They Wish They Were Us

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 climbed into the front seat, Nikki looked as if she d already had two Starbucks Ventis and a full glam squad appointment. Her dark eyes glimmered thanks to a swatch of sparkly eyeshadow and she had rolled the sleeves of her navy Gold Coast Prep blazer up to her elbows in an artful yet sloppy manner. Nikki s one of the only people who can make our hideous uniforms actually look cool.

Thank God my nightmares stayed away last night and the near-constant bags under my eyes had disappeared. Didn t hurt that I d had a few extra minutes to apply a thick coat of mascara and deal with my brows.

When Nikki pulled out of my driveway, I was giddy with anticipation. Our time had come. We were finally at the top.

But now that we re actually here, parked in

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.

An Instant Indiebound Bestseller 

  [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
 
Gossip Girl but make it a juicy murder mystery. E! Online
 
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, The Best Fiction by Women in 2020
 
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, Most Anticipated YA Books of the Summer
 
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
 
This debut murder mystery is filled with twists and turns that will keep its pages turning. Booklist
 
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.