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Dead Girl Blues
When a young woman dies in Willow Zulawski’s arms, it sets in motion a chain of events that will push her to the brink of madness.
A mysterious video is the only clue, but as Willow digs deeper into the murky world of snuff movies, those closest to her start turning up dead. Someone out there will stop at nothing to silence her.
After all, when killing is business, what’s one more dead body?
Part noir mystery, part violent slasher, Dead Girl Blues is the latest twisted shocker from David Sodergren, author of The Forgotten Island and Night Shoot.
A mysterious video is the only clue, but as Willow digs deeper into the murky world of snuff movies, those closest to her start turning up dead. Someone out there will stop at nothing to silence her.
After all, when killing is business, what’s one more dead body?
Part noir mystery, part violent slasher, Dead Girl Blues is the latest twisted shocker from David Sodergren, author of The Forgotten Island and Night Shoot.
276 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2020
106 people are currently reading
4011 people want to read
About the author
David Sodergren
21 books2,959 followersDavid Sodergren lives in Scotland with his wife Heather and his best friend, Boris the Pug.
Growing up, he was the kind of kid who collected rubber skeletons and lived for horror movies. Not much has changed since then.
His best known books include the gory and romantic fairy tale The Haar, the blood-drenched folk-horror Maggie’s Grave, and the analog-horror fever dream Rotten Tommy. David also writes under the pseudonym Carl John Lee, publishing splatterpunk
novels such as Psychic Teenage Bloodbath and Cannibal Vengeance.
Growing up, he was the kind of kid who collected rubber skeletons and lived for horror movies. Not much has changed since then.
His best known books include the gory and romantic fairy tale The Haar, the blood-drenched folk-horror Maggie’s Grave, and the analog-horror fever dream Rotten Tommy. David also writes under the pseudonym Carl John Lee, publishing splatterpunk
novels such as Psychic Teenage Bloodbath and Cannibal Vengeance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
May 15, 2025
There are very few authors that can hold my attention past two hundred pages, and congratulations David Sodergren, you’re on that short list. Believe it or not, I have no critiques or suggestions. Unbelievable, right? This was a totally unexpected thrill to read. Willow is an absolutely amazing character as the centerpiece here, as she demonstrates every trait you’d want in a main character. She’s damaged, smartmouthed, lives a risky life, but is also endearing, intelligent, engaging, brave, and proves herself to be an absolute bad ass. Her entire journey from her original interaction with the one victim all the way through her discovery of how deep everything went had me totally glued to my Kindle all damn day. I really can’t say much without including spoilers, but think of the general premise as a stylized version of the movie 8MM. It’s got some pretty grisly content, but nothing so extreme that I’d put an alert on it. However, it’s also no walk in Candyland, either. But the story was fleshed out beautifully, the plot was done so well, all of the characters were on point, and the entire ending was top notch. And on a side note, I’ve read a ton of smutty books and splatterpunk and all that. But the way he wrote Willow while she stripped for a living was so eloquent and sexy, that I had to give that a specific mention. It wasn’t trashy or written like how normal male authors. He just nailed it. All of it. Just a really great book. Topsider approved!
June 29, 2020
“There was so much blood. So much blood.”
If you like slashers and you don’t mind a lot of blood, guts and gore, then you need Dead Girl Blues in your possession IMMEDIATELY.
After a young woman dies in Willow Zulawski’s arms, she is led down a dark path into the murky and seedy world of snuff films. Willow must take things into her own hands when those around her start showing up dead...
There’s a very small list of authors who when a new release drops I will clear the deck and read the book right away. Stephen King, Joe Hill... and David Sodergren. His horror novels thrill and excite me like no other. He perfectly blends his humour with old-school horror and the results are ridiculously bingeable!
Sodergren has a knack for delivering strong female protagonists, reminiscent of the final girl. His two most recent leads have offered LGBTQ+ representation and are fiesty women who speak their mind. I’m HERE for it!
I also love it when no character is safe. The stakes are raised, everyone’s neck is on the line. The plots are so unpredictable and the endings are always fucking INSANE. This ending in particular had me sitting staring at a blank wall like “woah. What the fuck.”
