What do you think?
Rate this book
The Lonely Dead
A killer is on the loose, and only one girl has the power to find him. But in this genre-bending YA thriller, she must first manage to avoid becoming a target herself.
For Adele, the dead aren’t really dead. She can see them and even talk to them. But she’s spent years denying her gift. When she encounters her ex best friend Tori in a shallow grave in the woods and realizes that Tori is actually dead -- that gift turns into a curse. Without an alibi, Adele becomes the prime suspect in Tori’s murder. She must work with Tori’s ghost to find the real killer. But what if the killer finds Adele first?
Master mystery-write April Henry adds a chilling paranormal twist to this incredibly suspenseful young adult novel.
For Adele, the dead aren’t really dead. She can see them and even talk to them. But she’s spent years denying her gift. When she encounters her ex best friend Tori in a shallow grave in the woods and realizes that Tori is actually dead -- that gift turns into a curse. Without an alibi, Adele becomes the prime suspect in Tori’s murder. She must work with Tori’s ghost to find the real killer. But what if the killer finds Adele first?
Master mystery-write April Henry adds a chilling paranormal twist to this incredibly suspenseful young adult novel.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 29, 2019
132 people are currently reading
6100 people want to read
About the author
April Henry
34 books3,371 followersI write mysteries and thrillers. I live in Portland, Oregon with my family.
If you've read one of my books, I would love to hear from you. Hearing from readers makes me eager to keep writing.
When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.
My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I'm very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 27 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have been on the New York Times bestseller lists, gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into seven languages, been named to state reading lists, won the Anthony award and won the Oregon Book Award.
If you've read one of my books, I would love to hear from you. Hearing from readers makes me eager to keep writing.
When I was 12, I sent a short story about a six-foot tall frog who loved peanut butter to Roald Dahl, the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He liked it so much he arranged to have it published in an international children's magazine.
My dream of writing went dormant until I was in my 30s, working at a corporate job, and started writing books on the side. Those first few years are now thankfully a blur. Now I'm very lucky to make a living doing what I love. I have written 27 novels for adults and teens, with more on the way. My books have been on the New York Times bestseller lists, gotten starred reviews, been picked for Booksense, translated into seven languages, been named to state reading lists, won the Anthony award and won the Oregon Book Award.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 439 reviews
July 2, 2025
While taking a short-cut through a local park on her walk home, 17-year old Adele, stumbles across her estranged friend, Tori, clearly distraught.
After speaking with Tori for a while, Adele notices something strange. Tori's dead and is actually sitting atop her recently buried remains.
That's right.
Adele sees dead people, but not in the way you would think. She only sees them in the location where their remains are.
The spirits, if you will, are attached to their earthly remains via a cord of mist that extends from the backs of the their heads. Therefore, they are tethered to that location and do not necessarily bandy about haunting different places.
Adele knows that Tori has been murdered and she needs to report the body to the police.
Fearing she will be considered a suspect, however, she makes an anonymous call from a payphone and then promptly returns home to hide out.
Unfortunately, for Adele, it turns out there are things called security cameras and the cops figure out it was her that made the call from the payphone.
Pair that with the fact that everyone witnessed a big fight between Adele and Tori on the night of her death makes Adele a prime suspect.
She therefore realizes she needs Tori's help to figure out what happened to her, so she can clear herself and bring the real killer to justice.
This book and I did not get along.
As you most likely have already guessed from the tone of the above-placed gifs.
The synopsis sounded promising. I was sold a Paranormal Mystery and I guess, in a way, it was.
Except for the fact that it wasn't super mysterious and the paranormal elements seemed too simplistic.
I think maybe this book would work better for a much younger age group. Perhaps for kids just getting into Paranormal stories, as someone new to the genre wouldn't have much to compare this too.
This being said, while I think the writing works best for a Tween category, the topics don't really mesh well with that age group. There is a lot of drinking, binge drinking, talk of binge drinking, sex and heavy party scenes.
So, yeah, maybe not the best thing to buy your 12-year old.
Additionally, the overall feel of the book made me uncomfortable, but don't take my word for it, you can decide for yourself, but the mental health rep...
Adele has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed medication. She takes this medication up until the time our story starts, when she admits to secretly stopping and hiding the pills.
She goes on to say, on numerous occasions, how much better her life is now that she is off the medication, even though now she is seeing things again, whereas before she wasn't. The medication had been dulling her gift to see dead things.
This is a topic returned to over and over again. I'm just not sure if glorifying secretly going off prescribed medications for serious mental health issues in a book marketed to teens is a good thing?
Seriously, though, I don't know. Maybe I was reading into it wrong or am taking it too literally. I personally have never suffered from a hallucinatory disorder, so may not be the best judge on this.
Besides this overriding issue, however, I did have a few other problems with it.
The 'mystery' was pretty apparent from the beginning. The build-up was too long and the conclusion too rushed.
There was a lesson in a health class about binge drinking that just got brought up over and over again that was sort of lame. Not to mention, things got really wacky at the end.
Meh. Just not for me.
However, if this synopsis sounds interesting to you, I want you to pick it up. I want to hear what other people think of this, the mental health stuff in particular.
I seriously hope my review doesn't stop anyone from picking this up. For me, it didn't work, but I am sure some people out there will really enjoy it.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review. I always appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion.
After speaking with Tori for a while, Adele notices something strange. Tori's dead and is actually sitting atop her recently buried remains.
