This book definitely gives off Gilmore Girls meets The X-Files. Set in the late '90s, it has a nostalgic feel that adds to its charm. It was humorous, mysterious, and weirdly funny. I mean this as a compliment, but it reminded me of those old-school Disney Channel original movies!

It’s technically YA, but I’d definitely describe it as a quick, easy read. It's retro A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. The last time I read a book by Susan Dennard was back in high school, so it was fun to dive into one of her newer works, and it reminded me that I really need to catch up on her other books.

The characters were engaging, and the rivals-to-lovers trope was executed well. I can’t wait to get my own copy this fall!

That was the single greatest piece of 90s nostalgia that I’ve ever read. Scooby Doo was one of my favorite shows growing up and the references in THE EXECUTIONERS THREE were absolutely spot on. I’m sure it was no coincidence that Freddie Gellar, the main character, was named after Fred from Scooby Doo and Sarah Michelle Gellar (who played Daphne in the live action Scooby Doo movies) - and if it was coincidence, it was an entirely happy one.

I loved this story. The romance was so sweet and the numerous boy band references made it even better. I also loved that you couldn’t tell if the mystery was supernatural or not until the end. It felt so Scooby Doo because of that.

I also enjoyed the X-Files references and it even gave Stranger Things vibes.

All in all, this was a great story which made my 90s baby heart happy. It’s perfect for spooky season and is easily my favorite Susan Dennard book to date.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fun romp the likes of Goosebumps and The X-Files, THE EXECUTIONERS THREE brings all the same fun as Dennard's The Luminaries series with a new, twisty mystery.

The Executioners Three is a chilling, atmospheric read that hooked me from the very first page. I loved the 90s setting and the eerie blend of murder mystery and the supernatural. Freddie is a smart, relatable protagonist, and the suspense kept building with every chapter. Susan Dennard has crafted a truly haunting story—I couldn’t put it down!

A very fun and satisfying Scooby-doo like mystery perfect to get you in the mood for the Autumn season! At first I was a not a huge fan of the campy writing. It made the characters who are 17 feel much y0unger to me. But after reading for a bit and getting deeper into the story I started to really enjoy the campiness and the plot came fully into itself in all the best ways. I honestly flew through this and had such a great time with it. I felt the ending was well done and the romance was great!

2.5 ⭐ rounded to 3⭐

Freddie Gellar is an X-Files loving, true crime junkie, grade A nerd. When she accidently gets all the popular kids from the rival prep school arrested she undergoes a classic “She’s All That” moment. Don’t know what that means? This book probably isn’t for you because it’s set in the 90s and has a lot of deep cut 90s pop culture references. As an oldie reading YA mysteries this was completely for me and honestly, the best part of the book. If you’re a young person you may have to do some history research to be in on all the jokes.

As Freddie is taken in by the popular crowd she’s also exploring the mysterious goings on in her town (murder, spooky poetry, weird bells…there’s some stuff) and smooching a cute boy (even though he likes Backstreet Boys and she likes N’Sync!! Can they possibly overcome their differences to find true love??)

I found the suspense to be lacking, Freddie’s character didn’t make a lot of sense to me, and although the mystery had a lot of potential the resolution didn’t quite hit. Oh…and the end? Maybe hilariously bad or hilariously good, I can’t decide.

This is all my adult review though. I think that a young adult will like this, Frankie is weird and smart and has two guys fighting over her and she gets to solve mysteries. There’s a big audience for this kind of rep.

Thanks NetGalley & Daphne Press!

Fantastic new mystery of a feud that's full of cryptic riddles, symbols, and great romance! Reminds me of Nancy Drew and Riverdales shows!

I'm getting a physical copy of the book, so I'm rating and reviewing for my ratio, but I'll be reading it there instead of on Netgalley!

Freddie Gellar es una estudiante con buen ojo para los misterios, escucha gritos en la noche y alerta a la policía. Lo que parece una simple fiesta de adolescentes termina con arrestos masivos, y Freddie, sin quererlo, se convierte en la protagonista de una guerra de bromas entre su escuela, Berm High, y la elitista Fortin Prep.

