Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this fabulous YA debut. This fun and fast paced murder mystery is perfect for readers moving up from Robin Steven's Murder Most Unladylike series. This Book Kills is set in a privileged boarding school with an engaging and sympathetic main character, scholarship student Jess, who finds herself catapulted into a murder mystery with twists aplenty and a surprising reveal at the end. Great read!

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron is a great mystery story set at an elite boarding school. The story is written from the perspective of Jess, one of the students at the school whose life is turned upside down when Hugh, her best friend’s boyfriend, is murdered and it seems that the killer was inspired by a story that Jess co-wrote for school. When it becomes clear that neither the police nor a private detective hired by Hugh’s family are going to solve the case, Jess joins together with a few other students to investigate the case themselves.

The actual murder-mystery is great, there’s a ton of clues so you can figure it out for yourself. I didn’t quite solve it by the time of the big reveal, but I had plenty of theories floating about. The actual resolution makes a lot of sense, and doesn’t come as too big of a surprise. It’s very gripping and I ended up reading the whole book quite quickly as I wanted to know who did it.

Jess is a great character, and feels very realistic. The only reason she’s at the school is due to a scholarship, which is in danger due to the murder. Her personality shines through the narration and I found it very easy to get inside her head as the story progressed. She’s was born in England, but from an Indian family, and doesn’t really feels like she fits in. It’s an interesting dynamic to her character and I think that side of her is really well written. The rest of the characters are well written as well, especially since for most of the story you don’t know if you can trust them as well.

My only the gripe with the story is that despite Jess getting death threats from the murderer, her mother doesn’t pull her out of the school. Instead, Jess always manages to calm her down over the phone. The school are trying to save their reputation, but none of the students get pulled out by their parents, even after other students are attacked. As the story moved on, this became more of an issue.

Despite that, I did really enjoy this book and I would recommend it. Very easy reading with a killer mystery. When I finished the book I was a little sad to say goodbye to the characters, but I will definitely look forward to whatever’s next from Ravena Guron.

Firstly I'd like to thank NetGalley for allowing me an ARC of this book!

I really enjoyed this. I love a murder mystery, and this one, being set in a boarding school of the elite and privileged, was right up my alley.

Mysteries, secret societies, snobbery and entitlement, corrupt systems and as with all YA thriller/ murder mysteries — a whole cast of thoroughly useless grown ups!

This was a great, engrossing read — easily bingeable and will keep you guessing. I had a few assumptions, and I even guessed dead right about some of those, which was so satisfying! Still kept me on my toes with all the interweaving mysteries, and I just had such a great time unravelling them!

The underlying themes of this book are important, without feeling too forced, and Jess' personal growth was wonderful to see.

Definitely recommend this for people who enjoyed things like One Of Us Is Lying etc.

I finished this book two days ago, and I haven’t shut up about it since! This Book Kills is a brilliant, engaging mystery novel that is sure to appeal to teens and adults alike. Absolutely marvellous!

When I initially started reading it, I was a little put-off by the number of characters who were introduced in the first few chapters; in keeping with the setting of a private boarding school, most of the students have (utterly fantastic!) long-winded names, and I feared I wouldn’t be able to keep track of who was who. My worries were soon replaced, however, with the desperate desire to keep reading. With that, I soon understood exactly who each character was.

Jessminder, our protagonist, is a hard-working scholarship student with only one friend (Clem) and she narrates the story. The narrative voice is great to follow, with Jess’ personality - and humour - consistently shining through. Ravena Guron made excellent choices when developing her character!

Each of the side characters, including Clem, receive enough development throughout the novel that mixing up their names becomes impossible, and almost criminal, to imagine! They’re very distinct, and all serve the story in their own unique ways. I particularly enjoyed how much of a horrible person Millie was during the entire narrative; she was very entertaining, even if I was partly hoping for her to get expelled (or better, killed!).

Remaining the best character, however, is Jess. Thanks to Guron’s skillful writing, her fear at being arrested for a murder she didn’t commit is ever-present and enough to make the reader feel as tense as her. I was certainly hooked! Partly to find out who the murderer was, yes, but partly because I was desperate to know Jess’ fate.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of YA mystery or crime. It reminded me a lot - in the best possible way - of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s Ace of Spades, so I think fans of that will particularly enjoy reading it. And that’s not even mentioning the ending, AKA finding out who the murderer was! Absolutely AMAZING! My jaw literally dropped, especially with the revelations that came out alongside their confession. I need to reread it as soon as possible now I know the guilty party, just to catch any clues I missed! I’ve never been happier to have no idea about what’s going to happen.

I really enjoyed this well-paced murder mystery and thought it had the perfect set up. I wouldn’t say it felt particularly unique since this is becoming a more popular style of book with the likes of Karen McManus, Holly Jackson and Maureen Johnson but I liked it nonetheless. I would say some of the dialogue made it feel like it was intended for a slightly younger audience than those I just mentioned.