That's right.
Adele sees dead people, but not in the way you would think. She only sees them in the location where their remains are.
The spirits, if you will, are attached to their earthly remains via a cord of mist that extends from the backs of the their heads. Therefore, they are tethered to that location and do not necessarily bandy about haunting different places.
Adele knows that Tori has been murdered and she needs to report the body to the police.
Fearing she will be considered a suspect, however, she makes an anonymous call from a payphone and then promptly returns home to hide out.
Unfortunately, for Adele, it turns out there are things called security cameras and the cops figure out it was her that made the call from the payphone.
Pair that with the fact that everyone witnessed a big fight between Adele and Tori on the night of her death makes Adele a prime suspect.
She therefore realizes she needs Tori's help to figure out what happened to her, so she can clear herself and bring the real killer to justice.
This book and I did not get along.
As you most likely have already guessed from the tone of the above-placed gifs.
The synopsis sounded promising. I was sold a Paranormal Mystery and I guess, in a way, it was.
Except for the fact that it wasn't super mysterious and the paranormal elements seemed too simplistic.
I think maybe this book would work better for a much younger age group. Perhaps for kids just getting into Paranormal stories, as someone new to the genre wouldn't have much to compare this too.
This being said, while I think the writing works best for a Tween category, the topics don't really mesh well with that age group. There is a lot of drinking, binge drinking, talk of binge drinking, sex and heavy party scenes.
So, yeah, maybe not the best thing to buy your 12-year old.
Additionally, the overall feel of the book made me uncomfortable, but don't take my word for it, you can decide for yourself, but the mental health rep...
Adele has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed medication. She takes this medication up until the time our story starts, when she admits to secretly stopping and hiding the pills.
She goes on to say, on numerous occasions, how much better her life is now that she is off the medication, even though now she is seeing things again, whereas before she wasn't. The medication had been dulling her gift to see dead things.
This is a topic returned to over and over again. I'm just not sure if glorifying secretly going off prescribed medications for serious mental health issues in a book marketed to teens is a good thing?
Seriously, though, I don't know. Maybe I was reading into it wrong or am taking it too literally. I personally have never suffered from a hallucinatory disorder, so may not be the best judge on this.
Besides this overriding issue, however, I did have a few other problems with it.
The 'mystery' was pretty apparent from the beginning. The build-up was too long and the conclusion too rushed.
There was a lesson in a health class about binge drinking that just got brought up over and over again that was sort of lame. Not to mention, things got really wacky at the end.
Meh. Just not for me.
However, if this synopsis sounds interesting to you, I want you to pick it up. I want to hear what other people think of this, the mental health stuff in particular.
I seriously hope my review doesn't stop anyone from picking this up. For me, it didn't work, but I am sure some people out there will really enjoy it.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Henry Holt and Co., for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review. I always appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion.
April 26, 2023
The Lonely Dead
By April Henry
I normally avoid most teen books because of all the teen angst in the books, which somehow is a draw for some audience, but I enjoyed this book. Probably because the plot and supernatural over powered any angst.
This has our main character, Adele, finding her friend dead in an off the beaten path. Adele can hear and see the dead. Her mother and grandmother before her could too and all three were thought to be crazy. Her background is interesting.
What happens when she finds her friend gets tense. No one believes her that she didn't do it, even her grandfather. Then the killer goes after her!
Pretty good! Liked how the ghosts in the cemetery help her too!
Hope there is a sequel!
By April Henry
I normally avoid most teen books because of all the teen angst in the books, which somehow is a draw for some audience, but I enjoyed this book. Probably because the plot and supernatural over powered any angst.
This has our main character, Adele, finding her friend dead in an off the beaten path. Adele can hear and see the dead. Her mother and grandmother before her could too and all three were thought to be crazy. Her background is interesting.
What happens when she finds her friend gets tense. No one believes her that she didn't do it, even her grandfather. Then the killer goes after her!
Pretty good! Liked how the ghosts in the cemetery help her too!
Hope there is a sequel!
February 5, 2019
Unfortunately, I read this.
I'm sorry to say this so bluntly, but this sucked.
It read like an early-middle grade and not YA. The writing is lazy, and the characters are dull and undeveloped. The story was not fleshed out well, and the characters' reactions were absolutely unrealistic. It was very plain and simple which is disappointing because it had so much potential. I only kept reading because the story was about ghosts. I used to write stories and poems many years ago, and I've had a few ideas for books but I'm hesitant to write one for fear it will turn out like this.
I'm sorry to say this so bluntly, but this sucked.
It read like an early-middle grade and not YA. The writing is lazy, and the characters are dull and undeveloped. The story was not fleshed out well, and the characters' reactions were absolutely unrealistic. It was very plain and simple which is disappointing because it had so much potential. I only kept reading because the story was about ghosts. I used to write stories and poems many years ago, and I've had a few ideas for books but I'm hesitant to write one for fear it will turn out like this.
December 23, 2018
I had read a couple of April’s other books and I loved this premise, sadly I was pretty disappointed. Also, two stars might be too high.
I wanted to like Adele, but her inner monologue was not something I could settle into. I get that she’s struggling with family history and current events, yet I didn’t feel empathy. All of the other characters are clichéd and flat. No one felt fleshed out and developed as they should have been.
