I love Julie Cross, and the comparison to Veronica Mars is right on here, in tone at least. Miles is a by-the-book good guy, and Ellie is an ex con artist, so their banter is out of this world, and their ship level is HIGH.

Chasing Truth is the first book in the Eleanor Ames series and is an action packed adventure thriller, with just the right amount of romance mixed in. Once I started this one, I couldn’t put it down. Julie Cross is a gifted writer, who keeps me on my toes the whole time I’m reading, and through me for more than one loop throughout the pages of this book.



Eleanor “Ellie” Ames, is a reformed con artist, who is now living with her sister Harper, and Harper’s Secret Service boyfriend, Adian. Now enrolled at the pregistious Holden Prep, Ellie is still dealing with the apparent suicide of her best friend Simon, and trying to fit in among the it crowd. But when her new neighbor Miles Beckett enters the pictures, everything changes, and Ellie finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about Simon’s death. Ellie and Miles are reluctant partners, and at first, hate each other. However, finding that they can’t resist the pull towards each other, they begin to work together to see if they can solve the real reason behind Simon’s death. What they don’t anticipate is the twisted web of lies and deceit they will encounter as the night of the suicide begins to unravel before them.



I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I really enjoy a good thriller, and I don’t think there’s anything better than a good YA thriller. They normally lack a lot of the violence that I find in adult thrillers, and normally involve a cute little romance. Chasing Truth hit every single mark on my list of things I look for in a five star read. There was plenty of action and thrills, enough red herrings to keep me off the scent of the real killer, and a pretty decent romance that had me blushing and smiling. The other thing that I adore about Julie’s books is her characters. And not just the main characters. Julie writes fantastic side characters that always bring so much to the story. Their tales are just as important as those of the main characters, and I loved how she wove them all together, and created such an exciting mash up of different story lines.



Overall, this was a great, fun, and exciting read, and I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2, Hiding Lies. This is exactly what I needed to get me out of my romance slump, and I can’t wait to see what other adventures Julie has in story of Ellie and Miles.

This book was really good! It kept me guessing until the very end!! I wish the author would have shared more about her life before living with her sister but other than that I loved the book!

10 stars

Ellie is a con artist..she was born in that life. Her family's last consent her mother to a correction center. But when the only friend she has at her academy dies, she knows something is amiss. Trust is such a finicky subject for con artists, especially when the questions about his death that was pegged as a suicide looks like. Together with her next-door neighbor, they work together: finding out the who to trust in a world that contradicts everything she's known. I've started this book before, and I finally was able to get past the second chapter and I'm glad I read it, because it was really action-packed but took a while to get there.

Julie Cross launches her teen spy series with Chasing Truth the tale of Eleanor Ames, a teenage ex-con artist who suspects her homecoming date’s suicide is a cover for something bigger.

Hiding her illegal past from her rich classmates at Holden Prep had been difficult, but after her friend Simon’s untimely death Ellie has a new purpose, to find out the truth. But her new enigmatic and maddening classmate and neighbor Miles Beckett is popping up everywhere she’s looking for answers. Ellie can’t decide between wanting him or hating him. Can they learn to trust each other in order to uncover the true killer?

Neither Ellie nor Miles are your typical seventeen year olds. They’re both smart, adaptable, with lots of hidden talents and neither trusts easily. They’re also wonderfully layered characters. While Ellie fights her past lying tendencies in order to be and do good, Miles is a straight arrow, her complete opposite and perfect match.

With Chasing Truth, Cross produces an exciting young adult mystery, with a great cast of characters, spot on banter and swoon worthy moments, and an expertly crafted plot filled with action and suspense that had me intrigued and on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I loved the romance and the anticipation of knowing who did it in equal measures and can’t wait to read more about this cute and inquisitive couple.

Chasing Truth is book #1 of the Eleanor Ames series by Julie Cross. It is standalone young adult mystery romance told by the heroine’s point of view with a happy ending.

This was amazing. Like, kept-me-up-until-4am amazing.

So now to try to put into words just why I loved this. :) This had such a perfect blend of everything! The tensions were exhilarating, and the characters all had the perfect amount of attention given to them. It was all very Veronica Mars, in all the best ways!

Now, I did actually guess what was going to happen awhile before it happened, but there were some really fantastic red herrings and enough going on that I almost forgot that I had figured it out! And really just the who, not the why or other details.

