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Amikor Jess Choudhary iskolájának egyik legnépszerűbb és leggazdagabb diákját, Hugh Henry Van Borent holtan találják, megindul a találgatás, ki lehetett a gyilkosa. Jess, akinek lenézett ösztöndíjasként szigorúan ügyelnie kell arra, nehogy bajba keveredjen, egyszeriben a rendőrség célkeresztjében találja magát, amint fény derül rá, hogy Hugh épp úgy halt meg, mint a Jess által írt novella főszereplője.

Aztán a lány üzenetet kap egy ismeretlentől, aki köszönetet mond neki az inspirációért.
Jess tisztában van vele, hogy ha nem sikerült megfejtenie a rejtélyt, Hugh és ő egyvalamiben végül mégis hasonlítani fognak egymásra.

Mindketten halottak lesznek.

396 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2023

656 people are currently reading
45008 people want to read

About the author

Ravena Guron

9 books416 followers
A born and bred Londoner, Ravena writes MG and YA, usually featuring antiheroines or snarky narrators. She is a lawyer with a degree in biochemistry, and hopes to use the knowledge gained from her experiences to plot her books, whether that's wild MG fantasy adventures, or twisty YA murder-mysteries.

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5 stars
3,260 (27%)
4 stars
5,187 (42%)
3 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,993 reviews
Profile Image for Noa (semi ia) ˚୨୧.
138 reviews203 followers
July 18, 2024
➶Sorry if this review is short and bad I really can't be bothered making a better one.

͟͟͞͞➳This was so much better than I expected it to be. If you like murder most unladylike READ THIS BOOK. I promise you won't regret it. It's not scary, so don't read this if that's what you're looking for for. It's set in a school, which is like a star already from me. I didn't love the FMC but she was ok. But the plot twist at the end🤌🤌💋. There were something pretty huge assholes in this book though, but I guess that's the point.

4 stars

~~~~

I was looking for agggtm but found murder most unladylike. Can't say I'm mad. rtc

~~~~
͟͟͞͞➳❥‘•Pre read: I was feeling AGGGTM vibes, and this was the closest I could find. It looks interesting so🤷‍♀️
Profile Image for Ivana - Diary of Difference.
652 reviews948 followers
February 14, 2025
Wishlist | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Ko-fi



I could not recommend it enough! “This Book Kills” deserves all the hype in the world!

I can’t remember the last time I was so immersed in a book, that I spent a full all-nighter finishing it, gasped at every hint and literally jumped (all the while dropping the book in excitement) when I correctly guessed who’d done it!

The most popular and rich kid in Heybuckle School, Hugh Henry Van Boren, has been found dead. And as soon as the news arrive, the student body is very keen to find the murderer. Our main character, Jess, is a student in this school. Not being rich, she is working hard to keep her grades good and her record clean so she doesn’t lose her scholarship.

However, she finds herself at the centre of the investigation when it’s revealed that Hugh died in the exact same way as a character in a short story that she wrote. On top of this, Jess receives an anonymous tip, thanking her for the inspiration, and sending a threat her way.

Jess needs to solve this murder urgently, as time is running out. She may not only lose her scholarship, but she may end up also losing her life!

I greatly enjoyed “This Book Kills” and rooted for Jess from the very beginning.
We are instantly introduced to this posh high-school, where Jess feels an instant disadvantage being “the scholarship girl”. We can feel this through her interactions with the other students and teachers.

It also doesn’t help that the school has an anonymous secret club called the Regia Club, where students are asked to pull dangerous pranks on each other. And the adults know this is happening and yet decide to not act upon it, due to reputation.

“Just because things are easy for you, doesn’t mean they’re easy. Just because people are good to you, doesn’t mean they’re good. You can’t close your eyes and then claim ignorance – people who let bad stuff happen are just as bad as the people who do bad stuff.”

I wouldn’t say this is the deadliest thriller of 2023, but it’s for sure the most intriguing YA thriller I have read so far. It kept me on the edge of my seat; the clues, the drama, the plot twists just kept coming. I ended up predicting the culprit, but I don’t think it was very predictable. I loved the fact that the book stops at a certain point and tells you to make a prediction, because a reveal is about to happen. As soon as I got the reveal, I was beyond happy that I guessed it right. This interaction with the book made me completely forget whether my prediction was predictable or not.

