Forever Girl
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Pub Date Oct 2 2026 | Archive Date Sep 13 2026
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Description
It's October, 1997, and Arlo Merrin spends his time driving an ambulance through the back streets of South Jersey with his co-workers, Corinne and Buddy. When he's not at work, he's holed up at a corner bar, smoking too many cigarettes and drinking too much Guinness. Then people close to Arlo start meeting violent, nightmarish ends. At the same time, Arlo witnesses the impossible — a woman standing across the street from a murder scene, a woman who too closely resembles his wife, Julie, who died from cancer six months earlier. When the police play a 911 call recorded at the scene of the murder and Arlo hears Julie's voice, his life spirals as he becomes convinced that the woman he loved has returned from the dead. And she wants him to join her in her grave. In order to protect Corinne, the one woman who offers him an escape from his grief, he needs to make a gut-wrenching decision that could destroy him.
Advance Praise
"Forever Girl is eerie, emotional, occasionally nasty, and just ambiguous enough to keep your brain poking at it after the final page [...] If you like your ghost stories with damaged people, messy relationships, small-town atmosphere, and enough uncertainty to make you question what the hell you just witnessed, this one belongs on your list."
- Robin Ginther-Venneri, Reedsy Discovery
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9798997479008 |
| PRICE | $3.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 214 |
Available on NetGalley
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Featured Reviews
Rudi M, Educator
**Forever Girl** by Brian McQuilkin was a beautiful, emotional, and thought-provoking read. There’s something incredibly powerful about a story that explores love, loss, memory, and the people who leave an imprint on our lives long after they’re gone.
I really appreciated the emotional depth of this book. The characters felt complicated and human, and the story made me think about the ways our past shapes who we become—and how some connections can stay with us forever.
This was the kind of book that made me slow down and sit with the story rather than simply rush to the ending. It’s heartfelt, reflective, and bittersweet, with plenty to think about after turning the final page.
If you enjoy emotional contemporary fiction centered around relationships, memories, and the enduring impact of love, **Forever Girl** is definitely worth adding to your TBR.
**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.**
Jessica Marie K, Reviewer
📖 BOOK REVIEW: Forever Girl by Brian McQuilkin
🗓️ Release Date: October 2, 2026
⭐ Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨ (4.5/5)
Looking for your next spine-chilling, emotionally devastating read? Put this one on your radar immediately!
🖤Set in the moody backdrop of October 1997, we follow Arlo Merrin, a grieving ambulance driver in South Jersey who is trying to survive the loss of his wife, Julie. But when horrific, nightmarish murders start happening around him, Arlo spots a woman who looks exactly like Julie standing at the crime scenes. Then comes the real kicker: her voice is captured on a 911 call from beyond the grave.
😳This isn’t just your standard ghost story. It’s a brilliant, gut-wrenching blend of atmospheric 90s nostalgia, deep psychological grief, and pure supernatural horror. McQuilkin crafts a slow-burn dread that asks a terrifying question: what do you do when the person you love most returns from the dead... but wants you to join her in the grave?
🪦The tension is real, the writing is beautifully literary, and the emotional stakes are incredibly high as Arlo tries to protect those around him from a vengeful entity. Perfect for fans of dark, small-town horror and emotional ghost stories!
Pre-order this debut horror novel now so you can dive in the second it drops on 10/02/2026! 🩸
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