The Fall of Iris Henley

by Jennifer Graham

For fans of Megan Lally and Kara Thomas, a twisty thriller about a Texas teen accused of murder who's desperate to clear her name.

All it takes to ruin someone’s life is the stroke of a key. Just ask Iris Henley. Her life is destroyed when someone posts an anonymous message on her high school’s subreddit “Iris Henley is a killer. I’ve been too scared to come forward until now, but I saw her murder Rocky and Lynette last summer.”

Just like that, Iris loses everything. Her reputation. Her friends. Her hope of getting into college on scholarship. Even, possibly, her freedom, once the police start to investigate. After all, she’s the perfect Rocky was her boyfriend, and Lynette was her ex-best friend—and the girl he was cheating on her with. But Iris didn’t do it, and now it’s up to her to clear her name by finding out who did—before it’s too late.

Propulsive, sharp, and absolutely twisty from the New York Times bestselling author who brought listeners the Veronica Mars duology, Jennifer Graham's YA thriller is unputdownable.

A Macmillan Audio production from Wednesday Books

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction

Audible Audio

Expected publication February 24, 2026

About the author

Jennifer Graham graduated from Reed College and received her MFA from the University of Texas at Austin. Her short stories have appeared in The Seattle Review and Zahir. She currently lives in Austin with her husband.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Fall of Iris Henley, by Jennifer Graham from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Iris Henley boyfriend and ex best friend are murdered and she has been accused of murdering them. Even though Iris is in high school this could ruin her life forever, and shes innocent. This is an intriguing read.

[𝘪𝘷 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 🧸 · Rating 3 out of 5]

although i didn’t love this, it kept my attention the entire time. was there anything special about it? not really. it just felt like most YA mystery/thrillers. it was fun though and a super quick read :’)

ty netgalley for the arc<3

[Kimberly R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iris Henley is a cheerleader at Varda High School. Her cheating boyfriend and best friend are killed in a supposed murder/suicide. Cyber bullying starts taking place and she is accused of their murders. She starts investigating and uncovers deadly secrets and lies.
This was a great story with a good plot and characters. It also had some good twists and had me quickly flipping the pages.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this eARC that will be released February 24, 2026!

[OutlawPoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a decent little YA thriller.

My heart hurt for our main character, even as I felt she was a little naive. She was so surrounded by toxic people!

As a mom, I would have immediately taken my kid out of that school and moved her somewhere safe.

The book is nicely twisty though the *who* of everything isn't particularly surprising.

Fast paced, enjoyable read.

* ARC via Publisher

[casey ⋆˚౨ৎ ⋆.˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

i read this in one sitting because i was hooked and needed to know what had happened. this was wild. i kept trying to theorize what the truth was. this is a great young adult thriller that’s fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

iris’s life is dealer’s when someone posts an anonymous message on her high school’s subreddit accusing her of committing a crime. just like that iris loses everything, her friends, her reputation, cheerleading. iris didn’t do it and now it’s up to her to clear her name by finding out who did.

tropes: deadly love triangle, social media rumors, thrilling crime, drama, multi-media format

[Laraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know this one doesn’t come out until February, but it was such a perfect fall read. Set around homecoming season in October, it follows Iris, a high school student, as she tries to survive the fallout of a rumor that she killed her boyfriend and best friend. It’s suspenseful, fast-paced, and full of tension as she races to clear her name. I loved the way it explored the power of social media, the fragility of teen friendships, and how quickly gossip can spiral out of control. A solid YA mystery thriller that kept me hooked the entire time!

