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!

Marlee Bush is quickly becoming a auto buy author for me, her way to keep me on the edge of my seat and engrossed in a story is amazing. The plot twist towards the end of this book probably could have given me whiplash. Marlee bush did it again, do yourself a favor and add this to your tbr for the year.

Thank you to Poisonedpenpress for sending me a early EARC copy and thank you to Marlee Bush for writing this amazing thrilling book. Whispers of Dead Girls comes out May 27th!!

My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen press for this ARC. Wow! I didn’t know anything about this book going into it, but this was so surprising! I love when strong women take down worthless, weak men.

This book was so wild!! It had my attention from page one and didn’t let up! I love Bush’s writing style and her ability to make you think one thing when something else is afoot.

This story follows Ren Taylor, who comes back to her home town to teach at the high school she went to. However, she’s still haunted by the traumatic death of her sister, Margot, years earlier. One day, she witnesses the teacher across the hall have an interaction with a student that plunges her back into her past and she is determined to stop at nothing until she uncovers the truth about what is going on. While girls are turning up dead, Ren knows they are somehow connected to the teacher across the hall. How far will she go to right the wrongs of her past?

This book literally blew me away. I loved her last book, but this one was stellar. I had my jaw on the floor multiple times because I just did NOT see the multiple twists coming! Masterful! Loved this! I will be reading all her books and adding to them to my library shelves.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this advanced e-copy in exchange for this honest review.

Diabolical! This book kept me turning the pages. I was a little surprised by the ending. You definitely think the story is going one way and then you’re thrown for a loop. This is my second book by this author and I’m really enjoying her! Looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This psychological thriller had me guessing the entire time and questioning everything and everyone. In the end, I was surprised by the twists and enjoyed the story!

I was very excited to receive this ARC, this is the second book I have read by Marlee, and I am not lying when I say that I really liked it. Whispers of Dead Girls is a psychological thriller about Ren, our intriguing, suspicious and full of anger protagonist, whose sister was found dead a few years ago in her hometown. Now, Ren is back as a biology teacher at her old high school, which triggers old memories and her guilt for what happened to her sister. The resurgence of cases of the missing girls and a disturbing charming teacher across the hall, will lead her to face what happened and patch it up in some unconventional way (even if that means mixing the events of the present with the past).

This book has several layers to explore themes such as the power imbalance between a teacher and student relationship, parental neglect, trauma, and loss in an environment that doesn't care about it until something like this happens to a loved one. I think Marlee's writing pulled off all of it in this story brilliantly.

I loved that this book kept that mysterious vibe all the time as it added more tension and suspense to the plot. It has the eerie atmosphere of as if something is feeling off, and you don't know what's wrong. It was engaging and well-written, the kind you couldn't stop reading it. Marlee Bush has a gift for creating often touching, arresting and haunting stories with detail-oriented and precise writing.

Although I feel that some things were left up in the air, that reinforced that perhaps there were secrets or details that the narrator didn't uncover, and it is up to the reader's imagination. It should be noted that Ren is an imperfectly complex character. She has her flaws like anyone else, but it is admirable how she is willing to help whoever needs it. In addition, she is a character in constant conflict since guilt, grief, anger, and lack of affection triggers in her that determination and need for justice by her hand. I also think that the way in which the sisters' bond was portrayed was painfully beautiful and imperfectly realistic.

Lastly, all the plot twists were exquisite although they were predictable, it was still interesting. Overall, this is a book with a lot of depth and immersing that not only focuses on the mystery, but also shows other aspects of which it makes you reflect and relate in some way.


Thanks Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC

Although I found this book to be well worth the read, I found myself with so many conflicting emotions as I read it. From frustration to anger to shock, it was all covered! I did find myself becoming distracted by the larger number of characters that were introduced and as feedback, I would say that is my main negative comment about the book. Many say this was a predictable book, but I thought I had it all figured out, only to be shocked by the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.

It doesn't get particularly intriguing or fast paced until it hits like chapter 36. While the chapters are short and they do move fast, the story itself is kind of slow paced and a little boring. The idea of it was fun and the twist did have me gasping a little. But I feel like there was too many outside storylines that didn't feel complete and left hanging.

