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Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls
From the bestselling author of BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die comes an addictive killer-thriller with a horror twist, following an aspiring crime journalist’s investigation into a case of copycat murders seemingly connected to a ‘cursed’ painting. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ The Naturals series and Bill Wood's Let's Split Up.
‘A thriller author to watch!’ Karen M. McManus, international bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying
When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller attends an estate sale and uncovers a disturbing self-portrait of a man, her Art History professor dad buys it, despite how unsettled Fliss feels. The portrait has been lost for decades and completes a set of four existing paintings of women by the same artist already hanging in the town’s gallery.
That evening, the portrait falls to the floor, revealing paperwork inside the frame that suggests the artist was a serial killer and that the women depicted were his victims. Despite her alarm, Fliss vows to investigate and uncover the truth.
But when a series of gruesome murders start emerging and some think the resurrection of the self-portrait has unleashed a curse, Fliss knows better than to believe them. There are shocking similarities between the poses of the modern-day murders and the painted women, and she’s sure there’s a copycat killer on the loose. Now the countdown is on for Fliss to find the murderer before they claim even more lives . . .
PRAISE FOR CYNTHIA
‘Bold, thrilling, and wickedly addictive. Your next obsession.’ Karen M. McManus, author of One of Us is Lying
‘An intricately crafted YA thriller that I cannot wait to read again.’ Bill Wood, author of Let’s Split Up
‘A taut and twisty read that takes no prisoners. This captivatingly murderous book will keep you up all night and leave you unsure who you can trust.’ Kathryn Foxfield, author of Good Girls Die First
‘Twists, turns and heartstopping tension, Cynthia Murphy is a thriller author at the top of her game.’ Benjamin Dean, author of How to Die Famous
‘A thriller author to watch!’ Karen M. McManus, international bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying
When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller attends an estate sale and uncovers a disturbing self-portrait of a man, her Art History professor dad buys it, despite how unsettled Fliss feels. The portrait has been lost for decades and completes a set of four existing paintings of women by the same artist already hanging in the town’s gallery.
That evening, the portrait falls to the floor, revealing paperwork inside the frame that suggests the artist was a serial killer and that the women depicted were his victims. Despite her alarm, Fliss vows to investigate and uncover the truth.
But when a series of gruesome murders start emerging and some think the resurrection of the self-portrait has unleashed a curse, Fliss knows better than to believe them. There are shocking similarities between the poses of the modern-day murders and the painted women, and she’s sure there’s a copycat killer on the loose. Now the countdown is on for Fliss to find the murderer before they claim even more lives . . .
PRAISE FOR CYNTHIA
‘Bold, thrilling, and wickedly addictive. Your next obsession.’ Karen M. McManus, author of One of Us is Lying
‘An intricately crafted YA thriller that I cannot wait to read again.’ Bill Wood, author of Let’s Split Up
‘A taut and twisty read that takes no prisoners. This captivatingly murderous book will keep you up all night and leave you unsure who you can trust.’ Kathryn Foxfield, author of Good Girls Die First
‘Twists, turns and heartstopping tension, Cynthia Murphy is a thriller author at the top of her game.’ Benjamin Dean, author of How to Die Famous
Paperback
First published July 21, 2026
About the author
Cynthia Murphy
11 books943 followersCynthia Murphy is the bestselling author of a number of YA thrillers, including the BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die.
She has a long-standing love affair with all things scary, reading Point Horrors before graduating to Stephen King in her misguided teens. Studying for a degree in Art History and Archaeology meant that she developed a thirst for anything old, beautiful and very often dead. She tries to combine this with contemporary settings in her writing to make unique and chilling modern stories.
Cynthia lives in her hometown of Manchester with her husband and their rescue dog, Loli, who you will see a lot of on TikTok and Instagram @CynthiaMurphyYA
She has a long-standing love affair with all things scary, reading Point Horrors before graduating to Stephen King in her misguided teens. Studying for a degree in Art History and Archaeology meant that she developed a thirst for anything old, beautiful and very often dead. She tries to combine this with contemporary settings in her writing to make unique and chilling modern stories.
Cynthia lives in her hometown of Manchester with her husband and their rescue dog, Loli, who you will see a lot of on TikTok and Instagram @CynthiaMurphyYA
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
started on 4/13 finished on 4/18!
𝙢𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙨
3.2 stars! this book wasn't bad, but it didn't keep me at the edge if my seat, even at the ending when all the stuff happened. it's definitely more of a mystery than a thriller. the concept is so interesting and I really loved it, and I think it was done well. I love art (can't do it for the life of me but I enjoy looking) and I liked that it played a big role in this book. I didn't really connect to any of the characters and no one really went through any changes. I didn't like the killers reasoning for what they did and that whole scene just felt flat. that's wasn't really any explanation except for like a sentence. and I guessed who it was. I liked the setting of the college. overall, I think this book was ok, there were parts that I really enjoyed, and parts that felt flat.
Now Playing:
heads will roll- yeah yeah yeahs
1:13 ❍─────── 3:55
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇ 100%
characters:
fliss: she was alright. I think she was a good msun character
izzy: I'm sorry but I found her to be annoying
noah: I liked him
ford: I liked him too
scarlett: she was a weirdo
𝙢𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙨
3.2 stars! this book wasn't bad, but it didn't keep me at the edge if my seat, even at the ending when all the stuff happened. it's definitely more of a mystery than a thriller. the concept is so interesting and I really loved it, and I think it was done well. I love art (can't do it for the life of me but I enjoy looking) and I liked that it played a big role in this book. I didn't really connect to any of the characters and no one really went through any changes. I didn't like the killers reasoning for what they did and that whole scene just felt flat. that's wasn't really any explanation except for like a sentence. and I guessed who it was. I liked the setting of the college. overall, I think this book was ok, there were parts that I really enjoyed, and parts that felt flat.
Now Playing:
heads will roll- yeah yeah yeahs
1:13 ❍─────── 3:55
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇ 100%
characters:
fliss: she was alright. I think she was a good msun character
izzy: I'm sorry but I found her to be annoying
noah: I liked him
ford: I liked him too
scarlett: she was a weirdo
July 27, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Give me creepy paintings, a possible curse, a serial killer and an aspiring crime journalist trying to figure it all out, and I’m instantly hooked. The premise alone had me wanting to pick this up and for the most part, it delivered.
The mystery was definitely the highlight for me. I loved following Fliss as she went down every rabbit hole, digging through old archives and trying to connect all the clues. It genuinely felt like I was trying to solve the case with her and I kept changing my mind about who was behind everything.
The creepy atmosphere was also done really well. Every time the paintings came up I was like… absolutely not. I also liked that I could never fully decide if there was actually something supernatural going on or if someone was just really good at messing with people.
And the ending?? I definitely didn’t see it coming and I love when a thriller can actually surprise me.
Overall, this wasn’t a new favourite, but it was a really entertaining read. If you like creepy mysteries with true crime vibes, a bit of horror and lots of twists, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a go.
Give me creepy paintings, a possible curse, a serial killer and an aspiring crime journalist trying to figure it all out, and I’m instantly hooked. The premise alone had me wanting to pick this up and for the most part, it delivered.
The mystery was definitely the highlight for me. I loved following Fliss as she went down every rabbit hole, digging through old archives and trying to connect all the clues. It genuinely felt like I was trying to solve the case with her and I kept changing my mind about who was behind everything.
The creepy atmosphere was also done really well. Every time the paintings came up I was like… absolutely not. I also liked that I could never fully decide if there was actually something supernatural going on or if someone was just really good at messing with people.
And the ending?? I definitely didn’t see it coming and I love when a thriller can actually surprise me.
Overall, this wasn’t a new favourite, but it was a really entertaining read. If you like creepy mysteries with true crime vibes, a bit of horror and lots of twists, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a go.
July 22, 2026
4 ⭐️ 2.5 🔪
This was a fast-paced YA mystery with a unique premise that blended investigative journalism, art history, and just enough horror to keep things unsettling. I loved uncovering the truth alongside Fliss, and the creepy paintings added an eerie atmosphere without overpowering the mystery.
A page-turning mystery with serial killers, cursed artwork, and dark academia vibe! Definitely worth picking up.
This was a fast-paced YA mystery with a unique premise that blended investigative journalism, art history, and just enough horror to keep things unsettling. I loved uncovering the truth alongside Fliss, and the creepy paintings added an eerie atmosphere without overpowering the mystery.
A page-turning mystery with serial killers, cursed artwork, and dark academia vibe! Definitely worth picking up.
April 6, 2026
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls is such a page turner! Murphy combines investigative journalism, art history, tarot, all with a little bit of horror to create this exciting, suspenseful story.
I loved the pacing of this story! I enjoyed how the story slowly unravelled with Fliss’ investigation and how we got to see the steps she took to discover the truth — from the newspaper ads, to deep internet searches, to old library archives…
I liked the mixture of perspectives and how we got to get a glimpse of the women who unfortunately ended up as the subject of the portraits. We got to see their humanity before a killer tried to take it from them.
I didn’t really enjoy any of the romances and I think the book could have done without them. Her friendship with her best friend Izzy was enough, and I wish that had a little more focus than anything else. Their relationship felt very real, with the ups and downs, but with the love always there.
Overall, I really enjoyed this! Such a page turner.
Thank you to Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin for the e-arc
I loved the pacing of this story! I enjoyed how the story slowly unravelled with Fliss’ investigation and how we got to see the steps she took to discover the truth — from the newspaper ads, to deep internet searches, to old library archives…
I liked the mixture of perspectives and how we got to get a glimpse of the women who unfortunately ended up as the subject of the portraits. We got to see their humanity before a killer tried to take it from them.
I didn’t really enjoy any of the romances and I think the book could have done without them. Her friendship with her best friend Izzy was enough, and I wish that had a little more focus than anything else. Their relationship felt very real, with the ups and downs, but with the love always there.
Overall, I really enjoyed this! Such a page turner.
Thank you to Penguin Random House UK Children's | Penguin for the e-arc
Did Not Finish
March 21, 2026”Oh, great, I’ll be living with a demonic painting for the foreseeable future. What could possibly go wrong?"
