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The Cheerleader: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 6 Jan 26Everyone wants to be a Dallas Lonestars Cheerleader, but fame can have a deadly price…
The Dallas Lonestars Cheerleaders are untouchable. They are the epitome of glitz and glamour, reeking of hairspray and perfection. But everything changes when America’s Angel and cheerleading captain Jentry Rae Randall is found murdered in the squad’s locker room.
Filmmaker Nikki Keegan has the opportunity of a lifetime. Brought in to document the Lonestars’ potential comeback after four disastrous seasons, Nikki is now perfectly placed to investigate the murder of the team’s iconic frontwoman.
Nikki turns to cheerleader Shaunette Simmons, the deceased’s best friend, for help. As Nikki becomes closer to Shaunette, the more she suspects that Shaunette is hiding something.
But when Shaunette is run off the road and left to die, it’s clear that nobody on this cheer squad is safe. Because
some people would kill to be a Dallas Lonestars Cheerleader…
Marina Evans, a former NFL cheerleader herself, takes readers “behind the gloss” of this iconic American subculture in this high octane debut that is filled with twists, turns, and high kicks. Weaving between sisterhood and ambition, survival and scandal, The Cheerleader will keep you riveted until the final page.
The Dallas Lonestars Cheerleaders are untouchable. They are the epitome of glitz and glamour, reeking of hairspray and perfection. But everything changes when America’s Angel and cheerleading captain Jentry Rae Randall is found murdered in the squad’s locker room.
Filmmaker Nikki Keegan has the opportunity of a lifetime. Brought in to document the Lonestars’ potential comeback after four disastrous seasons, Nikki is now perfectly placed to investigate the murder of the team’s iconic frontwoman.
Nikki turns to cheerleader Shaunette Simmons, the deceased’s best friend, for help. As Nikki becomes closer to Shaunette, the more she suspects that Shaunette is hiding something.
But when Shaunette is run off the road and left to die, it’s clear that nobody on this cheer squad is safe. Because
some people would kill to be a Dallas Lonestars Cheerleader…
Marina Evans, a former NFL cheerleader herself, takes readers “behind the gloss” of this iconic American subculture in this high octane debut that is filled with twists, turns, and high kicks. Weaving between sisterhood and ambition, survival and scandal, The Cheerleader will keep you riveted until the final page.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 6, 2026
9 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Huge thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC 💕
3.5 stars
I randomly requested The Cheerleaders because the blurb intrigued me (as always🤣). It promised a thriller/mystery, and I hadn’t read a thriller in a long time. From the blurb, I personally expected the book to be in an interview or documentary style format since, it revolves around a filmmaker investigating a cheerleader’s murder. That expectation wasn’t met, which was a little disappointing, but that’s entirely on me since it wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the blurb.
That said, this was still a fast paced, short, and engaging thriller.
The book opens with the murder of Jentry Rae, the captain of the Dallas Lone Star cheerleading squad. Jentry Rae is portrayed as the exact opposite of the stereotypical “mean cheerleader.” She’s kind, sunshiny, loved by everyone, and genuinely nice person which honestly surprised me in a good way. However, her questionable decisions were giving me second hand embarrassment, ngl.
Our protagonist, Nikki, is a filmmaker originally hired to create a documentary about the Dallas football team by its new owner, who wants to improve the team’s public image. However, Jentry Rae’s sudden murder completely changes things. Nikki becomes emotionally invested, especially because Jentry Rae’s father, Sunny Randall, is dying. Nikki’s own father is also very ill, which makes her deeply empathetic toward Sunny and fuels her determination to uncover the truth so he can have peace.
Without official permission, Nikki secretly begins investigating Jentry Rae's murder with the help of her videographer by interviewing the cheerleaders, the head security guard who was on duty and football players, trying to piece together who Jentry Rae really was and what might have led to her death.
The other protagonist is Shaunette Simons, another cheerleader and Jentry Rae’s former best friend. The two had a falling out shortly before the murder, and police records show they were fighting on the day Jentry Rae died, Shaunette even verbally threatened her. Naturally, she becomes a prime suspect. However, Nikki and Shaunette end up forming a strong bond, united by their desire for justice. Shaunette’s relationship with Nikki was easily my favorite part of the book.
Shaunette was an interesting character. I loved how complex she was because of her upbringing. Her mother was also battling breast cancer (everyone's parent were on the verge of death in the book🥲) so, her need to please her mother her life was frustrating but very realistic. Her closure in the end seemed fitting as well.
The mystery itself was engaging while I was reading it, I didn’t want to put the book down once I had started. However, when I wasn’t actively reading, I didn’t feel a strong pull to pick it back up. It’s very much a page-turner in the moment kind of thriller.
I did have some issues with the plot logic. At times, it felt unrealistic how easily certain characters revealed crucial information to Nikki. She doesn’t always have leverage over them, so their sudden confessions seemed out of nowhere. Royce confessing things made sense because Nikki hold so much dirt over him but Jace throwing Royce under the bus especially after holding onto guilt for 10–12 years felt a bit convenient. The reveal of the murderer was also somewhat predictable. With only a handful of suspects, it wasn’t a shocking twist, and I wish the author had taken a more unexpected route.
The bond between Nikki and Shaunette, the constant sense of danger around them, and their desire to protect one another added emotional depth to the story.
I really really loved the ending of the book. That epilogue was one of the sweetest thing in a murder mystery book.
Since I received this as an ALC, I also want to specifically mention the narration, which was excellent. I honestly think this story works even better as an audiobook. The writing itself is quite simple, but the narrator added real depth to the characters through her voice. She conveyed the mystery, emotional tension, fear, and internal doubts extremely well, which elevated the overall experience for me. The suspense came through much more strongly because of her performance. I really loved her narration and will definitely be checking out more of her work in the future.
Overall, while the twists didn’t completely land for me, I still enjoyed the book. It’s a solid, fast-paced thriller with strong emotional themes and a refreshing take on cheerleader dynamics—even if the mystery itself wasn’t groundbreaking.
~~~~~
what a clusterfuck of a book this was!! RTCmy last exam is tomorrow, will write reviews to all the books now😭
~~~
An unsolved murder mystery visited by a documentary crew, sign me tf👀
3.5 stars
I randomly requested The Cheerleaders because the blurb intrigued me (as always🤣). It promised a thriller/mystery, and I hadn’t read a thriller in a long time. From the blurb, I personally expected the book to be in an interview or documentary style format since, it revolves around a filmmaker investigating a cheerleader’s murder. That expectation wasn’t met, which was a little disappointing, but that’s entirely on me since it wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the blurb.
That said, this was still a fast paced, short, and engaging thriller.
The book opens with the murder of Jentry Rae, the captain of the Dallas Lone Star cheerleading squad. Jentry Rae is portrayed as the exact opposite of the stereotypical “mean cheerleader.” She’s kind, sunshiny, loved by everyone, and genuinely nice person which honestly surprised me in a good way. However, her questionable decisions were giving me second hand embarrassment, ngl.
Our protagonist, Nikki, is a filmmaker originally hired to create a documentary about the Dallas football team by its new owner, who wants to improve the team’s public image. However, Jentry Rae’s sudden murder completely changes things. Nikki becomes emotionally invested, especially because Jentry Rae’s father, Sunny Randall, is dying. Nikki’s own father is also very ill, which makes her deeply empathetic toward Sunny and fuels her determination to uncover the truth so he can have peace.
Without official permission, Nikki secretly begins investigating Jentry Rae's murder with the help of her videographer by interviewing the cheerleaders, the head security guard who was on duty and football players, trying to piece together who Jentry Rae really was and what might have led to her death.
The other protagonist is Shaunette Simons, another cheerleader and Jentry Rae’s former best friend. The two had a falling out shortly before the murder, and police records show they were fighting on the day Jentry Rae died, Shaunette even verbally threatened her. Naturally, she becomes a prime suspect. However, Nikki and Shaunette end up forming a strong bond, united by their desire for justice. Shaunette’s relationship with Nikki was easily my favorite part of the book.
Shaunette was an interesting character. I loved how complex she was because of her upbringing. Her mother was also battling breast cancer (everyone's parent were on the verge of death in the book🥲) so, her need to please her mother her life was frustrating but very realistic. Her closure in the end seemed fitting as well.
The mystery itself was engaging while I was reading it, I didn’t want to put the book down once I had started. However, when I wasn’t actively reading, I didn’t feel a strong pull to pick it back up. It’s very much a page-turner in the moment kind of thriller.
I did have some issues with the plot logic. At times, it felt unrealistic how easily certain characters revealed crucial information to Nikki. She doesn’t always have leverage over them, so their sudden confessions seemed out of nowhere. Royce confessing things made sense because Nikki hold so much dirt over him but Jace throwing Royce under the bus especially after holding onto guilt for 10–12 years felt a bit convenient. The reveal of the murderer was also somewhat predictable. With only a handful of suspects, it wasn’t a shocking twist, and I wish the author had taken a more unexpected route.
The bond between Nikki and Shaunette, the constant sense of danger around them, and their desire to protect one another added emotional depth to the story.
I really really loved the ending of the book. That epilogue was one of the sweetest thing in a murder mystery book.
