Step aside, Nancy Drew—there's a new detective squad in town, and they all go by the name Sarah Jones! In Kathleen West's delightful mix of humor and mystery, "Making Friends Can Be Murder," we’re treated to a charmingly twisty tale where mistaken identity leads to unexpected camaraderie, secret discoveries, and, oh yes, murder.

It all begins innocently enough: Sarah Jones, fresh off a canceled engagement and new to Minneapolis, lucks into a club called “The Sarah Jones Project,” where women (and a few brave men) who share her very common name gather to bond over art, coffee, and camaraderie. But when one of their own is shockingly found dead under a local bridge, it’s time for this merry band of misfits to trade coffee mugs for magnifying glasses.

Enter a colorful cast of support— a handsome FBI agent, a savvy nanny, and a nun with a past juicier than a crime noir. As new friendships blossom and quirky alliances form, this eclectic crew dives headlong into solving a mystery rich with sinister secrets, potential fraud, and maybe even a little romance.

Kathleen West spins an endearing yarn where the narrative threads of mystery, humor, and heartfelt character development weave effortlessly together. The Sarah Joneses are each fleshed out with distinct personalities and relatable flaws, making their collective sleuthing adventure all the more captivating. With a tone both lively and tender, you’ll find yourself eagerly cheering on this cast of characters as they navigate the hilarious complexities of mistaken identity and unexpected danger.

Twists and turns abound, yet the plot remains charmingly light, making "Making Friends Can Be Murder" the very definition of a cozy mystery. The group text messages and vlog transcripts add a modern twist to the quaint intrigue, while avoiding the usual pitfalls of over-techy storytelling.

If you’re on the lookout for a cozy mystery packed with warmth, wit, and a heaping dose of heart, then grab your reading glasses and settle in—it’s time to join The Sarah Jones Project and see where this whirlwind of mystery and fun takes you. Just prepare to laugh, puzzle, and perhaps even lend a hand in unraveling a few secrets—for there's never a dull moment with Sarah Jones & Co. at the helm! 📚🔍💕

I loved this book! It is a fast paced modern day cozy mystery. I was slightly confused at first keeping all the characters straight but that was quickly resolved.

I liked the characters, it was plot based but with enough character development to make sure I cared about the characters. I even liked the romance in the story, it was sweet and interesting and had me hoping for a good outcome for the characters involved.

Great story, highly recommended.
Thanks to Book Browse and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book—a group of women with the same name—attracted me. The assigning of numbers to each of them to tell them apart was necessary but seemed so arbitrary that it became a distraction and a struggle for me to keep them straight. When the explanation was finally given much further into the book, the story became much more cohesive and easier to follow. It took longer than most books I read to hook me and send my reading into the frenzied phase. The characters were easy to relate to and well developed. The dialogue was amusing. Their struggles were relatable. The ending was satisfying. This was a fun read. It includes discussion questions. I must mention two supporting characters who almost stole the show. Sister Mary Theresa and Supervisory Special Agent in Charge Vance delighted me, made me chuckle, and I admired them tremendously. This book would be sorely lacking without them. I would love to see them star in a sequel. (I received an advance electronic copy of this book through BookBrowse and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)

I thoroughly enjoyed "Making Friends Can Be Murder" as my weekend read. Strengths are the whimsical characters such as 17, 69, and Sister, but a few others were underdeveloped (the two teachers? I could not tell you anything about them). I would enjoy reading a sequel, if that's ever in the works.

Memorable characters made this mystery a fun read. Many were harboring secrets that were revealed as the story developed. I was glad author Kathleen West numbered her characters by age so I could keep them all straight. Also, the multi-generational sleuthing by the Sarahs - which also included the nun/ex-cop was one of my favorite parts of the book.

I had a great time reading Making Friends Can Be Murder by Kathleen West! The premise—a group of women, all named Sarah Jones, getting tangled up in a murder case—was fresh and fun, and the mystery kept me hooked. Sarah, the main character, is new to town and just looking for community, but she ends up in the middle of a fraud case, an FBI investigation, and a decades-old cold case with ties to a summer camp. There’s a great mix of humor, suspense, and quirky characters (a nun with a mysterious past? Yes, please!). It’s entertaining, light, and twisty—perfect for a weekend read.

Fans of character-driven mysteries, light thrillers with humor, and stories about small-town secrets will enjoy this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Great read! Checks all the boxes for a cozy mystery: quirky, lovable characters, romance, a believable twisty plot and a satifying ending. Couldn't help but root for all the characters. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Moving to a new town is scary, but having someone with your name murdered makes it worse! Sarah Jones is enjoying her new friends until one of them dies. This book pulls two mysteries in to be solved, which caused a bit of confusion until I picked up on the connection. The characters were engaging and likeable. A little quicker pace might have helped the plot.

This book took me on an enjoyable adventure into the lives of a group of women (and a man, George) at various stages of their lives. I loved the idea of a group of women of diverse ages getting together in the real and digital worlds to create art, support each other and combat loneliness in the big world. The four most dominant characters (30, 27, 17 and George) are developed well enough to make me see them from all sides, they felt real and got my empathy. Nobody is perfect in this story, except maybe the long dead (I LIKE that).

It is a contemporary story, in that there are a few pages of vlog transcripts and a few more of group text messages, but not too much of that to be annoying.
The romance felt real; there was real caring and real conflict, not just misunderstandings that get “sorted” on the last page. I loved the older women in the story also, the nun and 69 were a hoot. The book is light and funny but not predictable and I appreciated the entertainment value of that. It is not gory or too suspenseful, just enough to keep me coming back to find out what happens, but not too much as to keep me awake at night! The very definition of a cozy mystery, but set in modern times. I hope this mystery solving team gets repeat mysteries to share in a season 2 or 3 of the Sarah Jones Project and we get to know all of the team better.