I am certain that this book will take the reader community by storm in the new year. Jess is a heroine that we will want to be friends with, although we’d rather not be in her shoes. If you’re about to pick any YA thriller in the new year, let it be this one. As This Book Kills.
Profile Image for Kobe.
475 reviews418 followers
August 17, 2022
3.5 stars

I was super intrigued by the concept of This Book Kills, mainly because I'm a huge fan of thrillers and this sounded so interesting. This book definitely lives up to my high expectations going into it! The pacing was done incredibly well, which meant I ended up flying through the pages, and the constant twists and turns in the plot kept it fresh and exciting. All the characters are developed amazingly and I particularly enjoyed reading from Jess's perspective because of the writing style and unique voice.

Though I had no clue who the murderer was for the first half of the book, I think it became more obvious in the latter half due to the deliberate framing of certain dialogue and actions. When the reveal happened, I found it difficult to be too surprised. Luckily though, this mostly didn't affect my enjoyment of the book.

Overall, a strong entry into the YA thriller scene, and I'm definitely excited to see what this author writes in the future!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for the early copy of this book to read and review!
Profile Image for bookishcharli .
686 reviews154 followers
January 21, 2023
Elite boarding school, a secret society and a murder mystery all in one book? YES PLEASE, THANK YOU. The writing in this one is absolutely incredible, the plot was easy to follow, the murderer is easy enough to guess but not too easy that it ruins the fun, the characters were well developed and relatable and overall this book is a really great read.

There’s nothing quite like a good YA mystery book, and this one is definitely going to be up there with the likes of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.
 
If you like YA thrillers then definitely pick this one up.
 
