The Jills

by Karen Parkman

In this propulsive debut, a Buffalo Bills cheerleader will stop at nothing to solve the disappearance of her best friend and teammate, navigating the dark underbelly of a hardscrabble city, the grime and glamour of professional cheerleading, and her own tangled family history.

Virginia is a Jill—a professional Buffalo Bills cheerleader—living the life she’s always dreamed of. She spends her weekdays practicing, her weekends cheering, and her nights hopping between events and bars and clubs with her close-knit band of teammates, especially her best friend, Jeanine, whose dynamic friendship has given Virginia confidence in spades and allowed her to put aside her troubled past with her sister, Laura. But one Sunday, Jeanine fails to show up for a game, and all her calls and texts go unanswered. Aided by a worried network of Jills, ex-boyfriends, and seedy fixtures of Buffalo’s criminal underground, Virginia embarks on an investigation into Jeanine’s disappearance. But as her search grows increasingly dangerous and spirals into obsession, disturbing questions about who Jeanine really is begin to emerge. Soon, Virginia finds herself wondering how well she knows her friend, if she can trust the people and institutions she thought were protecting her, and whether—when trying to save the people she cares about most—she’s capable of saving herself, too.
Part bingeable mystery, part character-driven tale of a woman claiming her own power in systems built by and for men, The Jills is a sharply observed, witty, and poignant novel about the stories that constrain us and the healing power of sisterhood.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Sports, Audiobook

384 pages, Hardcover

First published February 10, 2026

About the author

Karen Parkman holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Her work has been supported by MacDowell, Yaddo, the Sozopol Fiction Seminars, and the Vermont Studio Center. Her short fiction appears in Michigan Quarterly Review, Witness, Joyland, and other outlets. Her debut novel THE JILLS is forthcoming from Ballantine in February 2026.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published January 6, 2026.

3.5 stars

Virginia is a Jill, a cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills (yep, that is really what they were called before they went defunct. They have an interesting real life story. They tried to unionize, got slapped down, then were disbanded when they had the nerve to speak up about pay and working conditions….those women always mouthy!). She does it because she loves to dance, but it sounds like a pretty crap part-time job that you pretty much have to pay to do. Oh, and weigh-ins!

Her best friend and fellow Jill, Jeanine fails to show up for a game and appears to have disappeared…into a world of drugs, disturbing people (some from Virginia’s past) and many, many questions.

This was quite good for a debut, part mystery, part character study and a soupçon of a look a the city of Buffalo, a rust belt town that never quite reinvented itself, all hung on the frame of life as an NFL cheerleader, which was a great set up. I really liked Virginia and I kept turning the pages. I’ll definitely look for more from this author.

[Angie Miale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very adventurous thriller with an exceptional setting. A propulsive debut! I really loved the writing here, I think the plot lost me a bit as the Buffalo organized crime scene intersected with the life of professional cheerleaders. This book was missing something but the writing and premise show a ton of promise. I am definitely going to keep this author on my radar.

Don’t miss the authors note at the end. I learned a lot!

the Buffalo Bills don’t have cheerleaders now but they used to, and they were indeed called the Buffalo Jills but they were disbanded in

Everyone involved in the NFL needs to make more money, from the ball boys to the referees to the concessions workers to the coaches to the quarterback- who makes the most- no one makes enough. It’s an ownership group of billionaires and the employee model is based on the premise that you are going to feel lucky to be there and the billionaires at the top really take advantage of everyone else.

There has been some progress recently but we have a long way to go!

Back to the book! I thought themes were great and the FMC was complicated and unaware of her victim hood and privilege, simultaneously.

I read this based on a review from Anna @livingmybookishlife - I don’t even think she loved the book all that much but reviews don’t need to be GLOWING in order to sell books. All they need to do is get books on our radar.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐ I obviously HAD to grab this debut. I'm from Buffalo and love the Buffalo Bills. This being about Virginia, a Buffalo Bills JILLS Cheerleader, on a mission to solve the disappearance of her teammate and best friend, Jeanine, it sounded right up my alley. This was a really good mystery and I loved the look into the world of professional sports and the Buffalo setting. I thought the mystery of the story was suspenseful and entertaining. This is definitely a worthy read and I'll be interested in Parkman's future books.

