Pretty Dead Queens is a twisty YA thriller that perfectly meshes small-town high school drama, grief and complex family dynamics with a murder mystery that’ll have you gasping at every turn!

Pretty Dead Queens opens on a sombre note. Cecilia’s mother has died and she is moving in with her famous thriller writer grandmother she barely knows. To be precise, the book opens with Cecilia reflecting on the ways that death has seemed to follow her all her life. This was the moment I knew this would be a book for me! I love when YA books in particular don’t shy away from dealing with death and grief, and as someone who has also been familiar with death from a young age, I intimately understood Cecilia’s feelings. This unease, the feeling that something about her is perpetually steeped in this haunting of dread and death is both enhanced and juxtaposed by the seemingly idyllic seaside town she now finds herself in. Surely a town with rich people and a famous writer can’t have much more than one infamous murder, right? Well, things in Seaview go south pretty quickly when the now famous murder of a homecoming queen seems to repeat itself and Cecilia discovers one of her classmates, killed in the same way.

Immediately, Cecilia is too close to the case but can’t stay away, no matter how much the local detective wants her to stay out of it. With the help of her new friends and love interests, Cecilia starts to investigate this fresh haunting that has visited Seaview. And the secret about the town and its inhabitants she uncovers are much more twisted than she expected. I loved the whole investigation, Alexa Donne knows how to keep it interesting and I was immediately along for the ride. All the reveals were satisfying and hit at just the right moment. And it was just plain fun! Sneaking into a fan convention for her famous author grandmother? Sign me up!

Cecilia, clever and stubborn, quickly finds herself in places she shouldn’t be, uncovering the deepest secrets of this town she barely knows. Naturally, she makes some enemies in the process and her own life is in danger if she can’t figure out the murders, past and present.

Overall, Pretty Dead Queens is a fairly straightforward mystery. Don’t get me wrong, the twists are twisty and the ending will most likely have you gasping out loud (I certainly did!), but I almost wish the book had been longer and not wrapped up quite so neatly. Maybe that’s because of the speed at which I devoured it, or maybe I just want a sequel! Either way, the speed at which the book moves and the more superficial relationships that Cecilia has in this new town, made this not quite a 5-star read for me. I wanted to be more immersed in Seaview, have more time to wander around and not feel like the story was quite on such well-traversed tracks.

However, if you like a thriller that knows what it wants and takes you along for the ride with equal amounts of charm and tension? Pretty Dead Queens absolutely delivers.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

OMG!!! This book was exactly what I wanted it to be! I loved it. I will make sure to check out other books by this author. When I requested this I was just intrigued by the concept of it and I loved how it turned out. This story had a great plot and if you have read this and enjoyed it, This was so much. It was such a great story. I would say give this one a try. I will continue to follow this author. Way to go to this author for not letting me down.

I highly enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook. Kept me listening.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review*

A great thriller - I would recommend it!

I was pleasantly surprised by this YA thriller. It's a perfect blend of Mean Girls and The Good Girl's Guide to Murder. The ending was a bit rushed and was a bit predictable, but I loved the small town feel where everyone knows everyone and everyone has secrets to hide. Would recommend! :)

I really enjoyed this book. The setting, mystery and characters were all very well done. The connection between our main character and her grandmother was an interesting element and made the mystery even more intriguing.

"Pretty Dead Queens" by Alexa Donne is a captivating and immersive blend of historical fiction, mystery, and romance that transports readers to the richly imagined world of Renaissance Italy. Donne's meticulous research and lush prose bring to life the opulence, intrigue, and danger of the court of Ferrara, where alliances are forged and betrayals lurk around every corner.

At the heart of the novel is the protagonist, Elena, a young woman thrust into a world of political intrigue and forbidden romance. As she navigates the treacherous waters of courtly life, Elena grapples with questions of duty, loyalty, and the true nature of power. Donne skillfully crafts Elena as a multifaceted and relatable character, blending her strength and vulnerability with empathy and nuance.