Dead Girl Blues is up there as one of the best horror books I’ve read so far this year, but be warned, this is not one for the faint of heart. However, if you love your horror dark, you’ll have a blast! 5 stars.
If you like slashers and you don’t mind a lot of blood, guts and gore, then you need Dead Girl Blues in your possession IMMEDIATELY.
After a young woman dies in Willow Zulawski’s arms, she is led down a dark path into the murky and seedy world of snuff films. Willow must take things into her own hands when those around her start showing up dead...
There’s a very small list of authors who when a new release drops I will clear the deck and read the book right away. Stephen King, Joe Hill... and David Sodergren. His horror novels thrill and excite me like no other. He perfectly blends his humour with old-school horror and the results are ridiculously bingeable!
Sodergren has a knack for delivering strong female protagonists, reminiscent of the final girl. His two most recent leads have offered LGBTQ+ representation and are fiesty women who speak their mind. I’m HERE for it!
I also love it when no character is safe. The stakes are raised, everyone’s neck is on the line. The plots are so unpredictable and the endings are always fucking INSANE. This ending in particular had me sitting staring at a blank wall like “woah. What the fuck.”
Dead Girl Blues is up there as one of the best horror books I’ve read so far this year, but be warned, this is not one for the faint of heart. However, if you love your horror dark, you’ll have a blast! 5 stars.
June 12, 2023
Holy shit. This is the most disturbing book I’ve read in a while.
Typically, Sodergren’s books are blood soaked nightmares, but theyre still entertaining and always have some levity somewhere along the way. This had none. It’s all about snuff films, and is just *filled* with graphic violence and the ending will live on in my nightmares.
Typically, Sodergren’s books are blood soaked nightmares, but theyre still entertaining and always have some levity somewhere along the way. This had none. It’s all about snuff films, and is just *filled* with graphic violence and the ending will live on in my nightmares.
April 4, 2020
I'm unfamiliar with the source material behind the inspiration for DEAD GIRL BLUES. Giallo means "yellow" in Italian and is the term to describe popular, pulp-horror fiction from Italy.
The cover for DEAD GIRL BLUES is an homage to the Giallo style & genre.
Sodergren expertly blends together notes of a noir mystery/thriller with the violence of a slasher horror for a wicked & exhilarating reading experience.
None of the main characters are particularly likable except for some of the supporting players that interact with the star, Willow Zulawski. Willow is an exotic dancer that lives with a roommate named Cat (I love Cat). Waiting for a date one night, a woman emerges from the shadows of an alley calling for Willow's help. She stumbles into Willow's arms, bleeding from stab wounds and dies. This dramatic encounter is the catalyst for a whole host of horrors that lead Willow into a dangerous underground ring of sexual exploitation and murder.
I've read Sodergren's debut book, THE FORGOTTEN ISLAND (5 stars) and NIGHT SHOOT (also 5 stars) and while both books were different in style, both of them showcased Sodergren's impeccable storytelling skills and ability to navigate his readers through a compelling plot with engaging characters and a perfectly paced plotline. Once you start reading, you will not stop-this I guarantee for all three novels.
DEAD GIRL BLUES is a side of Sodergren he has not yet revealed up to this point. I knew he was probably capable of exploring tales of extreme violence, I follow him on social media and I know what he watches (he's an incredibly knowledgable horror movie cinephile).
And while his previous novels definitely exhibit scenes with graphic content, neither one of them could prepare his audience for DEAD GIRLS.
This is *next level* shit. Full disclosure: some of this crossed over my boundaries (mild spoiler/trigger: "torture porn" type of violence) a couple of times and made me uncomfortable/sick to my stomach (I've tapped out of books for less) BUT:
And here's a major caveat to me finishing this book:
The suspense and intrigue are undeniably addicting. It would be near impossible to start this book and not finish. It's THAT seductive.
So I tip my hat to Sodergren. He has done something that many books have previously failed on:
DEAD GIRL BLUES 100% tore through all my red flag warnings and kept me turning the pages all the way to the end despite my best efforts to look away, to unsee what I saw.
And to that, I say, Bravo.
And also, ENCORE!
