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Murder, She Wrote #2
Carry My Secret to Your Grave
"Someone knows where you live. And whoever they are, they want you to know… you’re next."
Bea Fletcher never met a cold case she didn't want to solve. So when she finds herself staying with family near Lake Paloma, she's torn. Sure, she's not thrilled to be bunking with her moody, taciturn uncle and his wife while her father's out of town. Being away from Cabot Cove means less time for Bea to work on her true crime blog, visit her great-aunt Jessica, and spend time with new friends Leisl, Leif, and Carlos and the mysterious underground treasure hunting game they've been playing.
But Lake Paloma has mysteries of its own, including the unsolved drowning of teenaged Eden Vicente the year before. And when Bea starts to ask questions about Eden's death, the answers lead her closer to home than she ever imagined. If Bea isn't careful, she could be the next girl to end up at the bottom of the lake.
And underwater, no one can hear you scream...
Bea Fletcher never met a cold case she didn't want to solve. So when she finds herself staying with family near Lake Paloma, she's torn. Sure, she's not thrilled to be bunking with her moody, taciturn uncle and his wife while her father's out of town. Being away from Cabot Cove means less time for Bea to work on her true crime blog, visit her great-aunt Jessica, and spend time with new friends Leisl, Leif, and Carlos and the mysterious underground treasure hunting game they've been playing.
But Lake Paloma has mysteries of its own, including the unsolved drowning of teenaged Eden Vicente the year before. And when Bea starts to ask questions about Eden's death, the answers lead her closer to home than she ever imagined. If Bea isn't careful, she could be the next girl to end up at the bottom of the lake.
And underwater, no one can hear you scream...
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First published October 31, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 15, 2024
this was absolutely "just okay", which is absolutely fine. I didn't expect high-brow literature, lol. I will say, outside of the mentions of "Aunt Jess's books" and the fact that it's technically set in Cabot Cove, there's really nothing about this series that has anything to do with Murder, She Wrote. which, as an avid fan of the show, is disappointing. honestly, it reminds me the most of The Inheritance Games, which is interesting. I think if you liked those, you'd like these, but they're more distinctly mysteries than TIG. Idk. I'm just kind of torn about it.
3.5 stars from me.
3.5 stars from me.
June 28, 2025
I hate to say it, cuz I love Murder She Wrote, but this one just didn’t hold my interest as much as the first book in the series.
April 1, 2024
Struggling with my rating. I feel like the mystery was a bit better done but there is so much in here. I think the author tries very hard to make sure her readers are educated and sometimes all the information doesn't help the book, just bogs it down. I don't like the main character. I did enjoy picking out the red herrings. I liked how she used very very little language. There was a bit more in here than her first, but after the first bit of the book, it's like she forgot. I appreciate that.
Like the first book, there is a bigger mystery theme going on and then one that is wrapped up in this book. I would not read them out of order.
I don't know if I will invest in the third when it comes out? I feel like *almost every character has some form of mental health issue and it's exhausting to read. It almost depreciates it when everyone has it.
Like the first book, there is a bigger mystery theme going on and then one that is wrapped up in this book. I would not read them out of order.
I don't know if I will invest in the third when it comes out? I feel like *almost every character has some form of mental health issue and it's exhausting to read. It almost depreciates it when everyone has it.
November 5, 2023
I really really WANT to like this series. It has everything good! - teen girl solving mysteries in small-town America? That's my JAM. And yet... there's something about it that I can't quite connect with, and I don't really know why. There was a lot to remember from the first book to the second, which didn't help, especially as I don't have a great memory! And there were sooo many characters - there were a lot of different plot points, which made it more interesting, but also harder to follow. Regarding the 'main' mystery, I still don't quite get the motive either, although it was nicely surprising I guess. I will probably read the next book in the series, but maybe begrudgingly so...
November 24, 2023
3.5, I think I figured out why I'm not 100% about this series yet. It's jarring to me that this reads like a Veronica Mars novelization, where teens and adults are cruel/assholes to Bea, when the series it's based off of was a lot more mild mannered and generally wholesome. As a die hard fan of Murder, She Wrote, this is going to take some getting used to. Positives include (again, yay for a biracial main character!), a kick butt heroine, interesting family dynamics, and teens facing real/realistic trauma.
