✨Review ⬇️✨

🏠 Whispers of Dead Girls 🏠
By Marlee Bush

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

👻 A spooky thriller that I could not put down!

🏫 If you love high school drama, murder mysteries, and ghosts from the past who haunt the halls, then you will enjoy this read! Shadowed with constant paranoia you’ll follow along side Ren Taylor as she tries to prevent the past from repeating itself.

🔪 “She’s right. It can never happen again. She won’t let it”

💬 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.


Read this if you like:
🔎 Mystery
🏡 Thriller
🔪 Solving murders
🏫 High School Drama
🤯 Psychological twists
🤫 Secrets

So, this authors debut novel, When She Was Me, was one of my favorite thrillers of 2024! Naturally, I RAN FOR MY LIFE to snag this arc when it became available!

And it did not disappoint! While its twist wasn't as mind blowing as her first book, I ate this one up! I love a dual timeline, slow burn reveal, and this absolutely hit the mark!

We've got nasty teachers, dead teenagers and all kinds of unresolved trauma resulting in some, um, issues. It's a juicy one! I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what Marlee comes up with next!

Whispers of Dead Girls feels dark and sinister from the very first page. Ren is back in the town and teaching at the high school she attended and where her sister died. She feels guilty and is determined to protect all the girls so it doesn’t happen again. Her sister is a constant presence and chimes in often on Ren’s thoughts and actions. The disappearance and deaths of girls at another high school while Bryson Lewis, the charming physics teacher across the hall, taught at the school has alarm bells going off for Ren. But is she seeing the truth or what she wants to see? Can she stop things before another person dies? The pacing was a slow build as readers enter Ren’s world. I did not see the ending coming! I recommend this book to readers that enjoy dark psychological books with high school as a setting.

2.5 rounded up


Started strong with eerie vibes and a mysterious main character that kept me intrigued. The back-and-forth between past and present was confusing at times, but I stayed curious to uncover what was really going on.

Unfortunately, the further I got, the more the story fell apart. The plot stretched believability and the final twist felt cheap—like shock for the sake of it. Plus, my ultimate pet peeve: the villain monologue.

There were glimmers of a great story here—but the lack of subtle clues, eye-rolling dialogue, and characters I could really care less about
made it hard to fully enjoy.

4.5 ⭐️
Second book by this author and I have enjoyed both books. It was interesting and different.
The only feedback I have is that I would have preferred the flashbacks to be in italics or formatted differently so that it was super clear when stuff was happening.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

So many emotions while reading this! It kept me on my toes and the ending totally shocked me and was not what I was expecting at all!

Book Title: Whispers of Dead Girls
Author: Marlee Bush

What’s it about?
A chilling YA thriller about a girl haunted by the voice of a murdered classmate. As she investigates what really happened, long-buried secrets begin to surface, threatening her sanity and safety.

Favorite Part:
The eerie atmosphere and the gradual unraveling of the mystery kept me fully engaged. Marlee Bush builds suspense in a way that feels both haunting and intimate.

Thoughts on Characters:
The main character was vulnerable and resilient. Her emotional journey felt honest, and I appreciated how her fear and determination were balanced.

Would You Recommend It?
Yes, especially to fans of supernatural YA thrillers and readers who enjoy a good mystery with an emotional edge.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for providing me with the opportunity to review this book!

Even though this story takes place in a school setting, which usually equals fall for me, I’d classify this as a summer, popcorn thriller! I was immediately invested and dying to figure out who was really telling the truth and who the bad guy was.

This was the perfect beach side thriller. Ren returns to the school she attended to teach, but has to deal with her sister’s ghost with her everyday. She sees something concerning and instead of ignoring it, she quickly goes to work uncovering everything she can.

There are plenty of characters to always keep you guessing and all of the new information might make you change your mind about what’s going to happen next. I’m excited to go back and read Bush’s debut piece.

When the mystery book starts off with the main character heading back to their small hometown for some reason, I’m ALWAYS sold. This was a slow burn, but it worked because of how wonderful the imagery was written!

This fast-paced thriller dives into a dark, twisted mystery that grabs you from the start. Haunted by her sister’s tragic past, Ren gets pulled into a dangerous web of secrets and lies while trying to protect a troubled student. Packed with twists and a wild amateur investigation, it keeps you hooked—even if the ending gets a bit over-the-top.

WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS by @marleebushwriter | published by @poisonedpenpress | Pub date: 5/27 | WOULD RECOMMEND
•
A psychological thriller that will keep you guessing! It’s been ten years since Ren left her hometown in an attempt to escape the accusatory glares of those who adored her older teenage sister and believe she is to blame for her murder, but now she is back. She has accepted a teaching job at her high school after a recent divorce, and before long she begins to suspect the questionable morals of the adults who have been entrusted to protect the students there. When she learns of two missing girls in a town not far from her own, reminding her of her own sisters untimely death, she decides to play detective when she feels authorities are moving in the wrong direction.
•
This is Bush’s sophomore novel, and I was pleasantly drawn in by it. I started this on our plane ride to AZ for my daughter’s graduation, and it was a great book to pick up throughout the week between splashing in the pool, family meals, and game nights.