Mientras los estudiantes compiten con ingenio y venganza, algo mucho más oscuro se mueve entre los árboles. Una figura aparece en la niebla, cuerpos sin vida cuelgan de las ramas más altas, y un poema antiguo parece anunciar la llegada de los “Tres Verdugos”. Con la ayuda de su mejor amiga Divya y un equipo secreto de estudiantes, Freddie se ve arrastrada a una investigación que mezcla leyendas locales, pistas ocultas y fenómenos inexplicables. A medida que las señales se intensifican y los peligros se acercan, el verdadero enemigo podría no ser Fortin Prep, sino algo que ha estado dormido… y que ahora ha despertado.


...

La idea me pareció interesante, pero no fue para mi ya que lo sentí muy juvenil.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

When I found out, Susan Denard had another book coming out I was so excited and this one has the nostalgia of my teenage years. School rivalries and prank wars start to go haywire when Freddie by accident guess a bunch of the rival school arrest, arrested. Coincidentally her school ends up, falling in love with her, and she’s drawn in by the popular group to help with the senior prank wars. During all this Fred and a boy from the other school, Theo are dealing with a mysterious force. The story takes on a Scooby Doo like investigation and it was a bit hard to get behind. Maybe this book is just not for me and felt a bit too immature, but I feel like it’ll be a huge hit with the younger crowd.

Thank you Tor Publishing and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Another hit for Susan Dennard! Freddie has an impeccable gut, it never lets her down. So when she hears strange noises in the woods she doesn’t hesitate to call the cops. Only it turns out it was a bunch of students partying from the fancy private school. Her actions get half their school population in trouble. Consider they are Freddie’s school biggest rivalry, her classmates don’t seem to upset about it. In fact Freddie’s more popular then ever and when the most popular kids in school want to hang out with her she’s ecstatic. They let her know about the 20 year prank war between the two schools and ask for her help. Enter Theo one of the popular teens from the rival school who happens to be her big competition. He’s also attractive and Freddie finds herself drawn to him even though he’s the enemy. The prank wars begin but Freddie notices that strange things are happening. And when she stumbles across a body she also learns that this has happened twice before. The police think it was self-inflicted but Freddie’s gut is telling her it’s murder. And when connections are being drawn to an ancient tale of the Executioners Three, she may have stumbled onto something supernatural. But that’s impossible right? Curses aren’t real. Strange things keep happening, bodies are being found, and signs point to the fact that her deceased father, an ex-sheriff she barely knew, was investigating the same strange events. Can Freddie figure out what is going on? Or will she find herself in more danger? I loved the mix of supernatural, mystery, teen drama, romance, and rivalry! I very much enjoy books that take place in the 90’s because of the nostalgia and Freddie’s love for NSYNC versus Theo’s love for the Backstreet Boys was everything! The Executioners Three is thrilling, hilarious, and unputdownable!

The Executioners Three is a fun YA thriller, written in a campy style that only Susan Dennard could pull off.

The story follows teen Freddie Gellar, who accidentally gets half of the rival high school students arrested when she called the cops after hearing shrieks coming from the woods. Little did she know it was just a high school party. But, this accidental incident put Freddie on the radar of the prank squad at her high school, who now welcome Freddie into their group with open arms.

However, the next day, a dead body is found. The local police are calling it a suicide but Freddie suspects otherwise. As Freddie and the Prank Squad continue their prank battle with the rival high school, more bodies start piling up in the forest. Being an X-Files aficionado, Freddie takes it upon herself to try and solve the murder. And in the midst of all of this, the clever―and gorgeous―leader of the rival prank squad has set his sights on Freddie. And, against her better judgement, she seems to be falling for him too.

The Executioners Three is set in 1999, providing plenty of 90s nostalgia and dialogue. As someone who watched the X-Files growing up, I could completely relate to Freddie's mystery-solving enthusiasm as she channeled Mulder and Scully. The late 90s setting is the perfect fit for a murder mystery based on a creepy old poem that's being reenacted by a murderer.

