one book. Such a great fun read.

Murder Between Friends... You would think the friends are keeping a secret about something they did together, but that is the farthest thing from the truth. This story follows three different POV's. Grace Topham, Ally Copeland & Henry Hanson. It follows as all three of them try to clear Henry's brother, Jake's name for murdering a former teacher.

Each friend is doing their investigation for a different reason. Ally trying to find out if her dad was having an affair with Applebaum. Grace confused that maybe her eyewitness testimony to seeing Jake that night Applebaum was murdered. Henry feeling terrible that Jake took the fall for messages he sent.

But what happens when the unexpected comes to light and Jake's freedom is almost taken away again? Grace, Ally, and Henry do everything in their power to make sure Jake doesn't take the fall again.

The ending was the exact twist I didn't expect!!

eARC Review: Murder between friends by Liz Lawson

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub date: April 22 2025

I have highly been anticipating reading this book for this year, & I’m so glad that I had the pleasure of being able to. I really enjoyed the continuous plot twists while reading it, and how unexpected the ending was! I truly admired the detective skills of Ally, Grace, & Henry in solving the crime of who was responsible for the death of Ms. Applebaum!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well I will start out with that I had really high hopes for this book. The concept was cool but it seemed to fall flat for you. I think it was too predictable and I found myself already knowing what was going to happen.

sigh I have to DNF I'm just not in the mood and the writing feels icky, plus the plot is moving too slow for a murder mystery/thriller for me. Sorry Liz Lawson.

The twists and turns were crazy in this book. I forgot how fickle friendships can be and then you add on murder trials it's just not gonna work out to well. The development of new version of an old friendship is always interesting to read about. It almost felt like a treasure hunt for the truth. i give it 4.5

Great YA whodunnit with a twisty ending that you won’t see coming!

Thank you Delacorte Press for granting me an ARC! All opinions are my own and not influenced by the publisher.

Thank you to Liz Lawson, Random House Children’s, and Netgalley for the E-Arc of Murder Between Friends! This YA thriller was a quick read (under 400 pages) with short chapters! Grabs you from the beginning and keeps your attention throughout! Lots of secrets and drama! It will leave you guessing for the very end and rooting for this friend group to find their way back together! This book publishes on 4/22/25!

This was a really fast and easy read. The pacing is lightning quick and Lawson keeps the plot moving forward at a frantic pace. While it definitely felt like it was written for a younger audience I enjoyed it just the same. There is plenty of mystery and some great moments of suspense.

Thank you for the ARC. This book was a bit juvenile but overall it was a quick read. There was murder, suspense, drama and a touch of romance. The book kept me guessing about who done it and why. The last twist definitely got me and was unexpected.

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

Murder Between Friends is the story of 3 friends who are trying to clear the name of Jake, one of the main character's brother, who has been in prison for murdering a teacher. He is released but set to be retried and the town is up in arms. Convinced of his innocence, Henry, Ally, and Grace undertake an investigation of their own to figure out who really killed the teacher. I loved this and read it in one day! The pacing was great and I thought the multiple POVs were done well. There are a lot of twists and I thought the ending was great! I will definitely be adding this to my classroom library. It's perfect for fans of GGGTM, The Agathas, etc.