Since I received this as an ALC, I also want to specifically mention the narration, which was excellent. I honestly think this story works even better as an audiobook. The writing itself is quite simple, but the narrator added real depth to the characters through her voice. She conveyed the mystery, emotional tension, fear, and internal doubts extremely well, which elevated the overall experience for me. The suspense came through much more strongly because of her performance. I really loved her narration and will definitely be checking out more of her work in the future.
Overall, while the twists didn’t completely land for me, I still enjoyed the book. It’s a solid, fast-paced thriller with strong emotional themes and a refreshing take on cheerleader dynamics—even if the mystery itself wasn’t groundbreaking.
~~~~~
what a clusterfuck of a book this was!! RTC
~~~
An unsolved murder mystery visited by a documentary crew, sign me tf👀
December 22, 2025
Fun mystery!
Captain of the Dallas Lonestar’s cheerleading squad and “America’s Sweetheart”, Jentry Rae, is found brutally murdered in the ladies locker room. Filmmaker, Nikki Keegan, is following the story and hoping her investigation and documentary will propel her career. She teams up with Shanuette, also a cheerleader and Jentry Rae’s best friend. But when Shanuette is run off the road and left for dead Nikki fears she could become the killer’s next target.
This was a fast easy read and it was interesting to get a ‘behind the scenes’ view of Dallas cheerleader life.
The audio narration was fantastic performed by Rebecca LaChance.
Thank you Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on January 6, 2026
Captain of the Dallas Lonestar’s cheerleading squad and “America’s Sweetheart”, Jentry Rae, is found brutally murdered in the ladies locker room. Filmmaker, Nikki Keegan, is following the story and hoping her investigation and documentary will propel her career. She teams up with Shanuette, also a cheerleader and Jentry Rae’s best friend. But when Shanuette is run off the road and left for dead Nikki fears she could become the killer’s next target.
This was a fast easy read and it was interesting to get a ‘behind the scenes’ view of Dallas cheerleader life.
The audio narration was fantastic performed by Rebecca LaChance.
Thank you Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on January 6, 2026
December 29, 2025
I got this as an alc and it was pretty good. The narrator was decent and not annoying. Fast paced mystery. Well written. I will say that it was kind of predictable on who did it, but still not a bad read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing an ALC of The Cheerleader by Marina Evans, narrated by Rebecca LaChance.
Everyone wants to be a Dallas Lonestars Cheerleader, but fame can have a deadly price . . .
This book is a MUST-READ if you are a fan of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, DCC: Making the Team, and mystery/thrillers. Wow, the author pulls no punches when showing the direct ties of the cheerleaders in this story to the real-life Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. There were so many links between the two that if you allowed your imagination to do a jump split, you would think this book is non-fiction, but thank goodness it is purely fiction.
The story has alternating chapters told from the viewpoints of the filmmaker and the cheerleader and has mixed media thrown in, such as transcripts of television shows, Instagram posts, etc. The book starts out with the most beautiful cheerleader and the point (IYKYK) being found murdered, then the rest of the book in spent uncovering more information about the dead cheerleader, current cheerleaders, an endless number of suspects, and the podcaster/filmmaker trying to get her big break and simultaneously solve the case if she can stay alive long enough to do so. This book is a wild ride, to say the least. It will have even the most talented sleuths guessing till the end.
The narrator did a wonderful job using her voice to express the emotions felt by the characters. Her Texas accent only added to the life she brought to all of the characters. She used a deeper voice for the male characters, but in no way did it feel weird or unbelievable. Initially, I did not like the tone of the narrator’s voice, but I stuck with it, and I grew to truly appreciate her voice. The narrator and the author have put together a great thriller that will impress in 2026.
Everyone wants to be a Dallas Lonestars Cheerleader, but fame can have a deadly price . . .
This book is a MUST-READ if you are a fan of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, DCC: Making the Team, and mystery/thrillers. Wow, the author pulls no punches when showing the direct ties of the cheerleaders in this story to the real-life Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. There were so many links between the two that if you allowed your imagination to do a jump split, you would think this book is non-fiction, but thank goodness it is purely fiction.
The story has alternating chapters told from the viewpoints of the filmmaker and the cheerleader and has mixed media thrown in, such as transcripts of television shows, Instagram posts, etc. The book starts out with the most beautiful cheerleader and the point (IYKYK) being found murdered, then the rest of the book in spent uncovering more information about the dead cheerleader, current cheerleaders, an endless number of suspects, and the podcaster/filmmaker trying to get her big break and simultaneously solve the case if she can stay alive long enough to do so. This book is a wild ride, to say the least. It will have even the most talented sleuths guessing till the end.
