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Dead Girls #3
Dead Nice
Book three in Emma Smith's young adult mystery series.
"It's nice,” I lie. I lie, and lie, and lie. “Dead nice...”
Kara has always wanted to travel... so when she finds herself on the French Riviera for the summer, armed with her best friend, Louise, and their boyfriends, Euan and Shawn, she’s ready to let go of the past and have fun. Until Shawn is kidnapped from the Old Town of Nice, and everything descends into chaos.
Kara moved to France to escape the drama back home... only to find herself embroiled in an even darker web of lies. As the friends start to uncover more about Shawn’s past, they find themselves trapped on a yacht out at sea...
Wondering whether saving Shawn is even worth the risk.
A summery tale of love and lies, set on the French Riviera. Though the third book in the Dead Girls trilogy, it can be read as a standalone.
"It's nice,” I lie. I lie, and lie, and lie. “Dead nice...”
Kara has always wanted to travel... so when she finds herself on the French Riviera for the summer, armed with her best friend, Louise, and their boyfriends, Euan and Shawn, she’s ready to let go of the past and have fun. Until Shawn is kidnapped from the Old Town of Nice, and everything descends into chaos.
Kara moved to France to escape the drama back home... only to find herself embroiled in an even darker web of lies. As the friends start to uncover more about Shawn’s past, they find themselves trapped on a yacht out at sea...
Wondering whether saving Shawn is even worth the risk.
A summery tale of love and lies, set on the French Riviera. Though the third book in the Dead Girls trilogy, it can be read as a standalone.
380 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2026
2 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Emma Smith
14 books564 followersEmma Smith is a young adult and children's author from Yorkshire. She wrote and illustrated her first “book” when she was seven years old and hasn’t stopped writing since. When she’s not walking on the beach or drinking an iced coffee with a crumpet and some chocolate, you’ll probably find her reading something dark and mysterious… and most certainly YA.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 3, 2026
It's a YA mystery set on the French Riviera, and there's about to be a murder... what's not to love? My favourite characters, favourite setting, favourite series. Enjoy.
September 10, 2025
⭐️ 5
Right, this book… the twists?! The plot?! The character growth?!
There is so much to say about Dead Nice. Let’s start with my initial expectations… I was nervous at first since I did not like Kara in the first two books. I must say that while I would not necessarily forgive her in real life, I do think that it was really lovely to get to know more about WHY she is like she is, and to see her move away from that darker side of herself. It makes me see Dead Fine in such a different light!
I absolutely loved the pacing of this one. The mystery kicked off pretty quickly and from them on, I was nervous to turn the page, curious how it was all going to end.
And let me tell you, I did NOT expect that ending! I never do 😭
So if you’re looking for a mystery read, I’d definitely consider this one, especially if you love the idea of possible murder in France…
Right, this book… the twists?! The plot?! The character growth?!
There is so much to say about Dead Nice. Let’s start with my initial expectations… I was nervous at first since I did not like Kara in the first two books. I must say that while I would not necessarily forgive her in real life, I do think that it was really lovely to get to know more about WHY she is like she is, and to see her move away from that darker side of herself. It makes me see Dead Fine in such a different light!
I absolutely loved the pacing of this one. The mystery kicked off pretty quickly and from them on, I was nervous to turn the page, curious how it was all going to end.
And let me tell you, I did NOT expect that ending! I never do 😭
So if you’re looking for a mystery read, I’d definitely consider this one, especially if you love the idea of possible murder in France…
August 19, 2025
First thank you again Emma for the e-ARC of this book.
I loved books 1 & 2 in this series and was so so excited by the announcement for book 3, I feel so lucky to have been able to read and review it already.
This was a great finale to the Dead Girls series, and brought us back full circle in the end too, it was great to see the girls back together again especially now they have all grown and evolved into young adults.
This book took Kara from my least favourite of the girls, to my most favourite and THAT is good writing and character development.
I loved the very different setting of this book, I probably say this in all of my reviews for Emma but the way she describes scenery is so captivating and beautiful and i would genuinely read 300 pages of her scenery descriptions.