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

[Bethany]

I mean I OBVIOUSLY have to read this.

[Leslie - Shobizreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I read an arc of this novel. I was anticipating a thriller but it’s more of a slow burn mystery/crime book. It’s a fascinating premise of being set against the NFL cheerleader scene in Buffalo in the 90s.

It has a lot of content around addiction, parting, crime/mob life. That being said it’s not overly graphic on the violence. The first half dragged a bit but when I discovered where this was headed, I was more invested for the second half. Be sure to read the author’s note about the inspiration.

Solid debut. This won’t be for everyone given its grittiness and slower pacing. But fans of SA Cosby style novels and mob adjacent stories will enjoy it.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟. Who knew the life of a cheerleader could be this dangerous? That’s what happens when you add elite cheerleading with connections to the dark underbelly of drugs and money. This book also surprised me by throwing in a lot of talk about grief, which I thought Parkman did nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Jills” by Karen Parkman is a debut that’s premise intrigued me immediately. It centers around two best friends from the NFL Buffalo Bills defunct cheerleading/dance squad called the Jills. It speaks to the unique camaraderie and solidarity this team of women had and the very strong bond created by being part of a system that took tremendous advantage of them.
The story is part drug culture mystery, part family drama, and part self realization of one’s self worth. A complex read that could have been a bit tighter but still very enjoyable. I am looking forward to reading this authors next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

Karen Parkman is an author to watch! Her writing is fantastic (Iowa Writers Workshop) and she has put so many interesting ideas into her dark family drama+ amateur detective story. It all has shades of early Gillian Flynn.

The Jills is a story about female friendship, about family dynamics and coming to terms with your childhood illusions and complete misconceptions as an adult, about grief and guilt, about obsession.

The Jills almost feels like two books grafted together: the backstory of Virginia's three families (her nuclear family, her mob family, and her cheerleading family) and her still troubled relationship with her sister Laura, who is recovering from substance abuse disorder and wants to re-connect. That in and of itself could be one entire book.

Then there is the story of Virginia's fellow cheerleader Janine and Virginia's obsessive need to locate her after she vanishes: the amateur detective plot.

I felt that most of the time these two stories worked well together, but sometimes they felt at odds. This is being marketed as a mystery and I felt that at times, Virginia's emotional journey overshadowed or sidelined her detective work to an extent that might make some mystery readers unhappy. The middle of the book felt murky and a little slow, with Virginia just bouncing around among all the people (many from her past) whom she thought could help her find Janine.

I predicted the ending, but it was the ending I thought fit the story perfectly. And I will definitely read Parkman's next book! I think she's really talented.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

Subscribe to my amazing mystery and thriller newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Jills by Karen Parkman had all the right ingredients to be a hit for me, which honestly made the letdown sting a little more. A professional NFL cheerleader at the center of a mystery? A behind the scenes look at the culture, pressure, and sisterhood of a team like the Buffalo Bills Jills? Sign me up immediately. And to be fair, those elements were the strongest part of the book. The cheerleading world felt researched, textured, and genuinely interesting — especially if you, like me, have spent years watching Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team and love that mix of glamour, grit, and emotional investment.

Unfortunately, the mystery itself never fully came together. The plot felt overly long and scattered, somehow anticlimactic and wildly over the top at the same time. What started as a compelling disappearance spiraled into something increasingly chaotic, with twists that felt less shocking and more exhausting. There were moments that really worked and flashes of what this story could have been, but the overall execution felt unfocused and unsatisfying. I wanted sharper tension, cleaner answers, and a stronger payoff, especially given such a promising premise. In the end, The Jills lands at a generous three stars for me: parts I genuinely enjoyed, but not a mystery that ever fully stuck the landing.

[Sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

So I'm reading the synopsis of this book, and I hear something faintly rising in the background. It's an unmistakable intro. It's a little whisper of "Thunder." Am I...performing the "Thunderstruck" dance in blue and white fringe while racing down the field in Dallas? I sure am. And that never stopped the whole time I read this book. An added bonus!