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

This is a very slow burn and for me dragged out. I kept waiting for something big to happen and it never did. It didn't keep my attention and I felt like I was ready for it all to be over. There are still questions that I have and I feel like a book should wrap up in the end.

I ate this book up! I was fully immersed in the story from the get go and figuring out that her dead sister is following her around. I will say this was such a sloowww burn thriller that kind of dragged a bit and was hoping for a bit more action and nail biting moments, but overall I still really enjoyed this one. Ren is impulsive and the lengths that she will go to figure what happened truly had no bounds. The twist in the book was a pleasant surprise. This is one of those book that you can't take it too serious and just enjoy the ride. It is a perfect weekend read when you just want to escape for a little bit!

I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought the storytelling was unique and the level of suspense stayed captivating the entire time. I was very invested in the main character, even though she was morally grey and, at times, an unreliable narrator. It was obvious there were things she was keeping from the reader, but it was done in a way that didn't frustrate me but pushed me to keep reading. The ending wasn't what I was expecting, which was also a nice surprise.

Rounded up 3.5 Stars
Ren lost her sister, Margo, 10 years ago to a drowning incident. Ren was present when this happened. It left her family fractured, and she escaped to go to college and become a teacher. She has now returned to teach biology at the same high school where the sisters attended. Ren is introverted, keeping to herself. She also has the ghost of her sister with her, talking to her, most days. During her first faculty meeting, she meets Bryson- an extremely handsome teacher who reminds her of a teacher from her past. As she begins interacting with other teachers, she discovers that another high school girl has gone missing, while another one has been murdered. Ren feels a connection and wants to figure out what happened.

That is a brief synopsis of a story that has an intricate plot, with a common thread that weaves them together. The story develops slowly, and the information from the past is given in small nuggets of memories and comments. As Ren delves deeper into the murdered/missing girls, there are some twists and surprises.

I cannot say that I liked the character of Ren. She is tormented by what happened to her sister and by her past. She struggles to make deep connections, and when she does- her taste and reasoning is a bit questionable. But it is because of her past that she is drawn to the case with the missing girls. However, there were some questions I still have about Ren and her motivation (I can't say more because I don't want to put spoilers). The end was a bit of a surprise for me!

Overall, this is a decent mystery/thriller that has a very heavy atmosphere. I really liked her debut novel "When She Was Me". This one wasn't as engaging for me- but still a decent thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This book dives deep into the classic question of nature vs. nurture as young girls are faced with the unthinkable when seduced by an authority figure. When Ren returns to her hometown for a new teaching job, she’s forced to confront the trauma of her sister’s death, an event that happened in high school but still haunts her. As eerily familiar circumstances begin to unfold, Ren becomes determined to stop history from repeating itself. But the real tension lies in whether she’s truly seeing her co-teacher for who he is, or if her guilt and need for redemption are clouding her judgment.

Fans of Freida McFadden will likely enjoy this one as it carries similar vibes to The Teacher, but with an added haunting and atmospheric edge. That said, I found myself wanting more depth especially in terms of character development and world building. And I just felt I wanted more, particularly amongst the girls on the volleyball team and their dynamics with the coach, but it never fully explored that aspect.
Still, if you're in the mood for a quick and thought provoking mystery with a dark twist, this book will definitely scratch that itch.

*Thank you to Marlee Bush, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

A dark and suspenseful mystery thriller that I did not want to put down! I love the nostalgia of vintage ambient flashbacks and campus style settings full of juicy secrets, trauma, and emotions, surrounded by a thick fog of mysterious murders.

In Whispers of Dead Girls, we follow the POV of Ren, who has tried to not let the death of her teen sister, Margo, consume her, but being back in her hometown is bringing all the flashbacks back to the surface. Ren has taken a job at her old high school, and a fellow teacher, Bryson, has caught her eye. . . But, not in a good way. She recognizes something in him and doesn’t like it. Even as well liked by their colleagues and enamored the students are by him, she is convinced she can see through his facade. . . She’s known men like him. As Ren notices a ‘too close for comfort’ relationship between Bryson and a female student, she refuses to let history repeat itself. With the ghost of her sister following her around, Ren is determined to help this student and show the world who Bryson really is. All the while, Ren has many secrets of her own and is constantly plagued by guilt and memories of her past.

I found it so interesting how Ren has a scientific method approach to whatever she is curious about, and how she develops research that pairs with her natural instincts. This book contains themes regarding sibling death, power imbalance between students and their teachers, misogyny, a destroying effect cultivated from rumors, the fear of speaking out as a young teen, and finding your voice to stand up for what you know in your gut is right.💋
I highly recommend!! 4 ⭐️

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.



🖤🖤Favorite Quotes from Whispers of Dead Girls:🖤🖤

“I’ll always be doomed to reside in both places at once. My past. My present. Forever intertwined.”

1
“I never liked attention. Even as a child.”

“It’s freshman year again except my sister isn’t here to hold my hand.”

“Grief is desperately trying to get to the peak of a mountain. People like me will climb their whole lives, never able to reach the top.”

3
“Right now, I’ve formed a hypothesis about him in my head, one based on shadowed memories and feelings and not on any actual data or facts. It’s all just speculation.”

“You say things that seem like you’re joking around, but your eyes are always so serious. It’s almost like you tell jokes to placate people, but you’re above them. Like you’re bored. Am I wrong?”

6
“The ones who come off the most quiet are often hiding the most strength.”

8
“Tall, with brown hair that glints blond in the sun. The girls always talk about the way his dress shirts stretch over his shoulders. The way he smiles crookedly at them. His eyes meet mine, and my heart skips a beat. Morning, shortstack. I’m not that short. You’re not that tall either. When I walk past him into class, he pats my shoulder, his hand lingering a second too long. The years fade to dust. The hallway lightens. The lockers age badly. And I’m back.”

15
“In the end, the monsters are never who you expect.”

16
“In the end, the monster is never who you expect. And sometimes the monster is exactly who you expect.”

“I take a mental step back and try to see myself the way she does. The way others do. I haven’t been sleeping as much as I should have. The dark circles under my eyes are quite noticeable even to me. But the thing is, I don’t feel worn down. I feel invigorated by each piece of the truth as I uncover it. I’m following a rope, and it’s leading me somewhere. Sleep seems like such a small sacrifice for what’s at stake. I don’t feel exhausted. I’m filled with a new sense of purpose.”

17
“Whenever an evil man goes off the rails and murders his whole family, there’s always a slew of people on those stupid documentaries saying that he was such a nice guy and they had no idea. I’ve always found it so hard to believe.”

“You really had no clue? No idea at all?” To me, the answer is so much simpler. There are moments of unease, feelings we push to the back of our minds and write off with explanations that never fully make sense. We get thoughts and impressions. And we shove them down. Stuff them back in. Because we are raised in a world that makes us doubt ourselves before doubting others. A world that teaches us it is better to be uncomfortable than bring discomfort with our truths.”

21
“The ferocity is back. The anger. The mother, with only a baseball bat to protect her children in a gun fight but knowing she’s going to do it. Somehow, and at any cost, her children will be OK because there isn’t another option. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“We can’t control others. We can’t control what they think or how they react. We can only control our own narrative. Everything you have to say is important. It’s important for you, and it’s important for the next girl.” Every word is a bullet. A lifeline. Killing me and bringing me back. Because I was her once—young, scared, broken. And I wish someone had said them to me.”

“I can’t promise you it will be painless, but I can promise you it’s the right thing to do. I can promise I’ll be with you every moment you need me.”

30
“I actually don’t know much about storing bodies in freezers or chopping off balls. But they say if you say something with enough confidence, people go with it.”

32
“You don’t get to choose who you love. She has no idea what the words mean to me. How much I understand them. More than she ever could. Because the only thing worse than loving someone at the wrong time is loving someone who will never love you back.”

34
“Vow that we will always remember we’re the survivors. Vow to stop blaming ourselves.”

38
“When girls die, when they can’t speak their truths anymore, all we have left are their whispers.”

44
“…would her silence be better than the silences she creates by living? By taking? Or will her screams just become whispers no one will hear?”

Epilogue
“What do you think—nature vs. nurture?”

“Or, maybe there’s always been something chemically imbalanced inside her. Something lying dormant and waiting for the right ingredient to trigger it. Pain. Loss. Rejection.”

The minute you begin reading you wonder who Ren is talking to because no one is there.

You then realize she is talking to her dead sister Margo - well Margo is talking to her telling her what to do.

Margo was murdered ten years ago in the very high school she and Ren graduated from and the same high school that Ren is now teaching in.

We follow Ren as she suspects one of the teachers who she thinks is behind her sister's killing and a few other girls. She tries to do her own investigating - a good idea??

Things happen to her that would scare me away, and I definitely wouldn't want a dead sister talking to me.

Is she the goody two shoes she claims to be?

What secrets does Ren carry?

WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS is suspenseful and a bit creepy.

Thriller fans will enjoy this one. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Whispers of Dead Girls follows Ren returning to her hometown taking a teaching job at the highschool she once attended. She has kind of a tragic backstory where something happened to her sister many years ago and she was blamed for what happened.
I was kind of in her corner at the beginning. While we aren't made aware of the details of her past until later in the story we do know how guilty she feels, and I think whats shes hoping to gain now that shes back home. I wasn't able to really connect with her and thought a lot of the decisions she made were not only impulsive but also didn't really make sense.
Now there are plenty of twists and turns and I literally had no inkling of what was going to happen next or where the story was heading, I just didn't care for Ren.. or really anyone in the story. Which made made it hard for me to root for or care about what was happening. While this one didn't work for me I've heard great things about Marlee Bushs previous book and will definitely check that out.