Review: Pretty Dead Girls by Monica Murphy
SYNOPSIS:
Beautiful. Perfect. Dead.
In the peaceful seaside town of Cape Bonita, wicked secrets and lies are hidden just beneath the surface. But all it takes is one tragedy for them to be exposed.
The most popular girls in school are turning up dead, and Penelope Malone is terrified she’s next. All the victims so far have been linked to Penelope—and to a boy from her physics class. The one she’s never really noticed before, with the rumored dark past and a brooding stare that cuts right through her.
There’s something he isn’t telling her. But there’s something she’s not telling him, either.
Everyone has secrets, and theirs might get them killed.
REVIEW:
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
Pretty Little Liars meets Scream Queens, in a unique read by Monica Murphy where if you don’t watch your back…you just might be next. Nothing captivates me more in a murder mystery than when I can’t figure out who the killer is. And for the first mystery novel from Monica Murphy, she succeeded in just that, she blatantly tries to make characters look guilty, while you get glimpses inside the killer’s head. It is dark, brooding, and unpredictable. I had no idea who the killer was up until the reveal and even then…I felt blindsided, I mean the killer wasn’t even on my suspect list!
Now, aside from the murder mystery, let me move into the plot and romance. In terms of the story itself, Monica flawlessly captures the fickle friendships of high school and how hard it is to be a teenager. There is so much pressure to be perfect that teens often forget to just live and enjoy moments. In addition, most girls in high school at some point hate each other or are complete catty b*tches to each other…it is just the way things are.
In terms of romance, hello Cass…I am here for him! Mysterious, dark, quiet, ellusive…yes please. I love the absolute denial Penelope is in over her crush. While I would have liked to see more character growth for several people in the book, I found that Cass and Penelope complimented each other well. And while her parents are your typical annoying parental units, they for the most part are supportive. Overall, I liked the story and I hope Monica plans to expand on her mystery writing career…she seems to have a knack for it!
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
