Keep Your Friends Close

By Author / Illustrator

Cynthia Murphy

Genre

Suspense & Thrillers

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Penguin

ISBN

9780241712788

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

11-09-2025

Synopsis

From the bestselling author of BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die and 'CEO of Plot Twists' comes an explosive dark academia thriller. '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. '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

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Reviews

Sue

When Chloe Roberts is cheated out of being Head Girl at Morton Academy by her supposed best friend, Nikhita Patel, everything changes. No longer assured the benefits which this position brings and having been dumped by her boyfriend, she finds herself clinging to her position in the school's secret society, Jewel and Bone. Then Chloe stumbles upon the 'Book of Crime and Punishment', the misdeeds committed by Morton students recorded along with a fitting punishment, and suddenly it seems as if certain marked entries match up with the deaths of members of Jewel and Bone. And it looks as if Chloe is next . . .

Pacy and tense, Keep Your Friends Close is a compelling, 'can't put it down until finished' read! Hardworking and competitive, Chloe has her sights set on the bright future offered by being a member of Jewel and Bone and being Head Girl of Morton Academy. Having spent the previous year on course for the top spot, she is devastated when one of the girls in her friendship circle deprives her of this by cheating. Pushed to the fringes of the group and finding herself sharing a room with girls who are not part of the 'elite', Chloe realises how unpleasant Nikhita can be and, to her horror, is forced to acknowledge that she (Chloe) has also behaved badly towards others.

Knowing that her only course of action now is to work harder than ever to secure the future she longs for, she tries to adapt to her new life at school, making friends with her new room mates. Readers are kept guessing as Chloe strives to unpick the mystery. As the tension mounts and sinister event follows sinister event, her nerves are stretched to breaking point, leading to a twisted ending.

The story poses many questions about power and privilege and how far people are prepared to go gain and keep these, offering plenty to think about. Set in 1999, the book is set at Morton Academy which some readers will recognise as the setting for Win, Lose, Kill, Die. Keep Your Friends Close works perfectly well as a stand alone, although true fans will enjoy recognising some details. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

384 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher

Rachel

Taut, tense and captivating, I found this new title from Cynthia Murphy to be completely addictive. Set in a private school that has been set up for poorer teens to make their way in the world, it tells the story through the eyes of Chloe as she returns to school for her final year. Exams and University entrance are the least of her problems, however, when she is dumped by her boyfriend as soon as she gets out of her car and who then gradually starts to see her friends disappear.

New roommates, a secret society, heartbreak and mystery fill the pages as the fast-paced plot hurtles towards a clever conclusion. Certainly, there were a few moments when you had to suspend your disbelief (far too many misadventures for a school term, for one) but I was swept up into wanting to know what happened next to worry too much about that.

The plot is set in the 1990s so I can imagine that some of today’s readers will be bemused by the couple of references to the use of the new 'internet' that Chloe must use, but for me this served as an effective way to make the story credible.

I loved Keep Your Friends Close and highly recommend reading it as a perfect way for any young adult to spend a winter's afternoon.

384 pages / Reviewed by Rachel Bolton