We were all there 20 years ago...only one of us killed her...

Oh gosh...thank goodness I am not in high school any more! This was truly painful. The lies, the backstabbing, the cruelty...everything just took me back to those horrible years I wouldn't want back. Whoever said that high school are the best years of your life was not an outsider who could only watch the popular kids. And what I remember of my own high school years had nothing on the cruelty played out here.

Twenty years ago, Bailey was crowned Prom Queen and just hours later she was dead. Given her depressed state leading up to the event, her death was ruled a suicide. But was it really? There has always been that whisper of gossip lurking in Cove Haven around the young girl's death that people knew more than they let on. And rumours were only inflamed when some of the friends left town soon after graduation. Guilty conscience? Or did they know something?

Twenty years later, Brooke returns to Cove Haven to renovate and put her childhood home on the market after the death of her mother. It's the first time she has set foot in the town since she left after graduation. Just days into her stay she meets podcaster Hannah Mead after catching sight of the missing pendant she'd given Bailey for her seventeenth birthday...one half of a pendant that was never seen again after Prom night. It's the pendant which is the basis for Hannah's new podcast about the death of a Prom Queen. But how did it end up in Hannah's possession?

Brooke doesn't reveal who she is or that she gifted the pendant to Bailey or that she still has her half sitting in the jewellery box back in her childhood home. Instead she offers to buy it from her and then makes her escape before Hannah can ask her any further questions.

It isn't long before Hannah's questions begin to get a little too close to comfort for some in town. But does that mean that the podcaster is getting closer to uncovering the truth? And if so, what does that mean for the town? For Brooke? And all those involved twenty years ago?

Honestly, I did not like hardly anyone in this book. But Bailey was one of the worst. The way she treated someone who was her best friend the way she did without a backward glance, all in the name of popularity, it was horrible. I could see myself in Brooke. Time and time again, being there for Bailey, picking up the pieces when her "new friends" let her down...only to stab her in the back just moments later. She was the type of person I loathed, and still do. Two-faced backstabbers. I had no sympathy for whatever came Bailey's way because she made her bed.

The book was a fairly quick and fast paced read but it was disturbing on so many levels. I did enjoy the past and present timelines, which is often my favourite format. It revealed just enough of the story and drip fed us enough information to steer us in the right direction while still keeping us blindfolded along the way. The drama got a little boring after a while, with a whole lot of teenage angst and then the rehashing of it. The villain was a shock but at the same time no real surprise. Not when you discover why. Then it makes sense. I loved the epilogue. That threw a real twist into the mix and a real sting in the tail. I loved it. Nice move.

Overall, a quick and entertaining read for the most part that keeps you turning the pages until the final delicious twist.

I would like to thank #LauraWolfe, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #PromQueen in exchange for an honest review.

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

Thriller alert! This one grabs the reader and takes them on a wild ride of intrigue! Love the plot twist. Filled with red herrings. Characters are well developed. Starts out with the death of a prom queen and propels you twenty years forward. Intense reading at it's best! Thanks#Netgalley and #Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

I love this author and she didn't disappoint! This is an edge of your seat thriller you won't want to stop reading!
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read and review book!

Laura Wolfe is a master of psychological thrillers. “Prom Queen” is a book that keeps you guessing to the very end.
20 years after a tragedy happens Brooke is back in her hometown. As Brooke is navigating through her present her past keeps coming up. As she learns things that happened in the past it is making her question what she knows. Will she figured out what happened before it happens again?
This book was a page turner that was hard to put down. Just when I thought I had it figured out, a twist popped up. Highly recommend

When I saw this book title, I had some sort of visions of Carrie, but this was so much worse. The book opens up with the death of the newly crowned prom queen of Cove Haven, Bailey Maddox. in a very violent fashion. Then we fast forward 20 years when Bailey's best friend, Brooke, has reluctantly returned to town to help get her mom's house ready to sell. Brooke left many years ago and has never looked back as her memories from 20 years ago are the kind of memories you would like to forget. She is jarred back to the past when she sees a woman in the coffee shop wearing the other half of her friendship necklace. The necklace that Bailey was wearing the night of her death. Though Bailey's death was ruled a suicide, Brooke has always had her doubts that her friend would kill herself. Now the past has come back to haunt her in a way she would never have imagined. The first question is why does this strange woman have her friend's necklace? Secondly, who can she trust in a town of people who believe she was responsible for her friend's death?

