What a debut by Diego Boneta. Slow at times, the novel really picks up on the third act and ending. Appreciated the unexpected twist and what Boneta accomplished in his first novel.

Disclaimer: thank you to both Netgalley and the publisher for lending me an ARC of this book. This has not affected my review at all, where my thoughts are all my own.

So, Alejandro Velasco is dead. Suicide, rule by everybody that knew him, and even the police that study his dead. Everybody, except his best friend Julián, who personifies himself at the Velasco family house to both pay his respects and blend in with them for a while. He pretends to be one more, to investigate and found out what actually happened, because Julían believes his friends to having been murdered. He may be right, he may be wrong, and he won't have much time to find out once he gets tangle with the Velascos and his secrets and everybodies' truths start coming to light.

I'll start with the decease. Even though we get to know Alejandro through both some flashbacks and everything that his family tells about him, we don't get to see him much in the page, so it's more about having to believe anything the characters say that he was, which, at the end of the day, is their perception of Alejandro, than seeing him do and say things to get to know him deeply. The strange thing is, as we only got to know the basic parts of Alejandro's characters and his view of the family business, I feel for him and got to care for him and wanted to find the truth alongside Julián. And it's his fault, because Julián's love for his friend is written everywhere, bleeding out of the pages. And he made me care for Ale even though we only saw little parts of him. Given that this is the author's first novel (if not, feel free to correct me), all my respect to him for accomplishing such feat, that not even experimented authors get to do well some times.

Next, I'm gonna tackle Alejandro's family: a father, a mother, and a sister. Rich as filth and with a thriving business that will get them richer. Even with a dead son that should have inherited the company. What a bunch of hypocrites and false people, no wonder Alejandro didn't like them at all😂
I'm gonna focused in Sophia, de younger sister of Ale, also a tennis player and with whom Julián will have most of the tension, sparks flying and lots of other things that I won't mention to avoid spoilers.

I liked Sofia's character as she tried to make herself a place by her own merits in a world that won't give her any chance for being a woman, even though she's shown she's more capable than others, even though she worked her ass off to carry the family's company, even though she gives her all at the tennis court. She's the other POV of this book, so we get to know her well, her believes and her difficult relationship with Alejandro. I loved Sofia's character, but I didn't like her relationship with Julián; too much lust and tension, not much of an emotional connection, albeit, this is exactly the type of relationship that would take place in a story like this. My dislike of the relationship is personal, I don't tend to like this type of relationship where it starts with sexual tension, they act on it, and the emotional aspect is not much develop, but this book called for it, and the author manage it with as much grace as possible.

Finally, the man of the moment, the main character and our main narrator: Julián. Loved his character, his way of maneuvering the Velascos and how he did everything in his hand to find out the truth about Alejandro's death, even if it costs him his life. This are the friends that one would like to have in real life, if you ask me. The truth about him did surprised me; it was laid out so subtle, that even though I anticipated some parts of it, the whole truth was a shock. Amazing. Elevated this book to an anticipated release of the year for me.

At the end, even though this book is about finding a possible murderer, is also about human connections. Julián loved his friends with all his heart, and he lost it, and I mourned with him for all 200+ pages, with may be what elevated this from a 4 star read to a 5 for me. The mystery was intriguing until the last revealed truth and the cast accompanying Julián was all varied and, even though not very good people, complex enough to fill the pages with their views and believes, creating interesting conflict, ups and downs and tension that kept me on the edge, making me turn the digital pages at an F1 speed level until it was finish.

What else to say? I don't want to make this an essay, nor to dwell too much and risk spoilers; as of the day of writing this review, there's still 4 months until release. So, let's just wrap it up. Hope ya'll enjoyed and I manage to sold you the book a bit🤏🏻

I'm not sure what to compare this book to because is not my usual genre😅, but is definitely a 2025 release (May, if I remember correctly) that people should have in mind. Twisty, funny, a fast read that will have people on the edge of their chairs, with secrets and characters moments that will elevate the tension to a hundred; fully recommended

I loved this. It took me a while to finish it, but the story was so good. I devoured the book in just a day.

It's something new for my taste which, in my humble opinion, did not disappoint. I would love to see more books from the author and would definitely read them again in the future

Very good, so dark and twisty. Kept me going for a while.

It did not see the end coming. good suspense thriller to start the year.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free ARC. All views and opinions in this review are my own.

This book was wildly entertaining, I finished it in 2 days. As a fan of “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, I thought this book was right up my alley, since stories of “outsiders” trying to ingratiate themselves with the rich are always very fascinating to me. I love how the author showed the perspectives of both Julian and Sofia. Both characters are so complex, and their motives keep the reader guessing until the end.

I am hoping that the Amazon Prime Video series adaptation will be just as good, if not better, than the book.

Julian Villareal arrives at the Velasco estate to pay his respects to the family of his late best friend and tennis mate, Alejandro Velasco. By ingratiating himself to Alejandro's mother and father, he gains privileged access to a world of wealth and influence -- a world that Alejandro was running from before he died. Believing that a possible conspiracy is at play, Julian begins a torrid affair with Ale's sister Sofia, an ambitious rising star at her father's telecom company. If Julian plays his cards right, he might just get to the root of the mystery.

This entertaining novel sustained my interest and kept me guessing until the very end. The narrative perspective volleys between Julian and Sofia, building tension as their journeys collide. The novel explores themes of class division, guilt, and assumed identity as a ticket into an otherwise inaccessible world. Some narrative twists strain credulity, but in the heightened and occasionally melodramatic space that this novel occupies, you can afford to suspend disbelief here and there.

Full of suspense and tension. Excellent creep factor. I loved this story from cover to cover. I look forward to more from this author.

I would’ve never guessed that the Diego Boneta I grew up watching in soaps was going to write a book, and a good one. Not a masterpiece, but it reminded me to the kind of story told in old Mexican movies.

What a stunning debut thriller! The pace is perfect and the story, wow, it's really gripping and creepy. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This twisty, fast-paced thriller kept me hooked from the very first page. Right from the start, I knew I'd found a favorite character in Sofia Velasco. She is an incredibly strong, fierce, and ambitious character, reminding me of Lady Macbeth in her relentless pursuit of power and control. She’s sharp, calculating, and undeniably compelling, and I found myself rooting for her despite her several ... questionable choices. As for Julian, our male lead, his complexity and vulnerability (and how it unravels slowly throughout) made him just as captivating. Though both characters operate in a morally gray area, their undeniable chemistry and tension romance made it impossible for me to put this book down. Their dynamic was full of subtle, intimate moments that added a layer of depth to their relationship, making it all the more intensely memorable. The mystery element was brilliantly executed, with clever twists and turns that kept me guessing, and despite a few minor plot holes, nothing took away from the overall enjoyment of the book. The story is clear-cut, with a crisp narrative that keeps the tension building, and while it may lack the more ornate prose of classical literature, the straightforward writing is still highly effective. The pacing, character development, and plot twists were all top-notch, making this book a thrilling, unmissable read. Five stars. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

This had that mystery element that I was looking for and was engaged with the overall package of the story. The characters worked well in the world and I really felt like they belonged in this world. Diego Boneta has a strong writing style and was able to weave a strong tale with interesting characters.

Wow! This book played out in my head like a full-on drama! It is so good! And honestly, if you hadn’t told me this was a debut, I’d never have guessed! Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something dramatic, intense and mysterious 🔥.