[Bethany (tiny bubbles in champagne version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sold three star read. It has enough mystery to move the story along, but there is some character disconnect. I liked the Veronica Mars(lite) investigator style that Iris takes on. I didn’t connect with her much, a lot of the action doesn’t lend itself to how she actually feels about the events around her; but considering the mystery of who actually commits the murders is interesting enough to keep reading, I didn’t hate her either. Overall it’s not a BAD book, it’s what I would consider fine.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fall Of Iris Henley by Jennifer Gram, Ever since the death of her best friend Lynette and boyfriend Rocky, Iris Henley hasn’t been the same. They were found in what the police called a murder suicide and it rocked their small community. With the support of her best friend Max and fellow cheerleaders Hayden and Sophie she’s getting through it but when someone goes on a popular social media app in claims Iris killed Lynette and Rocky the school is divided over believing she did it and defending her. at first Iris just wants to put her head in the sand and hope it all blows over but on homecoming night they post more secrets that Iris can’t ignore and even when she tries to there’s too many people letting her know she can’t ignore this. Thankfully her dependable friend Max is once again still supporting her and probably the only person and she gets him to help her find out the truth. Because there is only one person she knows she told all the secrets too and now she thinks she’ll be getting to the end of the problem the little does Iris know this is just the beginning because as far as being hot or cold she’s pretty much arctic. When the truth comes out everything that seems important to Iris before holds no weight with her now but will she live to prove her innocence? although I really enjoyed this book I do believe it is more OYA read as opposed to a mystery thriller. if you’re looking for a sitting on the edge of your seat read this isn’t it but if you’re looking for a really good consistently entertaining book in the young adult genre you will not be disappointed. I really have been going away from this genre but really enjoyed this quick visit with the stellar book like this one. I do think Iris seemed like a plain Jane as opposed to someone you want to root for she wasn’t unlikable just kind of there… if you know what I’m saying? there is a lot to this book that I have left out of my review so it’s not to give any spoilers but they do touch on drug abuse so there’s that. I do recommend this book as I said. #NedGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #JenniferGram, #TheFallOfIrisHenley,

[♡ A ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fall of Iris Henley follows Iris after someone posts an anonymous message claiming she killed her boyfriend and best friend last summer. Her life is ruined. She loses everything and mattes are made worse when the police start to reinvestigate what they believed was a murder-suicide. Iris must clear her name and find out who did it before it’s too late.

This was such a fun mystery/thriller. I honestly had so many guesses for the twist, and I was wrong on all counts. But it makes so much sense now that I know! I really loved how the author kept me guessing and on my toes the entire time. It’s super fast-paced and gripping and really well-written. The ending was sooo good and stressful. I really love how it ended.

I really enjoyed Iris as a main character. She has been through and goes through a lot in the book and she still manages to be brave enough to face her classmates and these challenging situations. I really love that she had a supportive friend group and the little romance subplot was very nice. I enjoyed the strained relationship with her family and how she had to overcome that. Everyone was really well characterized!

If you love murder mysteries with a shocking ending you won’t see coming, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the arc!

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this book up! Thank you to Macmillan for the ALC and also I received an eARC of this one too! I ended up listening and I loved this. The narrator definitely captured the young vibes this book needed and made it easy to follow/keep attention.

Iris Henley is dealing with the aftermath of her cheating boyfriend murdering her ex best friend and then killing himself. Or so it seems. Then a rumor on an anonymous social platform called Secret starts that she murdered both of them and Iris’ social fall from grace as top cheerleader and all star student begins.

Adult thrillers are a bit scary for me so when I get sent a YA thriller I’m always excited to try it! This book was no exception. I ate it up. It was quick, showed some crazy harsh realities of high school, was sharp, and kept my attention the entire time. I definitely figured out part of the end but not all of it!

I think this is perfect for fans of pretty little liars or the thrashers!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iris Henley is cheering at a game when someone posts an anonymous message that Iris killed her boyfriend and ex-best friend last year. She was hoping things would blow over quickly because there is no way she did it. Things start to spiral out of control, the police decide to reopen the case and their lead suspect is Iris. The entire school is out to get her, and it is progressively getting worse. We slowly unravel who posted this message and try to solve who actually killed those people. I was angry at how everyone was treating Iris, how people just blindly believe what they see online. This story is full of twists and turns you will not see coming and you will be on the edge of your seat until the ending is revealed. If you are a fan of young adult thrillers, add this one to your list.

[Shelby ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

this is one of those books that just grip you from the start! I love a YA mystery and this one was so good. fast-paced, short chapters, lost of secrets and twists, and everything you need for a page-turning mystery!

Iris Henley finds her life unravelling as she knows it. an anonymous post accuses her of being the murderer of her boyfriend and ex-best friend months after the case is closed. she loses her friends, her spot on the cheer team, and her reputation. she won’t go down without a fight, and she’s set on uncovering who is really behind all this and why.

