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The Agathas #1
The Agathas
Last summer, Alice Ogilvie’s basketball-star boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. She's not talking, so where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove. Or it was, at least. But now, another one of Steve’s girlfriends has vanished: Brooke Donovan, Alice’s ex–best friend. And it doesn’t look like Brooke will be coming back. . .
Enter Iris Adams, Alice's tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn't have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke's grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter's whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn't so sure, and with Iris on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory.
In order to get the reward and prove Steve's innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need--the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there's anyone that can teach the girls how to solve a mystery it's the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.
Enter Iris Adams, Alice's tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn't have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke's grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter's whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn't so sure, and with Iris on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory.
In order to get the reward and prove Steve's innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need--the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there's anyone that can teach the girls how to solve a mystery it's the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.
405 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2022
About the author
Kathleen Glasgow
14 books9,918 followersKathleen Glasgow is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of Girl in Pieces, The Glass Girl, You'd Be Home Now, How to Make Friends With the Dark, and The Agathas series (with Liz Lawson). Visit her on TikTok (@kathleenglasgow), Instagram (misskathleenglasgow) or her website (www.kathleenglasgowbooks.com).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,310 reviews
October 13, 2024
I couldn’t be more thrilled for this brilliant duo who wrote something even better than the One of Us Is Lying series and helped me find a new addiction after the end of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder trilogy!
I absolutely fell in love with The Agathas! It’s such a fantastic tribute to one of my all-time favorite authors!
I’ve devoured Kathleen Glasgow’s previous works—her angsty, emotional, and realistic young adult novels, including Girl in Pieces, her masterpiece How to Make Friends with the Dark, and You’d Be Home Now, which I recently reviewed with five blazing stars!
I also adored Liz Lawson’s brilliant, heartfelt debut, The Lucky Ones.
I’m beyond happy that these talented authors, who have repeatedly tugged at my heart with their intense, emotional writing and admirable characters, teamed up to create something truly special. They ventured into a different genre and absolutely nailed it!
This book is unputdownable—exciting, heart-pounding, nail-biting, and filled with Hercule Poirot vibes. It’s a mysterious, entertaining gem!
As a big fan of YA mysteries, this book gave me everything I could want: a clever plot, sarcastic and witty narration, and an adorable detective duo. Alice, the unconventional, bold, impulsive, and famous “Gone Girl” of the school, and Iris, the nerdy, intelligent, tough, and resilient character who’s dealing with her own serious issues.
Alice was part of the “Mains” (the popular group) until her boyfriend dumped her and started dating her best friend, Brooke. After confronting them, Alice disappears for five days, only to return as if nothing happened! On the other hand, Iris, who belongs to the “Zones” (the least popular group), is just trying to make ends meet by tutoring Alice so she can save enough money to leave town. When Brooke goes missing, Alice and Iris team up to solve the mystery. Alice is genuinely worried about her friend, and Iris is motivated by the reward money to help her family and escape town.
The pacing, character development, and the side characters (the Zoners) are all so well done! While the ending was somewhat predictable, there were no plot holes, and we got all the answers we needed!
I need at least five more Agathas books—I’m already craving more! I can’t help but sing Robert Palmer’s classic with new lyrics: “Might as well face it, I’m addicted to this series!” I can’t wait to read more adventures of The Agathas. I already miss them!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for providing this amazing digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
I absolutely fell in love with The Agathas! It’s such a fantastic tribute to one of my all-time favorite authors!
I’ve devoured Kathleen Glasgow’s previous works—her angsty, emotional, and realistic young adult novels, including Girl in Pieces, her masterpiece How to Make Friends with the Dark, and You’d Be Home Now, which I recently reviewed with five blazing stars!
I also adored Liz Lawson’s brilliant, heartfelt debut, The Lucky Ones.
I’m beyond happy that these talented authors, who have repeatedly tugged at my heart with their intense, emotional writing and admirable characters, teamed up to create something truly special. They ventured into a different genre and absolutely nailed it!
This book is unputdownable—exciting, heart-pounding, nail-biting, and filled with Hercule Poirot vibes. It’s a mysterious, entertaining gem!
As a big fan of YA mysteries, this book gave me everything I could want: a clever plot, sarcastic and witty narration, and an adorable detective duo. Alice, the unconventional, bold, impulsive, and famous “Gone Girl” of the school, and Iris, the nerdy, intelligent, tough, and resilient character who’s dealing with her own serious issues.
Alice was part of the “Mains” (the popular group) until her boyfriend dumped her and started dating her best friend, Brooke. After confronting them, Alice disappears for five days, only to return as if nothing happened! On the other hand, Iris, who belongs to the “Zones” (the least popular group), is just trying to make ends meet by tutoring Alice so she can save enough money to leave town. When Brooke goes missing, Alice and Iris team up to solve the mystery. Alice is genuinely worried about her friend, and Iris is motivated by the reward money to help her family and escape town.
The pacing, character development, and the side characters (the Zoners) are all so well done! While the ending was somewhat predictable, there were no plot holes, and we got all the answers we needed!
I need at least five more Agathas books—I’m already craving more! I can’t help but sing Robert Palmer’s classic with new lyrics: “Might as well face it, I’m addicted to this series!” I can’t wait to read more adventures of The Agathas. I already miss them!
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for providing this amazing digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
August 9, 2024
**4.5-stars rounded up**
A year ago, high school it-girl Alice Ogilve disappeared in the wake of a nasty break-up with her boyfriend, Steve.
At the time it was considered a very suspicious disappearance. The whole town of Castle Cove was put on alert. A massive search began for her as it was feared that Alice may have been a victim of something terrible.
Like one of her idols, Dame Agatha Christie, Alice ultimately returned home, but she wasn't talking. She never told anyone where she had been, what had happened to her, or really why she had left in the first place.
Now once popular Alice is a social outcast, watching from the sidelines as her ex-best friend, Brooke Donovan, dates her ex-boyfriend, Steve. Ugh, what a mess.
After a party, Brooke and Steve are seen arguing and Brooke storms off into the night. None of her friends go after her.
The next day, it is reported that Brooke never made it home. She's disappeared. Has she pulled an Alice Oglive, or is something more sinister at work?
Once again the town of Castle Cove is in an uproar. Another young girl missing. Everyone has opinions. Unfortunately, Brooke doesn't remain missing for long. She's been killed.
After being notified, Brooke's wealthy grandmother swoops in, offering a hefty reward to anyone able to determine what happened to Brooke.
Alice pairs up with her teen tutor, Iris Adams, along with a small group of misfit friends, to try to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Brooke's tragic death. Alice isn't in it for the money, but Iris certainly wouldn't turn it away.
Steve is taken into custody, the police feel he's the guy, but Alice knows that isn't true. She knows Steve couldn't kill someone. In order to prove his innocence and secure the reward money, they need to find the real killer, thus an investigation begins.
The Agathas is such a solid and fun YA Mystery. I love when teens turn into full-fledged amateur investigators and this fit that bill perfectly.
The friend group that ultimately assembles itself around Alice was so sweet. She went from being the super popular girl, to an outcast, to finally finding a new place.