I really enjoyed the mystery of this book, I spent a lot of time going back and forth over who I trusted and who I thought was lying or had ulterior motives. Any book that can make everyone seem honesty and also untrustworthy all at the same time is a great book in my eyes.
I loved the friendship between Kara and Louise, i was hoping it might evolve into something else but in the end i think Kara needed a best friend more than any romantic partner!!
I loved books 1 & 2 in this series and was so so excited by the announcement for book 3, I feel so lucky to have been able to read and review it already.
This was a great finale to the Dead Girls series, and brought us back full circle in the end too, it was great to see the girls back together again especially now they have all grown and evolved into young adults.
This book took Kara from my least favourite of the girls, to my most favourite and THAT is good writing and character development.
I loved the very different setting of this book, I probably say this in all of my reviews for Emma but the way she describes scenery is so captivating and beautiful and i would genuinely read 300 pages of her scenery descriptions.
I really enjoyed the mystery of this book, I spent a lot of time going back and forth over who I trusted and who I thought was lying or had ulterior motives. Any book that can make everyone seem honesty and also untrustworthy all at the same time is a great book in my eyes.
I loved the friendship between Kara and Louise, i was hoping it might evolve into something else but in the end i think Kara needed a best friend more than any romantic partner!!
August 30, 2025
A perfect ending to the Dead Girls Trilogy🤩
After reading the first book in the trilogy, Dead Fine, Kara wasn’t a character I thought I could relate to or even like, but her story in Dead Nice changed that.
Dead Nice follows Kara Faulkner escaping her past by travelling through the French Riviera with her best friend Louise and their new boyfriends Euan and Shawn. After settling in Nice, Shawn goes missing, and with the police unable to do much, the friends take it upon themselves to find him. As they uncover more about Shawn’s dark past, they begin to question whether Shawn is someone who should be saved.
While this book is a YA mystery, it strikes the perfect balance of unease and suspense with the kidnapping storyline and the warmth of the French Riviera setting. I loved that this was set abroad, as we got to see one of the Vibbington girls outside of the town, and it made so much sense that it was Kara who got to escape.
I grew to love and appreciate Kara’s character in this book, as we got an insight into her inner monologue and motivations for her previous actions in Dead Fine. While I don’t excuse her actions in Dead Fine and did think of them when reading the other two books in the trilogy, there is a clear remorse within Kara for what she did to Lilz and even in just acting the way she did as a teenager. We got to see her growth as a person and witness her finding herself without being constrained to the town she grew up in. Kara is for the girls who just needed to get out of their hometown to find the person they actually are and want to be, rather than the mould they tried to melt into to fit in. I finished Dead Nice with a new appreciation for Kara’s character and think she definitely has redeemed herself.
I also loved the new characters in the book. Even though we were just introduced to Louise, it felt like I already knew her. Also, as a Scottish person, of course, I get excited when I see there’s Scottish characters introduced, and Emma wrote this in such an accurate way, no stereotypes or caricatures, they were just people. I loved everything about Euan and Shawn’s storyline, especially when we delved into Shawn’s past. I felt like I was watching a BBC true crime documentary; it was so realistic. Also, the inclusion of Jules and the mention of the working-class cosplay she seemed to put on was a really interesting touch and one I find to be a huge issue currently in real life, which made sense to touch upon since I find Emma’s writing really realistic and includes these important themes.
This is all, of course, thanks to Emma's beautiful writing. Not everyone could redeem a character like Kara, who, in a way, can mimic your childhood bully and make her into an actual person who was just a broken teenager, making you feel sympathetic for her. This is now the fourth book I've read of Emma’s, and each time I'm in awe of just how good she is at writing. Her word choice is masterful, and the way she writes transforms the world around you into the place she wants you to be, whether that’s Vibbington, Eden House or the French Riviera.
Before reading Dead Fine by Emma, I hadn’t explored any YA murder mystery books, so I want to thank her for introducing me to this genre through this beautiful trilogy. I can also confidently say the Dead Girls trilogy are the perfect books for young people to read to get into the mystery genre, as they are what got me to appreciate and want to read more of these kinds of books.