I fell into this really interesting and intriguing world basically right away, enjoying Ellie's sass and obvious intelligence. Then Miles' straight-laced but with a vulnerability personality...

The supporting characters were all great, too. The action, mystery, suspense... The sweetness, the chemistry... Ellie's ability to work cons... If you like romance with a bit of mystery & fun, this is definitely for you!

In Chasing Truth we are introduced to Eleanor Ames who attends Holden Prep, but isn't like the other extravagantly rich students. Having just escaped from her families life of con, she lives with her sister, Harper, and Harper's Secret Service boyfriend, Aidan. The only friend she'd made at Holden, Simon, her date for the prom, just killed himself after the dance, a fact that Eleanor is still trying to fathom.

Enter Miles, the man next door, who Eleanor meets after a naked woman in his apartment tosses clothes into the pool. Coincidentally, Eleanor discovers that he is also attending Holden, and he's just about as black and white as any person could be. No gray areas for him, and Eleanor is all about the gray areas.

I enjoyed Eleanor. She's snarky, like Veronica Mars, but also has a good bit of introspection. Her "superpower" is that she can always tell when someone is lying. Miles was kind of bland and milquetoasty for my taste.

Chasing Truth was a bit on the long side, but so much was going on, so many mysteries being woven together and surprises that I didn't mind too much. It was a fun ride with an exciting climax.

<blockquote><i><b>This was almost too easy. Here I thought Miles might provide a real challenge for me, given his no-bullshit approach to every situation. I mean, I’m pretty much 90 percent bullshit.</b></i></blockquote> </p>

​Why have I put off reading this for so long?? I honestly have no idea why it took me forever to finally read this book when it had been on my wishlist since it came out. AND it is listed for anyone who loves Veronica Mars, which is me! I am so in love with this story, it is exactly what I wanted it to be! It has the feel, heart and humor of Veronica Mars without being fan-fiction, instead it is a complete world unto itself and all I wanted to do since I first started reading it was to stop real life and escape into the pages. I have read lots of other books by Julie and really enjoyed them, but this is hands down my absolute favorite. There is nothing I would change; the writing, the pacing, the character development, the plot, the relationship dynamics- it was all just so perfect. And now I have a strong urge to re-watch Veronica Mars for the 4th time...</p>

I liked that while there was an underlying mystery of the death of Ellie's best (and only) friends Simon, we also have a few side mysteries or "cases" (jobs?) that Ellie gets involved in that have nothing to do with Simon but helped to make the story more well-rounded and create the side characters so much better. The extras also were like happy little tangents that kept me focused on the book because I had no idea what Ellie would do next or what trick was up her sleeve.</p>

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<blockquote><i><b>Getting in would be easier than a lot of other break-ins I’ve done. But no, I’m gonna ring the bell and ask to be allowed in. Thanks for making my job hell— I mean challenging—Miles.</b></i></blockquote></p>

Ellie is the main character and narrator of the book, but I feel like I was able to get to know her as well as some of the other important characters just as well through her eyes. Keep in mind that Ellie grew up in the life of a conman, she knows how to read people like a pro, can set up her own con in her sleep, usually can manipulate situations to her advantage way better than a 17 year old should ever, and lies spill from her mouth just as easy as the truth- heck, probably easier since she has to work hard to be honest. I love how pieces of her previous life poked through and she had to fight them, such as hacking Aidan's phone and her deciding on where her new morals will lead her. She in no way was a bad guy, regardless of her upbringing and skills, but instead she was sweet and wanted to help others, even if it meant $1000 paycheck to help her on her way to being kind.</p>

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Ellis's pseudo parents, her older sister Harper and Harper's Secret Service boyfriend Aidan were such a great support system for Ellie. They understood her in a way nobody else could, they backed her when she needed it, they gave her companionship when she tried to wallow, and especially Aidan, challenged her to test herself for the better (the girl has got some mad skills with her memory). Simon was not even alive during this book but based on the snippets and Ellie's feelings I really feel like I know and understand him. And that brings me to Miles. Miles was a really fun character, pretty much the complete opposite of Ellie with his strict rules, no lies, and his love of starch. The two of them butted heads constantly, the dynamic was the best. But strangely, they complimented each other as well and worked like a well oiled machine when teamed up. This was not a romance story, but man did I root for it to be. There were a handful of other well developed side characters scattered throughout the book, all important for the plot and Ellie's life in general and I wonder who will come back later. </p>

<blockquote><i><b>Miles points a finger—aggressively, I should note— at a vacant chair, ordering me to sit.</p>
Though I think it’s more of a “keep your mouth shut and stay out of my way” command. I laugh under my breath. It’s nice seeing him flustered for a change.</b></i></blockquote></p>

I highly recommend anything by Julie Cross, but for sure this start to the Eleanor Ames series, full of mystery, lies, truths and the most amazing of characters. I am so excited that there is another book out in the series because I need more Ellie in my life.