As far as the mystery portion goes, I thought it was really well done. The investigation was great. The girls were huge fans of mystery and true crime novels and television shows, so they incorporated a lot of what they had learned from those into their investigation.
The vibe of this reminded me a bit of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and I was loving every minute of it. If you enjoyed that one, you should absolutely check this one out.
Also, I loved how this one ended. I am hoping, as determined from the closing paragraphs, that Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson aren't finished with this set of characters yet.
There are more mysteries to solve in Castle Cove.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I loved this and can't wait for more from this author duo!
A year ago, high school it-girl Alice Ogilve disappeared in the wake of a nasty break-up with her boyfriend, Steve.
At the time it was considered a very suspicious disappearance. The whole town of Castle Cove was put on alert. A massive search began for her as it was feared that Alice may have been a victim of something terrible.
Like one of her idols, Dame Agatha Christie, Alice ultimately returned home, but she wasn't talking. She never told anyone where she had been, what had happened to her, or really why she had left in the first place.
Now once popular Alice is a social outcast, watching from the sidelines as her ex-best friend, Brooke Donovan, dates her ex-boyfriend, Steve. Ugh, what a mess.
After a party, Brooke and Steve are seen arguing and Brooke storms off into the night. None of her friends go after her.
The next day, it is reported that Brooke never made it home. She's disappeared. Has she pulled an Alice Oglive, or is something more sinister at work?
Once again the town of Castle Cove is in an uproar. Another young girl missing. Everyone has opinions. Unfortunately, Brooke doesn't remain missing for long. She's been killed.
After being notified, Brooke's wealthy grandmother swoops in, offering a hefty reward to anyone able to determine what happened to Brooke.
Alice pairs up with her teen tutor, Iris Adams, along with a small group of misfit friends, to try to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Brooke's tragic death. Alice isn't in it for the money, but Iris certainly wouldn't turn it away.
Steve is taken into custody, the police feel he's the guy, but Alice knows that isn't true. She knows Steve couldn't kill someone. In order to prove his innocence and secure the reward money, they need to find the real killer, thus an investigation begins.
The Agathas is such a solid and fun YA Mystery. I love when teens turn into full-fledged amateur investigators and this fit that bill perfectly.
The friend group that ultimately assembles itself around Alice was so sweet. She went from being the super popular girl, to an outcast, to finally finding a new place.
As far as the mystery portion goes, I thought it was really well done. The investigation was great. The girls were huge fans of mystery and true crime novels and television shows, so they incorporated a lot of what they had learned from those into their investigation.
The vibe of this reminded me a bit of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and I was loving every minute of it. If you enjoyed that one, you should absolutely check this one out.
Also, I loved how this one ended. I am hoping, as determined from the closing paragraphs, that Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson aren't finished with this set of characters yet.
There are more mysteries to solve in Castle Cove.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I loved this and can't wait for more from this author duo!
December 5, 2022
"I think people more often kill those they love, than those they hate. Possibly because only the people you love can really make life unendurable to you."
-Agatha Christie, Crooked House
As a bona fide Agatha Christie fangirl, I knew I had to read this book the second I discovered it existed. I was so convinced that this would be a 5 star read for me that, even though I received a digital advanced copy of this book, I went ahead and bought the BN signed special edition at my local store, because look at that cover! While it didn't end up being quite what I expected, I'm glad I read it, and maybe teens on the younger end of the YA spectrum will enjoy this one more than the older ones. I'm still not certain if this is the first in a new series, or if the authors decided to set up for sequels and see how this book is received before taking the leap of continuing, but I'm very interested in the subsequent mysteries that were introduced in this first book as secondary themes.
"They say money makes you happy. It doesn't. It just makes you more comfortable in your grief."
The Agathas is a slow burning mystery featuring teenage amateur detectives Alice and Iris, two high school girls who come from vastly different lifestyles but find themselves similarly embroiled in the disappearance-turned-murder of fellow classmate Brooke. If you can overlook some of the unbelievable aspects of the story, (all adults are either completely incompetent or easily duped by teenagers at every turn, the dialogue feels a little more like adults trying to sound youthful rather than the way that actual teenagers talk, and some plot points are either dropped or not explored as fully as they could have been), this is really a fun mystery. The big reveals are a little underwhelming and predictable, but I absolutely loved the Agatha Christie quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Also, the authors did a great job exploring grief and how it plays into losing someone in your community, regardless of the terms you were on when they passed. Overall, an easy, enjoyable mystery that I'll continue on with the series if the authors choose to write those stories.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
-Agatha Christie, Crooked House
As a bona fide Agatha Christie fangirl, I knew I had to read this book the second I discovered it existed. I was so convinced that this would be a 5 star read for me that, even though I received a digital advanced copy of this book, I went ahead and bought the BN signed special edition at my local store, because look at that cover! While it didn't end up being quite what I expected, I'm glad I read it, and maybe teens on the younger end of the YA spectrum will enjoy this one more than the older ones. I'm still not certain if this is the first in a new series, or if the authors decided to set up for sequels and see how this book is received before taking the leap of continuing, but I'm very interested in the subsequent mysteries that were introduced in this first book as secondary themes.
"They say money makes you happy. It doesn't. It just makes you more comfortable in your grief."
The Agathas is a slow burning mystery featuring teenage amateur detectives Alice and Iris, two high school girls who come from vastly different lifestyles but find themselves similarly embroiled in the disappearance-turned-murder of fellow classmate Brooke. If you can overlook some of the unbelievable aspects of the story, (all adults are either completely incompetent or easily duped by teenagers at every turn, the dialogue feels a little more like adults trying to sound youthful rather than the way that actual teenagers talk, and some plot points are either dropped or not explored as fully as they could have been), this is really a fun mystery. The big reveals are a little underwhelming and predictable, but I absolutely loved the Agatha Christie quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Also, the authors did a great job exploring grief and how it plays into losing someone in your community, regardless of the terms you were on when they passed. Overall, an easy, enjoyable mystery that I'll continue on with the series if the authors choose to write those stories.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley.
May 20, 2022
3.5 YA STARS
YA mystery with fun Agatha Christie quotes for each chapter!
I read/and mostly listened via Audible:
Narrated by: Mehr Dudeja, Sophie Amoss, Holly Linneman Series: An Agathas Mystery, Book 1 Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
Meet Alice Ogilve and Iris Adams. They belong to different "groups" at their school. Alice is more popular and has a bit of a "gone girl" mystery in her past. Iris is more into her studies and agrees to tutor Alice.
Their small town of Castle Cove is rocked when Alice's friend, Brooke disappears. Her and Iris team up to investigate. Alice finds that Hercule Poirot and his investigative insight helps her to dig up the dirt on all their suspects. She is well prepared and has her complete works of Agatha Christie to assist in proving the case. They even put together their own murder board. Expect texts, group threads, case transcripts, news clips, and timelines. The physical book has a map of Castle Cove.
I enjoyed the narration, although the narrators weren't very distinguishable. It was a quick, easy, predictable-ish read. Loved the teenage sleuths Alice and Iris, think Nancy Drew with a partner. A nice change of pace if you enjoy a YA murder mystery. This is book one of the new series, I'll most likely read the next when the mood hits!