I could not put this one down. I was so sucked into the story I was reading during any 5-minute break I had. I loved the pace of this one and the suspense really kept you on your toes. I highly recommend for anyone who’s a fan of YA mystery/suspense novels! Thank you St. Martins Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This one is out everywhere February 24th ♥️

[Stacy40pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fall of Iris Henley by Jennifer Graham. Thanks to @wednesdaybooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Iris Henley’s social life at school is ruined when an anonymous poster claims she’s a murderer. Even the police are questioning her. It’s up to her alone now to prove her innocence.

A very fast paced book, you can probably read it in one sitting. It has a lot of high school drama in it, but of course, also a murder. You’ll get to know a lot of the characters, but you won’t know who to trust and who not to. The ending got very tense and exciting. The story did a good job of showing how social media can really affect the social dynamics of adolescents.

“When there’s blood in the water the first to feed are the sharks, but surely in the mess of bone and tissue to follow, there are other creatures that take a bite.”

Read if you like:
-Cheerleading
-High school settings
-Social media tropes

The Fall of Iris Henley comes out 2/24.

[Kirsten | Bookish.kir · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast-paced YA thriller that follows a Texas teen cheerleader, Iris Henley, in the aftermath of an internet rumor that accuses her of murdering her cheating boyfriend and her ex-best friend.

The narrator, Eva Kaminsky, did a fantastic job with all of the characters and keeping the story entertaining through all the twists and lies.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

[Alora Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was super good. I really liked the main character and I liked the writing a lot. The book was easy to get through and it definitely had enough twists to make it entertaining. The plot was great and I was hooked from start to finish.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC! This will be out in February of 2026 so make sure to add it to your TBR!

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by Jennifer Graham and I absolutely devoured it. I loved the premise of the story when I applied for the ARC and the book entirely captivated me. The pacing was done well and I liked how it gave time stamps and locations. I found myself highlighting characteristics of the main characters & their “friends” to see if I could figure it out before the big reveal. Plot twist! Wow. This was really well done. I will absolutely be picking up more Jennifer Graham books in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC.

[Becky Hook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked early on and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next! As a native Texan, I loved the setting being in small town, central Tx. This YA mystery had some great twists and was a fun and easy read! Thank you Goodreads giveaways and the publisher for my ARC!

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good??? I only figured out one out of several twists and they were all jaw-dropping. This really picked up in the middle and was thrilling til the end. Don’t skip this!

(But seriously, if you’re reading this, please go back and have your editors fix all your furthers before this comes out. They’re supposed to be farthers 😭)

[Shelby Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this down!
Being a cheerleader in high school made it relatable, too.

[Carolyn Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

just finished this super fun twisty book. more thoughts to follow soon!

[Jenna Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this in less than 48 hours! This fast paced thriller follows Texas high school cheerleader Iris Henley as she experiences the fallout of a social media post accusing her of murdering her boyfriend and ex-best friend.
The anonymous person who made the initial post seemed pretty obvious but there was another twist I didn’t see coming!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the advanced copy of the book!

[Erin Clemence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: Feb. 24, 2026

Jennifer Graham is probably best known as co-writer on the hit T.V show “Veronica Mars”, a show I know and love, so I was definitely not going to pass up a chance to read her YA debut, “The Fall of Iris Henley”, and I was not disappointed.

Iris Henley’s boyfriend, Rocky, killed himself and Iris’ best friend, Lynette, last year and Iris is still struggling to get over the shock and trauma. So, when someone posts a comment online that they did not die in a murder-suicide, that Iris committed cold- blooded murder, Iris’ life is once again turned upside down. At first, it seems to be just an online rumor, but then the police start investigating Iris and other secrets start appearing online- secrets only Iris was told. With no one to support her, Iris knows that if she doesn’t find out what really happened last year, and who’s behind the rumors, more than her reputation may be at risk.

“Henley” is such a sharp modern novel, full of suspense and intrigue. It takes place over the course of almost thirty days in Iris’ life, a year after the deaths of Rocky and Lynette, narrated by Iris as the sole protagonist. The initial death of Rocky and Lynette is just the starting point in the mysteries that abound in this plot. Who is posting rumours online and who is catfishing Iris? Everything is connected in clever and creative ways, bringing the story to a gripping and unexpected end with a conclusion that left me gasping.

