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Bleak Haven #1
Dead Fake
Would you Swipe to Die?
When the new craze takes over Bleak Haven High, Ava Wilson refuses to join in. As the niece of an infamous murderer, it’s the last thing she needs.
The mysterious website allows people to view their own ‘death’ – an AI generated version of their final slasher-movie-moments. But, when some of her classmates’ deepfakes are replicated in real life, Ava can either catch the killer…or be the next victim.
When the new craze takes over Bleak Haven High, Ava Wilson refuses to join in. As the niece of an infamous murderer, it’s the last thing she needs.
The mysterious website allows people to view their own ‘death’ – an AI generated version of their final slasher-movie-moments. But, when some of her classmates’ deepfakes are replicated in real life, Ava can either catch the killer…or be the next victim.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2026
About the author
Vincent Ralph
15 books746 followersVincent Ralph is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of YA thrillers 14 Ways to Die, Lock the Doors, Secrets Never Die, and One House Left. He is an Edgar Award nominee, winner of the Southern Schools
Book Award, and the author of picture book A Boy Called Book.
The first two novels in the Bleak Haven series - Dead Fake and Night Terror - will be published in January 2026.
Book Award, and the author of picture book A Boy Called Book.
The first two novels in the Bleak Haven series - Dead Fake and Night Terror - will be published in January 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
May 15, 2026
Dead Fake is the 1st-book in an all-new YA Horror series from beloved YA Horror author, Vincent Ralph. I have read previously from this author and had fun with his stories, so I've been looking forward to this.
This Bleak Haven series had the first 2-books release this January, and books 3 and 4 are set to release in the Fall. If I'm understanding it correctly, these books are like Fear Street in that they're all set in the same fictional town, where curious and horrible things frequently happen, but each book follows separate characters.
I'm assuming there will be some overlap of characters, but I'm not sure how much since I haven't read them all yet. This one did set-up nicely the idea that this town is cursed, and it also referenced some previous atrocities that would lead residents to believe that.
This story in particular follows Ava Wilson, whose Uncle Miles is an infamous Bleak Haven murderer. Ava attends the local high school and it's there that the action kicks off. Flyers are posted around the school asking students if they would Swipe to Die?
The flyers have a QR code that lead to a mysterious website where students can view their own 'death'. These deaths take the form of AI-generated Slasher Movie moments, putting the students in the final death scenes. These videos are then made public for all to see.
Ava is a hard pass on this disturbing new trend, but many students, including her friends, can't resist trying it out. Curiosity killed the cat, and all that.
When some of her classmates deepfakes are replicated in real life, Ava can't help but notice unsettling details that prompt her to believe these deaths may be connected to the past. Unable to leave it alone, Ava digs in, determined to find the killer before they take out anyone else she loves.
Dead Fake is a lot of fun to read. It's engaging and well-written, with a solid intensity and well-developed characters. IMO, it's a great start to a YA Horror series. It felt nostalgic for me, channeling the Point Horror, or Christopher Pike/R.L. Stine reads of my youth.
I really enjoyed Ava as the protagonist. I thought she felt very natural and the backstory of everything involving her Uncle added substance to the story. There was a lot of complicated emotions her family was dealing with in the aftermath of all that, and I enjoyed that exploration.
I also loved the build-up, with the flyers and the videos dropping, and then finally with the bodies dropping. There were some good twists as well once Ava starts looking into who is possibly behind the website and the murders.
I'm really excited to continue on with these books. I'm looking forward to seeing what the content of the other books is going to be. I'm not sure if they're all set in the same time period or not, or if some of them will maybe feature some of the previous bad things that have happened in the town that were referenced in this book.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA Horror, or even Adult Horror Readers who are looking for something fun and potentially nostalgic ((if you're of a certain age, like me)). You can tell by this phenomenal cover exactly the vibes you're getting in this story too. I love it.
Thank you, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm super excited to start the next book. I have no doubt it will be as much fun as this one!
This Bleak Haven series had the first 2-books release this January, and books 3 and 4 are set to release in the Fall. If I'm understanding it correctly, these books are like Fear Street in that they're all set in the same fictional town, where curious and horrible things frequently happen, but each book follows separate characters.
I'm assuming there will be some overlap of characters, but I'm not sure how much since I haven't read them all yet. This one did set-up nicely the idea that this town is cursed, and it also referenced some previous atrocities that would lead residents to believe that.
This story in particular follows Ava Wilson, whose Uncle Miles is an infamous Bleak Haven murderer. Ava attends the local high school and it's there that the action kicks off. Flyers are posted around the school asking students if they would Swipe to Die?
The flyers have a QR code that lead to a mysterious website where students can view their own 'death'. These deaths take the form of AI-generated Slasher Movie moments, putting the students in the final death scenes. These videos are then made public for all to see.
Ava is a hard pass on this disturbing new trend, but many students, including her friends, can't resist trying it out. Curiosity killed the cat, and all that.
When some of her classmates deepfakes are replicated in real life, Ava can't help but notice unsettling details that prompt her to believe these deaths may be connected to the past. Unable to leave it alone, Ava digs in, determined to find the killer before they take out anyone else she loves.
Dead Fake is a lot of fun to read. It's engaging and well-written, with a solid intensity and well-developed characters. IMO, it's a great start to a YA Horror series. It felt nostalgic for me, channeling the Point Horror, or Christopher Pike/R.L. Stine reads of my youth.
I really enjoyed Ava as the protagonist. I thought she felt very natural and the backstory of everything involving her Uncle added substance to the story. There was a lot of complicated emotions her family was dealing with in the aftermath of all that, and I enjoyed that exploration.
I also loved the build-up, with the flyers and the videos dropping, and then finally with the bodies dropping. There were some good twists as well once Ava starts looking into who is possibly behind the website and the murders.
I'm really excited to continue on with these books. I'm looking forward to seeing what the content of the other books is going to be. I'm not sure if they're all set in the same time period or not, or if some of them will maybe feature some of the previous bad things that have happened in the town that were referenced in this book.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA Horror, or even Adult Horror Readers who are looking for something fun and potentially nostalgic ((if you're of a certain age, like me)). You can tell by this phenomenal cover exactly the vibes you're getting in this story too. I love it.
Thank you, Wednesday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm super excited to start the next book. I have no doubt it will be as much fun as this one!