DNF @ 50%
Serial Killers! Art! This combined two of my favorite things. Then the author goes even further and connects the two. I dropped dead on the floor. I felt as if my year was going to be made. Sadly, this didn’t do anything for me.
This had a really strong start with the finding of the painting and then death. I was hooked but after that it felt as if I was walking in a field of molasses with some boring flat characters. New characters were popping up all the time and they were all the same. You know they all eat dry biscuits with no drink. They don’t season their chicken.
As of right now, this wasn’t for me. I think younger readers will eat this up. It’s just not for this old head.
DNF @ 50%
Serial Killers! Art! This combined two of my favorite things. Then the author goes even further and connects the two. I dropped dead on the floor. I felt as if my year was going to be made. Sadly, this didn’t do anything for me.
This had a really strong start with the finding of the painting and then death. I was hooked but after that it felt as if I was walking in a field of molasses with some boring flat characters. New characters were popping up all the time and they were all the same. You know they all eat dry biscuits with no drink. They don’t season their chicken.
As of right now, this wasn’t for me. I think younger readers will eat this up. It’s just not for this old head.
July 2, 2026
I had really wanted to love Paint Me Like One of Your Dead Girls because the premise immediately grabbed my attention. It felt unique, creepy, and different from a lot of other mystery books I’d picked up lately. I also really enjoyed the true crime vibe woven throughout the story, and the connection to the art gallery and the paintings added an eerie atmosphere that I thought was the book’s strongest element.
Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to the concept for me. The pacing was incredibly slow. There were times when it felt like I’d read ten pages and the characters were still sitting in the same place, having conversations without much actually happening. I kept waiting for the story to pick up, but it didn’t really speed up until the very end.
One thing I’d recommend is going into this book with the right expectations. Despite how it’s often marketed, I wouldn’t call it a thriller. It read much more like a slow-burning mystery. If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a true crime feel and don’t mind a leisurely pace, this might work well for you. For me, though, the intriguing premise and that beautiful cover design weren’t enough to overcome the slow pacing and underdeveloped characters.
Thank you to Cynthia Murphy, #Netgalley, and Penguin for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite live up to the concept for me. The pacing was incredibly slow. There were times when it felt like I’d read ten pages and the characters were still sitting in the same place, having conversations without much actually happening. I kept waiting for the story to pick up, but it didn’t really speed up until the very end.
One thing I’d recommend is going into this book with the right expectations. Despite how it’s often marketed, I wouldn’t call it a thriller. It read much more like a slow-burning mystery. If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a true crime feel and don’t mind a leisurely pace, this might work well for you. For me, though, the intriguing premise and that beautiful cover design weren’t enough to overcome the slow pacing and underdeveloped characters.
Thank you to Cynthia Murphy, #Netgalley, and Penguin for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2026
Fliss Keller is looking forward to the next few weeks. Her dad & his new wife are off on honeymoon, leaving Fliss & her best friend to spend the time attending a summer art class & generally hanging out. Beforehand, she attends an estate sale & uncovers a disturbing self-portrait which gets her Art History professor father's attention as it could be the long-thought lost companion piece to The Four - a set of four paintings of women which are owned by the local gallery. It's also rumoured to be cursed but Fliss doesn't believe in that kind of thing.
That evening the portrait falls to the floor & the damaged frame reveals paperwork suggesting the artist was a serial killer & that The Four are in fact his victims. Fliss decides to investigate as part of her work for the summer class but when murders start to happen which resemble the paintings, it seems there may be a copycat killer on the loose.
This was a really interesting plot with the mystery based around the paintings & the notion of a curse. It was a little slow to get going but I found it grew on me as I continued reading, & the final third was gripping. I liked the main character but her BFF was a bit of 'Debbie Downer' at times. Overall, it was a perfectly acceptable YA thriller with an intriguing concept & I rather enjoyed it.
SUMMARY:
Plot: Good - Really interesting plot which was a little slow to get going, based around a set of 5 paintings & a possible historical serial killer.
Writing Style: Good - I liked the MC but her BFF was annoying. Some reviewers didn’t like the step by step guide to MC’s investigation through the archives but I quite liked it.
Enjoyment Level: Moderately High - A bit slow to get going, but this YA thriller incorporating historical murders grew on me. The final third was gripping.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Penguin Random House UK Children's, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
That evening the portrait falls to the floor & the damaged frame reveals paperwork suggesting the artist was a serial killer & that The Four are in fact his victims. Fliss decides to investigate as part of her work for the summer class but when murders start to happen which resemble the paintings, it seems there may be a copycat killer on the loose.
This was a really interesting plot with the mystery based around the paintings & the notion of a curse. It was a little slow to get going but I found it grew on me as I continued reading, & the final third was gripping. I liked the main character but her BFF was a bit of 'Debbie Downer' at times. Overall, it was a perfectly acceptable YA thriller with an intriguing concept & I rather enjoyed it.
SUMMARY:
Plot: Good - Really interesting plot which was a little slow to get going, based around a set of 5 paintings & a possible historical serial killer.
Writing Style: Good - I liked the MC but her BFF was annoying. Some reviewers didn’t like the step by step guide to MC’s investigation through the archives but I quite liked it.
Enjoyment Level: Moderately High - A bit slow to get going, but this YA thriller incorporating historical murders grew on me. The final third was gripping.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Penguin Random House UK Children's, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Read
July 20, 2026Felicity "Fliss" Keller is meant to be house-sitting for her dad for ten days, where they live just off a college campus where he teaches. During an estate sale before he leaves, they find an infamous painting that has been missing for decades that is said to have a morbid history. As soon as that painting is back in the hands of a local gallery, bad things start to happen, and Fliss thinks that there may even be a copycat killer in Blackwood.
I had been anticipating Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls for several months as I waited to see if I would get approved for a copy of it on NetGalley. The cover is what immediately drew me in, with the bright smoky pinks, but the synopsis as well sounded right up my alley. Any serial killer crime intrigues me, and I was looking forward to it. This one was such a slow burn that at times I almost forget that this was supposed to be a YA thriller. It felt like most of the action happened in the last 30% of the book, which made for a fun ending but had me struggling for a lot of the rest of the book. The historical aspect was fascinating, and I almost wish there was a bit more from the past, since those women deserved to have their voices heard. Overall, this one was just okay for me.
CW for murder, blood, fire injury details, underage drug/alcohol use, death.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Delacorte for the ARC of Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls. All thoughts are my own.
I had been anticipating Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls for several months as I waited to see if I would get approved for a copy of it on NetGalley. The cover is what immediately drew me in, with the bright smoky pinks, but the synopsis as well sounded right up my alley. Any serial killer crime intrigues me, and I was looking forward to it. This one was such a slow burn that at times I almost forget that this was supposed to be a YA thriller. It felt like most of the action happened in the last 30% of the book, which made for a fun ending but had me struggling for a lot of the rest of the book. The historical aspect was fascinating, and I almost wish there was a bit more from the past, since those women deserved to have their voices heard. Overall, this one was just okay for me.
CW for murder, blood, fire injury details, underage drug/alcohol use, death.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Delacorte for the ARC of Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls. All thoughts are my own.
July 29, 2026
Thank you to #NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC of this book! ⭐️
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls follows our main character Fliss and her best friend as they work to uncover a series of mysteries surrounding a set of famous portraits, all spurred on from Fliss finding the fifth missing portrait.
What happens when the supposed serial killer artist of the original paintings seemingly comes back to their small town? Is it a curse, a ghost, or something worse?
This book has mystery, murder, and splash of both supernatural and romance. Something for everybody!
I really enjoyed this book, it’s fast-paced and the characters are endearingly relatable in places - I’m used to guessing the ending but with this book there were so many turns I couldn’t!
There were a few parts that felt a little slow or unnecessary, and I do agree with other reviewers that the romance was a bit out of the place but not enough for it to affect my enjoyment.
Overall I give this book 3.5/5 stars 🌟 I’d recommend people to read it as it’s unique and I’ve never read a plot like it!
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls follows our main character Fliss and her best friend as they work to uncover a series of mysteries surrounding a set of famous portraits, all spurred on from Fliss finding the fifth missing portrait.
What happens when the supposed serial killer artist of the original paintings seemingly comes back to their small town? Is it a curse, a ghost, or something worse?
This book has mystery, murder, and splash of both supernatural and romance. Something for everybody!
I really enjoyed this book, it’s fast-paced and the characters are endearingly relatable in places - I’m used to guessing the ending but with this book there were so many turns I couldn’t!
There were a few parts that felt a little slow or unnecessary, and I do agree with other reviewers that the romance was a bit out of the place but not enough for it to affect my enjoyment.
Overall I give this book 3.5/5 stars 🌟 I’d recommend people to read it as it’s unique and I’ve never read a plot like it!
April 26, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 3.75 rounded up to 4.0 stars.
I enjoyed this YA thriller that kept you hooked on the clues and moved in a fast paced manner. The story follows Fliss at its core, but we get a couple other pivotal characters, I liked the dynamics and the who done it energy throughout.
I really didn’t guess who the culprit would be, I do think the reasoning everything unfolded made it fall slightly flat for me personally, but I enjoyed the journey. Fliss is quite the detective and I’d love to see the character in another story.
I enjoyed this YA thriller that kept you hooked on the clues and moved in a fast paced manner. The story follows Fliss at its core, but we get a couple other pivotal characters, I liked the dynamics and the who done it energy throughout.
I really didn’t guess who the culprit would be, I do think the reasoning everything unfolded made it fall slightly flat for me personally, but I enjoyed the journey. Fliss is quite the detective and I’d love to see the character in another story.
July 29, 2026
Thanks so much to Penguin Australia for sending me a copy of this one. All thoughts are my own.
This was such a gripping thriller horror combo. I was hooked from the start with the lore around the paintings and it only got more exciting from there.
I thought Fliss was a great main character. She’s got a keen eye for detail and she hyperfixates easily, which made her the perfect person to be investigating this. I loved all her sleuthing even if her best friend didn’t.
The climax to this was excellent. I was on the edge of my seat! So well executed.
This was such a gripping thriller horror combo. I was hooked from the start with the lore around the paintings and it only got more exciting from there.
I thought Fliss was a great main character. She’s got a keen eye for detail and she hyperfixates easily, which made her the perfect person to be investigating this. I loved all her sleuthing even if her best friend didn’t.
