Girls Who Play Dead

by Joelle Wellington

Two siblings investigate the murder of a friend only to unearth even more deadly mysteries in their small town in this page-turning young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games.

When Mikky Graves left his small, stifling hometown of Prophets Lake to live with his estranged mother, he thought nothing could ever make him return for good.

Until his sister Kyla’s best friend, Erin, is murdered.

Mikky never worried about leaving Kyla behind at their family-owned funeral home so long as she had Erin. But when Mikky heads home, determined to help Kyla grieve, the sister he encounters barely resembles the one he remembers. Mikky decides, then and there, to do the one thing that seems even more impossible than stay.

As Kyla spirals further into her rage and secrets, Mikky realizes the only thing that can help his sister is finding the truth about who killed Erin. But the more he investigates, the further he’s pulled into other ugly mysteries of Prophets Lake and the beauty brand that is its lifeblood. The town’s rot runs deep, and everyone has something to hide. Perhaps no one more than Kyla herself.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult, Mystery Thriller, Horror, Contemporary, Queer

Audible Audio

First published November 4, 2025

About the author

Joelle Wellington is the author of Their Vicious Games. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her childhood was spent wandering the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading and when she’s not doing that, she’s attempting to bake bread with varying degrees of success or strengthening her encyclopedia-like pop culture knowledge. She can be found on Twitter under @joelle_welling.

Reviews

[Laura Lovesreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY IS SO UGLY

Erin has been murdered. Siblings Mikky and Kyla who were friends with Erin decide to investigate in their small town the truth behind her death. This town has a lot of ugly secrets, and everyone has something to hide.

Hmmm I wish I had enjoyed this so much more. The story is told in a dual POV of the siblings Mikky and Kyla. I really enjoyed Mikky as a character and loved reading his interactions with his love interest Nassim. Kyla on the other hand was a nuisance to follow, and she was truly so unlikeable, and I could not connect with her.

The pacing of the book was slightly unbearable. We have plenty of characters and they are all full of drama and clique-y but it would have flowed so much better if it had been more fast paced and intense. The beginning of the book started off so strong then it pretty much snail paced to the big reveal at the end.

The big reveal/ twist. WOW! I LOVED IT! I truly did not see it coming and my Flabbers were Ghasted .

Had the rest of the book been more exciting and exhilarating this would no doubt be a five-star read.

This is not a typical thriller. It read more like a small-town mystery surrounding social influences, manipulation and the behind the scenes of the beauty industry.

We have themes of sexuality, race, mental health, family and so much more which I particularly think was done so well.
The cover I must say is the best book cover of 2025 hands down!

Not a total win for me, but I excited to see what the author comes out with next.







-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
⋆｡°✩pre read⋆｡°✩
Waited sooo long for release day!
The cover is so aesthetically pleasing I cant stop drooling🤤
I love me a juicy blurb and this book sounds so promising😍
Lets gooooo🎉🎉🎉

[Fifi’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever since Their Vicious Games, Joelle Wellington has a fan in me for life, no matter what she writes next. That was one of the best YA books ever written, dare I say. Because of that, I had certain expectations going into this, and a strong bias towards giving this a high review, so it really pains me to say that this was honestly pretty average in comparison 😭 I wanted to like this more than I did SO BAD.

Not that it’s a competition, but Their Vicious Games was REALLY hard to beat. When your debut novel is THAT strong, it’s super hard to continue to measure up to. That book was a solid 5/5, blending violence, insanely high stakes, and plenty of shock value. Think Hunger Games and Squid Games level shock value. Absolutely addictive, brutal, and PERFECTLY written.

Vibes are different in this one, which isn’t bad. Joelle Wellington switches gears from a high stakes fight to the death competition to a small town murder mystery. Is this as compulsively readable? No. But solving a murder is a lower stakes concept than competing in a life or death competition, so that’s to be expected. However, small town YA murder mysteries are done quite frequently and I wouldn’t consider this an above average one compared to the other ones I’ve read.

