Beth is Dead by Katie Bernet: Book Review

Beth is Dead is the best-selling novel by Katie Bernet. Released in January 2026, it is a modern-day retelling of Little Women. In this version, Beth is found dead near the family home. The investigation may tear the March family apart.

Synopsis from Goodreads

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.

My Opinions

I added Beth is Dead to my TBR when I first learned of its release. No, I’m not a huge Little Women fan; I still wanted to read this retelling. And boy am I glad that I did.

Beth is dead, which isn’t a spoiler or a surprise. That’s what happens in the original story, but this is different. In the original, she died due to illness. This time, she’s murdered! What follows is a twisty, turny story.

The story is told through each girl’s point of view, yes, even Beth’s. It also uses multiple timelines, showing what happened in the months leading up to New Year’s Eve. This could seem confusing, having four POV and multiple timelines. But each chapter is labeled with the character we’re following and the time period.

There are multiple suspects: some we know from Little Women and others added just for this book. Each suspect has realistic motives, even the March sisters!

Overall, you don’t need to be a huge Little Women fan to enjoy reading Beth is Dead. All you need to enjoy reading Beth is Dead is an appreciation for mysteries.

Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.