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bookbriefs 's review for:
They Wish They Were Us
by Jessica Goodman
They Wish They Were Us is a young adult mystery thriller by Jessica Goodman. I thought this book was a good read, but it wasn't my favorite mystery ever. I think this book would be perfect for readers that are new to young adult murder mysteries, because the plot and characters are fun. But I think for readers who have read many mysteries, They Wish They Were Us was really easy to figure out. It was still an enjoyable read set in a prep school setting, with a secret society element added in.
They Wish They Were Us alternates between present day, where our main characters are seniors in high school and three years prior, to their freshman year, when one of their best friends was murdered. The main character in They Wish They Were Us is Jill, who attends the prestigious Cold Coats Prep on a scholarship. Along with her best friends Nikki and Shaila, were recruited into the school's secret society- The Players. The Players affords its' members with endless advantages, in school and in life through answer keys and valuable connections. But when Shaila is murdered during the final phase of hazing, everything changes. Her boyfriend confesses to her murder and the story fast forwards three years to their senior year, where her boyfriend is now rescinding his confession, claiming innocence.
As Jill tries to figure out if he is really innocent or not, she is also juggling her senior year, college admissions and struggling with the reality of her younger brother becoming a player. In addition to the murder mystery that is the primary plotline, secondary plots of hazing hazards and friendships are also present and they were my favorite part of the story. I figured out the murder pretty early on, but I enjoyed the journey the characters went on enough to keep reading. Overall, They wish they were us was a decent read, but it didn't blow my socks off. If you are new to young adult mysteries, I think you will really enjoy this book. If you are a true crime aficionado or a mystery buff, then this might be too easy for you to figure out- but it is still a fun read.
They Wish They Were Us alternates between present day, where our main characters are seniors in high school and three years prior, to their freshman year, when one of their best friends was murdered. The main character in They Wish They Were Us is Jill, who attends the prestigious Cold Coats Prep on a scholarship. Along with her best friends Nikki and Shaila, were recruited into the school's secret society- The Players. The Players affords its' members with endless advantages, in school and in life through answer keys and valuable connections. But when Shaila is murdered during the final phase of hazing, everything changes. Her boyfriend confesses to her murder and the story fast forwards three years to their senior year, where her boyfriend is now rescinding his confession, claiming innocence.
As Jill tries to figure out if he is really innocent or not, she is also juggling her senior year, college admissions and struggling with the reality of her younger brother becoming a player. In addition to the murder mystery that is the primary plotline, secondary plots of hazing hazards and friendships are also present and they were my favorite part of the story. I figured out the murder pretty early on, but I enjoyed the journey the characters went on enough to keep reading. Overall, They wish they were us was a decent read, but it didn't blow my socks off. If you are new to young adult mysteries, I think you will really enjoy this book. If you are a true crime aficionado or a mystery buff, then this might be too easy for you to figure out- but it is still a fun read.