YA mystery with fun Agatha Christie quotes for each chapter!
I read/and mostly listened via Audible:
Narrated by: Mehr Dudeja, Sophie Amoss, Holly Linneman Series: An Agathas Mystery, Book 1 Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins
Meet Alice Ogilve and Iris Adams. They belong to different "groups" at their school. Alice is more popular and has a bit of a "gone girl" mystery in her past. Iris is more into her studies and agrees to tutor Alice.
Their small town of Castle Cove is rocked when Alice's friend, Brooke disappears. Her and Iris team up to investigate. Alice finds that Hercule Poirot and his investigative insight helps her to dig up the dirt on all their suspects. She is well prepared and has her complete works of Agatha Christie to assist in proving the case. They even put together their own murder board. Expect texts, group threads, case transcripts, news clips, and timelines. The physical book has a map of Castle Cove.
I enjoyed the narration, although the narrators weren't very distinguishable. It was a quick, easy, predictable-ish read. Loved the teenage sleuths Alice and Iris, think Nancy Drew with a partner. A nice change of pace if you enjoy a YA murder mystery. This is book one of the new series, I'll most likely read the next when the mood hits!
May 8, 2022
Happy Publication Day! ❤️
An excellent start to this phenomenal series...hands down!! It does appear as a YA mystery thriller, but you are caught up in the characters for a can't-put-down book, you will forget it is what it is!!!
The descriptions of the teenagers behavior are all too real for me and encountering what they call themselves "Mains" the popular kids.... then there are the "Zones" or "Emo" more transitional students trying to figure out where they identify. As unfortunate as labels are, the book gives you an aspect of both we know exist.
In the small town of Castle Cove, Alice, one of the "Mains" is dumped by Steve for her best friend, Brooke. Alice is heartbroken and disappears for a week without an explanation of where she was when she returns. When Brooke disappears and doesn't return, all eyes are on Steve. With a $50,000 reward offered by Brooke's grandmother, Alice and Iris, "Zones" are on an adventure to solve the case.
I laughed aloud at the incredible duo and Iris's resilience to overcome stigma and dreams of getting out of this town. The bond between the two shatters the lines between them for an unforgettable mystery thriller they are to solve with none other than the Agatha Christie series as their guide.
You can't go wrong there! I can't wait to read #2!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's books for this title in exchange for my honest review!
An excellent start to this phenomenal series...hands down!! It does appear as a YA mystery thriller, but you are caught up in the characters for a can't-put-down book, you will forget it is what it is!!!
The descriptions of the teenagers behavior are all too real for me and encountering what they call themselves "Mains" the popular kids.... then there are the "Zones" or "Emo" more transitional students trying to figure out where they identify. As unfortunate as labels are, the book gives you an aspect of both we know exist.
In the small town of Castle Cove, Alice, one of the "Mains" is dumped by Steve for her best friend, Brooke. Alice is heartbroken and disappears for a week without an explanation of where she was when she returns. When Brooke disappears and doesn't return, all eyes are on Steve. With a $50,000 reward offered by Brooke's grandmother, Alice and Iris, "Zones" are on an adventure to solve the case.
I laughed aloud at the incredible duo and Iris's resilience to overcome stigma and dreams of getting out of this town. The bond between the two shatters the lines between them for an unforgettable mystery thriller they are to solve with none other than the Agatha Christie series as their guide.
You can't go wrong there! I can't wait to read #2!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's books for this title in exchange for my honest review!
May 7, 2022
This was a lot of fun. I have not had the best luck with YA mystery books - which is surprising since I’ve been reading great fantasy, horror/paranormal, and contemporary YA lately- so I’m really happy to finally have a win in the YA mystery category. This was part Hallmark Mystery Movie, meets Scooby-Doo, and with a slice of Gone Girl, which is just about a perfect combo in my mind. This was a page turner that was entertaining and just good fun and I hope there will be a book two.
Since I do review a lot of LGBTQ+ books, I want to mention that this was not one of them. In fact I don’t think there was a single LGBTQ+ character –at least that I noticed- in the whole book -which I found a bit unbelievable since most of this book takes place in a high school-. I would not mind seeing at least a little more diversity if there is a book two. Anyway, I also want to mention that there was no romance and nothing really beyond a few characters talking about crushes and exes –except for one side character bragging about having sex with another side character. There is talk about abuse and death, since this is a murder mystery, but overall I think this book would be appropriate for a wide range of ages.
I found that the book took me a little bit to get into it, there are a lot of characters you don’t know what to think about, but as soon as the components for the mystery started to unfold, I was hooked. The mystery is well done and fun to read. There are plenty of suspects and it’s hard to know who to trust. I also loved all the little moments and quotes from Agatha Christie novels. This felt like the authors wrote a love letter to her and if you enjoy Christie’s mysteries, I think you will get a kick out of this book. I also have to admit that when it came to the mystery, I was mad at myself for not figuring it out. When I look back at the clues, I should have gotten it, but the authors did a good job of tricking me.
TLDR: If you are a YA mystery fan or an Agatha Christie fan, I would easily recommend this. This book was one of the better done, and just fun, YA mysteries that I have read in a while. The two main characters have good friendship chemistry together and I enjoyed their investigating shenanigans. There is talk that this could become a series. If that is the case I would absolutely read book two.
A copy was given to me for review.
Since I do review a lot of LGBTQ+ books, I want to mention that this was not one of them. In fact I don’t think there was a single LGBTQ+ character –at least that I noticed- in the whole book -which I found a bit unbelievable since most of this book takes place in a high school-. I would not mind seeing at least a little more diversity if there is a book two. Anyway, I also want to mention that there was no romance and nothing really beyond a few characters talking about crushes and exes –except for one side character bragging about having sex with another side character. There is talk about abuse and death, since this is a murder mystery, but overall I think this book would be appropriate for a wide range of ages.
I found that the book took me a little bit to get into it, there are a lot of characters you don’t know what to think about, but as soon as the components for the mystery started to unfold, I was hooked. The mystery is well done and fun to read. There are plenty of suspects and it’s hard to know who to trust. I also loved all the little moments and quotes from Agatha Christie novels. This felt like the authors wrote a love letter to her and if you enjoy Christie’s mysteries, I think you will get a kick out of this book. I also have to admit that when it came to the mystery, I was mad at myself for not figuring it out. When I look back at the clues, I should have gotten it, but the authors did a good job of tricking me.
TLDR: If you are a YA mystery fan or an Agatha Christie fan, I would easily recommend this. This book was one of the better done, and just fun, YA mysteries that I have read in a while. The two main characters have good friendship chemistry together and I enjoyed their investigating shenanigans. There is talk that this could become a series. If that is the case I would absolutely read book two.
A copy was given to me for review.