Dead Nice will be released on the 12th of September 2025. You can preorder it on your Kindle, and Emma's other books, including the first two of the Dead Girls trilogy, are included on Kindle Unlimited or can be purchased in paperback from Amazon or her Etsy!
Thank you to the author, Emma Smith, for sending me an ARC of Dead Nice. I can't wait for its release and for people to read the complete trilogy ⭐️
After reading the first book in the trilogy, Dead Fine, Kara wasn’t a character I thought I could relate to or even like, but her story in Dead Nice changed that.
Dead Nice follows Kara Faulkner escaping her past by travelling through the French Riviera with her best friend Louise and their new boyfriends Euan and Shawn. After settling in Nice, Shawn goes missing, and with the police unable to do much, the friends take it upon themselves to find him. As they uncover more about Shawn’s dark past, they begin to question whether Shawn is someone who should be saved.
While this book is a YA mystery, it strikes the perfect balance of unease and suspense with the kidnapping storyline and the warmth of the French Riviera setting. I loved that this was set abroad, as we got to see one of the Vibbington girls outside of the town, and it made so much sense that it was Kara who got to escape.
I grew to love and appreciate Kara’s character in this book, as we got an insight into her inner monologue and motivations for her previous actions in Dead Fine. While I don’t excuse her actions in Dead Fine and did think of them when reading the other two books in the trilogy, there is a clear remorse within Kara for what she did to Lilz and even in just acting the way she did as a teenager. We got to see her growth as a person and witness her finding herself without being constrained to the town she grew up in. Kara is for the girls who just needed to get out of their hometown to find the person they actually are and want to be, rather than the mould they tried to melt into to fit in. I finished Dead Nice with a new appreciation for Kara’s character and think she definitely has redeemed herself.
I also loved the new characters in the book. Even though we were just introduced to Louise, it felt like I already knew her. Also, as a Scottish person, of course, I get excited when I see there’s Scottish characters introduced, and Emma wrote this in such an accurate way, no stereotypes or caricatures, they were just people. I loved everything about Euan and Shawn’s storyline, especially when we delved into Shawn’s past. I felt like I was watching a BBC true crime documentary; it was so realistic. Also, the inclusion of Jules and the mention of the working-class cosplay she seemed to put on was a really interesting touch and one I find to be a huge issue currently in real life, which made sense to touch upon since I find Emma’s writing really realistic and includes these important themes.
This is all, of course, thanks to Emma's beautiful writing. Not everyone could redeem a character like Kara, who, in a way, can mimic your childhood bully and make her into an actual person who was just a broken teenager, making you feel sympathetic for her. This is now the fourth book I've read of Emma’s, and each time I'm in awe of just how good she is at writing. Her word choice is masterful, and the way she writes transforms the world around you into the place she wants you to be, whether that’s Vibbington, Eden House or the French Riviera.
Before reading Dead Fine by Emma, I hadn’t explored any YA murder mystery books, so I want to thank her for introducing me to this genre through this beautiful trilogy. I can also confidently say the Dead Girls trilogy are the perfect books for young people to read to get into the mystery genre, as they are what got me to appreciate and want to read more of these kinds of books.
Dead Nice will be released on the 12th of September 2025. You can preorder it on your Kindle, and Emma's other books, including the first two of the Dead Girls trilogy, are included on Kindle Unlimited or can be purchased in paperback from Amazon or her Etsy!
Thank you to the author, Emma Smith, for sending me an ARC of Dead Nice. I can't wait for its release and for people to read the complete trilogy ⭐️
August 16, 2025
Before I start I just want to say thank you to Emma for this ARC! I'm honoured to have now finished the Dead Girls Trilogy! From what I recall however, I believe this can be read as a stand-alone if you want.
I sped through this book! I started it yesterday, it's now the afternoon the next day, I spent the majority of today reading the rest, I was that invested!
This book was set in the French Riviera, a setting which I adored, and though it was different for Emma, I loved it just as much!
This book follows Kara and a couple of her friends in the summer where all is going well until their friend Shawn stops answering his phone. That's when they find it, smashed on the floor with blood smudged on it, and they feared the worst. Had he been kidnapped.. or worse?
However, what happens when things come to light about Shawn, and what are they supposed to believe?