The biggest drawback is that nothing really happens. I could sum up the first 70% in a couple paragraphs. It’s just not gripping or as action packed as I was expecting, especially not after what I got with Their Vicious Games. I kept waiting for something to happen and it just didn’t? It does go by pretty fast which is nice, but I was a bit disappointed when I had gotten to the 70% mark and not much had really happened.

For the positives, Kyla, one of the narrators is unreliable, unlikeable, and a total beyotch. And lowkey scary. Which, made this a much more interesting read.

At the end of the day though, this wasn’t as gripping, scary, or intense as I was hoping. It was sort of boring and it pains me to say that 😭 I had decided early on I was going to give this a 4 star anyways out of loyalty to Joelle but after finishing this, I gotta be real. It’s a 3 star.

I am still a Joelle Wellington loyalist and am still extremely biased towards her writing. I will continue to read any book she writes in the future with said biased mindset. But, this one wasn’t as great as I was hoping.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

[suonnahbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girls who play dead by Joelle Wellington
audiobook Arc from libro FM
Release: Nov 4th 2025
This was a very interesting and intriguing thriller, love the school drama and cliques.
-I loved the different voices and accents for the different students truly made me feel as if in class / lunch break with them trying to figure things out
-the dreams, the makeup the gossiping 👀
-this was fun wasn’t wowza but wasn’t bad either
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow-burn YA murder mystery meets Mean Girls in this novel chock full of small town secrets, teen drama, toxic relationships, and the unsolved murder of a teen girl.

Kyla's best friend Erin has been murdered and her brother Mikky returns to live with their dad and support her. But Kyla isn't the sister he remembers and it seems like Erin was the resident mean girl who scared people. Mikky begins investigating what really happened to Erin, while also catching feelings for a boy in his new high school friend group. It's a twisty, satisfying mystery that is also about grief, complicated sibling dynamics, and having parents with problems of their own.

The characters are well-developed and messy but human, and a lot of them are queer! My one quibble is I think this book could have been shorter. at 400 pages it feels rather lengthy for a mystery and takes its time unraveling what happened. But otherwise it was very good. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

[Lia Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed this one! It’s a YA mystery with a sprinkle of romance and I thought it was well thought out. By the end I still had no idea who did it, really good twist. There was a lot of miscommunication and frustration but they’re teens so it’s understandable

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-ARC generously provided by S&S Children's Books in exchange for an honest review! Thank you so much!

5 stars. Reminiscent of teen murder mystery classics with a glamorous and small town gothic edge, Girls Who Play Dead is the exact kind of narrative I love: glittering in its aesthetic and all gore and guts on its inside.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, Girls Who Played Dead, by Joelle Wellington, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Mikky never thought he had to return to Prophets Lake, and he would not of if his sisters best friend did not pass away. I thought this was a good read, but I did not like the swearing in the book at all.

[Salomé · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m extremely loyal to Joelle Wellington and will read everything she publishes. her debut novel Their Vicious Game made me a forever fan.

so i’m a bit sad that her last novel and this one were so average. nothing much happens until the 80% mark.

i think the dual pov of the two siblings was not a good call because Kayla knows so much and Mikky is the one in the dark investigating. it can get a bit frustrating like having a word at the tip of your tongue when mikky gets so close to answers without grasping the full picture.

i think the oppressive atmosphere was so well done. feeling like everyone knows each other but not really, with all the american small town cliché. i love all the rep in this book: mental health, sexuality, race, grief, family… etc

thank you to HarperCollins UK for sending me a digital arc in exchange for my honest review

[Roberta R. (Offbeat YA) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mini blurb: Two Black siblings who separated after their parents' divorce slowly reconnect in the aftermath of the sister's best friend's murder, getting entangled in a web of conspiracies and lies that hits too close to home - and in more than one way - for one of them.

***

First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Harper Collins UK, Children's/Harper Fire for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.