July 6, 2023
Surprise, surprise. The hype behind this one is legit. It makes sense. I didn't think I was going to enjoy this one, but I've already put the next installment on hold. CW: parental abuse, interpersonal relationship violence/domestic violence, death
The Agathas is a YA mystery series that definitely spends time paying homage to Agatha Christie. It's a dual narrative that follows two characters, Alice and Iris. At the start of the novel, Alice is returning to school after being on house arrest for a previous incident and Iris is assigned as her tutor as she attempts to reacclimate to high school. Unfortunately, due to Alice's previous behavior most of her friends have distanced themselves including her best friend Brooke who makes the decision to begin dating Alice's ex-boyfriend Steve. While attending a party, Brooke goes missing and is found dead. Steve is the primary suspect and it's up to Alice and Iris to prove his innocence.
What Worked: There were a lot of elements that I enjoyed about this book namely the relationship between Alice and Iris. They come from two different experiences and have misgivings about each other. It takes this incident for them to learn to work together and understand that there is often more to people than what is seen on the surface. Glasgow and Lawson also did a great job addressing some realistic aspects of their relationship. It's not always perfect and the characters don't always get along. I also enjoyed the writing with this one. The story was so engaging and made for an interesting plot. It was fun following Alice and Iris as they began their investigation and it was even more fun to see them throw in different tidbits associated with Agatha Christie. Granted, I haven't read much of her work, but it definitely peaked my interest. And last by not least, I'm glad that the writers took the opportunity to explore wealth and it's impact on those in various socioeconomic statuses. Readers will see this exploration and it's implications in relationship to quite a few characters and I think it is needed to understand the novel as a whole.
What Didn't Work: There wasn't much about the story that didn't work. I think that some of the characters could have used a little more development and that it was pretty clear that the original suspects weren't those behind Brooke's murder.
Overall, I enjoyed this one! It was exciting and like so many readers have stated before me in their reviews, this is definitely a great comp for those that enjoyed A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.
The Agathas is a YA mystery series that definitely spends time paying homage to Agatha Christie. It's a dual narrative that follows two characters, Alice and Iris. At the start of the novel, Alice is returning to school after being on house arrest for a previous incident and Iris is assigned as her tutor as she attempts to reacclimate to high school. Unfortunately, due to Alice's previous behavior most of her friends have distanced themselves including her best friend Brooke who makes the decision to begin dating Alice's ex-boyfriend Steve. While attending a party, Brooke goes missing and is found dead. Steve is the primary suspect and it's up to Alice and Iris to prove his innocence.
What Worked: There were a lot of elements that I enjoyed about this book namely the relationship between Alice and Iris. They come from two different experiences and have misgivings about each other. It takes this incident for them to learn to work together and understand that there is often more to people than what is seen on the surface. Glasgow and Lawson also did a great job addressing some realistic aspects of their relationship. It's not always perfect and the characters don't always get along. I also enjoyed the writing with this one. The story was so engaging and made for an interesting plot. It was fun following Alice and Iris as they began their investigation and it was even more fun to see them throw in different tidbits associated with Agatha Christie. Granted, I haven't read much of her work, but it definitely peaked my interest. And last by not least, I'm glad that the writers took the opportunity to explore wealth and it's impact on those in various socioeconomic statuses. Readers will see this exploration and it's implications in relationship to quite a few characters and I think it is needed to understand the novel as a whole.
What Didn't Work: There wasn't much about the story that didn't work. I think that some of the characters could have used a little more development and that it was pretty clear that the original suspects weren't those behind Brooke's murder.
Overall, I enjoyed this one! It was exciting and like so many readers have stated before me in their reviews, this is definitely a great comp for those that enjoyed A Good Girl's Guide to Murder.
April 12, 2022
I enjoyed this fun mystery. I liked the characters and had so much fun tagging along with them.
The residents of Castle Cove were shook last summer when Alice Ogilive disappeared for five days after her boyfriend Steve dumped her. Perhaps the greatest mystery is that when she returned she refused to talk about what happened. Now another one Steve’s girlfriends has disappeared. Brooke Donovan was Alice’s best friend until she stole her boyfriend Steve. This seems eerily similar to what happened to Alice, however unlike Alice it doesn’t seem like Brooke is coming back. Brooke’s grandmother is offering $50,000 for information leading to Brooke.
Iris Adams is Alice’s tutor. She could definitely use the reward money. Armed with her Agatha Christie books, Iris and Alice are determined to prove Steve’s innocence and figure out what happened to Brooke.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
The residents of Castle Cove were shook last summer when Alice Ogilive disappeared for five days after her boyfriend Steve dumped her. Perhaps the greatest mystery is that when she returned she refused to talk about what happened. Now another one Steve’s girlfriends has disappeared. Brooke Donovan was Alice’s best friend until she stole her boyfriend Steve. This seems eerily similar to what happened to Alice, however unlike Alice it doesn’t seem like Brooke is coming back. Brooke’s grandmother is offering $50,000 for information leading to Brooke.
Iris Adams is Alice’s tutor. She could definitely use the reward money. Armed with her Agatha Christie books, Iris and Alice are determined to prove Steve’s innocence and figure out what happened to Brooke.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 4, 2021
Review to come but I lovvvved!
September 6, 2023
*please be warned, this is a throw the book across the room level of rant below (but is at least spoiler free)*
I was so excited for this cute looking nod to one of the queens of mystery! I was ready for twists and turns and a chance to use my little grey cells. Instead, at least a handful of those cells are now dead from reading this novel. The Agatha Christie comparison is kind of offensive because this mystery was so obvious and simplistic. To constantly bring up Agatha, have her inspire the series name and include quotes from her books, there needs to be more effort, some insight into human psychology, or at least some solid red herrings. Even for YA, you shouldn't be able to guess the entire mystery way less of a quarter of the way through. The entire group of child sleuths has about 3 collective brain cells and it showed. The fact that Alice frequently talks about how she's basically an expert because she's read so many AC books is so annoying. She had zero intuition and there were so many clues she completely ignored in favor of the most obvious and incorrect assumptions. It felt so lazy. I bought book 2 before I read this one, which is the only reason I'm powering through. I'd only recommend this book for young readers or people who are new to the mystery genre. At least the covers are pretty? ✌️
I was so excited for this cute looking nod to one of the queens of mystery! I was ready for twists and turns and a chance to use my little grey cells. Instead, at least a handful of those cells are now dead from reading this novel. The Agatha Christie comparison is kind of offensive because this mystery was so obvious and simplistic. To constantly bring up Agatha, have her inspire the series name and include quotes from her books, there needs to be more effort, some insight into human psychology, or at least some solid red herrings. Even for YA, you shouldn't be able to guess the entire mystery way less of a quarter of the way through. The entire group of child sleuths has about 3 collective brain cells and it showed. The fact that Alice frequently talks about how she's basically an expert because she's read so many AC books is so annoying. She had zero intuition and there were so many clues she completely ignored in favor of the most obvious and incorrect assumptions. It felt so lazy. I bought book 2 before I read this one, which is the only reason I'm powering through. I'd only recommend this book for young readers or people who are new to the mystery genre. At least the covers are pretty? ✌️
April 5, 2022
I'm between a 3 and 3.5 star, so per my review policy for ARCs, I'm deferring to a 3.5 star
This wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it ended up being pretty entertaining! This strikes an interesting tone of sort of snarky Scooby Doo. There's a kind of flatness to the characters, but I felt like it served the kind of hijinks-y vibe that the story was going for, so that actually worked pretty well for me. I really enjoyed all the Christie Easter eggs, and thought this ended up having a fun, girl gang kind of vibe to the plot that was very readable and fun. This hints at being the beginning of a series, and if so, I'd check out more in this world
This wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it ended up being pretty entertaining! This strikes an interesting tone of sort of snarky Scooby Doo. There's a kind of flatness to the characters, but I felt like it served the kind of hijinks-y vibe that the story was going for, so that actually worked pretty well for me. I really enjoyed all the Christie Easter eggs, and thought this ended up having a fun, girl gang kind of vibe to the plot that was very readable and fun. This hints at being the beginning of a series, and if so, I'd check out more in this world
November 9, 2022
dropped at 50%. just..flat. boring. nothing special here. there's much better ya mystery series out there.