Virginia is a Jill, a Buffalo Bills cheerleader, and if you, too, started watching _Making the Team_ on CMT about 100 years ago and are now equally obsessed with _America's Sweethearts_, you also will have a tough time separating Virginia's experiences from what you've seen Kelly and Judy produce over the decades. But there's more to Virginia than just cheering, getting approached by creeps, fearing weigh ins, and being asked to do way more work than she is paid for. There's also...a missing fellow cheerleader, a strained relationship with an addict sister, and a deceased father who was maybe taken out by the mob? Virginia is struggling with more than the kick line.

I really enjoyed many aspects of this book, though at times I felt like I was operating in two different narratives that I wanted to come together more cleanly: cheer life and the external exploration of the mystery. Alternatively, I almost wanted these paths to split cleanly into two entirely different books. I also feel like the Jills would be a great backdrop for a cozy series if taken in a fluffier vs. darker direction. There's just a lot of fodder and possibility on this front.

This was a good time, a solid debut, and a promising start to my encounters with this author. I look forward to more!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Rachel Taylor at Ballantine, Bantam, Dell for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Alix · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

As a Buffalo Bills fan, I was really eager to pick this one up. That said, this book actually has very little to do with football or cheerleading. So if you’re going in expecting that, you might be disappointed. The real focus is the disappearance of our main character’s best friend and the personal issues she’s grappling with.

She has a complicated relationship with her family, especially her sister, who is a recovering addict. There’s a lot of guilt and anger wrapped up in her sister’s substance use and that tension plays a big role in the story. As we follow Virginia’s investigation into her best friend’s disappearance, it becomes clear that her friend was mixed up in criminal activity and involved with dangerous people.

I enjoyed the story overall, but the pacing was a little slow for me at the beginning. The last 150 pages are where things really start to ramp up and we see just how dangerous a situation Virginia has put herself in. This is definitely more of a character-driven, slow-burn thriller. It digs into why the characters do what they do, what they think they’ll gain, and whether any of it is worth it in the end. While there weren’t any huge, shocking twists, it was still an entertaining read.

[Megan F · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book took me longer to read than any book I can recall in my recent reading history. It felt interminable, honestly. Objectively, the story is a good one, involving the cheer squad of the Buffalo bills, the Buffalo Jills. It’s a thriller with some ok twists and turns, but the rising action felt like it took 75 percent of the book to go anywhere. I feel that the protagonist could not decide whether the story was about her family, or her purportedly missing friend. Folks, I hate to say it, but the whole thing bored the heck out of me. Perhaps if it had been shortened by half and had benefitted from some prodigious editing, I would’ve enjoyed it more. It truly hurts my heart to give any book a two star rating, because authors and books are so important. I am grateful to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this arc. Perhaps some editing can happen before pub date, and this will turn into a snappy little thriller. The bones are there!

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the best you could hope for: an audience of more than seventy thousand people screaming with anticipation. A mass of shifting colors coalescing into a single entity, one heart, one gargantuan cheer droning one note. We were all here, caring our guts out. Who wouldn’t want to weep at the sight?

One thing about me is, if a book claims to explore the “seedy underbelly” of something, I’m immediately in. That, paired with the fact that the Buffalo Bills are my adopted team because the Browns are hopeless, means that I couldn’t wait to read The Jills.

The Jills is about a Buffalo Bills cheerleader, Virginia, whose best friend and teammate, Jeanine, goes missing. Virginia seems to be the only one who truly wants to do the work to find her, but as she begins to investigate Jeanine’s disappearance, she realizes that her friend was keeping secrets she never could have imagined.

The Jills is much more complex than its main plot, the disappearance of an NFL cheerleader, would lead you to believe. It’s at once a compelling mystery and a profound character study, with an immersive atmosphere and willingness to explore the darkest parts of society and human nature. Karen Parkman’s writing is so smart and intuitive, with effortless prose that still has a lot of depth. I loved the way she crafted these characters – not just Virginia, who is so interesting, but also the rich cast of supporting characters.

We also get a fascinating glimpse into the world of NFL cheerleading – the sisterhood most importantly, but also the rigorous practices, the weight and diet restrictions, and the lack of fair pay. I had no idea that NFL cheerleaders aren’t actually paid by the NFL but instead rely on sponsorships, and the Jills specifically have an interesting history: They were the first and only group of cheerleaders to unionize in 1995, and ultimately were disbanded in 2014 after suing the Bills organization for wage and labor violations.

