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Murder Is A Debate

Nora and her two best friends, Liv and Nina, aren’t like most people. Nora is the private school kid; the rich girl, though everyone hates her. Liv and Nina attend the run-down public school on the opposite side of town where the football team is a solid two and the art department was shut down due to funding. Their worlds should have never collided, but they had one common factor that brought them together, murder. In an online mystery chat room, the three girls meet and decide to form The Murder Club. Each week one of the girls must come up with a murder scenario for the other two to solve. It’s fun. It’s active. It’s also deadly. When one of Nora’s classmates ends up dead, she’s suspicious of her new friends. His death mirrors the very same scenario Nora came up with in their previous meeting. As clues emerge, pointing more definitively at the members of the Murder Club, Nora begins digging for her own clues, bringing fantasy to reality. Could Liv and Nina be involved, and if so why? They were all curious. Was one of them too curious?

229 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2019

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About the author

Brandy Nacole

35 books309 followers
Brandy Nacole is a writer of paranormal suspense and mystery. She's penned the bestselling novel DEEP IN THE HOLLOW, THE SHADOW WORLD TRILOGY and MURDER IS A DEBATE.

She loves keeping readers on the edge of their seats as that's where she likes to stay. Her favorite pastimes are reading, writing, exploring the world, and spending as much time with her husband, kids, and fur babies as possible. If Brandy can’t be found, it’s okay, she’s not lost. She’s frolicking in the woods somewhere and will return for tacos eventually.


You can find Brandy Nacole on:
Her website: www.brandynacole.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/brandy_nacole_
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorbrandynacole

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5 stars
21 (30%)
4 stars
24 (34%)
3 stars
13 (18%)
2 stars
9 (12%)
1 star
3 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for ☕️Kimberly  (Caffeinated Reviewer).
3,721 reviews807 followers
September 28, 2019
Clever murder-mystery that also touches on anxiety, siblings, first loves and social circumstances in this coming of age story.

A refreshing protagonist, a murder club, awkward firsts and plenty of suspense. The author kept me guessing as someone tries to frame the protagonist for the murders.

Narrator Jennifer O'Donnell did a fantastic job of capturing these young characters and their emotions. Her tone and inflections added to the suspense.
Profile Image for Lori Robinett.
Author 18 books208 followers
August 7, 2019
I was blown away by this book. It's YA, technically, but I completely enjoyed it as an adult. My first thought as I began reading was, "Awesome! Nora is a Murderino, too!" Nora is so real and layered, with all the fears and insecurities and dreams that reminded me of my own teenaged years. When Nora's "case" in the Murder Club comes true, she knows someone is framing her for murder. Everyone is a suspect, from friends to family to Debate Club. Even her newfound boy/friend falls into that category. I love that mental illness and anxiety is addressed in the story, as is family dynamics, all without being preachy or overbearing. I loved this story and want to read more by this author.
Profile Image for Lynn.
1,038 reviews47 followers
September 17, 2019
Great mystery, love the speed, but not short on the plot with Debate. I love that the family and friendships were the center of the story, not the romance. This storyline could have been done at any age level, but so glad that it was YA and the knowledge and intelligence of the gurls at this age was highlighted.
Profile Image for Dorothy  Scott.
925 reviews3 followers
August 3, 2020
Nora makes friends in an online murder club, but when her murder case is used to kill one of her schoolmates, Nora knows she’s being framed. She becomes suspicious of everyone and has to find the truth. Although this novel is YA, it held my attention to the very end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Michelina.
158 reviews32 followers
June 22, 2020
Oof. This wasn’t great. Listen to the audiobook, the kindle edition was full of grammar and spelling errors.
Profile Image for Kate.
718 reviews18 followers
June 15, 2020
Murder mystery