The climax to this was excellent. I was on the edge of my seat! So well executed.
July 12, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc!
Such a good and atmospheric read. I was on the edge of my seat a few times and I loved the shift in perspectives. A really good read!
Such a good and atmospheric read. I was on the edge of my seat a few times and I loved the shift in perspectives. A really good read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I need you to understand that the SECOND this book whispered “serial killer paintings,” my brain turned into that Always Sunny conspiracy board meme. Strings everywhere. No thoughts, just vibes and suspicion. Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls had me fully ready to spiral, accuse innocent side characters, and distrust every single brushstroke like it personally wronged me.
And honestly? For a while… it WORKED. We’ve got Fliss Keller, aspiring crime journalist and professional “I will absolutely insert myself into a murder investigation with zero qualifications,” who stumbles across a creepy painting at an estate sale. A painting that is not just ugly, but historically, spiritually, morally off. Naturally, her dad buys it and brings it home like it’s a cute throw pillow instead of what is essentially a haunted murder artifact. Incredible parenting choices across the board.
Turns out this painting completes a set tied to four murdered women, known as “The Four,” and suddenly we’re knee-deep in art history, cold cases, and the kind of true crime energy that makes you want to open 17 tabs and ruin your own mental health. But THEN, because the universe has a flair for drama, new murders start happening that mirror the originals, and Fliss is like, oh cool, I will simply solve this myself before I become the next canvas. Casual teenage summer activities!
Let me be clear, the concept is doing Olympic-level gymnastics. A killer who paints victims, the idea of art as immortality versus erasure, the eerie question of whether this is a copycat or something more supernatural… it’s juicy. It’s weird. It’s exactly the kind of premise that makes you text your friend at midnight like, “If I die, burn all paintings immediately.” And the flashbacks to the original victims? Genuinely the best part. Those chapters hit different. There’s something quietly devastating about seeing who these women were before they became aestheticized tragedy. It adds this emotional weight that the rest of the book keeps almost, but not quite, matching.
Because then… we hit the middle. And I love you, Cynthia Murphy, I do, but this middle section had me feeling like I was trapped in a very moody, very aesthetic waiting room. The pacing slows down in a way that’s less “building tension” and more “why am I reading a full transcript of Fliss’s search history.” There’s a lot of day-to-day teen life, side tangents, and investigative steps that feel like they’re circling the mystery instead of tightening the noose. I wanted escalation. I wanted chaos. I wanted at least one moment where someone dramatically gasps and drops a glass.
Fliss herself… listen, she’s fine. She’s doing her best. She’s smart, determined, and has the self-preservation instincts of someone who has never seen a horror movie in her life. But emotionally? She didn’t quite leap off the page for me. She’s giving “competent protagonist” when I needed just a little more “unhinged icon.” The friendships, especially with Izzy, had moments that felt real and messy in a good way, but the wider cast? A blur. At one point I was like, if you asked me to identify these people in a lineup, I would simply pass away.
The mystery itself is… solid. Not mind-melting, not throw-the-book-across-the-room shocking, but engaging enough that you keep turning pages. There are red herrings, there are clues, there’s that constant low-level paranoia of “everyone could be evil,” which I personally thrive on. But depending on your detective instincts, you might either be pleasantly surprised or sitting there ten steps ahead like, “Fliss. Babe. Please catch up.”
And the ending? It’s giving “we are wrapping this up quickly because we have a flight to catch.” Not bad, not offensive, just a little rushed compared to the slow build. I wanted one more emotional beat, one more moment to sit in the aftermath, maybe stare dramatically into the middle distance and question everything. Instead it kind of… exits stage left.
Here’s the thing though, I still had fun. This is a vibes-forward book, and the vibes are STRONG. Creepy paintings, dark academia energy, morally questionable artistic obsession, it’s basically what would happen if A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder went to art school and developed a superiority complex. It just never fully commits to the level of chaos it promises, which feels like being handed a glitter bomb that politely sprinkles instead of exploding.
So yeah, this lands at a very firm three stars for me. Entertaining, atmospheric, occasionally haunting, but not quite the unhinged masterpiece it could have been. Would I still recommend it? Absolutely, especially if you love a mystery that lets you play detective without emotionally wrecking you.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Deeply Suspicious of Every Gallery Wall I’ve Ever Trusted
And thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC, you really said “what if art… but trauma,” and I respect that.
And honestly? For a while… it WORKED. We’ve got Fliss Keller, aspiring crime journalist and professional “I will absolutely insert myself into a murder investigation with zero qualifications,” who stumbles across a creepy painting at an estate sale. A painting that is not just ugly, but historically, spiritually, morally off. Naturally, her dad buys it and brings it home like it’s a cute throw pillow instead of what is essentially a haunted murder artifact. Incredible parenting choices across the board.
Turns out this painting completes a set tied to four murdered women, known as “The Four,” and suddenly we’re knee-deep in art history, cold cases, and the kind of true crime energy that makes you want to open 17 tabs and ruin your own mental health. But THEN, because the universe has a flair for drama, new murders start happening that mirror the originals, and Fliss is like, oh cool, I will simply solve this myself before I become the next canvas. Casual teenage summer activities!
Let me be clear, the concept is doing Olympic-level gymnastics. A killer who paints victims, the idea of art as immortality versus erasure, the eerie question of whether this is a copycat or something more supernatural… it’s juicy. It’s weird. It’s exactly the kind of premise that makes you text your friend at midnight like, “If I die, burn all paintings immediately.” And the flashbacks to the original victims? Genuinely the best part. Those chapters hit different. There’s something quietly devastating about seeing who these women were before they became aestheticized tragedy. It adds this emotional weight that the rest of the book keeps almost, but not quite, matching.
Because then… we hit the middle. And I love you, Cynthia Murphy, I do, but this middle section had me feeling like I was trapped in a very moody, very aesthetic waiting room. The pacing slows down in a way that’s less “building tension” and more “why am I reading a full transcript of Fliss’s search history.” There’s a lot of day-to-day teen life, side tangents, and investigative steps that feel like they’re circling the mystery instead of tightening the noose. I wanted escalation. I wanted chaos. I wanted at least one moment where someone dramatically gasps and drops a glass.
Fliss herself… listen, she’s fine. She’s doing her best. She’s smart, determined, and has the self-preservation instincts of someone who has never seen a horror movie in her life. But emotionally? She didn’t quite leap off the page for me. She’s giving “competent protagonist” when I needed just a little more “unhinged icon.” The friendships, especially with Izzy, had moments that felt real and messy in a good way, but the wider cast? A blur. At one point I was like, if you asked me to identify these people in a lineup, I would simply pass away.
The mystery itself is… solid. Not mind-melting, not throw-the-book-across-the-room shocking, but engaging enough that you keep turning pages. There are red herrings, there are clues, there’s that constant low-level paranoia of “everyone could be evil,” which I personally thrive on. But depending on your detective instincts, you might either be pleasantly surprised or sitting there ten steps ahead like, “Fliss. Babe. Please catch up.”
And the ending? It’s giving “we are wrapping this up quickly because we have a flight to catch.” Not bad, not offensive, just a little rushed compared to the slow build. I wanted one more emotional beat, one more moment to sit in the aftermath, maybe stare dramatically into the middle distance and question everything. Instead it kind of… exits stage left.
Here’s the thing though, I still had fun. This is a vibes-forward book, and the vibes are STRONG. Creepy paintings, dark academia energy, morally questionable artistic obsession, it’s basically what would happen if A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder went to art school and developed a superiority complex. It just never fully commits to the level of chaos it promises, which feels like being handed a glitter bomb that politely sprinkles instead of exploding.
So yeah, this lands at a very firm three stars for me. Entertaining, atmospheric, occasionally haunting, but not quite the unhinged masterpiece it could have been. Would I still recommend it? Absolutely, especially if you love a mystery that lets you play detective without emotionally wrecking you.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Deeply Suspicious of Every Gallery Wall I’ve Ever Trusted
And thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for the ARC, you really said “what if art… but trauma,” and I respect that.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.
Summary
Fliss Keller dreams of becoming a crime journalist, so when her father buys a disturbing self portrait at an estate sale, she immediately senses there is more to the painting than anyone realizes. The portrait completes a collection of paintings featuring four women, but hidden paperwork inside the frame suggests the artist may have murdered the women he painted. When gruesome new murders begin copying the poses from the artwork, people start whispering about a curse. Fliss believes there is a very human killer behind it all, and she throws herself into uncovering the truth before she becomes the next masterpiece.
My Review
I enjoyed Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls more than I did not, and the overall concept was exactly the kind of strange, dark mystery that pulls me in. A potentially cursed painting, a suspected serial killer, modern murders staged like old portraits, and an aspiring crime journalist determined to connect the clues all sounded incredibly promising. I loved having a front row seat to Fliss investigating everything. We get to follow her thought process, watch her examine the paintings and paperwork, question the people around her, and slowly build her own theory about what is happening. That investigative side was easily my favorite part because it made me feel involved rather than simply waiting for the truth to be revealed. Fliss is curious, stubborn, and willing to keep digging even when the situation becomes dangerous, which made her a strong character to follow through the mystery.
The story also has a wonderfully creepy atmosphere, especially whenever the paintings are involved. Art can already feel strangely personal because someone has captured a face, a body, or a moment and frozen it forever, but adding murder and the possibility of a curse makes it deeply unsettling. I liked never being completely sure whether Fliss was dealing with something supernatural or whether someone was using the legend to hide their own crimes. The murders were dark enough to keep the stakes high, and the similarities between the bodies and the painted women created some genuinely chilling images. There were moments when I was completely glued to the book because I needed to know who was responsible and how every piece connected.
My biggest issue was with some of the characters. There were several people I simply could not stand, and that would not necessarily be a problem if I felt they grew or if their behavior served a stronger purpose. Instead, some of them stayed frustrating from beginning to end with very little development. I kept waiting for certain characters to learn something, take responsibility, or become more layered, but that growth never really happened for me. It made parts of the story harder to enjoy because I was interested in the mystery while also feeling annoyed by the people surrounding it. The pacing was occasionally uneven, but once the investigation gained momentum, I became invested again. This was a 3.5 star read for me, rounded up to four because the original concept, creepy artwork, and Fliss’s investigation outweighed the parts that did not fully work.