Thank you to Usborne Publishing for sending me a proof of this awesome book.
Profile Image for —lex♡.
190 reviews25 followers
January 26, 2023
Hoy he llegado a la conclusión de que me gustan mucho los libros de misterio. Pero más del tipo: detective o policía, que no tiene nada que ver con la víctima, investiga un caso donde nada parece tener pies ni cabeza y, de repente, el perpetrador es alguien super random que no habíamos imaginado para nada dado que parecía realmente inocente.
Eso, gente, eso me hace interesarme por la lectura que estoy teniendo.
Este es todo lo opuesto.
Una prota de 16 o 17 años escribe para clase una historia a dos manos sobre asesinato muy particular. Se desarrolla en un bosque, en el que encuentran a la víctima asesinada con un trofeo y un mensaje, “Help me”. De hecho, parece demasiado rebuscado y nunca sabemos qué otra cosa pasa, por lo que la constante referencia me pareció más aburrida que un aporte real. La situación es que, uno de sus compañeros de clase, Hugh Van Boren, es encontrado asesinado de la misma forma que ella narró en su tarea. Además de eso, una serie de mensajes de agradecimiento y amenazas llegan a su teléfono, lo que la hace querer investigar quién pudo haber matado a su compañero valiéndose de su “creatividad”.
Hay algo que me parece bien en toda esta trama, pero también es demasiado obvio (quien no lo sepa, vive bajo una piedra) y que, al final, se deja estar. El libro intenta demostrar que la corrupción existe. Ajá. Como si necesitáramos que nos recordaran que los ricos mueven el mundo y que incluso compran a las fuerzas de la ley para no tener consecuencias. Lo positivo de esto, es que no se muestra como algo que pueda cambiar un grupo de adolescentes, sino como algo con lo que se debe vivir.
Pero ya, no me gusta nada más. Y este único punto es tan mínimo o realmente influyente a la trama que ni siquiera da para subirle una estrella a lo que leí…
La prota, Jess, no es una detective ni una policía. Es una niñita random, que, como todas las niñitas random de una historia YA se cree superior a las demás. No es solo la única y diferente entre todas las demás chicas que conoce, demasiado ruidosas, chismosas y que solo se preocupan por la moda, también es más inteligente y capaz que cada una de ellas y que la policía, por lo que siente que debe tomar el caso en sus manos, investigarlo como si no hubiera un mañana (ahora que lo pienso… ¿esta gente no tiene clases? ¿Cómo pueden dedicar tanto tiempo a dar pena por los rincones?).
La cosa es que, por supuesto, no es muy sutil que digamos. Va de aquí para allá, acusando a todo el mundo por las razones más estúpidas que puede encontrar y, lo peor, es que se las cree. No es como que tenga una leve sospechita y diga: ah, puedes ser tú, pero dime tu coartada y miramos. Nop. Es: ah, tengo esta leve sospechita, por supuesto que esta persona sube al puesto número uno de asesinos. Era tan ridículo, que el primer 30% de la historia, antes de que yo misma me hiciera una idea de quién podía ser el asesino, cada vez que ella subía un personaje a su top uno, las razones por las que lo hacía me hacían eliminarlo a mí por completo de la lista de sospechosos.
Jess va preguntando y acosando por ahí a todo el que mira extraño. También va contando sus hipótesis y descubrimientos en voz alta a donde quiera que va, sabiendo que el asesino se encuentra entre los estudiantes y que puede estar escuchando lo que dice. Pero eh, que es ella la que sabe.
Y, quiero decir, esta idea de la niña jugando a la detective estaría bien si fuera para demostrar que no, que efectivamente una adolescente que solo piensa en muchachos y besuquearse, aunque lo quiera negar, no es material para hacer el trabajo de las autoridades y la gente especializada para ello. Esto explicaría todas las acusaciones sin sentido, al mínimo de relación o provocación. Pero no, al parecer el libro, todos los demás personajes y su propia persona, la toman en serio.
Estos personajes no solo tienen el top de los nombres más tontos que he escuchado en mi vida:
Clementine-Tangerine Briggs, cuyos padres se dedican al negocio de las frutas y quizás pensaron que el crecimiento de su hija iba a ser proporcional al de la ganancia con la venta de tangerinas.
Millicent Cordelia Calthrope-Newton-Rose, que pensó que era una de mis muñecas de infancia y decidió colocarse el nombre más extraño e innecesariamente largo que encontró. Mi teoría es que mezclaron papelitos en un frasco y quedó como quedó.
Entre otros, de verdad.
Sino que también tienen las excusas más idiotas para sentirse ofendidos y actuar como niños, como si no estuvieran bien cerquita de su adultez ya.
A Millie le encanta hacer rabietas donde todo el mundo la vea, a Clem le gusta ir actuando como una tonta sin cerebro, pero de buen corazón, por todas partes. Hugh Van Boren se siente triste y ofendido porque le dijeron Hugh Van Boring, como si el peor de los insultos se tratase. Los chicos son todos simps, incluso los que no tienen razones para ser simps, además de tontos que no pueden pensar por sí mismos o hacer cosas sin ayuda femenina. Los que son adultos y pueden valerse por su cuenta están tirados a desaparecidos, incompetentes o padres a quienes sus hijos odian.
Bien, en defensa de los hombres adultos, en realidad cualquier personaje mayor de dieciséis años brilla por su ausencia, incluso los profesores, aparente máxima autoridad de una institución educativa llegan a grado tal de negligencia que se quedan parados viendo como sus alumnos pelean. Y, para ser sincera, toda esta obra es incluso culpa de la poca seguridad que tienen. Diría que peor que en Hogwarts, al menos ahí no murió alguien dentro de la instalación. Quiero decir, un colegio lleno de chicos y chicas adolescentes y lo único que hacen los profesores es revisar una vez en la noche si hay un bulto por cama. Para ellos eso es indicador de que todo el mundo anda dormido, donde debe y nadie, nunca jamás, se va a levantar de ahí. Incluso si no es por posibles asesinatos, piensen en las posibles hormonas. Háblenme de cómo no están hasta el cuello de bebés, ese es un misterio más grande que el asesino de esta historia.
Todo el trabajo lo hicieron los adolescentes. Asesinar, investigar, descubrir y parar al asesino. Por eso siempre he dicho que la eficiencia está en los jóvenes.
Otra cosa que no me gustó fue el incesante comentario villano. Cuando llegó la hora de la revelación, el asesino tenía a Jess lista para hacerla carnita y salir rápidamente del lugar para que nadie pudiera asociarla. Pero lo que se puso a hacer fue a contarle todo su plan malvado y responderle preguntas a lo menso gastando tiempo.
Miren, cuando es una historia en que el malo puede estar confiado porque, no sé, tiene al héroe en su cueva mística en la que nadie más puede entrar o ya de paso es la única persona que queda viva, contar tu historia y planes villanos está bien. Tonto, pero bien. Pero, cuando estas en una escuela llena de niños que pueden pasar por donde estás en cualquier momento, tu victima puede gritar super fuerte o puede correr a donde haya más personas, no te quedas narrando tu existencia mientras esa persona encuentra una forma de deshacerte de ti o sucede lo inevitable: alguien más pasa por el lugar.
¿Qué les enseñan a los malos en la escuela hoy día?
La historia se cuenta a través del diario de terapia de Jess, así que al principio ya sabemos que ella anda vivita y coleando a pesar de las amenazas de muerte, lo que no ayuda a generar tensión mientras vamos leyendo lo que le sucede. Para repetir tanto que su mejor clase es inglés, su narración es bastante plana y desordenada. Bien se pueden leer solo los diálogos y la historia se entendería perfectamente, sin que nos faltaran detalles.
Al final, me encontré leyendo y terminando la historia por un misterio que nunca revelaron, porque al parecer ni siquiera existió: el de la prota. Incluso cuando ella misma, narradora de su propia historia, lo niega, creí que era sencillamente el recurso narrativo y que en el futuro sabríamos qué ocultaba y por qué se negaba a decirlo, pero no.
¿Por qué si quiera la amenazaron con que contara su secreto a la policía o sería la siguiente muerta? ¿El asesino nunca pensó que amenaza de tal calibre cuando la prota no tiene un secreto haría que se interesara más en el caso y en buscar al culpable que en dejarlo estar y seguir con su vida? Después de todo, incluso si su historia inspiró el asesinato, ella no tenía ninguna otra cosa qué ver ahí…
Profile Image for frau.gedankenreich.
350 reviews120 followers
June 9, 2024
"Pfefferkörner" meets "Pretty Little Liars" an einer Eliteschule - unterhaltsame, kurzweilige, gut gemachte "murder mystery" - Story mit so vielen "Twists und Turns", dass ich ab einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt einfach alles und jeden verdächtig habe. Hab's gerne gelesen.
Profile Image for Debra- semi hiatus due to a loved ones health.
3,258 reviews36.5k followers
September 15, 2024