One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its richly drawn setting. Donne transports readers to the sumptuous palaces and bustling streets of Renaissance Italy, with vivid descriptions that evoke the sights, sounds, and smells of the era. The political machinations of the court are brought to life with authenticity and detail, immersing readers in a world of intrigue and danger.

The romance in "Pretty Dead Queens" is both captivating and poignant, adding depth and emotional resonance to the narrative. Donne expertly weaves together themes of love, betrayal, and sacrifice, creating a compelling dynamic between Elena and her forbidden love interest. Their chemistry sizzles on the page, drawing readers into their tumultuous relationship and keeping them eagerly turning the pages to uncover their fate.

The pacing of the novel is brisk and engaging, with each chapter building suspense and tension as the plot unfolds. Donne keeps readers guessing until the very end, expertly blending mystery and intrigue with moments of romance and intrigue. The result is a gripping page-turner that will leave readers breathless with anticipation.

In conclusion, "Pretty Dead Queens" by Alexa Donne is a captivating and immersive historical novel that will enchant readers from beginning to end. With its richly drawn characters, lush prose, and gripping plot, it offers a tantalizing glimpse into the opulent and dangerous world of Renaissance Italy. Donne's skillful storytelling and vivid imagination make this book a must-read for fans of historical fiction, mystery, and romance alike.

I freaking loved this. A 5-star YA Mystery that's highly underrated, IMO. Pretty Dead Queens is perfect for fans of Kara Thomas or Karen M. McManus!!

In this story, which is set in a small coastal town called Seaview, in California, we follow 17-year old, Cecelia Ellis, who goes to live with her estranged Grandmother following her Mom's untimely death. Cecelia's Grandmother isn't an ordinary Grandmother though. She happens to be a world-renowned Mystery author. She's wealthy, feisty, lives in a gorgeous Victorian mansion, and pretty much has the entire town of Seaview wrapped around her little finger.

As the granddaughter to such a powerful figure, it's no surprise that once she starts school, Cecelia gets enveloped by the popular crowd.
Her transition to her new environment is going way better than she ever could have expected. She has friends, a comfortable new home and even a couple of love interests. Even though she misses her Mom with every breath, it's hard to complain about her current circumstances.

The town of Seaview is preparing for Homecoming, which is also a time when they think back on a tragedy that shocked the town decades before, when the Homecoming Queen was slain on the night of her coronation. 50-years earlier, Caroline Quinn's body was found in the school pool, drowned on what should have been the most fun night of her life. A local man was convicted of the crime and is still serving time in prison. Cecelia's grandmother based her first novel on this crime and to this day, it remains one of her most popular stories.

On the Friday of Homecoming weekend, Cecelia finds herself in desperate need of a bathroom. She's been watching the football game and at halftime all the bathrooms closer to the field are full. She can't wait. Cecelia knows there are locker rooms by the pool, so maybe she can find a free stall there. Unfortunately, what she finds instead is a dead body floating in the pool, practically a mirror-image of Caroline, all those years ago.

It seems the town has a copycat killer on their hands. Cecelia becomes obsessed with finding out the truth behind the crime. The dead girl was her friend, she needs to find justice for her, but what if one of her other friends is to blame?

I had so, so, so much fun with this story. The set-up and cast of small town characters were straight out of a classic mystery book. I loved the seaside setting and a new girl trope is something I always enjoy. I liked how easily Cecelia slipped into her new life. It made sense in the context of who her Grandmother was that everyone would want to be close to Cecelia, and count her as one of their friends. She was an auto-It Girl.

I think Donne did an excellent job of tying in the history of the town, in particular, the case of the murder of Caroline all those years before, with the current mystery. I absolutely love stories that are set in small towns full of secrets, which describes this book to a tee. I also appreciated how quickly this one kicks off. The setting itself provides a bit of an ominous tone, and you know something is going to happen, but it was fun getting there.