The Jills is a memorable debut, and Karen Parkman has such a unique voice and way of looking at the world. I’ll be eagerly awaiting her next novel. Thank you to Ballantine Books for the early reading opportunity.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a novel! Parkman tackled a lot in this part-mystery and part-character study. The mystery was what hooked me, as well as the inside-look at the life of a Jill. I loved all the details tossed throughout—weigh-ins and brands and when you get money versus when you don't—that built up a whole world of what being a Jill just was. I could tell this was well-researched, and that every reveal and turn of phrase was deliberate, it gave me chills! About halfway through or so, the novel took a turn I didn't see coming, and I liked how I had no idea where it was going. I thought the last 100 pages or so could have been tighter (I just kept expecting it to be over soon, and it never was?), but other than that, it was hard to tell this was a debut. I'd definitely read more books from this author.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a ride. A thriller about Virginia, a Buffalo Bills cheerleader (or a "Jill"), who can't stop investigating her friend Jeanine's disappearance. Virginia is the ultimate oldest daughter (father died early, mother and sister are addicts) and she wants to save her friend so badly. Ginny is truly a child of Buffalo. Her father had mob ties and she is still cared for by Buffalo's major mob family, who also orbit the Buffalo Bills franchise. This novel has a wonderful sense of place: a decaying rust belt town with a lot of unanalyzed assumptions about right and wrong and people's places in the world. Ginny is like that herself and has to understand herself (and the city she lives in) while finding her friend. This novel manages to do all these things while being a real thriller. Loved it. A Michael Connelly novel for the Rust Belt. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this one! The Jills are professional dancer/cheerleaders for the Buffalo Bills and Virginia loves the spotlight. Then suddenly one of them--Jeanine--goes missing, and no one knows what happened to her. Virginia is of course concerned but figures the police will do their jobs and find her. But she has no idea what craziness is involved in this industry or what those at the top will do to keep the "girls" under their thumb to perform and give the fans what they want!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you get when you mix professional sports with the seedier elements of organized crime? You get THE JILLS.

Virginia is a Jill, a professional cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills NFL franchise. A native of this working class community, her roots run deep and include connections with some unsavory characters. When her friend and fellow dancer goes missing, Virginia takes it upon herself to investigate her disappearance.

Virginia is no stranger to the underbelly of Buffalo’s organized crime scene due to her younger sister’s troubles with drug addiction. The two storylines intertwine to create a tense mystery as Virginia risks it all to find her friend.

I found the behind the scenes description of professional cheerleading to be fascinating. The hours, dedication, and commitment are certainly not commensurate with their compensation.

The rest of the book was a bit unevenly paced and emphasis vacillated between the missing dancer and Virginia’s family drama. Overall this was an interesting debut that shows significant potential.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

[Lyon.Brit.andthebookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5–4 stars)

Book Report: The Jills by Karen Parkman

The premise alone grabbed me…a mystery centered around the Buffalo Bills cheerleaders? Yes please! As someone currently in a bit of a sister/mystery era…this one fit right in. The story follows Virginia…a Jill living her dream life on the sidelines until her best friend Jeanine suddenly goes missing…sending Virginia down a dangerous rabbit hole of secrets…obsession and self-discovery.

I found it enjoyable and compelling…though at times it felt like a lot was happening all at once. I’ll admit…I was frustrated by several character choices and almost set it aside a few times but I’m glad I didn’t. The final stretch and the author’s note really bumped this up for me. I was fascinated by what Karen Parkman shared there and almost wished that had been the story itself! Where as the story itself touched more on drugs, addictions and crime.

I believe this is her debut…and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for her next novel 💙

Thank you Ballantine Books for the ecopy.

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character of this novel, Virginia, is a Jill - a cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills football team. One day, her best friend Jeannie who is a fellow Jill disappears, and Virginia begins trying to figure out what happened to her, taking her into some dark corners of life in Buffalo involving the mob, drug dealing, and more.