Plot wise, it was very boring. The reveals were obvious and everything felt dumbed down. And not because I’m not the target audience, more like the reader wasn’t expected to be able to figure it out. There wasn’t a sense of urgency or tension that I expected from a story like this.
Overall, it was an intriguing premise, but the execution didn’t work for me.
FYI: lots of talk about schizophrenia, mental illness, taking medication, and references to being “plump”. All of this was done in perhaps not the best way.
**Huge thanks to Henry Holt for providing the arc free of charge**
I wanted to like Adele, but her inner monologue was not something I could settle into. I get that she’s struggling with family history and current events, yet I didn’t feel empathy. All of the other characters are clichéd and flat. No one felt fleshed out and developed as they should have been.
Plot wise, it was very boring. The reveals were obvious and everything felt dumbed down. And not because I’m not the target audience, more like the reader wasn’t expected to be able to figure it out. There wasn’t a sense of urgency or tension that I expected from a story like this.
Overall, it was an intriguing premise, but the execution didn’t work for me.
FYI: lots of talk about schizophrenia, mental illness, taking medication, and references to being “plump”. All of this was done in perhaps not the best way.
**Huge thanks to Henry Holt for providing the arc free of charge**
January 12, 2019
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
* I was sent a copy of this in exchange for my honest review *
Ever since Adele was a little girl she's been able to talk to the dead. Her mother had the same gift but had always told her to ignore it. One day on the way home, she sees her ex-bestfriend Tori sitting alone in the woods and quickly realizes she's dead. As the news of Tori's murder gets out, Adele finds herself as the main suspect when she is unable to provide an alibi.
2 stars may be a bit generous to be honest, for the most part I was bored. Nothing really happened and most of the story was Adele just feeling sorry for herself. I didn't feel as though Adele developed at all through out the story. I also felt that the other minor characters were all one-dimensional and flat. I really hated Tori, she was a despicable human and honestly I'm not even mad she was murdered. I didn't care what happened to any of the characters or feel any sense of urgency/suspense through out the story.
* I was sent a copy of this in exchange for my honest review *
Ever since Adele was a little girl she's been able to talk to the dead. Her mother had the same gift but had always told her to ignore it. One day on the way home, she sees her ex-bestfriend Tori sitting alone in the woods and quickly realizes she's dead. As the news of Tori's murder gets out, Adele finds herself as the main suspect when she is unable to provide an alibi.
2 stars may be a bit generous to be honest, for the most part I was bored. Nothing really happened and most of the story was Adele just feeling sorry for herself. I didn't feel as though Adele developed at all through out the story. I also felt that the other minor characters were all one-dimensional and flat. I really hated Tori, she was a despicable human and honestly I'm not even mad she was murdered. I didn't care what happened to any of the characters or feel any sense of urgency/suspense through out the story.
January 20, 2019
See this review and more on Books and Ladders!
Disclaimer: I recieved a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
I am not sure this even warrants one star. I'm so mad and disappointed. I should have probably stopped reading at page 7 (!!!) when the author started talking about how medication "dulls" and negatively impacts people or maybe a little later when she states the main character would never be liked because she was overweight. But the constant bombardment of negative stereotypes and stigma towards those who take medication made me so angry and upset.
Disclaimer: I recieved a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
I am not sure this even warrants one star. I'm so mad and disappointed. I should have probably stopped reading at page 7 (!!!) when the author started talking about how medication "dulls" and negatively impacts people or maybe a little later when she states the main character would never be liked because she was overweight. But the constant bombardment of negative stereotypes and stigma towards those who take medication made me so angry and upset.
September 7, 2022
I really enjoyed this one, but felt like most of the innuendos were unnecessary! Predictable mystery, steriotypical MC.
December 29, 2018
Ugh I don’t even know how to word as I write this review. I’ve written and deleted the first sentence about a 100 times. BUT. I guess. Here is the thing, I read an April Henry novel years ago, liked it, and read a BUNCH by her this year. Just looking at the books in the chronological order they were published, it seems that the books have gotten progressively worse? Which is to say, that her later books have lost that kick a lot of her earlier books had.
If you’ve been a fan for a while and coming to this book because you have come to expect some thrill and some mystery from April Henry, you should stay. If you want anything more than that, like character development and to read about people you don’t want to punch just a little, you should maybe scoot along?? IDK. If I were reading my own review, I’d probably choose to read the book because sometimes I ~am~ just craving a quick mystery to take off the edge but The Lonely Dead really doesn’t have much else going for it besides that April Henry basically knows how to write a mystery.
For starters, the girl who died is a bitch. We are supposed to like her better by the end of the novel, but she is a racist bitch and I am NOT HERE FOR THAT SHIT. I will tolerate bullies, I will not tolerate bullies that bully girls by pointing out their darker skin. NOPE. Mind you, there is all but one line that alludes to this but that should give you an idea about the kind of person dear Tori was.
As I’ve grown up and become more aware, I’ve also become more sensitive to books that do the whole “MC is thought to have a mental illness (usually schizophrenia) but can actually see things others cannot.” I think it’s such a fine line to walk and sometimes if not done carefully, it can seem dismissive of people who actually have those mental illnesses and to mental health specialists. I will give April Henry the credit she is due by saying she really does seem to acknowledge this as a larger issue. It did seem a little unnatural, the way it is incorporated within the context of the novel, but I do appreciate the distinction.