Cecelia also took to her role of amateur sleuth so well. She really wanted answers and was willing to put herself at risk in order to get those answers. I like that. It was dogging her and she wasn't going to back down. I feel like in a way, the mystery took her mind off the loss of her Mom, so I'm sure in that respect, it was helpful to her.

The side characters were all great too. I found myself really getting swept up in the town drama. It was interesting to watch Cecelia, as the outsider, navigate it all. I feel like this is so underrated at this point and I feel like I am going to be championing it from here on out. If you love YA Mysteries, you should absolutely check this one out. It's so much fun. It's got a classic, campy feel that I will always show up for.

Thank you to the publisher, Crown Books for Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm so sorry it took me such a long time to get to it.

Silver lining: it was well worth the wait!!!

I read the Ivies and really enjoyed it so I was excited to pick up Pretty Dead Queens. I found myself presently surprised by this one as well. I definitely find Donne to be an underrated authors in the YA mystery/thriller community.

There's nothing super new or innovative about this one, but it does the basics so well that it remains enjoyable instead of predictable and stale.

Looking forward to seeing what she does next.

This was such a fun read and I'm so sad it's over! Loved the setting, the characters, the writing style and the mystery!! Hoping for a sequal!!

Such a good book! This one I read in one setting. The story was well done and the characters were perfect.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Great story. While I thought I had it figured out a few times, it wasn't until the very end when I really knew Who Done It

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. It looks like my original review didn't post - so trying again.

This book was not for me. I tried - I really did but I could not finish it. I made it about half way through. It was SO repetitive. I felt like I kept reading the same thing over and over again. I wanted to know the end to the mystery but I eventually didn't care because it wasn't holding my interest.

Murder mysteries always tend to peak my interest so I felt the need to check this one out. This book was just alright. It didn't really add anything new to the genre and was somewhat predictable.

A fun, fast-paced thriller! Definitely a book that gets you on the edge of your seat. However, the book had too much pointless swearing for my taste, which was ultimately distracting --- especially for YA. I feel like the characters all felt their age which was nice because often YA characters feel so much older than they are supposed to be.

This was such a fun new high school mystery from Donne—perfect for fans of Karen McManus and a ton of fun to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy of Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne for me to preview.

thank you to @netgalley and Alexa for this ebook in exchange for a review ❤️⠀
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finished the good girls guide to murder series and need a new teen detective to follow? i introduce you to Cecelia. after her mother’s death, cecelia has to move in with her grandma, who is a near stranger (she hasn’t seen her in years and years). her grandma is a best-selling author and her most famed book is based on a murder that happened in the California town her fancy mansion is currently in. ⠀
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so what happens when a young prom queen is murdered the exact same way 3 decades later? Cecelia creates her own detective badge, that’s what. alongside a love triangle (delicious trope), she has to work her way through being an outsider, causing drama at funerals, getting f**ked over & her feelings hurt from a lot of different people, honouring her mums legacy & finding out all the towns secrets that have been buried for decades. ⠀
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this was a gorgeous, engaging read that i absolutely adored the entire way through, would highly recommend for all the YA thriller vibes this autumn/winter, release day is today (happy pub day alexa 🎉!) so go grab your copy now! 👻🎃

This definitely gave me Karen M McManus vibes! I am a huge fan of these YA thriller/mystery books. This shows it’s possible to write a great thriller and not have it constantly filled with sex (a huge complaint for me when it comes to adult books).
This is my first book by this author but it won’t be my last! I loved how well written it is. There was great character building and the plot was easy to read. I kept having to make my self slow down when all I wanted to do was finish the book!

If you loved A Good Girl's Guide for Murder and The Agathas, you'll enjoy Pretty Dead Queens. It was a quick read with some fun twists and turns. I feel like it is similar to some other YA mystery/thriller books I've read this year, but it still manages to stand out.

I'd love a series with this one!