The book is a bit campy, but it's intended to be that way. If you've ever watched any 90s movies or television shows, you'll understand why. The campiness works well for this story and its characters; characters who are your typical high schoolers living to skip school, party, pull pranks on their rivals, have make-out sessions, and be amateur sleuths.

I’m a big fan of Susan Dennard’s Luminaries series, so I was extremely excited to get an ARC of The Executioners Three from @netgalley and @torteen.

I won’t say this was a perfect book. I think there were a couple of plot holes and some questions that the book dangles in front of you then doesn’t answer. You may also find the major culprit fairly easy to spot.

That said, Sooz is really great at building the atmosphere of her worlds. And in some ways, the lack of explanations for certain things and the hints at who(or what??) is haunting Freddie’s town actually add to the vibe of a 90s/early 2000s whodunnit monster of the week series that permeates this book. This book has such a cozy fall mystery vibe like watching Scooby Doo in October or going out rolling yards with your high school friends, crunching through the falling leaves on a foggy, crisp fall night.

It’s YA, but the mystery is actually pretty gruesome and does keep you guessing about whether some unseen force is at work all the way up to the end. The characters are fun and diverse and the central monsters of the week are genuinely creepy. I’d definitely recommend it as a fun and spooky read for anyone in high school or above. If you’re an elder millennial, you might want to check it out just for the nostalgia (I just missed being the core audience there, as a zillennial, myself).

This book will be released on August 26, right at the start of fall, so preorder it and have your spiced cider ready when it arrives.

Freddie Gellar wouldn't consider herself popular, especially since she got half the rival school in trouble for underage drinking. But the prank squad at her school noticed and suddenly she's in with the cool crowd, including dreamy Kyle. As she begins plotting against the rival school, she finds herself in close contact with Theo, one of the rival school's popular crowd, as well as involved in the paranormal workings of a curse upon her little town.

I was expecting this to be more fantasy, but I enjoyed the retro 90s vibe of this story (don't think I didn't notice the MC's name as an homage). Think lots of "X-Files" references and pre-cellphone research. The mysterious poem about the executioners and the research into the cycle of locals deaths seemed to take a backseat to the romance between Freddie and Theo, but overall it was a fun ride.

What a ride! The Executioners Three is the kind of genre-bending mystery that keeps you flipping pages long past bedtime. Set in a slightly nostalgic past, this book delivers a thrilling mix of supernatural chills, high school rivalry, clever pranks, and just the right dose of romance.

Freddie Gellar is an instantly lovable sleuth—smart, curious, and just a bit chaotic. The story kicks off fast and never lets up, with twists, bodies, and pranks stacking up in equal measure. The eerie poem at the center, “The Executioners Three,” adds a creeping sense of dread that perfectly balances the more playful elements of the book.

I wasn’t expecting to love the setting as much as I did, but the atmosphere absolutely worked. It had the energy of a ‘90s teen thriller with modern storytelling flair. Think Veronica Mars meets Xfiles and a dash of goosebumps but smarter and sharper. Even if you’re not usually drawn to spooky mysteries, give this one a shot—Susan Dennard knows exactly how to hook you and keep you.

Full of suspense, heart, and a bit of bite, this one’s a must-read for fans of twisty stories with a supernatural edge.

Before I get into the review, a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at Tor Teen for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Executioners Three is a small town Mystery novel set in the 90's and following Freddie, a girl who is known as the Answer Finder and who has already interned with the local Sheriff's Office multiple times. But the X-Files aficionado is thrown for a loop when a curse and a poem comes into play and she has to cope with the fact that maybe not everything can be answered with scientific fact. Can Freddie and the others in the Prank Squad solve the Mystery and keep the curse from playing out exactly like the poem? The Executioners Three comes out on August 26th and is available for preorder now.