As for the actual MC, Adele is SO BLAND. Her entire existence is ‘woe is me’ and she is so dense sometimes. I am pretty sure she is a plot device and not an actual character, lol. So is basically everyone else in this book.
The plot does have a little zing to it in that I became invested enough to continue turning pages even though the characters were basically all cardboard caricatures. I wanted to know who killed Tori and I wanted to the po-po to finally catch the right people. I was also slightly invested in Charlie (who is a sort-of love interest) but he barely had a presence in the book.
UGh. I need to stop talking/typing because this review has also become extremely bland and I am sure anyone reading this wants this torture to end so I WILL SHUT UP SOON. BUT, if you are interested in this book, I say read it if you’re just looking for a quick, semi-engaging read. We need those kinds of books too. If you want actual character development or to have any interest in any of their lives, you should probably not read this book.
If you’ve been a fan for a while and coming to this book because you have come to expect some thrill and some mystery from April Henry, you should stay. If you want anything more than that, like character development and to read about people you don’t want to punch just a little, you should maybe scoot along?? IDK. If I were reading my own review, I’d probably choose to read the book because sometimes I ~am~ just craving a quick mystery to take off the edge but The Lonely Dead really doesn’t have much else going for it besides that April Henry basically knows how to write a mystery.
For starters, the girl who died is a bitch. We are supposed to like her better by the end of the novel, but she is a racist bitch and I am NOT HERE FOR THAT SHIT. I will tolerate bullies, I will not tolerate bullies that bully girls by pointing out their darker skin. NOPE. Mind you, there is all but one line that alludes to this but that should give you an idea about the kind of person dear Tori was.
As I’ve grown up and become more aware, I’ve also become more sensitive to books that do the whole “MC is thought to have a mental illness (usually schizophrenia) but can actually see things others cannot.” I think it’s such a fine line to walk and sometimes if not done carefully, it can seem dismissive of people who actually have those mental illnesses and to mental health specialists. I will give April Henry the credit she is due by saying she really does seem to acknowledge this as a larger issue. It did seem a little unnatural, the way it is incorporated within the context of the novel, but I do appreciate the distinction.
As for the actual MC, Adele is SO BLAND. Her entire existence is ‘woe is me’ and she is so dense sometimes. I am pretty sure she is a plot device and not an actual character, lol. So is basically everyone else in this book.
The plot does have a little zing to it in that I became invested enough to continue turning pages even though the characters were basically all cardboard caricatures. I wanted to know who killed Tori and I wanted to the po-po to finally catch the right people. I was also slightly invested in Charlie (who is a sort-of love interest) but he barely had a presence in the book.
UGh. I need to stop talking/typing because this review has also become extremely bland and I am sure anyone reading this wants this torture to end so I WILL SHUT UP SOON. BUT, if you are interested in this book, I say read it if you’re just looking for a quick, semi-engaging read. We need those kinds of books too. If you want actual character development or to have any interest in any of their lives, you should probably not read this book.
December 13, 2018
1 star.
I have about 20 pages left but I honestly can't bring myself to read the rest. I've disliked April Henry's writing but for some reason I keep coming back to her books, but I think this was her last chance.
The mental illness and fat rep isn't terrible? It's just not...great.
This definitely reminded me of UNDEAD GIRL GANG and CITY OF GHOSTS because of the paranormal thriller vibe, but I can't recommend this.
* I was sent this for free in advance so I can honestly review it via Netgalley, so thanks so much to the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
I have about 20 pages left but I honestly can't bring myself to read the rest. I've disliked April Henry's writing but for some reason I keep coming back to her books, but I think this was her last chance.
The mental illness and fat rep isn't terrible? It's just not...great.
This definitely reminded me of UNDEAD GIRL GANG and CITY OF GHOSTS because of the paranormal thriller vibe, but I can't recommend this.
* I was sent this for free in advance so I can honestly review it via Netgalley, so thanks so much to the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
August 7, 2022
I have a never ending story with April Henry’s books. I’ve read them for years now and always have a nostalgic feeling, even if I haven’t read the book before. I like her writing style, even though I think her books are best targeted for a younger audience.
The main character, Adele, was likable and interesting. She wasn’t one of the popular girls and struggled with seeing the dead. I liked the approach April Henry took to that setting.
The main character, Adele, was likable and interesting. She wasn’t one of the popular girls and struggled with seeing the dead. I liked the approach April Henry took to that setting.
January 13, 2020
Very good, quick thriller. Will probably check out some of her other books now.
August 7, 2023
Not mind blowing, but a fast read.
November 26, 2019
3.5 Stars
I read some reviews on this book before actually reading it and they were pretty bad but I still got it from the library. I'm glad I did. People get so offensive with the way things are portrayed, but do they not realize they are reading a work of fiction? I don't know. I will admit that while reading this, I wasn't sure if the narrator (Adele) really was schizophrenic. I liked how the author makes you bounce back and forth between believing her and believing others. I would read more books by this author.
I read some reviews on this book before actually reading it and they were pretty bad but I still got it from the library. I'm glad I did. People get so offensive with the way things are portrayed, but do they not realize they are reading a work of fiction? I don't know. I will admit that while reading this, I wasn't sure if the narrator (Adele) really was schizophrenic. I liked how the author makes you bounce back and forth between believing her and believing others. I would read more books by this author.