May 11, 2026
3⭐️
ARC Review
Publication Date: 01/20/26
The way I am struggling to determine if I genuinely enjoyed this or not…
I had the privilege of being introduced to Vincent Ralph and his writing three years ago this month. His novel, Secrets Never Die, became my first ARC and my first Giveaway Read on Goodreads. While I remember very little about the story, I do remember it being a 3.75 star reading experience for me. So, imagine my surprise when I was invited (towards the end of 2025) to read Dead Fake and can only rate this as a sold 3 star read?!?!
It has been nearly 16hrs since I finished Dead Fake and all I can think about is how much potential this book had. The premise of this book goes a little something like this: Someone in the small town of Bleak Haven decides to create a website called Swipe to Die. The purpose of Swipe to Die is to allow users to see how well they would fair in a horror movie. With the use of AI generated images, each user gets to see their death play out in front of both themselves and their friends. Sounds interesting, right?!?! And it really was. Vincent Ralph allowed the first 45% of this book to feature detailed descriptions of a number of characters’ deepfakes (Deadfakes as they will later be called). While the reactions from the teenagers of this trend gets disgusting as the book progresses, I have to admit that I was really intrigued with this concept. I even started to think about how my own “deadfake” would turn out and how I would fair in a horror movie. Though not my favorite genre to read, Horror Fiction is still one that I cannot seem to look away from. Again, I really enjoyed the premise of Dead Fake but, my struggle lies mostly with both the main character, Ava Wilson, and the final revelations that were supposed to be “final twists.”
When Dead Fake first begins, a reader is introduced to a Prologue that is written from the creator of the website Swipe to Die and then quickly pushes into Chapter 1. Chapter 1 is read from the narrator of this book, but it was hard for me to tell if the narrator was a boy or a girl (mainly because this is an ARC and I didn’t have access to the synopsis.) It’s Chapter 2 that me, the reader, finds out that Dead Fake is being told from Ava Wilson’s POV and honestly, this is where the book falters. Ava Wilson spends this entire book whining about her uncle who, ten years ago, was labeled a serial killer after being accused of murdering a rich and prominent family in Bleak Haven. Once the Swipe to Die website gets created and published, her whining gets worse. A reader has to constantly be reminded of how (1) she doesn’t believe her uncle is a serial killer; (2) she has to constantly protect her four year old sister, Harper; (3) she knows the rules for how to survive a horror movie and yet she breaks every single one; (4) she feels like she is smarter than the cops and yet she gets one of her classmates killed; (5) none of her friends could really enjoy their junior year of high school without her permission; and (6) she felt like she knew better than her own mother, who actually cared about what happened to her and her friends (when typically YA Authors make the parents seem dumb, awkward, or abusive.) After the first 50% of this book, Ava Wilson started to get on my nerves and, unfortunately, these feelings continued to last until the final chapter.
And then we have the final reveal and revelations. While I may not be the biggest Horror Fiction reader, I do love watching these types of movies. I am big fan of the final reveal of the killer and why the heck they went bizarre all of a sudden. In Dead Fake, I was really surprised by who the killer turned out to be but, the reason for why the killer decided to kill a whole bunch of teenagers was not twisty or even interesting. Wait. Hold on. Taking a step back for one second. I understand the MORAL side of why the killer went bizarre. I mean, teenagers can be a little annoying and difficult to deal with. The mindset of a teenager is one where they don’t want to be judged by others, but love to be judgmental. Teenagers tend to participate in activities that they know are hurtful, but for some reason don’t care about the hurt until they are on the other side of it. The mindset of teenager is one that is very exhausting at times and makes me so glad that I survived this stage in my life. Do teens deserve to die over their hurtful actions? No. Does someone have the right to chase them down in the street and bash their head in with a hammer? No. But, teenagers should (no matter the generation) start to think about their actions and learn how to become positive role models and participate in healthier choices. Dead Fake is a reminder that while YA novels are very interesting and certain books will keep me running back to the genre, YA novels will also reinforce that teenage drama still exists and these characters/stories can become extremely annoying and slightly exhausting.
As I sit here and compose this review, I have come to believe that Dead Fake is worth a reader’s time and attention. It is very entertaining, addictive, and enjoyable. Definitely perfect for Spooky Season. Dead Fake is, however, slow paced and reads very much middle school/early high school years (9th-10th grade). It will have a much older reader (18 years of age and higher) being thankful that they have survived high school and all the amounts of immaturity that comes with such a stage in a person’s life. One important thing about Dead Fake is that it is a part of series called Bleak Haven. As the first book in the series, it is very motivating enough to continue on to Book #2: Night Terror. Anyone who finds themselves interested in this book should DEFINITELY read it, but PLEASE lower your expectations just a little bit.
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for granting my request for an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!
ARC Review
Publication Date: 01/20/26
The way I am struggling to determine if I genuinely enjoyed this or not…
I had the privilege of being introduced to Vincent Ralph and his writing three years ago this month. His novel, Secrets Never Die, became my first ARC and my first Giveaway Read on Goodreads. While I remember very little about the story, I do remember it being a 3.75 star reading experience for me. So, imagine my surprise when I was invited (towards the end of 2025) to read Dead Fake and can only rate this as a sold 3 star read?!?!
It has been nearly 16hrs since I finished Dead Fake and all I can think about is how much potential this book had. The premise of this book goes a little something like this: Someone in the small town of Bleak Haven decides to create a website called Swipe to Die. The purpose of Swipe to Die is to allow users to see how well they would fair in a horror movie. With the use of AI generated images, each user gets to see their death play out in front of both themselves and their friends. Sounds interesting, right?!?! And it really was. Vincent Ralph allowed the first 45% of this book to feature detailed descriptions of a number of characters’ deepfakes (Deadfakes as they will later be called). While the reactions from the teenagers of this trend gets disgusting as the book progresses, I have to admit that I was really intrigued with this concept. I even started to think about how my own “deadfake” would turn out and how I would fair in a horror movie. Though not my favorite genre to read, Horror Fiction is still one that I cannot seem to look away from. Again, I really enjoyed the premise of Dead Fake but, my struggle lies mostly with both the main character, Ava Wilson, and the final revelations that were supposed to be “final twists.”
