I was able to guess the first twist but I did not see the second one coming. This was a fun and twisty mystery following a group of friends, mourning the loss of their friends. I look forward to reading more of Lexie Elliott's books in the future. ( )

I mean, how can you resist a book with this title? It's made for an HBO limited series, right? And the story is worthy of one too.

I'm not going to tell you too much about the plot of 𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗 (and highly suggest you don't read the synopsis) because the less you know going into this thriller by Lexie Elliott, the better.

The broad strokes: college pals Georgie and Bronwyn reunite at an exclusive island resort for the funeral of their best friend, Lissa, who mysteriously drowned. But what brought the three of them together was being on the swim team and Lissa was the strongest swimmer of them all. Along with another teammate, Duncan, their friend Adam and Lissa's widowed husband, Jem, they gather to remember Lissa but also start to question whether what really happened to her.

This book starts off slowly but once it takes off, it is one heck of a ride with some wild twists I did not see coming. It was the perfect vacation read and I was so wrapped up in reading it on the beach that I may have ignored my kids for most of the day. #sorrynotsorry ( )

How could Lissa have drowned?

She was a champion swimmer and knew not to swim in Kanu Cove in the dark, but she is gone.

We meet Georgie and Bronwyn at Lissa’s memorial service, but something is wrong.

Bronwyn received a note on the mirror in her villa that said she was at fault for Lissa’s death, and Georgie received a heavy packet of papers with only the words FOLLOW THE MONEY on every page.

Bronwyn was nervous, and Georgie had no clue what her message meant.

As we spend the days on the resort island, things seem to get more dangerous for everyone, and everyone seems to be acting a little strangely.

Who can anyone trust? Who can we the reader trust as we try to figure out what’s going on?

As you read, your head will be going back and forth between what’s going on, what really happened, and what is up with the characters.

And…to add to the confusion, there is an unidentified person talking about ways to kill someone.

I actually didn’t like the characters so they all were suspects in my mind.

The story line was a little mixed up and slow, but it worked out in the end because of Ms. Elliott’s writing style and creativity. 3/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Enticing title, isn’t it?

As author Lexie Elliott lists ways to kill your best friend and the pros and cons of each, she presents a mystery about university swim team members who reunite at an island resort for the memorial service of a group member who disappeared while swimming at night. After the service, they catch up with each other as they try to understand why a strong swimmer like Lissa would put herself at risk in the open waters near the resort she owned with her husband. Soon the remote location, ominous messages, and their own secrets are exposed, as fellow swimmers Georgie and Bron try to figure out what’s going on before something terrible happens to them.

The story is told through narrators Georgie and Bron, who bring different perspectives and knowledge that gives readers a better idea of what has been happening and why. Georgie is an executive who had distanced herself from the group by moving to New York and avoiding social gatherings with the others. Bronwyn tried to live as an ideal British housewife and mother whose past shows that it could be easier said than done at times.

It’s easy to list some of the classic tropes Elliott uses to tell her tale, but that leaves out the unique flavor she adds with her own twists. The story includes long-kept secrets, toxic relationships, romance, and local folktales to deliver a fun vacation story that deftly ties up loose ends. One jaw-dropping resolution is unexpected yet fits completely within the story presented. It’s an enjoyable journey that’s great vacation reading - well, maybe not if you’re staying at a secluded resort with friends.

Elliott identifies who has been considering killing their best friend and which option could have been a choice for this mystery. But if you’re thinking about killing your own best friend, make sure you read all of the Cons shown for each option. I suggest reading this fun book instead and living vicariously through the characters instead of carrying out your own plot. ( )