2 stars for the first half and 3.5 stars for the second half.

The first half of this book was not for me. This book is listed as a YA mystery thriller, but this half was just about the unpopular FMC Quinn falling in love with the popular girl Gilly. I was hoping for more of a Pretty Little Liars book, so this wasn’t really my thing. This portion also felt more like a middle grade book versus a young adult.

The second half was much better. The story started to evolve into an intriguing murder mystery. Even though it is very obvious who the murderer is, I still really enjoyed the whodunnit aspect.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was the kind of YA murder mystery that’s super easy to sink into. I flew through it in just a couple sittings—it’s one of those stories that’s hard to put down, not because it’s overly twisty at first, but because the drama, the tension, and the characters keep you curious. Plus the narrator did a great job of keeping you immersed in the tale.

Quinn is used to flying under the radar, until one of her classmates is found murdered—and suddenly, her world is anything but quiet. Everyone’s whispering, the small-town gossip machine is in full swing, and somehow Quinn finds herself falling for Gilly, the dead girl’s best friend and the sheriff’s daughter. The deeper their relationship goes, the deeper the mystery pulls Quinn in.

There’s a slow unraveling in this story that works. You’re not hit with wild twists on every page, but the tension builds in a really natural way. The first half leans more into the social scene and the layers of teenage relationships. Then suddenly—boom—another friend ends up dead, and you realize this is bigger than anyone thought.

What stood out most to me was how real the characters felt. Their choices aren’t always smart, but they’re believable. There’s something very grounded about the way this story unfolds, even while there’s danger lurking behind every scene. And just when I thought I had it figured out, the last few pages pulled the rug out from under me in the best way.

If you liked This Book Kills or The Meadowbrook Murders, this is definitely one to add to your list. It’s a fun, low-lift read with bite, layered characters, and an ending that leaves you reeling. Plus, who doesn’t love a sapphic romance tangled up in small-town secrets and murder?.

I like the narrator, but had a hard time getting into the book. It could be because I'm in a mystery rut at the moment.

I recently listened to “All (Dead) Girls Lie” by Piper L. White, narrated by Hope Newhouse, and I have to say, it was an engaging listen—especially for fans of YA thrillers. Hope Newhouse did a solid job giving distinct voices to the characters, which really helped bring the story to life.
The story centres around sixteen-year-old Quinn, who’s a bit of a compulsive liar but insists she’s not a murderer. When a local teen is found dead in the sleepy town of Boiling Springs, North Carolina, Quinn’s quiet life is suddenly turned upside down. As more girls from Gilly’s friend group are mysteriously killed, Quinn becomes increasingly involved in uncovering the truth. Her relationship with Gilly, the sheriff’s daughter and Gilly’s best friend, adds a complicated layer of romance and tension, especially as Quinn starts receiving threatening notes and feels the killer might be closer than anyone suspects.
What I appreciated most was the suspenseful, twisty plot. The story has a bit of a teen slasher movie vibe, which aligns with Quinn’s love for horror flicks, and I think fans of that genre will find it fun and spooky. The fall setting was vivid and added to the overall spooky atmosphere, making it perfect for autumn reading or listening.
However, I did find some aspects a bit predictable, and at times, Quinn’s character felt a little cringey, especially as her reactions to certain situations seemed exaggerated or naive. This took away a bit from my overall enjoyment, though I imagine it’s pretty authentic to the teenage perspective. Also, the book felt a tad long and could have benefited from some editing to tighten the pacing and clarify certain plot points.
The sapphic romance between Gilly and Quinn was a highlight for me, adding depth and representation to the story. That said, I felt the focus was somewhat more on the plot than on character development, which made it a bit harder for me to stay fully engaged outside of the suspenseful moments.
Overall, I think “All (Dead) Girls Lie” is a great pick for teens and YA fans who enjoy fast-paced mysteries with plenty of twists, a spooky vibe, and some romance. Adults looking for a complex, character-driven story might find it a bit predictable, but I’d still recommend it for anyone in the mood for a fun, suspenseful audiobook, especially during the fall season.

I got this as an audio arc on Netgalley an it has since come out. Good narrator! I love ya thrillers and this was no different. Especially since this one was sapphic. You know what? I both expected and not expected the end so it definitely kept me on my toes.

I enjoyed this audiobook. Great story wonderful narration I can’t wait for this book to come out. Thank you for this advanced copy. I look forward to giving it a more detailed review soon.

2.5 stars. This gave Pretty Little Liars vibes, while also feeling like the very youngest side of young adult mystery/thriller.