Would I Recommend?
Yes. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy YA thrillers, gruesome murder mysteries, creepy artwork, possible curses, and determined teenage investigators. The characters may frustrate you, but the mystery is creative, dark, and entertaining enough to keep you turning the pages.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.
Summary
Fliss Keller dreams of becoming a crime journalist, so when her father buys a disturbing self portrait at an estate sale, she immediately senses there is more to the painting than anyone realizes. The portrait completes a collection of paintings featuring four women, but hidden paperwork inside the frame suggests the artist may have murdered the women he painted. When gruesome new murders begin copying the poses from the artwork, people start whispering about a curse. Fliss believes there is a very human killer behind it all, and she throws herself into uncovering the truth before she becomes the next masterpiece.
My Review
I enjoyed Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls more than I did not, and the overall concept was exactly the kind of strange, dark mystery that pulls me in. A potentially cursed painting, a suspected serial killer, modern murders staged like old portraits, and an aspiring crime journalist determined to connect the clues all sounded incredibly promising. I loved having a front row seat to Fliss investigating everything. We get to follow her thought process, watch her examine the paintings and paperwork, question the people around her, and slowly build her own theory about what is happening. That investigative side was easily my favorite part because it made me feel involved rather than simply waiting for the truth to be revealed. Fliss is curious, stubborn, and willing to keep digging even when the situation becomes dangerous, which made her a strong character to follow through the mystery.
The story also has a wonderfully creepy atmosphere, especially whenever the paintings are involved. Art can already feel strangely personal because someone has captured a face, a body, or a moment and frozen it forever, but adding murder and the possibility of a curse makes it deeply unsettling. I liked never being completely sure whether Fliss was dealing with something supernatural or whether someone was using the legend to hide their own crimes. The murders were dark enough to keep the stakes high, and the similarities between the bodies and the painted women created some genuinely chilling images. There were moments when I was completely glued to the book because I needed to know who was responsible and how every piece connected.
My biggest issue was with some of the characters. There were several people I simply could not stand, and that would not necessarily be a problem if I felt they grew or if their behavior served a stronger purpose. Instead, some of them stayed frustrating from beginning to end with very little development. I kept waiting for certain characters to learn something, take responsibility, or become more layered, but that growth never really happened for me. It made parts of the story harder to enjoy because I was interested in the mystery while also feeling annoyed by the people surrounding it. The pacing was occasionally uneven, but once the investigation gained momentum, I became invested again. This was a 3.5 star read for me, rounded up to four because the original concept, creepy artwork, and Fliss’s investigation outweighed the parts that did not fully work.
Would I Recommend?
Yes. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy YA thrillers, gruesome murder mysteries, creepy artwork, possible curses, and determined teenage investigators. The characters may frustrate you, but the mystery is creative, dark, and entertaining enough to keep you turning the pages.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
4.00 / 5.00
Felicity “Fliss” Keller is ready to start a campus arts summer program with her bff and sans her dad and his new wife. But their summer plans are rocked when they find an acquaintance brutally murdered in a way reminiscent of a 1900s serial killer. What started out as a promising summer project quickly spirals into a dark obsession to find the killer and hopefully prevent a new serial killer in the making.
This book didn’t fully work for me, but I think it works for the YA audience it’s aimed at, so I rated it a bit higher than I would normally. The start of the story felt like it was aimed at a younger YA audience because of the “easy reader” feeling sentence structures, but the rest of the material was aimed towards an older YA audience. I didn’t feel like there was a smooth transition between the start of the story and jumping into the darker material.
There are two stories unfolding simultaneously – the serial killer story from the 1900s and the present-day copy-cat danger. The serial killer’s motive took much too long to reveal and didn’t feel very convincing to me. Similarly, the copy-cat’s motivation fell flat, and I think almost any other character would have been a better fit. The ending also didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It felt very rushed and then just ended. I would have liked to see more wrap-up and get a glimpse of what Fliss’s life looks like post-copy-cat.
This book had me singing “This House is Haunted” by I Am Kloot. The song is a somber piano-heavy melody focusing on how the singer’s clinging to a past love has left him haunted and obsessed with the past. Like our singer, Fliss’s curiosity turned obsession with the mystery behind the paintings has left her haunted (and possibly hunted!). “Looks like a ruin / You think nothing’s doing / Under the arches / Something’s still moving.” When Fliss finds the self-portrait, she’s immediately creeped out and just knows it can’t be the great work of art her father thinks it is. “The truth be uncovered / no face in the mirror.” Fliss and Izzy’s first night alone turns to tragedy, but also leaves Fliss wanting answers. “I always said / You should leave them dead / Now this house is haunted / Now look in the ruins.” Izzy wants nothing more than for Fliss to stop digging into the mystery of the paintings and let the police handle it. Nothing good has come from her research and Izzy is scared – can’t blame a girl for trying to tell her bff to let it go! But will Fliss let it go, or will obsession drive to find the answers she wants? Find out for yourself when you read Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls.
4.00 / 5.00
Felicity “Fliss” Keller is ready to start a campus arts summer program with her bff and sans her dad and his new wife. But their summer plans are rocked when they find an acquaintance brutally murdered in a way reminiscent of a 1900s serial killer. What started out as a promising summer project quickly spirals into a dark obsession to find the killer and hopefully prevent a new serial killer in the making.
This book didn’t fully work for me, but I think it works for the YA audience it’s aimed at, so I rated it a bit higher than I would normally. The start of the story felt like it was aimed at a younger YA audience because of the “easy reader” feeling sentence structures, but the rest of the material was aimed towards an older YA audience. I didn’t feel like there was a smooth transition between the start of the story and jumping into the darker material.
There are two stories unfolding simultaneously – the serial killer story from the 1900s and the present-day copy-cat danger. The serial killer’s motive took much too long to reveal and didn’t feel very convincing to me. Similarly, the copy-cat’s motivation fell flat, and I think almost any other character would have been a better fit. The ending also didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It felt very rushed and then just ended. I would have liked to see more wrap-up and get a glimpse of what Fliss’s life looks like post-copy-cat.
This book had me singing “This House is Haunted” by I Am Kloot. The song is a somber piano-heavy melody focusing on how the singer’s clinging to a past love has left him haunted and obsessed with the past. Like our singer, Fliss’s curiosity turned obsession with the mystery behind the paintings has left her haunted (and possibly hunted!). “Looks like a ruin / You think nothing’s doing / Under the arches / Something’s still moving.” When Fliss finds the self-portrait, she’s immediately creeped out and just knows it can’t be the great work of art her father thinks it is. “The truth be uncovered / no face in the mirror.” Fliss and Izzy’s first night alone turns to tragedy, but also leaves Fliss wanting answers. “I always said / You should leave them dead / Now this house is haunted / Now look in the ruins.” Izzy wants nothing more than for Fliss to stop digging into the mystery of the paintings and let the police handle it. Nothing good has come from her research and Izzy is scared – can’t blame a girl for trying to tell her bff to let it go! But will Fliss let it go, or will obsession drive to find the answers she wants? Find out for yourself when you read Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First of all, I really love the title Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls and the cover is striking! The plot sounded very intriguing and I was immediately drawn in to the fast paced, easy read as the story flows and answers are revealed. The start of the story is exciting as Fliss finds a gruesome painting thought lost for decades in the house of her father’s dead colleague’s estate sale. Related to a series of paintings called The Four, Fliss is determined to find out the truth about the women in the paintings and the anonymous killer depicted in the fifth.
I really liked the main character, Fliss, as she is obsessed with true crime and her knowledge of this really shows as she tries to research more about the paintings and uncovers some deadly secrets. I liked how she acted and became obsessed with this story as it felt very realistic but I also enjoyed Izzy’s reactions and how they argued about it, especially as ideas became more insane and dangerous. I also loved the very surprising change of POV at certain points in the book which was very clever and gave the reader a deeper insight into the lives of the four women.
The first murder and the following ones were always a huge shock as I never knew who was going to be the next victim but I loved the idea that the murderer was performing copycat poses of the original paintings. I also really enjoyed the surprising twist with the connection of the paintings to rituals and tarot cards which I wasn’t expecting. The descriptions in the book of both the paintings and the brutal murder scenes were brilliantly done and I loved how grotesque and terrifying it felt. The self portrait sounded very creepy and I loved the back story that Fliss gradually unearthed through her research.
At first, it did start to feel like the information was being repeated as Fliss struggled to find any new information about the four or the killer but it soon picked up and by the 70%, the story was in full flow as the reveals started to come in thick and fast as the story began to connect to each thread. The ending has some brilliant shocks and twists and there were a few red herrings which threw me off! I had some suspects but I never would have guessed the reveal as it all comes to a head in a dark and tense ending.
Overall, this is a great YA mystery thriller that combines murder and art to create an original and exciting novel which strong characters and a plot that kept me invested from start to finish. It is a quick, easy read and I really enjoyed the various twists and reveals as Fliss finds a painting with a haunting past and finds herself in the middle of some disturbing murders.
*I received an early copy from netgalley as I am part of the book tour for Toppling Stacks*
I really liked the main character, Fliss, as she is obsessed with true crime and her knowledge of this really shows as she tries to research more about the paintings and uncovers some deadly secrets. I liked how she acted and became obsessed with this story as it felt very realistic but I also enjoyed Izzy’s reactions and how they argued about it, especially as ideas became more insane and dangerous. I also loved the very surprising change of POV at certain points in the book which was very clever and gave the reader a deeper insight into the lives of the four women.
The first murder and the following ones were always a huge shock as I never knew who was going to be the next victim but I loved the idea that the murderer was performing copycat poses of the original paintings. I also really enjoyed the surprising twist with the connection of the paintings to rituals and tarot cards which I wasn’t expecting. The descriptions in the book of both the paintings and the brutal murder scenes were brilliantly done and I loved how grotesque and terrifying it felt. The self portrait sounded very creepy and I loved the back story that Fliss gradually unearthed through her research.