When Dead Fake first begins, a reader is introduced to a Prologue that is written from the creator of the website Swipe to Die and then quickly pushes into Chapter 1. Chapter 1 is read from the narrator of this book, but it was hard for me to tell if the narrator was a boy or a girl (mainly because this is an ARC and I didn’t have access to the synopsis.) It’s Chapter 2 that me, the reader, finds out that Dead Fake is being told from Ava Wilson’s POV and honestly, this is where the book falters. Ava Wilson spends this entire book whining about her uncle who, ten years ago, was labeled a serial killer after being accused of murdering a rich and prominent family in Bleak Haven. Once the Swipe to Die website gets created and published, her whining gets worse. A reader has to constantly be reminded of how (1) she doesn’t believe her uncle is a serial killer; (2) she has to constantly protect her four year old sister, Harper; (3) she knows the rules for how to survive a horror movie and yet she breaks every single one; (4) she feels like she is smarter than the cops and yet she gets one of her classmates killed; (5) none of her friends could really enjoy their junior year of high school without her permission; and (6) she felt like she knew better than her own mother, who actually cared about what happened to her and her friends (when typically YA Authors make the parents seem dumb, awkward, or abusive.) After the first 50% of this book, Ava Wilson started to get on my nerves and, unfortunately, these feelings continued to last until the final chapter.
And then we have the final reveal and revelations. While I may not be the biggest Horror Fiction reader, I do love watching these types of movies. I am big fan of the final reveal of the killer and why the heck they went bizarre all of a sudden. In Dead Fake, I was really surprised by who the killer turned out to be but, the reason for why the killer decided to kill a whole bunch of teenagers was not twisty or even interesting. Wait. Hold on. Taking a step back for one second. I understand the MORAL side of why the killer went bizarre. I mean, teenagers can be a little annoying and difficult to deal with. The mindset of a teenager is one where they don’t want to be judged by others, but love to be judgmental. Teenagers tend to participate in activities that they know are hurtful, but for some reason don’t care about the hurt until they are on the other side of it. The mindset of teenager is one that is very exhausting at times and makes me so glad that I survived this stage in my life. Do teens deserve to die over their hurtful actions? No. Does someone have the right to chase them down in the street and bash their head in with a hammer? No. But, teenagers should (no matter the generation) start to think about their actions and learn how to become positive role models and participate in healthier choices. Dead Fake is a reminder that while YA novels are very interesting and certain books will keep me running back to the genre, YA novels will also reinforce that teenage drama still exists and these characters/stories can become extremely annoying and slightly exhausting.
As I sit here and compose this review, I have come to believe that Dead Fake is worth a reader’s time and attention. It is very entertaining, addictive, and enjoyable. Definitely perfect for Spooky Season. Dead Fake is, however, slow paced and reads very much middle school/early high school years (9th-10th grade). It will have a much older reader (18 years of age and higher) being thankful that they have survived high school and all the amounts of immaturity that comes with such a stage in a person’s life. One important thing about Dead Fake is that it is a part of series called Bleak Haven. As the first book in the series, it is very motivating enough to continue on to Book #2: Night Terror. Anyone who finds themselves interested in this book should DEFINITELY read it, but PLEASE lower your expectations just a little bit.
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for granting my request for an Advance Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest and personal opinion!!!
January 20, 2026
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Dead Fake by Vincent Ralph. Below is my honest review.
I really enjoyed the first novel, Dead Fake, in Vincent Ralph's new Bleak Haven YA horror/thriller series. It had lots of twists and turns and was a lot of fun to read. I liked the whole "preview deaths by AI video" concept, as it was both creepy and disturbing. I thought the main character was developed well enough to root for, and the cast of secondary characters was pretty good too.
All in all, a solid series opener about a town plagued by violence, blood, sadness, etc. Looking forward to reading my ARC of book two, Night Terror, also releasing soon.
If you're a fan of horror and thriller genres or slashers, then you'll enjoy this foray into the YA horror space. It's also a bit of mystery, so that made for some extra fun.
Four bloody slashery stars.
I really enjoyed the first novel, Dead Fake, in Vincent Ralph's new Bleak Haven YA horror/thriller series. It had lots of twists and turns and was a lot of fun to read. I liked the whole "preview deaths by AI video" concept, as it was both creepy and disturbing. I thought the main character was developed well enough to root for, and the cast of secondary characters was pretty good too.
All in all, a solid series opener about a town plagued by violence, blood, sadness, etc. Looking forward to reading my ARC of book two, Night Terror, also releasing soon.
If you're a fan of horror and thriller genres or slashers, then you'll enjoy this foray into the YA horror space. It's also a bit of mystery, so that made for some extra fun.
Four bloody slashery stars.
February 1, 2026
A fast-paced mystery coupled with tension, scares, and a small town with a history of tragic deaths—sign me up! A new app has all the local teens answering questions about surviving a horror film, after which their deaths are generated by AI video. What begins as the latest craze accelerates into a murder that mirrors one of the deepfakes. Who created the app, and who will be next to die?
There's a sense of urgency and eeriness right from the beginning that sunk its teeth into me. The heroine of the story, Ava, has a dark past as the niece of a known killer. Her family history is well-known, and she's had to endure the gossip and unwanted attention her uncle's infamy brought her. She's confident and smart, has a strong moral code, and can rely on her immediate family and two best friends. I liked her immediately.
As different schoolmates were introduced with varying cliques and dynamics that came into play, everyone became suspicious. When the stakes increased, so did the suspense; I read this in practically one sitting. I kept guessing right up until the shocking turn of events that—in hindsight—I should have seen coming, but didn't.
DEAD FAKE is captivating, creepy and gives slasher vibes alongside a double-pronged whodunit. Vincent Ralph has created an intriguing trauma-laden town within the Bleak Haven series. Is a blend of 'Scream', 'Veronica Mars', and old-school Christopher Pike novels your jam? Then this is the book for you!
____
Thank you Wednesday Books for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
There's a sense of urgency and eeriness right from the beginning that sunk its teeth into me. The heroine of the story, Ava, has a dark past as the niece of a known killer. Her family history is well-known, and she's had to endure the gossip and unwanted attention her uncle's infamy brought her. She's confident and smart, has a strong moral code, and can rely on her immediate family and two best friends. I liked her immediately.
As different schoolmates were introduced with varying cliques and dynamics that came into play, everyone became suspicious. When the stakes increased, so did the suspense; I read this in practically one sitting. I kept guessing right up until the shocking turn of events that—in hindsight—I should have seen coming, but didn't.
DEAD FAKE is captivating, creepy and gives slasher vibes alongside a double-pronged whodunit. Vincent Ralph has created an intriguing trauma-laden town within the Bleak Haven series. Is a blend of 'Scream', 'Veronica Mars', and old-school Christopher Pike novels your jam? Then this is the book for you!
____
Thank you Wednesday Books for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
May 10, 2026
Quick, harmless read (not for the characters though)
Didn't think twice about picking this up. Didn't even read the blurb, the creative cover was enough to have me curious.