This was an intense, character-driven mystery with lots of teen appeal, but - despite the amount of high-school drama - I found it to be extremely palatable for senior readers as well (it didn't hurt that it reminded me of classic Christopher Pike thrillers like the Final Friends series, only with a ton more diversity). Mostly, I have the main characters, with their emotionally charged inner monologue and their strong (if messy) dynamics, to thank for it. Of course, Mikky is much easier to love, with his open queerness, his honesty about his mental health issues (depression and anxiety), and his effort to help/reconnect with a sister he left behind in order to prioritise his emotional well-being. But under her mean girl facade (borrowed from her dead friend Erin), mired-in-grief yet angry Kyla turns out to be a much more vulnerable character than one would think, and Wellington does a great job having the reader empathise with her and root for her during her self-awareness journey. As for the murder mystery, it needs some suspension of disbelief, but it's well thought-out and compelling enough to have you compulsively turning pages until the (appalling) reveal. Laced with romance, wrapped in secrets and coated in make-up, Girls Who Play Dead is a lot of things - a portrait of grief and guilt, a coming-of-age narrative, a commentary on the beauty/influencer culture, and a small-town mystery with a very dark edge of course - but its heart lies in the problematic, yet powerful and ultimately endearing sibling relationship. Not to be missed if you're a fan of thrillers with a soft core under the gritty exterior.

Note: as a rule, I review every book that I rate 4 stars and above in full, unless it's a novella or an anthology. But I didn't want to go in too deep about this one to avoid spoilers, and it felt easy to summarise its contents (and my opinions) in a few sentences, so I took the mini-review route.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this YA, small town murder mystery. I listened to the audiobook. it was an entertaining, quick read! if you like ya thrillers, I'd recommend this one.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Kelly NuclearFiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧Song Pairing: Pretty Hurts - Beyoncé

💭What I thought would happen:

Let’s get serious, this is the prettiest Kellyest cover there ever was! Beauty is pain don’t ya know? Fake dead girl? Fyi she was very much dead.

📖What actually happens:

⚰️Dead teenage girl
💄Make up influencer
🩷Friends forever
🏳️‍🌈Gay rep
🩵Black rep
🌚Whodunnit

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

I will be chasing the high from Their Vicious games forever and always. Making me a consistent early reader of anything Joelle throws down.

That being said, she was fiiiiiine.

Twists threw down, mean girls gave Regina George a run for her money, and family drama was boiling on high like a forgotten pot of pasta

I loved the relationship between the deceased, a blonde white girl, and the living black MC’s friendship/platonic soulmate. It was so pure 🩷. Including the way people saw dead girl as fierce and Kyla as feral…infuriating yet believable🤬

[Shira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ cool premise but the pacing of it made it hard to stay interested

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC! I have been a fan of Joelle Wellingtons since These Vicious Games. Girls Who Play Dead wasn’t a 5/5 for me; however, it still did not disappoint!

Throughout the story, I found myself not being able to put the book down. There was always another plot twist just when I thought I had it figured it out. Additionally, the small town vibe really played well into the mystery of it all.

My only critic would be that sometimes I felt that things were dragging. In the middle of the sorry, there is drama surrounding several of the characters, which continues for several chapters. It all comes down to miscommunication and lack of information being shared. I just feel that this could have been limited and/or shortened.

Overall, I highly enjoyed this new novel from Joelle Wellington. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

[quietpageturner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small town murder mystery? Sign me up! I enjoyed Wellington’s writing in Their Vicious Games and she continues to surprise me! This story switches gears from a fight to the death to “who dunnit?” While this story did have pacing issues for me, I was still invested in the characters journeys. Part of this story was predictable and repetitive but it’s an easy to follow story with multiple twists.

[Cristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to get another thriller from Joelle Wellington this year considering The Blonde Dies First was one of my favorite reads of 2024. Unfortunately, this one really did not work for me.

What I loved about The Blonde Dies First was how fun it was! I had a total blast and I fell in love with how realistic and amusing the friend group was. However, Girls Who Play Dead displayed a major tonal switch. This was a much slower paced book laced with grief as we see our characters reeling from the murder of a classmate. When I realized this was going to have a darker tone, I settled in for a tense and twisty tale. And I think that’s where things went wrong. At no point was I piecing together clues to solve the mystery, or sitting on the edge of my seat in shock. Half the time, I even forgot that Erin was murder and it was a mystery as to why it happened. I kept waiting for the story to finally kick into gear, and it never did.