The narrator did a wonderful job using her voice to express the emotions felt by the characters. Her Texas accent only added to the life she brought to all of the characters. She used a deeper voice for the male characters, but in no way did it feel weird or unbelievable. Initially, I did not like the tone of the narrator’s voice, but I stuck with it, and I grew to truly appreciate her voice. The narrator and the author have put together a great thriller that will impress in 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Cheerleader
Marina Evans
Jentry Rae, the captain of the Dallas Lonestar Cheerleaders, was generally a nice person; she was liked by everyone. Who would want her dead? Her body was found in the locker room.
Nikki Keegan is a journalist/filmmaker making a documentary on the comeback of the Lonestars after four terrible years. She was hired by the team’s owner in hope of improving the team’s image. Nikki is highly ambitious and in the right place to investigate the murder. She finds herself relating to Jentry; both Jentry’s father, Sunny and Nikki’s father are very ill. Nikki links herself with Shaunette, Jentry’s best friend and a cheerleader, who she thinks is feeling more remorse than sorrow. When Shaunette’s life is threatened, Nikki begins to see things differently. Her investigation places a target on her own back.
The police know Shaunette and Jentry had a falling out. Shaunette had threatened Jentry. making her the prime suspect. Nikki is determined to clear Shaunette’s name.
This was an interesting mystery, but it did have some holes in the plot and the reveal was too obvious. It was easy to figure out the identity of the real murderer. The relationship between Nikki and Shaunette was nicely done. Nikki suspected Shaunette at first but came to trust and befriend her. This story is told from alternating points of view. All in all this was a good read. I found it interesting that author Marnia Evans is a former cheerleader or the Dallas Cowboys. Her experiences bring a genuine behind the scenes look at life as a cheerleader. Narrator Rebecca LaChance did a superb job.
Netgalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for a free, unbiased review
Marina Evans
Jentry Rae, the captain of the Dallas Lonestar Cheerleaders, was generally a nice person; she was liked by everyone. Who would want her dead? Her body was found in the locker room.
Nikki Keegan is a journalist/filmmaker making a documentary on the comeback of the Lonestars after four terrible years. She was hired by the team’s owner in hope of improving the team’s image. Nikki is highly ambitious and in the right place to investigate the murder. She finds herself relating to Jentry; both Jentry’s father, Sunny and Nikki’s father are very ill. Nikki links herself with Shaunette, Jentry’s best friend and a cheerleader, who she thinks is feeling more remorse than sorrow. When Shaunette’s life is threatened, Nikki begins to see things differently. Her investigation places a target on her own back.
The police know Shaunette and Jentry had a falling out. Shaunette had threatened Jentry. making her the prime suspect. Nikki is determined to clear Shaunette’s name.
This was an interesting mystery, but it did have some holes in the plot and the reveal was too obvious. It was easy to figure out the identity of the real murderer. The relationship between Nikki and Shaunette was nicely done. Nikki suspected Shaunette at first but came to trust and befriend her. This story is told from alternating points of view. All in all this was a good read. I found it interesting that author Marnia Evans is a former cheerleader or the Dallas Cowboys. Her experiences bring a genuine behind the scenes look at life as a cheerleader. Narrator Rebecca LaChance did a superb job.
Netgalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for a free, unbiased review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Title: The Cheerleader
Author: Marina Evans
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Rebecca LaChance
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Mystery
Pub Date: January 6, 2026
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 384
Story starts when Jentry Rae, captain of the Dallas’ cheerleading squad and “America’s Sweetheart” is found dead in the squad’s locker room, the rumors and speculation begin to swirl. Who did it?
Perhaps a jealous ex or a deranged fan?
Shaunette Simmons and Jentry Rae’ were best friend on the squad. However turned rivals as Shaunette was jealous in fact, had words with her shorty before she was killed. Now is scared.
Story kept me interested. I love to dance and the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders sure are high on the dance/cheerleader pedestal.
Story deals with the pressure of perfection, the illusion of social media, and the very real impact of mental health. Those layers added so much depth to the story.
Author Marina Evans is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, she brings an authentic behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyle—proving it’s not all glamour and game days.
Narrator Rebecca La Chance did a great job performing most of the characters. I liked her natural voice. As I mentioned I was curious and enjoyed the behind the scenes but wasn’t a fan of the language, I was hoping for more Texas saying and less typical profanity.
Was glad to heard the “Bless his Heart’ at the end.
Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date is schedule for January 6, 2026.
Author: Marina Evans
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Rebecca LaChance
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Mystery
Pub Date: January 6, 2026
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 384
Story starts when Jentry Rae, captain of the Dallas’ cheerleading squad and “America’s Sweetheart” is found dead in the squad’s locker room, the rumors and speculation begin to swirl. Who did it?
Perhaps a jealous ex or a deranged fan?
Shaunette Simmons and Jentry Rae’ were best friend on the squad. However turned rivals as Shaunette was jealous in fact, had words with her shorty before she was killed. Now is scared.
Story kept me interested. I love to dance and the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders sure are high on the dance/cheerleader pedestal.
Story deals with the pressure of perfection, the illusion of social media, and the very real impact of mental health. Those layers added so much depth to the story.
Author Marina Evans is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, she brings an authentic behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyle—proving it’s not all glamour and game days.
Narrator Rebecca La Chance did a great job performing most of the characters. I liked her natural voice. As I mentioned I was curious and enjoyed the behind the scenes but wasn’t a fan of the language, I was hoping for more Texas saying and less typical profanity.
Was glad to heard the “Bless his Heart’ at the end.
Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date is schedule for January 6, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
#ad much love for my finished copy @pegasus_books #partner
& @dreamscape #partner for the ALC
‧₊˚ ✩°｡⋆♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡⋆｡°✩˚₊‧
🆃🅷🅴 🅲🅷🅴🅴🆁🅻🅴🅰🅳🅴🆁
< @marinaevans.author >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴊᴀɴᴜᴀʀʏ 𝟨, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ | ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ | ᴄʜᴇᴇʀ
‧₊˚ ✩°｡⋆♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡⋆｡°✩˚₊‧
Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader who writes a cheerleader thriller?! 😱 You know I have to read this book. And I’m here to tell you that YOU NEED TOO TO! 😉
Oof! Such a fun read with twists and turns galore.
Jentry Rae Randall is caption of the Dallas Lonestars’ football team. She also happens to have just been killed. And now everyone has become a suspect.
Nikki is making a documentary on the cheerleader’s death. She’s digging into the cheerleader’s life and is determined to find the truth of who killed Jentry.
Then there’s Shaunette - co-cheerleader and Jentry’s ex best friend. What is it she’s hiding?
🎧: Listened to the audio while following along and def recommend you give it a listen too. Rebecca LaChance does a phenomenal job narrating this book.
Loved the Southern setting and culture and all the life sayings that are sprinkled throughout. This was a solid read that I finished in one sitting. A mystery with a gripping and layered plot. I had no clue where this one was gonna end.
Learned so much about professional cheering. That they only make minimum wage should be criminal.
ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕗 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖:
Short chapters
Scandalous
Cheering world
Crime docs
Whodunnit
This may be a debut, but it’s clear that Evans is here to stay. Cannot wait for the next book.
& @dreamscape #partner for the ALC
‧₊˚ ✩°｡⋆♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡⋆｡°✩˚₊‧
🆃🅷🅴 🅲🅷🅴🅴🆁🅻🅴🅰🅳🅴🆁
< @marinaevans.author >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ: ᴊᴀɴᴜᴀʀʏ 𝟨, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
ᴛʜʀɪʟʟᴇʀ | ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀ | ᴄʜᴇᴇʀ
‧₊˚ ✩°｡⋆♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡⋆｡°✩˚₊‧
Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader who writes a cheerleader thriller?! 😱 You know I have to read this book. And I’m here to tell you that YOU NEED TOO TO! 😉
Oof! Such a fun read with twists and turns galore.
Jentry Rae Randall is caption of the Dallas Lonestars’ football team. She also happens to have just been killed. And now everyone has become a suspect.
Nikki is making a documentary on the cheerleader’s death. She’s digging into the cheerleader’s life and is determined to find the truth of who killed Jentry.
Then there’s Shaunette - co-cheerleader and Jentry’s ex best friend. What is it she’s hiding?
🎧: Listened to the audio while following along and def recommend you give it a listen too. Rebecca LaChance does a phenomenal job narrating this book.
Loved the Southern setting and culture and all the life sayings that are sprinkled throughout. This was a solid read that I finished in one sitting. A mystery with a gripping and layered plot. I had no clue where this one was gonna end.
Learned so much about professional cheering. That they only make minimum wage should be criminal.
ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕗 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖:
Short chapters
Scandalous
Cheering world
Crime docs
Whodunnit
This may be a debut, but it’s clear that Evans is here to stay. Cannot wait for the next book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
📕📙December Read: 𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎📙📕
📗The Cheerleader
(UK Title: Death of a Cheerleader)
✍️ Marina Evan’s
📣⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5
PUB DATE: 1/6/26
This is Marina Evans’ debut novel, and she absolutely nails it. As a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, she brings an authentic behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyle—proving it’s not all glamour and game days.
This book is more than a standard whodunit. It explores the pressure of perfection, the illusion of social media, and the very real impact of mental health. Those layers added so much depth to the story.
The book opens with the shocking death of the team’s star cheerleader in the locker room after a game, and from there it’s a nonstop puzzle. The story sends you on a wild goose chase, piecing together clues while the danger escalates the closer you get to the truth. Nearly every character feels like a suspect—red herrings everywhere, and everyone has a motive.
By the end, everything comes together in a way that fills in all the gaps. The ending is both tragic and beautiful( the last chapter and Epilogue), and it definitely full circle.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
🗣️Quote:
"Faces are strange things, aren't they? They can mask a lot of pain."
“Don’t carry heavy baggage while trying to climb a mountain of healing."
📗The Cheerleader
(UK Title: Death of a Cheerleader)
✍️ Marina Evan’s
📣⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5
PUB DATE: 1/6/26
This is Marina Evans’ debut novel, and she absolutely nails it. As a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, she brings an authentic behind-the-scenes look at the lifestyle—proving it’s not all glamour and game days.
This book is more than a standard whodunit. It explores the pressure of perfection, the illusion of social media, and the very real impact of mental health. Those layers added so much depth to the story.
The book opens with the shocking death of the team’s star cheerleader in the locker room after a game, and from there it’s a nonstop puzzle. The story sends you on a wild goose chase, piecing together clues while the danger escalates the closer you get to the truth. Nearly every character feels like a suspect—red herrings everywhere, and everyone has a motive.
By the end, everything comes together in a way that fills in all the gaps. The ending is both tragic and beautiful( the last chapter and Epilogue), and it definitely full circle.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
🗣️Quote:
"Faces are strange things, aren't they? They can mask a lot of pain."
“Don’t carry heavy baggage while trying to climb a mountain of healing."
December 20, 2025
many thanks and gratitude to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an early audiobook copy of The Cheerleader by Marina Evans in exchange for my thoughts and honest review.
when i say i was hooked from the beginning and completely engaged as Rebecca LaChance narrated this debut written by a former pro cheerleader, i mean i was ALL IN!
this novel has so many elements that i love in my thrillers: a fast-paced plot, suspicious characters, and twists galore! this book is also full of gossip, competition, drama, and glamour all set in the world of professional cheerleading. i enjoyed listening as the plot progressed, and the characters personalities and motivations became more clear. i thought the social media posts and diary entries sprinkled between the chapters worked well to break up the plot, giving more insight into the victim and those closely connected to the case.
even if you’re not a follower of pro football (let alone cheerleading), you’ll still be able to enjoy this. the writing is excellent, i can’t wait to read more from the author. also, the audiobook quality is superb; i think the narrator did a fantastic job. i highly recommend this!!
The Cheerleader will be published on January 6, 2026.
when i say i was hooked from the beginning and completely engaged as Rebecca LaChance narrated this debut written by a former pro cheerleader, i mean i was ALL IN!
this novel has so many elements that i love in my thrillers: a fast-paced plot, suspicious characters, and twists galore! this book is also full of gossip, competition, drama, and glamour all set in the world of professional cheerleading. i enjoyed listening as the plot progressed, and the characters personalities and motivations became more clear. i thought the social media posts and diary entries sprinkled between the chapters worked well to break up the plot, giving more insight into the victim and those closely connected to the case.
even if you’re not a follower of pro football (let alone cheerleading), you’ll still be able to enjoy this. the writing is excellent, i can’t wait to read more from the author. also, the audiobook quality is superb; i think the narrator did a fantastic job. i highly recommend this!!
The Cheerleader will be published on January 6, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 but I’ll round up.
This was a fun read. Some really great twists and the “whodunit” and ending twists were very believable. It was fun getting inside some the of the inner workings of cheer life to that high caliber. The characters were easy to love and although there were a LOT of characters, keeping them separate wasn’t as much of a challenge that I thought it would be.
The narrator was listed as Rebecca LaChance. I don’t think I’ve heard her before, but it was a great pick and I enjoyed it.
The only, “not so positive” I guess, was that it did feel like there was a lot of high school drama. Or more in this case, girl-locker room drama. This was 100% the intent of the book, so I don’t see it as a negative, but I think this book is better geared for a younger crowd, or like the “cool kid” crowd. And that’s not really up my alley.
Regardless, this was a great book and was well written. I loved to read that the author is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, so clearly she’s knowledgeable on the topic.
Thank you NetGalley. Fun read.
This was a fun read. Some really great twists and the “whodunit” and ending twists were very believable. It was fun getting inside some the of the inner workings of cheer life to that high caliber. The characters were easy to love and although there were a LOT of characters, keeping them separate wasn’t as much of a challenge that I thought it would be.
The narrator was listed as Rebecca LaChance. I don’t think I’ve heard her before, but it was a great pick and I enjoyed it.
The only, “not so positive” I guess, was that it did feel like there was a lot of high school drama. Or more in this case, girl-locker room drama. This was 100% the intent of the book, so I don’t see it as a negative, but I think this book is better geared for a younger crowd, or like the “cool kid” crowd. And that’s not really up my alley.
Regardless, this was a great book and was well written. I loved to read that the author is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, so clearly she’s knowledgeable on the topic.
Thank you NetGalley. Fun read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Cheerleader by The Cheerleader is a tense, fast-paced thriller that kept me engaged from start to finish. The premise is immediately gripping, pulling you into a world where secrets, jealousy, and buried truths collide, often with unsettling consequences.
Marina Evans does a great job building suspense and maintaining an eerie undercurrent throughout the story. The pacing is strong, with plenty of twists that kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had things figured out, the story veered in another direction. I especially appreciated how the tension steadily escalated rather than relying on just one big shock.
While a few moments felt slightly predictable and I wished certain characters had been explored a bit more deeply, overall this was a solid, entertaining read. It’s the kind of psychological thriller that’s easy to binge and hard to put down.
A compelling, twisty read that thriller fans will definitely enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Marina Evans does a great job building suspense and maintaining an eerie undercurrent throughout the story. The pacing is strong, with plenty of twists that kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had things figured out, the story veered in another direction. I especially appreciated how the tension steadily escalated rather than relying on just one big shock.
While a few moments felt slightly predictable and I wished certain characters had been explored a bit more deeply, overall this was a solid, entertaining read. It’s the kind of psychological thriller that’s easy to binge and hard to put down.
A compelling, twisty read that thriller fans will definitely enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Cheerleader by Marina Evans completely pulled me in from the opening scene. The murder of a Dallas Lonestars cheerleader sets off an investigation that feels fresh, layered, and full of tension. Nikki Keegan is a standout character—sharp, determined, and the perfect lens through which to watch the mystery unfold.
I’ll admit, Shaunette tested my patience early on, but watching her character evolve ended up being one of my favorite parts of the story. Evans does a great job peeling back her layers and turning her into someone you genuinely root for.
The plot moves quickly, the twists land without feeling forced, and the ending was far from predictable. The audiobook narration deserves its own praise—engaging, expressive, and easy to follow, making the whole experience even better.
Overall, this was a fantastic listen with strong characters and a mystery that kept me guessing. A solid 4 stars.
Thank you to Netgally, Marina Evans, and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I’ll admit, Shaunette tested my patience early on, but watching her character evolve ended up being one of my favorite parts of the story. Evans does a great job peeling back her layers and turning her into someone you genuinely root for.
The plot moves quickly, the twists land without feeling forced, and the ending was far from predictable. The audiobook narration deserves its own praise—engaging, expressive, and easy to follow, making the whole experience even better.
Overall, this was a fantastic listen with strong characters and a mystery that kept me guessing. A solid 4 stars.
Thank you to Netgally, Marina Evans, and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Even if you are not a fan of American football, and in particular, the NFL, there is so much to enjoy with this novel. Written by former professional cheerleader, Marina Evans, we are guided through the behind-the-scenes machinations of the football industry and the egos in play. And the mystery is pretty good too.
The snark, the mean girls, the guys in their oversized cowboy hats that are larger than everything else other than their egos, the many people that have momma and daddy issues, oh, this gem has it all. And it is Texas-sized.
I found myself laughing so many times and the exaggerations. I’m not talking about her writing. I’m referring to the characters’ exaggerations. I know quite a few Texans and this was so spot on.
Rebecca LaChance does a perfect job in narrating this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
The snark, the mean girls, the guys in their oversized cowboy hats that are larger than everything else other than their egos, the many people that have momma and daddy issues, oh, this gem has it all. And it is Texas-sized.
I found myself laughing so many times and the exaggerations. I’m not talking about her writing. I’m referring to the characters’ exaggerations. I know quite a few Texans and this was so spot on.
Rebecca LaChance does a perfect job in narrating this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What I loved
- Knowing that the author has experience to draw from for the world this takes place in.
- The familiarity of a solid mystery story.
- The audiobook narrator was great and kept me in the the story, even when the story was lagging a bit.
What I didn't love
- There wasn't anything particularly stand-out about this book other than the hook of the author being a former Cowboys cheerleader. It wasn't bad but it wasn't one that I'll be thinking about years from now.
Verdict: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
A decently paced mystery novel set in the world of professional football players and cheerleaders, which is unusual to see outside of YA. If you like mysteries and/or you are a sports fan, you might like this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
- Knowing that the author has experience to draw from for the world this takes place in.