This book was amazing! One of my favourites by Emma, (again) I feel like I always say that but I always enjoy them so much, I still don't think I could choose a favourite!
The romance was complex but cute. But the twists and turns OMG, all I can say is that my jaw dropped, but you'll have to read it to find out! I loved how a lot of it at the end was linked up to book 1 as it made the ending very satisfying and meaningful!
I will have to say though, my favourite part of this book was Kara's character development, she was such a fun character to read and it was just such a joy to watch her grow!
100% a 5 star read, the whole trilogy was, and book 1 and 2 feel even more complete now that I've read book 3, I can't quite explain it!
Thank you again Emma for this ARC, it was a pleasure, and big congratulations on completing the trilogy!
I sped through this book! I started it yesterday, it's now the afternoon the next day, I spent the majority of today reading the rest, I was that invested!
This book was set in the French Riviera, a setting which I adored, and though it was different for Emma, I loved it just as much!
This book follows Kara and a couple of her friends in the summer where all is going well until their friend Shawn stops answering his phone. That's when they find it, smashed on the floor with blood smudged on it, and they feared the worst. Had he been kidnapped.. or worse?
However, what happens when things come to light about Shawn, and what are they supposed to believe?
This book was amazing! One of my favourites by Emma, (again) I feel like I always say that but I always enjoy them so much, I still don't think I could choose a favourite!
The romance was complex but cute. But the twists and turns OMG, all I can say is that my jaw dropped, but you'll have to read it to find out! I loved how a lot of it at the end was linked up to book 1 as it made the ending very satisfying and meaningful!
I will have to say though, my favourite part of this book was Kara's character development, she was such a fun character to read and it was just such a joy to watch her grow!
100% a 5 star read, the whole trilogy was, and book 1 and 2 feel even more complete now that I've read book 3, I can't quite explain it!
Thank you again Emma for this ARC, it was a pleasure, and big congratulations on completing the trilogy!
August 31, 2025
Well this book made me hungry and made me want to go on holiday to the Côte d'Azur (despite the events of the novel). Every little detail is well described, from the peach-coloured buildings to the deep blue waves to Louise's honey matcha!! The perfect place to escape into and for a mystery...
Emma is honestly the master of a slow-burn mystery that keeps you hooked. I had so many theories of what the truth was and there were a few chapter cliffhangers where I genuinely gasped.
I loved watching the characters explore new places, find hidden spots, everything I love about travel. But they're also all running from something and it was interesting to see how their past tied them to who they are now.
It was the perfect ending to the Dead Girls trilogy and I loved getting cameos from Lilz and Loz too. This trio is so special and I love the world Emma has created.
Emma is honestly the master of a slow-burn mystery that keeps you hooked. I had so many theories of what the truth was and there were a few chapter cliffhangers where I genuinely gasped.
I loved watching the characters explore new places, find hidden spots, everything I love about travel. But they're also all running from something and it was interesting to see how their past tied them to who they are now.
It was the perfect ending to the Dead Girls trilogy and I loved getting cameos from Lilz and Loz too. This trio is so special and I love the world Emma has created.
August 16, 2025
so good!! i had no idea what to expect going into the series finale. dead fine was the book that got me into emma smith, and being able to read dead loud and dead nice as arcs was such a cool experience!!
the twists and turns were crazy! again, i read this so fast because i really had no idea what to expect and was wondering how emma was going to finish it!
such an easy read because you really want to know what happens! the end was such a plot twist and i found it impossible to guess (like how do you even think of that storyline?)
10/10 recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
the twists and turns were crazy! again, i read this so fast because i really had no idea what to expect and was wondering how emma was going to finish it!
such an easy read because you really want to know what happens! the end was such a plot twist and i found it impossible to guess (like how do you even think of that storyline?)
10/10 recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 11, 2025
Aaaaaaahhhh!!!
This was such an amazing ending to the trilogy! It got a totally different vibe to the first two books, as it is mostly set in France and partly in Italy but was equally as intriguing… The story follows Kara on her way of dealing with her family and past as she goes to Paris and later Nice.