This Book Kills is a YA mystery thriller with a killer cover! Seriously, how cool is the cover of this book??? Jess is a scholarship student at an elite British school, who finds herself at the center of an investigation when a fellow student is found dead in the same way a character in one of her short stories is found dead. Jess wants everyone to know that "I did not kill Hugh Henry Van Boren." So, who killed him and why??????

This was an enjoyable YA mystery thriller which kept me engaged and turning the pages. There are a nice number of twists and turns along the way. There is also a nice amount of tension and suspicion thrown in as well. I thought the author did a great job of creating the elite private school with mainly the "haves" with a few "have nots". As Jess begins to try to uncover whodunit, there is a mounting sense of danger and dread.

I believe the YA audience that this book is geared for will enjoy this book more than I did. I put this in my liked but didn't love category.

I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire and Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Profile Image for Jenny.
518 reviews473 followers
August 19, 2024
This Book Kills is an outstanding murder mystery set at a boarding school. As soon as I read the book's synopsis, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible! And this book didn't disappoint me!

The characters are well-written, and the plot is so executed so well that even as it twists and turns, you are never confused. The investigation and the clues were well-planned, and I was unable to guess who killed the person.

And, speaking of characters, Jess was my absolute favorite. She had intriguing ideas and perspectives through which to see the narrative, and she was also humorous and self-aware. It was satisfying to witness Jess, the protagonist, gain self-assurance throughout the narrative, which led to more sincere friendships and an enjoyable conclusion.

The eerie, historic boarding school atmosphere was excellent! This created a somewhat dark academic vibe, especially with the Regia Club involved. This atmosphere contributed significantly to the mystery.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I want to read more works by this author in the future. I wholeheartedly endorse, particularly for readers who enjoy the works of authors such as Holly Jackson.
Profile Image for Tiyanie N.
120 reviews25 followers
April 6, 2024
My story, my words, my voice – they are priceless.