A sapphic YA thriller set in a small-town in 2004?! With that cover?! Immediately, yes.
This was an easy listen, and I thought the narrator did a great job giving all the different characters distinct voices (Bec was my fave!).
There have been a lot of YA thrillers that I've enjoyed as an adult, but I think this one is best for its intended age range - I know I would've ate this up in middle and high school and will absolutely be recommending it for teens that age. Unfortunately, adult me found it a little predictable, and MC Quinn cringe at times, which took away from my overall enjoyment.
Thank you to Netgalley and Row House by Spotify Audiobooks for my ALC in exchange for an honest review!

When one teenage girl is found dead in the woods in a small town there is utter horror in response to this unprecedented event. When a second girl from the same friends group is found dead shortly thereafter, it is clear that there's something very troubling taking place.

Quinn is not one of the popular girls, but when she develops a relationship with one of the survivors in that group she becomes increasingly involved - along with her best friend Beck - in discovering where the truth of the matter lies. But she may be heading for some trouble herself...

This was an long and twisty story and could have done with some edits for length and clarity. The narrator largely did a good job, but the fact that popular girl Gilly's (presumably sexy) breathy tones were a bit over the top, and a couple of the male voices were identical (e.g. John Willis and Harry) was annoying. The other characters were rendered well.

It also has a bit of a teen slasher movie feel to it, which is understandable, given the protagonist's taste in movies. So if you share those predilections, the book will probably appeal.

sooo many a good girls guide to murder vibes!! i finished this audiobook in literally 2 sittings. it sucked me in from start to finish. so easily digestible and the PERFECT pacing. i love!!

This book was SO good ! I loved the slow burn romance and the misleading characters. This was also pretty dark for a YA book and I loved it ! I did guess the ending but it played out even better and more intense than I thought it would. 🤩 the narration was great too I def recommend picking this one up!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

all (dead) girls lie was a fantastic sapphic thriller set during spooky season in the early 2000s.

our fmc quinn is entangled in a web of lies, evidence, and confusion regarding the deaths of some of the most popular girls in school, all while navigating her budding relationship with the remaining member of the group, gilly. i absolutely loved the twist in this thriller!

as for the audio, the narrator did a great job!

Total Veronica Mars vibes, but in a thriller way!

Description
Sixteen-year-old Quinn is a liar, but she isn’t a murderer. When the sleepy town of Boiling Springs, North Carolina is roused by the murder of a local teen, Quinn is thrust into a life of danger, disrupting her normally unnoticeable existence. As Quinn becomes romantically involved with Gilly, the best friend of the dead girl and daughter of the town sheriff, the situation becomes even more complicated.
Despite the lurk of danger, Quinn tries to keep her mind on her new and exciting relationship. When another one of Gilly’s friends turns up dead, and more clues start to pile up, Quinn can’t help but start her own investigation. With everyone in town lying to each other, the suspect list grows. To make matters even more complicated, Quinn feels the killer could be closer to home than anyone suspects.

Thanks yo NetGalley & Row House by Spotify Audiobooks for the ALC of this book!

All (Dead) Girls Lie
by Piper L. White
Narrated by Hope Newhouse
Pub Date May 20 2025
Row House by Spotify Audiobooks

3.5⭐️ (rounded up)

This was a fun YA murder mystery. The narrator, Hope Newhouse, was fantastic.

While I was pretty sure who was responsible, the eventual reveal left me a little surprised with some of the details I had not speculated.

My only qualm was that the main character 'fell deeply in love' in less than 2 months and it was just a little much for the depth of the character; I think if that had been calmed down a bit it would have been not taken me out of the story so much.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
Sixteen-year-old Quinn has a habit of bending the truth but she’s no killer. Still, when a local teen is murdered in the quiet town of Boiling Springs, North Carolina, Quinn suddenly finds herself in the middle of a dangerous mystery, far from the low-profile life she’s used to.
Things get even more complicated when she starts falling for Gilly, the sheriff’s daughter and best friend of the girl who was killed. As their relationship grows, so does the tension around them.
Even with the threat of danger looming, Quinn tries to focus on her budding romance. But when another one of Gilly’s friends is found dead and clues begin stacking up, Quinn can't stay on the sidelines. She starts digging into the truth herself. With lies swirling through the town and trust in short supply, suspects are everywhere and Quinn is starting to worry the killer might be someone far too close for comfort.

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
I really enjoyed this book. From the very beginning, the atmosphere and tension caught my attention and didn’t let go. Even though I figured out who the killer was early on, it didn’t take away from the fun there were still plenty of twists that kept me second-guessing everyone.
This feels like a great fit for young adult readers who like their mysteries with a little edge and emotional depth. Just a heads-up: it does include LGBTQ+ themes and some sensitive topics, so I’d recommend checking out trigger warnings beforehand.
The narrator had a nice voice, but the pacing was too slow for me. I ended up listening at 2x speed, and that made it a much smoother experience.
Overall, a solid, atmospheric read that kept me engaged. One I’d recommend if you’re into dark YA thrillers with a psychological twist.
Thank you @Netgalley and @Row House by Spotify Audiobooks for allowing me to review this ALC.