At its center, this story is about Mikky returning home to a sister who has been changed by the death of her best friend, and trying to fill the void she left behind. And it’s also about the far reaching grip a growing beauty brand has on this small town. There was so much promise with the Test Kitchens. At first I was intrigued by their secret, but the longer it went on the less I cared. I just needed more crumbs to stay interested. I honestly think the story would have benefited with the removal of Kyla’s POV. So much of the mystery is ruined because of her knowledge of and direct involvement in the secrecy. If we stuck to Mikky’s POV, there would be more impactful revelations.

I so badly wish I liked this more. After the 60% mark I ended up skimming the rest to find out all the reveals. I’m hoping I love her next project!

[Aurora · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute, it read easily and I felt a lot of emotions.
There is a slight touch of romance enough to be cute but not enough to lead the whole storyline.
It reads easily but slowly, the first part of the book could be easily summed up with less then a chapter if needed. It does a good job and normalizing certain topics such as queerness and psychological issues.
All in all I found myself smiling throughout it and being shocked by the end. Just wish it would have been a faster paced book

[Calli Charlton-Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it just didn’t do it for me. The last 30% really picked up and drew me in, but the beginning was too slow.

I will say, I did not figure out the killer until the end but I don’t think that was enough to bring up the rating.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Joelle Wellington does it again. She has such a talent for creating YA characters who feel authentic and distinct, never boxed into the usual tropes. Her storytelling is layered and addictive, and the way she weaves in social commentary feels sharp and relevant without ever being preachy. It’s the kind of writing that pulls you in and lingers long after you finish.

What really stood out to me here is how different this book feels from A Vicious Game. While that one thrived on psychological tension and biting class critique, this novel leans into a small-town murder mystery. And honestly? It works. You still get those themes of wealth, privilege, and influence, but this time filtered through a community bound—and quietly controlled—by a glossy lifestyle brand. Stories about picture-perfect towns hiding dark secrets are definitely having a moment, and Wellington executes the trope with precision and flair.

If I had one small note, it’s that a slightly tighter edit might have made the pacing even sharper. A few scenes felt like they didn’t quite move the story forward. But that’s a very minor quibble in an otherwise engrossing and incredibly satisfying read.

Overall, this is a novel that hooks you with its mystery and atmosphere, while also making you think.

📅 Mark your calendars: it releases on November 4, 2025. Preorder it now so you’re ready to dive in the second it lands.


I was fortunate to receive a complimentary eARC from Simon and Schuster Children’s through NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.

How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.

⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me; I never DNF ARCs.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.

[Sorina · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review

This is a young adult thriller about two siblings that investigate the murder of a friend.

I received an advance reader copy from Harper Fire (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The description of the book sounded very good and I was expecting more investigating.
Even if this was a quick read, there were some moments when I wanted to skip ahead to find out what happened.
There is a bit too much highschool drama and not enough comunication.

The story is told from Mikky and Kyla's POVs.
The pace is slower in the begining, but there are some interesting revelations towards the end.
I had some suspicions, but I did not expect the ending.

[Bron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls Who Play Dead was an intense look at how beauty standards, social media, and capitalism affect young people. Wellington crafted fierce, memorable characters that really stood out from each other. For a young adult book, the content felt appropriate, and I appreciated the digestible commentary on gender and race. I look forward to reading more from Wellington!

[Ally]

I didn’t get this arc finished before it properly released but hot damn does Wellington know how to write an engaging thriller

[Yinka Boudreaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joelle is one of my absolute favorite YA thriller authors- I eat her books up every single time!

Girls Who Play Dead focuses of the beauty industry and influencer culture. It touches on themes of identity, familial relationships, mental health, race, queerness, and so much more with the backdrop of high school life.