I loved EVERYTHING about this book and I'm not even exaggerating because this book was really good. It kept me guessing till the end. I would really recommend this to anyone who loves reading a good murder mystery in an academic setting.
Profile Image for dee ౨ৎ [ia].
84 reviews303 followers
October 24, 2024
3.25 stars ★
ya murder mystery
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

this was a very simple and easy read that could easily get you out of a slump. i did guess who the killer was but that’s probably only because i was thinking way too much about it anyways i would recommend this book if you’re looking for a short fast paced young adult mystery, it’s not very “scary” since it’s set in a school.
Profile Image for Daphné Moreau.
90 reviews1,114 followers
June 19, 2025
3,75 ⭐️ Such a fun and easy read — I flew through it! The perfect book to pick up if you want to read a lighthearted mystery. I had a great time reading it !!
Profile Image for Becca ♡ PrettyLittleMemoirs.
522 reviews82 followers
September 4, 2023
First things first: this book had one of the best narrators I’ve read in a long time. Jess had this witty humour as she told the story of how Hugh Henry Van Boren became to be, well, no longer living. At the prestigious Heybuckle boarding school, rich and influential Parents send their kids to attend and seemingly throw money at any drama they cause. But as one of two scholarship kids—and among a few rare non-white students—Jess Choudhary has a different view of the school. Although she’s shied away from the popular crowds, feeling like an “outcast” because of her poorer background, she does have a best friend, Clementine, or Clem for short. Although Clem’s rich, she’s been Jess’s only friend for the longest time.

But when Clem and Hugh’s secret relationship “gets out” to his girlfriend, Millie, all hell breaks loose. Clem (and by association, Jess) are targeted by Millie, whilst Hugh seemingly gets off scot-free. Well, until he turns up murdered in the woods outside the school. Suddenly Heybuckle is thrown into disarray—especially since the manner in which Hugh died bares uncanny similarity to a short story Jess co-wrote with Summer, the other scholarship kid at the school. But when the police begin to investigate, and a private investigator is hired by Hugh’s family—along with a secret society within Heybuckle alive and in the shadows—suddenly there are more suspects than meets the eye. And when it’s clear the murders aren’t over, it’s a race against time for the banded team Jess puts together to solve not only Hugh’s murder, but potentially stop her own.

Overall, This Book Kills was, in actuality, one of the best YA Mystery books I’ve read (and I’ve read a fair few.) Not only was the eerie plot so good that I kept turning pages into the dead of night, but the character development was rich and well-crafted, with new favourites popping up all the way to the end. It must have been around the halfway mark that I suspected a certain character of being the murderer, and I was right! But that unveiling takes the cake—Ravena had constructed so many solid red herrings and reasons for motive that felt like a timeless enigma of a novel. (I also want to say that I loved Jess/Summer/Tommy as a trio, and that I really liked how Jess feels different at the beginning of the story to the end, and how much she’s not only grown wiser, but more confident.) This was by far one of my favourite reads of YA in such a long time and I can’t recommend it enough! FIVE STARS!
Profile Image for María.
857 reviews121 followers
May 27, 2025
¿¿OMG VIERON ESE GIRO?? ¡¡¡JAMÁS ME LO HABRÍA VISTO VENIR!!! 😰😱😫 Es lo que habría dicho de no ser EL LIBRO MÁS PREDECIBLE DEL MUNDO.
Profile Image for Eva Gavilli.
550 reviews142 followers
December 18, 2025
Trama/Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Carino, dai, scritto bene, non annoia, non è smielato né inverosimile, nonostante l'ambientazione e l'età dei protagonisti. La trama si dipana in modo fluido, gli indizi sono disseminati in qua e là,ma te ne accorgi solo alla fine, durante la lettura non li cogli.
***
It's cute, come on, well-written, not boring, not saccharine, not implausible, despite the setting and the ages of the protagonists. The plot unfolds fluidly, clues are scattered here and there, but you only notice them at the end; you don't pick up on them while reading.
Profile Image for Trevor.
39 reviews
August 8, 2023
I think the best part was the scene where Jes figured out who the murderer was. Even though bits of it didn't make sense and it was way too much information at once, it was a surprise and I definitely did not have this person on my radar.

The whole Club Regia stuff was unnecessary and I really didn't care. It's just a second story, that's supposed to make the book longer. Boring.

Oh and what bothered me the most were these damn names. Come on
Clementine-Tangerine (her hair is red too)
Mr. Rhubarb
Applewell
... I don't think i have to elaborate on that any more.

The last 20 or so pages...oh my.
Jes gets together with her crush of many many years, which I knew would happen the second she mentioned him. But it was just so...unnecessary. In general the ending was just too perfect. (She was finally confident, had a big group of friends, *changed* the schools rules etc. etc.)

