Pretty Dead Girls

Whoa! Where has this side of Monica Murphy been hiding? She masterfully combines her vast knowledge and experience of the YA world with a mystery that had me on the edge of my seat until the very end! Combine that with the most unlikely of romances and you have one pretty darn perfect read. As members of the Larks community service group at Cape Bonita Prep begin getting murdered in their very tony town, Penelope Malone sets off to try and figure out who the killer could be. Told in her POV, she is the quintessential leader of the most prominent bunch of girls in her high school and I thoroughly loved both her observations when spoken out loud and stuck in her head. The author knows all about the lives of young adults through her vast catalogue of books and with Pretty Dead Girls she is once again spot on with how these teenagers go about their day to day. Everything that is experienced by Penelope and the other students at CBP as these tragedies befall this small town are perfectly written and it didn't take long before I was completely consumed by this story. What makes it so compelling was how the author puts you off track time and again, considering suspects right along with Penelope and Cass, the quiet boy that is suddenly a big part of her life and may become more than just a sounding board as the murders continue. I was right there with Penelope, thinking that it could be Cass since he had prior dealings with two of the girls who met their dreadful end at the hands of the killer with the sharp knife. And mixed in with Penelope's POV are chapters told in the killer's POV and those had me scratching my head, one more time wondering if my own instincts were right after all or if I'd be thrown for a loop once again. The characters are well-crafted and each one is key to this burgeoning mystery no matter how small a part they may play. I honestly had no clue as to how it would all turn out and I was almost hesitant to finish, afraid of what might be revealed, not wanting anyone else being hurt or worse. I became very invested in this story and I could have read 100 pages more, that is how insanely good it is. A new kind of genre for Monica Murphy, I applaud her ability to combine the trying times of being a teenager with the brutal truth about the so-called mean girls many of us have had to contend with and sadly one person's way of dealing with all of it. And the low-simmer of a romance between Penelope and Cass with all its starts and stops was expertly placed, giving both the reader and the characters a chance to find some happy among all the dread. A great way to start off 2018, I happily give Pretty Dead Girls a solid 5 stars!!!

Fabulous. This is a dig in and begin guessing young adult story. When of the most popular girls in school turns up dead, everyone’s foundation in Cape Bonita is shaken. As a Lark, the premier club, it appears these members are being targeted. Penelope is the president and is not sure what to think when her world is shifted. Cass Vincenti is the quiet boy that tends to blend in but he reaches out to Penelope when these events begin to unfold. Penelope is surprised to feel a connection to Cass. They become detectives together, trying to unravel this crazy mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed this mysterious thriller and was truly surprised by the culprit. I love how Monica Murphy connects me to the characters and immerses me in their world so that I don’t want to put the book down. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

This was a fantastic read! It's a nice blend of Pretty Little Liars and Mean Girls with lots of thrills to keep you on the edge and turning page after page. The story has a nice pace and the writing is excellent. Not always the most likable characters but perfect for the story. When a young girl turns up murdered in their small town of Cape Bonita, rumors begin to fly almost immediately. Since the girl was one of The Lark's (a group of the most popular girls in school) of course everyone looks at them first. With all the secrets and lies swirling around The Larks don't know what to think or who to believe. This one will definitely keep you guessing right up till the end. I highly recommend you read it.