“In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything, from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems. 

Freshman year Jill’s best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.

Now it’s Jill’s senior year and she’s determined to make it her best. After all, she’s a senior and a Player– a member of Gold Coast Prep’s exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, the highest grades, and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill’s year. She’s sure of it. 

But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham’s innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn’t kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper means putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.” 

– Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman is a thrilling story about the Gold Coast Prep Players, and their dark underlying past. As you read, you get to find out just how these 8—now 6—became players after the death of Shaila Arnold and the arrest of Graham Calloway. You learn their truths, their secrets, their faults, and everything in between. There’s also a burning question being asked and investigated throughout the book: is Graham really the murderer, or is he innocent? 

This book is so enticing and intriguing I couldn’t put it down! There is just so much to learn about each character and their backgrounds. This story brings about a great deal of suspicion, grief, loss, and heartbreak. The ending left me in shambles, but I won’t speak further on the ending so as to not spoil it for anyone. I absolutely recommend this book if you are into dark and twisted crime stories.