Keep Your Friends Close
It’s 1999, and Chloe is returning to her prestigious school, Morton Academy, for her final year. Naturally, one would assume drama, fighting and fallouts would be a staple in a book set at a competitive boarding school like this. However, the secret societies and frequent on campus murders are certainly not what you would expect from your typical final year at school …
Filled with crazy twists and turns, Murphy’s writing is engaging and thrilling and making it so impossible to know who can be trusted. Chloe is a remarkably flawed protagonist, who knows what she wants which makes the storyline all the more compelling. Furthermore, the introduction of the Book of Crime and Punishment, which names Morton students, their alleged crimes and the ways in which the author hopes they will pay for them, is almost reminiscent of the Mean Girls Burn Book, although in a much darker and more murderous way. With many references to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as Friends, Clueless and several 90s pop icons, it was fun to see our main character trying to channel a Buffy-like outfit for a dance all while dealing with life threatening mysteries herself.
Overall, this is a YA thriller that is hard to put down and is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat and gasping out loud as you read. The perfect read for fans of teen dramas, murder mysteries and suspense.
