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
‘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 *