CW: death, mild violence, underage drinking, drug use, teens having sex, some others

Read via NetGalley.

What happens if you take a group of modern teens, stick them in a 1920’s themed party, and then surprise them with a dead body? This book! And it’s a strangely enjoyable adventure.

Seven friends rent out a historic mansion on a private island to celebrate their high school graduation. When one of them ends up dead, their party turns into a nightmare. Did one of them kill their friend? And will the detectives be able to unravel all the lies?

First, a disclaimer: while this book is marked as young adult, and the introduction by the publisher labels it for ages 12+, I don’t think it would necessarily be appropriate for 12 year olds. It feels more fitting for maybe 15 and up? Either way, use your best judgement. (Or read it yourself first; it’s really quite a good book!)

I love locked room mysteries. They’re one of my favorite genres because there’s just so much tension and so many moving pieces; you never really know what’s going to happen. This book, much to my joy, did not fail to deliver. It gives strong Agatha Christie/“And Then There Were None” vibes and I am here for all of it. If you haven’t read a lot of locked room stories, or if you aren’t sure if psychological thrillers are your thing, or you just want a really good story, this is a marvelous place to start.

The story is told in 2 points of view— the main timeline is told through our MC, Izzy. Every so often we’re given 3rd person views of things that happened in the past. These flashbacks are used to give extra context to the characters and their relationships with each other, and I really liked seeing these relevant bits. What I didn’t love, though, is that the flashbacks are not in chronological order; they’re more used when the relevant character or event in present time is going to be important. It made it a little difficult to keep track of what happened and when leading up to the current event. The disorganization may have been intentional, but it just wasn’t my thing. Fortunately, it didn’t detract overmuch from the main timeline or the story overall.

Can I relate to any of these characters in any way? No. No I cannot. Did that stop me from loving every single page of this story? Also no. Obviously I can’t really discuss the plot without giving things away, but it was so good. Everybody has their own motivations and desires and flaws, and nothing is what it seems on the surface. The book also deals a surprising amount with things like hidden grief, anger, and how secrets can eat away at you. For all the things it touches on, though, it never feels overly introspective or abstract as some books do when discussing the human condition. It’s just good writing telling a good story.

So, the short version is that you should most definitely read this book if you like mysteries. Be prepared to not want to put it down until you get to the end. “Suddenly a Murder” is out now!

Suddenly a Murder - Likewise Book Reviews

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