December 27, 2024
This series is not good and I'm not sure the author knows how to write her way out of the corner she's put the plot into. I do enjoy the main character however, and the main mystery plot was solid. But there are just SO many giant questions and open threads....
November 14, 2023
Review:
4.5 ⭐
Let's talk about a great mystery. CARRY MY SECRET TO YOUR GRAVE was a page-turning mystery that kept me intrigued and guessing until the end. I enjoyed reading about the relationships Bea has (Leif, Leisl, and Carlos). I lile that she has gained new friends after what happened with Jackson. This book had so many twists and turns and crazy secrets. The suspense was top-notch I literally was shocked with every new emerging detail. Seriously, the closer I got to the end, the more I kept saying to myself 'this is crazy.' And, honestly, I gasped at that ending. I couldn't believe that that was the killer. For real. CARRY MY SECRET TO YOUR GRAVE was just as good as book one, and I can't wait to read more.
What I Liked About It:
*all the science talk
*the mystery
*the ending
*how shocked I was
4.5 ⭐
Let's talk about a great mystery. CARRY MY SECRET TO YOUR GRAVE was a page-turning mystery that kept me intrigued and guessing until the end. I enjoyed reading about the relationships Bea has (Leif, Leisl, and Carlos). I lile that she has gained new friends after what happened with Jackson. This book had so many twists and turns and crazy secrets. The suspense was top-notch I literally was shocked with every new emerging detail. Seriously, the closer I got to the end, the more I kept saying to myself 'this is crazy.' And, honestly, I gasped at that ending. I couldn't believe that that was the killer. For real. CARRY MY SECRET TO YOUR GRAVE was just as good as book one, and I can't wait to read more.
What I Liked About It:
*all the science talk
*the mystery
*the ending
*how shocked I was
April 25, 2025
You know how some teens spend their summer binge-watching true crime and dodging the emotional fallout of parental abandonment? Bea Fletcher does all that while investigating a suspicious death, dodging a possibly murderous masked stalker, and unraveling cryptic messages involving actual tarot cards showing up in her backyard like it’s cursed Christmas in July. Welcome to Carry My Secret to Your Grave, the second book in Stephanie Kuehn’s murder-mystery-teen-drama blender — and baby, it’s frothy.
We’ve got Bea, the great-niece of Jessica Fletcher — yes, that Jessica — who’s doing her best Veronica Mars impression while staying with her uncle and his marine biologist wife at Lake Paloma. That setup alone sounds like a peaceful detour, but Bea has emotional damage and an insatiable curiosity, which means of course she ends up neck-deep in the unsolved drowning of Eden Vicente — a Broadmoor Academy golden girl with secrets, a suspicious boyfriend, and a whole extracurricular of shady activities no one wants to talk about.
And this isn’t your usual YA whodunit, where the worst thing that happens is someone cheats on a math test. No. This book goes in. Secret societies. Underground treasure-hunting games. A grief blog that may or may not be baiting a killer. A stalker in a mask dropping tarot cards like they’re part of a psychological escape room. And every teen here is operating at a level of secrecy that would make the CIA blush.
The genius — and occasional chaos — of this story is Bea herself. She is messy. Smart, dogged, emotionally avoidant, and sometimes deeply annoying — which makes her feel like a real teenager instead of a snarky adult in a sixteen-year-old’s body. She’s obsessed with uncovering Eden’s story, but not in a detached sleuth-y way. She feels this case. She relates to Eden, envies her, fears her — and unpacks her life like she’s tearing open her own.
There’s real pain here too: grief, PTSD, panic attacks, parental absence, and betrayal in friendship. At times, it leans so hard into the psychological drama that you forget you're reading a mystery and start wondering when your next therapy appointment is. It’s not a light read — it’s dark, layered, and sometimes feels like it’s five plotlines away from imploding. But it works, more often than not, because Kuehn writes trauma like she’s exorcising it.
That said — yes, there are a lot of threads. At times, too many. Subplots zigzag. Minor characters pop in and vanish. The emotional core stays solid, but the surrounding mystery spaghetti can get tangled. It’s ambitious, maybe overly so. But you know what? I’d rather read a mystery that swings than one that plays it safe.
Bottom line: this isn’t a cozy mystery, it’s a YA psychological thriller dressed in sleuth cosplay — and I ate it up like a sad girl eats Cheetos in bed. 3.5 stars, but spicy and unhinged in the best way.