I guess I can't be too hard on this book, bc it is a ya/childrens book. The way it was written, made it clear that it's for the younger ppl that read ya (12&13), which is alright in itself, but my expectations are a bit higher than that

But I still think this book is not bad, the murder story (which I came for) was brilliant and I enjoyed reading it. So 3 stars it is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lisa Verbist.
75 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2024
Dit boek is dodelijk goed!

Het was onmogelijk om dit boek neer te leggen, want ik was volledig mee ondergedompeld in de verhaalwereld van Jess. Jammer genoeg ben ik er ook achtergekomen dat ik best geen privédetective of politieagent wordt, want ik zat volledig bij het verkeerde einde wat de moordenaar betreft.
Profile Image for Ma Biblio Perso.
233 reviews70 followers
August 8, 2024
Déjà la première phrase donnait le ton: "Que ce soit bien clair: je n'ai pas tué Hugh Henry
Van Boren." J'espérais donc entrer rapidement dans le vif de l'histoire. Il faut toutefois s'accrocher aux cinquante premières pages pour que l'action décolle réellement.

Ensuite, l'action ne manque pas. On nous parsème des indices, on nous dirige savamment vers de fausses pistes, on fait en sorte que l'on soupçonne tous et chacuns. Pour ça, j'ai apprécié être bluffée et manipulée.

Toutefois, j'ai tout de même eu un peu de mal à m'accrocher à l'histoire. J'ai trouvé qu'il manquait de fluidité et que le rythme d'écriture était saccadé.

Malgré tout, j'ai passé un bon moment de lecture car j'aime beaucoup les thrillers, les romans "young adult" et les intrigues qui se déroulent dans les lycées, avec une ambiance s'apparentant à "Pretty little liars".

J'aurais aimé vous dire que ce fût un coup de coeur! Cependant je vous invite sincèrement à vous faire votre propre avis, puisque j'en ai vu plusieurs excellents passer!
Profile Image for K..
4,719 reviews1,136 followers
May 23, 2023
Trigger warnings: murder, assault, violence, bullying, classism, racism, toxic friendship, mentions of suicide, hit and run (in the past), hospitalisation of a friend

Well this was a blast. The premise was pretty ridiculous - teenage girl who's on the outs at school because she's a poor scholarship student at an elite boarding school writes a story for class. Said story features murder. Someone steals her story and uses the exact mode of death to murder their richest and most popular classmate, then texts to thank her for the inspiration.

Like...it's ridiculous. And yet it was so much FUN that I was willing to overlook just how ridiculous it really was. Yes, the premise is silly. But Jess was a fabulous character and I really enjoyed the secret society aspect and the way the mystery played out. I'll definitely be looking out for more from Guron in the future!
Profile Image for Horror Sickness .
883 reviews363 followers
April 2, 2023
3,5*

Jess has enough on her plate. She is a scholarship student at a prestigious boarding school. She already feels like she does not belong and has to work so much harder to prove herself.

And now, a popular kid at school has just been murdered. What an inconvenience.

Jess together with a couple other students will investigate and try to figure out who killed Hugh and why before anyone else gets hurt.

I appreciated that even though we have some teenage angst and drama, the main focus was always trying to solve the murder.

But figuring out who is responsible will not be so easy. There are several suspects that could have committed the crime.

This was a very entertaining and well paced murder mystery. Like Agatha Christie for young adult readers.

The book will have you guessing and trying to figure out together with Jess who is targeting students.

Perfect for: Fans of a good whodunit and mystery thrillers with an academic setting.
Profile Image for Muffinsandbooks.
1,718 reviews1,330 followers
March 25, 2024
3,5 ⭐️
Un roman qui se lit très vite et avec une enquête intéressante, même si j’ai trouvé certains éléments un peu tirés par les cheveux ou étrangement amenés.
Profile Image for Vaso.
1,751 reviews224 followers
March 5, 2025
Σε ένα ιδιωτικό σχολείο, ένα από τα πιο δημοφιλή και πλούσια αγόρια, βρίσκεται νεκρό όπως ακριβώς περιγράφει η Τζες, στην εργασία της. Αυτό την φέρνει στο προσκήνιο και μάλιστα κινδυνεύει να χάσει την υποτροφία της, αλλά αποφασίζει να κάνει τη δική της έρευνα, όταν λαμβάνει ανώνυμα μυνηματα που απειλούν κι εκείνη. Θα καταφέρει να νικήσει σε αυτό τον αγώνα δρόμου με το χρόνο;

Το βιβλίο ξεκινά δυνατά- πόσες είναι οι πιθανότητες μια εξωφρενική ιστορία φόνου που έγραψες να γίνει πραγματικότητα;
Και μάλιστα σε ένα από τα σχολεία που φοιτά η ελίτ της περιοχής; Η συγγραφέας έρχεται με ένα μυστήριο φόνου που έχει έξυπνη πλοκή, συνεχείς εναλλαγές και καλοστημένους χαρακτήρες. Μέσω της ηρωίδας της η συγγραφέας θίγει τις κοινωνικές ανισότητες που κάθε κοινωνία έχει.