This was done so well, had such loveable character and was honestly a great read.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ✨ this book was a slow burn but once you get going after a few chapters, you cannot put it down. It is young adult thriller. I really enjoyed the different main characters and their bond as siblings the ending as well I did not predict which was a really good plot twist would recommend if that is the type of book you like and I did not guess who I thought the killer would be a brilliant read!!

[frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

thanks to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley

Wellington writes Ya with a vicious fast paced style that pulls no emotional punches. While I generally do not particularly seek out either YA or Thrillers as a genre Wellington has made me a believer.

Mikky exudes lone wolf, cool alt guy in a way that is often attempted but rarely achieved. He is highly relatable and highly likable. He becomes entangled in the central mystery as easy as falling asleep.

Kyla is a delightful collection of opposing ideals. A mean girl who clearly cares deeply for the people in her circle. Smart and driven and the quintessential cheerleader. Cool girl driving a hearse because she thinks it’s cool.

I normally cant stand a highschool plot. I graduated and never want to go back and yet this book had me enthralled with both the greater mystery of a dead best friend and the day to day dredge of homework and school life.

At times the characters do feel a little older than high school, especially Mikky, with how simply responsible they are and how few straight up stupid choices they make but to be honest I liked that aspect and maybe the characters are just smarter then I was and have a greater pressure to preform.

I will be shocked if this doesn’t get picked up as a tv series not that it needs it by any means but i certainly would be trying to adapt if i was in the feild

The conclusion to the central mystery is so satisfying. It feels both plausible and like the reader can actually solve it.

I really enjoyed this book and am going to pick up more by this author ASAP

[Gabby · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, I have to say I absolutely adore this cover. It’s bold, eye catching, and instantly made me want to dive into the story.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t the right fit for me. I’ve realized I struggle with books written in third person because it makes it harder for me to connect with the characters on a deeper level. While the premise was intriguing and I loved the idea behind the storyline, the pacing felt slow for me, and I found myself losing interest as it went on.

That being said, I did enjoy the ending, and my favorite part of the book was definitely Mikky, he is such a great character! While it didn’t fully work for me, I think readers who enjoy third person thrillers with a unique concept might still find this one worth picking up.

[Lesly ୨ৎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead, you have been warned.

I just want to start off that the synopsis and the cover is what had me intrigued to read this book. The idea of the beauty industry being tied into murder had my interest for sure. But I am sad to report that the execution of this book lacked in several departments: pacing, character, action/mystery, and perspective. So let me try to tackle some of these complaints I have.

First, the pacing was way off from the very beginning of the novel. The exposition is entirely too long because what do you mean we’re nearing the 100 page mark and we still haven’t put the “Hey let’s solve this murder of the police won’t” into motion. The reason why the pacing was super off was because the author alternated between Mikky and Kyla in order to tell this story.

Which brings me to my second point: There was absolutely zero need for two POVs. It was a bit much because Mikky offers the perspective of a returning member integrating back into his childhood town while trying to look out for his little sister, Kyla (whose best friend just got murdered and she was the one that tended to her corpse in her father’s funeral home, might I add). While Kyla’s POV offers, an inside look into what Erin, her dead best friend was like and I say that super lightly because the book didn’t cover much of that. We, the readers, didn’t get to know Erin beyond the surface level of she’s an influencer it-girl (for a beauty company that somehow employs most of the townspeople) and a blonde mean girl. I think it could’ve been beneficial to the story to focus on Kyla’s POV and sprinkling in flashbacks so we get to know why Erin and Kyla are best friends rather than being told “Yeah they’re best friends” over and over again. The POVs being split, using third person narration was not the move in my opinion because we don’t get to learn anyone on a deeper level. Mikky’s POV tarnished how I viewed Kyla because I’ll be straight up, yes I know she’s processing her grief in her own way but she’s also just an asshole to everyone around her. Grief doesn’t permit you or rather it doesn’t give you the pass to be mean and step over others, I don’t care. And I can’t believe it took over 75% through the book for one of the characters to go “I don’t know maybe she needs therapy?” So by the time that Kyla is getting her closure by finding out who killed her friend, I am completely over it. Which this ties into the characterization of Kyla, she could’ve been better written.

