Twenty years ago, eighteen-year-old Francis Quick was convicted of murdering her best friend Cora King and sentenced to death. Now the highly debated Accelerated Death Penalty Act passes and gives Frankie thirty final days to live. From the Kings’ own family rises up the one who will challenge the woefully inadequate evidence and potential innocence of Francis Quick.
The at-first reluctant and soon-fiery Nyla and her sidekick (and handsome country island boy), Sam Stack, bring Frankie’s case to the international stage through her YouTube channel Death Daze. They step into fame and a hometown battle that someone’s still willing to kill over. The senator? The philanthropist? The pawn shop owner? Nyla’s own mother?
Best advice: Don’t go to family dinner with the Kings. More people will leave the dining room in body bags than on their own two feet. And as for Francis Quick, she’s a gem . . . even if she’s guilty.
I’ve wanted to read this author’s books for quite a while (she also has several published under Courtney C. Stevens), but just hadn’t been able to fit them it. When I saw her newest release pop up on NetGalley, I immediately requested it and was so excited to be approved.
I couldn’t pry the Kindle from my fingers with this novel. In fact, I was so caught up in the last 20% I was late meeting a friend for dinner – I needed to know how it would end. No way could I wait until later that evening to find out.
Nyla’s been raised my her mother (no father is in the picture), and they’ve lived with a family friend for the past several years. After her mother’s best friend receives the death penalty for a murder whe allegedly committed twenty years ago, secrets upon secrets are spilled about Nyla’s mother’s past and what happened all those years ago. Nyla and her new friend Sam (whose dad was a childhood friend of Nyla’s mother) soon dive deep into the mystery of who really killed Cora King. Once Nyla meets the King family, they all come under suspicion at some point during the story. They’re one dysfunctional bunch with plenty of skeletons stuffed in the closet.
The buildup to the big reveal had me suspecting almost everyone, and the twists are whiplash-worthy. And the reveal scene itself – shocking and so vivid I could see it playing out in my mind as if I was watching it on screen.
We Were Kings is a fast-paced mystery full of secrets, surprises, and maladjusted family dynamics. I’m just sorry it took me this long to read a book by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Books and Such 
Wow, this sounds really good. I’m definitely intrigued and will be checking into this when it releases. Awesome review, Teri!
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You’d definitely enjoy this one, Mae. Easily a crossover, and sure kept me guessing.
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Your enthusiasm is evident. Sounds like a great read. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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I love it when I can’t guess the ending, Staci. I suspected everyone but still didn’t have it figured out.
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Wow! If this book made you late to dinner, that tells me it is riveting! Thank you for sharing!
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I hope you’re feeling better, Jan!
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Thank you, Jill!
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Luckily my friend gets me. Totally understood when I said it was because of a book.
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This sounds good! The cover is eye-catching. Thanks for sharing, Teri!
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There was another cover with it I liked better, but this one relates more to the story.
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Pretty amazing endorsement, Teri! Definitely going to check this one out. Thanks!! 😊
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Hard to put this one down, Marcia – especially considering we were going to a favorite restaurant and I was still reading, lol.
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Great review! I also recently read the arc, and just could not put it down, just needed to know what was going to happen!
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Exactly! You would have been late to dinner also, Evelyn.
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Late for dinner, now that is high praise! Thanks for sharing your review, Teri!
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Especially since it was our favorite pizza place and there was wine involved!
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This sounds really good and the fact that you were willingly late for dinner with friends so you could finish it totally seems the story to me. Excellent review, Teri!
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And it was my favorite pizza, Tessa! It takes a lot to be late for that, trust me.
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Awesome recommendation, Teri! I need to give this one a try…
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Just don’t make dinner plans while reading it, Jacquie!
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You know a book is good when you can’t abandon it lol I need to read that book now!
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Exactly! By the time I finished it, the room was dark and my Kindle was the only light. That was when I realized I’d be late for dinner.
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I’m a fan of mystery/thriller books and i think this sounds really interesting!! I’m reading another book right now, which is light mystery, but i will definitely give this book a try 🙂
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If you’re a mystery/thriller fan, I highly recommend this one. Even though it’s YA, it’s easily a crossover. Hope you enjoy it!
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