May 14, 2022
Read if you like:
Domestic suspense
Multiple POV
Agatha Christie mysteries
A Good Girls Guide to Murder Series
Summary: When teenager Brooke Donovan is found dead, and her boyfriend Steve becomes the prime suspect, the town of Castle Cove is left reeling.
Enter amateur detectives Alice Ogilve, Steve’s former ex-girlfriend, and her tutor Iris Adams. This unlikely pair believes Steve is innocent and are determined to get to the bottom of what really happened to Brooke.
Thoughts: I fully immersed myself in this one, going back and forth between the kindle, hardcover and audiobook. I found “The Agathas” to be a a super charming YA mystery with major “A Girls Guide to Murder” vibes.
I absolutely loved the homage to Agatha Christie and her famous detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple and I’m excited for the new generation of Christie fans this book will hopefully create.
If you are a fan of the AGGGTM series, I definitely recommend checking this one out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Domestic suspense
Multiple POV
Agatha Christie mysteries
A Good Girls Guide to Murder Series
Summary: When teenager Brooke Donovan is found dead, and her boyfriend Steve becomes the prime suspect, the town of Castle Cove is left reeling.
Enter amateur detectives Alice Ogilve, Steve’s former ex-girlfriend, and her tutor Iris Adams. This unlikely pair believes Steve is innocent and are determined to get to the bottom of what really happened to Brooke.
Thoughts: I fully immersed myself in this one, going back and forth between the kindle, hardcover and audiobook. I found “The Agathas” to be a a super charming YA mystery with major “A Girls Guide to Murder” vibes.
I absolutely loved the homage to Agatha Christie and her famous detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple and I’m excited for the new generation of Christie fans this book will hopefully create.
If you are a fan of the AGGGTM series, I definitely recommend checking this one out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 25, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte for the ARC. This is my honest review.
I really loved this one! It was a well-crafted YA mystery with some homages to the Queen of Crime herself, Dame Agatha Christie.
The two main characters, Iris and Alice, are well-developed and have depth. The potential murderers are all pretty well-developed too, and the mystery throws enough wrenches in the works to make you keep jumping from suspect to suspect. I think the Dame would be proud of Alice, using her Christie obsession to help them solve the case.
I would absolutely love if this were a series, so here's hoping for more. If you're a fan of Agatha Christie, YA, and mysteries, then you should definitely pick this one up. Highly recommended.
I really loved this one! It was a well-crafted YA mystery with some homages to the Queen of Crime herself, Dame Agatha Christie.
The two main characters, Iris and Alice, are well-developed and have depth. The potential murderers are all pretty well-developed too, and the mystery throws enough wrenches in the works to make you keep jumping from suspect to suspect. I think the Dame would be proud of Alice, using her Christie obsession to help them solve the case.
I would absolutely love if this were a series, so here's hoping for more. If you're a fan of Agatha Christie, YA, and mysteries, then you should definitely pick this one up. Highly recommended.
August 28, 2022
That, my friends, is how you write a YA thriller/mystery! This is everything I wanted A Good Girls Guide to Murder to be and more (for the record, didn’t hate that book, but this was much better). Glasgow and Lawson have me wanting to give Agatha Christie’s books a try and also wrote a 400 page book I tore through in 2 days. Two. Days. Really enjoyed the twists and turns and the two main characters. The only minor criticism I had was that both MCs had very similar “voices”, so it was easy to be confused as to whose perspective I was in mid chapter. But it wasn’t enough to knock off a star for me. All in all, a solid, page turning novel! And the ending makes it seem like it’s maybe setup for a sequel?! I would be happy with that!
January 5, 2024
Update: I reread it and liked it even more! The horse and French bits were hilarious.
I have two reading moods: historical romance and YA murder mysteries. 😇
Not the best I’ve read and not the craziest of twists (I actually thought a twist was happening that I just completely made up but just saying 👀) but it was a good time and I enjoyed the narration and potential for a sequel! I also want to go read some Agatha.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
CWs: domestic abuse, murder, teen dating violence
I have two reading moods: historical romance and YA murder mysteries. 😇
Not the best I’ve read and not the craziest of twists (I actually thought a twist was happening that I just completely made up but just saying 👀) but it was a good time and I enjoyed the narration and potential for a sequel! I also want to go read some Agatha.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
CWs: domestic abuse, murder, teen dating violence
February 1, 2024
Alice Ogilvie used to be part of the rich and popular set at Castle Cove High School. But last summer her boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she decided to disappear for a few days without telling anyone where she was going. This caused a giant rift between her and her friends. Brooke Donovan, another popular girl at school and Alice's former best friend, has also disappeared. At first the police don't seem to be taking her disappearance seriously. But when Brooke's body is found, they arrest Brooke's boyfriend Steve...the same Steve who used to date Alice.
Iris Adams is a high school math-wiz. She needs to make some quick money, so she takes a job as Alice's tutor. Not a lot of studying is getting done. Together the two girls discuss Brooke's murder and decided there is no way Steve is responsible for her death. And, as a big Agatha Christie fan, Alice knows she has the skills to investigate this crime.
I found this book on Audible when they were having a sale. I thought it sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a try. This was a well-plotted mystery that kept my attention throughout the story. If you are a fan of Veronica Mars, you will like this book. Both Alice and Iris are appealing characters. They keep a notebook of clues, witness statements, and suspects, updating it as they investigate. Alice keeps asking "What would Agatha Christie do?" She pulls her investigative techniques from the various Christie books that she has read.
I highly recommend this audiobook, narrated by Mehr Dudeja, Sophie Amoss, and Holly Linneman. Each of them nailed the various characters. I'm looking forward to listening to the next book in the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
Iris Adams is a high school math-wiz. She needs to make some quick money, so she takes a job as Alice's tutor. Not a lot of studying is getting done. Together the two girls discuss Brooke's murder and decided there is no way Steve is responsible for her death. And, as a big Agatha Christie fan, Alice knows she has the skills to investigate this crime.
I found this book on Audible when they were having a sale. I thought it sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a try. This was a well-plotted mystery that kept my attention throughout the story. If you are a fan of Veronica Mars, you will like this book. Both Alice and Iris are appealing characters. They keep a notebook of clues, witness statements, and suspects, updating it as they investigate. Alice keeps asking "What would Agatha Christie do?" She pulls her investigative techniques from the various Christie books that she has read.