Whodunity Award: Most Likely to Be Adapted into a CW Series Where Everyone Has Perfect Hair and Deep Emotional Trauma
We’ve got Bea, the great-niece of Jessica Fletcher — yes, that Jessica — who’s doing her best Veronica Mars impression while staying with her uncle and his marine biologist wife at Lake Paloma. That setup alone sounds like a peaceful detour, but Bea has emotional damage and an insatiable curiosity, which means of course she ends up neck-deep in the unsolved drowning of Eden Vicente — a Broadmoor Academy golden girl with secrets, a suspicious boyfriend, and a whole extracurricular of shady activities no one wants to talk about.
And this isn’t your usual YA whodunit, where the worst thing that happens is someone cheats on a math test. No. This book goes in. Secret societies. Underground treasure-hunting games. A grief blog that may or may not be baiting a killer. A stalker in a mask dropping tarot cards like they’re part of a psychological escape room. And every teen here is operating at a level of secrecy that would make the CIA blush.
The genius — and occasional chaos — of this story is Bea herself. She is messy. Smart, dogged, emotionally avoidant, and sometimes deeply annoying — which makes her feel like a real teenager instead of a snarky adult in a sixteen-year-old’s body. She’s obsessed with uncovering Eden’s story, but not in a detached sleuth-y way. She feels this case. She relates to Eden, envies her, fears her — and unpacks her life like she’s tearing open her own.
There’s real pain here too: grief, PTSD, panic attacks, parental absence, and betrayal in friendship. At times, it leans so hard into the psychological drama that you forget you're reading a mystery and start wondering when your next therapy appointment is. It’s not a light read — it’s dark, layered, and sometimes feels like it’s five plotlines away from imploding. But it works, more often than not, because Kuehn writes trauma like she’s exorcising it.
That said — yes, there are a lot of threads. At times, too many. Subplots zigzag. Minor characters pop in and vanish. The emotional core stays solid, but the surrounding mystery spaghetti can get tangled. It’s ambitious, maybe overly so. But you know what? I’d rather read a mystery that swings than one that plays it safe.
Bottom line: this isn’t a cozy mystery, it’s a YA psychological thriller dressed in sleuth cosplay — and I ate it up like a sad girl eats Cheetos in bed. 3.5 stars, but spicy and unhinged in the best way.
Whodunity Award: Most Likely to Be Adapted into a CW Series Where Everyone Has Perfect Hair and Deep Emotional Trauma
May 19, 2025
"Carry My Secret to Your Grave" is the second book in the YA suspense series that updates "Murder, She Wrote" for a new generation. Bea Fletcher, a teen with a passion for cold cases, finds herself in Lake Paloma while her father is away. Though she misses her true-crime blogging and time with her great-aunt Jessica in Cabot Cove, Lake Paloma soon presents its own intriguing mystery: the unsolved drowning of a teenager named Eden Vicente the previous year.
Kuehn establishes a compelling setting in Lake Paloma, hinting at secrets beneath the surface of the seemingly quiet town. Bea is a determined protagonist, and her natural curiosity and knack for investigation, inherited perhaps from her great-aunt, drive the narrative. Her initial reluctance about being away from Cabot Cove adds a nice nod to the original series. The introduction of Bea's uncle and his wife, along with her new friends and their mysterious treasure hunting game, creates a network of potential connections and distractions.
As Bea starts digging into Eden's drowning, the story effectively builds suspense, suggesting that the answers might be closer to Bea's temporary home than she anticipates. The threat implied in the tagline – "Someone knows where you live. And whoever they are, they want you to know… you’re next" – adds a layer of personal danger to Bea's investigation.
However, while the premise is intriguing and Bea's character has potential, the pacing of the mystery felt a little uneven at times. The connections between the treasure hunting game, Bea's personal relationships in Lake Paloma, and the central mystery of Eden's death weren't always as tightly integrated as they could have been. While "Carry My Secret to Your Grave" offers a suspenseful YA mystery with a clear nod to its source material, the various threads didn't always weave together seamlessly.