This is a book that will keep you in suspense to the end. Two people are murdered and a member of the debate team is the main suspect. Can Nora find out who is the killer or will she be the next victim?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. If you like mysteries, this book is for you.
Profile Image for Audrey  Stars in Her Eye.
1,331 reviews12 followers
October 11, 2019
Murder is a Debate sets up an interesting story. Nora runs a murder club with her friends from the pure side of town. They don't actually do murders, they solve fictional ones they crate for fun. But the fun ends when Nora makes her story a little too personal and creates the death of a fellow classmate, The next day Nora finds out that person has dies in just the way she wrote. Nora must handle the debate team, high school and the police in this who done it.
I had conflicting opinions on the narrator. I did not like her voice as narration. It was too hard for the content. But I did like how she read the parts for the other characters. It was some good voice acting.
The story set up is good and I had high hopes. But they were probably too high. I didn't expect the most exciting parents just to be told to me instead of shown. The book spends most of the time obsessed with the sister's mental illness and many a flippant comment about being "crazy" and "insane." I assume that this was too take a deep look at psychopathy and murders but all it did was continue the idea that those with mental illness are violent and worth being afraid of. This is where the story lost me.

A good set up but poorly excited, Murder is a Debate has no true depth and an unsatisfying ending.
I received a copy from the author for review; all opinions are my own.
Profile Image for A Belle & A Book.
709 reviews22 followers
October 27, 2019
Audiobook Review

Murder is a Debate is my first foray into the mind of Author Brandy Nacole. This YA murder mystery was souch more than I expected. It is about personal and family growth. Finding your place in your friends and learning who is really your friend. And that ending! I was honestly surprised by the "who done it."

This is a well written, complex story filled with twists, turns, and complications. I will definitely be checking out other books written by Brandy Nacole.

The narrator did a great job bringing the story to life. That final scene was quite intense and she nailed it!
3,010 reviews45 followers
August 4, 2020
The main character in this story is seventeen year old Nora, who is secretly meeting with two girls from the other side of town, Liv and Charlie, to play their own version of Murder Club, after meeting online. Nora is a very singular person and worries about her thirteen year old sister Beth who had a massive breakdown a few years earlier and is now diagnosed as bipolar and depressed. Nora is also the vice-president of the senior year’s debate team, something that allows her to argue her side of the debate, whilst the rest of the time she is a quiet straight A student, with no friends at school, as so many make fun of her sister and make comments about her being crazy as well. She only met up in person with Liv and Charlie about six months ago, but they are the only real friends she has, even if she knows little about them other than what they discuss about their murder scenarios! Nora lives on the rich side of town and attends a really good school, whereas the other girls are on the side of town where things such as a successful football team or debate team don’t exist.

Nora makes no mention of her involvement with M&M as they nickname it, not even to her parents or sister, believing they will be unable to understand her morbid fascination with death and murder. She wants to study criminology at college and has spent a lot of time reading all about such matters. The latest murder club meeting at the local library sees Nora missing her first ever debate practice, which she was informed of just as she was leaving school. It is her turn to provide the murder scenario and list the victim details and suspects, for the other two to try and solve. What they don’t know is that someone is watching and one of Nora’s classmates ends up dead shortly after, in almost the exact manner she just described. Then flyers are put up all over town making reference to the debate team. Nora’s first thoughts are that is must be connected to Liv or Charlie as they should have been the only ones that knew of her scenario!

Another death follows soon afterwards and it seems someone may be trying to frame Nora for murder and they seem to know a lot about her, her friends in the murder club and also her classmates in the debate team. The second death is someone from the other side of town and is closely linked to Charlie and Liv. All those on the debate team are questioned by the police and Nora is left trying to cover up her links to the murder and the murder club, telling lies about where she is at times and keeping a lot of secrets. Who is trying to frame her and who is going to end up dead next? A friend of the first oy to be killed, starts to take an interest in Nora and now she has to wonder why, not regarding herself as interesting or pretty enough to be a target for a boy on a personal level.