Normally, I save my ARCs for the month right before the book is supposed to come out, but I couldn't help myself. When I was given this ARC, I knew it wasn't going to sit on my NetGalley app unread for long. Susan Dennard is just one of those authors I can read no matter the genre or the premise and know that I'm going to have a good time. I absolutely loved the 90's nostalgia and the fact that it was so accurate. Not just about the good parts of the 90's. but also the stuff that wasn't always the best. (Like having to get off of messenger because someone in the family needs to use the phone.) I also absolutely adored Freddie and her mom and stepdad. I could read so many stories with these characters. Freddie is such a realistic 17 year old girl. Making poor decisions because that's just what you do as a teenager. Also, loving your family and your friends and putting them first. Her love of the X-Files eluded me, but I get the vibe. She was also SUCH an NSYNC stan which I loved. (Though, I never did understand the BSB vs. NSYNC debate. I loved BOTH.) The setting was also a lot of fun. An autumn in a small town in the mid-west with all the Mystery/Horror vibes? The girlies are going to love this one.

I felt like some of the side characters were a little flat. I wish I had gotten to know more of the backstory for the Sheriff and for Freddie's Prank Squad friends. I think it would have slowed the story down which is probably why it wasn't included. I did guess about who was doing all of this, but I didn't know how or why. So, in most aspects the mystery worked for me. I just wish that I hadn't seen that part coming. I think readers who are new to the genre or younger readers with fewer books under their belt probably won't see it coming so I don't know if that's fully to the book's detriment.

Overall, this was such a fun read for me. Between the small town, the mystery, and the romance, I was invested. I am so happy I found Susan Dennard in my reading life and that I get to keep reading what she's putting out. I could see this actually becoming a series if we were to follow Freddie as she graduates from high school and moves on to new mysteries.

The Executioners Three
by Susan Dennard
Pub Date: Aug 26 2025

Freddie Gellar didn't mean to get half the rival high school arrested. She’d simply heard shrieks coming from the woods, so she’d called the cops like any good human would do. How was she supposed to know it was just kids partying?

Except the next day, a body is found. And while the local sheriff might call it suicide, Freddie's instincts tell her otherwise. So, like the aspiring sleuth (and true X-Files aficionado) she is, Freddie sets out to prove there's a murderer at large.

But her investigation is quickly disrupted by the rivalry between her school and the school of the partying teens she got arrested. For over twenty years, the two student bodies have had an ongoing prank war, and Freddie's failed attempt at Good Samaritanism has upped the ante. Worse, the clever—and gorgeous—leader of the rival prank squad has set his sights on Freddie.

As more pranks unfurl, more bodies also start piling up in the forest. But it's the supernatural warning signs around town, each plucked straight from an old forgotten poem called "The Executioners Three," that worry Freddie the most. She knows the poem and its blood curse can’t be real, but she's quickly running out of time to prove it.

Because the murderer—or executioners?—knows she's onto them now, and their next target just might be Freddie.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE EXECUTIONERS THREE by Susan Dennard

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Teen for the earc (Aug 26)

When Freddie Gellar gets half the rival school arrested, she didn't mean too. She heard shrieks and assumed the worse. The next day, when a body is found---and ruled su*cide, Freddie knows in her gut that that isn't what it is. So she sets out to prove it...except she is dragged into the prank war between the two schools. As more bodies pile up, Freddie knows she is running out of time to stop it.
I really loved this book. Firstly, I loved that it was set in the past---which is weird for me to say since I'm not one to gravitate toward such a time period. I also loved how this wasn't just a m*rder mystery. There was an extra layer of fun---with the pranks---and with romance, which added a little something-something to this.
THE EXECUTIONERS THREE has such an intriguing premise, and from the first "Alt" chapter, I was drew in. There was something about this book that kept me hooked. It was thrilling, and there was never a dull moment (chapter after chapter brought new thrill after new thrill whether it was a prank, a body, or nonstop drama rivalry.) This book is edge-or-your-seat glory. It's supernatural mixed with mystery, and everything in between. Definitely a mystery worth unraveling.

I had a difficult time getting into this book. I struggled to connect with the characters. This is probably a personal failure, and I couldn't vibe with the middle-grade voice. I may try this book again later on, but for now I couldn't finish it.

Took some twists and turns I didn't expect, and it bends genres fantastically well. An exciting read right to the very end!

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***