I definitely have a thing for YA mysteries and thrillers. I find they’re often more interesting and more compelling than adult mysteries. While YA mysteries are sometimes less intense, that’s not always the case. The One That Got Away With Murder is dark, twisty, and will have you reading long into the night. 

Amazon / Goodreads

Synopsis:

Be careful who you fall for…

Robbie and Trevor Cresmont have a body count—the killer kind. Handsome and privileged, the Crestmont brothers’ have enough wealth to ensure they’ll never be found guilty of any wrongdoing, even if all of Happy Valley believes they’re behind the deaths of their ex-girlfriends. First there was soccer star Victoria Moreno, Robbie’s ex, who mysteriously drowned at the family lake house. Then, a year later, Trevor’s girlfriend died of a suspicious overdose.

But the Crestmonts aren’t the only ones with secrets. Lauren O’Brian might be the new girl at school, but she’s never been a good girl. With a dark past of her own, she’s desperate for a fresh start. Except when she starts a no-strings-attached relationship with Robbie, her chance is put in jeopardy. During what’s meant to be their last weekend together, Lauren stumbles across shocking evidence that just might implicate Robbie.

With danger closing in, Lauren doesn’t know who to trust. And after a third death rocks the town, she must decide whether to end things with Robbie or risk becoming another cautionary tale.

This is an edge-of-your-seat debut YA thriller about a teen who is forced to confront her past in order to catch a murderer before she ends up the next victim. Perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.

Review:

Lauren is the new girl in Happy Valley. She’s the new girl in school, on the girls’ soccer team, and in a new group of friends. She has a secret situationship with Robbie Crestmont, a guy who’s volunteering at her mother’s work. All this is great because it distracts her from her mother’s serious new relationship and the chaos they both left behind in California. As it turns out, people in Happy Valley are also hiding secrets. Girls have died and everyone in town blames the Crestmont brothers. Torn between her past, her desires, and a longing for the truth, Lauren sets out for a weekend vacation with the Crestmont family.

The One That Got Away With Murder is a great read for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen McManus. If you’re looking for a dark and twisty high school mystery, give this book a try. It’s a well-written debut, and I predict we’ll see a lot more from this author in the future. This book has a lot of dark themes, so I recommend looking into content warnings before jumping in. Is this the best YA mystery I’ve ever read? Probably not. My favorite YA mysteries of the year so far are The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert and Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy of the book!