The first book in the series is Chasing Truth. The main character is Eleanor Ames - or that’s what she’s known as at the moment! She’s a student at Holden Prep, but only started going there after moving to live with her older sister, Harper, and her boyfriend, Aiden. Before that she lived with her parents who are both renown con artists and Eleanor has been taught all the tricks of their trade but, like her sister, wants a more honest future for herself - and going to school is part of her attempted reformation. She initially struggled to make friends but when her best friend and homecoming date, Simon, apparently commits suicide straight after the event, she just doesn’t believe it and is determined to discover the truth.

A handsome new teen neighbour moves in, Miles Beckett, and they’re the same age and both go to Holden Prep. Unfortunately he keeps catching Ellie doing things which make him suspicious and Ellie annoyed!. Add in that he’s an obsessive rule follower and you just know these two are going to clash. Despite such inauspicious initial encounters, the two are seriously attracted to each other but both try to resist temptation. However, both are suspicious of Simon’s death . . . should they investigate it together or go it alone?

I’m not going to say any more about the plot or I’ll end up giving away spoilers. What I will say is that I really enjoyed this teen story because of the great characters and the skilfully woven plot lines which only come together to reveal the whole picture in the end. If you can think of an acronym for a government agency, they’re probably involved in this story - yes, I mean organisations like the FBI, CIA and Secret Service - there are even special military schools! There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises along the way and I really couldn’t wait to read the sequel as soon as I finished this, it just has to be packed with more trouble for these two.

I requested and was given a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

This book is one YA fans who love a thrilling mystery, suspense, action, and romance will enjoy. It's a mix of Veronica Mars, Ally Carter a modern day YA Sherlock Holmes. I wouldn't except anything less from a Julie Cross book. Eleanor and Miles's story was a heart racing, exciting read with a mix of humor, some swooning, and a lot of trying to figure out who as behind all the trouble that was happening.

Eleanor and Miles were fun characters to get to know. Though Eleanor to me was a bit easier to connect with. She's not had the best of upbringings and she's doing her best to start over with a new life, and a second chance all while trying to leave her past behind her. Her past isn't as easy to leave behind. I loved her girl power attitude, and the fact that she wasn't afraid to risk it all to uncover what she felt wasn't right. She doesn't settle nor does she take no for answer.

Miles and Eleanor as a good match, and great opposites. There's definitely more mystery surrounding him. I almost had him figured out before more is revealed about who he really is, and why he's everywhere Eleanor is, aside from going to the same school. I loved how these two can play the same game, yet get under each other's skin at the same time. Their chemistry was sizzling. I liked what these two had to offer each other, and despite the opposite sides they're one so to speak, I liked how they tried to make things work.

The twists in this book were awesome! There was a lot involved with the twists, and the who done it. I didn't see that one coming at all. The characters in this book were all interesting. It was easy to see why some were deemed suspects, yet some of them I was surprised with the change of direction their characters went at the end of the book. The pacing this book is fast paced, and highly entertaining.

I'm not sure how I missed this book's release a couple of years ago, because this was definitely my kind of read. It definitely kept me hooked and I devoured it in one sitting. If you're a fan of action, suspense and some romance mixed in, definitely add this one to your list of books to read.

*There is some violence, language and sensual scenes that may not be suitable for younger readers

“Chasing Truth” is one of those stories that you just can’t put down. It has amazing three dimensional characters and an amazing plot.

I was hooked from the first chapter and I wanted to know more. The story progressed with a steady pace as the author built the tension. The author did a great job writing this story. It is not easy to write a believable story about two amateur sleuths who saves the day by the end of the story.

The narrator voice is believable and genuine. The story is told by the heroine, Eleanor Ames. She is a former con artist. She uses all her con skills in finding the truth about her friend’s death. During the investigation she also has to find who she truly is and what she wants to be.
Full review available at: <a href="https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Dunya-reviews-Chasing-Truth-by-Julie-Cross">Night Owl Review</a>

Every time I think I’m getting too old for YA, a book like this sucks me in. I was hesitant the first few pages when our main character, Ellie, waxes poetic about the new boy next door, Miles. But once that finished, a fun, fast-paced, twisty little YA mystery began. It reminded me a bit of Jennifer Barnes’ The Fixer series (which I loved).