Καλογραμμένο, ευκολοδιάβαστο, ένα murder mystery που θα σου κρατήσει ευχάριστη συντροφιά!



3,5 αστέρια
Profile Image for Natasha  Leighton .
749 reviews442 followers
November 20, 2022
Ravena Guron’s masterfully plotted rollercoaster of a debut is every Agatha Christie loving, murder mystery fans dream come true! With a compellingly sharp witted protagonist, fast paced storyline and twists around every corner (and behind every dormitory door) This Book Kills is practically guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seats.

Set against the backdrop of an elite boarding school—where a secret society run by students often has more sway than it’s teachers. We follow introverted scholarship student, Jess who finds herself at the centre of a murder investigation when the most popular boy in school—Hugh Henry Van Boren, dies the exact same way as a character in a short story she wrote.

And then Jess receives an anonymous text thanking her for the inspiration… With her scholarship on the line Jess must now uncover the identity of the murderer before she becomes their next victim.

This was such an addictively immersive read that I literally couldn’t put down! The writing was gorgeously compelling and I absolutely loved our shy and slightly awkward protagonist Jess, who as a scholarship student often feels like she must prove she’s worthy of her place at Heybuckle, especially as she’s one of only a handful POC students at the school.

But I loved her refreshing voice and personality which was soo different from all the self entitled people around her and her singleminded goal helped to keep a fairly clear focus on uncovering the killer, and their motive for murder—which truly made for an immersive (and enjoyable armchair detective style reading experience.)

I also liked that she wasn’t ashamed of her poorer (and less privileged) background and understood that the struggles she and her mum have faced over the years in preparing for a school like Heybuckle was something she should be proud of. Not to mention her rather close bond with her mum, which stands in stark contrast with the majority of her peers who have strained or toxic relationships with their parents.

I also really liked Summer, fellow Scholarship student and Tommy, Jess’s longtime crush and the deceased Hugh’s best friend. And I admit, given how sweet their interactions were I was wholeheartedly rooting for Jess and Tommy to become more that friends.

The mystery was phenomenally well done with twists, turns, scandals and secrets literally everywhere (along with several well placed red herrings) that I found myself (fuelled by paranoia and an incredibly late night of reading) suspecting literally everyone. Parents, teachers, the headmistress—EVERYONE!

But I have to admit it wasn’t until very close to the end (when Jess uncovers a really big secret of Hugh’s) that I started to suspect who the killer was, though I wasn’t 100% correct in my guess. I loved the interactive aspect of solving the murder and loved that the proof even had notebook style page to jot down who I thought was the killer—it really added to the experience and I hope this is something that also makes it into the finished copy.

Overall, an utterly gripping and plot twisty murder mystery that that manages to perfectly tackle themes of elitism and institutional corruption whilst simultaneously providing a deliciously satisfying ending that fans of Holly Jackson and Maureen Johnson are going to absolutely love!

Also massive thank you to Nina Douglas and Usborne for the proof (and the chocolate which was delicious.)
Profile Image for Reyes.
688 reviews
September 6, 2022
Thanks to Usborne Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

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.



