Murder mysteries are somehow always better when teenagers solve them? Three ex-friends come together to solve the murder of their teacher in this fast-paced thriller with lots of twists. I thought Lawson did a great job of sprinkling reveals throughout the book and building up a believable puzzle. Though I will say I definitely didn't see the final twist coming!

I really enjoyed this YA thriller — even though, yes, I wanted to tell those kids to talk to an adult a time or two. It’s a great twisty mystery with an extra surprise at the end that gave me goosebumps. You never know what’s happening in these small towns. Much fun!

A fast paced thriller that has murder, suspense, and some romance? Count me in! I loved how this book kept my attention the entire time and had me flipping pages needing to know what happened next. And the ending?! So, so, so good! Highly recommend this YA thriller!

This was one of my favorite arc reads. It was a bit slow in the beginning but once I made it half way through I couldn’t put it down and had to read in one sitting. I thought I had the ending figured out but was completely wrong and didn’t see it coming.

**Thank you Net Galley and Random House Childrens for an arc copy of Murder Between Friends. Make sure to grab your copy on April 22nd 2025!**

I really enjoyed this book!

I think Liz did a great job setting up the story and characters so you didn’t know who did it!

I speculated the whole time and kept hoping I’d get it right!! She had a great job of creating so many character tied together in various ways that moved the story forward and created mystery and suspense!

I’m excited to get another Liz Lawson book!!!!!! I enjoyed the Agatha’s and cannot wait for what she does next.

The premise was so good...ultimately, there was so much that I wanted to like about this novel. However, it veered into the melodramatic and far-fetched fairly quickly. Unfortunately, a disappointing read.

I loved this book kept me on edge and interested. Even though halfway i figure out a lil bit about who it may have been it kept making me doubt who i thought it was alot of twists which i love in a book. But i was halfway right who it was but not why. But its a really good book which i would recommond.

I really enjoyed this YA thriller — even though, yes, I wanted to tell those kids to talk to an adult a time or two. It’s a great twisty mystery with an extra surprise at the end that gave me goosebumps. You never know what’s happening in these small towns. Much fun!

I really loved this book! It was very entertaining and loved the who dun it aspect. The ending was crazy!

Hooked from the beginning. I loved how fast paced this was and the characters immediately pulled me in. I will absolutely be recommending this one to my triple lovers!

This is a fast paced, YA murder mystery thriller. The mystery kept me entertained and I appreciated the blogs and news articles that the author put in between some of the chapters.

There were a few twists that I felt were predictable. It also felt very YA to me (especially the dialogue), however if you like books like Good Girls Guide to Murder then you’ll probably like this book.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but it wasn’t my favorite in the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The cover is what initially drew me in. I enjoyed reading the story through each of the three perspectives. This is great for someone who is just getting into the thriller/mystery genre. I want to read more by Liz Lawson!

This was a very good read! I enjoyed reading about the characters and the plot was very interesting. I loved the story and would definitely recommend to a friend!

Liz Lawson delivers again with another great mystery! Grace, Henry and Ally used to be best friends - until Grace put Henry's brother in jail for murder. Two years later, Jake is out on a technicality and getting ready for trial again. Grace is suddenly doubting what she saw that night. Was it Jake or someone who was wearing his jacket? Can the ex besties put aside their differences to find the real killer? Get ready for a twisty turny plot that is a roller coaster of a ride.

The story line grabbed me from the start. Loved that I had no idea what was going to happen next. Great twists and suspense. I did notice a lot of grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Also a name change in the middle of a conversation. Be sure to edit before publication!

5/5 stars for all the nostalgic feelings I felt

This book had me hooked from the start!

Murder Between Friends by @lzlwsn is a thrilling ride packed with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had the mystery solved, another layer would unfold, and the final twist completely caught me off guard. The pacing was spot-on—I couldn’t put it down and finished it quicker than expected. I was so anxious to know how it all ended that I almost tried looking up the ending (but trust me, it’s worth the wait!) 😆

As someone who grew up devouring all the Nancy Drew books, Murder Between Friends brought back that rush of solving a mystery. It had the suspense and unpredictability of a classic detective story, with modern twists that kept me fully engaged. Considering how it had me guessing until the very end, it absolutely deserves 5 stars!