Didn't think twice about picking this up. Didn't even read the blurb, the creative cover was enough to have me curious.
February 15, 2026
This is a solid YA novel. I think I had expected it to be more horror than mystery, but it definitely leans hard into the mystery genre.
Our main character is Ava. She’s one of the more infamous residents of Bleak Haven, ever since her uncle Miles killed the Fairbourne family ten years ago. The newest teen craze is a Swipe-to-Die app which will make an AI horror movie death scene of you after answering a few quick questions.
Because of Ava’s history, she of course won’t participate, but when her friends and fellow classmates start dying in ways similar to the app and she discovers ties to her Uncle’s legacy she can’t help but investigate.
I thought this was a solid and comforting portrayal of teen friendships. There’s healthy portrayals of teen relationships here. I thought the mystery was compelling and the characters were interesting.
I didn’t see the ending coming. I thought I figured who it was but there were a couple good twists I didn’t guess.
I will say I think the villain was a little cartoonish and their motives didn’t make a lot of sense? But I don’t know if that matters. I think YA readers who don’t read as many thrillers as I do in a year will have a great time with it.
Would recommend. Suitable for the age group, enjoyable for anyone.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.
Our main character is Ava. She’s one of the more infamous residents of Bleak Haven, ever since her uncle Miles killed the Fairbourne family ten years ago. The newest teen craze is a Swipe-to-Die app which will make an AI horror movie death scene of you after answering a few quick questions.
Because of Ava’s history, she of course won’t participate, but when her friends and fellow classmates start dying in ways similar to the app and she discovers ties to her Uncle’s legacy she can’t help but investigate.
I thought this was a solid and comforting portrayal of teen friendships. There’s healthy portrayals of teen relationships here. I thought the mystery was compelling and the characters were interesting.
I didn’t see the ending coming. I thought I figured who it was but there were a couple good twists I didn’t guess.
I will say I think the villain was a little cartoonish and their motives didn’t make a lot of sense? But I don’t know if that matters. I think YA readers who don’t read as many thrillers as I do in a year will have a great time with it.
Would recommend. Suitable for the age group, enjoyable for anyone.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.
December 8, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 20, 2026
“Dead Fake” is the first novel in the Bleak Haven series by YA horror author Vincent Ralph. Ralph caught my interest with his previous novels, “One House Left” and “Secrets Never Die”, so I could not pass up the oppourtunity to read book one and two, “Night Terror” (review to come) of the Bleak Haven series when it was offered.
Ava Wilson’s beloved uncle is a murderer. Or so the rumours say. Years ago, Ava’s uncle broke into a local family’s home, killing every member but one, the youngest son. Since then, Ava has lived in her uncle’s shadow and she’s used to being stared at and whispered about. But then, her longtime friend and crush, Kash, discovers a new app called “Swipe to Die”, which soon becomes their classmate’s new fascination. With the app, the teens can witness their own “death”, created with AI-generated slasher movie scenes. Until the teens who play start dying, the same way the app predicted. As one of the only few who refused to buy in to the obsession, it is up to Ava to uncover who made the app, and why her friends are dying, before she becomes the next target.
First of all, I’m a sucker for engaging covers, and the book cover for “Fake” pulled me in. Ralph’s modern, addictive writing intrigued me from our first introduction, and I am glad to see he continues to craft creative, and scary, plots with relatable characters. Although identified as belonging to the YA genre, “Fake” is the kind of novel that will appeal to larger audiences, so don’t let the YA label turn you off.
Ava is the protagonist, a young woman with a tragic past, who is dedicated to her two close friends and her beloved younger sister. She is strong and spunky and it’s easy to admire the teenager as she tries to solve the murders that seem eerily similar to those her uncle supposedly committed years ago. All of the characters in “Fake” are likable, charming and naïve, instantly building a rapport with the reader.
The mystery of who’s behind the deep fake videos and the actual murders, and whether they’re connected, is, of course, the central plot, but whether or not Ava’s uncle actually committed the murders he was accused of is lingering in the background as well. Ralph connects both storylines smoothly and brings both to a believable and realistic conclusion. There are no questions left unanswered by the time the first novel is finished, which is satisfying, but the end of the novel, of course, drops hints as to how the plot will continue in the second book of the series.
“Fake” is engaging, scary and entertaining, and I’m excited to read the second novel. Ralph has made a name for himself in the YA horror genre, and I’m all for it.
Expected publication date: Jan. 20, 2026
“Dead Fake” is the first novel in the Bleak Haven series by YA horror author Vincent Ralph. Ralph caught my interest with his previous novels, “One House Left” and “Secrets Never Die”, so I could not pass up the oppourtunity to read book one and two, “Night Terror” (review to come) of the Bleak Haven series when it was offered.
Ava Wilson’s beloved uncle is a murderer. Or so the rumours say. Years ago, Ava’s uncle broke into a local family’s home, killing every member but one, the youngest son. Since then, Ava has lived in her uncle’s shadow and she’s used to being stared at and whispered about. But then, her longtime friend and crush, Kash, discovers a new app called “Swipe to Die”, which soon becomes their classmate’s new fascination. With the app, the teens can witness their own “death”, created with AI-generated slasher movie scenes. Until the teens who play start dying, the same way the app predicted. As one of the only few who refused to buy in to the obsession, it is up to Ava to uncover who made the app, and why her friends are dying, before she becomes the next target.
First of all, I’m a sucker for engaging covers, and the book cover for “Fake” pulled me in. Ralph’s modern, addictive writing intrigued me from our first introduction, and I am glad to see he continues to craft creative, and scary, plots with relatable characters. Although identified as belonging to the YA genre, “Fake” is the kind of novel that will appeal to larger audiences, so don’t let the YA label turn you off.
Ava is the protagonist, a young woman with a tragic past, who is dedicated to her two close friends and her beloved younger sister. She is strong and spunky and it’s easy to admire the teenager as she tries to solve the murders that seem eerily similar to those her uncle supposedly committed years ago. All of the characters in “Fake” are likable, charming and naïve, instantly building a rapport with the reader.
The mystery of who’s behind the deep fake videos and the actual murders, and whether they’re connected, is, of course, the central plot, but whether or not Ava’s uncle actually committed the murders he was accused of is lingering in the background as well. Ralph connects both storylines smoothly and brings both to a believable and realistic conclusion. There are no questions left unanswered by the time the first novel is finished, which is satisfying, but the end of the novel, of course, drops hints as to how the plot will continue in the second book of the series.