The cover for DEAD GIRL BLUES is an homage to the Giallo style & genre.
Sodergren expertly blends together notes of a noir mystery/thriller with the violence of a slasher horror for a wicked & exhilarating reading experience.
None of the main characters are particularly likable except for some of the supporting players that interact with the star, Willow Zulawski. Willow is an exotic dancer that lives with a roommate named Cat (I love Cat). Waiting for a date one night, a woman emerges from the shadows of an alley calling for Willow's help. She stumbles into Willow's arms, bleeding from stab wounds and dies. This dramatic encounter is the catalyst for a whole host of horrors that lead Willow into a dangerous underground ring of sexual exploitation and murder.
I've read Sodergren's debut book, THE FORGOTTEN ISLAND (5 stars) and NIGHT SHOOT (also 5 stars) and while both books were different in style, both of them showcased Sodergren's impeccable storytelling skills and ability to navigate his readers through a compelling plot with engaging characters and a perfectly paced plotline. Once you start reading, you will not stop-this I guarantee for all three novels.
DEAD GIRL BLUES is a side of Sodergren he has not yet revealed up to this point. I knew he was probably capable of exploring tales of extreme violence, I follow him on social media and I know what he watches (he's an incredibly knowledgable horror movie cinephile).
And while his previous novels definitely exhibit scenes with graphic content, neither one of them could prepare his audience for DEAD GIRLS.
This is *next level* shit. Full disclosure: some of this crossed over my boundaries (mild spoiler/trigger: "torture porn" type of violence) a couple of times and made me uncomfortable/sick to my stomach (I've tapped out of books for less) BUT:
And here's a major caveat to me finishing this book:
The suspense and intrigue are undeniably addicting. It would be near impossible to start this book and not finish. It's THAT seductive.
So I tip my hat to Sodergren. He has done something that many books have previously failed on:
DEAD GIRL BLUES 100% tore through all my red flag warnings and kept me turning the pages all the way to the end despite my best efforts to look away, to unsee what I saw.
And to that, I say, Bravo.
And also, ENCORE!
August 24, 2022
Don't read this book expecting extreme horror. But still one of the best book I've read. If you liked the movie 8mm I can't recommend this book enough. It was pitch black dark. And I liked the main character so freaking much. Every characters were so well described and the story got me to the edge of my seat all the time. I don't do that often, but I started and finished it the same day. Wow. The only thing, I would have preferred the book a bit more disturbing. But the mysteries were fantastic.
July 9, 2024
An orphan at 7, foster home runaway at 14, and stripper by the age of 16, Willow Zulawksi is pretty confident she has seen everything the sleazy underbelly of Edinburgh has to offer. But when she finds a grainy video of a snuff film on the phone of Jessica, a young woman who stumbled bleeding out of an alleyway to die in Willow’s arm, she finds herself spiraling from the edge of depravity and into its depths, as she pursues the culprits behind the video and Jessica’s murder.
Dead Girl Blues is David Sodergren’s homage to the Italian Giallo films of the 70s, in all of their melodramatic and bloody glory, so a quiet horror filled with subtlety this ain’t. What it is, is a gory and over the top good time in the author’s typical style, pushing and pushing and pushing the envelope until it’s shredded to a pulp. Dead Girl Blues is grittier and more bleak than Sodergren’s books like Maggie’s Grave and The Haar and has very little of their charming humor, because in this book Sodergren has something more to say in his broad brush strokes about the victimization and exploitation of both women and the lower classes.
This may sound a bit strange considering the fact that most females in a Sodergren book spend a significant amount of time naked or partially clothed, whether they’re centuries-old witches or nubile young strippers, but after reading five books by the author, I’ve come to appreciate the way he portrays his female protagonists. He’s on their side. Sodergren recognizes the burden of existing under the lecherous gaze and horrors of misogyny, but he doesn’t try to deny it exists. In fact, he rather shoves it down his readers’ throats with some of his characters like Detective Stone in this book. But even if their fight is sometimes tinged with hopelessness, Sodergren gives his female MCs positive attributes like strength and resourcefulness, while still keeping them grounded in the reality of the world around them as well as the reality of their own faulty personalities or calculations of risk. Willow Zulawski isn’t my favorite, she makes a lot of dumb decisions in Dead Girl Blues that aren’t always the result of bravery, but you can’t help but root for her and have sympathy for her as she descends further and further into Hell in her reckless pursuit of justice.