I like to go into books blindish, so must admit this book was a bit different than what I expected going in. Knowing just the general premise of missing NFL cheerleader, I assumed it would be more of a glitz and glam satirical behind the scenes thriller. Instead, it’s a pretty gritty literary mystery that couldn’t make bring a cheerleader look less glamorous. But I. Happy to report that I loved it! A great mystery, interesting and complex characters and friend and family drama beyond the mystery, and just overall compelling writing and story. A great debut and I’ll be keeping an eye out for whatever Karen Parkman writes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC (out 2/10/26); all opinions are my own.

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jills
By: Karen Parkman
Pub date: Feb 10, 2026
Publisher: Ballantine

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An impressive debut! This author will be one to look out for!

The Jills are cheerleaders for the Buffalo Bills. When one of them goes missing, her friend will stop at nothing to find her. She has tried calling, showing up at her apartment and things seem amiss.

Virginia gets Jeanine’s cat and starts following the clues. This story is told in several parts. Danger, drugs, drama and more makes this binge worthy, cat and mouse, and fast-paced as Virginia hopes to find her friend alive!

I will be looking for Parkman’s next novel.

[Vonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fellow Buffalonian I ate this book up! The Jills was such a wild ride from start to finish. I loved how it captured the energy of Buffalo and the Bills culture while weaving in mystery, sisterhood, and empowerment. Virginia’s story pulled me in right away, and the tension kept me turning pages late into the night. It’s sharp, emotional, and full of heart. Easily one of my top reads of the year!

[Julie Rimkus · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the advance copy.
This is a story of a 20-something woman named Virginia who is a bit adrift in her own life. Her sister is a drug addict, and so her family is not really there for her. She is currently living her ‘dream’ by performing on the Buffalo Bills’ dance team, called The Jills. She spends all her time either practicing, performing for attending events related to the Jills- even though she earns very little money. Virginia also tries to work with others as a trainer and still isn’t earning enough. She has newly discovered her strength and ‘bravery’ through her Jills teammate, Jeanine. However, when her best friend Jeanine goes missing, she will stop at nothing to figure out what happens. In this, Virginia finds herself mixed up with the seedier side of Buffalo and the crime families/factions.

I was surprised a bit by the ending and the way the mystery was resolved, but overall did not find it particularly compelling. I was surprised to learn how little the dancers for pro football teams make while at the same time having their life and choices dictated by that entity. It just reinforces that in many ways it still is a man’s world.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Jills follows Virginia, a cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills who cheers with "The Jills". Through practices and appearances, she has formed tight bonds with her fellow Jills. When her squad mate and best friend Janine goes missing, Virginia is thrust into a world of secrets, drugs, and murder. While walking through her complicated relationship with her sister, Laura, Virginia becomes more and more desperate in her search for Janine and for the truth.
While I found this book to be entertaining at times, it missed the mark for me. It felt drawn out, especially in the middle, and the large number of characters and relationships felt difficult to keep track of.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC!

[Kaitlyn Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sports and Mystery! As an athlete and lover of suspense and thriller, this book was a must read when I read the description! Even though the Buffalo bills are not my favorite team, I enjoyed how realistic this book was and the authors writing style had me flipping the pages seamlessly searching for clues!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece of work
Thank you Net Galley, Karen Parkman and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to review this advanced copy of The Jills. I was not influenced or paid in exchange for this honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jills 📣

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Thriller
Pub Date: February 10, 2026

Virginia is a professional NFL cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills (yes, they were really called the Jills). When her teammate and close friend Jeanine goes missing, Virginia seems to be the only one concerned. After living most her life concerned about her sister Laura and her addiction, Virginia can’t help but worry and want to do everything she can to save her friend as well. Her hunt to find Jeanine takes to all the dark corners of the city and sticking her nose in places it doesn’t belong.

As a Buffalo girlie and a big fan of the Bills, I HAD to add this book to my TBR. Of course I loved the setting, getting to read about my hometown and many spots I know and love was really fun. The story itself was really solid as well. The mystery of what happened to Jeanine was well built, and I really appreciated how so many pieces were placed throughout the story to all come together nicely at the end. It was hard to read through the details of life as a Jill, the scrutiny to hit goal weight, and getting paid basically nothing was upsetting. Definitely read the authors note at the end to appreciate what happened to the Jills, who have since been disbanded.