I highly recommend this audiobook, narrated by Mehr Dudeja, Sophie Amoss, and Holly Linneman. Each of them nailed the various characters. I'm looking forward to listening to the next book in the series. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
May 11, 2022
2.5 STARS
SPOILERS BELOW
Poor little rich girl Alice teams up with Iris from the wrong side of the tracks to solve the mystery of Alice’s former BFF’s murder and clear their ex boyfriend Steve’s name. BTW, he’s the reason the girls became former friends.
I was excited to see YA phenom writer Kathleen Glasgow team up with newcomer Liz Lawson for THE AGATHAS, which on paper seemed like the perfect teen mystery. Though the writing is at times clever and punchy, THE AGATHA’s lacked heart and the connection to the narrators in Glasgow’s and Lawson’s previous books. Both Iris and Alice were tropes of characters found in multiple books and tv shows as were many of the minor characters. The “secrets” each held were blatantly obvious to anyone familiar with YA storytelling (or life). Additionally, the domestic violence in Iris’s life seemed to skirt around the issue and minimize the reality of the issue.
THE AGATHAS is geared more towards upper MG and young YA readers, filled with teens smarter than every clueless adult and dialogue that felt more like adults writing for tweens and teens than hoe adolescents actually speak. Have you ever heard a real-life teenager say amazeballs?
If the writers had made me care more about the victim, the falsely accused or the teen sleuths’ suspect, I would have been more invested in THE AGATHAS. I did root for Iris and Alice, the best part of the story and maybe that was the point.
I guessed the perp, the hapless guidance counselor, early on despite how hard the writers tried to push her lover, the victim’s adoptive father as the killer. That never made any sense to me. Brooke’s grandmother was a billionaire. Five million dollars is a drop in the bucket to billionaire. She’d have gladly parted with the money to lose her SIL, less than a percentage of her net worth. I could list other aspects that didn’t pass the smell test, but younger teens won’t care.
The narrators are average with a few mispronunciations and a number of pauses for page turns where the words didn’t flow smoothly.
Tweens and younger teen girls will probably enjoy THE AGATHAS more than older teens and boys.
SPOILERS BELOW
Poor little rich girl Alice teams up with Iris from the wrong side of the tracks to solve the mystery of Alice’s former BFF’s murder and clear their ex boyfriend Steve’s name. BTW, he’s the reason the girls became former friends.
I was excited to see YA phenom writer Kathleen Glasgow team up with newcomer Liz Lawson for THE AGATHAS, which on paper seemed like the perfect teen mystery. Though the writing is at times clever and punchy, THE AGATHA’s lacked heart and the connection to the narrators in Glasgow’s and Lawson’s previous books. Both Iris and Alice were tropes of characters found in multiple books and tv shows as were many of the minor characters. The “secrets” each held were blatantly obvious to anyone familiar with YA storytelling (or life). Additionally, the domestic violence in Iris’s life seemed to skirt around the issue and minimize the reality of the issue.
THE AGATHAS is geared more towards upper MG and young YA readers, filled with teens smarter than every clueless adult and dialogue that felt more like adults writing for tweens and teens than hoe adolescents actually speak. Have you ever heard a real-life teenager say amazeballs?
If the writers had made me care more about the victim, the falsely accused or the teen sleuths’ suspect, I would have been more invested in THE AGATHAS. I did root for Iris and Alice, the best part of the story and maybe that was the point.
I guessed the perp, the hapless guidance counselor, early on despite how hard the writers tried to push her lover, the victim’s adoptive father as the killer. That never made any sense to me. Brooke’s grandmother was a billionaire. Five million dollars is a drop in the bucket to billionaire. She’d have gladly parted with the money to lose her SIL, less than a percentage of her net worth. I could list other aspects that didn’t pass the smell test, but younger teens won’t care.
The narrators are average with a few mispronunciations and a number of pauses for page turns where the words didn’t flow smoothly.
Tweens and younger teen girls will probably enjoy THE AGATHAS more than older teens and boys.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2022
I really, really wanted to like this and it seems I am in the minority with my opinion but I found this book insanely slow and I wasn’t a fan of either of our main characters.
I love a mystery but this book felt kind of predictable and I didn’t feel like I was on the edge of my seat. I do feel like some parts were drummed up to be very big deal and it really wasn’t.
I also felt like there wasn’t much in terms of character development, particularly as we get into the middle of the book. Both girls were the same as when we started reading and I didn’t like either of them when we started, so…
I have read books from KG before (both 4.5 or 5 stars) which is why I was surprised to see how slow this was and how mediocre the writing felt.
I just don’t think this was the book for me!
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love a mystery but this book felt kind of predictable and I didn’t feel like I was on the edge of my seat. I do feel like some parts were drummed up to be very big deal and it really wasn’t.
I also felt like there wasn’t much in terms of character development, particularly as we get into the middle of the book. Both girls were the same as when we started reading and I didn’t like either of them when we started, so…
I have read books from KG before (both 4.5 or 5 stars) which is why I was surprised to see how slow this was and how mediocre the writing felt.
I just don’t think this was the book for me!
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2024
Absolutely nothing to write home about. The dialogue is juvenile, the plot drags, the two leads were interchangeable, and the convenience of multiple plot points was laughable. I always love the idea of a novel written with Agatha Christie in mind, but this was a letdown.
June 6, 2024
ೃ⁀➷ i actually forgot how much i enjoyed this book until i started making my summer book recs shelf and realized 😭 this is a good summer thriller book! the small town beach vibes were great <3
this gave me major AGGGTM vibes! i love it. so glad this is going to be a series!! 4.25 ⭐️
this gave me major AGGGTM vibes! i love it. so glad this is going to be a series!! 4.25 ⭐️
May 1, 2022
Starting this one before work today, and spent the day trying to read under my desk between clients because I just couldn’t put it down!
. . .
Two YA craft masters bring us a modern-day Agatha Christie duo that comes together to find a missing girl when the police and everyone around them seems to think she just ran away in THE AGATHAS.
"It's true that a girl disappeared this summer, and it turned out to be something else," I say, "but this might not be like that. We're not all the same."
Alice may have disappeared last summer, but on Halloween night her former BFF Brooke disappears and the only person who agrees with her is her tutor, Iris - who may have been the last person to see Brooke alive. As they forge an unlikely friendship and investigate her disappearance, they uncover plenty of secrets and suprises along the way.
What I loved about it most was guessing at how these two incredible authors wrote the story, having read books from each of them I was still blown away by how these two characters came together, and how effortless their banter and friendship seemed. The Agatha Christie quotes kicking off each chapter were the perfect nod to the timeless author, and got me in the mood for each and every scene.
With great supporting characters that kept me guessing and plenty of action to move the story along, I absolutely loved THE AGATHAS, and hope this writing duo has plans to write more together in the future!
Grab a friend to devour this one with; with plenty of fun twists and turns, you'll want to gush and guess what's next with someone and won't be able to put it down until you solve the mystery!
So thankful to Delacorte Press + NetGalley for giving me an advance reader copy of this title to read and review, I cannot wait for it to be available to all readers it is AMAZING.