This is a fast-paced, blood soaked read, so if you're looking for that sort of thing, I would highly recommend it. I think Sodergren does it better than most.
Dead Girl Blues is David Sodergren’s homage to the Italian Giallo films of the 70s, in all of their melodramatic and bloody glory, so a quiet horror filled with subtlety this ain’t. What it is, is a gory and over the top good time in the author’s typical style, pushing and pushing and pushing the envelope until it’s shredded to a pulp. Dead Girl Blues is grittier and more bleak than Sodergren’s books like Maggie’s Grave and The Haar and has very little of their charming humor, because in this book Sodergren has something more to say in his broad brush strokes about the victimization and exploitation of both women and the lower classes.
This may sound a bit strange considering the fact that most females in a Sodergren book spend a significant amount of time naked or partially clothed, whether they’re centuries-old witches or nubile young strippers, but after reading five books by the author, I’ve come to appreciate the way he portrays his female protagonists. He’s on their side. Sodergren recognizes the burden of existing under the lecherous gaze and horrors of misogyny, but he doesn’t try to deny it exists. In fact, he rather shoves it down his readers’ throats with some of his characters like Detective Stone in this book. But even if their fight is sometimes tinged with hopelessness, Sodergren gives his female MCs positive attributes like strength and resourcefulness, while still keeping them grounded in the reality of the world around them as well as the reality of their own faulty personalities or calculations of risk. Willow Zulawski isn’t my favorite, she makes a lot of dumb decisions in Dead Girl Blues that aren’t always the result of bravery, but you can’t help but root for her and have sympathy for her as she descends further and further into Hell in her reckless pursuit of justice.
This is a fast-paced, blood soaked read, so if you're looking for that sort of thing, I would highly recommend it. I think Sodergren does it better than most.
February 4, 2021
Well HOT DAMN! This book was one hell of a rollercoaster ride and I adored every single second of it! I thought Sodergren’s previous works were beyond excellent so I had very high expectations for this book and it smashed every single one into glorious smithereens. This book is blood and guts and gore and terror and I lapped up every second of it! The story had me gripped in its claws from the very first sentence and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how it would all play out. And holy hell the ending does NOT disappoint, it was bloody fantastic and literally had my jaw dropping, I definitely didn’t see it coming and was absolutely mind blown. This book is one hell of a horrifying and thrilling ride and definitely not for the faint of heart!
April 22, 2025
This is my fifth David Sodergren book and he really is a one-man horror machine. The writing quality is a high as I've come to expect from him, the plot slices along like a razor blade, and the tone is so dark, dank and dirty, you can almost smell it. The author has dubbed Dead Girl Blues a "slasher noir" which fits exactly. The book is his literary take on an Italian giallo film and like those films, the book is a sleazy, suspenseful, sex-drenched, sometimes dreamlike, horror whodunnit. Highly recommend!!
April 27, 2020
The cover of David Sodergren’s DEAD GIRL BLUES tickled my pulp horror aesthetic obsession perfectly. Its eye catching yellow cover spoke to me on many levels and tickled my 70’s pulp horror nostalgia...but then I opened the book. Once I started reading, I was overwhelmed and even further impressed.
Sodergren’s protagonist, Willow Zulawski, has found herself deep in the dangerous world of snuff films and murder. As she is walking to meet up with a date, a woman is found stabbed in an alley, calling for help, and by happenstance Willow is the one who answers. The grisly encounter is only the beginning of what sadistic mayhem comes next.
I read NIGHT SHOOT awhile back and, color me impressed, Sodergren’s talent for seductive plot and highly addictive writing is brilliant. His books draw you in and never let go. Willow is a stripper and the victims are employed in the sex profession, all deserving of our empathy and attention. Unlike NIGHT SHOOT, there is disturbing graphic content. I mean, you caught the mention of snuff films up top, right?! So be forewarned.