Iris is head cheerleader, girlfriend of the captain of the football team, and the entire cliché that that entails, until her life is upended by Rocky’s death and it becomes clear that Iris does not have it as easy as everyone thinks. She’s a genuine and likable character, with the endearing naiveté that comes from a teenage protagonist. “Henley” also makes not-so-subtle points about the dangers of social media, and how intrinsically it is connected into our daily lives and communications.

The twists and turns were absolutely epic in “Henley”, and it had an ending I did not expect. The perfectly crafted plot lines came together brilliantly, answering all questions and closing all gaps. It is obvious that Graham has a writing background academically, but she proves that she also has the creative chops with her novel, “The Fall of Iris Henley”, and I look forward to seeing what else she can do.

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Jennifer Graham’s “The Fall of Iris Henley” is a sharp, fast-paced YA thriller that blends the intensity of high school drama with the menace of murder, rumors, and the dangerous power of anonymous online platforms.

Iris Henley seems to have it all; she’s popular, a cheerleader, and dating Rocky, one of the most admired boys at school. But her world shatters when Rocky and her best friend Lynette are found dead in what the police rule a murder-suicide. Already grappling with grief and complicated family dynamics, Iris is blindsided months later when an anonymous account on the school gossip app accuses her of murder. The rumor spreads like wildfire, reigniting the investigation and turning classmates, teachers, and even her friends against her. Suddenly, Iris isn’t just mourning. She’s fighting to clear her name while trying to figure out who really betrayed her.

The story captures the chaos of teenage life in the digital age: the herd mentality of rumor-fueled social media, the fragility of friendships, and the way one anonymous post can unravel a life. Iris is a sympathetic, if sometimes naive, main character. She makes mistakes, but her resilience and determination keep you rooting for her. Her strained relationship with her mother and sister adds depth, while her tentative connections with Jonah and Max provide moments of warmth and hope amidst the storm.

What makes the book so compelling is its relentless suspense. The story is filled with red herrings, shocking reveals, and moments that feel almost too frustrating to believe yet perfectly believable in the heightened, rumor-driven world of high school. The gossip posts and text conversations brought into the story create immediacy and immersion, making readers feel like they’re right in the middle of the chaos.

Thematically, the book digs into the toxicity of teen relationships, the damage of fake news, and the incompetence of adults who too easily buy into hearsay. While some twists are easier to spot, others land with jaw-dropping force, and the final reveal is both satisfying and devastating. By the end, Iris finally gets the chance to grieve, reclaim her voice, and begin to move forward.

Equal parts murder mystery and commentary on digital culture, “The Fall of Iris Henley” is a gripping, dramatic read that fans of YA mysteries will devour.

[Ashley Reindeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer Graham has once again yanked me straight into chaos and refused to let me go until I was emotionally compromised and slightly suspicious of everyone I know. Five stars, of course—just like all her previous books—and I flew through this one like I had nothing better to do (which, let’s be real, I didn’t once the first chapter hit).

Iris Henley’s life implodes the second someone posts “Iris Henley is a killer” on her high school’s sketchy encrypted app. One post, and poof—bye-bye friends, family, reputation, and cheer dreams. Oh, and now the cops are side-eyeing her because her boyfriend Rocky and ex-best friend Lynette (who just happened to be cheating with him) were both murdered last spring. Messy doesn’t even begin to cover it.

From there, it’s a full-on spiral of suspicion, secrets, and digital witch-hunt energy. I had no clue who did what or why until the very end—and I loved that. Every time I thought I had it figured out, Jennifer just smiled and said “guess again girlfriend.”

The writing? Gorgeous and sharp, like every sentence could cut glass. There’s this line that perfectly sums up the dark little feeding frenzy of the story:

“When there’s blood in the water the first to feed are the sharks, but surely in the mess of bone and tissue to follow, there are other creatures that take a bite.”

Tell me that doesn’t belong framed somewhere in a museum of poetic dread.

And then there’s the heartbreak—because of course there’s messy teenage love tangled in all the destruction. One line punched me right in my tender, nostalgic little heart:

“I hate that I’m begging for what I’m owed, I hate that after all of this, after everything he did, some soft messy heartbroken part of me still exists. I hate that I was taken in by another monster in the form of a beautiful boy.”

Ugh. Gut. Punch.

