String Dolls

by Victoria L. Hicks

Are they hunting for a killer? Or are they the prey?

Skye knew there was a twisted, sick person out there, a psychopath who enjoyed torturing and killing girls. What had their father gotten her and Travis into?

Two teenagers, Travis and his sister Skye, are sent to spend the summer with their two great-aunts. However, their arrival is ill timed. Girls in the area are going missing, the only clue a small string doll, a taunt left behind by the person who abducted them.

Travis thinks he's stumbled onto the killer, and his relentless pursuit of the man has frightening repercussions that echo far into the future - because fifteen years later, the killer is back, and this time Travis and Skye are the targets.

Revenge is sweeter when it’s deadly.

313 pages, Paperback

First published August 8, 2025

About the author

Vickie Hicks has been writing for a video production company for years and has finally starting penning novels. Her first psychological thriller is String Dolls.
Vickie grew up in Texas, but then played gypsy and lived in New York City, Los Angeles, and a town in Colorado so tiny you could drive through it and never know it was there. She finally settled in central New York with her husband, two cats and a crazy puppy that is giving one of the cats anger management problems.

Reviews

[Foxglove · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars, rounded up.

I’ll start by saying I did genuinely enjoy the plot of this book. I liked the idea behind it, and I felt interested enough to keep reading the book. Whilst not particularly new, it was fairly well done, with creative elements thrown into it that made it enjoyable. I wouldn’t say that this book was particularly suspenseful or thrilling, sadly, but I could see the intent.

I also quite liked the characters. Every character felt distinct, including the two siblings. Some writers can have difficulties making related characters seem unique, and it’s nice to see that Hicks didn’t have the same issue. I could tell who was speaking a vast majority of the time, without reading the names.

As a side note, I also liked the title of this, and the fact that this was a quick read despite the high page count.

However, what kept me from truly appreciating this book was the writing. Unfortunately, the writing was far too childish and awkward for the subject matter. There were a lot of instances where the author could have easily shown but chose to tell instead. There were unnecessary commas, along with an abundance of sentences that could have been cut into multiple parts but weren’t. Some of the phrasing was also incredibly awkward, even making me laugh unintentionally at points, which isn’t a great sign for a thriller novel. This goes back to my point about this not being suspenseful.

Furthermore, I had an issue with some of the choices made in reference to the chapters. The chapters felt unnecessarily short, and there were far too many of them. As well as this, they cut off at awkward moments that served no purpose. Chapters could have been easily blended together without causing any problems. This was especially apparent with some of the two-sentence chapters. For example, chapter 8 consisted of two sentences about nothing but declining an invitation. There was no suspense and nothing that would warrant the need for so much attention on these two lines. Why was this done?

Overall, I won’t be reading this again, but I don’t regret the time spent on it. I wouldn’t say it was my kind of book, and I was a little disappointed by the lack of thrill, but I suppose you might enjoy this if you’re quite easily scared and like quick reads.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mandy Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The tone, setting, characters and their relationships were all well written. The first part of the book gave me "Silver Bullet" movie vibes (Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King). Young teens spending the summer with their aunt, making new friendships. The freedom of being a kid exploring, going on adventures suddenly ripped away by local girls going missing. When the case hits close to home the friends must band together to get answers and help one of their own. Travis, Skye, Roly and Darla find each other and bond quickly. The second part of the book turns dark and twisty. I also was floored by the ending... I mean WTH?!?!?! Great book and I will be reading more by this author!

[Cin (cinsnextchapter) · Rating 5 out of 5]

When siblings Travis and Skye are sent to spend the summer with their great-aunts at Dark House, they stumble into the middle of a nightmare — girls are vanishing, with a string doll left behind as the signature of the killer. Travis becomes obsessed with finding the culprit, but their pursuit comes at a steep price — one they’ll keep paying. Fifteen years later, the past returns with a vengeance, and this time, the killer isn’t hunting just anyone. He’s hunting them.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from the author and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The first half of the book reads like a ‘Fear Street’ novel with the characters in their teens, and then shifts 15 years with the second half taking place in adulthood. Well written and truly gripping, this book was a real page-turner that kept me guessing — I was suspicious of everyone by the end!

[Michelle Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revenge is a dish best served cold. As teenagers, Travis and Skye were sent to spend their summer with two great aunts. Unfortunately, just as they arrive they find out that girls are going missing with the only clue as to what happened is a small little string doll left. No one can solve who is taking the children. Travis thinks he knows who did it and tries to solve the issue but couldn't. Fast forward fifteen years and the same killer has returned and hasn't forgotten what Travis tried to do years ago and now Travis and Skye are both targets.

[El · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks for my advanced copy of this book. I found it easy to read and felt like it was written well for younger readers (YA). The plot was intriguing and held my interest. The plot twist was somewhat predictable, though I didn't find it very believable. While the characters were developed, I didn't feel as though I really connected with them, which would have added an extra deeper layer to the reading experience.

[Kayla Keller · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book gave off young reader/goosebump vibes with the unnecessary cliff hangers every 2 pages, I did find myself unable to put it down and wanting to know what happens next. I figured it out very very early on due to little bread crumbs that seemed thrown in for no reason but for a first book, I think the author did a good job. Definitely kept me invested.

[Neal Denny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an advanced reader copy of String Dolls. I loved it!
The characters were really well developed, it had a great pace,and I loved the plot. And the twist-never saw it coming!
Definitely recommend.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

String Dolls is a sharp, unsettling thriller that wastes no time pulling you into its web. Missing girls, eerie clues, and a predator who never forgets—Victoria L. Hicks delivers a chilling cat-and-mouse story where the past refuses to stay buried. Taut, creepy, and relentlessly tense.