Title: Dead Girls Talking by Megan Cooley Peterson
Publication Date- 06/18/24
Publisher- Holiday
Overall Rating- 4 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very solid YA mystery. At started to write out the synopsis but go read the one from the publisher and come back to this review. Okay… now first off, this book achieves exactly what it said it was going to. The synopsis is well written and truly sets readers up for accurate expectations. Overall the writing is fast paced and engaging, I would say you could expect it to feel similar to a popcorn thriller.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere, a funeral home owner's daughter, ghost tours in the time, a lot of commentary on true crime obsession and podcasts. The author kept me interested until the end. I wanted to know what the resolution was and was very satisfied. I will say, the answer to the mystery floated around in my head a time or two but I wouldn’t say I guessed everything correctly.

The characters are fully developed and don’t feel flat. This is a YA novel and the characters acted within age appropriate means. I comment on this because I can’t stand YA mysteries where the characters just act absurd. This was not the case, everything felt cohesive and made sense. Of course because we have teenage amateur sleuth’s we do have suspend some disbelief but I didn’t find that it took me out of the story or was a chore to do.

All around a fast faced, enjoyable, YA mystery. I enjoyed the female friendships, small town atmosphere and pacing of the story. It wasn't too long nor too short and hit just right.

Grab a flashlight— you’ll be staying up late to solve the twisty mystery of the Smiley Face Killer. DEAD GIRLS TALKING will be your next true crime obsession!

I enjoyed this book, it was a fast read and I was shocked by the reveal at the end! The only thing I disliked was that I didn’t feel that connected to the main character as she lacked a bit of depth. However, I would definitely recommend this book to YA readers. It had me spooked when reading at night!

It was chilling and angsty and such perfect summer thriller read! I really enjoyed the dark underlying theme too, also cute developing friendship of Eugenia and Bett!

There's a lot to say about this book. Overall I really enjoyed the book and I should probably read this genre more often.
First of all, the writing style is very easy to read. It didn't take me a long time to read the chapters (or the overall book). The book is definetely meant for a YA audience, the focus of some of the descriptions is right out of the mind of a 16 year old. If this is something you don't enjoy, then I would advise you to not read this book as you read in the first person narrative of a teenage girl.

On to the characters; our FMC Bettina, Bett for short, is a bit all over the place. We learn very little about what makes Bett tick. At some point, we learn Bett wants to become an actress, but I couldn't tell you why; there's no further explanation for her "passion" besides the fact that she just doesn't want to be a lawyer like her granddad wants her to be.
The relationships she builds with the other characters in the book are all quite shallow in my opinion. The only relationship that seems to grow during our plot is the one with Eugenia.
I wouldn't say I particularly like Bett, some of her choices and actions were not something I can get behind. Bett's actions sometimes border on bullying, which is something that was tough to read as I found myself lacking sympathy for her at a later point in the book.

The idea and the plot were very interesting. I like how the killer stays secret for a big part of the book and how I couldn't immediately tell who would be the killer. The actual reveal was quite a surprise to me, as I had my money on another character for the killer.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and the plot. I would have given the book 5 stars if there would have been more personality in the characters and some decent character growth.
I would recommend this book if you're into YA thriller mysteries and want an easy, entertaining read.

I truly enjoyed this book! I've been in a reading slump forever, and devoured this in two sittings. Bett is an amazing "unlikeable" character, with so much depth that I couldn't help but feel her pain and understand why she is the way she is. Peterson reached into the heart of Bett, and dragged her very soul to the fore in order to bring us into the mind of a girl marred by the specter of her father's evil deeds, and her mother's vicious murder (before her eyes, I might add. That would screw anyone up). Bett is a young woman, screaming inside and lashing out in ways that make her such a real, grounded character. Does she need therapy? Absolutely, LOL. I hope Bett decides to get some in the future. The plot itself was riveting, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. If I were to sum up Dead Girls Talking with one word, it would be "Inspired." Congratulations on a triumph, Megan Cooley Peterson!

I read this book in one (1) day. It truly gave my the heeby jeebies, and I struggled to sleep. Not many books do this. HOWEVER, the plot and everything about this book was great and made the lack of sleep worth it. The plot twists were great.

I definitely think this could be liked as a YA book but it wasn’t atmospheric enough for my liking and a bit cliché. Love the North Carolina representation though! Would recommend to teens.

Unfortunately, I can’t get myself to enjoy this book. The main character is not very likeable and the story is honestly just a bit boring. The plot is great, but the execution is just taking too long to get to the point. The writing is quite choppy which normally doesn’t bother me, but it just seemed messy while reading it.

Bettina’s father is known as the Smiley Faced Killer. She testified to help convict him of killing her mother when she was younger. Ten years later, she finds a body in the woods with the same carvings as in her mother’s case. Now she wonders, was she wrong about her father and he’s innocent like he’s always claimed, or is this a copycat murder?

This is a young adult murder mystery. I like the investigative plot of the book. I really like the character Eugenia. The chapters aren’t too long, which is always a plus for me. It’s an easy read and kept my attention. I liked the ending.

"Dead Girls Talking" by Megan Cooley Peterson is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the haunting legacy of family secrets and the chilling truth behind a string of copycat murders. Set in the town of Wolf Ridge, where everyone knows Bettina's father as The Smiley Face Killer, the novel follows Bettina as she grapples with the unsettling possibility that her father might not be the murderer everyone believes him to be.

Peterson masterfully weaves a tale of suspense and intrigue as Bettina teams up with the enigmatic Eugenia, the mortician's daughter, to uncover the truth behind the murders plaguing their town. The dynamic between the two protagonists is both compelling and complex, adding depth to the narrative as they navigate the murky waters of family loyalty and betrayal.

With its atmospheric setting and well-drawn characters, "Dead Girls Talking" keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Peterson's skillful storytelling and expert pacing make this novel a must-read for fans of psychological suspense and true crime fiction. Overall, "Dead Girls Talking" is a captivating and thought-provoking read that will linger in the minds of readers long after the final page.

This is a gripping YA thriller that delves into dark themes. Yet, amidst the darkness, it also explores friendship, resilience, and justice. Peterson's writing style, coupled with the fast pacing and concise chapters, kept my attention. The story is set in the quiet town of Wolf Ridge, the story unveils layers of deceit and darkness lurking beneath its surface. The characters, particularly Bett and Eugenia, are well crafted, each of them dealing with their own demons.

Overall, this is a good YA thriller and a fun read.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me early access to this book.

I really liked the premise of this book. Ultimately I think it missed the mark. The FMC was a bit (maybe a lot) annoying. At the end of the day, she was an upper class white female. It was kind of hard to see sympathy in her plights outside obviously the murder of her mother. Obviously I could have missed it the point entirely. The “approach to justice and female anger” was painted in the relationships the FMC has with men but that’s also where it stopped until we got to our killer.

The plot was…oddly worked. Once we get to the end it’s a reveal of the truth and the why but no explanation to the how? All in all, the premise was great but I think this one just fell a little flat.

This is a good, solid mystery which asks some important questions. . I like the variety of characters and the fact that despite some poor choices, they still do important and heroic things. Will definitely add this book to my classroom library. Would work well for students who are into cold cases, second chances, women looking out for each other. Also has some great topics for discussion in book club or lit circles. We could talk about the commercialization of murder, the professional ethics of law enforcement, lawyers, and the media. Students will definitely connect their experiences with ‘popular kids’ , friendship, relationships, and understanding their own identities in relation to those around them. This book is going to be a hit.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me early access to this book.

I really liked the premise of this book. Ultimately I think it missed the mark. The FMC was a bit (maybe a lot) annoying. At the end of the day, she was an upper class white female. It was kind of hard to see sympathy in her plights outside obviously the murder of her mother. Obviously I could have missed it the point entirely. The “approach to justice and female anger” was painted in the relationships the FMC has with men but that’s also where it stopped until we got to our killer.

The plot was…oddly worked. Once we get to the end it’s a reveal of the truth and the why but no explanation to the how? All in all, the premise was great but I think this one just fell a little flat.

After I read The Liar’s Daughter, I was very much interested in other books written by Megan Cooley Petersen. Dead Girls Talking is a mid level young adult and reminds me of something I would have read in high school. Or even late middle school. The story opens with Bett, a young girl left behind rehashing the events of her childhood, when her father murdered her mother and left her alive. As he is currently prison, she’s haunted by the start of new killings, leaving her wondering, did he actually do it?

The book was just okay to me, pacing and development felt very even. I just wished Bett had been written a less like a bully and a mean girl. I don’t know if I fully believe in the story; we unfortunately live in a society of mass murder so it was harder to believe the story of a man who killed two people would get so much attention that the attention affected the MC so much, with crime podcasts and even house tours. What I liked was the growing friendship and dynamic between Bett and Eugenia, with Eugenia definitely being the stronger character. The story played out as I thought it would but the writing style and flow still made it an enjoyable and easy read. A good young adult option if you like true crime podcasts.

If you’re looking to get into this author’s work, I would suggest starting with The Liar’s Daughter first.

Really good book. I was instantly hooked and couldn’t put it down. Such an easy, fun, exciting, thrilling read. Highly recommend reading this one!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy!

Unfortunately, this book did fall a bit flat for me. The cover and description seemed right up my alley but I did feel disappointed by the execution. The characters felt flat and I really couldn’t connect much with them, and the writing didn’t have much tension. However, there were some great twists and I didn’t seem a lot of the ending coming!

This was OK, murder mystery in a small town nothing too shocking. I didn't see the end coming, which is definitely a plus for this type of book.

Growing up with a father who is a murderer infamous for killing her mother, Bettina has had a rough ride despite her privilege.

But when events conspire to make her actually question whether in fact her father was ever actually guilty of this crime, the only person willing to help her is the local mortician's daughter, who wears her goth identity on her sleeve and carries a few burdens of her own when it comes to social expectations...

This is a razor sharp and darkly humorous story. It also touches on some very serious issues, but they're incorporated into the narrative so cleverly, that you may not even fully realise the underlying emotions driving this very readable story.