Thank you to Netgalley, Poisoned Press amd Marlee Bush for this e-ARC.
At face value, this book seemed like a simple story of an adult using their advantage over those more vulnerable, but there were multiple layers to this story. The question of nature versus nurture and what justice means are woven through the book. I questioned many characters motives for their behaviour. A much more complex story than appears at face value.

Thank you to Marlee Bush, Poisoned Pen Press, & Netgalley for an arc of Whispers Of Dead Girls! I requested this arc because I read When She Was Me by this author last year and absolutely loved it! Unable to put down-my Sunday plans turned into reading this book until I finished! Edge of your seat thriller with a fantastic plot twist! This book publishes on 5/27/25! Add it to your TBR and in the meantime check out When She Was Me!

Another hit by Marlee Bush! Whispers of Dead Girls had me hooked from the start. This thriller follows Ren, whose sister was murdered when they were teenagers. After moving back to her hometown, Ren starts noticing eerie similarities between her sister’s case and other missing girls in the area.

Ren is definitely a bit twisted herself, but I found myself rooting for her the whole way through. The ending? I did not see it coming. At first, I was hoping for something different, but honestly—it really worked!

What I loved most was how much emotion this book packed in. It was fast-paced, hard to put down, and every chapter left me wanting more.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this one. I can’t wait to see what Marlee Bush writes next!

I have never read this author before but I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read, the characters were relatable, and the story was very entertaining. It is worth the read! Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC!

Wow! This book was so well written.
Whispers of Dead Girls had so many twists and turns that I could have never guessed. I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know what was going to happen next. This book kept me interested throughout the entirety.

Emotionnally complex and expertly plotted, Whispers of Dead Girls explores damaged girls, how they push through the pain, and how far they'll go to forget their past.

What did I just read??? WOW! WOW! WOW!! This book has so many twists and turns that you couldn't help but to hold your breath!! This is definitely a book you don't want to miss!! The ending!!!! WOW!!

Well, this was quite a ride. Ren Taylor has returned to the town where she grew up to teach at her old school.
We know from the description that her older sister died when they were still in school. Ren also has a very, very distant relationship with her parents. What happened to cause that huge chasm that opened between them? Especially since she is their only surviving child.
The story unfolds in the past and in the present. We find out what led to Margo’s death, and how those events still invade every corner of Ren’s mind.
In the present, Ren is extremely suspicious of a fellow teacher, Bryson. Are her fears justified or does the past have such a hold on her that she cannot see reality?
Holy secrets and lies! This whole story was built on a foundation of them. Ren was such an interesting character. One who in my opinion made some extremely questionable decisions. I did not see all of the twists coming, which to me is a good thing. An enjoyable read.

Whispers of Dead Girls🤫
By Marlee Bush🔥

Review📄

I've been having trouble getting into books recently, so I was ecstatic when I started this one and couldn't put it down. It was quite fast-paced, and the writing was great. I liked how the book went back in time periodically and provided us just enough insight into the past to keep me intrigued. The twists were incredible, and I was blown away by how everything came together. The ending completely surprised me as well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

Plot twists🌀
Mystery⁉️
Thriller🔪
Small town🏘️

4.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

What a ride! This was a thriller worth it's name. Not all about the twists but also a plot that is captivating and believable. I also like the portion of female rage and you can actually feel the frustration in the pages, in a good way! I couldn't put it down and I would love to read more from Marlee Bush in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ebook ARC of 'Whispers of Dead Girls' by Marlee Bush - expected release date of 05/27/2025,

ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just okay. It had short chapters but moved really slow, getting to the revelations. We don't find out what really happened to Margo until about 75% in. We don't find out what really happened with Alejandra and Bryson until after that. So many twists at the end that I didn't see coming, but I didn't get excited about them. Too much happened at the end that was too far-fetched, and there were too many murders/ deaths to take this book seriously. Especially since there ended up being 2 killers and neither got caught.

Whispers of dead girls is a semi new twist to the thriller genre, as the past and present are meddling together. Can Ren fight through her grief and shame to stop the past from repeating itself? You seriously need to read this when it hits the shelves if you are into the “good for her” sub genre. The story itself has so many twists and turns you really don’t know what to believe until the last couple of chapters. I think this is a really cool book and the only downside I had was do not read this if you are fighting a cold, you will have some gnarly dreams.

Thank you to Marlee Bush, Poisoned Pen Press, and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

After enjoying When She Was Me by Marlee Bush last year, I knew I needed to request her upcoming release, Whispers of Dead Girls.

📖: Years after her sister’s death, Ren returns home to teach at her high school. She quickly notices familiar behaviors in one of her students, and memories of her family’s demise come storming back. Ren is willing to taken big risks to prevent another tragedy.

