Books With Your Besties

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Hi besties! This week we’re diving into The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers. If you haven’t read it yet—pause here, grab the book (with your eyes or your ears), and come back when you’re ready.
Spoiler Alert: This episode contains full spoilers for The Missing Half 
Overall Ratings
Ashley: 3.5 out of 5
Emily: Solid 4 out of 5
We both found the book engaging and entertaining, especially as a standalone thriller. Like Flowers’ first novel, All Good People Here, this story draws inspiration from a real unsolved case—but takes its own fictional turn.
 Real-Life Inspiration: The Maura Murray Case
We couldn’t talk about The Missing Half without discussing its strong parallels to the disappearance of Maura Murray, a 21-year-old college student who vanished in 2004 after her car was found abandoned on a rural road.
Key similarities discussed:
A young woman disappears after a car incident
No clear signs of foul play
A sister left behind searching for answers
Lingering questions, suspicious behavior beforehand, and no closure
We also dig into theories around Maura’s disappearance, including:
Mental health crisis
Exposure to the elements
Accepting a ride from someone else
Why her case is classified as a “suspicious missing person with criminal overtones”
This conversation spirals (in the best way) into whether this is a case we should cover in a future episode 👀.
Plot & Themes Discussion
The book leans more toward solving an unsolved mystery than a traditional whodunit
Internet sleuthing and community involvement mirror modern true-crime culture
Nearly every character feels suspicious—which we loved
We also talk about:
Being (or not being) surprised by twists
Loving messy, flawed characters like Nick
Trauma, grief, addiction, and bad decision-making
How secrets compound and destroy lives
 The Gross Stuff (Because Yes, We’re Talking About It)
Brad is the worst. Full stop.
The affair between a teenage girl and her dad’s best friend is deeply disturbing and rooted in power imbalance and grooming
The fact that his wife knew? Horrifying and complicated
We unpack how this plotline effectively builds suspicion—but is still incredibly upsetting
 Moments That Stuck With Us
The creepy anonymous note delivered by a child on a playground
The CD with handwritten notes (a nostalgic gut punch)
The reveal about what really happened the night Jules died
The moral breaking point of covering up another death
Heartbreaking, messy, and tragic across the board.
 Big Questions We Asked
Could someone really disappear and live just one town over?
Why choose hiding over accountability for a drunk-driving death?
How far can trauma push someone before every choice becomes the wrong one?
And ultimately: What do you think really happened?
Find As
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Subscribe on our patreon for weekly content, early access to episodes, one true crime episode per month and behind the scenes content at https://www.patreon.com/thecreepybookclub

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thecreepybookclub and https://www.instagram.com/bookswithyourbesties/

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Music is Ur Karma (Instrumental Version) by Craig Reever.

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of Emily and Ashley of The Creepy Book Club alone.

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"You're frozen"
"No, I was just done talking."
Welcome to another unhinged 30 minutes with us. 
OKKKKKKAYYY, Ashley was wrong (per usual), Emily was right - A locked room mystery is a subgenre of crime fiction in which a crime, often a murder, is committed in a location that is seemingly impossible to access. The puzzle lies in figuring out how the crime was committed, despite the room being sealed from the inside with no apparent way in or out. Unlike typical whodunits, these stories heavily feature the "howdunit" aspect, requiring a logical and plausible explanation that doesn't rely on supernatural or impossible.
Yes, the spooky kid in a book is a very common trope, often referred to as the "creepy child". This trope plays on the contrast between a child's supposed innocence and their unsettling, often malevolent, behavior, which is considered terrifying because it goes against our expectations of what is innocent and vulnerable.
For Next Week Read The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers 
https://ruthware.com/books/the-turn-of-the-key/
Support the show
Subscribe on our patreon for weekly content, early access to episodes, one true crime episode per month and behind the scenes content at https://www.patreon.com/thecreepybookclub

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thecreepybookclub and https://www.instagram.com/bookswithyourbesties/

Follow us on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@thecreepybookclub

Music is Ur Karma (Instrumental Version) by Craig Reever.

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of Emily and Ashley of The Creepy Book Club alone.