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the arc!

So, I finished this book, and let me tell you, I couldn’t put it down! It's a total page-turner with that slow-burn, intense kind of vibe that just grips you. The whole vibe is pretty dark and mysterious, and the main character, Ren, is sooo relatable in that totally complex way. Like, she’s carrying all this baggage from her past, and you really feel it, especially with the whole town still buzzing about her sister's murder.

I mean, Ren’s life is super messy, but in that good way that makes you wanna keep reading. She comes back to her old high school to make peace with everything that happened, but things get all kinds of complicated once she starts suspecting one of the teachers. That whole ‘I don’t trust this guy, but he’s hot’ vibe is real here, and I was so into it. The whole thing with him and the girl in his class had me, like, on edge. History’s definitely repeating itself, and Ren’s not about to let it slide this time.

The book had some minor pacing issues in the middle, and okay, yeah, a couple of twists I saw coming, but it didn’t take away from the intense feeling the whole story gave me. And honestly, the ending? Major wow moment. Like, totally unexpected, and I was here for it!

Anyway, overall, it's a super solid read with all the suspense, twists, and feels, and I definitely recommend it to fans of thrillers who love a little emotional depth.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Omg. So so good.

It’s like agggtm but from the teachers pov.

I’m a teacher myself and I absolutely loved this one.

A gripping and heart wrenching thriller that’s keeps us guessing until the very end.

A true solid read. Definitely a 5 star read for me.

Tq for this opportunity

Firstly thank you to the publishers for my early access in exchange for a review.
I’ve reviewed a few of this authors books and this is definitely one of their strongest .
Thought provoking and well written

Whispers of Dead Girls by Marlee Bush is a haunting novel that immersed me in a small town laden with secrets, where the past clings like a persistent shadow. With its eerie atmosphere and complex characters, Whispers of Dead Girls is an enthralling journey through trauma, paranoia, and more!

Ten years have passed, and Ren Taylor is back at square one, having accepted a job at her old high school. She'd hoped to make peace with the past but now she's thrust back into it: her murdered teenage sister is still immortalized in town, and Ren can't stop seeing her wherever she goes. She's dogged by the scandal that ruined her childhood and killed her sister.

Then Ren meets physics teacher Bryson Lewis. Handsome and charismatic, all the other teachers and students seem to fall at his feet. But Ren knows men like him – she knows they can't be trusted. The more Ren watches him, the more suspicious she becomes. And when she notices his close relationship with a girl in one of his classes – a girl just like her sister – she worries history is about to repeat itself. This time, she won't sit back and watch another girl be taken before her time. This time, Ren will do what she must to save her, even if it means revealing her own darkest secrets.

From the outset, Marlee Bush crafts a story steeped in an unsettling ambiance that captured my attention with a grip that wouldn't let go. Ren Taylor returning to her old high school isn't merely an act of nostalgia but a confrontation with her own unresolved grief. Bush wonderfully depicts this small-town setting where whispers linger long after the events of the past. This creates an oppressive atmosphere that permeates every page.

The handsome and enigmatic Bryson Lewis adds another layer to an already complex story. The tension between attraction and wariness plays out well throughout the novel as Ren deals with both past memories and present moments. This dynamic raises intriguing questions about trust and perception; can we ever truly know someone else's intentions? Bush cleverly uses Bryson as both a possible ally and antagonist in Ren’s unraveling world.

Despite being an enthralling and addicting read, Whispers of Dead Girls does falter ever so slighting in pacing during the middle section of the novel. Additionally, the twists might be seen for some from a mile away, while for my self they were wonderfully crafted. These minor critiques are worth noting, but don't take away from the overall story. Whispers of Dead Girls is still an atmospheric novel you won't want to put down.

Whispers of Dead Girls by Marlee Bush does a fantastic job exploring mystery, trauma, paranoia and more. Bush has crafted a tale that once you open, it will be hard to shut. This novel may have minor flaws in my mind, however they are exactly that...minor. Whispers of Dead Girls is another hit for Marlee Bush!