A great read on the complications teens face at high school, from their peers and families. Many are insecure in themselves and still trying to work out what they really want in life and where they want to go or become. All too much pressure as well as the pressure of being liked or popular, or in the right group of friends, or even to have friends! I liked the inclusion of severe mental health issues and panic attacks and the way these were addressed. Beth came more into the storyline at the end as she used her coding skills, which none of them knew about, to try and trace the unknown caller and even with everything she had on her own plate, was there for Nora and even pointed out a few things that were so obvious to her, but Nora was blinded to. A murder mystery with teens trying to solve it, but also being the main suspects as well! An enjoyable read and one I would recommend to others. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
Profile Image for ari.
122 reviews
January 18, 2026
This book has everything. One-dimensional characters, poor writing, cliche plot, and a sequel that isn’t marked as a sequel and copies the plot completely.

I’ve read worse mysteries, I don’t know if I can justifiably give this 1 star. With a good editor and a hundred more pages to flesh everything out, this could’ve actually been solid.

But it wasn’t.

** spoilers below **

Let me give you an example of what I mean when I say poor writing:

“‘Wow. I don’t think I have ever talked on the phone this long.’ She couldn’t believe it was after midnight. She’d never talked on the phone this long.” (p. 107).

Did no one proofread this? Seriously?

Profile Image for Sunny.
261 reviews4 followers
September 22, 2019
Well, I binged that in two days.

This is a murder mystery story with some classic elements. Namely, the main character is innocent, but the evidence seems to point to them to the point that the main character starts to question themselves.

Nora and her friends Liv and Nina run what they call The Murder Club. Each week one of them creates a fictitious murder that the other two must solve. It's all fun and games, until someone starts turning Nora's "murders" into reality.

Certain the murderer is trying to frame her, Nora starts on her own personal investigation to unmask the killer.

I listened to the audiobook and I found the narrator to be very good. When it comes to audio, the narrator can make or break the story for the listener and this one made it. Every character has a distinct personality that you can hear in both the writing and their voice.

The author gives you just enough information that you can start guessing at who's the murderer, but I'm telling you right now, unless murder mysteries are your passion, you probably won't guess who it is before the big reveal. I certainly didn't.

And if The Murder Club were a real thing, I'd love to join. Just, maybe with less actual murder.
Profile Image for JenniferJ.
704 reviews82 followers
December 18, 2019
OMG This was so good! I've only just started listening to audio books and usually find them hard to get into but had no problems with this one. The narrator, Jennifer O'Donnel did a fantastic job with the different characters and really knocked that ending out of the park!


The actual story itself was also very interesting and unlike most mystery who dunnit's I had a very hard time figuring out the culprit here which made me enjoy it so much more. I really get bored fast if I can straightaway guess who did it.



I was totally engrossed with Nora's character. I felt like she had multiple lives so to speak because it seemed she had to be and behave a certain way at home with her family, then she had to be the "brainiac" at her school for the debate team group, and alas another way with her Murder Club friends. Kinda like folks who don't like for their food to touch on their plates she didn't want her "three worlds" to overlap or come together but then she did have good reason for feeling this way with somebody trying to frame her for murder.


If you love a good mystery grab this one up and sit back and enjoy the ride!


*I received this audio-book free in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Kathy.
2,613 reviews43 followers
March 27, 2019
This is a YA and different from the YA books I normally read. But I love a good mystery and this looked good. It was interesting. Brandy is a new to me author. Nora and her two friends Liv and Nina are different from other girls. Liv and Nina go to public school and Nora goes to a private school. While they come from different places, they find each other online in a murder mystery chat room. They decide to meet in person and create a Murder Club. They girls love to solve murders and they come up with a scenario and the others have to solve it. It is going great until on of Nora’s classmates turns up dead the same way she killed him in this week’s case. Now the girls suspect everyone including each other. Who is trying to set Nora up and why? Nora must decide who she can trust and try to figure out who is trying to set her up for this murder. More clues arise and things get more confusing. This was in an interesting read. I would gladly read another book like this by Brandy.
1 review
March 28, 2019
Murder is a Debate is a fun mystery with a bit of romance. There’s a murder in an affluent New York subdivision and someone is framing Nora. There’s a complicated setup, but when bodies are found things really get going! Who could be motivated to frame Nora, VP of the debate club and most likely to go unnoticed? It was fun going through the suspect list with Nora. I had no clue who to trust or who the next victim might be. The cherry on top is the romance that complicates the whole investigation. The murder mystery is great and all, but GOOD God I’m a sucker for too-good-to-be-true crushes. Is Reed a realistic expectation for high school boys? Absolutely not. But it is a perfect little romance about two lonely outcasts. And I love it. The ARC didn’t really hit its stride until halfway through, but things did eventually fall into place. I enjoyed reading it and can’t wait to see the final draft!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jenny  Zimmerman.
1,687 reviews71 followers
July 26, 2020
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
This was a remarkable story!! I loved the suspense and the mystery behind the murder!!

