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Dead Girls Don't Talk
Two best friends. One dead girl. Two sides of the story.
This is the story of Viola, and what happened before she killed Syl. She may be a killer, but she has something important to say.
This is the story of Syl, and what led to her death. Syl may be dead, but she isn't gone. Yet.
Viola and Syl were like sisters of different mothers. Born on the same day, neighbors from day one. The same schools, the same friends, the same lives. Nobody ever thought that these girls could be torn apart.
Until it happened.
Two weeks before Syl is supposed to leave for Stanford and Viola is ready for her new life in Princeton, Syl's body is found on the passenger seat of Viola's abandoned car. And Viola is gone.
The only evidence found at the scene leads to Viola. Was she really responsible for her best friend's death? Or are there other things at play?
Two versions of the story unfold, told from both Syl's and Viola's point of views in this unique turnaround book.
The reader decides which version to read first, and which one to believe. Or not.
This is the story of Viola, and what happened before she killed Syl. She may be a killer, but she has something important to say.
This is the story of Syl, and what led to her death. Syl may be dead, but she isn't gone. Yet.
Viola and Syl were like sisters of different mothers. Born on the same day, neighbors from day one. The same schools, the same friends, the same lives. Nobody ever thought that these girls could be torn apart.
Until it happened.
Two weeks before Syl is supposed to leave for Stanford and Viola is ready for her new life in Princeton, Syl's body is found on the passenger seat of Viola's abandoned car. And Viola is gone.
The only evidence found at the scene leads to Viola. Was she really responsible for her best friend's death? Or are there other things at play?
Two versions of the story unfold, told from both Syl's and Viola's point of views in this unique turnaround book.
The reader decides which version to read first, and which one to believe. Or not.
494 pages, Paperback
Published May 29, 2023
1454 people are currently reading
32052 people want to read
About the author
Sandra J. Paul
98 books237 followersAuthor of various psychological thrillers, Young Adult, Middle Grade and Children's books. Several bookrights have been sold to various countries.
Laureaat van de Aspe Award 2015.
Also known as Joanne Carlton.
Laureaat van de Aspe Award 2015.
Also known as Joanne Carlton.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 622 reviews
June 15, 2024
I very much like the concept of the book (the turn around thing) but there were many inaccuracies. My guess is the author got a bit confused with what happened when, or it was intentional to show the characters were both a little nuts. The story was a bit too depressing for me to really enjoy. I also would've liked it better if the two sides were very different from each other, so you are really trying to figure out who's lying. Now it was more of a "filling in the blanks" situation.
May 3, 2025
(ARC review, thanks NetGalley)
this was so bad i don’t even know where to start.
i’ll be nice first: the concept and idea of Dead Girls Don’t Talk is good, like a book with two POVs of the same happenings sounds super interesting, a story where the villain depends on who tells the story and that tackles themes like revenge or morality or something, but the execution just is not there. there was potential but it got absolutely massacred by the stupidness of everything.
this book wasn’t bad in a Twilight kind of way, it was bad in a “someone get this lady an editor PLEASE” way. whoever let the bad grammar and nonsensical sentence structures pass in whatever editorial revisions happen in the publishing process must’ve had some kind of grudge against the author because it was just ridiculous.
aside from that, the sentences were choppy and static, and oh my god don’t even get me started on the dialogue. these are supposed to be American teenagers but the whole time i was just screaming “NO ONE TALKS LIKE THISSS” because no one does!! i have never met a teenager that used the words “reverie” or “circumvent” unironically. and this could’ve been overlooked if that was the point, like a creative choice or whatever, but these kind of words are just thrown in there with no rhyme or reason among the other repetitive words that I just thought “yeah, she google translated this”.
the story and characters. everyone and everything is so boring. for a YA, i found it awfully hard to relate to any of the characters. mainly because they literally had no depth. their personalities are their flaws only. and it’s told that Viola and Syl were besties but then not anymore or whatever, but we don’t get any proof of that. dynamics between characters should be shown, not told. especially not repetitively, every two pages, as if the reader has short-term memory loss. the characters feel unreal and almost silly. and the lack of side characters?? Viola and Syl are supposed to be teenagers going to school, but their worlds seem to be nothing other than family. and again, this wasn’t the point. “Viola sits with her friends” who are these friends? what are their names? sure, they might not be important but it gives a sense of realism for this teenage main character to know her friends’ names at least. and they can give the reader insight on how the MC is. is she nice to her friends? which ones does she not like? why? literally basic questions a writer should have figured out at the beginning. these are supposed to be actual people but they just felt like accessories to the main plot which is one of the worst things an author can do.
i physically could not care about the story. the only thing i liked was Syl being a ghost and maybe Annie, but again, she has no personality so i don’t think the bar is very high. i thought i was being mean because of the writing, but the more i read, the more i realized it’s not just the writing. it’s the tacky dialogue, the flat characters, the non-existent dynamics, the constant “tell” instead of show and tell. i’ve read better stuff on Wattpad.
final thoughts: the potential was there, the execution massacred it
1.25⭐️
this was so bad i don’t even know where to start.
