The Meadowbrook Murders

Jessica Goodman is the queen of YA thrillers that adults will also love, and I think that this is one of her best. It is set at a New England boarding school. Amy and her best friend Sarah are inseparable, and it’s senior week. Late-night parties at the boathouse and visiting their picturesque town fall in New England. Everything is idyllic until Amy discovers Sarah and her boyfriend brutally murdered in their dorm room. Amy is unsure who to trust, and she’s completely lost when her classmates turn on her, blaming her for the crime. Meanwhile, Liz is the editor of the school newspaper and a bit of a social pariah (no one wants to talk to her when they could turn into a story!). Amy is relocated to Liz’s dorm room, and the two form an unlikely friendship as they try to figure out what happened. The plot has so many twists and turns (and potential suspects). Sarah was keeping secrets from everyone. Was it Amy’s boyfriend? Was it Sarah’s other best friend? Secrets come out as they dig deeper into the truth. I guessed the villain but in an “I feel proud of myself” sort of a way, not a “This was predictable!” kind of way.