I appreciated the work that went into the characters as well. I really did love Virginia, but damn did I want to lock her in a room and throw away the key. GIRL. When someone tells you to keep your nose out of their business or you could get killed for asking the wrong questions…STOP ASKING QUESTIONS! For a debut, I thought it was well done and a really well put together thriller. I could see potential for a follow up to this story, and I would be so excited to see more of these characters and any other drama they can stir up! Oh, and GO BILLS ❤️💙

[amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful and thought provoking, this was a really interesting perspective on what goes on inside professional sports organizations. I had no idea how intense! I couldn’t stop reading. As someone who spent a lot of time in Western NY, I also liked all of the Buffalo city mentions. Thanks to Net Galley for this digital arc!

[Ekta · Rating 4 out of 5]

An NFL cheerleader learns one of her teammates has gone missing and might be in danger. Despite police involvement, the cheerleader is convinced no one is dedicating enough time to looking for her friend and decides to do her own investigation. What she discovers along the way will lead her straight back to her own past and the parts of it she would rather forget. Debut author Karen Parkman builds a mostly compelling thriller with the backdrop of professional cheerleading in her new book The Jills.

Buffalo resident Virginia Barton has an incredibly glamorous job: she’s a Jill, a cheerleader and dancer for the Buffalo Bills football team. Despite the crummy pay and needing to hold down a second job, Virginia loves being a Jill. When she’s in the stadium and 70,000 fans are cheering for her and the rest of the squad, Virginia feels at home with the other girls.

This is especially true of Jeanine who joined the Jills around the same time as Virginia did. They’re best friends, performing by day, bar hopping at night. When Virginia is with Jeanine, she feels more confident and happier. She doesn’t have to think about her little sister who has been in and out of rehab too many times to count or her mother who became a functioning alcoholic after her dad died.

Virginia also doesn’t have to worry about money like the other Jills do. Her dad worked with local mob boss, Stanley Palladino, and since her dad died Stanley has taken Virginia under his wing. She knows Stanley has some shady practices, but she also knows he wouldn’t hurt anyone. She can trust him, because he’s always proven to be trustworthy. Stanley also has a major financial stake in the Jills, which means he really cares about helping people.

Yet even Stanley’s connections make Virginia pause when the unthinkable happens: on a Sunday when she’s supposed to show up for a game, Jeanine goes missing. No matter how many times Virginia and the other Jills and their director, Suzanna, call or text, Jeanine doesn’t answer. Virginia imagines all the worst scenarios. She knows that Jeanine uses drugs occasionally, and her experiences with her younger sister, Laura, have taught Virginia to expect the worst.

Nothing about Jeanine’s disappearance makes sense. She was dating Bobby Paladino, Stanley’s son, who’s known to be a possessive boyfriend, but Jeanine has never had trouble standing up to him. Because of the self-defense tactics that are drilled into the Jills from Day One, Virginia knows Jeanine would reach out if she could. No one with any authority seems as panicked about the situation as Virginia is, though, which makes her even more suspicious.

Despite several warnings from Suzanna to stay on track with her practices and contracted appearances, Virginia starts to get reckless as she launches her own investigation into Jeanine’s disappearance. As she follows the breadcrumbs of Jeanine’s life, Virginia starts to realize that she and Jeanine may have been more closely tied than she first knew and that the small-time trouble she was imagining is nowhere near the truth.

Author Karen Parkman shares in her author’s note at the end of the book the newspaper article that sparked the idea for the novel and the extensive research she did to write it, and Parkman’s efforts at authenticity ring true. Virginia is the pure embodiment of a cheerleader in the 21st century, a woman who wants to own her individuality while also stepping into the identical lines and uniform of a professional dancer. Even as she’s struggling with each piece of revelatory information about Jeanine, Virginia grapples with a patriarchal system that empowers women and entraps them all at the same time.

Parkman finds a balance between moving the plot along and Virginia’s observations about her own life. At times the fond recollections about her times with her sister can slow the book down, and the novel, while an admirable debut, suffers from a middle section that tends to slump. What will keep readers engaged is the book’s protagonist, her audacity at going after the truth, and the realistic portrayals of a world that many don’t even realize exists.

