I was randomly looking at my Goodreads To Read shelf, arguably my most neglected TBR list, and I decided to pick up the latest addition on the shelf: The Agathas. I like Christie and I was in the mood for something fun.

In the Agathas, former popular-girl Alice teams up with her socially invisible tutor Iris to solve the murder of Alice’s former best friend’s death. Who killed Brooke? Was it her boyfriend (who happens to be Alice’s ex-boyfriend)? Was it Brooke’s dad, who stops receiving a monthly stipend after Brooke turns eighteen?

As you might expect, this was a pretty fun take. The comparison on the cover to Veronica Mars is pretty apt, given that Alice was a popular girl who is now an outcast because she disappeared over the summer. The reference to Agatha Christie also makes sense, because Alice is a huge Christie fan, frequently referencing the books. At the same time, the book feels very current, with references to Riverdale, tiktok, and trending hashtags being talked about. I do wonder if this will date the book in a few years, but I did like the references as I read them now.

In terms of mystery, I found it fun! It’s very twisty and I definitely did not see the ending coming. I did like that what Alice and Iris did were achievable for them, given the resources that they had. There were one or two things that were a bit too coincidental, especially at the end, but it wasn’t too major. Another small issue I had with the book is that there are some characters mentioned in passing who end up being quite important. I thought I was up-to-date with all the characters, but at the end, a name that I didn’t know appeared and I had to search through the book to see who it was and how it relates to the situation.

What I really liked about this was that although this is a fun mystery, both Alice and Iris are dealing with some issues of their own and that informed their behaviour, which in turn made their developing friendship feel quite realistic. Alice is a very lonely girl, while Iris deals with family problems at home. The book takes these issues seriously, and I think it gave depth to the characters and the storyline.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! It was more than a mystery – the friendship that grows between Alice and Iris was enjoyable, and I’m looking forward to the second book, which should be releasing sometime this year!