Suddenly a Murder

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Author(s)

Lauren Muñoz

Publisher

G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

12+

Release Date

September 05, 2023

ISBN

978-0593617533

Buy This Book

Seven friends throw a 1920s–themed party, where it's all pretend—until one of them is murdered. One of Us Is Lying meets Knives Out in this glamorous locked-room mystery.

"A can't miss for mystery fans." —Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and The Agathas

Someone brought a knife to the party.

To celebrate the end of high school, Izzy Morales joins her ride-or-die Kassidy and five friends on a 1920s–themed getaway at the glamorous Ashwood Manor. There, Izzy and her friends party in vintage dresses and expensive diamonds—until Kassidy’s boyfriend turns up dead.

Murdered, investigators declare when they arrive at the scene, and now every party guest is a suspect. There’s the girlfriend, in love. The other girl, in despair. The old friend, forlorn. The new friend, distressed. The brooding enigma. And then, there’s Izzy—the girl who brought the knife.

To find the killer, everyone must undergo a grueling interrogation, all while locked in an estate where, suddenly, the greatest luxury is innocence.

Editor review

1 review

A Gripping and Believable Thriller

August 30, 2023

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

The Prologue threw me off track for several chapters. I was surprised that I would know who the killer was and see a story from their perspective in a murder mystery book. Then once we get to meet the cast of characters and realize they all had motives and several interactions could have led to the murder I had to put my sleuthing skills to work.
I love the premise that seven recent grads from a rich prep school use their money and connections to live out Kassidy’s dreams of living in the 1920s just like her favorite movie. The setting was perfect for this drama. To live out their fantasy and stay true to the 1920s theme the friends go to a remote island to live in a historical house and leave all modern technology behind for a week. Then when one of them winds up dead there is no place to escape and the media cannot intrude on them as the guilt rises and they move inexorably to uncovering the murderer.
Every interaction is spot-on and carefully crafted to make this a gripping believable thriller. It also leads to morally gray thinking. Murder is a crime but isn’t everyone better off with the victim dead? I am not sure I blame the person responsible which proves what a great story Lauren Muñoz has created.