DEAD GIRL BLUES is filled to the brim with delectable mystery, noir, and a mix of true blue slasher horror. SERIOUSLY, it’s so damn good. I cannot recommend any of Sodergren’s books enough, but this one might be my favorite. I plowed through this page-turner and I’m already ready for the next one!
Sodergren’s protagonist, Willow Zulawski, has found herself deep in the dangerous world of snuff films and murder. As she is walking to meet up with a date, a woman is found stabbed in an alley, calling for help, and by happenstance Willow is the one who answers. The grisly encounter is only the beginning of what sadistic mayhem comes next.
I read NIGHT SHOOT awhile back and, color me impressed, Sodergren’s talent for seductive plot and highly addictive writing is brilliant. His books draw you in and never let go. Willow is a stripper and the victims are employed in the sex profession, all deserving of our empathy and attention. Unlike NIGHT SHOOT, there is disturbing graphic content. I mean, you caught the mention of snuff films up top, right?! So be forewarned.
DEAD GIRL BLUES is filled to the brim with delectable mystery, noir, and a mix of true blue slasher horror. SERIOUSLY, it’s so damn good. I cannot recommend any of Sodergren’s books enough, but this one might be my favorite. I plowed through this page-turner and I’m already ready for the next one!
May 16, 2021
David Sodergren has taken the Giallo style horror and made it his own with DEAD GIRL BLUES. In what he calls Slasher Noir, the story gives everything you can expect to love if you know the Giallo/Italian slasher thriller genre. Even as I read this I kept picturing some semi-poorly American dubbed movie with beautiful shots, artsy and stylish designs/outfits, beautiful women, brilliantly bloody, gruesome deaths, and lots of dark mystery and suspense. Of course, Claudio Simonetti / Goblin music would be my top pick for this, too. In fact, I even listened to the soundtracks for Profondo Rosso, Suspirita, and Tenebre when I read this for extra vibes!
You can 100% enjoy this if you know nothing about Giallo, though, which is what makes Sodergren's style so dang amazing! He crafts this noir/mystery/slasher thriller with such precision that you will tune out the rest of the world and be totally engrossed in the depraved, twisted world which is DEAD GIRL BLUES. My heart beat fast so many times watching the story unfold for our protagonist, Willow.
DEAD GIRL BLUES has twists and turns that you won't see coming. It is not for the faint of heart. It grabs your eyeballs, squeezes, and does not let go until the final page. It is one of my top books right now -- one of the books I add to my list of "Damn, I wish I could read that again for the first time and experience it from that standpoint." You know that type of book? Okay... so what are you waiting for?! GET THIS BOOK!
You can 100% enjoy this if you know nothing about Giallo, though, which is what makes Sodergren's style so dang amazing! He crafts this noir/mystery/slasher thriller with such precision that you will tune out the rest of the world and be totally engrossed in the depraved, twisted world which is DEAD GIRL BLUES. My heart beat fast so many times watching the story unfold for our protagonist, Willow.
DEAD GIRL BLUES has twists and turns that you won't see coming. It is not for the faint of heart. It grabs your eyeballs, squeezes, and does not let go until the final page. It is one of my top books right now -- one of the books I add to my list of "Damn, I wish I could read that again for the first time and experience it from that standpoint." You know that type of book? Okay... so what are you waiting for?! GET THIS BOOK!
March 31, 2020
I had the joy of beta reading this beauty and Sodergren is such a talented writer its humbling to known he trusted me with giving him feedback.
This one moves along at a break neck pace. Great action sequences, but also a lot of tension that continues to grow and grow as the chess pieces are moved across the board.
I think the biggest take home with this one - it shows the continued growth of his writing confidence and knowing that we'll be seeing a more straight forward "horror" style release from him sooner than later has me excited!
This is a must read from a must read author!
This one moves along at a break neck pace. Great action sequences, but also a lot of tension that continues to grow and grow as the chess pieces are moved across the board.
I think the biggest take home with this one - it shows the continued growth of his writing confidence and knowing that we'll be seeing a more straight forward "horror" style release from him sooner than later has me excited!
This is a must read from a must read author!