I’ll wrap up my complaints with the lack of action and mystery element because there literally wasn’t any until the last 20% of the book. Mikky and Nasim do a lot of the legwork to find out what these Test Kitchens are—information that our other main character, Kyla knows about which again this whole dual POV made no sense. Mikky and Nasim were getting information on Erin and Kyla’s operation. While Kyla was trying to protect her dead best friend’s secret of said operations like it made no sense. If we had just had Kyla as our only POV, the author could’ve focused on fleshing out that topics such as the dangers within the beauty industry that were hardly developed to create a stronger narrative. But I rest my case. The action and mystery left a lot to be desired because things were not moving steadily enough. And I thought maybe when they finally reveal who killed Erin, that possibly I could forget some of these things that made me dislike this book…which unfortunately did not occur since the reveal just pissed me off. I am not a fan of when we’re reaching the end of the book that the information being given feels like a freebie. Now this is a spoiler, but Lydia just blurting out crucial information to Mikky and in the next chapter, Kyla figuring it out on her own? So we basically have to read the same revelation twice, yeah no. It’s redundant.

I really wanted to like this book more but unfortunately it was not for me at all.

[Milly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I am done with Joelle Wellington's books.

This was possibly my biggest book letdown of the year. Wellington's debut, Their Vicious Games, was and is one of my absolute favourite books. The writing, the story, the characters, they all came together for me in the best possible way.

Her sophomore effort underwhelmed me. I was hoping this one would mark a return to the success of her first book, but alas.

Here’s what I enjoyed:
1. The sibling support. Although Erin is not a character you directly encounter, I think her relationship with Jason is probably my favourite. He knew her secrets, he knew her flaws and he loved her anyway.

2. The friendship between Erin and Kyla. Despite some of their extracurricular activities, not to mention their treatment of other people, their love for each other was apparent and felt extremely innocent and genuine.

3. Jason. Of all the characters, he is by far my favourite. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he shows up for the people he cares about. (Sadly this did also mean that using him as a red herring towards the end did not fool me.)

4. The funeral home. It was an interesting detail, one I’ve not encountered much in fiction. A small detail, but an original one.

Unfortunately, that is where my list of positives ends and where the negatives begin:

1. The third person narration just did not gel for me in this. Most of the characters are already inherently flawed (which is actually a good thing in my opinion) but also indubitably unlikable. I really think Wellington needed the intimacy afforded by a first person narration, even if it was multiple POV, instead of the clinical nature of what we ended up with.

2. I hated every character except Jason. Every single character. Kyla's only likeable quality is the love she has for Erin. That's all. Mikky is self-righteous and overbearing and honestly I would have snapped just like Kyla if he was following me around and digging into my business like he did with her. Nasim was . . . also there? I don't know what he brought to the table other than extreme bias against Kyla, although I guess it served to counteract Mikky's extreme bias FOR Kyla. Rowan was 2 dimensional and wholly flawed, which is sad because I was excited for some non-binary representation, only for them to have zero redeeming qualities. I think it's great to have flawed characters, especially LGBTQIA+ characters, because it humanises them and ensures that they aren't simply a tokenistic addition to the story. However, completely vilifying them is also problematic . . . they could have still had SOME redeeming qualities, but instead they're a cheater, they are brutally derogatory towards Erin, they're lowkey racist, they're generally rude and also a liar.

3. Cook Cosmetics. It was overdone from the first page when the 'sea green' packaging was mentioned about three times. On the first page. Three times. And maybe that would have been okay if we didn't get that same 'sea green' description rammed down our throats at every opportunity throughout the denouement.

4. The explanation of why Kyla and Mikky were essentially raised separately did not make much sense to me – their mother doesn’t want to be a mother, yet she does want to parent Mikky? Everyone is just okay with this? And then Kyla’s best friend is murdered and neither of them really even check in with her???

