Making Friends Can Be Murder: A Novel by Kathleen West on June 10, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Amateur Sleuth
Pages: 432
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
Buy on Amazon, Buy on Indigo
Goodreads
Thirty-year-old Sarah Jones gets caught up solving a murder in her new neighborhood after unknowingly befriending a dangerous con artist (who’s nothing like what she seems) in this playful, twisty mystery from acclaimed author Kathleen West.
It feels like kismet when Sarah Jones, newly relocated to Minneapolis after abruptly calling off her engagement, gets invited to join a group of women who share her same (very common) name. For years Sarah has received all types of correspondence intended for different Sarah Joneses, but now it seems that this mistake has given her the opportunity for an instant community.
What starts as a low-stakes meet-up called “The Sarah Jones Project” soon turns sinister when another local Sarah Jones is found dead, under suspicious circumstances, at the base of the downtown Minneapolis bridge. After fielding numerous calls from concerned loved ones ruling out their Sarah as the victim, the surviving Sarahs decide to take matters into their own hands.
Aided by the dead woman’s nanny, a newly commissioned (and very handsome and eligible) FBI agent, and a cloistered nun with a complicated past, the motley crew of unlikely friends are determined to get to the bottom of the murder of one of their own.
Story Locale: Minnesota
Review
Is Making Friends Can Be Murder Worth Your Time? Here’s My Take
Ever wonder what would happen if How to Win Friends and Influence People met Gone Girl? That’s basically what Kathleen West serves up in her new mystery novel, and honestly, I’m here for it.
The setup is deliciously simple: Sarah Jones moves to a new neighborhood, tries to make friends, and somehow ends up tangled in a murder investigation when another Sarah Jones turns up dead. Classic case of “maybe I should’ve just stayed home and watched Netflix.”
What makes this book work isn’t just the whodunit angle (though West keeps you guessing with enough red herrings to stock a Swedish fish market). It’s how she nails the awkward dance of adult friendship-making. You know that feeling when you’re trying to figure out if someone’s genuinely nice or just wants to sell you essential oils? Yeah, it’s like that, except one of these potential friends might be a murderer.
The characters are quirky without trying too hard. There’s this whole cast known only by numbers (like “17” and “69”), which sounds gimmicky but somehow works. And Sarah? She’s refreshingly real – the kind of person who’d definitely stress-text her best friend about whether she’s being paranoid or if her new neighbor is actually suspicious.
West’s writing hits that sweet spot between cozy mystery and psychological thriller. It’s like having a glass of wine with your true crime podcast – comfortable enough to enjoy, but with enough edge to keep you alert. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, and the plot moves faster than neighborhood gossip after an HOA meeting.
Sure, you might need to keep a mental spreadsheet of characters at first, but trust me, it’s worth it. By the time everything clicks together in the end, you’ll be kicking yourself for not seeing it sooner (in a good way).
Bottom line? Making Friends Can Be Murder is a solid 4.5/5 stars. It’s smart, surprisingly funny, and proves that making new friends as an adult is actually scarier than any murder mystery. If you like your suspense with a side of social commentary and genuine laughs, this one’s for you. Just maybe don’t read it right before joining that new neighborhood book club.