June 23, 2025
Met the author so I could be biased 💀
January 3, 2019
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Adele has been labelled as schizophrenic since she was young. After talking to animals and people that weren’t actually there and based on the history of the women in her family, it was obvious that Adele suffered from this condition. However, when Adele stops taking her medications, she realizes that her hallucinations were actually dead people and animals. When she stumbles over a classmate’s spirit and murdered body, Adele becomes obsessed with finding the murderer, though many signs point to the fact that she is responsible. Adele is going to need to use her abilities and her budding friendship with two different guys to help find the killer.
I am uneasy about the way that mental illness is portrayed in this novel. It almost feels like mental illness is made up, it creates a dangerous environment surrounding mental health and only briefly addresses these ideals at the end. Also, the main character’s obsession with her health teacher’s explanation of the effects of alcohol seem strange, especially since she frequently talks about it. Barring the mental illness layer, Adele’s abilities and history were interesting.
Adele has been labelled as schizophrenic since she was young. After talking to animals and people that weren’t actually there and based on the history of the women in her family, it was obvious that Adele suffered from this condition. However, when Adele stops taking her medications, she realizes that her hallucinations were actually dead people and animals. When she stumbles over a classmate’s spirit and murdered body, Adele becomes obsessed with finding the murderer, though many signs point to the fact that she is responsible. Adele is going to need to use her abilities and her budding friendship with two different guys to help find the killer.
I am uneasy about the way that mental illness is portrayed in this novel. It almost feels like mental illness is made up, it creates a dangerous environment surrounding mental health and only briefly addresses these ideals at the end. Also, the main character’s obsession with her health teacher’s explanation of the effects of alcohol seem strange, especially since she frequently talks about it. Barring the mental illness layer, Adele’s abilities and history were interesting.
December 5, 2018
Younger readers will enjoy this book more than older young adults like myself.
Outcast girl sees ghosts. Popular girl dies. You can probably figure out the rest.
Where to start... I love a good ghost story and a little mental illness thrown in is the best, but this book reads as if directed towards a very narrow age group. I don't think anyone over the age of 16 would find it entertaining, and with all the talk of underage drinking, I wouldn't want anyone younger than 14 reading it. So the targeted- but also appropriate- audience for this novel is basically only 15 year olds. Ok maybe 15-17 because the MC is 17, however the girl on the front cover of the book looks 28. So who knows.
Seriously though, can I please complain about how many times Adele was so mystified by her new-found knowledge that sometimes people black out when they drink? There was a good 5 or 6 times she recalled her health class teacher mentioning that sometimes people black out after drinking a lot and don't remember what they did. I felt this was basic knowledge but our MC really seemed to have no clue.
There was also no romance. The book begins w Adele randomly kissing Charlie (maybe just so the author would have a reason to keep him as a character) and before at Tori's infamous party (hate this trope) where she drunk-kissed Luke, Tori's boyfriend. *gasp* not.
"The Lonely Dead" is an okay ghost story for some teenagers.
Outcast girl sees ghosts. Popular girl dies. You can probably figure out the rest.
Where to start... I love a good ghost story and a little mental illness thrown in is the best, but this book reads as if directed towards a very narrow age group. I don't think anyone over the age of 16 would find it entertaining, and with all the talk of underage drinking, I wouldn't want anyone younger than 14 reading it. So the targeted- but also appropriate- audience for this novel is basically only 15 year olds. Ok maybe 15-17 because the MC is 17, however the girl on the front cover of the book looks 28. So who knows.
Seriously though, can I please complain about how many times Adele was so mystified by her new-found knowledge that sometimes people black out when they drink? There was a good 5 or 6 times she recalled her health class teacher mentioning that sometimes people black out after drinking a lot and don't remember what they did. I felt this was basic knowledge but our MC really seemed to have no clue.
There was also no romance. The book begins w Adele randomly kissing Charlie (maybe just so the author would have a reason to keep him as a character) and before at Tori's infamous party (hate this trope) where she drunk-kissed Luke, Tori's boyfriend. *gasp* not.
"The Lonely Dead" is an okay ghost story for some teenagers.
August 25, 2018
I have never read April Henry before, but I know my 8th grade students have. I wanted to read this one because I book talk to my students and felt they would be interested in hearing about Adele, Charlie, Tori, and Luke. When Adele is walking home from Tori’s party, she finds Tori dead. Adele and Tori’s boyfriend Luke become suspects in her murder. Charlie’s Uncle begins to investigate and things don’t look good for Adele. I was given an e-book from NetGalley.
March 10, 2019
I loved this so much! I just love April Henry's writing style and it made this story so much better! The relationships she creates are always so adorable.
August 25, 2018
I received an early copy of this from Net Galley.
"The Lonely Dead" features a girl named Adele, who is able to see, touch, and talk to the dead. Her mother had this ability, as did her grandmother, and her great-grandmother. This ability has been passed down through women in her family throughout the generations, but her mother taught her to keep it a secret so people wouldn't believe Adele mentally ill. Adele has been on medication for schizophrenia for the last ten years, but when she stops taking them and goes to a party where everything goes wrong, she realizes two days later that she can see her erstwhile best friend Tori hovering over her own shallow grave in the woods.
The concept is what piqued my interest in this book. I love a good mystery, and I enjoy watching crime dramas such as "Criminal Minds" and "Law and Order." This is the first book by April Henry that I've ever read, but my research shows she's a very prolific mystery and thriller writer. I'm eager to read her past work now that I've read this. Henry has a flair for this sort of writing. The plot was intriguing and I couldn't put it down, having to know what came next.