March 19, 2025
It’s really no surprise to me that this was a 5 star read. Every single David Sodergren book I’ve read has been amazing!🌟
This is definitely not for the faint of heart, it’s incredibly graphic and even though I like to think I have a stomach of steel this left me feeling queasy more than once.
Even so I found it impossible to put down, the fast paced whodunnit mystery and the short-ish chapters make it very bingeable.
Final note: that ending? OH MY GOD!
This is definitely not for the faint of heart, it’s incredibly graphic and even though I like to think I have a stomach of steel this left me feeling queasy more than once.
Even so I found it impossible to put down, the fast paced whodunnit mystery and the short-ish chapters make it very bingeable.
Final note: that ending? OH MY GOD!
July 4, 2022
I really enjoyed the first half of the story, but the second half fell completely flat to me. It read like detective novel (which I’m not particularly a fan of, and there was nothing new here). The villains felt a bit cartoonish, the gore was rather tame and not descriptive enough (it’s the stuff of R-rated movies, I expected some NC-17 type shit since this about snuff films). The writing was bland for the most part, and the dialogue was quite clunky—particularly because some important issues are discussed (to do with racism, xenophobia, and classism), but these discussions felt heavy-handed. I also found Willow to be a pretty boring protagonist. The ending was dark enough—but the book lost steam way too early on for me to say I enjoyed it. The book could’ve been a bit shorter as well.
October 22, 2021
Fantastic!!!!!
OMG! Where has this author been all my life? This was terrific. The craziest part is that I passed over this book so many times because of the cover and the cheesy title. Yeah… I know, I know…don’t judge a book by its cover, but we all do it, don’t we?
For some reason, the cover reminding me of those old cowboy westerns (Louis L’amour comes to mind) my grandfather would get. You know the male equivalent to Harlequin Romances? Anyway.. I kept skipping over it although it was constantly popping up highly rated and reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon. I finally took the plunge and man, oh man, was I missing out on a hidden gem.
This book reads like a giallo (duh, no wonder the cover was yellow and it kept reminding me of those old westerns… instead of spaghetti westerns, this was a spaghetti thriller). Part mystery, part thriller, and part horror. You will find yourself routing for the main character at the same time you question her role as a classic protagonist/hero. A very similar reaction I had to the lead character in Squid Game. The ending will blow you away and makes the suspense throughout all that much more exciting.
I am loading up on David Sodergren books immediately. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys giallo, slashers, and mysteries with lots of gore.
OMG! Where has this author been all my life? This was terrific. The craziest part is that I passed over this book so many times because of the cover and the cheesy title. Yeah… I know, I know…don’t judge a book by its cover, but we all do it, don’t we?
For some reason, the cover reminding me of those old cowboy westerns (Louis L’amour comes to mind) my grandfather would get. You know the male equivalent to Harlequin Romances? Anyway.. I kept skipping over it although it was constantly popping up highly rated and reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon. I finally took the plunge and man, oh man, was I missing out on a hidden gem.
This book reads like a giallo (duh, no wonder the cover was yellow and it kept reminding me of those old westerns… instead of spaghetti westerns, this was a spaghetti thriller). Part mystery, part thriller, and part horror. You will find yourself routing for the main character at the same time you question her role as a classic protagonist/hero. A very similar reaction I had to the lead character in Squid Game. The ending will blow you away and makes the suspense throughout all that much more exciting.
I am loading up on David Sodergren books immediately. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys giallo, slashers, and mysteries with lots of gore.
August 31, 2024
First half was really great but it started falling flat for me. The gore was interesting which makes me want to read more by this author but i’m simply not a fan of stories where main characters purposely put themselves in dangerous situations knowing damn well what the consequences would be. That’s a turn off for me cus it makes the story very unrealistic. The villains were pretty meh too, a generous 3 stars from me.
March 21, 2024
A gripping incredibly well written Slasher Noir (David's term) in which you just want the lead character to stop investigating... but also really want her to carry on investigating. Great Stuff.
