4.5 stars

I had such a fun time with this book! Anytime teens are solving mysteries? Sign me up!! I really enjoyed the mystery itself and the pace of the book - the twists kept me engaged and I was dying to know what was going to happened next.

My only issue was I did find Ally, one of the povs, kinda annoying and I didn’t particularly like her parts of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review

"Murder Between Friends" by Liz Lawson is a captivating 5-star read! Three friends—Ally, Grace, and Henry—have their worlds torn apart when a beloved teacher is murdered, and Henry’s brother, Jake, is found guilty and sent to prison, partly due to Grace’s eyewitness testimony. Thirteen months later, Jake is released on a legal technicality while awaiting a new trial. Now, the three friends must try to mend their fractured relationships as they work together to uncover the truth and prevent Jake from being sent back to prison.

The story is told from the alternating perspectives of Ally, Grace, and Henry. Each character is grappling with their own inner demons while also trying to piece together what really happened the night of the murder. There's plenty of drama—between the trio themselves, with their high school peers, and within their families. I thought I had the murder figured out, but a twist caught me completely off guard.

There were quite a few grammatical errors throughout, but since I read an ARC, I assume those will be corrected in the final version. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was my first by Liz Lawson, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from her!

Thanks to Random House Children's | Delacorte Press, Liz Lawson, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

I really enjoyed the story and trying to figure out what part each character played in the situation. It makes you wonder how one would react if we were in Grace's shoes and we truly believed that we had witnessed something, and then to realize years later that perhaps we were wrong and try to right our wrong. Of course, there were times when the characters' actions irritated us, but that makes it believable, as they are high school students. I think this is an excellent YA book, and you want to read a thriller that revolves around solving a murder while trying to repair friendships.


Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc!

What a tangled up mystery. Three friends, Grace, Ally and Henry have had a rough two years. Henry's brother was convicted of murdering their English teacher and the only witness was Grace! Written in the POV of all three characters as they try to sort through and figure out what really happened that night and who really is to blame.
I felt like this book was geared toward the YA audience with some strong profanity thrown around. The story pacing dragged and I kept waiting for things to pick up but they never really did. The story could have easily been half as long and still had all it's twists and turns. A solid 3 out of 5.

Two years ago, Grace, Ally, and Henry were all friends. Then Grace and Henry started dating, Ally’s dad tragically died in a car accident, and their beloved teacher was found murdered, allegedly by Henry’s brother, Jake. When Grace testifies that she saw Jake at the teacher’s house the night of the murder, her relationships with Ally and Henry are over. Fast forward 2 years, Jake is let out of jail due to some technicalities and a new trial date is set. This spurs the three former friends to reunite and start investigating.
This quick read was one that grabbed my attention at the beginning and made me not want to put it down. Full of twists and turns, the resolution completely surprised me. Highly recommended for teen readers 4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s for allowing me to read this ARC!

This is a YA thriller, it was well written and well paced. Perfect for those getting into thrillers. The dual timelines could get confusing.

I loved the twists and turns. Did NOT see the ending coming. I look forward to more from this author.

over i liked this book. it was fast based and the story kept me wanting me.

it did have flaws which i didn’t expect in an ARC copy based on the previous ones ive read. a whole scene where the author used one name for a character, then switched the a whole new name and then back to the other! hopefully that was fix in the final copy.

i had a hard time keeping the two females separate and had to look back multiple times.

the end did have a twist i was not expecting but it was anti climatic in a way as well?

This was great! Twists and turns galore. You may think you know what happened…and you don’t. You really don’t.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the eARC. All opinions are mine alone.

Murder Between Friends is like your classic small-town friendship breakup, except instead of someone stealing someone else’s boyfriend or not Venmoing for brunch, it involves the whole sending your best friend’s brother to prison thing. Oopsie.

Grace, Henry, and Ally were the inseparable trio… until Grace said, “Hey, I saw your brother kill someone,” and everyone else said, “Cool cool cool, we’re never speaking to you again.” Fast-forward two years, and Jake’s been released thanks to a mistrial, Grace is rethinking everything she thought she knew, Henry is oscillating between brooding and accusatory, and Ally? Ally is still mad, thank you very much. The girl holds a grudge like it’s a competitive sport.

This book serves teenage drama with a generous side of twisty-turny mystery. There’s guilt, secrets, second-guessing, and enough “maybe I was wrong” to power an entire season of Pretty Little Liars.

Was the pacing flawless? No. Did I want to shake every character at least once? Absolutely. But did I fly through it like a nosy neighbor with binoculars and zero chill? You bet I did.

Perfect for fans of friend fallout, courtroom chaos, and books that make you shout “WAIT… WHAT?!”
Read it with a cup of tea and trust issues. You’ll feel right at home.

Murder Between Friends is a story of three high schoolers working to prove the innocence of one of their friends. The story alternates between all three character perspectives while they try to piece together new and old evidence to clear their friend from going back to jail after being released due to a technicality.

I really enjoyed the alternating viewpoints which let you into what the character was doing and thinking. I feel like this really helped to round out the storyline. The suspense of who killed the victim continued right up until the last pages of the book.

I this was well paced and well written. It had good twists, and I did not guess the main culprit, which is always a plus in a mystery. I did find Ally unlikable. I tried to not, because I understand she is a teen with trauma, but she didn’t make it easy. I would recommend this to anyone that likes thrillers or amateur sleuths, especially to true young adult readers.