5. Speaking of weird reactions to Erin’s murder, Kyla being joined at the hip with her yet not even attempting to look into her murder was bizarre. Obviously grief manifests in different ways, and we know why Jason is uninterested in learning what happened . . . but why are Mikky and Nasim putting more effort in to uncovering the truth than Kyla? So she ran Test Kitchens that same night, doesn’t mean she can’t still run her own investigation.

6. While on the topic of Test Kitchens . . . what an underwhelming secret. They’re selling influencer unreleased makeup. It’s naïve and dishonest but it’s not malicious. Moreover, the Test Kitchens are basically the only clue you have for the first half of the book, and you don’t even learn what they actually are until about 180 pages in.

7. The ‘mystery’ element was dire. Here are the facts of the investigation: Kyla has a super secret book. Erin has a super secret Instagram. Indigo Glass has a phone that sheds light on both of these things. Suddenly we know the killer. The end.

8. For all of the emphasis on the Cook Cosmetics plot, Wellington made no effort to provide any kind of resolution to this. In fact, I didn’t feel there was much resolution whatsoever. What happens to Jason? What happens with the Test Kitchens? What about Florence Cook? What about all the staff that knew what she was doing? Does Alicia ever consult her dermatologist? Does Mikky & Kyla’s mother keep in touch with them now that Mikky is in Prophets Lake to stay? What happens with the funeral home? Does Kyla ever fix her behaviour at school? Does Rowan unlearn their biases? Who knows? It’s not like any of it is ever cleared up.

9. I cannot get over Kyla mentioning that Mikky takes out all of his piercings before bed. I do not know a single heavily pierced person who removes all of their piercings before bed only to then reinsert them each morning. Do you know how long that would take? Is this normal???? That one sentence stuck with me throughout the entire book because what do you mean? If I took out every single one of my piercings before bed, I would need to get up two hours earlier and still would be unable to get half of them in.

10. Finally: the Graves family. Who own the funeral home. Seriously?

I understand the need to test out different tropes and genres, and I always respect creatives who do this and refuse to be boxed in. That being said, I do think it is important to look to your strengths too. I feel like Joelle Wellington would excel writing thrillers, especially vaguely unhinged ones with intelligent main characters like in her debut. Mysteries – or, at the very least, this particular mystery – are not her strong suit. I really hope the next one is better; I just don’t know that I’ll be reading it either way.

[fatima ☼ ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Having read Their Vicious Games, I had such high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it turned out to be a really disappointing read. The story is about a girl named Erin who is murdered and her best friend Kyla’s struggles in the aftermath of her death. This story is supposed to be a mystery/thriller about what happened to Erin and how Kyla is involved. So you would assume that the main focus of the book would be on Kyla and probably on her relationship with Erin before her death, correct? Nope. One of the main characters of the story, and the one whose POV we are shown the most, is Kyla’s brother Mikky. Now Mikky used to live in the small town Kyla and her dad lived in, before he moved away and now he has decided to come back to town to support Kyla after Erin is killed. Yet, we don’t actually see Mikky interact with Kyla much, and frankly he doesn’t seem to know too much about how she actually is as a person. Instead of focusing on Erin’s murder, we’re instead treated to chapters upon chapters of Mikky’s difficulties as he tries to re-adjust to the town, long paragraphs about his feelings and this or that, and frankly it was completely uninteresting and irrelevant to the story. As a reader, I wanted to know more about Erin. Who was she, why was she killed and how was she connected to the town? Yet, throughout much of the story we learn very little about Erin’s actual past, and even when we do, it’s told in a way that makes it hard to understand her. I don’t understand why Mikky was the main character of this story. Kyla should have been, and I so wish that the author had included more flashbacks to Kyla and Erin’s friendship to allow us to understand both girls better. I wish the narrative had been written a bit tighter, there were so many irrelevant scenes.

Another major issue with the story was the pacing. It has to be one of the least interesting mysteries I’ve ever read, and for approximately 68% of the book absolutely nothing happens. And I mean nothing. Even if there were any sort of developments in the plot, it was written in such a way that the reader felt entirely detached from it and it didn’t seem important. If it weren’t for the fact that I still had a slight amount of interest in what happened to Erin, I would have stopped reading much earlier.