Another murder mystery set in a boarding school? Sign me up!

Murder mysteries are everywhere in YA fiction at the moment and for good reason - people love them. This Book Kills is a great example of a super accessible, fun, twisty thriller. No, it's not the most original plotline in the world, but the UK setting means it's something new and interesting. The pacing is just right, and the bitchy mean girls just the right level of mean. Overall a really enjoyable murder mystery and one which I know will be really popular in my school - I can't wait to give it to all the young people who come in looking for One Of Us Is Lying.

Well, I wasn’t sure at the beginning of this book, same sort of premise as many ya thrillers, but a few chapters on and suddenly I find myself gripped with knowing what’s going to happen. I loved it - a great bit of writing and twists and turns that are not expected - cannot wait for the next one

This Book Kills is the entertaining debut from lawyer, with a degree in biochemistry turned novelist, Ravena Guron. This thriller is more mystery ‘who dunnit’ than horror but has enough strings to its bow to keep you guessing to the end (I got the murderer wrong). Initially my heart sank when I realised I was about to read yet another novel set in a posh/exclusive boarding school, this trope (posh summer camps are just as bad) is incredibly well trodden and it is very difficult to come up with anything new. I have reviewed many of such novels, three recent examples being Kayla Cottingham’s My Dearest Darkest, Cynthia Murphy’s Win Lose Kill Die and Alexandrea Weis’s Have You Seen Me. Like the Murphy novel, This Book Kills is set in the UK which is a major plus point. Advance hype has namechecked the huge selling Holly Jackson and Karen McManus and such comparisons are not unfair and I will be interested to see if this novel attracts a fraction of their success. As well as being an entertaining murder mystery, the story also has an interesting social commentary angle as the main character is second generation Indian in a predominately white school and is on a scholarship which she is in constant fear of losing, which is nicely integrated into the plot.

The first-person narrator is quiet and studious sixth former Jess Choudhary who makes herself as anonymous as possible until classmate Hugh Henry Van Boden is murdered. Jess is the roommate of the popular Clem who has been seeing Henry on the side. After his death Millie (his girlfriend in public) becomes the prime suspect and Jess is slowly sucked into the drama when she realises that the circumstances behind the murder is eerily reminiscent of a short story she recently wrote. What follows is a twister in which Jess comes out of her shell (too quickly for my taste) and goes from mousy class shadow to sleuth, whilst the threat of losing her scholarship hangs over her head and a scary secret society pulls strings from the sidelines. This Book Kills was a fun, not too deep, page-turner which should easily pull bored teens away from their phone screens. AGE RANGE 13+

A YA whodunnit set in an English boarding school.
Between a crime fiction module at university, the thrillers I devoured on my year abroad and the occasional other book that has crossed my path; I have read a few mysteries, but I’ve never come across one aimed at or centred around teens in this way. It felt traditional in its style - I realised while reading there are similarities between the teens in This Book Kills and the older characters you often find in a Miss Marple for example, in that gossip is rife. This helps to create the red herrings that throw both the reader and the characters off finding the killer. I’ll be honest and say while I had suspected some of the twists that came towards the end, the killer was a complete surprise to me.
I think Jess as the narrator was great; perhaps naïve in places - but she is a teen trying to solve a murder. We’re taken on the journey with her as she solves it but also while she’s trying to find her place in a school that has made her feel excluded because of class and race, and I think this discovery is what will make her relatable for younger readers.

Where to start?

First? I love the title! It’s was drew me to the book.


It’s a fast paced story with interesting characters

I really enjoyed this book, it was so well written and is a great book for both the young adult and adult market, I didn’t feel like this had to be exclusively marketed at young adults. The writing was great and I really liked the setting and the story idea. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5stars

This was such a well written unique style of writing and I found myself fully immersed in the story

I loved Jess’ character and found the storyline and plot so interesting and could imagine everything that was on the page it was so full of detail and life

I found myself second guessing at every plot twist as to who the killer was and I think I figured it out at the end! Overall it was a really well written book

This is definitely a book to read soon and It’s put me in the mood for more high school murder and thrillers

thank you to NetGalley and Ravena for the chance to read this stunning book

A bit on the younger side of YA, but very entertaining. I did roll my eyes a lot, and although it tried to include bigger issues like bullying and sexism it didn't always manage to do it well (I'm thinking of a particular scene and a particular character that went beyond your typical cartoon villain), but the setting was cool and the mystery kept my attention the whole time. A good choice when in need of some popcorn literature.

*3.5/5

i really enjoyed this book! i read it in under 24 hours because i couldn't stop reading it, the length of the chapters was perfect and each one ended in a way that forced me to keep reading just to figure out what was going to happen next. the story being set at a boarding school where the kids of rich people helped create a spooky atmosphere because the murderer could be anyone inside the school walls. i didn't manage to guess who the murderer until right before the reveal when everything clicked into place. i also enjoyed the author's writing, it was very straightforward. i definitely recommend this for fans of a good girl's guide to murder and other ya murder mystery.

arc provided by netgalley and usborne publishing in exchange for an honest review.