Ellie and Miles bad great chemistry and a strong supporting cast of characters which made for some good scenes. I was constantly guessing Miles intentions in beginning and I liked how his story slowly unfolded. Since we were in Ellie’s POV her character was more open to us from the start and it was interesting seeing her character growth from an ex-conartist to someone who was open to having friends and trusting people.

The story revolves around the apparent suicide of Simon, a high school student and friend of Ellie’s. As it unfolds we get glimpses and ideas of what may have really happened that night but there is enough mystery and suspicion to make it difficult to know the truth.

This was a fun and adventurous book that I devoured. Cross is becoming one of my go to authors for entertainment and I’m eager to start book 2 of this series.

In "Chasing Truth," Eleanor (Ellie) Ames is running from a past she can't escape. After turning FBI informant on her con-artist family, she now lives with her older sister Harper and her sister's secret service boyfriend, Aidan. Despite not having any papers (no birth certificates, SSN, or any other documentation), Ellie is trying to make a life for herself. She currently attends Holden, an elite private school, that she was somehow able to get into despite lack of documents and with a scholarship (thanks in no small part to Aidan).

Although she wishes it wasn't, her con-artist upbringing is a big part of who Ellie is, and she must use those skills (to get what she wants) if she is going to investigate her best and only friend's supposed suicide. Ellie was the last person to see him alive when he dropped her off at home after the school dance- and he seemed fine then. So what happened to Simon between those crucial hours?

Add to this that there's a really hot new teen, Miles, moving into the apartment complex who is also attending her school- and apparently investigating the same thing. Together, they just might be able to unravel the events of that night and what actually happened to Simon.

Ellie was an easily likable character, and I loved seeing everything from her perspective. The book has a relatively slow start, and the mysteries were often a little easy to figure out, but that didn't mean that getting there wasn't an interesting and, at times, wild ride! I really enjoyed the book and felt completely invested in Ellie as a person. Not to mention that there are some really steamy make-outs scattered here and there that really keep the romance alive! This book was hard to put down and a really great YA mystery with a heavy dose of romance.

I would recommend to older teens for content- sexual situations, drug abuse, suicide/character death/violence. Although we get closure on most of the main events in the book, I am definitely looking forward to continuing this series- Ellie is a fantastic main character, and I would love to hear how her story evolves. While I see the Veronica Mars comparisons, Ellie is definitely her own person and her techniques are her own. I think fans of YA mystery/romance will easily devour this story, and I'd love to see Ellie get her own TV series!

Please note that I received an ecopy from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Eleanor had recently abandoned her past as a con artist to reunite with her sister. Just when she seemed to be settling into her new life, her only friend allegedly commits suicide. I say allegedly, because Ellie doesn't believe Simon would kill himself, and she is determined to get to the bottom of his death.

At first glance, I thought I was getting a simple prep school murder mystery, but there was a lot more going on in this book, and I loved every delicious moment of it.

From the very beginning of this book, I got a Veronica Mars vibe, and incase you're wondering, that's a very good thing. Eleanor had this fabulous voice. I loved her snark and wit, and couldn't get enough of the banter between her and the other characters. But I also really liked getting inside Ellie's head. She was quite a complicated character. She struggled with many things, and one thing she had trouble with was leaving her past in the past. As she was searching for answers, she would often leverage some of those skills she acquired as a con artist, and that would lead to these flashbacks, which gave us some insight into Ellie's past life. It was quite a fascinating world she left, and I really enjoyed the peeks into her past.

I also enjoyed the side characters. Harper, Ellie's sister, and Aiden, her sister's boyfriend, were both quite wonderful. They both undoubtedly loved Ellie, and I enjoyed all the time they shared together on page. But the character, who won my heart was Miles. You know the author did the romance well, when you fall for the hero, and I fell pretty hard for Miles. He was quite mysterious, and I really liked how Ellie chipped away at him, layer by layer.

Speaking of Miles, you know I loved the romance in this book. There was a lot of push and pull, hate to love sort of stuff going on, but once it got going, it was all sorts of swoony. Cross did a great job blending the romance into this story without it detracting from the mystery, and as far as I'm concerned, every story could use a little romance.