My other issue was with the characterization. The main characters are unlikeable, which is normally fine, but they were just too over the top at some points, even if you take into account the fact that they’re high schoolers. I also don’t know if it was due to the third person POV that the book was written from, but I struggled to connect to the character’s emotions. We were also told a lot of information, instead of shown. It was hard to get a feel for certain things. For example we’re told that Cook Cosmetics is a big deal, but why? Some of the reveals were incredibly underwhelming, to the point that I was thinking, that’s it? That’s the reveal?

Although the cover was gorgeous, and the story had some real potential, I think much of the pitfalls with the story came from the writing itself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

[Erika (TheSKYYLife) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon Teen #SimonTeenInfluencer #SimonTeen (#GirlsWhoPlayDead) specifically for sending me a physical and digital copy to read. Here's my genuine review:

Overall, I believe this book is well-suited for Young Adult audiences. I love how Joelle makes every detail intentional and relevant throughout the story. Despite having many characters to get to know, Wellington does it effortlessly and makes it clear and easy to understand who each character is and their relevance to the overall story.

I was surprised by how deeply we follow through Mikky's perspective, but it's nice to see through his lens. I also appreciate the LGBTQIA+ representation throughout some of the supporting characters.

The U.S. cover is BEAUTIFUL. Absolutely perfect for this book.

I like how it gave me a teen movie nostalgic feel (reminds me of Jawbreaker or Meangirls given Kyla and Erin's relationship)
I think the storytelling was well executed.

However, while the plot twist was in fact a twist, I don't think enough time was used in the book to really drop little seeds of the end. It did, but not really. We didn't really get enough of the mother/daughter dynamic for either girl in this book.

SPOILER >> I also don't feel as if I got enough secrecy from Jason on protecting his mother's secret. You know. <<< SPOILER

I think the story, as is, could've been shorter. I appreciate learning about relationships through Mikky's lens, but that wasn't the point of the book. Naism got my nerves lol

I think the repetitiveness of stating "Erin is dead" was overkill. Like, we get it, she's dead. SO WHO DID IT?? What was the motive? I appreciate having no idea who it could've been until the end, but I think it could've been shorter to get there.

Around 60% I became less interested; however, I'm an adult (who reads YA frequently), so I think this would be great for YA readers, but I don't think I would recommend it for other adults to read YA, especially if they like mystery/thriller, as nothing is thrilling really in this book, in my opinion.

Personal rating, more of a solid 3. I rated it higher because I think for its intended audiences, it does what it needs to do :)

[Karis · Rating 3 out of 5]

~~Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins UK for the ARC!~~

This was good, but its potential to be great felt undercut by some things I found myself scratching my head at.

Despite Kyla being the dead girl's best friend and exuding so much main character energy, the primary protagonist was Mikky for the most part. I did like Mikky, but focusing more on him than Kyla, who's the one with the interesting layers and secrets, is such a weird decision to me, especially in a book about the pressure society puts on young girls to confirm to beauty standards through makeup. I feel like this was done in order to prop up the mystery, stretching it longer than it needed it to be.

I also wanted more about Kyla, because a main character who's often mean and vindictive even before her best friend's death, makes for a much more interesting read. The exploration of her grief felt especially poignant and relatable, but I only wish there was more shown from her and Erin's past from her perspective so I could understand the full extent of their relationship.

Like I mentioned, the pacing was slow to get around to getting onto the mystery, and a lot of it revolves around Mikky and setting up some red herrings through the side cast. One specific side character, who's Mikky's love interest's friend, got on my nerves a lot because of how bad of a person they were. Nasim, the aforementioned love interest, kept defending them despite them being quite heinous, particularly to Kyla with their racism. Other than him going diehard for his friend, Nasim made pretty good chemistry with Mikky. There were some other side characters who had the potential to be good, but besides maybe one of Kyla's dance team members and their dad, no one really stuck out to me. This particularly disappointed me, because I held Wellington's earlier side character work to be pretty good.

All in all, this was okay, but not what I was expecting from the author. I'll still be reading anything she puts out in the future, though.