“Fake” is engaging, scary and entertaining, and I’m excited to read the second novel. Ralph has made a name for himself in the YA horror genre, and I’m all for it.
August 29, 2025
And he's done it again.
If you've been here a while, you might remember how much I loved 14 Ways to Die by the same author. It even made it into my top 5 of 2024, and now I get to relive the same feeling.
Dead Fake is everything I ever wanted from Fear Street. The seemingly cursed town, where tragedies are the daily reality, is haunted by a killer. Again. What started as a morbid joke and a way to get attention, has now been tainted by a real life human murderer, instead of a AI-generated Deep Fake, and Ava and her friends need to find a way to stop them before its too late.
While Ava is still haunted by her uncles untimely murder spree, it seems like he's coming back from the grave, bringing past memories she's tried to bury for almost a decade. Was it really him, who killed those people all these years ago? Or are we dealing with a set up?
Gripping and haunting, Dead Fake explores the human obsession with all things true crime and combines it with reflections on all things unregulated AI use.
I absolutely loved the writing. It takes some time to get used to, but once you do, the book becomes unputdownable. I had to know who was behind the killings. Was it the same person who created Swipe to Die? Or was it a seemingly random person?
You know how I love guessing the ending, gathering clues on who the killer is, but Dead Fake was able to trick me and the twist was INSANE. Highly recommend.
And huge thanks to Wednesday Books for sending me a free copy.
If you've been here a while, you might remember how much I loved 14 Ways to Die by the same author. It even made it into my top 5 of 2024, and now I get to relive the same feeling.
Dead Fake is everything I ever wanted from Fear Street. The seemingly cursed town, where tragedies are the daily reality, is haunted by a killer. Again. What started as a morbid joke and a way to get attention, has now been tainted by a real life human murderer, instead of a AI-generated Deep Fake, and Ava and her friends need to find a way to stop them before its too late.
While Ava is still haunted by her uncles untimely murder spree, it seems like he's coming back from the grave, bringing past memories she's tried to bury for almost a decade. Was it really him, who killed those people all these years ago? Or are we dealing with a set up?
Gripping and haunting, Dead Fake explores the human obsession with all things true crime and combines it with reflections on all things unregulated AI use.
I absolutely loved the writing. It takes some time to get used to, but once you do, the book becomes unputdownable. I had to know who was behind the killings. Was it the same person who created Swipe to Die? Or was it a seemingly random person?
You know how I love guessing the ending, gathering clues on who the killer is, but Dead Fake was able to trick me and the twist was INSANE. Highly recommend.
And huge thanks to Wednesday Books for sending me a free copy.
September 1, 2025
Thank you netgalley for this ARC and i plan on reading the 2nd book in this series shortly after i finished this one honestly at this point vincent is an auto read author of mine i really enjoy his books and when i found out he had TWO new ones i had to read them.. This book was a great one i enjoyed the characters but mainly the storyline was really good it put an AI spin on it seeing as AI is everywhere now this novel follows our main character who is the niece of someone who is notoriously known for murder and she starts school and notices people are using an app called Swipe or Die and what it basically is on the app is the app shows students having a deep fake death scene but when people start actually getting killed the town and our main character thinks she might be getting caught up in another situation because of who are uncle is. I will say the twist at the end i wasnt expecting and i thought that was really good regarding who the killer was this was definitely a quick read and fast paced and i kept reading because i wanted to know what happened next im really excited to read the 2nd one because the synopsis sounds great too! If you like slasher books/ YA this is a great book!
November 3, 2025
4.5☆ | Thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for allowing me to have a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
꩜ | Okay so I just finished this and I am 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. Vincent Ralph you have my heart.
I truly love everything he writes so much.
No one on my friends list has read this (or put it on their want to read shelf) so I have literally no one to talk to about this.
However, I am 𝘴𝘰 glad I also got accepted for the arc for Night Terror (book 2) as well because the way this one ended?? There's another printed paper, this time though, instead of it saying '𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘦' it says '𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮. 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘛𝘰 𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘭'.
꩜ | This whole book just shows how scary AI really is. I mean it starts off with some flyers popping up in a high school with the words 'Are You ready to be murdered?' above a QR code. Once they answer the 5 questions on the site they're brought to, it tells them to 'Swipe To Die'.
"𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣?"
That same night a classmate is murdered. Except he isn't.. it was a deep fake, all AI. All because they Swiped To Die.
Then they find out is wasn't actually real, and everyone thinks it's all fun and games, watching their own deaths as they're posted.
All fun and games until someone recreates the murders..
What starts out as a joke, becomes real. And Ava (our fmc) and her friends have to find out who's behind the murders before it's potentially her next.
꩜ | Once I got into this one, I truly couldn't stop reading it. Sure, it takes a little bit to get used to the writing, but I love it. The book is also so fast paced so I felt like I was speeding through it. I kept wondering who was actually behind the deep fakes & murders and the twist at the end was crazy. My own guesses as to who it is was wrong.
Everything was also tied up really well to where the ending didn't feel rushed
꩜ | Overall I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fast paced thrillers. All the twists and turns will truly keep you guessing until the very end, and even then you might not correctly guess who it is.
꩜ | Okay so I just finished this and I am 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴. Vincent Ralph you have my heart.
I truly love everything he writes so much.
No one on my friends list has read this (or put it on their want to read shelf) so I have literally no one to talk to about this.
However, I am 𝘴𝘰 glad I also got accepted for the arc for Night Terror (book 2) as well because the way this one ended?? There's another printed paper, this time though, instead of it saying '𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘦' it says '𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮. 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘛𝘰 𝘒𝘪𝘭𝘭'.
꩜ | This whole book just shows how scary AI really is. I mean it starts off with some flyers popping up in a high school with the words 'Are You ready to be murdered?' above a QR code. Once they answer the 5 questions on the site they're brought to, it tells them to 'Swipe To Die'.
"𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣?"
That same night a classmate is murdered. Except he isn't.. it was a deep fake, all AI. All because they Swiped To Die.
Then they find out is wasn't actually real, and everyone thinks it's all fun and games, watching their own deaths as they're posted.
All fun and games until someone recreates the murders..
What starts out as a joke, becomes real. And Ava (our fmc) and her friends have to find out who's behind the murders before it's potentially her next.
꩜ | Once I got into this one, I truly couldn't stop reading it. Sure, it takes a little bit to get used to the writing, but I love it. The book is also so fast paced so I felt like I was speeding through it. I kept wondering who was actually behind the deep fakes & murders and the twist at the end was crazy. My own guesses as to who it is was wrong.