As far as the story is concerned, I loved the way each reveal gave way to something bigger, and enjoyed sitting back as Miles and Ellie worked to untangle all the lies as they searched for the truth. And who doesn't enjoy spending time with the young and rich prep school crowd? Prep school are my second favorite setting, and I really appreciated all the peeks into this world that Cross gave us. We went to parties, a dance, and even to class, which was a lot of fun. And the ending! I was pleased.

Overall: A fabulous mystery filled with action, suspense, intrigue, and swoons.

Julie Cross’ books (that I’ve read) have all worked for me so far, and Chasing Truth may be my favorite of the bunch. There’s a shippy ship, and the plot’s a lot of fun. Basically, if you’re into The Fixer series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and need something to tide you over while you anxiously await a book three, Chasing Truth will scratch that itch.

The Veronica Mars comparison is on point too, though it’s like if Veronica had been raised to be a con artist instead of a private investigator. Ellie’s out of the business, having made a deal with the FBI, but she can’t cut from her roots so easily. I love Ellie’s struggles to try to be a good person while her training makes her immediately size everyone up like a mark. She’s clever, sassy, and has massive trust issues.

From the very beginning, I shipped the hell out of her with Miles. Fair warning, though, that the first scene of the book is one of the handful of things about this book that kept me from giving it a 4.5 but it was so close because DEM SHIPPY FEELS. Miles is a by-the-book good guy, and Ellie’s the opposite, and they banter so well while trying to spy on each other and it’s awesome.

The book does run a bit long, but I was invested and entertained all the way through. Plot-wise, I had a few quibbles. The opening scene, with the topless girl, was clearly done for dramatic misunderstanding’s sake, and the explanation for it later on was ridiculous. The villain was slightly more obvious to me than to the geniuses doing the research, and Ellie very conveniently befriends a woman with just the right skill set to hack anything she needs hacked. There are a couple more spoilery things I didn’t love, but otherwise I thought this was quite the fun ride.

If you’re one of my ship-obsessed compatriots, yes, you do want this.

Chasing Truth by Julie Cross is the first book in the Eleanor Ames series. This series is a bit of a young adult mystery/thriller mixed with some romance.

Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Ames is a teenage reformed con artist now living with her older sister. Ellie has never known any other life than that of a grifter since that is how she was raised by her parents with them using her in their cons. But now she’s doing her best to go straight and fit into her school and sister’s life.

Ellie had made one friend since beginning her new life, Simon. But when Simon was found a victim of an apparent suicide Ellie has had a hard time letting go and believing the findings. She was the last person to see him alive and Simon was happy that night. So now Ellie has decided to get the answers to what happened herself, that is if she isn’t too distracted with her new neighbor, Miles.

For the most part this was a fun young adult mystery with one heck of a snarky leading lady. From the opening pages I couldn’t help but chuckle and like Ellie with her responses so I knew I would enjoy the book. My only concern with this one was it seemed to go on a bit too long making it drag in parts leaving me to rate at 3.5 stars. I think if it had been edited down a bit the story would have flowed a lot better but with book two seeming to be shorter I’m certainly willing to see what happens with Ellie next.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Wow, I am late to this party, but that just means I get to read book 2 sooner.

This has probably already been said, but it bears repeating. If you like (love) Veronica Mars (and who doesn't?) this book was written for you. Pretty sure it is even dedicated to you.

The suspense and the snark are spot on Veronica...I mean Ellie, but don't worry the plot and love interest offer enough differences that you aren't intrigued and entertained.

I couldn't stop reading this book once I started, but who needs sleep?

Highly recommended.

Ellie never thought Simon killed himself, but who would believe the last person to see him alive? When Miles shows up, more pieces of the puzzle come to light and some change shape. Ellie needs to find out what happened before she is the next target.

This book was a hard one for me to get in to. It didn't catch my attention until about a third of the way through. Once I hit that point, I couldn't put it down.

I wish there had been a bit more background on Ellie. There is very little told about it. I'm hoping the next book will go more into it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a second chance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The book was a different read for me. Ellie is far from perfect but still has a good heart and basically wants to be good. Miles was unknown there for a while but he turned out to be a very interesting character. Both are not your typical teenagers with a typical family. The mystery was well written and kept me interested. The romance between Ellie and Miles was well spaced and didn't interfere with the mystery part of the story. Ending was fast paced but not rushed. I can't wait to read more with Ellie and Miles. I received an ebook at no charge for which I voluntarily provided an honest review.