At first, it did start to feel like the information was being repeated as Fliss struggled to find any new information about the four or the killer but it soon picked up and by the 70%, the story was in full flow as the reveals started to come in thick and fast as the story began to connect to each thread. The ending has some brilliant shocks and twists and there were a few red herrings which threw me off! I had some suspects but I never would have guessed the reveal as it all comes to a head in a dark and tense ending.
Overall, this is a great YA mystery thriller that combines murder and art to create an original and exciting novel which strong characters and a plot that kept me invested from start to finish. It is a quick, easy read and I really enjoyed the various twists and reveals as Fliss finds a painting with a haunting past and finds herself in the middle of some disturbing murders.
*I received an early copy from netgalley as I am part of the book tour for Toppling Stacks*
July 30, 2026
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls was such a fantastic thriller read from Cynthia Murphy. I never have read anything by Murphy but this story had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the transitions of the past and present day events and how seamlessly she connected everything. At times when there are historical references or chapters from pieces in the past I often don't like it, but I had no problem with this book. As someone that has always enjoyed art and galleries, especially of the macabre or dark influence this book just drew me in... and when it came to the twist and motivation of the influence behind the Four well that just drew me in even more. I won't spoil that for you though but trust me it made Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls that much more fascinating.
Fliss Keller is an aspiring journalist, at the young age of seventeen she has an eye for detail and attention to the small things that can be so easily missed. When she comes across a painting at an estate her father is over the moon and is thrilled despite Fliss's unease upon seeing the portrait. The painting it ends up is a self portrait of the artist who completed a series of paintings known as the Four.
Her father takes the self portrait home and shortly after Fliss's father and step mother leave for their honeymoon, the new painting falls from the wall. Fliss' unease only elevates upon finding papers that were hidden in the frame that suggest the painter was a serial killer and the Four were his victims. Fliss is determined to uncover the truth behind the murders.
However, when the murders begin to start again in the same style as the original paintings, Fliss feels like she has to solve this puzzle before the final victim is taken. Her best friend, Izzy, is set to believe that the painting is cursed and that Fliss by bleeding on the painting has unleashed a captured evil.
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls had so much of a macabre, near gothic underlining with the fresh aesthetic of a young adult thriller. The story had little teenage acknowledgements of crushes, friendships, and broken trust that were smoothly incorporated into the full story.
I enjoyed Fliss' dynamic and the insight to the past of the victims that made up the Four. Honestly I wished that there was more of their story but the little inserts were just enough to let these victims tell their tale. As the copycat killer begins to take their own modern day twist on the Four I found myself locked in and waiting to know who the killer was. If you enjoy unique thrillers that are short, quick reads with likable characters and dark undertones then I highly suggest Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls. I am eager to read more by Cynthia Murphy as a result of this read. Until next time, happy reading!
Fliss Keller is an aspiring journalist, at the young age of seventeen she has an eye for detail and attention to the small things that can be so easily missed. When she comes across a painting at an estate her father is over the moon and is thrilled despite Fliss's unease upon seeing the portrait. The painting it ends up is a self portrait of the artist who completed a series of paintings known as the Four.
Her father takes the self portrait home and shortly after Fliss's father and step mother leave for their honeymoon, the new painting falls from the wall. Fliss' unease only elevates upon finding papers that were hidden in the frame that suggest the painter was a serial killer and the Four were his victims. Fliss is determined to uncover the truth behind the murders.
However, when the murders begin to start again in the same style as the original paintings, Fliss feels like she has to solve this puzzle before the final victim is taken. Her best friend, Izzy, is set to believe that the painting is cursed and that Fliss by bleeding on the painting has unleashed a captured evil.
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls had so much of a macabre, near gothic underlining with the fresh aesthetic of a young adult thriller. The story had little teenage acknowledgements of crushes, friendships, and broken trust that were smoothly incorporated into the full story.
I enjoyed Fliss' dynamic and the insight to the past of the victims that made up the Four. Honestly I wished that there was more of their story but the little inserts were just enough to let these victims tell their tale. As the copycat killer begins to take their own modern day twist on the Four I found myself locked in and waiting to know who the killer was. If you enjoy unique thrillers that are short, quick reads with likable characters and dark undertones then I highly suggest Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls. I am eager to read more by Cynthia Murphy as a result of this read. Until next time, happy reading!
March 28, 2026
An interesting thriller that’s plenty of fun for fans of true crime but maybe a few too many red strings to keep track of.
After finding a fifth painting that may belong to a set featuring four unknown dead women, Fliss is determined to give them back their names but when a series of unfortunate events leads her to question the if the paintings truly are cursed she finds history repeating itself with new victims and plenty of suspects.
Lots of good here but also so so much that I got a bit lost at the end thinking I may have accidentally skipped ahead and missed pieces of the story.
I really enjoyed the historical true crime component and the little tidbits in full point of view of the original victims and finally their killer. Those quick beats really helped build this feeling of dread when you caught on to the similarities surrounding their unfortunate endings knowing they were just trying to make a name for themselves only to be lost to history at the hands of a deranged killer. I think the lore surrounding the paintings that to some extent both erased and immortalized them was super cool and Hannibal level like creepy with the inclusion of gore I will leave out for spoiler sake.
That being said I think the modern day mystery was very underwhelming. As always I like to try and figure it out before the main character does and in this it sets up a few good red herrings but ultimately I had to go back because I found myself unsure as to which character was which. It’s so underplayed that I think if someone told me it was switched from this arc to final publication nothing would really have to be changed except the printed name in dialogue. There’s an interesting element of tarot and fortunes that could have been really cool to play with but ultimately it feels more like another thing to add aesthetic as it gets jumbled up with paranormal/ritualistic layers for motive that worked find on its own, at least for the historical section but for modern day it doesn’t hold the same weight so it seems sort of like a lot of work for nothing.
I think this has so many good ideas but needed to be two different stories. There’s so many characters , and none that are really great or stand out to ground the story , and so much lore that it feels heavy yet fleeting at the same time. I can’t explain it in a way that doesn’t offer contradictions but ultimately my rating is for The Four without them this wouldn’t even get two.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
After finding a fifth painting that may belong to a set featuring four unknown dead women, Fliss is determined to give them back their names but when a series of unfortunate events leads her to question the if the paintings truly are cursed she finds history repeating itself with new victims and plenty of suspects.
Lots of good here but also so so much that I got a bit lost at the end thinking I may have accidentally skipped ahead and missed pieces of the story.
I really enjoyed the historical true crime component and the little tidbits in full point of view of the original victims and finally their killer. Those quick beats really helped build this feeling of dread when you caught on to the similarities surrounding their unfortunate endings knowing they were just trying to make a name for themselves only to be lost to history at the hands of a deranged killer. I think the lore surrounding the paintings that to some extent both erased and immortalized them was super cool and Hannibal level like creepy with the inclusion of gore I will leave out for spoiler sake.
That being said I think the modern day mystery was very underwhelming. As always I like to try and figure it out before the main character does and in this it sets up a few good red herrings but ultimately I had to go back because I found myself unsure as to which character was which. It’s so underplayed that I think if someone told me it was switched from this arc to final publication nothing would really have to be changed except the printed name in dialogue. There’s an interesting element of tarot and fortunes that could have been really cool to play with but ultimately it feels more like another thing to add aesthetic as it gets jumbled up with paranormal/ritualistic layers for motive that worked find on its own, at least for the historical section but for modern day it doesn’t hold the same weight so it seems sort of like a lot of work for nothing.
I think this has so many good ideas but needed to be two different stories. There’s so many characters , and none that are really great or stand out to ground the story , and so much lore that it feels heavy yet fleeting at the same time. I can’t explain it in a way that doesn’t offer contradictions but ultimately my rating is for The Four without them this wouldn’t even get two.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you, as always, to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Delacorte Press for the ARC! All opinions below are mine.
Art often imitates life. And Fliss Keller is beginning to understand that it can be true in even the worst ways in a book that is perfect for fans of Holly Jackson’s series “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”.
“Paint Me Like One of Your Dead Girls” introduces us to Felicity “Fliss” Keller. An aspiring crime journalist who is spending two weeks in her hometown while attending a college summer program, and housesitting with her best friend while her Art History professor dad goes on his honeymoon with his new wife.
When Fliss uncovers a lost painting at an estate sale, her father buys it immediately before his trip. The intent? To display it with its four counterparts at the university gallery; The Four, a series of paintings of victims of a 1900s serial killer-painter, and now the long lost self portrait of the killer that Fliss found by chance.
Then, a young woman is murdered the night the self portrait is displayed for view, and Fliss begins to suspect that there is a copycat killer on the loose. In order to catch them, she must uncover the mystery of The Four, all while trying to stop the copycat from replicating the rest of the paintings.
I will say, the title immediately got a laugh out of me. I immediately liked the protagonist, Fliss, and she definitely reminded me of Pip from the GGGM series. I also loved her best friend, Izzy, and both characters felt well developed while also serving as an excellent example of an opposites attract sort of friendship. Plus it turns out that this dynamic serves to help Fliss later on in the process of solving both sets of murders.
The paintings also felt like a protagonist as well, especially when we begin to get a chapter dedicated to each victim as Fliss discovers their identities. I loved those, and the fact that they were sprinkled in later in the story was an excellent way of giving the audience some foreshadowing and explanation.
The twist at the end was a total surprise, and I loved it. It kept me guessing until the few pages before the reveal. I think Murphy did such a fantastic job of weaving the history of the paintings with the copycat killer, along with the final exposition.
Overall, this was a super fun read, and I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who likes a good mystery-thriller. Especially if you also happen to like art or art history.
Art often imitates life. And Fliss Keller is beginning to understand that it can be true in even the worst ways in a book that is perfect for fans of Holly Jackson’s series “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”.
“Paint Me Like One of Your Dead Girls” introduces us to Felicity “Fliss” Keller. An aspiring crime journalist who is spending two weeks in her hometown while attending a college summer program, and housesitting with her best friend while her Art History professor dad goes on his honeymoon with his new wife.
When Fliss uncovers a lost painting at an estate sale, her father buys it immediately before his trip. The intent? To display it with its four counterparts at the university gallery; The Four, a series of paintings of victims of a 1900s serial killer-painter, and now the long lost self portrait of the killer that Fliss found by chance.