★★★☆☆
#CarryMySecretToYourGrave #StephanieKuehn #MurderSheWroteYA #YAMystery #YAThriller #BookReview #Bookstagram #LakePaloma #ColdCase #TeenDetective #Suspense #MysteryBooks #CabotCove
Kuehn establishes a compelling setting in Lake Paloma, hinting at secrets beneath the surface of the seemingly quiet town. Bea is a determined protagonist, and her natural curiosity and knack for investigation, inherited perhaps from her great-aunt, drive the narrative. Her initial reluctance about being away from Cabot Cove adds a nice nod to the original series. The introduction of Bea's uncle and his wife, along with her new friends and their mysterious treasure hunting game, creates a network of potential connections and distractions.
As Bea starts digging into Eden's drowning, the story effectively builds suspense, suggesting that the answers might be closer to Bea's temporary home than she anticipates. The threat implied in the tagline – "Someone knows where you live. And whoever they are, they want you to know… you’re next" – adds a layer of personal danger to Bea's investigation.
However, while the premise is intriguing and Bea's character has potential, the pacing of the mystery felt a little uneven at times. The connections between the treasure hunting game, Bea's personal relationships in Lake Paloma, and the central mystery of Eden's death weren't always as tightly integrated as they could have been. While "Carry My Secret to Your Grave" offers a suspenseful YA mystery with a clear nod to its source material, the various threads didn't always weave together seamlessly.
★★★☆☆
#CarryMySecretToYourGrave #StephanieKuehn #MurderSheWroteYA #YAMystery #YAThriller #BookReview #Bookstagram #LakePaloma #ColdCase #TeenDetective #Suspense #MysteryBooks #CabotCove
November 21, 2023
The 2nd in the updated "Murder, She Wrote" series. While not absolutely necessary, I do recommend reading the 1st book, By the Time You Read This I'll Be Gone, to help keep all of the characters in some order. The tenace (secretive boarding school contest) plot line also continues from the 1st book.
Bea is struggling with a writer's block of sorts for her true crime blog. She hears about a local family brutally murdered as well as a story of a missing girl found drowned. Through some fairly complicated plot twists, Bea starts to suspect that the murder and the missing girl might be related. As she continues to investigate, the stories get more murky. It's a bit of a slow start, but then the 2nd half of the story has a helluva LOT happening in a relatively short span of time all played out in the midst of a wild storm.
Not to be mistaken for the original Murder, She Wrote novels / TV shows, but this is perfect for mystery buffs looking for younger characters and wanted something a bit darker than a typical cozy.
Bea is struggling with a writer's block of sorts for her true crime blog. She hears about a local family brutally murdered as well as a story of a missing girl found drowned. Through some fairly complicated plot twists, Bea starts to suspect that the murder and the missing girl might be related. As she continues to investigate, the stories get more murky. It's a bit of a slow start, but then the 2nd half of the story has a helluva LOT happening in a relatively short span of time all played out in the midst of a wild storm.
Not to be mistaken for the original Murder, She Wrote novels / TV shows, but this is perfect for mystery buffs looking for younger characters and wanted something a bit darker than a typical cozy.
December 19, 2023
The second of the Murder She Wrote younger series. Bea Fletcher, yes, the great niece of Jessica, loves figuring out cold cases, but should some stay unsolved? Bea’s dad has to go out of town for work, so Bea has to go stay with her Aunt and Uncle in Lake Paloma, she is a bit bummed as it is too far away from her friends and Aunt Jess, but she soon finds a mystery that can be fun to investigate.
If you like murder she wrote this is a fun series as well. Great mysteries to solve but still a hint of the family going on even though these are more about Bea and her work. What can I say I am a sucker for mysteries I can’t solve in the first couple of chapters. I liked this book.
If you like murder she wrote this is a fun series as well. Great mysteries to solve but still a hint of the family going on even though these are more about Bea and her work. What can I say I am a sucker for mysteries I can’t solve in the first couple of chapters. I liked this book.
February 10, 2025
Page turner!!!!
The beginning of the story picked up right after the first one ended. While the first book had a good story, I didn't really like the ending because all the suffering and anxiety Bea went through could have been solved with a simple text telling her where she needed to look. However, the story was necessary for the second book, which was amazing!!! It was a little slow in the beginning but once I got passes those first few chapters I didn't want to stop reading. The twist in this story was shocking! Was totally not expecting the reveal of the culprit! Can't for number three!!!
