Beth Is Dead by Bernet, Katie

A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, AND # 1 INDIE BESTSELLER!
Sunnie Reads' Inaugural Book Club Pick--Sunnie Select!
Four starred reviews!

Beth March's sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer--until they begin to suspect each other--in this "brilliantly snappy . . . electrifying" (Publishers Weekly, starred review) debut thriller that's also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women.

When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year's Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer.

Suspects abound. There's the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg's manipulative best friend. Amy's flirtatious mentor. And Beth's lionhearted first love. But it doesn't take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable.

Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she'll need money from her aunt--money that's always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn't dream of hurting her sister...but her boyfriend might have, and she'll protect him at all costs.

Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it's hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone.

Beth's perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy's increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

Author: Katie Bernet
Publisher: Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books f
Published: 01/06/2026
Pages: 400
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.75w x 1.50d
ISBN: 9781665988698
Age Range: 13-17

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 10/06/2025
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 11/01/2025
School Library Journal 11/01/2025 pg. 102
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2025
Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001
Booklist 12/01/2025

About the Author
Katie Bernet lives in Dallas, Texas. As one of three sisters, she's a diehard fan of Little Women. Beth Is Dead is her debut novel.