This book had me by the throat from the beginning chapters. Apparently Laura Wolfe is the queen of whodunnit mysteries, as she certainly satisfied that title in my mind after reading this tension filled book. The suspects were many with clues and puzzle pieces scattered from 20 years ago to the present. The story reverts in different chapters from twenty years ago building up to that fateful night. Then it will go back to the present. Although I suspected every character in this book at one time or another, I was still shocked to my core and speechless by the ending, and I am never speechless. The ending of this book left me slack-jawed and wondering what the heck just happened. If you like to keep guessing until the end of a book, this one will be the one for you. I am still sitting here shaking my head 30 minutes after finishing this book. Good grief.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

First I want to start by saying that this was very well written, I loved the podcast element and liked how it showcased how a lot of true crime podcasters don't really care about the victims in the true crime stories they talk about or their friends and family's as its an issue that's not really talked about within the true crime community. I also loved the two-timeline layout of the book and enjoyed reading about Bailey's and Brooke's friendship and how it went downhill, making Brooke a very unreliable narrator and making me question her.
The biggest downside was how rushed the ending felt, it happened really fast and was over in a few pages, so I hadn't really digested the reveal of the killer before they were caught which made me feel disappointed and almost like I had wasted my time reading the build-up

At this point I'm just gonna start offering my services like give me a line up or even just a basic description of a crime and all possible suspects and based on the ✨vibes✨ I will tell you who did it with 100% accuracy as well as who else is most likely hiding some other secret that may or may not be related.

Hannah Mead could use some serious pointers from Pip Fitz-Amobi because my queen would NEVER.

Now listen I'm not saying [REDACTED] was right, I'm just saying I understand.

GOD I'm a sucker for a main character who escapes a small town due to tragedy only to be lured back years later and forced to face the tragedy head-on, ESPECIALLY when seemingly every single person is a dirty rotten liar. This book was intriguing from the blurb, had a steady start, and by the 60% mark I simply could NOT put it down.

Now I'm not sure how I feel about That One Part at the End, so if you read it let me know and we can Discuss™️.

I didn't love this book but I didn't hate this book. It was a bit too slow for me. I was going to give it 3 stars but the epilogue was a bit too out there.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for access to this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

What happens when someone tries to uncover the truth about the death of someone 20 years ago ? It gives this book ! All the secrets uncovered, all the twists. I really loved this book. I didn't see any of those twists coming, even in the epilogue.. I will definitely look out for other books from this author.

When Brookes best friend Bailey is found dead on prom night, she spends 20 years wondering what even happened. Now, with the help of a podcaster, the secrets of the past begin to unravel.

I wanted to enjoy this book more, it immediately gave me Carrie vibes but I think it was a bit YA vibey for me instead and I’m not a huge fan of YA.

I did appreciate the mixed media with the podcast element, such a great way to keep the reader engaged. Without the mixed media, I think I would have been bored.

Overall, an okay read - If you’re into YA books I think you’ll definitely enjoy

I was provided with an advanced reader proof copy of this book in return for a review.

Recovering from some misplaced anger and a horrible divorce Brooke is forced to return to her small home town to deal with her childhood home left to her and her brother after her mother's death.

She thinks it will be easy. Sort the house, keep a low profile and leave as soon it's delt with. Little does she know that her past is about to come back to haunt her in a big way.

