ARC Review--#murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil

WELCOME TO THE NEAR FUTURE, where good and honest 8/18 citizens can enjoy watching the executions of society’s most infamous convicted felons, streaming live on The Postman app from the suburbanized prison island Alcatraz 2.0.

When eighteen-year-old Dee Guerrera wakes up in a haze, lying on the ground of a dimly lit warehouse, she realizes she’s about to be the next victim of the app. Knowing hardened criminals are getting a taste of their own medicine in this place is one thing, but Dee refuses to roll over and die for a heinous crime she didn’t commit. Can Dee and her newly formed posse, the Death Row Breakfast Club, prove she’s innocent before she ends up wrongfully murdered for the world to see? Or will The Postman’s cast of executioners kill them off one by one?

I received this ARC from the author in a contest I won awhile back, my review is completely honest and voluntary. I was in no way compensated for this review.


I was soooo excited for Gretchen McNeil's #murdertrending! I have always loved her thrillers! They're creepy, eerie, and suspenseful! #murdertrending is no different! It's a book that kept me on the edge of my seat eagerly turning the pages one after another dying to know what was going to happen and it was epic!

Dee Guerrera was convicted of murdering her stepsister, even though she didn't do. The evidence against her was too damning. She awakes to find herself wearing a Cinderella gown outside a maze which she knows is on Alcatraz 2.0. What you need to know about Alcatraz 2.0 is that it's the latest reality TV sensation! Convicted murderers are sent here to live, work, and try to survive. For also on the island are a set of serial killers who basically go about killing the other murderers. It's a little convoluted in some sense as I didn't quite understand why the society of murderers weren't allowed to kill anyone or whatnot, but it's one of those things you just roll with.

Anyway, Dee manages to survive her encounter with the famed Slycer, who has a penchant for dressing his victims up before running them through his maze of horror and killing them. Dee changed the rules and survived which sends fans into a frenzy, because it's all about the ratings. Dee is introduced to life on Alcatraz 2.0 by Nyles who acts as her tour guide. He supposedly poisoned his parents, but has diplomatic immunity and isn't allowed to be killed or harmed. Dee starts to learn that a lot of the serial killers are her own age or are of the young and pretty variety and starts to think that something is not quite right. She was innocent of her crime and the others claim their innocence too, and they aren't just saying it to say it.

Though there's a change to life on Alcatraz 2.0, Dee was never a fan of the show because when she was young, she was kidnapped and seeing people imprisoned on an island set off triggers for her. Things aren't running as smoothly as they once did and it all started when Dee arrived which doesn't exactly endear herself to her new friends. Soon it will take everything she has just to survive the island with its maniac killers.

There's definitely a lot of tension and suspense to this one! There's this elusive Postman who controls the island and it happenings. We don't see him much but for a chapter or two that's from his point of view, but it never really lets you in on his character type, just to see him in his sinister action! Also included throughout the book are excerpts of chatroom chats from fans. This was a creepy read in a sense because Dee is basically surrounded by criminals and THEN there are the actual killers who have free reign to kill people because society has already forsaken them for their previous crimes, whether they were just or not.

I had strong suspicions about some things but I have to say I was still surprised by the outcome! I was on the right track, I just couldn't quite fit the pieces of the puzzle together.

There's also just the tiniest bit of romance in the book, it wasn't much but it's just enough to give me happy tingles! Though of course, I was left theorizing too many things about all the characters so I wasn't all up in the swoony swing of things because I basically trusted no one! I feel like with all Gretchen's thrillers that's what I've learned to do; trust no one! Lol!

#murdertrending is a read to keep you reading through the night and have you jumping at every sound! It's still a thriller at heart because people are kidnapped, people are killed, maniacs roam at night...no one is ever safe! But like all Gretchen McNeil novels, it's one that I enjoyed from beginning to end! The ending was pure perfection...resolution with just a touch of OH  MY GOD! #murdertrending is just yet another example of why Gretchen is one of my favorite authors!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars


#murdertrending releases August 7, 2018