I enjoyed the characters as well. I felt Adele was three-dimensional, engaging, and relatable. Her relationship with Tori (the dead best friend) was also realistic. When you've been friends with someone since childhood, the relationship can become complicated, and I feel that this was well-defined.
This will be an excellent read during Halloween, and I will certainly be recommending it to teenagers looking for mysteries when it comes out in January.
"The Lonely Dead" features a girl named Adele, who is able to see, touch, and talk to the dead. Her mother had this ability, as did her grandmother, and her great-grandmother. This ability has been passed down through women in her family throughout the generations, but her mother taught her to keep it a secret so people wouldn't believe Adele mentally ill. Adele has been on medication for schizophrenia for the last ten years, but when she stops taking them and goes to a party where everything goes wrong, she realizes two days later that she can see her erstwhile best friend Tori hovering over her own shallow grave in the woods.
The concept is what piqued my interest in this book. I love a good mystery, and I enjoy watching crime dramas such as "Criminal Minds" and "Law and Order." This is the first book by April Henry that I've ever read, but my research shows she's a very prolific mystery and thriller writer. I'm eager to read her past work now that I've read this. Henry has a flair for this sort of writing. The plot was intriguing and I couldn't put it down, having to know what came next.
I enjoyed the characters as well. I felt Adele was three-dimensional, engaging, and relatable. Her relationship with Tori (the dead best friend) was also realistic. When you've been friends with someone since childhood, the relationship can become complicated, and I feel that this was well-defined.
This will be an excellent read during Halloween, and I will certainly be recommending it to teenagers looking for mysteries when it comes out in January.
January 24, 2019
I received a free copy through a Goodreads giveaway.
Adele has the ability to see and speak to ghosts, just like her mother and grandmother did. On her way home from school, Adele finds the body of her former best friend in a shallow grave with Tori’s ghost sitting on top. She tries to deny that she is speaking to Tori’s ghost, calling her a hallucination brought on by her mental illness. But, after she reports the body, she is thrust into a mystery revolving around the death of Tori and endangering her own life.
I was uncomfortable with how mental illness was presented in this book. The way that schizophrenia was explained didn’t feel quite right and the medication that Adele took prior to the murder was shown as bad for her. It was described as making her feel less alive.
Tori was difficult to like, due to her awful behavior during her life and I just couldn’t feel any sympathy for her. She was a bully and never understood even when her behavior was pointed out to her that her teasing and insults affected and hurt others. There were other incidences, such as abuse, mentioned that seemed to just be breezed over and never really expanded on.
There was a major lack of character development throughout the book. The characters felt flat and seemed overly dramatic at certain parts. It didn’t feel that there was much of a mystery and I had guessed the identity of the murderer very early on. I also didn’t feel much suspense. However, it was fast paced and interesting. I really would have liked to know more about Adele’s powers and how they affected her.
Adele has the ability to see and speak to ghosts, just like her mother and grandmother did. On her way home from school, Adele finds the body of her former best friend in a shallow grave with Tori’s ghost sitting on top. She tries to deny that she is speaking to Tori’s ghost, calling her a hallucination brought on by her mental illness. But, after she reports the body, she is thrust into a mystery revolving around the death of Tori and endangering her own life.
I was uncomfortable with how mental illness was presented in this book. The way that schizophrenia was explained didn’t feel quite right and the medication that Adele took prior to the murder was shown as bad for her. It was described as making her feel less alive.
Tori was difficult to like, due to her awful behavior during her life and I just couldn’t feel any sympathy for her. She was a bully and never understood even when her behavior was pointed out to her that her teasing and insults affected and hurt others. There were other incidences, such as abuse, mentioned that seemed to just be breezed over and never really expanded on.
There was a major lack of character development throughout the book. The characters felt flat and seemed overly dramatic at certain parts. It didn’t feel that there was much of a mystery and I had guessed the identity of the murderer very early on. I also didn’t feel much suspense. However, it was fast paced and interesting. I really would have liked to know more about Adele’s powers and how they affected her.
April 13, 2019
This was a solid 4 🌟 read!
April Henry is definitely one of my go-to authors for a fun, fast-paced mystery-thriller. Many of her books have certain elements that make them stand out from the others. The Lonely Dead was her most unique and twisty work yet. I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive due to the not-so glowing reviews from her longtime fans and followers. This seemed to be a hit and miss for many.
I don’t care...I LOVED IT. TLD is sooo binge-worthy. The unreliable narrator and multiple red herrings made this her most intricate mystery, surpassing her other YA mystery, The Girl I Used To Be (her other ones are thrillers, NOT mysteries...it doesn’t matter what the back cover says ;)
TGIUTB dragged, lacked twists, and although the climax made up for it, the overall prose was messy and riddled with cliches.
The supernatural element and slow-burning tension made this a more enjoyable read. Although the characters seemed flat and the perpetrator was a little obvious, the build-up was just what I’ve come to expect from Ms. Henry.
Up there with Count All Her Bones and Girl, Stolen, this is one of Ms. Henry’s best.
April Henry is definitely one of my go-to authors for a fun, fast-paced mystery-thriller. Many of her books have certain elements that make them stand out from the others. The Lonely Dead was her most unique and twisty work yet. I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive due to the not-so glowing reviews from her longtime fans and followers. This seemed to be a hit and miss for many.