Everything was also tied up really well to where the ending didn't feel rushed
꩜ | Overall I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fast paced thrillers. All the twists and turns will truly keep you guessing until the very end, and even then you might not correctly guess who it is.
September 3, 2025
Ava has always been known as the niece of a serial killer, so when a new craze called Swipe to Die takes over Bleak Haven High, Ava refuses to join in. Soon, AI-generated versions of students will be murdered in their own slasher movie moments. Everyone thinks it's fun and games until deep fakes are being replicated in real life. When Ava finds connections between the deep fakes and the murders her uncle committed, Ava is determined to find out who the killer is.
Dead Fake gives me all the Fear Street vibes with a town that seems to be plagued by serial killers in its history. I loved the implementation of new technology, such as AI, in a thriller, and I can definitely see the Swipe to Die website being popular in High Schools. Who doesn’t want to see how they would fare in a slasher movie? This book kept me guessing, and the twist at the end was a surprise. I am excited to dig into the next book in this series. Dead Fake is the perfect book for YA thriller fans or readers just starting to get into the genre.
Dead Fake is out January 20th, 2026.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review Dead Fake. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Dead Fake gives me all the Fear Street vibes with a town that seems to be plagued by serial killers in its history. I loved the implementation of new technology, such as AI, in a thriller, and I can definitely see the Swipe to Die website being popular in High Schools. Who doesn’t want to see how they would fare in a slasher movie? This book kept me guessing, and the twist at the end was a surprise. I am excited to dig into the next book in this series. Dead Fake is the perfect book for YA thriller fans or readers just starting to get into the genre.
Dead Fake is out January 20th, 2026.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review Dead Fake. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 23, 2026
Love the slasher vibes of this book! There is a new app where people can choose to "swipe to die" and they can see an AI generated version of themselves being killed slasher-movie style. A lot of teens are doing it and the deepfakes are being streamed publicly so everyone can see them. Then kids start getting killed like they did in their videos. Our main character Ava has a bad history with death as her uncle is an infamous murderer from the town. She notices that the videos seem very similar to the murders committed by her uncle and the order of the type of weapon used in the killings. She starts investigating to see if she can figure out who created the app and how to get it shut down while also figure out who the killer is. There were some pretty heart racing scenes and a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. I had a good time reading this.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest reviews. #DeadFake #NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest reviews. #DeadFake #NetGalley
September 23, 2025
3.5/5
This was an interesting read! It validated my fears of AI and the negative aspects of it. Dead Fake gave me “Scream” vibes - small town that’s haunted by a tragedy that occurred years ago. It definitely had me pointing fingers at who did what.
Thank you so much to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early!
This was an interesting read! It validated my fears of AI and the negative aspects of it. Dead Fake gave me “Scream” vibes - small town that’s haunted by a tragedy that occurred years ago. It definitely had me pointing fingers at who did what.
Thank you so much to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early!
October 16, 2025
Deep Fake by Vincent Ralph completely pulled me in. The mix of mystery, technology, and small-town secrets made it impossible to put down. I loved how the story explored the idea of deep fakes in such a creepy and believable way, and tackled the effects of AI head on. Our main character was excellent flawed but strong, and I really felt her fear and determination as everything started to spiral. I love realistic characters and appreciated her complex feelings towards her late Uncle.The pacing stayed tight from the first chapter to the end, and I was constantly second-guessing who to trust.
The ending surprised me in the best way and tied everything together without feeling rushed. I really thought I had guessed the twist early in, and was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong. Vincent Ralph did a great job blending tension, heart, and just the right amount of horror. It’s clever, fast-paced, and unsettling in all the right ways, I’m looking forward to more in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
The ending surprised me in the best way and tied everything together without feeling rushed. I really thought I had guessed the twist early in, and was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong. Vincent Ralph did a great job blending tension, heart, and just the right amount of horror. It’s clever, fast-paced, and unsettling in all the right ways, I’m looking forward to more in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
November 16, 2025
Special thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review
This review started at 4 stars, but as I was writing out my thoughts, I realized I needed to lower it down to 3 because Ava just drove me absolutely crazy.
If generative AI has no haters, then that means I am dead. It is ruining art, writing, critical thinking, and out planet in general. I've gotten into many arguments with people about it. So I'm really happy to see a story geared towards the young adult demographic that's really focusing on the fact that there are consequences to using it. Sure, murder might be a bit excessive, but the message is well and truly there. Everybody thought it was all fun and games (which was incredibly frustrating) until they eventually realized that it actually isn't something to be taken so lightly.
The plot around the dead fakes and the mystery around the things that happened in the town were really great! The thing bringing the story down for me was Ava. I found all of her choices incredibly frustrating.
This review started at 4 stars, but as I was writing out my thoughts, I realized I needed to lower it down to 3 because Ava just drove me absolutely crazy.
If generative AI has no haters, then that means I am dead. It is ruining art, writing, critical thinking, and out planet in general. I've gotten into many arguments with people about it. So I'm really happy to see a story geared towards the young adult demographic that's really focusing on the fact that there are consequences to using it. Sure, murder might be a bit excessive, but the message is well and truly there. Everybody thought it was all fun and games (which was incredibly frustrating) until they eventually realized that it actually isn't something to be taken so lightly.
The plot around the dead fakes and the mystery around the things that happened in the town were really great! The thing bringing the story down for me was Ava. I found all of her choices incredibly frustrating.
May 31, 2025
More of a 4.5-star read but this was really good. Definitely Fear Street inspired/vibes but that's even better with the revival of that brand. Imagine growing up in a town where you have a higher chance of being murdered than of graduating. Why do these people live here? Good grief.
January 21, 2026
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ebook.
📝 Short Summary
Dead Fake is a creepy, fast paced start to a series built around one terrifying idea, being able to view your own death. It’s tense, addictive, and gives that classic teen horror energy that feels nostalgic while still pulling you in hard.
Review
This book hooked me right away because the concept alone is enough to make my skin crawl. The idea of seeing your own death is one of those things that would absolutely break my brain, so I was right there with Ava Wilson the entire time. I would have reacted exactly like her, stressed, panicked, trying to make sense of what it means, and wondering if it can be changed. That kind of fear feels personal, because it is not just danger around you, it is your own ending staring back at you.
The story also gave me major Fear Street vibes again, in the best way. It has that fast, easy to read style that keeps the pages turning, but it still has enough tension and mystery to keep you invested. It is the kind of book that makes you say one more chapter and then suddenly you are way further than you meant to be.
