“ Gossip Girl but make it a juicy murder mystery.”—E! Online A taut murder mystery set against the backdrop of an elite prep school with an exclusive secret society, from New York Times bestselling author of The Counselors . 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 yet. After all, she's a senior and a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. 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 could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy. “Seductive and slick, They Wish They Were Us is a searing novel about power, privilege, and the dangerous pursuit of perfection. You’ll remember the girls of Gold Coast Prep Long after the last page.” — Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of The Luckiest Girl Alive and The Favorite Sister “ Fast-paced and completely consuming —I was swept into this riveting mystery from beginning to end. They Wish They Were Us smartly explores the complexities of friendship, the secrets and lies buried under the picturesque façade, and the ultimate cost of perfection.” — Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls , The Perfect Stranger , and The Last Guest House “ [A]n engrossing story of evil, upscale Long Island teens .” — Variety “ The chilling murder mystery is an irresistible hook , but it’s the careful building of each character’s fraught, internal conflicts that really digs in, elevating the work from a high society whodunit to a knowing mission to not just uncover one’s own identity, but to build it.” — Esquire , Best Books of 2020 “ A pristine infusion of Gossip Girl and Netflix's Elite , this prep-school thriller has it all: plaid skirts, secret societies, and a gripping murder mystery, but paired with an adept critique of the powers and privileges that goeth before the fall .” — Elle “Jessica Goodman's thrilling debut is a modern-day Gossip Girl —but darker .” — Marie Claire , “ One of this summer’s buzziest reads .” — Entertainment Weekly “Jessica Goodman’s debut mystery is a true page-turner , but it’s her exploration of Gold Coast's high-achieving, socioeconomically stratified culture that sets They Wish They Were Us apart on the shelf .” — BookPage “ Goodman deftly explores the complex nature of friendship, privilege, grief , and the often crushing expectations placed on teens, all of which dovetails neatly with a twisty murder mystery…. A sophisticated and suspenseful debut .” — Kirkus Reviews “This debut murder mystery is filled with twists and turns that will keep its pages turning .” — Booklist " A whip-smart mystery with a pitch-perfect voice ." — Kara Thomas, author of The Cheerleaders, Little Monsters and The Darkest Corners " A juicy, fast-paced, addictive tale that's more than a mystery—it's a timely exploration of ambition, loyalty, and how far we'll go to belong . I couldn't put it down." — Andrea Bartz, author of The Lost Night Jessica Goodman is a senior editor at Cosmopolitan. They Wish They Were Us is her debut novel. Follow Jessica on Twitter @jessgood and on Instagram @jessicagoodman. Chapter One The first day of school always means the same thing: a tribute to Shaila. Today should be the first day of her senior year. Instead, she is, like she has been for the past three years, dead. And we are due for one more reminder. “Ready?” Nikki asks as we pull into the parking lot. She throws her shiny black BMW, a back-to-school present from her parents, into park and takes an enormous slurp of iced coffee. “Because I’m not.” She flips the mirror down, swipes a coat of watermelon pink lipstick over her mouth, and pinches her cheeks until they flush. “You’d think they could just give her a plaque or start a charity run or something. This is brutal.” Nikki had been counting down to the first day of senior year since we left for summer break back in June. She called me this morning at 6:07 a.m. and when I rolled over and picked up in a hazy fog, she didn’t even wait for me to say hi. “Be ready in an hour or find another ride!” she yelled, a hairdryer blowing behind her into the speaker. She didn’t even need to beep her horn when she showed up. I knew she was waiting out front thanks to the deafening notes of Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know.” We both have a thing for eighties music. When I climbe