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- female rage
- high school settings
- complex family dynamics while navigating grief

💭: Like Marlee Bush’s debut, Whispers of Dead Girls is packed with tension, and it’s obvious there is A LOT of history to be revealed. I flew through this book! Sometimes Ren’s wild decisions were frustrating, but I think that’s the point. The dynamic of the commentary versus how things unfolded was interesting and thought-provoking.

⭐️RATING⭐️: I really liked it! (4⭐️)

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for access to this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! I’ve never read this author before and what a thrill ride it was!! I was on the edge of my seat with the end of each chapter. I couldn’t wait to pick up again. The main character goes home to try to fix the bond with her parents in her hometown after she death of her sister. . She ends up working as a teacher at the school where she and her sister attended . The rumors are rampant about how her sister died and Ren is in the middle of all of it. As she tries to regain some peace in her life, there’s way too much turmoil. You must read this book!

Think “The Teacher” but better!

The story follows Ren, who is returning to her home town as the new high-school biology teacher. She immediately gets the “ick” for the young, male teacher across the hall and can’t help but follow her suspicions. You find out more about Ren’s past as the story unfolds and by the end of the story you’re left wondering “what just happened?!” (in a good way)

I couldn’t help but be a little frustrated with Ren throughout the story. I think the author intended the reader to be but honestly, Ren was a little hard to like. She’s doing all the right things and fighting the right fight but she’s cold and traumatized and tenacious. At some points, I was talking out loud to my book AT Ren because I wanted to her to handle a situation differently or say something in a different way. And I have to give props to an author that can elicit that response in me as a reader. She’s a deeply flawed character and she’s written very well.

I did feel like Ren’s “secret life” didn’t necessarily match up with the personality we saw throughout the book. I know some of that was purposeful but it felt a tad random…I think it could have been tied in better or tweaked a little. Also, I wish there had been more hints dropped about the ending… just would have wrapped it all together better.

This is my second book by Marlee Bush and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next! She’s one of my “must buy” authors!

There were things i liked about this book, a different take on girls going missing and being killed and men who abuse their power. I kept getting pulled out of the story by her talking to her dead sister and being answered by her, so didnt like that or the somewhat melodramatic way the issue of abuse, bullying, who is a victim were portrayed. So mixed feelings for me, it is a fast read.

This was one of those books that I couldn’t put down and I will be thinking about for a long time. You think you know where this is going but trust me you don’t. Ren returns to a small town in Georgia where she was notoriously associated with and blamed for her popular sister’s death. Now there’s a string of disappearances and Ren just can’t help but see similarities to her sister’s case. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Whispers of Dead Girls by Marlee Bush

Marlee Bush delivers another masterpiece with her second novel, Whispers of Dead Girls. This five-star thriller is packed with suspense.

The story follows Ren Taylor, who returns to her hometown to teach high school . Her older sister Margo, the golden girl everyone adored, tragically died when she was a senior there. Ren is hiding a dark secret about Margo’s death, one that adds a chilling layer to the story. As Ren struggles to face her memories, a new mystery unfolds: three local girls have gone missing, and Ren begins to suspect that the school’s handsome and charming teacher might be involved.

What makes this book so compelling is how Marlee Bush weaves together past and present, keeping the tension simmering throughout. Ren is a complex protagonist—her guilt, grief, and determination make her feel so real.

If you love thrillers with layered characters, dark secrets, and twists that keep you on edge, this one’s a must-read. Marlee Bush has cemented herself as a rising star in the genre, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Although This is the first book by Marlee Bush I have read , I couldn’t wait to get an early read of this and it didn’t disappoint. Whispers of Dead Girls is a slow burn, haunting novel that really pulled me along as the backstory unraveled slowly. A psychological thriller, a story of memories, guilt, old secrets and trauma.

The story is centred around Ren Taylor, who has returned to her old high school for a teaching role 10 years after her sister was brutally murdered. We follow Rens struggle with grief, obsession and loss. The spiral of deeply rooted guilt, suspicion and past memories pushes Ren to stop history repeating itself.

An atmospheric thriller with supernatural undertones that pulls you through the story wanting to know more.

I enjoyed the twist and turns, especially the ending, it was a little slow at times but I really enjoyed the storyline and the unsettling undercurrents that slowly unraveled through this story. I couldn’t put it down until I finished the book!

I look forward to further books by Marlee Bush, Thankyou to the author, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the Arc

Publish date : May 27th 2025

I enjoyed this, but something about it read a bit young. Maybe because it was set in a high school with HS students- I don’t know. Overall though this was a quick read with a different take on a familiar trope.

I really enjoy Marlee’s writing and look forward to what she puts out next!