Making Friends Can Be Murder, Kathleen West
Making Friends Can Be Murder, Kathleen West
List: $23.00 | Sale: $16.10
Club: $11.50

Making Friends Can Be Murder

Author: Kathleen West

Narrator: Julia Murney

Unabridged: 11 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 06/10/2025


Synopsis

Thirty-year-old Sarah Jones gets caught up solving a murder 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.

About The Author

Kathleen West is a veteran school teacher who writes fiction in the mornings and on the weekends. She lives in Minneapolis with her A+ human family and three B- dogs. Making Friends Can Be Murder is her fourth novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jayme on June 10, 2025

Well, this was fun! As ADORABLE as its book cover this COZY mystery has something for everyone! A cold case from the past, a murder mystery in the present, and a possible romance-all wrapped up in a unique and entertaining premise! 💝 “The Sarah Jones Project” was born after 17 year old Sarah Jones get......more

Goodreads review by melhara on June 10, 2025

June 10, 2025 Update: Happy publishing date! This unique and cozy mystery featuring a group of women who share the same name (Sarah Jones) is out now! May 31, 2025 Review: 3.5/5 Connecting with a group of people who share the same name as you is cute and fun until one of them is found dead and t......more

Goodreads review by Mitzi on February 16, 2025

I had a great time reading Making Friends Can Be Murder by Kathleen West! The premise—a group of women, all named Sarah Jones, getting tangled up in a murder case—was fresh and fun, and the mystery kept me hooked. Sarah, the main character, is new to town and just looking for community, but she ends......more

Goodreads review by Kathy on May 24, 2025

Seventeen-year-old Sarah Jones conceives of The Sarah Jones Project as a way of redeeming herself at her Catholic High School after some episodes of cyberbullying. She recruits five other Sarah Jones of various ages from 69 to her own 17. They get together, get to know each other, and plan an event......more

Goodreads review by Melanie on April 02, 2025

I loved meeting all the Sarah Joneses. I thought the concept of this book was unique. It was a quick easy cozy mystery with some romance thrown in.......more


Quotes

“Making Friends Can Be Murder is a highly enjoyable ride for mystery lovers, Midwesterners, and fans of quirky women with unusual hobbies.”—Shelf Awareness

“This lighthearted cozy with a charming premise addresses deeper themes of identity, loyalty, and forgiveness. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman or TV’s Only Murders in the Building.”—Library Journal

"[A] witty mystery."—Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Fans of Lucy Foley’s The Guest List will appreciate how identity becomes both a weapon and a shield in this psychological thriller, while fans of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies will appreciate West’s sharp social observations and ability to plumb the depths of unexpected friendships. Making friends might be risky business, her story says, but the connections we forge, authentic or otherwise, reveal who we truly are.”--Booklist

"This oh-so-clever book hinges on a hilarious hook—a group of women who share the same common name, Sarah Jones, decide to meet up—but one of them may not be who she seems, and may, in fact, be a murderer. Deftly plotted, with priceless witty banter and keen insight into human nature, examining the good and bad inside us all, Making Friends Can Be Murder is deliciously devious, thought provoking, and a page-turning good time."—USA Today bestselling author Colleen Oakley

“I'm calling it now: Kathleen West is the new queen of the cozy! How lucky we are that she has expanded her genius to another genre—and absolutely nails it with the charming, clever, and twisty Making Friends Can Be Murder. Only West could make a killer lovable, and the rest of her cast is even more endearing. Never has murder been so heartwarming.”—Stephanie Wrobel, author of The Hitchcock Hotel

"I alternately grinned and gasped my way through Making Friends Can Be Murder. In this delightful page turner, Kathleen West deftly balances charm and darkness, delivering a satisfying mystery, a love story worth rooting for, and an ode to making new friends at any age.”—Laura Hankin, author of One-Star Romance

“Great characters, a twisty crime, a sweet romance—a delightful read.”—Abbi Waxman, USA Today bestselling author of Christa Comes Out of Her Shell

"A spunky mystery that explores the dangers and rewards of opening your heart."—Lina Chern, author of Play the Fool

“A clever page turner that’s full of heart, and a must-read for the soul.” —Nigar Alam, author of Under the Tamarind Tree

"At its heart, this is a book about the power of female friendship told with humor and wisdom and a dead body or two. This may be West's first mystery but I certainly hope it won't be her last."—Joshua Moehling, author of Where the Dead Sleep

"Kathleen West can do no wrong. Her latest novel, Making Friends Can Be Murder, has it all—courtesy of six same-name amateur sleuths, a charming FBI agent with ulterior motives and a clever nun with a secret past. This cozy mystery serves up big laughs, surprising friendships, and a side of swoony romance. Your name doesn’t have to be Sarah Jones for you to absolutely love this book!"—Ali Brady, USA Today Bestselling author of Until Next Summer

"The story maintains its integrity and is enjoyable to the end with an interesting set of characters poised for what could be another book in the future."—FirstClue

"There’s a lot of fun in this quirky, clever mystery….”—St. Paul Pioneer Press