A really gripping boarding school murder mystery full of entitlement, gossip, secret societies and threats.

There's a really cool tone to This Book Kills. With it's sometimes larger than life, dramatic characters there's an almost light hearted feel to it. It's certainly not comic, this is after all a book about suspicion and murder, but just this sense that it doesn't take itself entirely seriously. It was a little reminiscent of the St Trinian's remakes or Riverdale at times, though definitely not as over the top as that got. I really enjoyed it, and it made a refreshing change to books like the Bayview books by Karen McManus (which I also love, but you want variety, right?)

I mean, there's a character called Clementine-Tangerine, because her parents own a fruit company. This isn't a dour, serious book at all!

It does have some serious things to say though. Wrapped up in a gripping murder mystery is a novel about wealth and the sense of entitlement that comes with it,. And something I haven't seen so much of previously is the sense of gratitude from those without entitlement. That "Aren't I lucky to just be here among them, and I'd better be extra good and careful" feeling that comes from Jess, the scholarship student at the incredibly privileged boarding school and our main character. As Jess is both from a working class background and from an Indian family, we get to see various prejudices in action. The "Where are you from?" "London." bit that established her ethnicity was very telling.

The mystery itself is great! There were so many different elements all tied up together that it was hard to work out what was connected to what and what was just a red herring. Usborne did a marketing thing where the book stopped and they encouraged you to email in your guess as to suspect, motive, etc. I did so, and I got the motive right, but the suspect wrong. Frustratingly I had it right earlier in the book and then changed my mind. But everything made sense after the reveal, and I was easily able to see how all the pieces fitted together and what I had missed. A very satisfying conclusion, which is what you need from a murder mystery. But there are also secret societies, pranks and forfeits, corruption and secrets, friendships and romance and it all makes for a thrilling mystery.

Jess has won a scholarship to Haybuckle, a prestigious boarding school, but it comes with stipulations of constantly following all rules with a threat of expulsion for any infringements.
Most of Haybuckle’s students have money – either ‘old’ money which is deemed acceptable, or ‘new’ money which is looked down upon.
Despite their differences Jess and Clem – an old money student, are best friends. Clem has been seeing Hugh who has also been in a long-term relationship with Millie who discovers this deception and storms up to Hugh in the canteen, screaming at him, leaving him with a threat to kill him.
In Jess’ Creative Writing class she has been paired up with Summer, another scholarship student, although Summer seems to dislike Jess for no apparent reason. Together they write a story with Jess’ imagination conjuring up a murder plot of someone being killed with a trophy.
A few days later Hugh is killed with a trophy and Jess receives an anonymous text thanking her for the idea.
Although the police and a private detective are supposed to be trying to find the killer progress is slow and Jess fears she will either lose her scholarship place or even be the next victim.
Can she find the killer before the killer finds her?
The author leads the reader on a dance of possibilities with events becoming more and more frightening, then gives the reader chance to make a guess on the killer.
Thankfully the author provides an ending so you have the opportunity to discover if your own detective work was correct or not. (Mine wasn’t)
Money and entitlement are key factors in the actions of most characters in the book with many of the students totally unable to understand anyone else’s viewpoint.

A murder mystery set in an elite boarding school in England where Jess, the main character has written a short story. Unfortunately, a classmate is found dead in the exact same way that Jess has described in her story.

Although I wasn't able to guess "whodunit", I didn't enjoy this book too much due to the lack of development of the characters.

Jess Choudhary is an underprivileged scholarship student at a prestigious boarding school, where even the ‘new money’ students are looked down on. There’s a real hierarchy and only those who come from ‘old money’ feel entitled to be at there. Jess only has one friend, Clem - no one else will even give her the time of day until in their Gifted and Talented class Jess is writing a murder story with Summer. Suddenly Hugh, a rich, popular boy in Jess’s year, is murdered exactly as described in her short story, and Jess receives a text message anonymously saying she’ll be next. Other attacks on people and property follow and the police seem to be getting nowhere, and the private detective hired by Hugh’s family doesn’t seem much better. Who can Jess trust?
Written by ‘Jess’ as a cathartic way of coming to terms with what happened. A thoroughly good YA read, with many twists and turns. From about a third of the way in I was hooked. Towards the end I did work out why the murder happened, but I didn’t get the person right!
If you like YA thrillers, give this a go - highly recommended.

This book wasn't really what I thought it would be so it is quite difficult for me to review. I didn't realise that it was going to be aimed at a more teenage audience. I thought it was going to be quirky but more aimed at adults.
However, it was an easy read and well written in parts.

I'm afraid I really didn't enjoy this book; I found it very juvenile and its characters were clichéd and lacked depth. The school seemed very American although the setting was supposed to be England and although it started well it failed to hold my attention. Quite possibly I'm not the target audience as others have reviewed it very highly so perhaps it's me...