NOT PART OF REVIEW:1. Loc 703 at 13% of the book:
"Yeah, Twenty-seven sent a picture. Sarah could see her friend's feet in Nike socks and the offer in profile, a woman in uniform who looked about sixteen years old herself." I believe the highlighted word should be officer not offer.

2. Loc 751 at 13% of the book:
The reference to "hobby joggers" in the text is offensive and I don't think a trainer and serious runner would use that term. She (30) is not dismissive of the people she trains no matter their level of expertise, and it doesn't ring true that she'd use that phrase. Just my humble opinion as a 63 year old athlete.

3. Loc 3922 at 68% of the book:
"But George's duplicity made her feel too stupid, too 1."
I don't know if the last letter is the number 1 or the letter l and I don't know what it is supposed to mean or refer to.

When I pasted my review, I did not see a place for errors to be noted and not be part of the review.

This is a cute cosy mystery! Sarah Jones moved to a new town and finds a new group of friends who all have the same name. One of the Sarah Jones dies unexpectedly and a mystery begins. The Sarah Jones’ work together to solve the mystery. I really liked this book. The character development of the different Sarah Jones’ is great. The story kept me interested. The way the Sarah Jones’ solve the mystery is intriguing. I highly recommend this book to someone looking for a fun, easy mystery. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC copy of the book to read and review.

Kathleen West’s Making Friends Can Be Murder is a fresh, witty, and delightfully twisty mystery that turns an unusual coincidence into a thrilling whodunit. When Sarah Jones joins a group of women who share her name, she never expects it to lead to a murder investigation—but after one of their own turns up dead, the surviving Sarahs take justice into their own hands. Packed with eccentric allies—including a charming FBI agent and a nun with secrets—this novel expertly balances humor, intrigue, and heart. West’s sharp writing and clever premise make for an addictive page-turner, perfect for fans of lighthearted mysteries with a sharp edge.

A fun read! I loved the premise of this book--women with the same name (Sarah Jones) but very different backgrounds form a group. I loved getting to know the different characters, and it was fun to see how they interacted with each other.

When another Sarah Jones meets an untimely death that looks a lot like murder, the group turns its attention to crime solving.

I thought the author did a great job of interweaving all the various story lines and keeping things moving. A nice cozy mystery. And I love the book cover!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This cozy mystery is more intriguing and the characters better fleshed out than most books in this genre.The book’s premise is unique and you find yourself caring about the characters from page one. And while loyal to the cozy formula of murder, romance and no big twists; you still find yourself flipping the page to get to see how it all works out. A couple of detractors include more repetition of the plot than the reader needs or wants, a weird COVID murder that couldn’t have been witnessed the way it was described, two families who have similar backgrounds, (mom dies at birth and father raises the only child.) which seemed a stretch. However, this book is 4 for me as the author went above and beyond for a cozy by providing multiple plots and characters that tied together making for an intriguing read. Thank you to Penguin Random House Publishers and BookBrowse.com for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Seven women all with the name of Sarah Jones meet and bond. They identify each other by using their ages "so as not to be utterly confused..."
Seventeen is the youngest and 69 is the oldest. Wait, what if one of them is only pretending to be a Sarah Jones, Why is the FBI already searching for her.. .

We have 7 Sarahs, 1 imposter, 2 FBI agents and , of course, a murder and a romance.

I thought the common name was a unique idea but I found keeping track of who was who by the numbers was utterly confusing..I am surprised the author kept everyone in their place. There wasn';t much of a mystery as I quickly spotted the imposter and the murderer and saw once again that true love would find its way.

I was a bit disappointed in the book because the first chapter offered so much which was not delivered. Read this book if you want an easy, fluffy story..

4.5 rounded up
What a delightful book and a unique premise. A group in Minneapolis is created by a teenager to redeem herself for a school problem. She created a community project of a group of all ages, every member named Sarah Jones. Mysteries ensue, FBI agents, nuns and a multitude of Sarah Jones become involved. Totally enjoyable read.

Fun, cozy mystery that's perfect for curling up under a blanket on a chilly day or a long plane ride. I loved the characters and the way their different personalities shone through. The ending was almost too neat and tidy, but it added to the cozy mystery vibe.

All in all, a fun, light-hearted read for anyone who enjoys a mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Making Friends can be Murder is such a great idea for a book. While I don’t have a common name I love the idea of those with a very common one forming an international group, in this case The Sarah Jones Project. What starts as a redeeming project for a 17 year old who created a hurtful meme to bully turns into a close group who do things like yarn bomb a notable tree and make friends across age lines. Unfortunately when another Sarah Jones (not in the group but an employer of one who is) is murdered and that coincides with an investigation into fraud of one of the members, The Sarah Jones Project has to recalibrate and decides to investigate the murder themselves.

Other characters involve a nun with a secret, a cute FBI Agent with trauma in his past, and a non Sarah Jones named new member who become involved in the mysteries (including a cold case of a young boy who disappeared). The author, Kathleen West, writes in her acknowledgements that this is one of the most fun books she’s written in content and I have to agree. She brings her experience with women’s and adult’s fiction to write points of views across characters incredibly well while introducing the intrigue like a pro. Fun to read and try to solve, if you’re a fan across genres from mystery to fiction (hold the thrills) you’ll enjoy this.

I was laughing one minute, gasping the next, and just cheering for Sarah and her ragtag group of unlikely friends. If you love your mysteries with a twist of humor and an unpredictable cast of characters, this one is an absolute must-read. It’s clever, it’s heartfelt, and it’s everything I didn’t know I needed in a cozy mystery.