September 2, 2024
brb crying AND throwing up (mostly throwing up) forever and ever
April 11, 2020
"Dead Girl Blues" has everything you could want in it. You have mystery, thrill, and of course gore that comes along with horror. We meet our main character Willow as she is on her way to a date when a mysterious woman from out of nowhere collapses and dies in her arms. Who she is and how she came to die in a strangers arms? These questions will ultimately set Willow off on a strange journey that leaves a trail of bodies and more questions in her wake. I don't want to give too much away but the further you go the more twists there are and the less you trust all the characters in this book.
When I first found David Sodergren it was purely by chance as I was looking for someone new in the horror world to read is when I stumbled upon his first novel "The Forgotten Forest". Oh boy the cover alone is what hooked me right away, but the plot and the writing is what solidified me as a forever fan.
Everything that David has put out since has blown me away including "Dead Girl Blues" his third novel and hopefully no where near his last. In a world where horror is hard enough to try to shine through David makes it look easy. His writing is easily comparable to the likes of Joe Hill or Ania Ahlborn with creativity and word flow. So with that being said *drum roll* I HIGHLY recommend anyone who is reading this review, teeter tottering their decision to buy it, don't think just do. You wont regret it.
When I first found David Sodergren it was purely by chance as I was looking for someone new in the horror world to read is when I stumbled upon his first novel "The Forgotten Forest". Oh boy the cover alone is what hooked me right away, but the plot and the writing is what solidified me as a forever fan.
Everything that David has put out since has blown me away including "Dead Girl Blues" his third novel and hopefully no where near his last. In a world where horror is hard enough to try to shine through David makes it look easy. His writing is easily comparable to the likes of Joe Hill or Ania Ahlborn with creativity and word flow. So with that being said *drum roll* I HIGHLY recommend anyone who is reading this review, teeter tottering their decision to buy it, don't think just do. You wont regret it.
September 9, 2024
Dead Girl Blues by David Sodergren is a pulpy crime thriller inspired by giallo films. Willow Zulawski is an exotic dancer at Cannonball Joe's. One evening on her way to meet a guy for drinks before work, a mysterious young woman staggers out of an alley, collapses in Willow's arms and dies. Willow is shaken by the encounter and wants to find out who killed the young woman which leads her into a dark, dangerous, and deadly situation.
What a wild ride! Even though Dead Girl Blues is a crime novel, it reads more like a slasher film from beginning to end. It is a fast-paced and suspenseful with a gripping mystery. However, there is lots of violence (especially involving women), plenty of bloodshed, and an abundance of unsavory characters involved in disturbing and depraved activities. This novel is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Dead Girl Blues was my introduction to David Sodergren's work. I had to sit with this one for a bit after reading it. I still have mixed feelings about it. The writing was fine, the storytelling was great, the characters played their parts well enough even though a couple of them did not deserve to die. And, the ending...a total surprise, and I hated it. With all that being said, I'd consider picking up something else by Sodergren in the future, just not in the near future.
What a wild ride! Even though Dead Girl Blues is a crime novel, it reads more like a slasher film from beginning to end. It is a fast-paced and suspenseful with a gripping mystery. However, there is lots of violence (especially involving women), plenty of bloodshed, and an abundance of unsavory characters involved in disturbing and depraved activities. This novel is definitely not for the faint of heart.
Dead Girl Blues was my introduction to David Sodergren's work. I had to sit with this one for a bit after reading it. I still have mixed feelings about it. The writing was fine, the storytelling was great, the characters played their parts well enough even though a couple of them did not deserve to die. And, the ending...a total surprise, and I hated it. With all that being said, I'd consider picking up something else by Sodergren in the future, just not in the near future.
September 18, 2021
"When a young woman dies in Willow Zulawski's arms, it sets in motion a chain of events that will push her to the brink of madness".
I love finding new authors that I know will be ones I return to again and again, and I've found that in David Sodergren.
Dead Girl Blues is a dark and twisty slasher, with no shortage of mystery. I loved this read, especially David's ability to make me do this 😬 face while describing the kills. He also kept me guessing to the very end, and I won't lie, this ending surprised me.
If I had one gripe it would be that there is a bit of a exposition dump in the 3rd act, but it's very brief and doesn't take away from my enjoyment overall.
This was a bloody fun read (pun intended), and I can't wait to read more of David's work. I may try and squeeze Night Shoot in next month 😏.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5.