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In this episode, Ashley and Emily discuss 'The Breakdown' by B.A. Paris, exploring its themes of gaslighting, emotional abuse, and the impact of infidelity on relationships. They delve into real-life cases of deception, including the Chris Watts case, and reflect on the cultural perspectives surrounding affairs. The conversation emphasizes the importance of accountability and the emotional trauma caused by betrayal in relationships.
takeaways
The Breakdown is a domestic thriller about infidelity.
Gaslighting is a prevalent theme in the book.
Affairs can lead to extreme emotional turmoil.
Cultural perspectives on infidelity vary significantly.
Real-life cases like Chris Watts highlight the dangers of deception.
Emotional abuse can be subtle and insidious.
Trust is hard to rebuild after infidelity.
The impact of affairs extends beyond the couple involved.
Accountability is crucial in relationships.
Friendship boundaries are tested in cases of infidelity.
Sound Bites
"The book was way better, of course."
"What kind of best friend does that?"
"It's a cultural thing."
Chapters00:00Introduction to The Breakdown
01:41 Themes of Infidelity and Betrayal
07:18 Gaslighting and Emotional Manipulation
13:58 Consequences of Affairs
18:50 Real-Life Parallels: Chris Watts and Other Cases
23:30 Conclusion and Reflections on Relationships
Support the show
Subscribe on our patreon for weekly content, early access to episodes, one true crime episode per month and behind the scenes content at https://www.patreon.com/thecreepybookclub

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thecreepybookclub and https://www.instagram.com/bookswithyourbesties/

Follow us on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@thecreepybookclub

Music is Ur Karma (Instrumental Version) by Craig Reever.

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of Emily and Ashley of The Creepy Book Club alone.

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Whelp, we decided to go there and talk about one of the most polarizing books in the past 5 years. 
00:00 Introduction and Technical Difficulties
01:13 Controversial Book Discussion: Verity by Colleen Hoover
07:31 Cultural Impact and Reception of Verity
14:20 Themes and Twists in Verity
21:12 Controversies Surrounding Colleen Hoover
26:06 Lighthearted Anecdotes and Conclusion
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59344312-verity
https://www.colleenhoover.com/products/verity-hardcover
https://www.glamour.com/story/colleen-hoover-controversy-explained
https://www.vulture.com/article/colleen-hoover-controversy-timeline.html
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9477187/
https://bookriot.com/hating-popular-books/
https://sjdm.org/dmidi/Need_for_Uniqueness.html
Support the show
Subscribe on our patreon for weekly content, early access to episodes, one true crime episode per month and behind the scenes content at https://www.patreon.com/thecreepybookclub

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thecreepybookclub and https://www.instagram.com/bookswithyourbesties/

Follow us on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@thecreepybookclub

Music is Ur Karma (Instrumental Version) by Craig Reever.

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of Emily and Ashley of The Creepy Book Club alone.

Send us a text
Party of Liars, Kelsey Cox, book review, true crime, postpartum depression, character analysis, podcast updates, relationships, manipulation, twists
In this episode, Emily and Ashley discuss the book 'Party of Liars' by Kelsey Cox, sharing their thoughts on the characters, plot twists, and themes such as manipulation and postpartum depression. They also announce the launch of their new true crime podcast, which will alternate weeks with their book discussions.
Takeaways and updates!
The podcast will now be bi-weekly, alternating between book discussions and true crime episodes.
'Party of Liars' received positive reviews for its engaging twists and character development.
The complexity of characters adds depth to the story, making them essential to the plot.
Postpartum themes are explored, emphasizing the importance of understanding mental health.
Manipulation in relationships is a central theme, particularly with the character Ethan.
The hosts enjoyed discussing the connections between the book and real-life true crime cases.
Character analysis revealed the necessity of each character in understanding the story's motivations.
The importance of paying attention while reading or listening to complex narratives was highlighted.
The hosts expressed a desire for more visual aids in books to help track characters.
The upcoming true crime podcast promises to deliver shocking and engaging content.
Sound Bites
Chapters 
00:00 Introduction to True Crime and Podcast Updates
00:00 Book Discussion: Party of Liars
01:47 Character Connections and Complexity
05:59 Twists and Turns in the Narrative
07:32 Postpartum Perspectives and Mental Health
10:50 Complex Characters and Their Motivations
12:43 Reveals and Shocking Moments
14:56 The Illusion of Perception
20:15 Looking Ahead: True Crime Cases
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9312-postpartum-depression
Support the show
Subscribe on our patreon for weekly content, early access to episodes, one true crime episode per month and behind the scenes content at https://www.patreon.com/thecreepybookclub

Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thecreepybookclub and https://www.instagram.com/bookswithyourbesties/

Follow us on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@thecreepybookclub

Music is Ur Karma (Instrumental Version) by Craig Reever.

The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of Emily and Ashley of The Creepy Book Club alone.