The novel could have used some tightening in those portions, but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. Readers who like to see the typical domestic thriller set against unusual backdrops will definitely want to check this one out.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jills by Karen Parkman.
Published by Ballantine Books, and thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

I opened The Jills expecting spirited sideline drama and maybe a mild mystery. What I got was a full-tilt emotional marathon featuring drugs, mob-adjacent chaos, strained sisterhood, and enough questionable choices to make me want to throw a penalty flag at nearly every character. And I mean that in the best, most exasperated, most “I can’t stop reading this” way possible.

Virginia, our narrator and one of the Buffalo Bills’ legendary Jills, is a walking mix of grit, glitter, and stubborn optimism. She dances for a team that pays in exposure, endorphins, and existential dread, but it’s her bright spot. Her safe place. Her found family. Then Jeanine, her best friend and fellow Jill, goes missing on game day, and Virginia decides she is going to find her, police be damned. This is where the book snaps from sparkly sports fiction into a darker, heavier, surprisingly human mystery that spirals through Buffalo’s nightclubs, dingy back rooms, and enough bad decisions to make you feel like you need a reflective vest just to keep up.

Parkman builds an atmosphere that feels lived in and scraped raw. The Jills’ world is a study in contradictions. It’s glamorous until you realize the sequins are sewn over exhaustion and the weigh-ins are designed to break you before the injuries do. It’s sisterhood built on trust, competition, and the silent agreement to keep dancing even when life is falling apart behind the scenes. Parkman nails this tension with sharp sincerity. At times the book reads like a love letter to the women who keep showing up, even when no one else shows up for them.

Virginia is frustrating in all the ways a real twenty-something with trauma and a savior complex tends to be. She carries guilt like a sport of its own. Her relationship with her sister Laura is the quiet engine of the book, even though the mystery of Jeanine’s disappearance drives the plot. The past keeps bleeding into the present, and watching Virginia try to rescue everyone but herself adds a layer of emotional weight that sticks long after the last chapter.

The mystery itself is more of a slow burn than a propulsive thriller. The middle sags a little, circling the same bars, the same threats, and the same internal arguments, but the character work keeps the pages turning. Parkman excels at that messy, very human kind of tension, the kind that comes from wondering whether the people you love are who you think they are, whether you’ve built your life on loyalty or delusion. I liked the way the book raised those questions without rushing to tie them up neatly.

There’s a line in the book that hit me harder than any clue:
“Some people glow so bright you don’t see the dark until you’ve already tripped over it.”
If there’s one sentence that sums up Virginia’s journey, that’s it.

One of my favorite pieces of the novel is the author’s note. The real history of the Jills is jaw-dropping and heartbreaking, and honestly adds even more weight to the story Parkman is telling. It’s the kind of context that reshapes how you read the whole book.

Is The Jills perfect? No. It runs long. It leans hard into drug drama that occasionally overshadows the plot I was most attached to. But it’s bold, smart, heartfelt, and surprisingly tender beneath the sharp edges. Parkman writes with real voice. Real understanding. And she knows how to build flawed women who feel so believable you want to reach into the pages and drag them out of harm’s way.

This is a debut that swings big and lands more often than not. It’s emotional. It’s chaotic. It’s glitter-covered heartbreak with a mystery at its core. And it’s absolutely worth your time.

Rating: 4 stars.

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[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I say I was not emotionally prepared for The Jills to be part missing-person mystery, part cheerleader exposé, part mob-lite fever dream, and part devastating family drama in a sequined crop top? I mean it. This book came in rhinestone-studded, emotionally wrecked, and wildly overcaffeinated, and honestly? I ate it up like halftime nachos.

Our girl Virginia is a Jill, a cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills, and she’s deep in the dream-slash-nightmare of forced weigh-ins, unpaid labor, and motivational Instagram captions masking an existential crisis. But Virginia lives for the sparkle. Or at least she did, until her best friend Jeanine vanishes off the face of Buffalo right before a game, and suddenly our main character goes full unlicensed detective with a hero complex so big it might qualify for federal disaster relief.