. . .
Two YA craft masters bring us a modern-day Agatha Christie duo that comes together to find a missing girl when the police and everyone around them seems to think she just ran away in THE AGATHAS.
"It's true that a girl disappeared this summer, and it turned out to be something else," I say, "but this might not be like that. We're not all the same."
Alice may have disappeared last summer, but on Halloween night her former BFF Brooke disappears and the only person who agrees with her is her tutor, Iris - who may have been the last person to see Brooke alive. As they forge an unlikely friendship and investigate her disappearance, they uncover plenty of secrets and suprises along the way.
What I loved about it most was guessing at how these two incredible authors wrote the story, having read books from each of them I was still blown away by how these two characters came together, and how effortless their banter and friendship seemed. The Agatha Christie quotes kicking off each chapter were the perfect nod to the timeless author, and got me in the mood for each and every scene.
With great supporting characters that kept me guessing and plenty of action to move the story along, I absolutely loved THE AGATHAS, and hope this writing duo has plans to write more together in the future!
Grab a friend to devour this one with; with plenty of fun twists and turns, you'll want to gush and guess what's next with someone and won't be able to put it down until you solve the mystery!
So thankful to Delacorte Press + NetGalley for giving me an advance reader copy of this title to read and review, I cannot wait for it to be available to all readers it is AMAZING.
October 2, 2022
4.5⭐
I devoured this 400-page novel in one sitting, it is that good! Definitely one of the more well-written YA mysteries I've ever read.
I'm usually skeptical of teenage wannabe sleuths but The Agathas totally won me over! They were such well-developed, strong characters with intriguing backstories and I never stopped rooting for them. Their motives for crime-solving were believable (unlike so many other YA thrillers). I loved all the Agatha Christie references and the quotes at the start of each chapter were so fitting.
Great storytelling made this an even more compelling mystery. There were plenty of convincing red herrings and a substantial enough cast of shady characters to keep me guessing. I never saw the reveal coming despite the clues being there all along.
I absolutely love that the book explores the court of public opinion + the power of social media + how it's used as a weapon. It also highlights the poverty gap and other heavy topics such as domestic abuse, all of which I thought were handled well.
The only gripe I have is that the map at the start of the book is spoilery. Like why???
A super satisfying and juicy read overall. Sequel, please?!
Favourite quotes:
✨ "They say money makes you happy. It doesn't. It just makes you more comfortable in your grief."
✨"Rich people can do anything. They can erase lives. They can make new ones."
✨"Don't be cowed, dear girl. But you have to work for what you want. That's the way of the world when you have nothing. They make you struggle for it. I did. You can, too. But it never hurts to have a little leg up, does it?"
I devoured this 400-page novel in one sitting, it is that good! Definitely one of the more well-written YA mysteries I've ever read.
I'm usually skeptical of teenage wannabe sleuths but The Agathas totally won me over! They were such well-developed, strong characters with intriguing backstories and I never stopped rooting for them. Their motives for crime-solving were believable (unlike so many other YA thrillers). I loved all the Agatha Christie references and the quotes at the start of each chapter were so fitting.
Great storytelling made this an even more compelling mystery. There were plenty of convincing red herrings and a substantial enough cast of shady characters to keep me guessing. I never saw the reveal coming despite the clues being there all along.
I absolutely love that the book explores the court of public opinion + the power of social media + how it's used as a weapon. It also highlights the poverty gap and other heavy topics such as domestic abuse, all of which I thought were handled well.
The only gripe I have is that the map at the start of the book is spoilery. Like why???
A super satisfying and juicy read overall. Sequel, please?!
Favourite quotes:
✨ "They say money makes you happy. It doesn't. It just makes you more comfortable in your grief."
✨"Rich people can do anything. They can erase lives. They can make new ones."
✨"Don't be cowed, dear girl. But you have to work for what you want. That's the way of the world when you have nothing. They make you struggle for it. I did. You can, too. But it never hurts to have a little leg up, does it?"
June 5, 2022
I love Agatha Christie and have binge read almost every one of her books, so “The Agathas” immediately caught my eye. I found it a fun and exciting mystery with an ever-increasing suspect list and secrets that kept me hooked. I especially loved all the references to Christie and would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of YA mysteries!
August 16, 2024
Uno YA Mistery con i fiocchi!✨️
Le protagoniste di questo libro sono Alice e Iris, che cominceranno ad indagare insieme, per risolvere l'assassinio di Brooke, ex migliore amica di Alice.
Sinceramente io non avevo capito il vero colpevole, per me completamente inaspettato, perché ero sicura al 100% che fosse stato un altro personaggio (non faccio spoiler) e mi ha piacevolmente sorpresa come le ragazze siano arrivate alla risoluzione del caso.
L'unica cosa che non mi permette di dare il massimo a questo libro è che verso metà libro la narrazione l'ho trovata un pò lenta e soprattutto dilungata troppo per le lunghe, mentre agli inizi ero molto più presa a scoprire il finale di questo libro.
In ogni caso, lo consiglio soprattutto a chi ha amato la trilogia di "Come uccidono le brave ragazze", visto che anche qui sono delle ragazze di un liceo che risolvono il crimine!
Le protagoniste di questo libro sono Alice e Iris, che cominceranno ad indagare insieme, per risolvere l'assassinio di Brooke, ex migliore amica di Alice.
Sinceramente io non avevo capito il vero colpevole, per me completamente inaspettato, perché ero sicura al 100% che fosse stato un altro personaggio (non faccio spoiler) e mi ha piacevolmente sorpresa come le ragazze siano arrivate alla risoluzione del caso.
L'unica cosa che non mi permette di dare il massimo a questo libro è che verso metà libro la narrazione l'ho trovata un pò lenta e soprattutto dilungata troppo per le lunghe, mentre agli inizi ero molto più presa a scoprire il finale di questo libro.
In ogni caso, lo consiglio soprattutto a chi ha amato la trilogia di "Come uccidono le brave ragazze", visto che anche qui sono delle ragazze di un liceo che risolvono il crimine!
October 7, 2022
This book was so much fun, if you want a ya mystery book that will hook you from the beginning and keep your attention right until the very end, this is a great choice. If you also like messy teenagers, rich people problems, small towns and unlikely friendships you’ll enjoy this. It was like if Karen M McManus and Holly Jackson had a book child.
The writing and overall formatting of the book was really fun and kept my attention, despite the book being over 400 pages long it nowhere near felt it’s length. It was broken up nicely by segments of multimedia formatting (always a bonus in a book) and the dual perspectives really helped move things forward. It was well paced for a mystery, and the gradual reveals will reel you back into the story again and again. I also really liked the build up of tension and the massive events unfolding towards the end, it was quite stressful to read but entertaining nevertheless.
What I will say for this book is that you do have to suspend your disbelief and go into it just expecting to have fun. I didn;t find some of the elements here wholly realistic to be honest, and if you focus too much on that aspect it may spoil your enjoyment. It did make for a ridiculously entertaining and drama filled read though.