i’ll be nice first: the concept and idea of Dead Girls Don’t Talk is good, like a book with two POVs of the same happenings sounds super interesting, a story where the villain depends on who tells the story and that tackles themes like revenge or morality or something, but the execution just is not there. there was potential but it got absolutely massacred by the stupidness of everything.
this book wasn’t bad in a Twilight kind of way, it was bad in a “someone get this lady an editor PLEASE” way. whoever let the bad grammar and nonsensical sentence structures pass in whatever editorial revisions happen in the publishing process must’ve had some kind of grudge against the author because it was just ridiculous.
aside from that, the sentences were choppy and static, and oh my god don’t even get me started on the dialogue. these are supposed to be American teenagers but the whole time i was just screaming “NO ONE TALKS LIKE THISSS” because no one does!! i have never met a teenager that used the words “reverie” or “circumvent” unironically. and this could’ve been overlooked if that was the point, like a creative choice or whatever, but these kind of words are just thrown in there with no rhyme or reason among the other repetitive words that I just thought “yeah, she google translated this”.
the story and characters. everyone and everything is so boring. for a YA, i found it awfully hard to relate to any of the characters. mainly because they literally had no depth. their personalities are their flaws only. and it’s told that Viola and Syl were besties but then not anymore or whatever, but we don’t get any proof of that. dynamics between characters should be shown, not told. especially not repetitively, every two pages, as if the reader has short-term memory loss. the characters feel unreal and almost silly. and the lack of side characters?? Viola and Syl are supposed to be teenagers going to school, but their worlds seem to be nothing other than family. and again, this wasn’t the point. “Viola sits with her friends” who are these friends? what are their names? sure, they might not be important but it gives a sense of realism for this teenage main character to know her friends’ names at least. and they can give the reader insight on how the MC is. is she nice to her friends? which ones does she not like? why? literally basic questions a writer should have figured out at the beginning. these are supposed to be actual people but they just felt like accessories to the main plot which is one of the worst things an author can do.
i physically could not care about the story. the only thing i liked was Syl being a ghost and maybe Annie, but again, she has no personality so i don’t think the bar is very high. i thought i was being mean because of the writing, but the more i read, the more i realized it’s not just the writing. it’s the tacky dialogue, the flat characters, the non-existent dynamics, the constant “tell” instead of show and tell. i’ve read better stuff on Wattpad.
final thoughts: the potential was there, the execution massacred it
1.25⭐️
May 22, 2024
Well I think I have a new favorite! This one was so much fun to read.. I love the fact that you can choose which story you want to read first. The one of the dead girl of the one of the runner.
The book is built up in a way that you don’t want to put it away you want to know what really happend in the car! Loveitloveitloveit
The book is built up in a way that you don’t want to put it away you want to know what really happend in the car! Loveitloveitloveit
September 9, 2024
The concept was good. The idea behind the book is interesting, but god, it was bad...
I'm so disappointed because I was excited to read this book
All of the characters, without exception, are annoying af, I wanted to scream at them the whole book
Some parts were sooooo long and unnecessary
Let's not talk about the supposed twists in the book, I saw all of them coming from a mile away, and the final reveal was the stupidest thing I've ever read
I'm also not a fan of the writing style, but that's personal
Overall, I didn't have a good time, I read it all because I wanted to know what happened, but I'm just disappointed
I'm so disappointed because I was excited to read this book
All of the characters, without exception, are annoying af, I wanted to scream at them the whole book
Some parts were sooooo long and unnecessary
Let's not talk about the supposed twists in the book, I saw all of them coming from a mile away, and the final reveal was the stupidest thing I've ever read
I'm also not a fan of the writing style, but that's personal
Overall, I didn't have a good time, I read it all because I wanted to know what happened, but I'm just disappointed
September 26, 2025
ARC
eARC recieved from NetGalley.
This was peak freak4freak friendship (peep my reading updates for this book 😭)
Two best friends, one dead, another missing, sounds like the perfect setup for a mind-blowing read, right? And I'm happy to announce, it was!!
The book is split into Syl’s and Viola’s POVs, and you get to decide which one to read first—the dead girl’s version of events or the one who lived—super cool concept, had me hooked. The plot itself is solid, but the writing in the beginning felt kinda dry? It only started hitting when the vibe shifted to something more tense and gripping. After that, I was all in.
The constant timeline jumps were so confusing, I had to literally write down timestamps to keep track of what was happening when. But once I powered through that, the emotions started landing.
'Part Two' of Syl’s section, where she dives deep into her and Viola’s friendship (or how it began, at the very least), was chef’s kiss—the kind of bittersweet nostalgia that makes you want to text your childhood bestie ASAP 🥹
Plot twist after plot twist, tragedy after tragedy, and people keep dying 😭 this book does not let up. If you’re gonna pick this up, be prepared for it.
eARC recieved from NetGalley.
This was peak freak4freak friendship (peep my reading updates for this book 😭)
Two best friends, one dead, another missing, sounds like the perfect setup for a mind-blowing read, right? And I'm happy to announce, it was!!
The book is split into Syl’s and Viola’s POVs, and you get to decide which one to read first—the dead girl’s version of events or the one who lived—super cool concept, had me hooked. The plot itself is solid, but the writing in the beginning felt kinda dry? It only started hitting when the vibe shifted to something more tense and gripping. After that, I was all in.
