After college, Lucy was living a postcard life in her hometown of Plumpton, TX, white picket fence and all. But then her best friend, Savvy, is murdered after they all attend the wedding and though it can’t be proven, everyone is pretty sure Lucy did it. Unable to bear the constantly churning rumor mill, Lucy leaves town, determined to stay away. But when a investigative true crime podcast decides to cover the case for its latest season, Lucy is pulled back to town and finds the whole town is ready to talk about her.
I definitely enjoyed this one but wasn’t bowled over, perhaps because I read it soon after First Lie Wins, which felt like a standout in the genre. After that one, the common tropes found here of true crime podcasting, unreliable narrator, and secretly abusive partner felt particularly overdone. That said, it was fast paced and I enjoyed that they put some humor on the pages via Lucy’s sarcasm and her grandma’s sass. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of podcast interviews/clips – the change in format allowed for new perspectives without new POVs and definitey kept the pace of the novel up.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: A margarita (regular, no funky flavors) on the rocks – kinda tart, not too sweet
Peaches to Apples 