The characters were phenomenal!! I found a real connection with Norna and her friends and family. The raw emotions with each character made the story so real life. I loved getting to know all the characters.

The story-line was unforgettable!! Nacole did a fantastic job at keep me in suspense and suspecting everyone just as Norna did. Absolute pure genus!! And the ending...yeah I did not see that coming at all!! That was quite the surprise for sure!! No spoilers here, so you will have to get a copy of the book to find out yourself!!

The narrator was spot on!! I loved how she changed her voice to fit each character. She had a smooth and calming voice that keep my attention and craving to listen to more. She made it feel like I was watching a movie in my mind. I highly recommend this book and the audiobook as well!!

OVERALL: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
PERFORMANCE: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
STORY: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Profile Image for DeAnne.
825 reviews26 followers
January 21, 2020
I didn't know much about this story going in, but the description caught my interest so I decided to give it a listen. This story was a lot of fun, while also addressing a lot of deeper issues such as anxiety and mental health. The main character, Nora, really goes through a lot of things that are only made worse by figuring out that she has issues with anxiety. A lot of the other characters contribute negatively to that, but there are definitely some stars that are loyal and truly want to help her as she works to unravel what is going on in her town.

This was really well written and a quick mystery that had a few great twists that kept me guessing. I was fairly sure I knew who was doing everything, then was pleasantly surprised when I was wrong, which is always a good sign for me!
Profile Image for Jessica.
1,369 reviews58 followers
April 8, 2019
I’ve been looking forward to reading this one for quite a while, and it met my expectations! Murder is a Debate is a fantastic YA mystery.

I really.enjoyed the mental health aspect of this book. It’s different than anything I’ve read in a while, and I thought it was done really well. Brandy Nacole is a great writer, and it shows here, with a plot that is full of twists and turns.

I couldn’t guess what was going on until the reveal, which makes this a great mystery. I highly recommend checking Murder is a Debate out!

*I received a copy of this book for a blog tour with Lady Amber's Reviews & PR. All opinions are my own.*
Profile Image for Jocelyne.
5,110 reviews25 followers
October 19, 2019
This was my first Brandy Nacole's book. I liked it! Nora and her friends, Liv and Nina, meet in an online mystery chat room and they decide to form a fictional Murder Club. The mystery begins when a scenario imagined by Nora happens for real. The storyline is well written, original, and intriguing, with an unpredictable ending. I found it captivating to try to guess who was the murderer. The mystery is well built, and unfold at a great pace. I love the family spirit and the friendship in this story. Jennifer O'Donnell did a great job with the narration. She has a beautiful voice, easy to understand. I enjoyed listening to this audiobook.
Profile Image for Alicia Harrietha.
546 reviews6 followers
March 25, 2019
I can appreciate a good YA story and Murder is a Debate was a very well written story that kept me entertained from start to finish. Nora, Liv and Nina are three friends from different worlds. They create a bond unlike any other based on murder scenarios. When suddenly one of those scenarios becomes a reality it makes you question everything. Can you trust your new friends?