The constant timeline jumps were so confusing, I had to literally write down timestamps to keep track of what was happening when. But once I powered through that, the emotions started landing.
'Part Two' of Syl’s section, where she dives deep into her and Viola’s friendship (or how it began, at the very least), was chef’s kiss—the kind of bittersweet nostalgia that makes you want to text your childhood bestie ASAP 🥹
Plot twist after plot twist, tragedy after tragedy, and people keep dying 😭 this book does not let up. If you’re gonna pick this up, be prepared for it.
August 20, 2025
i hated practically every character in this book
August 8, 2025
I loved the concept; I just didn't think it was executed very well.
There were two POVs, and it's up to the readers to choose which one they want to read first—Syl's or Viola's version of events. Although I expected it to be repetitive at times because, well, it's two different narratives of what happened leading up to Syl's demise, somewhere along the way it got boring and stodgy.
I liked the supernatural element and the LGBT representation, but I just couldn't connect with the flat characters; even the twists could not save this for me.
Overall, this is a decent read for anyone who wants to try something different—just not for me.
There were two POVs, and it's up to the readers to choose which one they want to read first—Syl's or Viola's version of events. Although I expected it to be repetitive at times because, well, it's two different narratives of what happened leading up to Syl's demise, somewhere along the way it got boring and stodgy.
I liked the supernatural element and the LGBT representation, but I just couldn't connect with the flat characters; even the twists could not save this for me.
Overall, this is a decent read for anyone who wants to try something different—just not for me.
April 14, 2025
This was a fun mystery, but not a very good one. The book never made me care about that characters and it wasn’t well written, but halfway through I got interested in the mystery.
Imagine a story that throws you, the reader, right into the heart of a mystery, much like "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" and "One of Us Is Lying." Two girls, once inseparable best friends, are now at the center of a tragedy. Syl is gone, the victim of a fatal car accident, and Viola has disappeared after the car crash
But here's the twist: you get to choose where the story begins. Will you delve into the past through Syl's eyes, the girl who tragically died? Or will you chase after the truth alongside Viola, the one who ran?
This book cleverly offers two starting points, each promising a different perspective on the events that tore these friends apart. Decide whose side you'll hear first and prepare to unravel the secrets behind the crash.
I did found the mystery captivating & was genuinely surprised by the ending, especially after starting with Viola's story.
Though the characters could have been more deeply developed and the writing sharper, the puzzle at the core of Syl and Viola's fate certainly grabbed my attention and kept me turning the pages, particularly as the story progressed.
I guess mystery readers can go for this one as it was really fast pace & easy to follow!
Imagine a story that throws you, the reader, right into the heart of a mystery, much like "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" and "One of Us Is Lying." Two girls, once inseparable best friends, are now at the center of a tragedy. Syl is gone, the victim of a fatal car accident, and Viola has disappeared after the car crash
But here's the twist: you get to choose where the story begins. Will you delve into the past through Syl's eyes, the girl who tragically died? Or will you chase after the truth alongside Viola, the one who ran?
This book cleverly offers two starting points, each promising a different perspective on the events that tore these friends apart. Decide whose side you'll hear first and prepare to unravel the secrets behind the crash.
I did found the mystery captivating & was genuinely surprised by the ending, especially after starting with Viola's story.
Though the characters could have been more deeply developed and the writing sharper, the puzzle at the core of Syl and Viola's fate certainly grabbed my attention and kept me turning the pages, particularly as the story progressed.
I guess mystery readers can go for this one as it was really fast pace & easy to follow!
November 11, 2024
4,5/5 ⭐
What a rollercoaster! All these twists and turns, lies and deceits, half-truths and coloured viewpoints… I had a hard time putting this book down. I was already a big fan of the flip over book concept since reading Mijn Waarheid. Dead girls don’t talk confirmes that Sandra J Paul really knows how to tell a compelling story with two POVs, each telling their own story, each turning out to be unreliable narrators, hiding lots of things.Maybe some things don’t add up completely, but I guess that’s part of the story too. It really shows how everyone has their own truth, their own way of experiencing and remembering certain events.
We’ve already had a few interesting discussions about this book in our book club. It’s funny how opinions are different depending on which side you’ve read first. I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a thriller, where you’ll read both sides of the story before finding out what really happened.
What a rollercoaster! All these twists and turns, lies and deceits, half-truths and coloured viewpoints… I had a hard time putting this book down. I was already a big fan of the flip over book concept since reading Mijn Waarheid. Dead girls don’t talk confirmes that Sandra J Paul really knows how to tell a compelling story with two POVs, each telling their own story, each turning out to be unreliable narrators, hiding lots of things.Maybe some things don’t add up completely, but I guess that’s part of the story too. It really shows how everyone has their own truth, their own way of experiencing and remembering certain events.
We’ve already had a few interesting discussions about this book in our book club. It’s funny how opinions are different depending on which side you’ve read first. I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a thriller, where you’ll read both sides of the story before finding out what really happened.
