Keep Your Friends Close

By: Cynthia Murphy

Narrated by: Alexandra Boulton

An explosive dark academia thriller set in the world of the BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die, where secret societies and lethal ambition run the show.

"A thriller author to watch!"—Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying

Chloe Roberts is on top of the world. After a stellar first year at the prestigious Morton Academy, she’s a shoo-in for Head Girl and a coveted position in the school’s secret society, Jewel and Bone. But her dreams are shattered when her best friend, Nikhita Patel, unfairly snatches the top spot—and steals Chloe's boyfriend at the same time.

Heartbroken and humiliated, Chloe discovers a shocking truth: Jewel and Bone isn’t as secret as she thought. The rest of the school despises the Jewels, and there’s even a “Book of Crime and Punishment” cataloging their misdeeds. Things take a very dark turn when the names in the book start to correlate with murders of Jewel and Bone members on campus. Suddenly, anyone could be a suspect.

And now, Chloe must navigate a web of lies and deceit to get to the bottom of this twisted game before she’s next on the kill list.

Keep Your Friends Close is a gripping thriller that explores the dark side of ambition, loyalty, and the lengths people will go to claim what’s theirs.

Critic reviews

"A masterclass in plotting, pacing and tension. Keep Your Friends Close is a slick and unputdownable YA thriller that cements Cynthia Murphy as an undeniable force within the genre. This is not a book that you should let pass you by."—The Nerd Daily

"An intensely readable dark academia thriller, ideal for fans of Holly Jackson."—The Guardian

"Red herrings, twists, and questions abound...buckle up for a rocky ride through a fast-paced plot. Murphy does not disappoint."—Booklist

"Friend drama expands into something more sinister in this engaging thriller."—Kirkus

"Bold, thrilling, and wickedly addictive. Keep Your Friends Close will be your next obsession."—Karen M. McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us is Lying

"Cynthia Murphy makes a triumphant return to Morton Academy in this murderous tale of backstabbing frenemies and secret societies."—Amy Goldsmith, author of Those We Drown

"Keep Your Friends Close is dark, viciously fun and dangerously addictive. It’ll punch the breath out of you. Cynthia Murphy writes academia like it’s a blood sport—get ready to play."—Josh Silver, author of Happyhead

"This is Cynthia Murphy at her absolute best."—Kat Ellis, author of Harrow Lake