What do readers think of Making Friends Can Be Murder by Kathleen West? Write your own review.

The premise of the book—a group of women with the same name—attracted me. The assigning of numbers to each of them to tell them apart was necessary but seemed so arbitrary that it became a distraction and a struggle for me to keep them straight. When the explanation was finally given much further into the book, the story became much more cohesive and easier to follow.

It took longer than most books I read to hook me and send my reading into the frenzied phase. The characters were easy to relate to and well developed. The dialogue was amusing. Their struggles were relatable. The ending was satisfying. This was a fun read. It includes discussion questions.

I must mention two supporting characters who almost stole the show. Sister Mary Theresa and Supervisory Special Agent in Charge Vance delighted me, made me chuckle, and I admired them tremendously. This book would be sorely lacking without them. I would love to see them star in a sequel.

I received an advance electronic copy of this book through BookBrowse and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this fun mystery with a group of women names Sarah Jones. I was originally a little confused with who was who, but gave it a chance and enjoyed the characters. It was a light hearted twist on a typical murder mystery. The text threads in the box were great to read and felt authentic to the story.

A social experiment by a group of women named Sarah Jones turns deadly when one of their own is murdered and another one becomes the prime suspect. Investigating the case is a young newly-minted FBI guy who falls for another one of the Sarah's, a personal trainer, who he enlists as an informant in another crime that may or may not also have been committed by the prime suspect.

What follows is a mystery romance with a good premise, but it is hard to follow as the Sarah's are only referred to by their age—Sarah 20, Sarah 17, Sarah 27, and so on. The book is also predictable and not just in the boy-meets-girl department. So many plot details, not breadcrumbs, are dished out that the book deprives readers of the biggest joy of reading a murder mystery—using their brains to follow the clues and solve the crime.

Seven women all with the same name of Sarah Jones meet and bond. They identify each other by using their age "so as not to be utterly confused." Seventeen is the youngest and 69 is the oldest..

Wait, what if one of them is only pretending to be a Sarah Jones. Why is the FBI already searching for her. We have 7 Sarahs, 1 imposter, 2 FBI agents and , of course, a murder and a romance..

I thought the common name was an unique idea but found keeping track of who was who by the numbers was utterly confusing. I am, surprised the author kept everyone in her place. There was not much of a mystery as I quickly spotted the imposer and the murderer and saw that once again true love found its way.

I was a bit disappointed in the book because the first chapter offered so much which was not delivered. Read this book if you want any easy fluffy story.

I really had to slog thru this. It was a sweet concept of same-named characters and how they all met. It just didn't have any fire or suspense for me. Might make a nice Lifetime movie but no excitement build up.

I had a hard time rating this book. I enjoyed much about it and looked forward to getting back to reading it when I had to step away. I liked the variety of viewpoints throughout the story as well as the incorporation of text messages and video transcripts. I thought the pace was good, with the story moving along enough to keep me engaged. Chapter endings kept me interested, but I didn't feel every one was a cliffhanger.

Characters, though there were a number of them featured, were developed well - I especially enjoyed the minor characters of 39 and 44: they seemed real, recognizable, and fun. The premise of a group of people all named Sarah Jones was a unique way of bringing characters together, and while it wasn't an especially diverse group (other than in age), Minnesota isn't an especially diverse state (I live here), and they seemed like a group with which I'd enjoy spending time.

Where I ran into trouble was suspending my disbelief. First, the coincidences in the book were too convenient and numerous for my reading tastes. Second, I couldn't help thinking of the phrase loose lips sink ships to describe one character's passing information back to the group - I just felt like she treated a situational relationship rather casually. And third, I didn't fully understand or connect with the main Sarah Jones motivations/behaviors towards the end of the story. I don't want to say more than that in case of spoilers.

I think the highlights of the book were the relationships between the Sarah's and interesting, fleshed out back story of investigations. If you're willing to overlook some convenient plot coincidences, I think you would enjoy the book. And despite my reservations, I would enjoy another book with these characters to hear what they're up to in the future.

There are themes on grief, drugs, reckoning with one's past, rehabilitation, forgiveness, friendship, ageism, mother-daughter relationships, sibling relationships, trust, and starting a new path in life, though some of these are touched upon lightly.

Shout out to the cover artist, I love the cover!

Many thanks to Book Browse and Berkley for a review copy of the book!

Fun, cozy mystery that's perfect for curling up under a blanket on a chilly day or a long plane ride. I loved the characters and the way their different personalities shone through. The ending was almost too neat and tidy, but it added to the cozy mystery vibe.

All in all, a fun, light-hearted read for anyone who enjoys a mystery.