Rating: ★★★★
The Dead Girls Club is a supernatural thriller full of nostalgia. It flashes back and forth between the present moment with Heather, as her past catches up with her, and flashbacks to moments shared with her best friends when she was 12. It brings back memories of sleep overs and sneaking out after dark, telling ghost stories in the dark, and playing games like Bloody Mary or Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board.
The author nailed the character of 12 year old girls, the fights, the love between them, the back and forth chatter. She had me remembering things I hadn’t thought of in ages. Overall I liked most of the characters and felt they were pretty fleshed out. I did grow frustrated at times with Heather’s inability to communicate with her husband and friends, as well as her increasingly erratic behavior, but it makes sense in the context.
The writing style felt very heavily stream of consciousness, which isn’t always my thing and grew a little tiresome here from time to time. Otherwise the writing and dialogue were fine.
The pacing never feels slow, (I’d actually describe it as quick) but the actual action doesn’t really ramp up until the very end. It’s more of a slow burn, strange things happening throughout, each becoming more brazen and mysterious. I often found it hard to put it down, no matter which storyline I was following. The spooky parts are sufficiently creepy, but it doesn’t veer too far into horror territory.
The ending is not predictable (I sure didn’t guess it, I don’t think anyone else will either) but it also isn’t surprising, I don’t want to say it’s been done before, but I feel like things like it have been done before. There was no definitive OMG I can’t believe it! Moment.
Overall a solid entry into the thriller genre with mass appeal. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an electronic copy for review.
The Dead Girls Club releases on December 10, 2019 and can be found GoodReads or preordered on Amazon.
Hamlets & Hyperspace 
I’m so glad you loved this! I won’t have time to read it until next month, but I’m super excited. I’m hoping this propels Damien into a wider audience because she really deserves it😁
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I think it will! I’ve already seen a couple reviews- a little mixed at this point, but it’s definitely one of the better “thrillers” I’ve read this year.
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WHOAAA! Spook alert 🚨 THAT TITLE! 😍😍😍😱😱😱😱 And seems like a few issues aside you really enjoyed it! I have never read any stream of consciousness but I agree that it might become a bit tiresome, judging by the sound of it. 😅
Still, AWESOME REVIEW AS ALWAYS Sarah’ 😍😍❤️❤️🌟🌟
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Thanks! It definitely can be tiresome, but I don’t mind it sometimes in small doses. And I did mostly enjoy it! Though to be honest, I don’t remember a whole lot of it now. I’m not sure if that says more about me or the book (which I read and reviewed quite a while a go).
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I love a book that can be classed as ‘slow burn’ yet also is quick with the pace. King does it very well (as you’re no doubt well aware).
Great review!
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Yes! That is indeed one of his many talents. And thank you!
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Sounds like an interesting book! I am a fan of the “I didn’t guess it but it wasn’t a surprise” ending, myself. It makes me feel like the author has done their job in giving me subtle clues without giving me a roadmap.
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That’s a good way of putting it! I actually don’t mind when a book keeps me guessing with some red herrings though. Although I don’t like it when a book seems to push towards one particular ending and then veers left with no hints whatsoever.
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Red herrings are fine. Intentionally omitting information just so the MC can feel smug for figuring out the mystery when the reader has no shot at it is another. (I kinda wish I remembered which book it was that burned me like that so I could avoid it in future. I seem to have a mental block against it, though.)
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Hahah! I know that feeling!
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Sounds intriguing, especially the satisfying but unpredictable ending 🙂 And nostalgia! 😉
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Nostalgia is one of my favorite guilty pleasure things in a book. I don’t remember much of the 80s, but I could totally see how some would love Ready Player One for nostalgia alone. For me it’s the 90s.
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Hmm, sounds interesting for sure. I don’t read a ton of books like this but might have to check this one out!
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Another thriller, if you’re looking to expand, that I read and really enjoyed this year was Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney. Nothing really supernatural about it, just lots of twists, turns and surprises.
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Nice! I’ll keep that one in mind, I keep meaning to read more thrillers in between other reads. Thanks!
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