I received ARCs of these books from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for honest reviews. This did not affect my opinion of the books or my reviews themselves.
How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson
When a girl is found murdered, that’s bad enough. But with her is found a copy of a book purported to be written by a murderer, teaching others how to murder. The police must solve the girl’s murder and find the author of the book. But will the results of these investigations land on the same person?
The characters in this are really compelling, particularly the main character, who is a police officer returning to work after suffering a breakdown. The “excerpts” from the book-within-a-book are eerie and keep the plot of the actual book moving well. The mystery is a good one with a lot of twists, and there’s even a hint of romance in there. I would recommend this book.
Haven’t Killed in Years by Amy K. Green
Gwen Tanner was once known as the daughter of a serial killer. But under her new name, living her new life, she is simply alone. But when someone starts sending her body parts, she fears her identity has been revealed, and she begins to investigate.
I loved this book, and could not put it down. Gwen is a really compelling character, and I really enjoyed seeing her find herself and begin to let people in. The mystery is twisty and kept me wanting to know more, and the supporting characters are well-drawn and unique. I would recommend this book.
With Friends Like These by Alissa Lee
“The Circus” is the name of the game for the five remaining friends from Harvard. It’s a game much like assassin, and was originated with a sixth player, Claudine, who died their senior year. Now the group is playing for one last time, and their secrets are starting to come out.
This is a very suspenseful book that really kept me guessing. While Sara is our main character, the other characters are unique and interesting too, including the deceased (or is she?) Claudine. Needing to know who would win the game kept me coming back for more, and the mystery full of secrets was an excellent bonus. I would recommend this book.
Death and Dinuguan by Mia P. Manansala
Lila loves where she lives, and all the beautiful women-owned businesses to be found there. But when the owner of the newly-opened chocolate shop is killed, and her chocolatier put into a coma, Lila must face that someone may be out to get the women of her town.
This is the final book in this series that I’ve absolutely loved, and I’m so sad to see it go. The characters are wonderful and so well-developed, and the relationships (platonic, familial, and romantic) are really well written. In fact, every book in this series is well written and so good. The setting is practically its own character, and everything about it comes alive. The mysteries are always fun to read. I would recommend this whole series.
