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.