2.5 ⭐️
I didn’t like this book but I didn’t hate it. First of all I requested this book and then I discovered it was a romance between two girls and I don’t like books that contain gay romance as the main romance plot of the book so this was a big reason why I didn’t like this book. The ending of this book unfortunately didn’t make sense for me at all and I felt it was a little bit rushed and it could have been better.
Thank you NetGalley for the ALC 💗

Thank you to NetGalley, 100 Block Futures, Row House by Spotify Audiobooks, and Piper L. White for providing me with an audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Spoiler Free Review: This book didn't work for me for many reasons but to sum up, this is the kind of book that works well when you care about the characters but I simply did not connect with any of them. There were also many inaccuracies based on it being set in 2004 that I couldn't get past. A lot of scenes that felt like they were supposed to be impactful simply weren't because instead of leaving hints throughout the book that would all make sense during the reveal, the story told us what everything meant as it was happening. I want to avoid spoilers so I will say it just felt very rushed near the ending and I felt cheated as a reader. I enjoyed the sapphic elements (even though I didn't like how they never explicitly said they were lesbian, bisexual or anything else which is a pet peeve of mine) but that is about all I enjoyed. I hope this author keeps writing because it was very easy to read and didn't become boring at any point, I just think an extra editor could have helped in this case.

Spoilers:

Near the end of a mystery/thriller, the reader should feel gratified and satisfied that every loose thread is tied up in a way that makes sense with the story we were being told the entire time. This did not happen when I read this book. I was extremely disappointed when Gilly was revealed as the killer because it felt so out of nowhere. I thought I figured out early on that Adam was the killer because the police stated the weapon was likely a pocket knife and two chapters later Adam happened to have one. I admit I may have been biased reading from that point on with Adam as the killer but I still feel like the Gilly reveal was strange. The only hint was her house being near the scene, no strange behaviour, no hint of her having a pocket knife in her possession (which would have been easy to add in, and if Quinn found it she could have said 'my Dad gave it to me for protection'), nothing satisfying about her reveal.

I also found the way the reveal happened to be lazy. For example, Quinn finds Beck's earring in Gilly's Dad's car. It could have been an impactful moment if Quinn and Beck had joked earlier about Beck always wearing that earring when she goes to parties, or if Beck had been found with only one earring by Adam. Instead Quinn picks up the earring and then explains 'Oh I gave this to her when we were kids'. I may be nitpicking here but to me, small details make or break a thriller.

The setting also felt forced to me. The only relevance it had to the story was the phone calls, which I did find cute I admit, and the hiding of Quinn and Gilly's relationship, which was unnecessary to me. While I enjoyed their relationship, I did find it irritating how Quinn frequently outed Gilly to her friends and family without ever asking if it was okay. It felt like a straight person wrote it for a while (which is unfair of me to speculate I know, I just couldn't think of another reason why this was even missed). There were also small inaccuracies around the time. For example, when Quinn and her Mom were making the Poison Ivy costume, Quinn says they listened to a Halloween playlist but doesn't say if it was on the radio, a mix-tape, a CD, or any other time accurate music player. People in 2004 wouldn't use the word Playlist like we do now because streaming didn't exist.

I understand a lot of these aren't deal-breakers for most people but they really took me out of the story unfortunately!

I honestly thought I'd love this one but it didn't really click for me. A lot of it was predictable and, yet, still barely made sense to me. It just felt off. It was set in the early 2000s I think but it actually took me some time to remember this was said at the very beginning of the book. It made sense on some aspects but also didn't on others.
Also, I didn't really fall for the relationship between the mc and her love interest. It felt off to me the entire time. A lot of things did honestly.
Overall, this just didn't work for me like I thought it would.

This is so hard to rate because on one hand I listened to it in one sitting. While predictable and almost campy I wanted to keep listening. I enjoyed the sapphic romance and “watching” it unfold. It was a decent YA mystery if you don’t take it too seriously.

That being said the narration was hard to listen to. At regular speed which is what I base most of my opinions on, the narrator Hope Newhouse spoke so incredibly slow. It was completely unnatural. And while she settled out a bit further into the prose, the voices and inflections she used were insufferable. I have listened to this narrator before and didn’t have the same experience.
Thankfully speeding it up made it able to be listened to because had that not been an option I wouldn’t have been able to finish it.

As for the prose, it was well written and solid. I look forward to reading future books from this author.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Spotify for through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thanks to NetGalley and Row House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

A classmate from Quinn's high school is murdered and Quinn gets involved in figuring out the killer. She gets close with Gilly who was best friends with the victim. Solid story.

I enjoyed Hope Newhouse's narration.