- The familiarity of a solid mystery story.
- The audiobook narrator was great and kept me in the the story, even when the story was lagging a bit.
What I didn't love
- There wasn't anything particularly stand-out about this book other than the hook of the author being a former Cowboys cheerleader. It wasn't bad but it wasn't one that I'll be thinking about years from now.
Verdict: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
A decently paced mystery novel set in the world of professional football players and cheerleaders, which is unusual to see outside of YA. If you like mysteries and/or you are a sports fan, you might like this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
December 20, 2025
I was expecting this to be cheesy, and it was, but not quite as much as I thought.
This one did have me giggling at inappropriate times, I’ll admit. A cheerleader is found dead, and everyone is a suspect. Nikki, who is supposed to be filming a documentary about the cheerleaders, sees this as an opportunity to pivot into true crime and naturally wants to solve the case herself.
It’s a fun whodunit, but I wasn’t very invested. And even without being fully invested, the story was still predictable.
I did enjoy the narrator, though. She had a good voice and was a great fit for the tone of the book.
I think others will enjoy this, especially readers who have a personal connection to that world, but it ended up feeling a bit silly to me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listening copy.
This one did have me giggling at inappropriate times, I’ll admit. A cheerleader is found dead, and everyone is a suspect. Nikki, who is supposed to be filming a documentary about the cheerleaders, sees this as an opportunity to pivot into true crime and naturally wants to solve the case herself.
It’s a fun whodunit, but I wasn’t very invested. And even without being fully invested, the story was still predictable.
I did enjoy the narrator, though. She had a good voice and was a great fit for the tone of the book.
I think others will enjoy this, especially readers who have a personal connection to that world, but it ended up feeling a bit silly to me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listening copy.
December 16, 2025
3.5/5 - The Cheerleader is a solid debut thriller from a Former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. The plot of the book I found to be incredibly unique. The behind-the-scenes look at cheerleading culture and the pressure to be flawless feels authentic and well done, clearly influenced by the author’s real-life experience.
The dual perspectives kept the story moving, and I appreciated the themes of perfection, image, and mental health woven into the mystery. While the premise was compelling, the twists felt fairly familiar, and the suspense didn’t fully land for me as a devoted thriller reader.
Overall, this was an easy, engaging read that many will enjoy! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing team for this ARC!
The dual perspectives kept the story moving, and I appreciated the themes of perfection, image, and mental health woven into the mystery. While the premise was compelling, the twists felt fairly familiar, and the suspense didn’t fully land for me as a devoted thriller reader.
Overall, this was an easy, engaging read that many will enjoy! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing team for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Cheerleader was such a fun listen. A twisty who-dun-it. I love that this was written by a former NFL cheerleader. I feel like that brought a real authenticity to the story and a fun behind the scenes look to the overall story. There were a lot of characters and at times it was a little difficult keeping them all straight. I enjoyed the inserts of social media posts and diary entries throughout. They helped to break up the story in a way that kept it really interesting. I never felt like things lagged.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 30, 2025
Jentry Rae, the captain of the Dallas Lonestars has been killed. This was a fun fast paced and quick read. A documentarian is filming a fluff piece on the struggling football team and wants to switch her focus to the murder. She teams up with Jentry's best friend (Shaunette). But things take a turn for Shaunette when the killer gets her in their sites. The world of professional cheer / dance is very cutthroat.
Rebecca LaChance was great.
Rebecca LaChance was great.
December 25, 2025
I was really excited for this book. Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the overall plot, I felt like it fell flat and dragged at some parts. I also guessed the ending which kind of takes away from the storyline. I think it was overall a good read and would recommend it. And the ending definitely tied it together.
December 30, 2025
A fresh fun mystery! Very different than other books I’ve read in this genre. The pacing was great & the story was intriguing. This would be a great intro thriller for someone who isn’t ready to tackle the really dark, tense books but loves a good suspenseful twisty read.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.
Big thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for allowing me to enjoy this.
December 30, 2025
Dateline/true crime podcast meets DCC making the team and that’s all you need to know going into it
The ending was a bit…cliche? But overall this was a popcorn read between the true crime and multiple POVs and unreliable characters
The ending was a bit…cliche? But overall this was a popcorn read between the true crime and multiple POVs and unreliable characters
December 21, 2025
*ARC review*
The cheerleader is a fast-paced, unsettling read with plenty of twists. It pulls you in quickly and keeps the tension high, making it hard to put down.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As Marina Evans was a former Dallas cheerleader, I had high hopes for this book. It was good, but really not my cup of tea. I wanted to like it more than I did.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This one hooked me pretty well!
Full review to come
Full review to come
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