The girls and their club kept me turning the pages and made the story super enjoyable. Definitely a recommended book for any young adult book lover.
125 reviews2 followers
April 5, 2019
I love a good whodunnit book and this one did not disappoint! Nora is so beautifully flawed and I really enjoyed watching her growth through the bool. She's thrown into a murder mystery that starts to circle around her. All the clues start to point to someone who's close. And you know what they say about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. This story was pretty creative and kept me guessing until the end. Fantastically done!!
Profile Image for Erin Kearby.
111 reviews12 followers
January 18, 2020
The only reason I’m giving this book 4 stars is because I didn’t really care for the narrator as much. I’m not saying she did a terrible job or anything, just sounded a bit monotone. Other than that, the book was really good! I literally had no idea that the actual killer would be who it ended up being.. Looks like being a detective needs to be scratched off my list of possible careers 😅 If you wanna get stumped, you should definitely check this book out!
2,594 reviews31 followers
October 5, 2020
This is a good story, but there are way too many grammar and spelling errors. Nevertheless, I became quite interested in the story and read through chapter 18. I would have liked to have read the rest of the book and find out who the killer was, BUT I got to Chapter 19 and when I tried to read more, there was no more; just a blank page and no more. So I was quite frustrated at not being able to finish the book.
30 reviews
August 4, 2019
Who’s the killer?

This book holds your attention all the way through. You think you know and another twist turns up. It is a murder mystery without going into “dark” details. It also focuses on family dynamics. Anyone with a hint of wanting to read a light hearted mystery should check this one out
Profile Image for Brandi Collins.
Author 6 books24 followers
October 4, 2019
This was a quick-read YA mystery novel about friends from different worlds. Nora and her friends enjoy solving murder mysteries in a club they've created. But things are a little too close to home when someone at Nora's school is murdered and the details of the case match a murder mystery she created. Desperate to learn who might be framing her for murder, Nora sets off on an adventure to find the truth.
I enjoyed the straightforward writing style of this author. The story flowed well, and the characters were enjoyable. Just when I thought I knew who the murderer was, the author surprised me.
Profile Image for B.K. Rae.
Author 9 books20 followers
October 14, 2020
Murder is a Debate by Brandy Nacole was a mystery that I couldn't read fast enough. Each page left me wanting more, and the author did a great job keeping you engaged throughout the entire story. I loved the main character, Nora, and I felt I could personally relate to her. And that ending! It was not what I was expecting and was the perfect twist! I highly recommend this five star read.
Profile Image for Jenny  Zimmerman.
1,687 reviews71 followers
June 20, 2023
This was a remarkable story with quite a twist to it!

The characters were amazing and I enjoyed reading and getting to know each character, especially Nora.

The storyline was phenomenal! This author has a real knack at keeping us in suspense until the right time and I enjoyed trying to figure out the murder! I highly recommend this read!!
Profile Image for Paula Genereau.
3,082 reviews39 followers
March 9, 2019
This book is amazing. I loved it. Nora and her friends make a club but when a student is murdered, Nora thinks she knows who done it. So she starts her own investigation but is she right?

Great story
Profile Image for Mandi.
897 reviews12 followers
July 30, 2019
Browsing books on Amazon, I stumbled upon this one and was intrigued by the synopsis. I'm not usually one who puts a lot of effort into trying to figure out "who done it" in mysteries, I like to let the plot unravel for me; let the author do the work for me if you will! This plot was a little slow in some parts, but the last 15% or so really picked up and I had a very strong suspicion as too who the villain could be but that didn't take away from the book. Overall a quick, easy read but it isn't one that will have you jumping out of your chair or leave you looking over your shoulder.
Profile Image for Charlene C..
25 reviews
December 2, 2019
Murder Mystery and new found Love

Grab your cozy blanket and settle in for an amazing read! I’m still amazed at how i can start reading and twenty four hours later I’m done with the book. I’m was hooked from the first paragraph. I loved everything about it and you will too!
Profile Image for Kelly (Kuy) Jacobs.
21 reviews
April 20, 2020
I really, really wanted to like this book but the ending was terrible and there were so many spelling errors and grammatical errors that I almost stopped reading entirely. Barely a page went by without at least one error.

I feel rather cheated that there was no conclusion at all.

Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews