A review by aliyyah
They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really enjoyed this one.

They Wish They Were Us is a murder mystery set against the backdrop of an exclusive prep school on Long Island. Three years ago, Jill Newman’s best friend Sheila Arnold was killed by her boyfriend. When he confessed, the case was closed and everyone moved on. Now, Jill is determined to make the last school year her best yet, especially as she’s now at the top of the food chain with the Players, Gold Coast’s exclusive secret society. However, when she begins getting texts proclaiming that Shaila’s killer is innocent, everything threatens to fall apart.

I loved the plot of this. I really liked the Gossip Girl vibes of it and enjoyed the mystery. It was a little predictable, but ya thrillers always are and honestly, it didn’t take anything away from the novel for me. I still had a good time with the book.

I liked reading about the characters. Jill is only able to attend the exclusive prep school because she’s on scholarship and I really felt for her as she struggled with the pressure to be perfect in order to make her parents proud. I really enjoyed the friendships that we see between her and the other Players. These bonds can be a little complicated but they’re strong and this group of friends seem to find their way back to each other despite everything.

The writing was super easy to get into and I managed to finish this within a day.

I suppose my one complaint is that I felt like the mystery aspect took a little while to kick off. However, I still enjoyed this book a lot and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s in the mood for a short, easy mystery. 
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