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Buy Online

Keep Your Friends Close

£9.99

Chloe Roberts is on top of the world at Morton Academy. She’s a shoo-in for Head Girl and the lead spot in the school’s secret society: Jewel and Bone. But then her best friend, Nikhita Patel, betrays her, and life comes crashing down. Things take a darker turn when Chloe stumbles upon the Book of Crime and Punishment – a record of every misdeed committed by Morton students and the fitting penalty. And it’s not long before entries in the book start to match up with murders of Jewel and Bone members. Anyone could be a suspect. Can Chloe get to the bottom of this twisted game before she’s next on the killer’s hit list?

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ISBN: 9780241712788 Category: Young Adult Tags: Children's / Teenage fiction: Horror & ghost stories, chillers, Children's / Teenage fiction: School stories, Children's / Teenage fiction: Thrillers, Children's / Teenage personal & social issues: death & bereavement
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Description

From the bestselling author of BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die and ‘CEO of Plot Twists’ comes an explosive dark academia thriller, perfect for fans of Karen M. McManus, Holly Jackson and Mean Girls. Don’t miss out on the limited edition in-world sprayed edge!

‘A thriller author to watch!’ Karen M. McManus, international bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

‘An intensely readable dark academia thriller, ideal for fans of Holly Jackson.’ The Guardian

Chloe Roberts is on top of the world at Morton Academy. She’s a shoo-in for Head Girl and the lead spot in the school’s secret society: Jewel and Bone. But then her best friend, Nikhita Patel, betrays her, and life comes crashing down.

Things take a darker turn when Chloe stumbles upon the Book of Crime and Punishment – a record of every misdeed committed by Morton students and the fitting penalty. And it’s not long before entries in the book start to match up with murders of Jewel and Bone members. Anyone could be a suspect.

Can Chloe get to the bottom of this twisted game before she’s next on the killer’s hit list . . . ?

PRAISE FOR KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE:
‘Bold, thrilling, and wickedly addictive. Your next obsession.’ Karen M. McManus, author of One of Us is Lying

‘An intricately crafted YA thriller that I cannot wait to read again.’ Bill Wood, author of Let’s Split Up

‘A taut and twisty read that takes no prisoners. This captivatingly murderous book will keep you up all night and leave you unsure who you can trust.’ Kathryn Foxfield, author of Good Girls Die First

‘Taut, vicious and edge-of-your-seat thrilling, the queen of YA slashers has created another darkly delicious tale. You won’t be able to put it down!’ Bea Fitzgerald, author of Girl, Goddess, Queen

‘Chloe Roberts is an ambitious, brilliantly flawed protagonist who fights her way out of the darkest places.’ Sue Wallman, author of I Know You Did It

‘Twists, turns and heartstopping tension, Cynthia Murphy is a thriller author at the top of her game.’ Benjamin Dean, author of How to Die Famous

‘Delicious 90s Scream vibes, a vicious teen secret society and bodies piling up around every corner . . . This is Cynthia Murphy at her absolute best.’ Kat Ellis, author of Harrow Lake

‘Dark, viciously fun and dangerously addictive. Cynthia Murphy writes academia like it’s a blood sport – get ready to play.’ Josh Silver, author of HappyHead

‘Mean Girls meets The Secret History – the perfect blend of 90s nostalgia and twisty, compelling murder mystery.’ Laura Wood, author of The Agency for Scandal

‘An engrossing and cut-throat thriller where mean-girl antics, shifting alliances and a growing web of secrets keep the tension sky-high. Twisty and unputdownable.’ Channelle Desamours, author of Needy Little Things

Read a sample here

Additional information

Weight 0.267 kg
Dimensions 19.7 × 12.9 × 2.3 cm
Author

Murphy, Cynthia

Publisher

Penguin Books

Imprint

Penguin Books

Cover

Paperback

Pages

376

Language

English

Edition

Paperback original

Dewey

823.92 (edition:23)

Readership

Children – juvenile / Code: J

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LITTLE BOOKWORMS 🐛

Thank you for coming along to discuss A Box Full of Murders by Janice Hallett! Our next book club meeting will take place on 1st March, and we will be reading The Monsters at the End of the World by Rebecca Orwin.

Tickets and details available in our bio! 📚

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Drop into store or browse our Natual History books online for World WetLand Day! A celebration of nature, education and conservation!

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February is LGBTQ+ History Month in the UK! This is an annual celebration of queer people, and aims to highlight the importance of queer history. It is a reminder to read LGBTQ+ stories to spread the message and support the community. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️
Here are some recommendations from our booksellers to celebrate queer history:
‘Straight Acting’ by Will Tosh 
‘The Closet’ by Teo van den Broeke
‘David Bowie Made Me Gay’ by Darryl W. Bullock
‘A Short History of Queer Parenting’ by Kirsty Loehr
‘A Short History of Queer Women’ by Kirsty Loehr
‘Fabulosa!’ by Paul Baker
‘The Secret Public’ by Jon Savage

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✨ FEBRUARY BOOK CLUB ✨

Thanks to everyone who came to our January Book Club! In February we will be reading That Beautiful Atlantic Waltz 📚

Tickets and more information available on our website, via the link in our bio, or ask in-store and our booksellers can get you registered. As always, there are three sessions with complimentary tickets available if needed. 🎟️

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New bookseller alert! We asked our newest bookworm, Laura, to introduce herself with one book she's loved in the last year:

‘The Appeal’ is an example of the perfect mystery thriller and Janice Hallett is a must read author if you are a fan of cosy crime. The book kept me guessing throughout, was full of surprises and was genuinely such a fun read! The mystery itself was full of intrigue, you truly do not know who to trust in this book so if you are a fan of an unreliable narrator I would highly recommend it. Hallett uses a multi-media format in her novels and this really aids the experience of her writing; the reader almost becomes a part of the story. If you want an easy and digestible read, look no further.

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House of Books and Friends is thrilled to welcome Hélène Giannecchini to discuss her book ‘An Army of Lovers Cannot Fail’. The evening will entail a discussion, a Q&A, and the opportunity to get your book signed by Hélène Giannecchini!

24th March @ 6pm

Roving from Saint-Just’s revolutionary ideal of amity to Donna Gottschalk’s photography documenting radical lesbian organizing in 1960s and ’70s New York, interspersed with images acquired magpie-like through chance and circumstance, An Army of Lovers Cannot Fail forms a slantwise account of queer life in the twentieth century, and a moving testament to the liberatory power of friendship.


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