Then, a young woman is murdered the night the self portrait is displayed for view, and Fliss begins to suspect that there is a copycat killer on the loose. In order to catch them, she must uncover the mystery of The Four, all while trying to stop the copycat from replicating the rest of the paintings.
I will say, the title immediately got a laugh out of me. I immediately liked the protagonist, Fliss, and she definitely reminded me of Pip from the GGGM series. I also loved her best friend, Izzy, and both characters felt well developed while also serving as an excellent example of an opposites attract sort of friendship. Plus it turns out that this dynamic serves to help Fliss later on in the process of solving both sets of murders.
The paintings also felt like a protagonist as well, especially when we begin to get a chapter dedicated to each victim as Fliss discovers their identities. I loved those, and the fact that they were sprinkled in later in the story was an excellent way of giving the audience some foreshadowing and explanation.
The twist at the end was a total surprise, and I loved it. It kept me guessing until the few pages before the reveal. I think Murphy did such a fantastic job of weaving the history of the paintings with the copycat killer, along with the final exposition.
Overall, this was a super fun read, and I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who likes a good mystery-thriller. Especially if you also happen to like art or art history.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a quick, fast paced read, but I think that was a hindrance to what had potential to be an incredible mystery book. The story was short, so there wasn't much character development, and the focus seemed to be on the wrong things, often on specific details in a room, or the food the characters were eating, which had no effect on the plot. I did really enjoy the research project the main character did, I love when mysteries have a teenage sleuth solving a cold case and seeing the history of the paintings and the pov of the women within them was interesting, and a nice tie back to the plot, but felt the focus wasn't always in the right place, especially since there was a copycat killer on the loose.
The plot was original, and one of the main reasons I picked up the arc. The book was reminiscent of old supernatural (that one episode where the haunted painting comes to life) and criminal minds episodes, but would have loved if the story leant into the dark academia setting more, as the writing and execution felt a little underwhelming. The target audience felt unestablished, and may have been why some moments felt really mature, but then conversations between characters would read very childish, almost like the author was hesitant to make the story too dark, or push too much into the cursed painting theory, despite the paintings literally being made out of the victims.
There was a lack of suspense throughout the story, and that really damaged the pacing, whilst the chapters were short, there never felt like there was any real danger, and the main character was just reading about these scary things on her computer, not stumbling across them in real life, and again, with the lack of character development, the reveal felt underwhelming and a little... pointless? There didn't seem to be any motivation or reasoning other than wanting their art to make them famous.
Despite this not being my favourite book from the author, I do still think it was a good read, and again, happy to have found a YA mystery with such an original, interesting plot idea.
The plot was original, and one of the main reasons I picked up the arc. The book was reminiscent of old supernatural (that one episode where the haunted painting comes to life) and criminal minds episodes, but would have loved if the story leant into the dark academia setting more, as the writing and execution felt a little underwhelming. The target audience felt unestablished, and may have been why some moments felt really mature, but then conversations between characters would read very childish, almost like the author was hesitant to make the story too dark, or push too much into the cursed painting theory, despite the paintings literally being made out of the victims.
There was a lack of suspense throughout the story, and that really damaged the pacing, whilst the chapters were short, there never felt like there was any real danger, and the main character was just reading about these scary things on her computer, not stumbling across them in real life, and again, with the lack of character development, the reveal felt underwhelming and a little... pointless? There didn't seem to be any motivation or reasoning other than wanting their art to make them famous.
Despite this not being my favourite book from the author, I do still think it was a good read, and again, happy to have found a YA mystery with such an original, interesting plot idea.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books for the ARC of "Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls" in exchange for an honest review with opinions entirely my own.
I don't know art but I know what I like......and I like nothing more than an art-inspired YA mystery bloodily decorated with nightmare-inducing paintings and gruesome exsanguination murders. And it just so happens that this book fills that aching need to watch a determined Nancy Drew-ish teen manage to link turn-of-the-century serial killings to a current and all too active psychopath copycat.
Fliss Keller, to the amazement of her Art Historian father, comes across a long sought after disturbing portrait of an agonized man presumably just before his unknowable, terrible death. The painting to the excitement of the art world, completes a set that includes four equally notorious, haunted faces. They're the faces of four young women who look as if death itself has also come for them.......paintings already on display in the art gallery Fliss's dad oversees.
Secret papers Fliss discovers in the back of the painting might imply it's the work of a serial killer artist and the accompanying four portraits are those of his victims, modeling for him before they died at his hands. While she's co-housesitting with her best friend Izzy, Fliss's dogged research traces the killer and his prey back to the early 1900's........but someone else has been busy too. Someone who, inspired by the five paintings has taken to murdering women in the same manner as the original demented artist.
The art world premise intrigued me from the start and author Cynthia Murphy keeps the pacing swift and the pages flying by. And as obvious as it played out, I still thrilled to that banger of a horror movie grand finale, with Fliss facing off, as you knew she eventually would, with the scares of a surprise cuckoo perp who's nuttier than a warehouse full of peanut M & Ms. Great, breathless and very cinematic stuff.
Creepy good fun, with even a touch of romance thrown in. With an art gallery where you might rather dive out the window than exit through the gift shop.
(My other reviews can be found at www.thesandyquill.blogspot.com)
I don't know art but I know what I like......and I like nothing more than an art-inspired YA mystery bloodily decorated with nightmare-inducing paintings and gruesome exsanguination murders. And it just so happens that this book fills that aching need to watch a determined Nancy Drew-ish teen manage to link turn-of-the-century serial killings to a current and all too active psychopath copycat.
Fliss Keller, to the amazement of her Art Historian father, comes across a long sought after disturbing portrait of an agonized man presumably just before his unknowable, terrible death. The painting to the excitement of the art world, completes a set that includes four equally notorious, haunted faces. They're the faces of four young women who look as if death itself has also come for them.......paintings already on display in the art gallery Fliss's dad oversees.
Secret papers Fliss discovers in the back of the painting might imply it's the work of a serial killer artist and the accompanying four portraits are those of his victims, modeling for him before they died at his hands. While she's co-housesitting with her best friend Izzy, Fliss's dogged research traces the killer and his prey back to the early 1900's........but someone else has been busy too. Someone who, inspired by the five paintings has taken to murdering women in the same manner as the original demented artist.
The art world premise intrigued me from the start and author Cynthia Murphy keeps the pacing swift and the pages flying by. And as obvious as it played out, I still thrilled to that banger of a horror movie grand finale, with Fliss facing off, as you knew she eventually would, with the scares of a surprise cuckoo perp who's nuttier than a warehouse full of peanut M & Ms. Great, breathless and very cinematic stuff.
Creepy good fun, with even a touch of romance thrown in. With an art gallery where you might rather dive out the window than exit through the gift shop.
(My other reviews can be found at www.thesandyquill.blogspot.com)
July 27, 2026
Seventeen-year-old Fliss (Felicity) is excited to be house sitting for her dad, an Art History professor, and new stepmom while they honeymoon, especially because her best friend Izzy is going to join her. The two of them will be attending a summer program that the university is offering. The day before her parents leave, the three of them attend an estate sale at the home of one of the other Art History professors who passed away recently. In his house they find a gruesome self-portrait that is famous and was thought to be lost forever.
The self-portrait completes a set of paintings currently on display at the university's gallery called "The Four." Each of these four paintings depict a different women in the throes of death and were found, along with the gruesome self-portrait, in the artist's gallery with his dead body. Fliss's dad is thrilled with the discovery, but her stepmom and fellow summer program students are convinced that the stories about the self-portrait being cursed are true. Fliss, an aspiring crime journalist and true crime junkie, is determined to find out how the dead professor came to possess the painting and why he didn't announce his discovery. When someone starts killing women in the same manner as depicted in the original four paintings, Fliss is determined to find the killer, but the killer may be someone very close to home.
This YA thriller drifts a little into the horror genre, but not quite. It's entertaining without being too gory. It started out stronger than it finished. The beginning grabbed me and moved along nicely, but by about the halfway mark it started to slow down. By the end I was still trying to figure out the killer's motivation (which was never fully explained) and method. I did enjoy the flashbacks to the original murders.
Overall, this is a decent mystery, but not outstanding. 3 solid stars
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The self-portrait completes a set of paintings currently on display at the university's gallery called "The Four." Each of these four paintings depict a different women in the throes of death and were found, along with the gruesome self-portrait, in the artist's gallery with his dead body. Fliss's dad is thrilled with the discovery, but her stepmom and fellow summer program students are convinced that the stories about the self-portrait being cursed are true. Fliss, an aspiring crime journalist and true crime junkie, is determined to find out how the dead professor came to possess the painting and why he didn't announce his discovery. When someone starts killing women in the same manner as depicted in the original four paintings, Fliss is determined to find the killer, but the killer may be someone very close to home.
This YA thriller drifts a little into the horror genre, but not quite. It's entertaining without being too gory. It started out stronger than it finished. The beginning grabbed me and moved along nicely, but by about the halfway mark it started to slow down. By the end I was still trying to figure out the killer's motivation (which was never fully explained) and method. I did enjoy the flashbacks to the original murders.
Overall, this is a decent mystery, but not outstanding. 3 solid stars
Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows are main character, Fliss, who is a 17 year old doing a summer trade/art program at the university that she plans to attend one day. She is passionate about becoming a crime journalist and work on cold cases. The entire novel takes place on campus of this university.
The book starts out with her dad and step mom getting ready to go on their honeymoon. They swing through an old professors estate sale where Fliss discovers a painting that possibly was done by a serial killer. This sends her on a spiral of trying to uncover the names of his victims. However, this discovery seems to have spurred someone to start reenacting the original murders right on campus and Fliss and her friends are all in the middle of the death and mystery.
I really enjoyed my time with this book. I believe it is technically young adult, but it has the vibe of a freshman in college/university. The pacing felt consistent and medium speed. There was always something to keep me interested and thinking of the mystery even when I wasn't reading the story. It really made me feel like I was reading a YA true crime novel. Like Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone In The Dark for a younger generation and set in the art gallery world.