August 27, 2025
Heel leuk dit concept! En het verhaal werd duidelijker toen ik beide kanten had gelezen. Echter toen ik de ‘waarheid’ las zat ik met meer vragen dan ervoor. Had een betere plottwist verwacht eigenlijk. Deze voelde ongeloofwaardig en afgeraffeld. Tip, met Viola’s kant beginnen!
March 14, 2024
The concept of this book was what intrigued me.
Two best friends get into a car accident, one dies and one survives. A lot of questions are going around to what happened exactly.
With this book you get the two povs of everything that went down before the accident right up until the accident happened. What’s fun about this book is you decide whose pov you read first: Violet, the manipulative best friend that survived, or Syl, the introvert best friend that died. And you have to actually flip to book to read the other pov. When you have read both, you can read the truth in the middle of the book, at the end of both pov’s.
That said, reading both pov’s shows that they both lied about certain things that happened which made it hard for me to decide “I believe this best friend”. Getting to the truth, things were cleared up. But with other things I still had questions.
I was hoping for a bigger revelation.
Two best friends get into a car accident, one dies and one survives. A lot of questions are going around to what happened exactly.
With this book you get the two povs of everything that went down before the accident right up until the accident happened. What’s fun about this book is you decide whose pov you read first: Violet, the manipulative best friend that survived, or Syl, the introvert best friend that died. And you have to actually flip to book to read the other pov. When you have read both, you can read the truth in the middle of the book, at the end of both pov’s.
That said, reading both pov’s shows that they both lied about certain things that happened which made it hard for me to decide “I believe this best friend”. Getting to the truth, things were cleared up. But with other things I still had questions.
I was hoping for a bigger revelation.
July 12, 2025
3.75 ✰ Fast paced, flows very well and the flip over concept it’s so fun and different.
October 17, 2023
Fan van Pretty little liars? Dan is dit boek écht wat voor jou!
Syl en Viola zijn op dezelfde dag geboren, zijn samen haast opgegroeid alsof ze een tweeling zijn en zijn daarom de dikste vriendinnen.
Dit zou je tenminste verwachten.
Plots veranderd alles wanneer hun zestiende verjaardag dichterbij komt.
Er ontstaat een breuk en de meiden spreken elkaar bijna niet meer.
Twee jaar later is er een heftig auto ongeluk waarin Syl om het leven komt.
Ze vonden Syl achter het stuur in de auto van Viola, Viola zelf is op de vlucht geslagen.
Was dit een ongeluk?
Of zit er meer achter, en gaat dit verhaal veel verder dan dat het lijkt?
Misschien zelfs zo ver dat het eindigt met een moord..
Ik heb dit boek in één dag uitgelezen omdat ik het gewoonweg NIET opzij kon leggen.
In dit omkeer boek krijg je de pov’s van Syl en Viola, die allebei hun kant van het verhaal vertellen en dit bouwt allemaal op tot het auto-ongeluk die in het midden van het boek plaatsvindt en wat er écht die avond plaats heeft gevonden.
Het speelt zich af in een stadje waar iedereen elkaar wel kent, de roddels alle kanten opvliegen en haast niks geheim kan blijven, maar tóch zijn er nog een aantal geheimen die boven water komen..
Er is geen volgorde of je met het verhaal van Viola of met die van Syl begint, dit maakt niet uit en heeft verder geen invloed op het verhaal.
Ik begon zelf met het verhaal van Syl, omdat ik toch wel erg nieuwsgierig was naar hoe de dead girl zelf nog zo veel te vertellen had.
Zij gaat naar een paranormaal medium als geest zijnde om haar verhaal te vertellen voordat het te laat is en haar ziel vervaagd.
Ook de kant van Viola was erg interessant, nadat ik de kant van Syl had gelezen was ik erg benieuwd wat haar kijk was op alle gebeurtenissen die ik al vanuit de andere pov had gelezen.
Het is de exact zelfde storyline, maar dan toch op zo’n manier verteld met andere gebeurtenissen dat het interessant en boeiend blijft en er toch puzzelstukjes in elkaar beginnen te klikken.
Deze personages zullen het bloed vanonder je nagels vandaan halen, maar toch heb je het onwijs met ze te doen hoe dieper je in het verhaal komt te zitten.
De storyline, de personages, het grote mysterie rondom het ongeluk.. ik vond het allemaal zo goed uitgewerkt.
Dit boek heeft mijn brein echt overhoop gehaald op een hele goede manier!
4,5 sterren.
Syl en Viola zijn op dezelfde dag geboren, zijn samen haast opgegroeid alsof ze een tweeling zijn en zijn daarom de dikste vriendinnen.
Dit zou je tenminste verwachten.
Plots veranderd alles wanneer hun zestiende verjaardag dichterbij komt.
Er ontstaat een breuk en de meiden spreken elkaar bijna niet meer.
Twee jaar later is er een heftig auto ongeluk waarin Syl om het leven komt.
Ze vonden Syl achter het stuur in de auto van Viola, Viola zelf is op de vlucht geslagen.
Was dit een ongeluk?
Of zit er meer achter, en gaat dit verhaal veel verder dan dat het lijkt?
Misschien zelfs zo ver dat het eindigt met een moord..