Profile Image for Ivonne.
Author 1 book111 followers
April 4, 2024
THIS BOOK KILLS ist eine Mischung aus der „Truly Devious“-Reihe und „One of Us is lying“ - alles Bücher, die ich absolut geliebt habe. THIS BOOK KILLS allerdings konnte mich nicht zu 100% überzeugen. Die Spannung war so la la, die Charaktere teilweise nervig, dafür mochte ich allerdings die Twists und Turns, auch wenn es ein kleines bisschen vorhersehbar war. Alles in allem ein unterhaltsames & gutes Buch, leider allerdings nicht komplett mein Fall.
Profile Image for lasnovelasdenaiara.
1,019 reviews87 followers
August 25, 2025
La trama arranca cuando Jess, una de las protagonistas principales se dispone a contar lo ocurrido en el exclusivo internado en el que estudia gracias a una beca.
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Enseguida nos trasladará a unos meses atrás, cuando Hugh uno de los estudiantes más populares aparezca asesinado en el bosque que rodea el internado. La forma en la que ha aparecido es igual que en el relato que ha escrito Jess y su compañera para Summer. Esto las pondrá en el punto de mira de la investigación.
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Pero el auténtico peligro para Jess comenzará cuando comience a recibir amenazas desde un número oculto. Ella tratará de realizar una investigación paralela que no la detendrá cuando más estudiantes sean asesinados.
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Las novelas en internados se han puesto muy de moda últimamente y de todas las que he leído, yo creo que esta es una de las mejores.
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Perfecta para un público juvenil, pero también para los que estamos más acostumbrados el género ya que la autora sabe mantener la intriga y tenemos al asesino delante de nuestras narices durante todo el libro y yo, no he sido capaz de adivinarlo. Así que la sorpresa ha sido mayúscula.
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Con capítulos cortos y muy bien estructurados, es una novela que se lee súper bien, que cumple su función, que es entretener y ahora mismo no pido más a una novela.
Profile Image for Bárbara Reis.
223 reviews25 followers
February 14, 2024
Um bom livro para passar o tempo, não é realmente nada de especial mas é de leitura fácil e a história é engraçada. Achei o enredo e as personagens básicos e o final previsível mas também não estava à espera de muito mais.
Profile Image for Serisop.
1,058 reviews230 followers
May 14, 2025
4.5✨

#ThisBookKills di #RavenaGuron è stato letto con il #MoodReadersGDL (per saperne di più visita il profilo IG @serisop)

Eccoci qui a parlare di questo nuovo Thriller Mystery per ragazzi che sinceramente mi ha positivamente colpita.
Non mi aspettavo che questo mistero fosse così misterioso, posso dirlo?
Jess è una borsista in un collegio inglese, dove ha solo un'amica, Clem, e viene vista da tutti gli altri ragazzi ricchi come quella fuori posto.
Clem ha una relazione clandestina con Hugh, che in realtà sta già con Millie. Questo crea un vero e proprio scandalo nella scuola, ma il tutto peggiora quando qualcuno viene trovato morto. L'omicidio è stato svolto con le stesse modalità che Jess ha utilizzato nel racconto thriller che ha scritto con una sua compagna di corso, Summer.
Chi sarà l'assassino? Perché ha copiato il racconto di Jess? Ci saranno altre morti? E soprattutto, perché Jess riceve messaggi inquietanti sul suo telefono che le fanno pensare di essere la prossima vittima?

Devo dire la verità: lo avevo capito.
Lo avevo capito per un secondo in qualche capitolo, ma poi l'autrice è bravissima a sviarti e farti pensare che in realtà non hai capito niente e quindi mi sono messa in dubbio più e più volte.
Pensavo di dover andare in una direzione e che quella fosse giusta, ma poi venivo confusa.
E alla fine avevo ragione. Mai dubitare di se stessi e del proprio sesto senso, questo dico io.

Scritto benissimo, se chiedete a me l'autrice ha una penna che cattura sin dal primo capitolo, e anche gli avvenimenti non mi hanno mai annoiata.
Bellissima anche la piccola storia romance che c'è nel libro, per cui ho fatto il tifo da pagina uno.
Tutti i nodi vengono al pettine in questa storia autoconclusiva in cui, ancora una volta, gli adulti non servono a niente.
L'ho detto.
4.5 ⭐️#reviewbyserisop

🌸Disclaimer: il mio parere è soggettivo e personale quindi in base a gusti, sensazioni e stato d’animo al momento della lettura il libro mi è piaciuto oppure no.
Profile Image for Mona.
8 reviews7 followers
September 12, 2022
Got a proof copy at YALC22 and just finished it and I absolutely loved it!

The mystery, betrayals, the friendships and relationships in general are so well displayed.
Loved that right before we get to know who the murderer was and what the motive behind it was there would have been space to write down notes and well investigate on my own if I wanted. Buuutt I was clueless, yes I did have a hunch but I was like "no it can't be".

Going to update more to my review when it's officially released so I don't spoil in advance ^^
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