I don’t care...I LOVED IT. TLD is sooo binge-worthy. The unreliable narrator and multiple red herrings made this her most intricate mystery, surpassing her other YA mystery, The Girl I Used To Be (her other ones are thrillers, NOT mysteries...it doesn’t matter what the back cover says ;)
TGIUTB dragged, lacked twists, and although the climax made up for it, the overall prose was messy and riddled with cliches.
The supernatural element and slow-burning tension made this a more enjoyable read. Although the characters seemed flat and the perpetrator was a little obvious, the build-up was just what I’ve come to expect from Ms. Henry.
Up there with Count All Her Bones and Girl, Stolen, this is one of Ms. Henry’s best.
May 18, 2022
Adele can see the dead, but everyone thinks she's schizophrenic, just like her mom, her grandmother and even her great grandmother. But when she stops taking her meds and sees a former friend and classmate in the woods (in a shallow grave) and the girl's murder begins to be pinned on her, will she be able to use her gift/curse to solve the murder with the help of the dead girl or will she be locked up for being both crazy and a murderer??
dnf-2016-onward
March 14, 2020dnf @ 24%
i was turned off by this book right away with the weird discussion of schizophrenia and the negativity about medication. it just fell straight away into one of my most hated tropes. and just in general, i wasn't feeling the characters or plot of this. soooo bye bye.
i was turned off by this book right away with the weird discussion of schizophrenia and the negativity about medication. it just fell straight away into one of my most hated tropes. and just in general, i wasn't feeling the characters or plot of this. soooo bye bye.
January 26, 2021
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Mystery
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
The Sixth Sense meets The Girl on the Train in this fast-paced murder mystery with a paranormal twist. April Henry weaves another edge-of-your-seat murder mystery—this time with a paranormal twist. For seventeen-year-old Adele Vanderarde, the dead aren’t really dead. She can see them and even talk to them. Adele inherited the ability to see, and converse with ghosts, human and animal, from her mother and grandmother. The problem lies with her own grandfather who she lives with due to the fact that both of her parents are deceased.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Mystery
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
The Sixth Sense meets The Girl on the Train in this fast-paced murder mystery with a paranormal twist. April Henry weaves another edge-of-your-seat murder mystery—this time with a paranormal twist. For seventeen-year-old Adele Vanderarde, the dead aren’t really dead. She can see them and even talk to them. Adele inherited the ability to see, and converse with ghosts, human and animal, from her mother and grandmother. The problem lies with her own grandfather who she lives with due to the fact that both of her parents are deceased.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
May 27, 2024
I picked this up to help me finish out the school year. It was a good one. Ghosts (my fav!) and mystery! Made for a quick read.
January 29, 2019
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway. I also want to thank Henry Holt & Co and Netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for a fair review.
Adele can see the dead, well she hasn't for awhile because she has been taking her meds. But lately she hasn't been which is why she is shocked when her friend Tori calls her name as she is walking home from the park. However, she notices immediately that she is dead or well she doesn't want to notice that. So despite not wanting to draw attention to herself she makes the call from a payphone to report the body.
Soon Adele finds herself in the middle of investigation and if she isn't careful she might just get arrested for her friend's murder.
So this is brief and spoilers, but I also want to talk about a few things. I have read most of April's other books and this just kind of fell flat for me. It had so much potential, the plot, the storyline, and even most of the characters. Sadly I can't even rave about the all of the things I want too because spoilers.
That being said Adele, on the one hand I loved her, on the other I was like girl wake up... I mean for real. Her mother warned her, but she couldn't listen. Second the investigation was like stumbling in the dark, I mean literally considering how she found out everything. I had a pretty good idea, but wasn't for sure. Mostly because I didn't know if there was going to be a really shocking twist. Kudos for the red herrings and things thrown out to make you think otherwise.
Luke, don't get me started on him... and him and Adele...for someone not on the popular side and having been picked one and humiliated she was super naive when it came to him. I know this is a YA so don't think I am judging it too harshly. These are high schoolers and at least 17 so you may not always be completely on the game, but you should know most of the people you are in classes with it, at least by reputation. Overall, I liked the book, I just wanted more from it.
Adele can see the dead, well she hasn't for awhile because she has been taking her meds. But lately she hasn't been which is why she is shocked when her friend Tori calls her name as she is walking home from the park. However, she notices immediately that she is dead or well she doesn't want to notice that. So despite not wanting to draw attention to herself she makes the call from a payphone to report the body.
Soon Adele finds herself in the middle of investigation and if she isn't careful she might just get arrested for her friend's murder.
So this is brief and spoilers, but I also want to talk about a few things. I have read most of April's other books and this just kind of fell flat for me. It had so much potential, the plot, the storyline, and even most of the characters. Sadly I can't even rave about the all of the things I want too because spoilers.
That being said Adele, on the one hand I loved her, on the other I was like girl wake up... I mean for real. Her mother warned her, but she couldn't listen. Second the investigation was like stumbling in the dark, I mean literally considering how she found out everything. I had a pretty good idea, but wasn't for sure. Mostly because I didn't know if there was going to be a really shocking twist. Kudos for the red herrings and things thrown out to make you think otherwise.
Luke, don't get me started on him... and him and Adele...for someone not on the popular side and having been picked one and humiliated she was super naive when it came to him. I know this is a YA so don't think I am judging it too harshly. These are high schoolers and at least 17 so you may not always be completely on the game, but you should know most of the people you are in classes with it, at least by reputation. Overall, I liked the book, I just wanted more from it.