What kicks off as “where’s my bestie?” quickly spirals into “why does everyone I love keep imploding?” Because this isn’t just a mystery. It’s an unraveling. Virginia’s sleuthing leads her into the city’s seedy underbelly (yes, Buffalo has one, don’t come for me), tangled up in drug dens, mob kids, and old family ghosts that won’t stay buried. And here’s the kicker: she’s chasing Jeanine with the exact same intensity she once used to save her addict sister Laura. You want a thriller? Sure. But you’re also getting a character study of a woman white-knuckling every relationship in her life like she can love people into not dying.

And God, it works. Not all the time. Sometimes it’s messy and self-destructive and makes you want to scream “BABE, GET A THERAPIST” into the void. But it works. Virginia is infuriating in the way real people are. She stumbles. She ignores every red flag. She walks into dangerous situations like a Hallmark heroine with nothing but vibes and blind optimism. But she also feels real. Flawed, lonely, too loud in the wrong ways, and dead silent in the moments that count.

The cheerleading stuff is pure gold. It’s glittery, exploitative, and more emotionally harrowing than it has any right to be. The Jills aren’t just a backdrop. They’re a system. A machine that chews up women and spits out “team players” with concave stomachs and fake lashes. And Parkman doesn’t just nod to that. She dives into it. The author’s note? Required reading. Honestly should’ve been chapter one.

Now, I won’t lie. The plot gets fuzzy in the middle. There’s a stretch where every scene feels like a mix of vague threats, sister monologues, and the same three bars in Buffalo. But even when the momentum dips, the tension doesn’t. You feel the unraveling. The stakes aren’t just about Jeanine. They’re about Virginia realizing she doesn’t actually know how to let people choose chaos without trying to save them.

This isn’t your twist-a-minute, gasping-at-the-last-page kind of thriller. It’s slower, sadder, more human than that. But it hits hard, especially if you’ve ever tried to save someone who didn’t want saving. It’s a mystery with mascara streaks, a slow burn with sore muscles and real grief under the glitter.

A little messy. A little brilliant. Kind of like Virginia.

Three stars, but emotionally? I’m giving it the full five for ambition, voice, and the fact that it made me feel like a former cheerleader with unresolved trauma. Which I am not. And yet.

Whodunity Award: For Most Unhinged Use of Pom-Poms in a Personal Crisis

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I had an absolute blast spiraling through Buffalo’s glitter-crusted, mob-adjacent emotional apocalypse. Who knew trauma could pirouette in a crop top?

[Laryssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buffalonians, rejoice! As a local, I can tell you that the references to people and locations in this debut novel are spot on. Reading it felt like a nostalgic trip through Western New York; you will get a serious kick out of all the little nods to our hometown.

The Jills is a multi-layered story that pulls back the curtain on the [now defunct] Buffalo Bills cheerleading squad. While the chapters are long, they are packed with sharp commentary on the unreal expectations placed on NFL cheerleaders. Parkman dives deep into the grueling reality behind the glamour: the nearly nonexistent pay, the constant pressure to stay thin, and the relentless calorie counting. What resonated with me was the comradeship between the girls. It’s portrayed as something real and raw, though often toxic. The book weaves in themes of family duty and trauma, showing how these pressures can lead a young, impressionable person toward dark people and dangerous places. Parkman does a good job of capturing the voice of an impulsive twenty-something from a small-ish town, struggling with societal pressures and wishing they were just a bit "more"—bolder, prettier, or more interesting. In some ways, I can see myself in Virginia; having to be "adult" and carry the weight and responsibility of her family, while also resenting the pressure and being a little reckless in the process.

On top of this intriguing character study, the plot adds a gripping missing person mystery involving a best friend and a descent into a criminal underworld. It’s a lot to wrap your head around, but I enjoyed the ride— even if it dragged on.

⚠️ Please make note of the following trigger warnings:
-Substance Abuse: There is heavy depiction of drug and alcohol use, including characters dealing with addiction and connections to drug dealers.
-Disordered Eating: Significant focus on intense calorie counting, weight pressure, and unhealthy body expectations.
-Abuse & Trauma: Themes of family trauma, emotional abuse, and the "toxic" side of competitive environments.
-Violence: The story involves a criminal underworld with elements of organized crime and violence.

The Jills is out now. Thank you Ballantine and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.