I love how Emma captured the atmosphere of the French Rivera and how she continued the story and showed the development of our main characters friendship group through the books. ☺️
This was such an amazing ending to the trilogy! It got a totally different vibe to the first two books, as it is mostly set in France and partly in Italy but was equally as intriguing… The story follows Kara on her way of dealing with her family and past as she goes to Paris and later Nice.
I love how Emma captured the atmosphere of the French Rivera and how she continued the story and showed the development of our main characters friendship group through the books. ☺️
September 20, 2025
My absolute favourite of the dead girls trilogy so far!!
This plot was so tense and thrilling and at no point in this book did I expect what was going to happen next. I honestly believe Emma Smith is a master of mystery-thrillers because this series has just been incredible.
I loved Kara’s character development throughout this book away from Vibbington, especially with the addition of Louise and Euan 💞
I really really enjoyed the plotline in this story as it felt much thicker and ran deeper than the rest of the trilogy, which is why I think it’s my fav 🌟 I feel like every chapter added another layer to the story somehow without revealing the ending.
The pacing of this book was amazing, it kicked off from the get go and didn’t stop until the very end!!
The ending is definitely the best end the trilogy could’ve had, the girls coming full circle again was beautiful and honestly healed something in me 💫
Thank you so much Emma for an ARC copy!! I absolutely will be picking up more of your books in the future 🫶
This plot was so tense and thrilling and at no point in this book did I expect what was going to happen next. I honestly believe Emma Smith is a master of mystery-thrillers because this series has just been incredible.
I loved Kara’s character development throughout this book away from Vibbington, especially with the addition of Louise and Euan 💞
I really really enjoyed the plotline in this story as it felt much thicker and ran deeper than the rest of the trilogy, which is why I think it’s my fav 🌟 I feel like every chapter added another layer to the story somehow without revealing the ending.
The pacing of this book was amazing, it kicked off from the get go and didn’t stop until the very end!!
The ending is definitely the best end the trilogy could’ve had, the girls coming full circle again was beautiful and honestly healed something in me 💫
Thank you so much Emma for an ARC copy!! I absolutely will be picking up more of your books in the future 🫶
September 3, 2025
This was such a great read!
The different travels and cities are so well described I genuinely felt like I was there. It was perfectly paced and the mystery was captivating.
Kara probably had my favorite character arc out of all the main characters in this series!
Such a great conclusion to the trilogy!
The different travels and cities are so well described I genuinely felt like I was there. It was perfectly paced and the mystery was captivating.
Kara probably had my favorite character arc out of all the main characters in this series!
Such a great conclusion to the trilogy!
September 2, 2025
This book make me want go holiday. I love when people in books go to new places because it feels like I'm visiting that place with them. It was such a fun read. The ending was best , no wait do we have any other word which is best's best, because i would say this one is my favourite compared to other two. I see Lilz and Loz, yay, I was happy i wanted them to come together. And Kara with them, all together. I loved it so much.
And no doubt the twist was wow wow and wow!! My brain go boom, like always!!
Our author Emma Smith never miss a chance to surprise us!!!
And no doubt the twist was wow wow and wow!! My brain go boom, like always!!
Our author Emma Smith never miss a chance to surprise us!!!
September 23, 2025
YES. YES. i dont have words. literally incredible.
October 5, 2025
This book was so disappointing. The main character, Kara was selfish and lacked empathy, to the point where she couldn't cope with her boyfriend struggling mentally after his best friend's disappearance. It felt like she only wanted to have fun with him and continue their travel/ holiday and couldn't understand why he'd be upset. , The actual mystery was slow paced and the reveal was set up so that there hadn't really been any clues set up for what was going to happen. A small annoying thing that happened was that Kara got hired to be a waitress in France without speaking any French which felt painfully unrealistic. The book's saving grace was the descriptions of settings which were beautifully described.
September 15, 2025
this book was amazing a perfect end of summer read
it is so well writen her writing reminds so much of Holly Jackson and i take insperation from her in my own wirting
i really recomend this to anyone wanting a perfect summer read
amazing book
well done emma
it is so well writen her writing reminds so much of Holly Jackson and i take insperation from her in my own wirting
i really recomend this to anyone wanting a perfect summer read
amazing book
well done emma
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews