Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Muñoz


 It is the end of their high school career, and Izzy Morales with her best friend Kassidy Logan celebrate by having a 1920’s themed graduation party. Kassidy has invited 5 of their classmates, including Kassidy’s boyfriend Blaine. On Sparrow Island is the fabulous and famous Ashwood Manor which is completed with vintage costumes and expensive diamonds. While the two girls are wanting glamorous and fun, tensions do rise until finally someone snaps, and Blaine is found dead.

Investigators are brought to the island, but no one can leave as a storm has also moved in. Izzy is compelled to find the real killer and protect herself. After all, she was the one who brought the knife.

I felt the characters were familiar. Some reminded me of Karen M. McManus’s One of Us is Lying meets Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. I love Knives Out but I didn’t really feel the similarities to that. This was more of the professional and psychological side. Why was Blaine murdered? There are flashbacks from each of the suspects. This is why I lowered the score one point, because it felt like it took a while to get to the main event/point of the story. It does pick up the pace right at the murder, so about 25% into the novel.

I really became invested in Izzy. Her reasons, her actions, but it was her love for sister Caye and her anxieties that I related to. I hope there is another that follows Izzy in college, but if not, that’s okay. There is enough to tie up most of the reader’s questions. 

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars. 

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