In short: The Fall of Iris Henley is what happens when gossip, guilt, and grief all get Wi-Fi access. Twisty, emotional, and addicting—I devoured it and immediately texted three friends to say, “read this so I can scream about it properly.” Truly loved this one.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sharing this eARC with me in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based off of an uncorrected proof which did not sway my opinion either way. You MUST “add to cart” as soon as February 24, 2026 hits!

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one has a very familiar feel to it—probably because it’s a stereotypical YA thriller that’s fairly predictable, but honestly? It’s still a fun ride. I really enjoyed the first and last 30% of the book. The middle 40%, however, dragged its feet and started to feel like it was just recycling the same information in slightly different fonts.

I consumed this on audiobook and had the eARC for an immersion read. The audio was definitely the right call. It helped keep me engaged during the slower sections that might’ve lost me in print otherwise. It was narrated by Eva Kaminsky, which alone is a strong selling point for me. She does such a great job with YA in general, and in this one she really got a workout juggling all the different voices. The book leans heavily into internet chat comments, and she somehow made each user sound unique and consistent—which is no small feat. Her pacing was great at 1x and still totally manageable at 2x, which is always my litmus test.

I liked the multi-twist format because it kept the mystery moving without feeling completely unhinged. It was also refreshing that the parents were actually present in the story, which isn’t always the case in YA thrillers. The family dynamics felt authentic, especially Iris’s relationship with her sister, and that added some much-needed emotional depth to the story.

This isn’t the YA thriller that will live rent-free in my brain, but it did its job. The twists kept things moving, the audiobook saved the slower middle, and the family dynamics added some emotional weight. Think “comfort thriller” with a few extra plot turns and a narrator doing the heavy lifting.

I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from Macmillan Audio and eARC from St Martin’s Press via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

[Read_with_Beans · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up to 5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of The Fall of Iris Henley by Jennifer Graham, narrated by Eva Kaminsky.

Fans of YA thrillers will absolutely love this one. In this story, you will realize that all it takes to ruin someone’s life is a few weeks, a few rumors, and a few strokes of the keyboard. Iris Henley is a popular girl at her high school – cheerleader, quarterback boyfriend, tons of friends – but things changed when her boyfriend was found dead at the scene of what looks like a murder suicide of him and another girl from school. This is extremely traumatic for everyone, especially Iris, but she works hard to heal and focus on finishing school and moving on. Then a rumor starts when an anonymous person posts, “Iris Henley is a killer. I’ve been too scared to come forward until now, but I saw her murder Rocky and Lynette last summer.” Everything continues to only get worse from this point on for Iris. Watch as her life falls apart and follow along as she tries to clear her name. What will happen to Iris?

Eva Kaminsky has an incredible catalog of work, so it is obvious she is an extremely talented audiobook narrator, but she lives up to her reputation in this book. She does an excellent job portraying emotions felt by the characters and truly bringing them to life. Listeners will find her very engaging and find her tone dynamic while also having clear enunciation. This will allow readers who want to increase the speed of the narration to be able to listen without issue.

I can confidently recommend this book to fans of YA thrillers, especially in the vein of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and similar books. I enjoyed that while this is categorized as YA, it does not read young, making it enjoyable to a larger audience.

[Carlina Kinch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of being able to arc read this book. I really appreciate it.

I really enjoyed this book, this book is most definitely a YA read, but if you enjoy a little mystery and a little spooky/ thriller but tamer than the adult genre you're going to love this book! Its gives off a combination of Gossip Girl/ Mean Girls, mixed with Scream vibes in the most delightful way possible!

I loved Iris, she's very much so such a very real feeling character and you're absolutely going to feel for her situation. She's made mistakes but they're no different than something you or I might have made at her age. I do really hate how there was barely any adult in her corner at all. It was very much so oh well other people think so, so you're going to be punished despite us having zero actual concrete reason too. I also really loved how the author showed just how dangerous and toxic social media really can be, it's a really great reminder of what damage can be done using it. The twists in this book though, there's more than one! Were truly so incredible and well thought out! When you finally discover all that's really gone on, I promise you'll never forget this story!

If you're looking for a good tamer mystery with spooky/ thriller elements, or if you're in the YA range and want to experiment with a spooky, mystery thriller you're going to absolutely love this!

Thank you so very much again from the bottom of my heart to the author, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for allowing me the absolute privilege of being able to arc read this book. I truly appreciate it! I can't wait until it releases to bring home for my daughter who's more in this age bracket and I know will absolutely love this book just like I did!

[Angie Miale · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Young Adult suspense with several mysteries. The small town in Texas a few months ago was ravaged by an apparent murder suicide. Iris's boyfriend Rocky and his "side piece" her ex-best friend and recovering addict and former cheerleader Lynnette. Rocky was the quarterback and was found dead of an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound. Then someone posts on "secret" a social networking app, that Iris was guilty of their murder.

I was definitely very drawn in to the murder mystery, but the main storyline here is who is cyber bullying Iris. Someone is anonymously posting secrets online and accusing her of murder. Oddly the school seems to be on board with bullying her, she gets benched from the cheer team. I found the motivations of people to be really strange, she should have been really upset about her boyfriend being dead and why is he able to also pull these side pieces? Jeez he is a bad person. I feel like these are all ways teenagers don't really act. And this bullying storyline is kind of unrealistic. I did like the book and I thought the pacing was good, but it was a bit lacking in a couple of ways for me. I liked it, but you may love it.

Three adjectives to describe the main character? Popular. Controlling. Cold.

My favorite character? Iris's sister who is mean and jealous but plays the trombone, which is cool. Not a lot of heartwarming funny or fun characters in this one tbh

Audiobook review- a fun mystery with lots of twists and reveals. I appreciated the performance. My only critique is that for a book based in Texas SOMEONE should have had a little twang in their accent. These characters sound like they are from Omaha.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC. Book to be published February 24, 2026.

[Sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

This is a satisfying YA thriller that is well paced and engaging throughout.

High school is tough for a lot of folks. Hormones are raging, authority figures are always in the way of fun, your friends and your enemies are sometimes the same people, and you're constantly challenging the boundaries of being under someone's thumb and experiencing small tastes of actual freedom. You know what makes it harder? Your friends/partners being murdered. Harder still? Your peers suggesting you did it. And that, in a nutshell, is how Iris falls.

Though Iris is likeable enough, she's not as developed and doesn't grow as much as I've come to expect from a YA protagonist. I did find myself instantly obsessed with Iris's sister, so I'm really hoping we get more content about her in a future literary event. To me, she was by far the most interesting character. This was tough because she was not involved in the central action at all. Those who were? Well... These characters could've used more to differentiate themselves.

In addition to the mostly lackluster characters, the plot requires so much suspension of disbelief. I did laugh at the home state jabs, but even here, is it possible so much could have been missed or misconstrued? It's hard to understand how teens have a better sense of justice and are stronger detectives than those who are supposed to be on the job as uh, adults, in a full-time capacity?

I was definitely engaged in this read, but I also had some hmmmmmm moments. I'll look forward to more from this author.

*Special thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Wednesday Books for this alc and arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Mystyc Metrik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of the high school murder mystery genre, and this was an excellent example! Iris Henley, top cheerleader, has been trying to move on after the tragic death of her boyfriend, Rocky, and her best friend, Lynette. The two of them had been seeing each other behind her back when the police believe Rocky killed Lynette and then himself in a murder suicide. Prior to her death, Lynette had been having some issues with drugs, which Iris reported to the cheerleading coach, resulting in Lynette being kicked off the team and Iris being promoted. Iris has been doing her best to move on, by texting a friend from camp, Jonah, and hanging with her two best friends, Sophie and Hayden. Unfortunately, a post from rockytruther2001 on the school gossip app, Sekrit, accuses Iris of being a murderer. The police reopen the investigation, meaning that Iris is being questioned anew, and conflicting accounts of where she was the night of the murder make things look not so great. Another post on Sekrit outing some of her friends' drama means that Sophie and Hayden turn on Iris, leaving her feeling more alone and friendless than ever. The only person even remotely willing to be seen with her is her neighbor, Max Fisher. Iris doesn't know who to trust, and the final twist is one that you won't see coming. Iris is a well-developed version of a high school character, and the story really does encapsulate the drama you'd expect. There is a lot of suspense, twists, and turns, and I couldn't wait to see who was behind everything. Fans of the genre will definitely enjoy this story!