Review: A Good Idea by Cristina Moracho

Title: A Good Idea

Author: Cristina Moracho

Published by: Viking

Released: 2017

Source: Library

Synopsis: Can the right kind of boy get away with killing the wrong kind of girl?

Fin and Betty’s close friendship survived Fin’s ninth-grade move from their coastal Maine town to Manhattan. Calls, letters, and summer visits continued to bind them together, and in the fall of their senior year, they both applied to NYU, planning to reunite for good as roommates.
Then Betty disappears. Her ex-boyfriend Calder admits to drowning her, but his confession is thrown out, and soon the entire town believes he was coerced and Betty has simply run away. Fin knows the truth, and she returns to Williston for one final summer, determined to get justice for her friend, even if it means putting her loved ones—and herself—at risk.

But Williston is a town full of secrets, where a delicate framework holds everything together, and Fin is not the only one with an agenda. How much is she willing to damage to get her revenge and learn the truth about Betty’s disappearance, which is more complicated than she ever imagined—and infinitely more devastating? (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: This was dark, gritty, and I enjoyed it. I was gripped by the story. I do think it's a little too much to be a YA read. I would say older readers only. There's a lot of drugs and sex, which can be a little much. Some of these kids needed more parenting, more moms and dads being worried about them.

It is weird that this seems to be based on a real life case, but the author never mentioned it. The victim's name is the same as the real victim. There is just too many similarities for this book and that murder to not be related. You can look it up and read about it, but don't do it until after you've finished the book, because it will spoil stuff. (It's called the Kiss and Kill Case/Homicide)

This book was a dark ride that I enjoyed. It had a good writing style, an interesting story, and it left me feeling things. This book will not give you a happy ending.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.7/5

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