Lies Like Poison

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chelsea Pitcher

Mystery, Young Adult

304 pages

Published November 10, 2020 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

From Goodreads: Poppy, Lily, and Belladonna would do anything to protect their best friend, Raven. So when they discovered he was suffering abuse at the hands of his stepmother, they came up with a lethal plan: petals of poppy, belladonna, and lily in her evening tea so she’d never be able to hurt Raven again. But someone got cold feet, the plot faded to a secret of the past, and the group fell apart.

Three years later, on the eve of Raven’s seventeenth birthday, his stepmother turns up dead. But it’s only belladonna found in her tea, and it’s only Belladonna who’s carted off to jail. Desperate for help, Belle reaches out to her estranged friends to prove her innocence. They answer the call, but no one is prepared for what comes next.

My thoughts

Lies Like Poison is an atmospheric, high drama mystery romance. Told from multiple perspectives, the highschoolers try to solve a murder, discovering truths and uncovering the lies they've told each other.

Throughout the story, their relationships, both friendship and romantic, shift and change along with their loyalties to one another.

I loved the lyricism and spareness of the writing. The plot was satisfyingly intricate and fast-paced. I was amazed at how many plot twists happened in such a short book. 

The author created a cast of characters that's inclusive with regard to race, gender, and sexuality.

CW: Abuse, murder, addiction, suicidal thoughts.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC.