Ren, has come back to town after being gone a long time. Her sister died in this town and is haunting her still. Because Ren feels guilt for her sister's death and she wants to protect young girls now , high school girls, from predatory teachers.

There were the ghostly interjections from the dead sister talking to Ren. While it was an interesting concept, it wasn’t always clear who was speaking or what was actually going on at times. It did leave me confused more often than not. It felt like a YA mystery to me.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley

Atmospheric. Chilling. Haunting. Twisty.

Author Marlee Bush (favorite author) returns following her smashing debut, When She Was Me (2024), with her gripping sophomore thriller, WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS. An engrossing Southern small-town rural mystery featuring a woman confronting her complex past and dark secrets to protect a student after her sister's death.

Set in a place where teens and women are vulnerable, and men are dangerous. The finger of suspicion points at them all with a driving force and overpowering need for revenge and justice as payback for their traumas.

Don't miss this riveting, twisty psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, guessing until the end!

"When girls die, when they can't speak their truths anymore, all we have left are their whispers. "

About...

Ren Taylor returns to her hometown as a biology teacher at her former high school. Challenging to face everyone (including her parents) after the death of her beautiful older sister, Margo's tragic murder years earlier when they were in high school.

Haunted by her ghost, she still sees and speaks with her—haunted by her memory. She needs closure.

Soon after joining the staff, Ren becomes suspicious of a charismatic physics teacher, Bryson Lewis. All the students are in love with him, and she observes his close relationship with a female student. This makes her uncomfortable, evoking memories of her late sister and her own experiences. Could she have saved her before it had gone too far? Choices and consequences that change the trajectory of your life and others.

She is determined to prevent history from repeating itself and keep this web of secrets from spiraling out of control. There are more girls. How do they link?

She knows all too well about keeping secrets. She still blames herself for her sister's death. She must save the girls from their secrets before it's too late. Something tells her she is running out of time.

My thoughts...

Marlee Bush has created rich, multilayered characters who lead us into a darkly immersive exploration of loss and the search for truth and justice, while brilliantly capturing the atmosphere of this small town.

WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS has all the dark vibes, psychologically rich, dark, gritty, chilling, multi-layered, and complex as the author cleverly gives us the background and unravels all the secrets, lies, and betrayals as the past meets the present for an explosive finale.

An absorbing character study and a perfect choice for readers who want to sink into a well-developed and executed psychological thriller. A dark and twisty story of what happened to one young Georgia teen girl, with a bright future. And the sister left behind with ghosts and secrets who refuse to let her rest.

There are many twists, turns, surprises, suspense, mystery, and tension. INTENSE! When you get to around 70% hang on and buckle up, with fast-paced suspense and wilder than any roller coaster ride to the end.

Richly textured and beautifully written with lyrical prose. The author superbly builds tension, and the plot twists will keep your head spinning (mind-bending). Deliciously twisty and eerie, intricately layered, and instantly compelling.

An emotionally charged exploration of guilt, secrets, grief, revenge, JUSTICE, obsession, and redemption. From teenage secrets, sibling rivalry, first love, pain, loss, rejection, betrayal, trust, lies, and the need for acceptance. Nature vs. Nurture.

"The thing about justice? Sometimes when you take it into your hands, it becomes something else entirely. Sometimes justice crumbles to dust and you're left sweeping up the ashes. I've stopped hunting monsters. Not because I want to, but because sometimes when you hunt monsters, you actually find them."

An unputdownable thrill-ride mystery with fully developed characters, making you question every character's motives. Often, the monsters are directly in front of us. Ideal for book clubs and further discussions.

The writing is stunning, and I highlighted many quotes. The novel spans multiple genres, blending coming-of-age, YA, murder, family drama, crime, psychological, and domestic thriller elements. Caution: Do not start reading until you have plenty of time. It is unputdownable. An author to watch!

"I think of secrets. How they take root in us and grow, curving around our bodies, blocking us— the real us—from the view of others. Until, to those who see us, we become someone else entirely."

Interview...

Stay tuned for my upcoming #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A ride with Marlee, where we will go behind the scenes of the book and up close and personal with this super-talented author. Pub Day 5/27.

Recs...

WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Mary Kubica, Wendy Walker, Megan Miranda, Julia Heaberlin, Kate Alice Marshall, Heather Gudenkauf, Megan Abbott, and Charlie Donlea.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press, Sourcebooks, and NetGalley for a gifted digital and paperback advanced review copy, for my honest thoughts.

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
2025 Must-Read Books
AuthorElevatorSeries May QA

Listened to the audiobook version and it was so good! Very engaging thriller/mystery. I really enjoyed the writing and thought the story was very compelling. I was hooked from the beginning and finished in less than a day.

Initially read this as an eARC but really wanted to listen to the audio and I am so glad that I did.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC!

What a great thriller! Lots of suspense, trauma, anticipation and just an overall well-written story.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Marlee Bush’s Whisper of Dead Girls is a chilling, emotionally charged thriller that blends psychological suspense with a haunting meditation on trauma, memory, and justice. Set in a small town steeped in tragedy and secrets, the novel follows Ren Taylor, a woman whose return to her old high school reopens wounds that never truly healed.

Ten years after the murder of her younger sister—a crime that tore apart her family and left Ren marked by scandal—she returns to the scene of her personal hell in hopes of moving forward. But peace proves elusive. Ghosts of the past still stalk the hallways, and Ren finds herself gripped by an eerie sense of déjà vu when she notices a charismatic male teacher, Bryson Lewis, drawing dangerously close to a vulnerable student.

Bush excels at crafting tension. Ren’s growing paranoia, sharpened by grief and a hard-earned cynicism, is utterly compelling. She’s not a typical heroine—she’s damaged, dogged, and at times reckless—but her fierce determination to protect another girl from her sister’s fate gives the story its emotional core. The book explores the long shadow of abuse and the ways institutions often fail the ones who need protecting most, while also showing how survivors carry their pain into every room, every decision, every silence.

The prose is sharp and evocative, and the pacing is tightly controlled. Bush doles out revelations with just enough delay to keep the suspense simmering, and the final act delivers twists that feel both shocking and earned. At its heart, Whisper of Dead Girls isn’t just about uncovering a predator—it’s about reclaiming power, even when the world tells you it’s too late.

My first read by this author and it was pretty bingeable! The writing was easy to get through and I devoured the story. The plot was a bit all over the place and things did tie together in the end, but it was kind of a chore to keeping up with it all. Overall, I had fun with it and would recommend it!

Rounded by review up from 3.5

When a book makes you say "DAMN!" out loud so fast at the twist drop, you know you've got a great read in your hands.

This is a slow-burn psychological mystery thriller, but trust me, it's worth every page. The story is layered with so much mystery, and a morally gray narrative that kept me questioning everything.

Ren returns to her hometown to work at her old high school, hoping to make peace with her sister’s murder. Haunted by her memory—and possibly her own unraveling mind—Ren starts noticing unsettling parallels between the past and present. When she sees a student leave charming teacher Bryson Lewis’s classroom visibly upset, she senses danger. Is history repeating itself?

It’s intense, emotional, and infuriating at times. I felt every ounce of Ren’s frustration when she tries to protect these students and is repeatedly dismissed by the adults around her. The book explores trauma, the cost of keeping silent and seeking out justice on your own.

This was my first read from Marlee Bush and I’m already looking forward to diving into more of her work. If you love thrillers with layered mysteries, twisty reveals, and a morally gray protagonist, add this one to your TBR pile!

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book, allowing me to write my honest review.

Wow! What a thriller that had me guessing till the last page! I truly enjoyed this one & couldn’t put it down! Haunting, creepy, so many secrets & full of suspense in my eyes! The pacing of this story was perfect & so well written! It had a mind blowing plot twist & ending! You think you know, but you don’t! I devoured this one & it’s a must read!

Thank you Poisoned Press & NetGalley for this awesome arc!

This is my first book by the Author Marlee Bush and I can say that it will not be my last read from her! It had me hooked since the first chapter and it was a wonderful read. I got this book as an arc after reading the synopsis and I can truly say it lives up to my expectations, I enjoyed this thriller so much! Add this book to your tbr now !!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced arc.

Ren quite literally hears the whispers of dead girls- well one girl in particular- her dead sister, Margo. This novel is My Dark Vanessa meets A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Ren, an unreliable narrator with questionable morals and unresolved issues, is searching for redemption and forgiveness in some of the most unlikely ways. This book constantly leaves you guessing and making up possible stories in your head, while Bush draws out the story until you can no longer take it. For example, you know something terrible happened to Margo, and you know both Ren and her parents blame Ren for the events, but you don't really know the details until much later. The reader is left drawing their own conclusions for much of the novel, wondering if it is actually Ren's fault, or if it has been misplaced this whole time. Many of the events are just accounts of the characters involved, which leads the reader questioning what is truth. In this sense, Bush does a great job of creating suspense and twists galore. I don't know if it is intended to be a young adult novel, but it did read that way, and I wonder if it is a nod to Ren's stunted emotional growth given her background.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress for the ARC

3.75⭐️

Ten years after losing her sister Ren Tayler comes back to her old high school where everything happened. She's trying to move on and reconnect with her parents, but when she notices a crying student coming out of the male teacher's classroom she can't help getting involved. Is history repeating itself and if so, then this could be her chance to do what she never did all those years ago for her sister.

This was an interesting thriller that I was unable to put down. Our FMC was messy and not always likeable but that's also why it made me want to cheer her on. I really felt for the FMC and had to keep reading to learn about everything that had happened. But I was a bit disappointed with one of the developments towards the end of the book.

Thank you to author, Marlee Bush and Publisher Poisoned Pen Press for letting me read this ARC.

TW: SA, Relationship with a minor (teacher/student relationships)

A gripping, atmospheric YA thriller that blends mystery, trauma, and a haunting school setting. whispers of dead girls follows ren, who returns to her old high school as a teacher the same school where her sister died years ago. the past never really stays buried, especially when students start going missing again. the story jumps between timelines, slowly revealing dark secrets, both old and new. it’s tense, emotional, and has that perfect eerie vibe throughout.

the writing is strong, and the pacing mostly works, though the ending felt a little rushed and some side characters could’ve used more development. still, ren is a compelling lead and the themes of grief, guilt and memory are handled well.

Marlee Bush strikes again! I was absolutely floored by "When She Was Me" last year, so I was beyond excited when her next book was announced and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It did not disappoint and snatched my attention even during the most vicious reading slump! It had me guessing from page one and I thought Ren was such a fun character to follow and I could not stop turning the pages to find out exactly what happened with her sister and what exactly was going on in the present! I don't want to say much because I went in mostly blind and loved every second. Marlee Bush remains on my auto-buy author list and is someone I'm proud to come from the same state as! Do yourself a favor and check this one out, because I've said it before and I'll say it again: Marlee Bush is one to watch and I cannot wait to see what she does next!

After ten years gone, Ren heads back to her home town to take a job as a teacher at her old high school. Although time has passed the memory of her murdered sister is memorialized in the school walls.

As she tries to settle into her life as a teacher, Ren begins to notice one of the other teachers and his seemingly close relationship to one of the students.

Ren isn’t going to let this happen again. History will not repeat itself, even if the cost comes to herself.

Very small town, suspicion lies at every turn vibe. I felt like the slow burn for this one worked as it drug out the mystery of what was going to happen and could Ren succeed.

Ren as a flawed character was great and I was rooting for her redemption. The scandaled story was full of tension and intrigue where I just wanted to know what was going to happen next.

Thank you to author, Marlee Bush, Publisher Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

My thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press/Sourcebooks for the ARC of "Whispers of Dead Girls in exchange for an honest review.

This swifty paced engrossing thriller deals with those particular unsavory crimes that captivate the headlines - teen high school girls besotted with their male teachers, some of whom take cruel, sexual advantage of their immature, naive students.

Biology teacher Ren Taylor survived such an episode when she was in high school but due to fatal tragic circumstances, her older sister Margo did not. Years later, she's come back to the same school to teach while at the same time still actively haunted by conversations with her late charismatic Prom Queen sister, whose shadow she perpetually lived in..

Ren's grim history starts to repeat itself as she reaches out to befriend Olivia, a student possibly distraught after an encounter with popular physics teacher Bryson Lewis. Very much like the teacher in Ren's terrible past, the handsome, outgoing Mr. Lewis is admired and beloved by the student body, especially the girls in his class.

And that's as much detail as I'd dare discuss here, at the risk of spoiling the twists and reveals this story takes. for Ren, Olivia, Bryson Lewis and the much celebrated and admired Margo. herself. All of this unfolds as Ren's relentless, reckless amateur investigation into what's going on opens a Pandora's Box of secrets and surprises.....present and past.

This one does what you expect a solid, skillfully crafted thriller to do......hold you fast in its grip from first page to last. I realize some readers may not get on board with the over-the-top, loaded-with-exposition theatrical ending, but at that point, I was so glued to the book I went with it fully. All in all, a suspenseful ride that poses an age old, unsettling question during its epilogue. A definite double-check for thriller-mystery fans.

Walking the halls of her old high school feels like nostalgia, but makes Ren feel like she just wants to disappear. After a new divorce Ren heads back home as the new teacher where everything still haunts her. But this time, alone, without her older sister guiding her through the day. Except she is, in the memory of her ghost. For Ren it feels like history is repeating itself as more young girls go missing.

There wasn’t much in set up in this one- Unfortunately this was more telling than showing. The writer wanted to show Ren’s suspicions were likely cause by the loss of her sister but I wish more build up had been done before launching into full on detective mode.

This book seemed very concerned with laying down a mystery, that the character development felt completely disregard and the plot not fully developed. Ren was either a vigilante or a victim of long suffering PTSD, but I felt whiplashed every time it bounced between the two. And maybe the point was to showcase she was both but they didn’t feel connected. Most of her evidence of suspicions were just “hunches” ; she jumped to conclusions on serious topics without real evidence in the beginning and she would show a lack of common sense and intelligence compared to a high school student when reflecting her own life. So overall she just left me feeling confused.

Hearing the high school girls tell their story was more heartbreaking, as it turned into gossip among their peers and the conversations of not being believed. The teacher/student relationship gets very intense, more alluded to than in visual descriptions but can be uncomfortable to read. Especially in flashbacks, discussing the crushes a student can develop on a teacher, drawing both empathy for the teenager but also very cringey.

Almost felt like it needed a few more rounds in drafts before publishing; and not wanting to spoil it but not a fan of the ending. I did enjoy the first book of this author but this one would be a skip for me.

thank you to poisoned pen press & NetGalley for this ARC!

i was so excited to read “Whispers of Dead Girls” and was so happy to receive an advanced copy because it sounded right up my alley! i love thrillers and crime fiction, and this has so much promise. unfortunately, though, the book was a little disappointing to me. i felt like the book’s description really sold me and the premise was great at first, but the execution fell flat for me. this is just my opinion, but it also read more like a YA mystery novel (rather than an adult thriller), which was another thing I didn’t particularly enjoy about the book. the pacing felt a bit slow, too, and the ending just didn’t do anything for me. a thriller’s conclusion can make or break it, and this book unfortunately ended in a way that left me feeling unsatisfied. I honestly still don’t yet know how I feel about the ending.

regardless, “Whispers of Dead Girls” was atmospheric from the very beginning. it had an eerie small town setting, and it created a sense of unease. our main character, Ren, had her flaws and was clearly traumatized by her past. her character demonstrated just how hard it can be to break free of the past when it’s constantly trying to rein you back in.

i can appreciate what the author was trying to do with this book and storyline but, in the end, it just fell a little short for me personally.

Ten years ago, Ren's sister was murdered as a teenager and now she's returning to her hometown to teach biology in the same high school. In this small town noone forgets, so when a fellow teacher is suspiciously close with his students, Ren is cautious. It's he about to repeat the past or is it just her own paranoia making her suspect him?
Overall I did like this book. The pacing was good, although it did slow down in the middle. Ren's talks with her sister are a bit strange but add to the odd tension throughout the book. I really liked the ending.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an amazing read! I loved the characters and the occasionally unreliable narrator. I loved the inner conscious/ghost of the main characters sister. I loved the twisty plot and it left me guessing every chapter!

Whispers of Dead Girls is an intense psychological thriller full of twists and turns that is sure to keep you guessing.

Ten years after the tragic murder of her sister, Ren Taylor returns to her hometown as a biology teacher at her old high school. She wants to make peace with her past but can’t stop seeing her sister wherever she goes. When she meets the handsome and charismatic physics teacher, Bryson Lewis, she knows he can’t be trusted and decides to keep a close eye on him. After noticing his close relationship with a student, she’s determined not to let history repeat itself.

This was incredibly hard to put down. It’s dark, chilling and the eerie small-town vibes were just so good.

Ren is a morally gray, unreliable narrator which I really enjoyed. She still carries a lot of trauma and guilt from her sister’s death which drives her to seek justice for girls like her. In doing so, she has no choice but to face her own dark secrets.
Bush skillfully blends the past with the present in a way that allows the tension and suspense to continuously build throughout the story. I enjoyed the flashbacks and how they slowly revealed the events leading up to Margo’s death.

While I enjoy thrillers, not many manage to surprise me anymore but there’s a twist in here that I did not see coming and it was brilliant!
I’m definitely going to have to read When She Was Me soon.