The "true crime" solving aspect felt realistic and the back and forth with her best friend, who hated anything about crime, felt authentic (and had all the older teenage angst of being on their own for the first time). The fact that there were murders happening and no parents present made sense. The author gave realistic reason for it. I had to suspend my disbelief with the ending a little bit, but it was still a fun ride.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in suspense crime and new adult novels. I would also happily read more by this author.
This book follows are main character, Fliss, who is a 17 year old doing a summer trade/art program at the university that she plans to attend one day. She is passionate about becoming a crime journalist and work on cold cases. The entire novel takes place on campus of this university.
The book starts out with her dad and step mom getting ready to go on their honeymoon. They swing through an old professors estate sale where Fliss discovers a painting that possibly was done by a serial killer. This sends her on a spiral of trying to uncover the names of his victims. However, this discovery seems to have spurred someone to start reenacting the original murders right on campus and Fliss and her friends are all in the middle of the death and mystery.
I really enjoyed my time with this book. I believe it is technically young adult, but it has the vibe of a freshman in college/university. The pacing felt consistent and medium speed. There was always something to keep me interested and thinking of the mystery even when I wasn't reading the story. It really made me feel like I was reading a YA true crime novel. Like Michelle McNamara's I'll Be Gone In The Dark for a younger generation and set in the art gallery world.
The "true crime" solving aspect felt realistic and the back and forth with her best friend, who hated anything about crime, felt authentic (and had all the older teenage angst of being on their own for the first time). The fact that there were murders happening and no parents present made sense. The author gave realistic reason for it. I had to suspend my disbelief with the ending a little bit, but it was still a fun ride.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in suspense crime and new adult novels. I would also happily read more by this author.
July 31, 2026
Aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller never expected an ordinary estate sale to pull her into a murder investigation. When her father purchases a long-lost portrait by a mysterious artist, the painting completes a famous collection that has fascinated their town for decades. Soon after, a string of brutal murders begins, each seemingly connected to the artwork displayed in her father's gallery. As the body count rises, Fliss realises the paintings may be hiding clues to a killer's identity. With time running out and danger closing in, she must untangle a mystery where art imitates death and where becoming too curious could make her the next masterpiece.
The paintings themselves are one of the novel's greatest strengths. Rather than serving as a simple gimmick, they become central to the mystery, adding an eerie layer of symbolism that lingers throughout the story. Murphy builds suspense slowly, allowing readers to question every character and every clue while maintaining a constant sense of unease. Fliss is engaging; her dream of becoming a crime journalist naturally drives the investigation, and her curiosity never feels forced or unrealistic. She's resourceful without being implausible, and her determination keeps the story moving at an excellent pace.
The mystery is carefully plotted, balancing shocking reveals with enough breadcrumbs that attentive readers can piece together theories without the ending feeling predictable. Murphy also captures the tension of a small community rocked by violence, where no one feels entirely trustworthy and every revelation raises the stakes. While firmly YA, the novel doesn't shy away from darker themes. The murders are unsettling, the atmosphere is deliciously creepy, and the psychological tension remains high from beginning to end. Readers looking for romance should temper expectations, as the investigation and suspense take centre stage.
The paintings themselves are one of the novel's greatest strengths. Rather than serving as a simple gimmick, they become central to the mystery, adding an eerie layer of symbolism that lingers throughout the story. Murphy builds suspense slowly, allowing readers to question every character and every clue while maintaining a constant sense of unease. Fliss is engaging; her dream of becoming a crime journalist naturally drives the investigation, and her curiosity never feels forced or unrealistic. She's resourceful without being implausible, and her determination keeps the story moving at an excellent pace.
The mystery is carefully plotted, balancing shocking reveals with enough breadcrumbs that attentive readers can piece together theories without the ending feeling predictable. Murphy also captures the tension of a small community rocked by violence, where no one feels entirely trustworthy and every revelation raises the stakes. While firmly YA, the novel doesn't shy away from darker themes. The murders are unsettling, the atmosphere is deliciously creepy, and the psychological tension remains high from beginning to end. Readers looking for romance should temper expectations, as the investigation and suspense take centre stage.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was absolutely giving A Good Girl's Guide to Murder to me, what with Fliss' interest in true crime and her finding herself wrapped up in a murder mystery of her own volition. I think, though, the pacing was a little bit off. The story didn't really start to pick up till about halfway in, which made the story from ~30%-50% a little slow. The pieces were all there for Fliss to put together, but there was a lot of 'telling' not 'showing' in terms of her going to the creative arts classes and throwing the party -- those were all important in the grand scheme of things but felt a little slow within the context of the mystery.
I do think the mystery itself was super creative though. I loved the way that the art was woven into the story of the murders. The whole notion of painting victims in the vein of tarot cards and then having those paintings (and, by extension, the victims) be recreated with new modern day victims was a truly original story, as far as I'm aware. I also think that interspersing the story with the four chapters dedicated to the four original victims was really smart. Having each of their stories be at a different point in the killer's process, too, was really interesting -- the first victim being chosen, the second being taken to the secondary location, the third being killed, and the fourth after death. I thought that was really intriguing and absolutely kept me interested in the story.
I just wish that there was a little bit more of a story after the murder mystery itself wrapped up. Having even one more chapter with Fliss (and her dad and Izzy and whoever else) would have been a slightly better ending, I think, than just closing the book out with the 'article.' It just felt like a little bit of an abrupt ending, in my opinion.
-----------------
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House/Delacorte Press for the ARC!
I do think the mystery itself was super creative though. I loved the way that the art was woven into the story of the murders. The whole notion of painting victims in the vein of tarot cards and then having those paintings (and, by extension, the victims) be recreated with new modern day victims was a truly original story, as far as I'm aware. I also think that interspersing the story with the four chapters dedicated to the four original victims was really smart. Having each of their stories be at a different point in the killer's process, too, was really interesting -- the first victim being chosen, the second being taken to the secondary location, the third being killed, and the fourth after death. I thought that was really intriguing and absolutely kept me interested in the story.
I just wish that there was a little bit more of a story after the murder mystery itself wrapped up. Having even one more chapter with Fliss (and her dad and Izzy and whoever else) would have been a slightly better ending, I think, than just closing the book out with the 'article.' It just felt like a little bit of an abrupt ending, in my opinion.
-----------------
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House/Delacorte Press for the ARC!
August 1, 2026
2,5 stars
It had so much potential but was badly executed.
In the first 70% it feels like nothing happens at all (even if the first death already happened) and it gets quite boring.
The ending is extremely rushed and there are a few plot holes. It felt like the writer wrote the book and an editor told her to delete some parts to make it shorter.
The characters were quite flat, none of them had a real personality.
Also, Where was the horror element?
Quite disappointed.
SPOILERS AHED TO DISCUSS (not of who is the killer, but who isn’t) !!!!!!!!!
- Izzy was getting on my nerves, she said Fliss was loosing it while Izzy was the one who kept insisting everything was happening for a CURSE. This parts were annoying and way too long.
- Ford’s character was completely useless. I thought that him being a Heywood would be important. Dont get me wrong, of course he was not the killer BUT the author could have implied it or you know, since Fliss was doing this impossible research of the paints’ history she could have asked Ford some questions about them (since his family was the only known possessors of The Four). I do believe there was more to his character and it got deleted in the final drafts (at least I hope so).
- Guessing the killer was boring as well, since we basically had to choose between 3 characters (appreciated the plot twist tho)
- The research aspect: it literally doesn’t make sense. This case was so famous that loads of people tried to solve it by connecting the murderers to the paintings and you are telling me that our protagonist is the only one who has managed to do that only via internet??? I could have understood it better if she had interviewed Ford’s family and if she had discovered something that way that would have led her on the right path but this… is so unbelievable and unrealistic.
It had so much potential but was badly executed.
In the first 70% it feels like nothing happens at all (even if the first death already happened) and it gets quite boring.
The ending is extremely rushed and there are a few plot holes. It felt like the writer wrote the book and an editor told her to delete some parts to make it shorter.
The characters were quite flat, none of them had a real personality.
Also, Where was the horror element?
Quite disappointed.
SPOILERS AHED TO DISCUSS (not of who is the killer, but who isn’t) !!!!!!!!!
- Izzy was getting on my nerves, she said Fliss was loosing it while Izzy was the one who kept insisting everything was happening for a CURSE. This parts were annoying and way too long.
- Ford’s character was completely useless. I thought that him being a Heywood would be important. Dont get me wrong, of course he was not the killer BUT the author could have implied it or you know, since Fliss was doing this impossible research of the paints’ history she could have asked Ford some questions about them (since his family was the only known possessors of The Four). I do believe there was more to his character and it got deleted in the final drafts (at least I hope so).
- Guessing the killer was boring as well, since we basically had to choose between 3 characters (appreciated the plot twist tho)
- The research aspect: it literally doesn’t make sense. This case was so famous that loads of people tried to solve it by connecting the murderers to the paintings and you are telling me that our protagonist is the only one who has managed to do that only via internet??? I could have understood it better if she had interviewed Ford’s family and if she had discovered something that way that would have led her on the right path but this… is so unbelievable and unrealistic.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls
By Cynthia Murphy
Pub Date: 23 July 2026
★★★★★
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls was an absolute five-star read and easily one of the most addictive YA thrillers I’ve picked up this year.
Cynthia Murphy delivers a dark, clever concept that immediately hooked me—serial killer artwork, hidden secrets inside a painting, copycat murders, and the possibility of a curse? I was completely sold from chapter one.
The mystery was incredibly well paced, constantly revealing just enough information to keep me guessing without giving too much away. Every time I thought I had figured things out, another twist completely changed the direction of the story.
Fliss was such a strong protagonist. Her determination to uncover the truth made her easy to root for, and I loved that her passion for crime journalism added another layer to the investigation. She felt intelligent, driven, and realistic throughout the story.
What really stood out was the atmosphere. There was this constant sense of unease woven throughout the book, and the connection between art and murder made everything feel even more sinister. The idea of victims being recreated through paintings was genuinely creepy and incredibly original.
The final twists completely caught me off guard, and I genuinely could not put this book down during the final chapters.
If you love dark YA thrillers, serial killer mysteries, small-town secrets, and books that keep you guessing until the very end, this absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR.
A chilling, twist-filled thriller that was dark, original, and impossible to put down. Cynthia Murphy absolutely delivered with this one.