Ik heb dit boek in één dag uitgelezen omdat ik het gewoonweg NIET opzij kon leggen.
In dit omkeer boek krijg je de pov’s van Syl en Viola, die allebei hun kant van het verhaal vertellen en dit bouwt allemaal op tot het auto-ongeluk die in het midden van het boek plaatsvindt en wat er écht die avond plaats heeft gevonden.
Het speelt zich af in een stadje waar iedereen elkaar wel kent, de roddels alle kanten opvliegen en haast niks geheim kan blijven, maar tóch zijn er nog een aantal geheimen die boven water komen..
Er is geen volgorde of je met het verhaal van Viola of met die van Syl begint, dit maakt niet uit en heeft verder geen invloed op het verhaal.
Ik begon zelf met het verhaal van Syl, omdat ik toch wel erg nieuwsgierig was naar hoe de dead girl zelf nog zo veel te vertellen had.
Zij gaat naar een paranormaal medium als geest zijnde om haar verhaal te vertellen voordat het te laat is en haar ziel vervaagd.
Ook de kant van Viola was erg interessant, nadat ik de kant van Syl had gelezen was ik erg benieuwd wat haar kijk was op alle gebeurtenissen die ik al vanuit de andere pov had gelezen.
Het is de exact zelfde storyline, maar dan toch op zo’n manier verteld met andere gebeurtenissen dat het interessant en boeiend blijft en er toch puzzelstukjes in elkaar beginnen te klikken.
Deze personages zullen het bloed vanonder je nagels vandaan halen, maar toch heb je het onwijs met ze te doen hoe dieper je in het verhaal komt te zitten.
De storyline, de personages, het grote mysterie rondom het ongeluk.. ik vond het allemaal zo goed uitgewerkt.
Dit boek heeft mijn brein echt overhoop gehaald op een hele goede manier!
4,5 sterren.
July 8, 2025
20 books in 30 days
Book #12
1.5 ⭐️
My oh my where do i even start. It was such a huge task to finish this book. So many plot holes, so many character contradiction moments, and the whole story seemed forced to me. The author must’ve the idea of a flipover book and then to fit into that idea, she created this. First of all this book needs heavy editing. So many grammatical mistakes and the writing style seemed so wattpad-ish. And telling the same story by two different povs was not a great idea especially when the povs are not even contradicting each other. It didn’t create that ‘unreliable narrator’ feeling. Plus the main plot of the book was so illogical, the residents were rich, they didn’t feel like themselves in love hill then why live there?
Book #12
1.5 ⭐️
My oh my where do i even start. It was such a huge task to finish this book. So many plot holes, so many character contradiction moments, and the whole story seemed forced to me. The author must’ve the idea of a flipover book and then to fit into that idea, she created this. First of all this book needs heavy editing. So many grammatical mistakes and the writing style seemed so wattpad-ish. And telling the same story by two different povs was not a great idea especially when the povs are not even contradicting each other. It didn’t create that ‘unreliable narrator’ feeling. Plus the main plot of the book was so illogical, the residents were rich, they didn’t feel like themselves in love hill then why live there?
May 9, 2025
౨ৎ | ‘dead girls don’t talk… but this one does.’
— ★ 1/5
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review!!
let me be frank, i did like the writing and the plot was good but it did lack a lot of punch. like it was boring, and i didn’t feel compelled to read this hence why it took me so long.
also both syl and viola pissed me off. i wasn’t rooting for either of them, nor did i actually care about what happened in their lives.
but i mean it was okay! i just hated the characters which makes me not like a book at all. also the side characters….. *side eye*
— ★ 1/5
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review!!
let me be frank, i did like the writing and the plot was good but it did lack a lot of punch. like it was boring, and i didn’t feel compelled to read this hence why it took me so long.
also both syl and viola pissed me off. i wasn’t rooting for either of them, nor did i actually care about what happened in their lives.
but i mean it was okay! i just hated the characters which makes me not like a book at all. also the side characters….. *side eye*
August 15, 2024
Honestly, the only thing I enjoyed about this book in the end was the concept, but it was poorly executed. Disappointed by the ending, but what really ruined it for me was the amount of spelling and grammar mistakes. No offense at all to Sarah J Paul, but either this book should have gone through several more rounds of editing, or the author should have just written it in her native language from which it is so obviously (mis)translated at points.
September 1, 2024
The ending was quite unsatisfying and ruined the characters and basically said that one of the povs was pointless
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Skyscape for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
‘Dead Girls Don’t Talk’ by Sandra J. Paul is a mystery/thriller novel that asks the question: whose story do you believe? Syl and Viola, born on the same day, growing up on the same street, were destined to be best friends. Except life gets in the way and their perfect friendship begins to crack, until it all comes crumbling down, culminating in a huge tragedy. Two girls, one car accident: one is dead, the other is missing. What really happened? Viola has disappeared and Syl… Well, dead girls don’t talk, do they?
This is a book of two halves, literally. There are two sides to every story, and in this book, you choose whose version of events you read first, before you find out The Truth. This book was set in a caricature of a small, All-American town: everybody knows everybody, keeping up appearances, don’t break the status quo etc etc. I’ve seen some criticism on how accurate this is, but as a Brit who last went to the US as a kid visiting Disney, I don’t feel I can comment on that.
Our two narrators, and main characters, are Syl and Viola. Syl is your classic, quiet ‘good girl’ and she would tell you that Viola is her antithesis: chaotic, loud, and manipulative. Or is she? Because Viola would say, yeah, she is those things BUT Syl isn’t perfect either. In fact, Viola would tell you that Syl is the truly manipulative one, not her.
And therein lies the fun in this book. Choose who you read first, then choose who you believe. The premise is, honestly, right up my street and I had really high hopes for this.
Starting with the positives: alongside a brilliant premise, this book is fast-paced and our narrators are hella unreliable (which I love). Trying to piece together what each girl said and comparing it to the other was most of the fun of reading this. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding their friendship and its implosion, and unravelling the threads one by one. The book has short chapters and plenty of twists and turns that could keep the reader engaged throughout.
However, this was the real issue. This book had so much potential that it unfortunately didn’t live up to. The two sides of the same story could have been done so much better, instead of just repeating events from a different POV. Despite these two girls being described as very different, their narratives were incredibly similar and neither of their voices were particularly strong. Add that to a plot/timeline errors, and it made for a sometimes confusing experience. I also found it incredibly difficult to connect emotionally to any of the characters, which is a shame, as there could have been some real emotional sucker punches. Moreover, the dialogue was a little… unrealistic. Again, I’m no longer a teenager but I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief that people actually talk to each other in this way. It just took me out of the story every so often.
And as for the twist? It fell flat for me. I sort of knew whose side I was going to land on, but I just felt more could have been done. I found myself thinking whether the narrators were truly unreliable, or was it more that the author was tangling themselves up?
Overall, this was a case of great idea with a not-so-great execution. I appreciated the concept but feel it fell a little flat, which is a shame, because there was so much potential.
2.5 🌟
‘Dead Girls Don’t Talk’ by Sandra J. Paul is a mystery/thriller novel that asks the question: whose story do you believe? Syl and Viola, born on the same day, growing up on the same street, were destined to be best friends. Except life gets in the way and their perfect friendship begins to crack, until it all comes crumbling down, culminating in a huge tragedy. Two girls, one car accident: one is dead, the other is missing. What really happened? Viola has disappeared and Syl… Well, dead girls don’t talk, do they?
This is a book of two halves, literally. There are two sides to every story, and in this book, you choose whose version of events you read first, before you find out The Truth. This book was set in a caricature of a small, All-American town: everybody knows everybody, keeping up appearances, don’t break the status quo etc etc. I’ve seen some criticism on how accurate this is, but as a Brit who last went to the US as a kid visiting Disney, I don’t feel I can comment on that.
Our two narrators, and main characters, are Syl and Viola. Syl is your classic, quiet ‘good girl’ and she would tell you that Viola is her antithesis: chaotic, loud, and manipulative. Or is she? Because Viola would say, yeah, she is those things BUT Syl isn’t perfect either. In fact, Viola would tell you that Syl is the truly manipulative one, not her.
And therein lies the fun in this book. Choose who you read first, then choose who you believe. The premise is, honestly, right up my street and I had really high hopes for this.
Starting with the positives: alongside a brilliant premise, this book is fast-paced and our narrators are hella unreliable (which I love). Trying to piece together what each girl said and comparing it to the other was most of the fun of reading this. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding their friendship and its implosion, and unravelling the threads one by one. The book has short chapters and plenty of twists and turns that could keep the reader engaged throughout.
However, this was the real issue. This book had so much potential that it unfortunately didn’t live up to. The two sides of the same story could have been done so much better, instead of just repeating events from a different POV. Despite these two girls being described as very different, their narratives were incredibly similar and neither of their voices were particularly strong. Add that to a plot/timeline errors, and it made for a sometimes confusing experience. I also found it incredibly difficult to connect emotionally to any of the characters, which is a shame, as there could have been some real emotional sucker punches. Moreover, the dialogue was a little… unrealistic. Again, I’m no longer a teenager but I just couldn’t suspend my disbelief that people actually talk to each other in this way. It just took me out of the story every so often.
And as for the twist? It fell flat for me. I sort of knew whose side I was going to land on, but I just felt more could have been done. I found myself thinking whether the narrators were truly unreliable, or was it more that the author was tangling themselves up?
Overall, this was a case of great idea with a not-so-great execution. I appreciated the concept but feel it fell a little flat, which is a shame, because there was so much potential.
2.5 🌟
June 27, 2024
I am usually a huge fan of the “Whodunnit” genre and the concept of this book intrigued me for this reason. Two best friends end up in a car accident and you need to listen to both sides to decide who to trust.
Unfortunately for me this book fell a bit flat. I ended it with more question than when I started it.
The plot twist was, in my opinion, very bland and both sides are sometimes very repetitive (though I enjoyed a bit more Viola’s). I would have believed more an ending with Lila being an actual stalker of Syl and manipulating both of them, rather than a Do-Revenge-reprise.
It’s a shame. I probably won’t recommend this.
Unfortunately for me this book fell a bit flat. I ended it with more question than when I started it.
The plot twist was, in my opinion, very bland and both sides are sometimes very repetitive (though I enjoyed a bit more Viola’s). I would have believed more an ending with Lila being an actual stalker of Syl and manipulating both of them, rather than a Do-Revenge-reprise.
It’s a shame. I probably won’t recommend this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2025
Did this book have editors? Editors that speak english? Unlikely.
Could have been a solid 100 pages shorter.
The story is fine, nothing groundbreaking, but fine. But the writing... Clumsy and repetitive.
Could have been a solid 100 pages shorter.
The story is fine, nothing groundbreaking, but fine. But the writing... Clumsy and repetitive.
October 20, 2024
Repetitive, immature, dull.
August 27, 2025
Allereerst wil ik zeggen dat ik het hele concept van het boek echt super leuk vind. Vooral omdat het niet uitmaakt aan welke kant van het boek je begint, er blijven spannende dingen voorbij komen. Ook HOU ik van boeken met korte hoofdstukken, dus dat was ook zeker een pluspunt. Nu over het verhaal zelf. Ik zat er echt al vanaf moment 1 helemaal in. Er gebeuren heel veel dingen in het verhaal en je gaat er echt helemaal in mee. Ook vond ik het leuk dat er steeds sprongen werden gemaakt vanuit het heden (de nacht van het ongeluk) en het verleden. Zo leer je de karakters steeds beter kennen. Het einde vond ik goed, alleen vind ik het stukje waarin Syl dus met Lila afgesproken had met Lila in dat stadje waar zij dan met de familie van Viola op vakantie was een beetje raar. Het voelde niet echt als iets wat Syl zou doen. Dus dit stukje voelde voor mij een beetje ongeloofwaardig. Verder vind ik het dan wel weer een goede plot om te lezen dat die Lila eigenlijk echt een psycho stalker was, waar je tijdens het verhaal niks van merkt. Ook vind ik de epiloog goed. Dat uiteindelijk Viola de gene was die de waarheid sprak verwacht je eigenlijk niet (vanuit haar narcistische persoonlijkheid te zien). Dan is het juist echt weer ziekelijk fso dat ze dan in haar nieuwe kamer in Stanford weer een nieuw ‘slachtoffer’ heeft. Ofja, ze praat over haar kamergenoot alsof ze haar makkelijk kan beïnvloeden.
Dus ik heb echt genoten van het boek. Er zat genoeg spanning in voor mij, en ook dat het niet te voorspellend was. Al met al geef ik dit boek dikke 4 sterren!!
Dus ik heb echt genoten van het boek. Er zat genoeg spanning in voor mij, en ook dat het niet te voorspellend was. Al met al geef ik dit boek dikke 4 sterren!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2025
5 🌟 for the concept
2 🌟 for everything else. What a shame, this has so much promise. But there weee lots of inconsistencies, lots of loose connections. I wish I had dnf’d .
The narration was pretty bad too…..sorry!
Thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
2 🌟 for everything else. What a shame, this has so much promise. But there weee lots of inconsistencies, lots of loose connections. I wish I had dnf’d .
The narration was pretty bad too…..sorry!
Thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
September 19, 2024
The concept of this book is just, *chefs kiss*. But the story is darker than I’d expected. Let’s say both of the girls were twisted. And so is Love Hill. And do not even get me started about Lila….
April 8, 2025
Flipover concept is leuk, maar het verhaal wat minder. Het werd repetitief en ik ergerde me aan het kinderachtige gedrag van bepaalde karakters.
March 30, 2025
4★
Wow! This was such an interesting read. It’s a story about the death of a girl, Syl, and her ex-best friend, Viola, who is the alleged culprit of said girls’ death. This is a book where half of it is written in the perspective of the dead girl, and the other half of the best friend.
What’s super cool about this book is you can choose whose perspective to read first, and then read the other before moving on to the ending. I decided to go with Syl’s perspective first, and then Viola’s, which I think is the best way to read it.
This was an intriguing read and I sped through it. I didn’t wanna put it down. I was captivated by the start, especially with the story of how the friendship ended, and how one of them ended up dead.
Honestly, the ending was so shocking. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that! There was plot twist after plot twist!
My only negative, is that I think the ending was a little bit rushed. I wanted to really see things play out afterwards, and it was not a huge revelation. I was dumbfounded by the actions of two specific characters, and how they made the other out to be the bad guy.
I was honestly conflicted by the very end on who I really believed, but overall, it was a fun and interesting read!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Wow! This was such an interesting read. It’s a story about the death of a girl, Syl, and her ex-best friend, Viola, who is the alleged culprit of said girls’ death. This is a book where half of it is written in the perspective of the dead girl, and the other half of the best friend.
What’s super cool about this book is you can choose whose perspective to read first, and then read the other before moving on to the ending. I decided to go with Syl’s perspective first, and then Viola’s, which I think is the best way to read it.
This was an intriguing read and I sped through it. I didn’t wanna put it down. I was captivated by the start, especially with the story of how the friendship ended, and how one of them ended up dead.
Honestly, the ending was so shocking. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that! There was plot twist after plot twist!
My only negative, is that I think the ending was a little bit rushed. I wanted to really see things play out afterwards, and it was not a huge revelation. I was dumbfounded by the actions of two specific characters, and how they made the other out to be the bad guy.
I was honestly conflicted by the very end on who I really believed, but overall, it was a fun and interesting read!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 4, 2024
«Dead Girls Don’t Talk» by Sandra J. Paul had me hooked from the start. First & foremost, I found the pacing perfectly balanced, keeping me engaged throughout. It was so compelling & I never felt bored or disconnected from the plot, making me anxious to finish this as soon as possible.
The book explores themes of secrets, betrayal & trust in a way that feels painstakingly real. It shows how, in daily life, we often think we know everything about the people around us, but the truth is that there are always things hidden in plain sight. At some point, you will have to accept that you may never know the full truth - & people may not always be as honest as you think.
I found myself relating & emotionally connected to all characters, but especially to Syl. While some readers might have a different opinion about her, I actually sympathized with her. Despite the shocking reveal at the end of the story, I could understood her way of thinking - which ultimately led to her rather questionable actions.
The relationships between the characters drove the story’s development. There are some unexpected twists I didn’t see coming at all. What I appreciated was that not all the relationships were fully revealed until the last part of the book, which blindsided me completely. By the end, everything fell into place & it all made sense in the context of the characters’ complex interactions.
The setting of the story - Harbour Hill, or as the residents call it, Love Hill - was the perfect setting for this twisted tale. It’s a small, tight-knit, conservative & religious town where rumor travels fast & everyone knows each other’s business. The setting adds a layer of tension & emotional depth, making it seem like time stood still here, as many characters are not free to live their most authentic life in terms of their sexuality.
After finishing the book, I was a little bit in shock, mainly because of the actions of Syl & Lila. I didn’t expect them to be the deceive ones & fool Viola, which made me feel rather conflicted. While the ending seemed to portray Viola as a saint & Syl as the one in the wrong, it didn’t sit entirely right with me & left me with a lot of mixed emotions.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a mystery involving death & deceit. The dual POV format is an added bonus & the flipover edition, uncovering the truth in the center of the book, makes it an even more thrilling read.
The book explores themes of secrets, betrayal & trust in a way that feels painstakingly real. It shows how, in daily life, we often think we know everything about the people around us, but the truth is that there are always things hidden in plain sight. At some point, you will have to accept that you may never know the full truth - & people may not always be as honest as you think.
I found myself relating & emotionally connected to all characters, but especially to Syl. While some readers might have a different opinion about her, I actually sympathized with her. Despite the shocking reveal at the end of the story, I could understood her way of thinking - which ultimately led to her rather questionable actions.
The relationships between the characters drove the story’s development. There are some unexpected twists I didn’t see coming at all. What I appreciated was that not all the relationships were fully revealed until the last part of the book, which blindsided me completely. By the end, everything fell into place & it all made sense in the context of the characters’ complex interactions.
The setting of the story - Harbour Hill, or as the residents call it, Love Hill - was the perfect setting for this twisted tale. It’s a small, tight-knit, conservative & religious town where rumor travels fast & everyone knows each other’s business. The setting adds a layer of tension & emotional depth, making it seem like time stood still here, as many characters are not free to live their most authentic life in terms of their sexuality.
After finishing the book, I was a little bit in shock, mainly because of the actions of Syl & Lila. I didn’t expect them to be the deceive ones & fool Viola, which made me feel rather conflicted. While the ending seemed to portray Viola as a saint & Syl as the one in the wrong, it didn’t sit entirely right with me & left me with a lot of mixed emotions.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a mystery involving death & deceit. The dual POV format is an added bonus & the flipover edition, uncovering the truth in the center of the book, makes it an even more thrilling read.
July 19, 2025
4 ☆
Dead Girls Don’t Talk by Sandra J. Paul is definitely a unique reading experience. I started with Syl’s side and was immediately hooked by the mystery and the emotional layers of her story. The flipover concept was really clever—it gave the book a fresh, interactive feel that made it stand out.
Reading Viola’s side took me a bit longer. While I appreciated getting her perspective and seeing how the stories intertwined, I found parts of her narrative slower and sometimes a bit repetitive. Still, having the two POVs added depth and made the overall plot more intriguing.
The ending left me a little confused, and I wish it had tied things together more clearly. But despite that, I enjoyed the journey and the dual storytelling format. A solid, creative read!
Dead Girls Don’t Talk by Sandra J. Paul is definitely a unique reading experience. I started with Syl’s side and was immediately hooked by the mystery and the emotional layers of her story. The flipover concept was really clever—it gave the book a fresh, interactive feel that made it stand out.
Reading Viola’s side took me a bit longer. While I appreciated getting her perspective and seeing how the stories intertwined, I found parts of her narrative slower and sometimes a bit repetitive. Still, having the two POVs added depth and made the overall plot more intriguing.
The ending left me a little confused, and I wish it had tied things together more clearly. But despite that, I enjoyed the journey and the dual storytelling format. A solid, creative read!
November 2, 2025
Good idea bad execution. This book didn't make any sense, the story was boring.
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