Review: The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman
Thank you Penguin Group Putnam Young Readers for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
It might be because I read the Private Series by Kate Brian as a teen or because i’m a sucker for my home region of New England, but if there’s a book set at a boarding school in Connecticut, I’m gonna read it. I’ve enjoyed a lot of Jessica Goodman’s book and this was no exception. It’s fast paced, juicy, and keeps the reader guessing. I didn’t see the twist coming at the end, but I’m also not an investigative journalist or theorist while I read. Anyway, this is a great YA thriller and a fast one to through in your beach bag for spring break.
Synopsis:
“It’s the first week of senior year at Meadowbrook Academy. For Amy and her best friend Sarah, that means late-night parties at the boathouse, bike rides through their sleepy Connecticut town, and the crisp beginning of a New England fall.
Then tragedy strikes: Sarah and her boyfriend are brutally murdered in their dorm room. Now the week Amy has been dreaming about for years has turned into a nightmare, especially when all eyes turn to her as the culprit. She was Sarah’s only roommate, the only other person there when she died—or so she told the police to cover for her own boyfriend’s suspicious whereabouts. And even though they were best friends, with every passing day, Amy begins to learn that Sarah lied about a lot of things.
Liz, editor of the school newspaper and social outcast, is determined to uncover the truth about what happened on campus, in hopes her reporting will land a prestigious scholarship to college. As Liz dives deeper into her investigation, the secrets these murdered seniors never wanted out come to light. The deeper Liz digs, the messier the truth becomes – and with a killer still on campus, she can’t afford to make any mistakes.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Setting—Connecticut boarding school, need I say more.
The Stakes—Each of the characters had a lot riding on their involvement in the crime, making it Interesting to read and flow between Amy and Liz’s POVs.
The Pacing—I love to reach for YA thrillers when I need to get out of my head and focus on the story.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The Twist—I didn’t see the twist coming but I was a little disappointed by it and who ended up being the killers.
Unresolved Elements—I liked that there was some ambiguity in the ending but I also wanted to know more about a few things that happened leading up to the big reveal.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Overall Rating: 3.75/5
Content Warnings:
murder, blood, gore, child death, violence