I didn't even realize how quick I flew through this until I started my review. Wow, such a good book with about everything you would want out of a murder/mystery book. twists and turns, kept me guessing on the "who", thought it could have been multiple different characters and ended up being someone who never crossed my mine through the entire book. Mind blown

Truthfully an interesting concept but I felt overwhelmingly it did not live up to the elevator pitch it gave. Though details were woven into the mystery, it was very slow and simple. Twists and turns here and there but nothing that was super tantalizing for a mystery lover.

Highly recommend for new readers especially to mystery but overall, a decent but forgettable story.

I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.

This book was a RIDE! There was so much back and forth about who was guilty and right when you think you have it figured out... YOU DON'T! And the LAST person you would have thought was the guilty party was!

The dark shroud that covered the pages of this story was so thick that you could feel the tension between the accused's family and the town. And the friends, and the parents. Things were said without them being said, and I loved every messy bit of it!

Grace, Henry, and Ally had a heavy job ahead of them to find out who murdered their teacher and clear someone very important to them.

This story was a gut punch to all of the feels. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children's | Delacorte Press, and Liz Lawson for the ARC of Murder Between Friends!

Intrigued by the title, cover, and premise, Murder Between Friends was the first book I read by Liz Lawson - and it won’t be the last!

This YA is a story full of loyalty and tests of friendship. Who can you trust? Who’s lying? There are underpinnings of romance, in a teenage crush sort of way. I’d say this story is mainly a mystery with a few good twists.

We follow a few main characters and get 3 POVs. I love a book that has multiple POVs because it really brings the story to life and sheds a new light on the characters. I will say that at around 83% I got pretty confused. One of the main characters - Ally - started randomly calling another character “Fraser.” However, they were called a different name earlier and finished the chapter with a different name (I won’t say the name because it could be a potential spoiler). I actually had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to see if I actually just read the name wrong. I also did a search of “Fraser” on the kindle and only the few instances came up - the ones that just appear to be the mistakes.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s Delacorte Press for the chance to read and review an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Murder Between Friends" is a gripping and suspenseful novel that intricately explores the complexities of friendship intertwined with the dark themes of loyalty and betrayal. The author expertly crafts a narrative filled with unexpected twists, keeping readers on their toes as they delve into the investigation surrounding a student’s conviction.

The pacing is commendable, with the story gradually building tension and raising more questions as the plot unfolds. Each chapter leaves you eager for more, and just when you think you’ve figured things out, the author skillfully redirects your thoughts, throwing in breadcrumbs of clues that lead to shocking revelations.

Overall, "Murder Between Friends" is a thought-provoking read that will keep you engaged until the very last page. It's a perfect blend of mystery and psychological drama that will leave you questioning the nature of truth and trust in friendships. Highly recommended for fans of thrillers!

I received and advanced copy, in turn I am leaving an honest review.

Murder Between Friends is a fast-paced and emotionally layered young adult thriller that explores the complexities of friendship, memory, and justice.

The novel centers around Grace, a teenager whose testimony years earlier put her best friend’s brother behind bars for the alleged murder of a beloved teacher. When he is unexpectedly released on a technicality, Grace is forced to reexamine what she saw that night—and whether she was wrong all along. As the former friend group is pulled back together under tense and painful circumstances, long-buried secrets begin to surface, and the line between guilt and innocence becomes increasingly blurred.

Lawson masterfully balances multiple perspectives and timelines, immersing readers in a web of emotions and suspicions. The narrative is engaging from the very beginning, driven by sharp dialogue, quick pacing, and characters who are flawed, relatable, and often chaotic in the most authentic way. The teenage detective energy—though often impulsive, adds a sense of urgency and rawness to the story, and the plot twist was both surprising and satisfying.

With its emotional depth, layered characters, and compelling mystery, Murder Between Friends is a standout YA thriller that keeps readers guessing while also exploring the consequences of broken trust and the weight of truth. Highly recommended for fans of character-driven suspense and fast-moving drama. Thank you to NetGalley, Liz Lawson, and Random House Children’s Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

“A gripping and emotional thriller that proves even your own memory can’t always be trusted.”

Murder Between Friends by Liz Lawson was a fast-paced, intriguing, emotionally charged whodunnit thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. This was my first time actually reading a book from the author, and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to do so. This exciting YA book was a perfect blend of mystery, thriller, romance, along with mistaken identity. A huge thank you to Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press, the author and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

The premise for this suspenseful, slow-building thriller starts with three teenagers Ally, Grace and Henry who were once friends. Two years prior a murder occurred in their neighborhood, and then Grace’s testifies against Henry’s brother, Jake during his trial for murder of their English teacher. This divides the friends. Ally and Henry can’t stand Grace now. And Grace is rethinking what she really saw on the night of the murder. But when the case is declared a mistrial and Jake’s conviction is overturned. The three former friends just might get a second chance. They set out to investigate the murder. A new trial date is fast approaching along with Jake possibly being convicted. Can these old friends come together and trust one another enough to find new evidence to help prove that Jake is innocent.

Murder Between Friends is a riveting story filled with so many twists and turns that it kept me up late into the night reading with an ending that I definitely didn’t see coming, at all. If you like reading YA then this well-crafted, highly addictive, edge of your seat thriller is one that you should add to your reading list.

If you enjoy twists and turns that keep you guessing, this book is for you! This is a story of mistaken identity, false accusations, and no longer knowing what a witness truly saw.. Once the story starts to unfold, the book is hard to put down.

Another amazing book by Liz Lawson! Like The Agatha’s this was filled with twists, turns & great characters!