#BookReview #PaintMeLikeYourDeadGirls #CynthiaMurphy #ThrillerBooks #YAThriller #BookTokBooks
By Cynthia Murphy
Pub Date: 23 July 2026
★★★★★
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls was an absolute five-star read and easily one of the most addictive YA thrillers I’ve picked up this year.
Cynthia Murphy delivers a dark, clever concept that immediately hooked me—serial killer artwork, hidden secrets inside a painting, copycat murders, and the possibility of a curse? I was completely sold from chapter one.
The mystery was incredibly well paced, constantly revealing just enough information to keep me guessing without giving too much away. Every time I thought I had figured things out, another twist completely changed the direction of the story.
Fliss was such a strong protagonist. Her determination to uncover the truth made her easy to root for, and I loved that her passion for crime journalism added another layer to the investigation. She felt intelligent, driven, and realistic throughout the story.
What really stood out was the atmosphere. There was this constant sense of unease woven throughout the book, and the connection between art and murder made everything feel even more sinister. The idea of victims being recreated through paintings was genuinely creepy and incredibly original.
The final twists completely caught me off guard, and I genuinely could not put this book down during the final chapters.
If you love dark YA thrillers, serial killer mysteries, small-town secrets, and books that keep you guessing until the very end, this absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR.
A chilling, twist-filled thriller that was dark, original, and impossible to put down. Cynthia Murphy absolutely delivered with this one.
#BookReview #PaintMeLikeYourDeadGirls #CynthiaMurphy #ThrillerBooks #YAThriller #BookTokBooks
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
📚 BOOK REVIEW
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls
Cynthia Murphy
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to @NetGalley, @randomhousechildrens, @delacortepress, & @cynthiamurphyya for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Fliss Keller dreams of becoming a crime journalist, so when a long-lost painting resurfaces at a local estate sale, she immediately senses something isn’t right. Her dad, an art history professor, buys the portrait to complete a famous collection displayed in the town gallery—but soon violent murders begin shaking the community.
As the bodies pile up, Fliss realizes the paintings may hold the key to a killer’s identity. The closer she gets to the truth, the more it feels like she’s being watched.
———
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It kept me turning the pages, even if it never completely swept me away.
The investigative journalism angle was easily my favorite part. It gave me major A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder vibes, and I loved following Fliss as she chased clues and uncovered secrets. Cynthia Murphy also creates an eerie atmosphere that makes the gallery feel unsettling from start to finish.
Where the book lost me was with the supporting characters. I liked Fliss and her determination, but I never fully connected with everyone around her. The romance also felt more like a distraction than something that added to the suspense.
Overall, I still enjoyed it. The premise is unique, the creepy art-gallery setting is memorable, and the mystery kept me engaged until the end.
✅ WHAT WORKED
• Original art-inspired mystery
• Strong investigative storyline
• Creepy atmosphere
• Relatable main character
⚠️ WHAT DIDN’T WORK
• Secondary characters needed more depth
• Romance felt unnecessary
• Ending felt a little rushed
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls
Cynthia Murphy
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to @NetGalley, @randomhousechildrens, @delacortepress, & @cynthiamurphyya for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Fliss Keller dreams of becoming a crime journalist, so when a long-lost painting resurfaces at a local estate sale, she immediately senses something isn’t right. Her dad, an art history professor, buys the portrait to complete a famous collection displayed in the town gallery—but soon violent murders begin shaking the community.
As the bodies pile up, Fliss realizes the paintings may hold the key to a killer’s identity. The closer she gets to the truth, the more it feels like she’s being watched.
———
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It kept me turning the pages, even if it never completely swept me away.
The investigative journalism angle was easily my favorite part. It gave me major A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder vibes, and I loved following Fliss as she chased clues and uncovered secrets. Cynthia Murphy also creates an eerie atmosphere that makes the gallery feel unsettling from start to finish.
Where the book lost me was with the supporting characters. I liked Fliss and her determination, but I never fully connected with everyone around her. The romance also felt more like a distraction than something that added to the suspense.
Overall, I still enjoyed it. The premise is unique, the creepy art-gallery setting is memorable, and the mystery kept me engaged until the end.
✅ WHAT WORKED
• Original art-inspired mystery
• Strong investigative storyline
• Creepy atmosphere
• Relatable main character
⚠️ WHAT DIDN’T WORK
• Secondary characters needed more depth
• Romance felt unnecessary
• Ending felt a little rushed
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Huge thank you to @GetUnderlined #GetUnderlinedPartner for my physical ARC ❤️
Art tells stories...But what if the artwork was hiding the identity of a serial killer?
And what if someone decided to recreate every single murder?🎨🩸
Y'all... Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls had me side eyeing every painting, every character, and every clue.😳
This was such a fun blend of murder mystery, true crime vibes, and art history, and I absolutely flew through it.
Fliss is curious, determined, and maybe just a little too willing to chase danger if it means uncovering the truth. As an aspiring crime journalist, she refuses to let a decades old mystery stay buried and I was right there investigating alongside her.
The entire concept hooked me immediately. A long lost painting. A rumored serial killer artist. Hidden documents inside the frame.
One of my favorite parts of this book was how the historical mystery slowly unfolded. Every time we learned more about "The Four" and the women behind the paintings I became even more invested. Those chapters added so much emotion and dread because these women were no longer just artwork they became real people whose stories deserved to be remembered.
Now let's talk about that ending...I spent the ENTIRE book making theories. Crossing people off my suspect list. Adding them back. Convincing myself I had it figured out...
I absolutely did not.😂
The reveal surprised me and I love when a thriller can still do that.
If you love
🎨 Art history mysteries
🔪 Copycat killers
📚 Aspiring crime journalists
🩸 YA murder mysteries
👻 Horror atmosphere
🧩 Cold cases
📖 Fast paced thrillers
🎭 Dark academia vibes
...this one deserves a spot on your TBR!
Art tells stories...But what if the artwork was hiding the identity of a serial killer?
And what if someone decided to recreate every single murder?🎨🩸
Y'all... Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls had me side eyeing every painting, every character, and every clue.😳
This was such a fun blend of murder mystery, true crime vibes, and art history, and I absolutely flew through it.
Fliss is curious, determined, and maybe just a little too willing to chase danger if it means uncovering the truth. As an aspiring crime journalist, she refuses to let a decades old mystery stay buried and I was right there investigating alongside her.
The entire concept hooked me immediately. A long lost painting. A rumored serial killer artist. Hidden documents inside the frame.
One of my favorite parts of this book was how the historical mystery slowly unfolded. Every time we learned more about "The Four" and the women behind the paintings I became even more invested. Those chapters added so much emotion and dread because these women were no longer just artwork they became real people whose stories deserved to be remembered.
Now let's talk about that ending...I spent the ENTIRE book making theories. Crossing people off my suspect list. Adding them back. Convincing myself I had it figured out...
I absolutely did not.😂
The reveal surprised me and I love when a thriller can still do that.
If you love
🎨 Art history mysteries
🔪 Copycat killers
📚 Aspiring crime journalists
🩸 YA murder mysteries
👻 Horror atmosphere
🧩 Cold cases
📖 Fast paced thrillers
🎭 Dark academia vibes
...this one deserves a spot on your TBR!
July 24, 2026
4.5 stars
🎨"It's hard to separate the art from and the artist when you know so much about them."🎨
📕Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls
✍️Cynthia Murphy
🗣@delacortepress
📅July 21st, 2026
🖌SYNOPSIS🖌
When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller attends an estate sale and uncovers a disturbing painting by a mysterious artist, she wants nothing to do with it. Unfortunately for her, her Art History professor dad buys it immediately. The portrait has been lost for decades and completes a set of four existing paintings of women by the same artist already hanging in the town’s gallery.
But when a series of gruesome crimes rock the community and her father's gallery becomes the epicenter of a deadly game, Fliss discovers that the paintings may hold the key to a killer's identity.
Haunted by the specter of a serial killer, Fliss races against time to solve the mystery before it claims another victim. In a world where every brushstroke hides a sinister secret, can she unravel the clues before she becomes a killer's muse?
🧠My Thoughts🧠
I'm on a streak with these good books, man. This one was giving me Jack the Ripper if he was an artist vibes mixed with a present day amateur teen detective trying to figure out who the killer and the victims were. I enjoyed the chapters we got where we met the women that were killed in 1911, I always have a soft spot for historical murders. And the copycat killer was a very interesting plot line to follow. Just an overall fun and quick read.
⛧Thank you to @netgalley and @delacortepress for the advance ebook! All thoughts are my own.
💬ⓆⓄⓉⒹ: What's an interesting fact about your life?
#paintmelikeyourdeadgirls #cynthiamurphy #delacortepress #netgalley #bookreview
🎨"It's hard to separate the art from and the artist when you know so much about them."🎨
📕Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls
✍️Cynthia Murphy
🗣@delacortepress
📅July 21st, 2026
🖌SYNOPSIS🖌
When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller attends an estate sale and uncovers a disturbing painting by a mysterious artist, she wants nothing to do with it. Unfortunately for her, her Art History professor dad buys it immediately. The portrait has been lost for decades and completes a set of four existing paintings of women by the same artist already hanging in the town’s gallery.
But when a series of gruesome crimes rock the community and her father's gallery becomes the epicenter of a deadly game, Fliss discovers that the paintings may hold the key to a killer's identity.
Haunted by the specter of a serial killer, Fliss races against time to solve the mystery before it claims another victim. In a world where every brushstroke hides a sinister secret, can she unravel the clues before she becomes a killer's muse?
🧠My Thoughts🧠
I'm on a streak with these good books, man. This one was giving me Jack the Ripper if he was an artist vibes mixed with a present day amateur teen detective trying to figure out who the killer and the victims were. I enjoyed the chapters we got where we met the women that were killed in 1911, I always have a soft spot for historical murders. And the copycat killer was a very interesting plot line to follow. Just an overall fun and quick read.
⛧Thank you to @netgalley and @delacortepress for the advance ebook! All thoughts are my own.
💬ⓆⓄⓉⒹ: What's an interesting fact about your life?
#paintmelikeyourdeadgirls #cynthiamurphy #delacortepress #netgalley #bookreview
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