Library book: Keep your Friends Close by Cynthia Murphy



Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: 9/2/2025
Pages: 365
Genre: Mystery Thriller/ YA
Review: library book


Chloe Roberts is on top of the world. After a stellar first year at the prestigious Morton Academy, she’s a shoo-in for Head Girl and a coveted position in the school’s secret society, Jewel and Bone. But her dreams are shattered when her best friend, Nikhita Patel, unfairly snatches the top spot—and steals Chloe's boyfriend at the same time.

Heartbroken and humiliated, Chloe discovers a shocking truth: Jewel and Bone isn’t as secret as she thought. The rest of the school despises the Jewels, and there’s even a “Book of Crime and Punishment” cataloging their misdeeds. Things take a very dark turn when the names in the book start to correlate with murders of Jewel and Bone members on campus. Suddenly, anyone could be a suspect.

And now, Chloe must navigate a web of lies and deceit to get to the bottom of this twisted game before she’s next on the kill list.


Made me think of the 90's with all the drama and mean girls group going on. It was an enjoyable read and one I may put into my school library, as I think my high schoolers may like the mystery surrounding The Jewel Bone Club. I feel it does end on a cliffhanger, so I am hoping there may be another book in the works. 
Our main character, Chloe, is part of a secret society. I just want to mention why, in all my years of being on this earth, I never found a secret society to be a part of. 
As Choloe is coming to terms with the fact that the secret society isn't as secret as she thought, she learns of a book called "Crime and Punishment" in which you write who has done you wrong and what you would like to see happen to them. Though when the deaths start going hand in hand with the book, then Chloe is very suspicious and keep your friends close because Chloe seems not to know who to trust fully. Something shady is happening at the private school, and Chloe is going to bring it to light, though she may or may not make it out alive. Wasn't too gory or scary. It has a bit of drama and death, but nothing too bad. 
This may be one I place in my library for my teens to read. 




Cynthia Murphy is the bestselling author of a number of YA thrillers, including the BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die.


She has a long-standing love affair with all things scary, reading Point Horrors before graduating to Stephen King in her misguided teens. Studying for a degree in Art History and Archaeology meant that she developed a thirst for anything old, beautiful and very often dead. She tries to combine this with contemporary settings in her writing to make unique and chilling modern stories.

Cynthia lives in her hometown of Manchester with her husband and their rescue dog, Loli, who you will see a lot of on TikTok and Instagram @CynthiaMurphyYA

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