Ava was a big reason this worked for me. She felt real. She was not written like some fearless main character who never breaks, she actually felt like someone trying to survive something that would mess anyone up. I liked being in her head, and I liked watching her try to stay steady even when everything around her was spiraling. That made the stakes feel heavier because I cared what happened to her.
What I also loved is that this feels like a strong book one. It sets up the world and the tone in a way that makes you want to keep going, and I already know I will be reading the rest of the series. I am also definitely going to check out this author’s other books because I liked the writing style and the overall vibe that much.
✅ Would I Recommend It?
Yes. If you want a creepy, nostalgic, Fear Street style read with a premise that will freak you out and keep you hooked, this is a great pick.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ebook.
📝 Short Summary
Dead Fake is a creepy, fast paced start to a series built around one terrifying idea, being able to view your own death. It’s tense, addictive, and gives that classic teen horror energy that feels nostalgic while still pulling you in hard.
Review
This book hooked me right away because the concept alone is enough to make my skin crawl. The idea of seeing your own death is one of those things that would absolutely break my brain, so I was right there with Ava Wilson the entire time. I would have reacted exactly like her, stressed, panicked, trying to make sense of what it means, and wondering if it can be changed. That kind of fear feels personal, because it is not just danger around you, it is your own ending staring back at you.
The story also gave me major Fear Street vibes again, in the best way. It has that fast, easy to read style that keeps the pages turning, but it still has enough tension and mystery to keep you invested. It is the kind of book that makes you say one more chapter and then suddenly you are way further than you meant to be.
Ava was a big reason this worked for me. She felt real. She was not written like some fearless main character who never breaks, she actually felt like someone trying to survive something that would mess anyone up. I liked being in her head, and I liked watching her try to stay steady even when everything around her was spiraling. That made the stakes feel heavier because I cared what happened to her.
What I also loved is that this feels like a strong book one. It sets up the world and the tone in a way that makes you want to keep going, and I already know I will be reading the rest of the series. I am also definitely going to check out this author’s other books because I liked the writing style and the overall vibe that much.
✅ Would I Recommend It?
Yes. If you want a creepy, nostalgic, Fear Street style read with a premise that will freak you out and keep you hooked, this is a great pick.
December 20, 2025
Dead Fake is the first novel in the bleak Haven series by Vincent Ralph, Bleak Haven is a town with a plethora of past horrors but it seems the one that Ava is attached to is the most popular. Her uncle was found guilty for killing a family and it seems Ava is the poster girl for that Catastrophe. she feels like an outcast but definitely has the support of her best friend Willow and neighbor Mason and she’s also close to her aunt Kaylee mom and of course her little sister Harper. it’s been 10 years since her uncle Joey went to jail and things are status quo and Ava‘s life until the day her lifelong crush and fellow newspaper editor cash tells her about the new Swipe To Die game that’s going around the school. although Ava does her best to steer clear of this game especially when they start putting fake murders online but in the end she will be the only one left to investigate and will find answers to questions she didn’t know needed to be asked. I love Vincent Ralphs books and I wish I could do a much better job reviewing because I feel I am doing it a disservice I was so into this book and cannot wait to start the next one I love his Books but about this one. Ava is definitely someone you want to root for the twist at the end of this book was absolutely mind boggling I was so dumbstruck when I found out who the perpetrator/perpetrators were. What a stellar read not to mention there’s more than one mystery such as who started the game who’s making these fake murders and who’s committing the real ones and are they the same person? I do want to say in my opinion these are really teenage horror stories but they’re well done by one of the best horror riders in my opinion. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #VincentRalph, #DeadFake,
October 20, 2025
This is the only way I want to see AI in my books, used as part of the storyline. Loved Ava and her curious self. I tried to put all the pieces together as I went and was completely wrong in the end. That alone gets this book five stars for me. Not predictable, characters you love, and just enough to make you want to continue the journey in Bleak Haven.
November 11, 2025
Well, this was a blast of a YA slasher novel!
Trying to figure out the who and why of everything was such fun! I did figure it out a bit before the reveal, but not too much before.
I liked our main character and her friends and was highly intrigued by this little down - it's a highly murderous place.
The book is fast-paced and keeps interested until the very last page.
Fun read!
* ARC via Publisher
Trying to figure out the who and why of everything was such fun! I did figure it out a bit before the reveal, but not too much before.
I liked our main character and her friends and was highly intrigued by this little down - it's a highly murderous place.
The book is fast-paced and keeps interested until the very last page.
Fun read!
* ARC via Publisher
September 12, 2025
This one was really good! It’s a fast read, as well as the suspense build up was really good! I definitely was not expecting who the suspect was! I can’t wait to read the next book!
February 4, 2026
I loved the Christopher pike and fear street type vibes of this book! if you wanting to read something with those vibes, r.l stone type vibes then try out Vincent Ralph for sure!
This book really played on the deep fakes of AI and it’s actually pretty scary to think about! I really liked the creepiness of this book and how the author used this modern issue to really sell the horror aspects! The twist at the end wasn’t easily guessable so that’s a plus! a cool fun fast read!
This book really played on the deep fakes of AI and it’s actually pretty scary to think about! I really liked the creepiness of this book and how the author used this modern issue to really sell the horror aspects! The twist at the end wasn’t easily guessable so that’s a plus! a cool fun fast read!
Read
May 12, 2026
Trigger & Content Warnings
Sexual harassment mentioned
Divorce & infidelity mentioned
Blood & gore depiction
Cancer
Death of a parent
Animal death
Sexual harassment mentioned
Divorce & infidelity mentioned
Blood & gore depiction
Cancer
Death of a parent
Animal death
August 31, 2025
I’m definitely here for the Fear Street vibes. This was a really entertaining story and I liked all the characters. I pegged the killer, but I thought it was a good twist. All in all, a solid thriller. And I’m interested in reading the rest of the series.
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in January of 2026.
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in January of 2026.
August 28, 2025
Wow! I powered through this one as I couldn't stop reading! High school student, Ava can't get any dates as her Uncle Miles was a serial killer. But then the students begin getting notes about a new "game" called Swipe or Die. And then things get ugly...! If you've ever worried about AI or the future of technology, you need to read this (with the lights on)!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
March 28, 2026
A solid creepy slasher. This one is from the point of view of teenagers, but it was a good read. Looking forward to more from this author.
April 22, 2026
“Deepfakes are the next level of warfare; you can fake a death and people will believe it.”
My Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 Rounded up
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
In this YA Thriller/Mystery we follow Ava, a high school girl who is known as the niece of the man who almost annihilated an entire family - apart from one young son - 10 years ago. She battles with her gut saying that her departed uncle is innocent, as he was a wonderful uncle to her and there were no signs leading up to that awful night. Now, with the 10 year anniversary coming up, flyers are left throughout the school for an app called “Swipe to Die” - Teenagers being teenagers, they all scan it and input their data, leading to deepfake AI generated videos of their murders being created and shared. Amidst the shock value of these videos, one student ends up being murdered in the same way that was shown in his deepfake. Ava plants herself right in the middle of the investigation, as the new murder(s) have striking similarities to those committed by her uncle previously.
What I Loved:
It was easy to get into this book and I was definitely drawn into the who-dun-it. This author does a great job at fake foreshadowing that leads my head spinning on who could be the culprit. I definitely did not see the final reveal coming. I also really liked that we have this hint of paranormal maybe going on in this town - and I’m always a fan of the scooby-doo archetype where we are led to believe there may be some paranormal entity but in the end it’s just some asshole human.
What I Didn’t Love:
I don’t have much to complain about on this one. I think the only thing I noted was maybe the age of Ava’s little sister needs to be upped a smidge. She’s 4 years old in this book but the way she speaks and acts comes across a little older (as someone with a 4 year old daughter)
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The writing in this book kept me interested, hooked, and reading well past my bed time. Some spots moved a little slow but overall great.
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We didn’t get to know too many characters on a deep enough level to care for them too much, but this works to the book's benefit in a way that the killer could be anyone. I did like Ava as our MC, I felt she was a smart and capable little detective that made this book more enjoyable instead of frustrating. I’d also like to say I HEAVILY appreciate that there wasn’t a romance laced into this book. I could maybe sense something could’ve happened between Ava and Mason, and I’m soooo relieved the author let them remain really good friends.
*** ARC Giveaway Copy ***
April 20, 2026
On the school notice board, a mysterious QR Code leads students to a website called "Swipe to Die" where answering a few questions gets you a deep fake video of how they would die in a slasher-style horror movie. Everyone enjoys and goes crazy for this new trend - after all, it isn't real. No one is really dying. Until they are. Starting with the creator of the deep fake website, students start dying in the exact same ways as shown in their videos. And it falls to a teen on the newspaper staff to solve the mystery of who is behind all the killings.
This is Vincent Ralph in his element - a fun, fast=paced teen thriller with a splash of slasher. The mystery is complimented by interesting commentary on how glued teens are to technology, and how easy it is to get people to accept death when they don't believe it's real. Although I was a little confused by book 2 in this series, and I did end up reading them out of order (oops!) it didn't end up mattering. It seems the stories are stand alones, with the only common thread running between them the town itself where things are taking place. I did request and receive copies of the next two books in the series from Netgalley, so please stay tuned for those reviews. This book gets four out of five stars from me. I enjoyed it, and I am curious about the next books in the series. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is Vincent Ralph in his element - a fun, fast=paced teen thriller with a splash of slasher. The mystery is complimented by interesting commentary on how glued teens are to technology, and how easy it is to get people to accept death when they don't believe it's real. Although I was a little confused by book 2 in this series, and I did end up reading them out of order (oops!) it didn't end up mattering. It seems the stories are stand alones, with the only common thread running between them the town itself where things are taking place. I did request and receive copies of the next two books in the series from Netgalley, so please stay tuned for those reviews. This book gets four out of five stars from me. I enjoyed it, and I am curious about the next books in the series. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 31, 2026
“If you kill in this town, the only way out is down.”
Dead Fake is a very interesting look into how AI and deepfake videos can be used to facilitate fear in both fictional and actual murders, and how we deal with grief when the person at its core has been vilified.
Ralph brings up a thought provoking topic that I hadn’t actually considered before; AI being used to create nude deepfake photos or videos of young women to be posted online.
While sharing intimate photos on the web was thankfully not an issue when I was in high school (I’m pre-internet old), it definitely is now and it’s obviously problematic. However, as technology advances and artificial intelligence grows in more terrifying ways, it also advances the seedy and criminal aspects that unfortunately are ever present online. It’s really frightening to think about.
AI concerns aside, Dead Fake does well with the horror aspect as Ralph doesn’t shy away from the slash and gore despite this being a YA book. Was the twist at the end a total shock? Not really, but it didn’t take away from this being an enjoyable read.
I received an ARC copy courtesy of
St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley, however my review is my own unbiased personal opinion, left of my own volition.
Dead Fake is a very interesting look into how AI and deepfake videos can be used to facilitate fear in both fictional and actual murders, and how we deal with grief when the person at its core has been vilified.
Ralph brings up a thought provoking topic that I hadn’t actually considered before; AI being used to create nude deepfake photos or videos of young women to be posted online.
While sharing intimate photos on the web was thankfully not an issue when I was in high school (I’m pre-internet old), it definitely is now and it’s obviously problematic. However, as technology advances and artificial intelligence grows in more terrifying ways, it also advances the seedy and criminal aspects that unfortunately are ever present online. It’s really frightening to think about.
AI concerns aside, Dead Fake does well with the horror aspect as Ralph doesn’t shy away from the slash and gore despite this being a YA book. Was the twist at the end a total shock? Not really, but it didn’t take away from this being an enjoyable read.
I received an ARC copy courtesy of
St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley, however my review is my own unbiased personal opinion, left of my own volition.
December 26, 2025
A YA thriller can be tough to execute. It often becomes less spooky/eerie and gives off more of a mystery vibe (still entertaining, but not always what you’re looking for). But this author did a great job of incorporating a slasher vibe to the story, giving it an ominous feel.
I also liked the idea of the murders possibly being linked to a viral trend - in this case, teens would answer a few questions and “swipe to die”, leading to AI generated videos of them being killed.
The fact that so many people participated in something like this was both shocking and all too real (or have we forgotten when teens used to eat Tide pods?).
And then there was the ending, where a new trend pops up and the reader is left on a chilling cliffhanger. I loved it! Can’t wait to read the next book.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for my gifted copy!
I also liked the idea of the murders possibly being linked to a viral trend - in this case, teens would answer a few questions and “swipe to die”, leading to AI generated videos of them being killed.
The fact that so many people participated in something like this was both shocking and all too real (or have we forgotten when teens used to eat Tide pods?).
And then there was the ending, where a new trend pops up and the reader is left on a chilling cliffhanger. I loved it! Can’t wait to read the next book.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for my gifted copy!
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