This read is the perfect way to start the spooky season and will keep readers guessing right up until the very end . I really loved the story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

first and foremost, the fact that the mystery starts on the FIRST PAGE is fantastic. i’m so tired of mysteries and thrillers that don’t start until over halfway through the book. this one starts immediately and it was so nice.

the story had a LOT of twists and turns. the truth about bailey and her life in that last year was really fun to read about and every time something new came up, i found myself with my jaw wide open, gasping at the book!

the dual timeline was definitely interesting and something that took a few chapters to get into the swing of. but i loved that the more was found out during the investigation, we got to read about it in the past timeline.

when we found out the truth, i kind of saw it coming, but definitely not for that reason! it gave me hella “the roommate” vibes and i fucking loved it. but the VERY end??????? THAT SHIT??????? oh my god was i shocked.

i need there to be a second book so my questions are answered about this!!!!!!

thank you so much to netgalley and laura wolfe for this arc ❤️

“Haven’t you heard the story of Bailey Maddox, who jumped in front of a train just hours after she was crowned prom queen?”

She had it all. She was the Prom Queen of Cove Haven. Did she jump? Was she pushed?

Twenty years later, Bailey’s best friend, Brooke Webber, returns to the small town of Cove Haven on the shores of Lake Michigan. It doesn’t take her long to realize that the town hasn’t forgotten about the tragic event. When she spots a stranger wearing Bailey’s necklace - the necklace Brooke made for her - she’s determined to get the facts about what happened that night.

Wolfe is a master at crafting a tense whodunnit with small-town vibes! I loved her eccentric characters, the way she swept me back to my younger days when hanging out with my bestie was my sole focus, and the way she kept me guessing about Bailey’s last moments on the bridge. I was so wrapped up in the lies and secrets that I didn’t see the twists coming!

I’d love to see any of this author’s books optioned for tv or the silver screen! I’ve been an avid follower since March 2021 when Her Best Friend’s Lie was published. All five books published from that date have all been 5-star reads. Let’s shine the spotlight on this amazing author! Go check out her books.

Looking for a quick, fast-paced read? Like reading for clues? Need to know whodunnit? Enjoy gobsmacking twists? LOOK NO FURTHER - this is the one you need.

I was gifted this book by Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This book weaves in the past and the present to tell the story of Brooke’s best friend, Baily, and her untimely death. It’s a mix of YA and mystery and contains twists even I couldn’t have predicted. It’s fast paced and good for new fans of thrillers looking to get into the genre.

I think this book will be absolutely adored by the right audience but sadly, I was not in that category. I did not dislike this book, it just wasn’t for me.

YA Mystery as a podcaster is in the town of a prom queens murder aka her best friend investigating it 20 years later.

This book is definitely good for those wanting to get into the thriller genre but not sure where to start. It was an easy ready and didn’t require that much brain power to understand what was going on. I feel the twist at the end was very much a surprise and I didn’t see it coming at all.

This was my second book by Wolfe and I enjoyed it just as much as the other…which was THE IN-LAWS. This was a quick read with some unexpected twists. Bailey was the prom queen and on the night of prom she was found dead by the train tracks. It was ruled a suicide, but her bff Brooke, knows there's more to the story. Now, 20 years later, Brooke is back in town after the death of her mother. A podcaster is also digging into the case. I was going back and forth with who I thought was guilty, and I loved trying to figure it out! The "who done it" had me flying through this one.

Out October 9.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

This book started strong for me and immediately I was engrossed. The premise was super intriguing and I desperately wanted to know what happened to 'the prom queen.'
However, the more the book went on the more it seemed to lack momentum. By the end of the book, I had lost interest in reading, but I did still want to know the outcome, so I found myself skim reading in order to get to the end - which unfortunately I found disappointing.

Overall it was an OK book, but it wouldn't be a book I specifically recommend or one that I'll remember.

*4.5 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a great mystery read, terrific characters and a surprise ending. Recommend.

I loved this book also I love prom related books. The podcast angle was awesome. I will say I didn’t expect the killer to be who it was but man great reveal.

If you like true crime podcast this is the perfect book for you.

2o years ago a prom queen was murdered on prom night. This story follows Baileys best friend Brook through her return to her home town after 20 years, where she is meet by a pushy podcaster looking into Bailey's suspicious death.

I couldn't read this book fast enough. The flash backs and all the twist made me feel like I was doing the investigation myself.

I need more. I have to know what happens next with Gabe and Willa.