While the characters were also pretty entertaining and their voices carried the narrative well, at times they did feel like caricatures. Their personalities never fully felt individual and I feel like they could’ve been more dimensional. I also felt like it was a bit of a waste to have such an interesting protagonist and barely scratch the surface into their lives and what has made them the way they are. Though we have a friendship blossoming between them, it never felt like they had proper chemistry really and I would have loved to have seen more personal development for the both of them outside of the mystery they’re trying to solve. I feel like a lot of their problems were left unaddressed, their dynamic was still fun though.
It was really fun and if this is a series, they better make it sapphic.
The writing and overall formatting of the book was really fun and kept my attention, despite the book being over 400 pages long it nowhere near felt it’s length. It was broken up nicely by segments of multimedia formatting (always a bonus in a book) and the dual perspectives really helped move things forward. It was well paced for a mystery, and the gradual reveals will reel you back into the story again and again. I also really liked the build up of tension and the massive events unfolding towards the end, it was quite stressful to read but entertaining nevertheless.
What I will say for this book is that you do have to suspend your disbelief and go into it just expecting to have fun. I didn;t find some of the elements here wholly realistic to be honest, and if you focus too much on that aspect it may spoil your enjoyment. It did make for a ridiculously entertaining and drama filled read though.
While the characters were also pretty entertaining and their voices carried the narrative well, at times they did feel like caricatures. Their personalities never fully felt individual and I feel like they could’ve been more dimensional. I also felt like it was a bit of a waste to have such an interesting protagonist and barely scratch the surface into their lives and what has made them the way they are. Though we have a friendship blossoming between them, it never felt like they had proper chemistry really and I would have loved to have seen more personal development for the both of them outside of the mystery they’re trying to solve. I feel like a lot of their problems were left unaddressed, their dynamic was still fun though.
It was really fun and if this is a series, they better make it sapphic.
April 24, 2022
I literally just finished The Agathas and IT WAS SO GOOD 🤌🏻 I have been looking for something similar like A Good Girls Guide To Murder for so long and this is it you guys! The mystery aspect, the detective skills, the nerdy girl teaming up with the “bitchy” popular girl to try and solve the murder of her ex-bestfriend. The possible suspects, everything was so well written and thought out. It has you hooked from the very first page and the pacing is amazing. I wasn’t bored for a minute (which, truth be told, I usually always am at some point while reading YA thrillers).
If you’re looking for an amazing mystery/thriller read, please make sure to pick up The Agathas once it releases. I can 100% assure you that it won’t disappoint 🙌🏻
Full review to come soon!
If you’re looking for an amazing mystery/thriller read, please make sure to pick up The Agathas once it releases. I can 100% assure you that it won’t disappoint 🙌🏻
Full review to come soon!
July 5, 2022
Any book that says Veronica Mars inspired or has some kind of reference to Veronica Mars I'm gonna pick up. It's in my nature. That show got me through my late teen years and early 20's. Female teen detectives like Nancy Drew / Encyclopedia Brown are cool. So, yes, it was originally not on my radar but I picked it up.
I feel a bit cheated and a bit ... meh over the story.
Interesting setting in CA off the sea shore ... but you don't really get to picture the area. You do see a map that looks like a child drew it with only a couple houses and trees.
Interesting main character(s). I liked how they both were different, but Alice was a bit of an issue for me. I don't like how she was written. I think what made me a bit confused is that (may I compare it to Veronica Mars?) when Veronica Mars rebuilt her life you got to see her edgy personality and her interest in nerdy things come out via her past with Lily and her present as an outcast. For the life of me I could not believe this girl could read Miss Marple / Perot books and yet ... just act as ditzy as she was. It just didn't work for me, and I honestly wanted her to become a better written outcast alongside Iris.
Speaking of Iris, I felt that she was (while better written than Alice) was given some messy writing too. She is supposed to be tutoring Alice to give her scholarship money and also boost Alice's grades. They pretty much forgo all of this, but later in the story you find out that Alice's grades are going back up. ... How? They haven't been working on homework but trying to solve a mystery.
The mystery itself had some hiccups when it came to the narrative, mainly on the fact that I couldn't believe Alice's character and how she was trying to be detective or smart when the narrative constantly paints her as a ditzy popular person who had a falling out due to her ex cheating on her for the popular girl who died.
The friends were a bit of a waste for me. I think there was a guy who was trying to crush on Iris, Spike? But she had no romantic feelings for but lead him on or something. There was the guy she was crushing on, Cole?, who had a blowjob from some ex-friend of Alice's who was friends with the girl who died. There was just... people in this story who just existed but just felt really lifeless.
I just think this book came out a bit sloppy and an attempt to be like Veronica Mars but with an extra girl and some world building / character additions that were poor. The Agathas is named after Agatha Christie's books, but honestly, this book just didn't really capture the spirit of Agatha Christie as much as it should have.
I feel a bit cheated and a bit ... meh over the story.
Interesting setting in CA off the sea shore ... but you don't really get to picture the area. You do see a map that looks like a child drew it with only a couple houses and trees.
Interesting main character(s). I liked how they both were different, but Alice was a bit of an issue for me. I don't like how she was written. I think what made me a bit confused is that (may I compare it to Veronica Mars?) when Veronica Mars rebuilt her life you got to see her edgy personality and her interest in nerdy things come out via her past with Lily and her present as an outcast. For the life of me I could not believe this girl could read Miss Marple / Perot books and yet ... just act as ditzy as she was. It just didn't work for me, and I honestly wanted her to become a better written outcast alongside Iris.
Speaking of Iris, I felt that she was (while better written than Alice) was given some messy writing too. She is supposed to be tutoring Alice to give her scholarship money and also boost Alice's grades. They pretty much forgo all of this, but later in the story you find out that Alice's grades are going back up. ... How? They haven't been working on homework but trying to solve a mystery.
The mystery itself had some hiccups when it came to the narrative, mainly on the fact that I couldn't believe Alice's character and how she was trying to be detective or smart when the narrative constantly paints her as a ditzy popular person who had a falling out due to her ex cheating on her for the popular girl who died.
The friends were a bit of a waste for me. I think there was a guy who was trying to crush on Iris, Spike? But she had no romantic feelings for but lead him on or something. There was the guy she was crushing on, Cole?, who had a blowjob from some ex-friend of Alice's who was friends with the girl who died. There was just... people in this story who just existed but just felt really lifeless.
I just think this book came out a bit sloppy and an attempt to be like Veronica Mars but with an extra girl and some world building / character additions that were poor. The Agathas is named after Agatha Christie's books, but honestly, this book just didn't really capture the spirit of Agatha Christie as much as it should have.
June 14, 2023
This was such great fun and all those Agatha Christie quotes of course make me want to run out and read the rest of her books.
YA mystery with sharp characters, a well-crafted mystery and well drawn characters. This exceeded my expectations and am so glad I read it. If you are a fan of books like The Inheritance Games, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Truly Devious or A Study in Charlotte then add this to your list.
YA mystery with sharp characters, a well-crafted mystery and well drawn characters. This exceeded my expectations and am so glad I read it. If you are a fan of books like The Inheritance Games, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, Truly Devious or A Study in Charlotte then add this to your list.
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