I received a copy of this ARC from Netgalley and was so excited to jump right into it! This was such a good YA thriller! Such a great suspenseful murder mystery with mistaken identity! I was on the edge of seat and couldn’t put this down. It reminded me a bit of the book good girls guide to murder, which I loved. So if you like that book you’ll definitely love this one!

Murder Between Friends is a YA thriller that was hard to put down. Full of drama, it incorporates all the elements of a good thriller. Murder, lies, and suspense are at the top of the list. There's also the typical high school drama, cliques, and young love.

After the murder of a beloved teacher, Ms. Applebaum, one of her students, Jake, is found guilty of the murder. But did they convict the right person? Jake's brother Henry and his friend Ally believe they have the wrong person. They set out to prove his innocence after he's released from prison on a technicality and put on house arrest waiting to be retried. They are joined by former friend and neighbor, Grace. Grace thought she witnessed Jake at Ms Applebaum's house and testified against him, she is now questioning what she actually saw. Though Ally and Henry turned on Grace, they put aside their differences to discover the truth of what happened.

This is told from the points of view of Ally, Henry and Grace giving the reader a true depiction of each character. This was my first YA read and my first by Liz Lawson. I thought it was very well written and the ending was a true OMG moment. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more by Lawson.

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy

What would you do if your English teacher was murdered and your brother was convicted of killing her? That is what Henry has to figure out. Two years ago his brother was convicted of the crime but now he is free, of course, he is still guilty in the eyes of well everyone. With the help of his best friends Ally, and Grace, Henry sets out to prove once and for all that his brother is innocent. But, solving a crime isn't as easy as they imagined. Friendships will be tested, and past secrets will come to the surface, and threats will be made as they dig for the truth.

This novel was a fun read. Told from three points of view (Ally, Henry, and Grace) you get the opportunity to connect with all three main characters. Each character has their own personal motivations and reasons for trying to find the truth and sometimes those conflict with their friends. This novel is perfect for late middle or high school students who love a good mystery. It's real who-did-it. It also addresses a lot of real-life issues like grief, problems with friends, and struggling to please everyone around you. I highly recommend this novel and will be adding it to both my personal and classroom library collections.

Disclaimer: While I received a free advanced readers copy of this novel, the thoughts and opinions in it are my own.

Liz Lawson, known for co-writing The Agathas series, delivers a gripping solo effort with this fast-paced crime thriller set against a backdrop of small-town politics, drugs, and high school drama. The story keeps readers guessing until the very last pages with well-executed twists that are impossible to see coming. I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was as captivating and intriguing as The Agathas, and I highly recommend it to YA thriller enthusiasts.

While it might seem far-fetched for a group of teens to outsmart law enforcement, the book provides a plausible explanation for how the justice system can sometimes fail and how the truth can be distorted through different viewpoints. I found the amateur detective work of Ally, Grace, and Henry compelling, as each of them has a personal stake in uncovering the truth behind their English teacher’s murder. Grace, who testified that she saw Jake, Henry’s older brother, entering the teacher’s house on the day of the crime, lost her friendships with both Henry and Ally as a result. Henry sided with Jake, while Ally refused to believe Jake was capable of such a heinous act.

When Jake is released after serving two years in prison due to a corrupt judge and prosecutor’s secret relationship, Grace starts to question what she really saw. Did she misinterpret the events of that night? She remembers seeing someone wearing Jake's jacket, but she never actually saw his face. As doubt creeps in, Grace wonders if she should risk changing her testimony, even if it means potentially facing charges for obstructing justice.

Grace soon discovers that Ally and Henry have been conducting their own secret investigation. Although Ally still harbors resentment toward Grace for the fallout from her testimony and for not supporting her after her father’s death, Henry is more forgiving and agrees to let Grace join their efforts. Together, they search for the truth, but as they dig deeper, they uncover secrets that could endanger powerful people, putting the trio in more danger than they ever anticipated.

In addition to the teacher’s murder, Ally is determined to find out what really happened to her father. Will they uncover the answers they seek, even if the truth turns out to be more painful than expected?

Overall, while Ally’s stubbornness occasionally made her a frustrating character, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. I’m rounding up my 4.5-star rating to a full 5 stars for this compelling young detective mystery.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.