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.***

When I initially read the description of this one, I wasn't 100% sold it would be for me (I'm no tone for too creepy and definitely not anything resembling horror), but it's Susan Dennard and I trusted her. So glad I did, because I absolutely tore through this mystery. She's such a masterful storyteller, creating characters you really want to spend time with, to get to know, and who you would follow through any storyline.

I loved that this felt a little nostalgic, like stepping back into a 1990s or early 2000s mystery thriller with an eerie vibe, and I really enjoyed the mystery. It felt fun and exciting, and kept my attention just as much as the characters and the romance. Even as a huge scaredy cat, I really enjoyed this one!

Susan Dennard does it again! I absolutely devoured this book in less than 24 hours and while it's Creepy and creepier than I usually like, especially the first 40%, I could not put it down. The fall/Hallween/spooky vibes are immaculate. I love Freddie, Theo and the entire cast! Sooz does an amazing job of fleshing out a huge cast for a not particularly long book. I would absolutely read more Freddie books.

If you told me a small-town prank war could somehow spiral into a cursed, spine-tingling mystery full of cryptic poetry, supernatural symbols, and heart-thumping romance—I wouldn’t have believed you. But here I am, absolutely consumed by The Executioners Three and ready to shout about it from the rooftops.

Susan Dennard doesn’t just craft a story—she summons it, and this one rises from the foggy woods with the perfect mix of eerie folklore and 90s teenage chaos. At the center of it all is Freddie Gellar, a delightfully stubborn amateur sleuth with a nose for weirdness and a tendency to find herself in the worst kind of trouble. She’s the kind of character you want to sit next to at lunch and solve a mystery with after school.

What starts as a well-intentioned 911 call turns into a wildfire of secrets, ghost stories, and grisly discoveries. And as Freddie digs deeper, you start to feel the creeping dread inching up your spine right along with her. There’s something ancient at play in this town—something that hums through the trees and watches from the shadows.

The book doesn’t just deliver on scares (and it definitely delivers), it also nails the emotional heartbeat of its characters. The banter, the crushes, the friendships—it’s all so vivid and real. Freddie’s bond with her best friend Divya? Pure gold. And Theo? Let’s just say he’s the kind of rival/love interest that makes you swoon one page and question his motives the next. Delicious.

This is one of those rare reads where the mystery is just as fun as the characters, and every twist feels like a jolt of adrenaline. The town’s dark past, the curse, the haunting references to “The Executioners Three”—it’s all layered so beautifully, I couldn’t look away. And yes, I stayed up way too late flipping pages with a flashlight app and second-guessing every creak in my house.

If you love your thrillers with a nostalgic twist, clever protagonists, and just the right amount of supernatural horror—this book will absolutely grab you by the collar and not let go.

A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group / Tor Teen for sharing this unputdownable teen fantasy novel's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts that I highly appreciate.

I didn't really enjoy the writing style. I didn't grab me, and I had a hard time finishing the book.

I went into this one kind of leery based on the summary as this felt like it would be very different from her other titles that I had enjoyed - but it was all for nothing! I adored the story- the plot, the characters, the story telling! Just perfect! (Like Lance Bass lol)

I thought this was really well plotted and had just the right amount of snark and romance!

Thank you for the opportunity to read early!

Susand Dennard stuns me every time she writes a new book. Her worlds are just SO lush and draw you in and this book I think has been the best book yet! The Excecutioners Three was so fun and thrilling to read I could not put it down.

Given that I loved The Luminaries trilogy, I had a feeling that I would enjoy Susan Dennard's newest novel. I absolutely loved it! It was fun with a bit of a Riverdale feel to it. I loved the sarcasm of the characters (Freddy especially) and the nostalgia from that era was heartwarming. Don't get me wrong, this was also a twisty, turny book and Dennard absolutely nailed it! The genre felt a bit like comedy horror and I am here for it! I believe Dennard has become an auto-buy author for me!

