Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

“Sharp, atmospheric, and wildly fast-paced”—Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of They’ll Never Catch Us

From the author of Lies Like Wildfire comes another page-turning thriller about the little lies we all tell before the truth sets us free—perfect for readers of Karen M. McManus and Diana Urban.

Mistake number one…

Fun-loving Jake tells his girlfriend, Jessica, that they have to go to Tegan’s end-of-summer party in their tiny California beach town. Jessica doesn’t like parties, and she doesn’t like Tegan, who has an obvious, obsessive crush on Jake. But she agrees to go, to make Jake happy. 

Mistake number two…

Something awful happens at the party. Something so embarrassing that Jessica doesn’t know if she can ever get over it—and Jake will do whatever it takes to earn her forgiveness. And now a girl is missing. Everyone is a suspect. And Jake seems to have a lot to hide…. 

When a body is discovered at the beach, friends start turning on friends, and lies start piling upon lies. What happened could destroy their lives. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Mistake number three…

Story Locale: Northern California

Jennifer Lynn Alvarez is the author of ten published novels, including the YA thriller Lies Like Wildfire and two middle-grade fantasy series. After earning her BA in English Literature from the University of California, Berkeley, Jennifer went into finance, of all things. It was many years and several rejected manuscripts later before she accomplished her childhood dream of becoming an author. Jennifer divides her time between Northern California and Middle Tennessee with her husband, kids, and more than her fair share of pets. You can follow her on Instagram @jennifer_lynn_alvarez or Twitter @Jenniferdiaries. Visit her online at jenniferlynnalvarez.com.

Author Residence: Sonoma County, California