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Keep Your Friends Close

Cynthia Murphy

$19.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

QTY:

English
Penguin
16 September 2025
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.

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.

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

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
By:  
Imprint:   Penguin
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 198mm,  Width: 129mm,  Spine: 36mm
Weight:   500g
ISBN:   9780241712788
ISBN 10:   0241712785
Pages:   320
Publication Date:  
Recommended Age:   From 12 years
Audience:   Young adult ,  Children/juvenile ,  Preschool (0-5) ,  English as a second language
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming

Cynthia Murphy is the bestselling author of a number of YA thrillers, including the BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die. She has a long-standing love affair with all things scary, reading Point Horrors before graduating to Stephen King in her misguided teens. Studying for a degree in Art History and Archaeology meant that she developed a thirst for anything old, beautiful and very often dead. She tries to combine this with contemporary settings in her writing to make unique and chilling modern stories. Cynthia lives in her hometown of Manchester with her husband and their rescue dog, Loli, who you will see a lot of on TikTok and Instagram @CynthiaMurphyYA

Reviews for Keep Your Friends Close

‘Bold, thrilling, and wickedly addictive. Keep Your Friends Close will be your next obsession.’ * Karen M. McManus, author of One of Us is Lying * ‘Whenever I pick up a Cynthia Murphy book, I know I'm in for a wild ride. Keep Your Friends Close is no exception – an intricately crafted YA thriller that I cannot wait to read again.’ * Bill Wood, author of Let’s Split Up * ‘Keep Your Friends Close is 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 * ‘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 . . . We’re back at Morton Academy, and there’s never been a more terrifying time to be a student. This is Cynthia Murphy at her absolute best.’ * Kat Ellis, author of Harrow Lake * ‘Mean Girls meets The Secret History, Keep Your Friends Close is the perfect blend of 90s nostalgia and twisty, compelling murder mystery. Cynthia Murphy never misses but this is her best yet.’ * Laura Wood, author of The Agency for Scandal * ‘A white-knuckled, stomach-clenching, un-put-downable thriller with characters you love to hate and an irresistible retro 90s vibe. The twists kept me on the edge of my seat!’ * J. L. Simmonds, author of Run Away With Me * ‘Twisty, atmospheric and great fun – Cynthia Murphy has done it again!’ * Amy McCaw, author of Mina and the Undead * ‘Murder is back on the timetable at Morton Academy in this twisty tale of murderous backstabbing and secret societies.’ * Amy Goldsmith, author of Those We Drown *


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