Prob 4.5 rating Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own. Man, I liked this one. Not gonna lie, I didn’t know anything about this author, and when I read the intro note from her that mentioned her being on Wattpad, my heart sank. I have ready many a flop that had wattpad as their claim to fame. But I knew about a chapter in after meeting Freddie that I was hooked and would not be disappointed. Freddie considers herself kind of an amateur detective/cop who did a ride-along and helped nab a shoplifter as her claim to fame. When there seems to be murder in her town that people are calling an accident, her interest is piqued. Throw in a prank war with the private school in town that leads her to meet a guy of interest named Theo, and it ends up being an exciting ride. This novel is set in the 90s, which worked great and was not shoved down the reader’s throat as some books tend to do. Every once in a while I forgot about the setting until Freddie or Divya mentioned their love of boy bands and Lance Bass haha The dialogue is witty, the story is fresh with a touch of creepy and weird, and I could totally see me reading another one should this be a series. I’m adding it to our order list for my school library because kids are always looking for mysteries, and this one has some love interest to boot. Highly recommend, even if stuff gets a little “out there” in the end. FYI violence, a little heavy marking out (but just kissing), some profanity

The Executioners Three delivers a fantastic plotline filled with tension and intrigue, keeping readers on edge with some truly heart-racing moments. The story’s suspense and unexpected twists make it a gripping read, but there are sections where the pacing slows, making it feel like it’s dragging. Additionally, certain parts seem cobbled together, disrupting the otherwise strong narrative flow. Despite these flaws, the characters and overall execution remain engaging, making it a compelling thriller. While not perfect, it’s a solid and entertaining read that earns a well-deserved 4 out of 5 stars.

This was a really fantastic read! I've really enjoyed Susan Dennard's previous books, and this one sounded really enjoyable, and I'm glad that I was sent an e-ARC copy of this book! I really enjoyed getting to know Freddie as she dealt with this whole situation.

This book is set in the fall of 1999. It's so weird to say that it's historical, because this is a time when I was alive. I was 4 years old, but I was here on this earth. Like, time flies! I barely remember what happened last week, let alone something 25 years ago, but all the references, like the boy bands, was so much fun!

I don't know how I'd react if an accident led me to being welcomed in by the popular kids at school, including a crush. That she has a gut that's good for detective work, and turns out to be pretty great at pranks, was a nice, fun element in this book which for the most part, pretty spooky!

The whole mystery with the Executioners Three, and the murders in the past, as well as the town's history, and how it all came together, loved it! Adding in the romance, and this book had a lot of wonderful elements that came together to tell a wonderful story!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by Susan Dennard!

Had me laughing. So many nostalgic reference, boy bands, tv shows. Balances small town murder mystery and humor brilliantly.

SO GOOD! I fell in love with Dennard's wry writing style with The Luminaries, but I found that The Executioners Three was even more fun. Loved the late 90s references, loved the main characters, loved the adorable romance and the spooky mystery. This book was the most fun I've had reading in a while! Absolutely awesome!

Reminded me alot of the early seasons of Riverdale and the cw version of Nancy Drew. Kids solving mysteries and trying to catch a killer. Lots of twists and turns, comedy, thrills, mystery, and some romance. Was a good YA book.

Dennard has done it again with an incredible X-Files, 1990's filled book. It follows a very Romeo and Juliet, West-Side Story vibe with those at the rich school, and those in the town. You encounter Freddie, and then another secondary main character, Theo. The primary focus on the book is that there are weird things happening in their historically minded small town, and that they seem to follow a creepy poem. The secondary focus is the cutesy romance that I'm sure will leave any teen kicking their feets with their will they won't they dynamic. I believed the story while enjoyable was predictable in some aspects, while in others I was surprised by. I think that the 1990's timing was nostalgic for me personally, it might lose some Young Adults in the referencing of tech. I would 100% purchase this for my library. For those that need to know for RA: the romance is not spicy, only making out. Some language is used. Murder is depicted.