May 23, 2019
April Henry keeps pumping out her excellent mystery and suspense books!
Adele has a "gift" which actually might be a curse: She can see and talk to the dead. Now, if everyone believed that she could talk to the dead, her gift could be used in a lot of positive ways--solving murders, to name one.
However, in The Lonely Dead, being able to talk to the dead does nothing but dig Adele deeper into the murder of her ex-best friend Tori and threatens to have her locked up in a mental hospital.
The only way out of this mess is to get Tori's murderer to confess--once Tori figures out who that is.
Another super page-turner from Henry. Highly recommended.
Adele has a "gift" which actually might be a curse: She can see and talk to the dead. Now, if everyone believed that she could talk to the dead, her gift could be used in a lot of positive ways--solving murders, to name one.
However, in The Lonely Dead, being able to talk to the dead does nothing but dig Adele deeper into the murder of her ex-best friend Tori and threatens to have her locked up in a mental hospital.
The only way out of this mess is to get Tori's murderer to confess--once Tori figures out who that is.
Another super page-turner from Henry. Highly recommended.
October 26, 2018
Henry’s books have been hit or miss with me. I read Run, Hide, Fight Back last year and it was filled with suspense and twists. I also read Shock Point and loved it, but then I moved on to The Girl I Used to Be and it was a bust. The Lonely Dead fit in that category as well. I didn’t despise the writing or characters, but more of the plot. I recently finished City of Ghosts and I adore the Darkest Powers series so the bar was automatically raised when I started the first page of The Lonely Dead. The issue was my expectations since I wanted to be swept away like I had been with similar novels.
I loved the fact that Adele is described as plump. She isn't the typical YA main character who is skinny and average looking but has the hottest guy in the school secretly in love with her. She isolates herself because her classmates think she has a mental illness when in reality she can see and talk with the dead; she doesn't discover this until she stops taking her medication.
I wished there was more mystery and twists with Adele’s journey of trying to solve her former best friend's murder. There's almost a whole chapter on alcohol poisoning during a health class discussion that could have been reduced to get the point across that Tori blacked out and doesn't remember who killed her. Adele makes an impulsive decision to buy a pen that records conversations and she goes around and questions the suspects on her list. They don't offer her any information. Her suspect list was rashly put together based on secondhand information from her classmates regarding what happened after the party. It wasn't thought through.
Despite the fact that I was indifferent about this read, I'm sure others will enjoy it and I definitely will read Henry's future works.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
I loved the fact that Adele is described as plump. She isn't the typical YA main character who is skinny and average looking but has the hottest guy in the school secretly in love with her. She isolates herself because her classmates think she has a mental illness when in reality she can see and talk with the dead; she doesn't discover this until she stops taking her medication.
I wished there was more mystery and twists with Adele’s journey of trying to solve her former best friend's murder. There's almost a whole chapter on alcohol poisoning during a health class discussion that could have been reduced to get the point across that Tori blacked out and doesn't remember who killed her. Adele makes an impulsive decision to buy a pen that records conversations and she goes around and questions the suspects on her list. They don't offer her any information. Her suspect list was rashly put together based on secondhand information from her classmates regarding what happened after the party. It wasn't thought through.
Despite the fact that I was indifferent about this read, I'm sure others will enjoy it and I definitely will read Henry's future works.
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.
December 29, 2019
The Lonely Dead by April Henry, 228 pages. Christy Ottavaino (Henry Holt), 2019. $18.
Content: Language: PG (3 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13.
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Adele can see the dead, a talent/curse that she has inherited from her mother. Adele’s grandfather sees her ability as a mental illness and insists that she take pills, but when Adele doesn’t take her pills she feels more like herself. While walking to school, after a rough weekend at a party, Adele sees the ghost of her ex-best-friend, Tori. Adele is quickly drawn into the mystery of what happened to Adele, as well as becomes a suspect.
I couldn’t put this book down. It has a fast plot line, with great suspects and a strong main character. There isn’t any gruesome content, but there is a dead body and a fight.
Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
Content: Language: PG (3 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13.
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Adele can see the dead, a talent/curse that she has inherited from her mother. Adele’s grandfather sees her ability as a mental illness and insists that she take pills, but when Adele doesn’t take her pills she feels more like herself. While walking to school, after a rough weekend at a party, Adele sees the ghost of her ex-best-friend, Tori. Adele is quickly drawn into the mystery of what happened to Adele, as well as becomes a suspect.
I couldn’t put this book down. It has a fast plot line, with great suspects and a strong main character. There isn’t any gruesome content, but there is a dead body and a fight.
Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
July 12, 2019
I wanted to like it, but it was terrible. The main character’s inner monologue was monotonous. You can see what’s coming a mile away. The other thing that was super-annoying was the *constant* revelations about the effects that alcohol has on a person. This is the first time I’ve ever thrown away a book, but because of the issue with the medications it doesn’t seem appropriate to pass it on for teens to read. Also, this is probably an overreaction but the fact that the health teacher was telling the female students that if they drink at a party and are raped it would be their fault blew me away. It’s good to be proactive by being aware of how much you’re drinking. However, it is 100% of the guy’s fault if he rapes someone. Telling young women that it’s their fault just reinforces the stereotype that “she was asking for it”.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 439 reviews