Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder

Pretty Girls Get Away with Murder is a murder mystery told from the points of view of three main characters – Lindy, Gabby and Jenna. Being told from three points of view definitely added to the story for me, but I also felt as though the story itself progressed very slowly and it unfortunately almost didn’t keep my attention. There were points of the story where I thought I had the murder figured out, and then I found that I did not in fact have any of the twists figured out, so the novel had that going for it.I think I would recommend this to readers who prefer a slow burn of a mystery read versus a fast paced thriller.

This is not your mama’s police procedural, folks. In this sequel to Local Monsters, author Brandi Bradley has crafted a particularly riveting mystery by going heavy on character development instead of hitting the reader—boom, boom, boom—with chronological facts and forensics. Told from alternating points of view, the full story unfolds through the eyes of the victim’s best friend, the prime suspect, and the police detectives trying to get to the bottom of a baffling crime.Ethan Moll’s murder is unfathomable to those who knew him. A successful entrepreneur (although no one seems to understand exactly what he does), Ethan was generally well-liked and respected. Flighty in romance, his recent break-up with Gabbi and her volatile reaction make her a natural suspect in the case—except that Gabbi seems to have her head in a higher, more spiritual dimension than the one in which Ethan died and others live. Some wonder if she’s really smart enough to kill and then cover her tracks.Jenna and her fiancé, Ross, are Ethan’s long-time friends. Jenna took care of Ethan while he was alive—making sure he got to work, even driving him there herself—and she’s determined to look after him in death. While easygoing Ross is content to let the police do their job, Jenna is more proactive in the investigation. Convinced that Gabbi killed Ethan, Jenna takes the lead in pointing out clues, evidence, and opinions that are intended to ensure that her best friend’s murderer—and as far as Jenna’s concerned, that’s Gabbi—is locked away forever.Detective Ian Boggs and Detective Lindy D’Arnaud are tasked with the investigation. Limited by the resources available to their small Western Kentucky police force, this intelligent and likeable team proceeds with the sort of methodical strategy you’d hope for in any investigation. Ethan’s family, business associates, clients, and even Gabbi’s former lovers come under scrutiny as Lindy and Boggs try to uncover the truth about Ethan’s life and death. They look for facts, they consider options and alternatives, and they build a case brick by brick. Bradley fleshes out these two characters as deftly and expertly as the others. Lindy, in particular, is depicted as a relatable female professional, juggling a demanding career with a complicated personal life involving April, Lindy’s wife, and April’s ex-boyfriend, with a growing suspicion about the nature of their relationship.Our first encounter with Jenna, Ethan’s closest friend who acts as a sort of mother-figure, begins with her assertion “I never liked her.” Those four words establish Jenna’s personality without fanfare or extravagance. We get a first glimpse of Ethan’s girlfriend, Gabbi, through a post on her social media account: “Hello, Friends….I didn’t kill Ethan.”With characters this rich and full, it would have been easy to lose the plot in private lives. Bradley, however, keeps control of her story all the way through the book, peeling back layers and revealing surprises, yet keeping the flow organic. Plotting and structure are rock solid here, as well, but Pretty Girls Get Away With Murder stands out for not resting on the usual tropes. Bradley proves herself a master of the craft by weaving together the best aspects different genres while never forgetting that her readers came looking for a mystery.Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book via Southern Literary Review, but this did not influence my opinion or my review.

This was a good read. Small town full of secrets. With a slow burn. In this world, beauty privilege is a thing.. this thriller was an addictive read.

As a Kentucky girl, I loved the hometown references, from Derby, to small country doings, to the bigger cities. It took me back to some of my own memories and “what happens in small town, stays in small town.”The book was very clearly organized, switching flawlessly from different perspectives, different narratives. It helped tell the story and created a sense of fluidity. I enjoyed the other stories that were being told inside the main story, that were also intertwined with the main plot.The characters were relatable, believable, and certainly recognizable in current times.I did struggle with some of the lengths of the chapter, but the smaller ones helped move it along. I would have appreciated a bit more thrill to it, but it was exciting enough to keep me interested—just didn’t have the “wow” factor for me. The book is played out as the investigation, which was a unique perspective, I just was hoping for some extra twists and wrenches.Thankful to booksirens and the author for the advance read, for my review! Overall a good book and I’d definitely still recommend. I think my oldest daughter would really enjoy this read as well!

This thriller is told from three distinct voices - Lindy, Gabbi, and Jenna - which adds to the story's complexity. The voices are very different, and I felt like three different people were telling this story, and it wasn't one voice as sometimes happens. I could see their personalities come through in the cadence and thought processes.Ethan is murdered, but who did it? There are multiple possibilities, and I did not suspect the killer. Perhaps I should have, considering the limited number of suspects, but this person did not hit my radar. Some clues are subtle but help to clear at least one of the characters. Outside of the murder, there is jealousy, desire, and secrets. I was drawn into the story as I followed the character's hope, dreams, and desires. The small town setting is similar to one you might find in any part of the country but seems to capture the essence of Kentucky.The drama between the characters seems like it would fit on a college campus or on a soap opera, and it does add some entertainment to the story.But even with the drama and the murder, there is still an underlying hope for success. The book includes some tidbits from a self-help guru sprinkled throughout. These words are wise and might give someone pause to reassess their own life. This was an intense read, and we give it 4 paws up.