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A review by hobbithopeful
Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Muñoz
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Thank you Penguin for this arc
You put enough rich kids in a room with a scholarship kid, there's going to be a murder. It's a basic bookish fact at this point.
Suddenly a Murder follows the tried and true premise of a group of rich friends (and one not so rich) going on a getaway to celebrate graduation. Lies, betrayal, and infidelity threaten the group dynamic, but when one of them is murdered everything comes to light.
Diversity in books is always a treat to read, one of the reasons I was excited to read Suddenly a Murder is that BIPOC authors typically can be counted on to have a great cast of characters with BIPOC voices. Izzy's experience with race, her Father's deportation, and how she views herself is one aspect that I loved the most during reading.
The beginning is a bit clunky to get through, the writing at times just felt awkward. I did consider DNF-ing the book with how much I was struggling with it, but I am glad I stuck with it because it improved. The more I kept reading the more I enjoyed it, with the final chunk of the book having the strongest writing and most immersive reading experience.
There are a lot of different characters and at times they blend together with how similar they are in terms of "rich, privileged, spoiled". I do believe the plot would have been stronger with less voices.
I would have liked to have seen the whole book, or at least a pov or two from Pilar. She is easily the most interesting and engaging character, to the point where she was outshining the "main characters". I would sooner read and enjoy a book following her adventures, her character is just so much more fleshed out then others.
The flashbacks account for about half of the book, and felt jarring with the shifting of going from first person in the present to third in the past. I wish there were less flashbacks or less people.I don't think a book should rely so heavily on flashbacks to set the tension and reveals as much as it does in this one.
I have mixed feelings about the romance. I don't think there is enough chemistry between the characters for it to have felt real.
The reveal wasn't a surprise, though other secrets that are uncovered are a huge shock. The question I want to pose is as follows: Were there enough bread crumbs leading to the big secret, or was it so out of left field with no evidence to support it that it feels cheap and out of nowhere?
While I don't love this book, I did have a mostly enjoyable experience. I say if the premise intrigues you, give it a try and see what you think! This is Lauren Muñoz's debut novel, and I would read further books from her.
The cover is very poor, it feels very dated in terms of design and composition. I do not like it, nor would I pick it up if I saw it in a bookstore.
You put enough rich kids in a room with a scholarship kid, there's going to be a murder. It's a basic bookish fact at this point.
Suddenly a Murder follows the tried and true premise of a group of rich friends (and one not so rich) going on a getaway to celebrate graduation. Lies, betrayal, and infidelity threaten the group dynamic, but when one of them is murdered everything comes to light.
Diversity in books is always a treat to read, one of the reasons I was excited to read Suddenly a Murder is that BIPOC authors typically can be counted on to have a great cast of characters with BIPOC voices. Izzy's experience with race, her Father's deportation, and how she views herself is one aspect that I loved the most during reading.
The beginning is a bit clunky to get through, the writing at times just felt awkward. I did consider DNF-ing the book with how much I was struggling with it, but I am glad I stuck with it because it improved. The more I kept reading the more I enjoyed it, with the final chunk of the book having the strongest writing and most immersive reading experience.
There are a lot of different characters and at times they blend together with how similar they are in terms of "rich, privileged, spoiled". I do believe the plot would have been stronger with less voices.
I would have liked to have seen the whole book, or at least a pov or two from Pilar. She is easily the most interesting and engaging character, to the point where she was outshining the "main characters". I would sooner read and enjoy a book following her adventures, her character is just so much more fleshed out then others.
The flashbacks account for about half of the book, and felt jarring with the shifting of going from first person in the present to third in the past. I wish there were less flashbacks or less people.I don't think a book should rely so heavily on flashbacks to set the tension and reveals as much as it does in this one.
I have mixed feelings about the romance. I don't think there is enough chemistry between the characters for it to have felt real.
The reveal wasn't a surprise, though other secrets that are uncovered are a huge shock. The question I want to pose is as follows: Were there enough bread crumbs leading to the big secret, or was it so out of left field with no evidence to support it that it feels cheap and out of nowhere?
While I don't love this book, I did have a mostly enjoyable experience. I say if the premise intrigues you, give it a try and see what you think! This is Lauren Muñoz's debut novel, and I would read further books from her.
The cover is very poor, it feels very dated in terms of design and composition. I do not like it, nor would I pick it up if I saw it in a bookstore.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Abandonment, and Deportation
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Death of parent, and Murder