The beginning of the story picked up right after the first one ended. While the first book had a good story, I didn't really like the ending because all the suffering and anxiety Bea went through could have been solved with a simple text telling her where she needed to look. However, the story was necessary for the second book, which was amazing!!! It was a little slow in the beginning but once I got passes those first few chapters I didn't want to stop reading. The twist in this story was shocking! Was totally not expecting the reveal of the culprit! Can't for number three!!!
October 11, 2024
Jessica Fletcher's great grandniece Beatrice returns in the second Murder She Wrote "sequel" to pursue another murder mystery. This time she goes outside of Cabot Cove to stay with her aunt and uncle while Dad, Frank, is away on business. She continues her friendships with the private school kids, as they all strive to solve the new mystery. Jess is consulted only once here, which to me, of course, is not enough, but it is Bea's story. I'm enjoying the story and the series, but I do still have one major complaint - Bea speaks and acts way too old for her age! Otherwise, excellent fun reading!
December 4, 2023
WOW. This was great-i absolutely adored the first book and could not wait for the second. I preordered and i am so absolutely happy i did! The continuation just ran through perfectly—everything made sense. I was completely thrown off so many times and it was AMAZING!!! I had no idea what was going to happen! The ending was such a twist-oh my!!! Also…romance between Leif and Bea maybe?.. All in all, i absolutely LOVED this and i am so ready for more!!!
October 28, 2024
I liked this book, though not as nuch as I did the first one. There's less chaos in this entry, but I also feel like it was missing some key things. Nea doesn't spend as much time with her friends in this book, and her dad goes out of town so she is staying with her uncle & aunt. There's a lot of adults in this book, which made it seem like less of a fun Mystery Inc book, and more of a bummer. I do have to say, I was surprised whent he culprit was revealed.
October 29, 2023
2.75/5 stars.
I did not enjoy this one as much as the first book. Things happened a little too quickly and the writing was too simplistic for teen readers. I wasn’t invested as much in the mystery either.
I did not enjoy this one as much as the first book. Things happened a little too quickly and the writing was too simplistic for teen readers. I wasn’t invested as much in the mystery either.
December 26, 2023
Just like the first book---utterly confusing and this "tenace" game isn't explained (isn't even relevant most of the time)
Most characters aren't in use and they feel forgotten. They don't explain things properly and there's no...charm with Bea Fletcher.
Most characters aren't in use and they feel forgotten. They don't explain things properly and there's no...charm with Bea Fletcher.
March 23, 2024
I love this book. I fell in love with murder she wrote so as soon as I saw this series I had to snap them up. I loved that Jessica and Grady made an appearance. It was a fun mystery. I really liked Bea as a character. Can’t wait to start the next one
October 13, 2024
Public library copy
Fun series. A little too long and introspective for middle school, and I don't think anyone of my students would appreciate the Jessica Fletcher connection, but a good way to spend the weekend.
Fun series. A little too long and introspective for middle school, and I don't think anyone of my students would appreciate the Jessica Fletcher connection, but a good way to spend the weekend.
January 8, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads. I enjoyed the mystery of this one. It definitely had a surprising ending! Good read.
February 24, 2024
Not as good as the first one but still good!
May 27, 2024
I just didn’t love it
September 10, 2024
Liked it.
October 5, 2024
Another good one in this series. It does show some of the problems of teenagers and how it affects them. Hopefully, not the dangers experienced here.
January 24, 2025
Not real fond of this series.
November 15, 2025
carry my secret to your grave by Stephanie kuehn. the writing in this one was better but the story was not good but not bad it was ok
November 26, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! It had me hooked from the beginning, Who killed Eden? Tenace? Who was threatening Bea? Is Leif involved? What’s up with her uncle? And the way all these things came together to solve the mystery of Eden was so good! I really had no clue who was quilty untill it all came together in the end. Also I was really hoping that Leif was innocent because I really liked him (I’m a sucker for the mean guy has a backstory/ a reason for being mean/closed off) It was all in all a very good book. Also what happened to Fitz why was that not explained? He can’t just be gone? Was he murdered by Lark? or the aunt?
It wasn’t quite a 5 star read hence the 4 star review but not because of anything specific, it just wasn’t. I can’t wait to read the third book!
It wasn’t quite a 5 star read hence the 4 star review but not because of anything specific, it just wasn’t. I can’t wait to read the third book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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