I love finding new authors that I know will be ones I return to again and again, and I've found that in David Sodergren.
Dead Girl Blues is a dark and twisty slasher, with no shortage of mystery. I loved this read, especially David's ability to make me do this 😬 face while describing the kills. He also kept me guessing to the very end, and I won't lie, this ending surprised me.
If I had one gripe it would be that there is a bit of a exposition dump in the 3rd act, but it's very brief and doesn't take away from my enjoyment overall.
This was a bloody fun read (pun intended), and I can't wait to read more of David's work. I may try and squeeze Night Shoot in next month 😏.
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5.
June 21, 2025
I'm pretty avoidant of fiction of the Twenty-first Century, but I'm glad I gave this one a go. I enjoyed those Italian Giallo thrillers of the 70's and 80's and this would have fit in there seamlessly. Although the last third of the book goes pretty much over the edge with the violence and gore, it still worked for me.
The set pieces were some of the best if read or seen in the before mentioned movies. The under the bed with the killer walking about had me in a nice sweat. The decent of our female heroine into madness is a wild ride. This book just flew by. Could have been another 200 pages and I'm sure I still would of ate it up.
The set pieces were some of the best if read or seen in the before mentioned movies. The under the bed with the killer walking about had me in a nice sweat. The decent of our female heroine into madness is a wild ride. This book just flew by. Could have been another 200 pages and I'm sure I still would of ate it up.
November 21, 2021
En helt fantastisk ”Slasher-noir” av den gode Sodergren. Märks så otroligt tydligt att han kan sin skräckfilm. Tempo från första sidan till den sista. Spännande och härligt våldsam. Denna ska du läsa!
November 9, 2020
I have mixed feelings about Dead Girl Blues. So much so that I had to take time to think about what I wanted to write for a week or so before putting up a review. On the one hand there is so much to love about this novel as a homage to the classic genre of Giallo. Which for those who are unfamiliar is a genre of film originated from Italy named after the colour yellow. The genre usually focuses on a protagonist who is seeking to solve a mystery behind a series of gruesome murders. It has often been called a subgenre of horror, but I more see it as a form of pulpy crime thriller with artfully shot murder scenes. This book seeks to recreate the effects and pay homage to the greats of the genre, like Dario Argento, Mario Bava and Sergio Martino. The book is even dedicated to them.
The real question however is, is this book successful at doing this, while also doing something new to capture a modern audience and breathe new life into a genre which has now become tired with some of its sexist and predictable motifs?
The answer is both yes and no.
While Sodergren does bring new ideas to the table with classism, sexism and discussions of poverty sprinkled in around the artfully written murder sequences, there are a few things that hold back from really taking things to a new level.
In the story we are primarily taken in by the mystery, as with all Giallo's. Who is behind these snuff tapes and who murdered Jessica Chalmers? From their we follow Willow as she slowly uncovers the secrets lying at the heart of this novel, and uncovers the killer(s). A huge part of this book is about Willow's descent into madness and her identifying more and more with being a killer. To the point where it quite literally consumes her when she is sucked into a pile of rotting bodies by the end of the book. Its an artful idea, which I think was executed in some places really well and in others a bit shoddily. It felt at points in the story a bit forced and I wasn't fully convinced of her grappling with her morality. The closest I came to believing her was the scene where she visits Jessica's apartment and views the tapes, before rescuing what turns out to be a fake baby, from a fire in the apartment complex.
The real sexism discussion is never really touched on fully in the text. Their are illusions to sexism and the treatment of women, when Willow (who is a sex worker) is objectified by the other male characters in the story (i.e. the police officer who is investigating Jessica's murder and Vinnie Sunset). She often makes a point to combat these depictions by being a self-sufficient character who stands on her own to feet. She makes a point of saying she wants to solve this murder because she hates the idea of a woman being treated as another statistic among many other women who are destitute or addicts, who end up being murdered. While I really liked this path that the novel was taking, I wished that this angle was explored in even more detail. I would have liked to have seen the female side characters getting a bit more development instead of obviously being there as part of the body count total. We only really learn details about Cat and her life in the moments of her death, and she is the only prominent female character who isn't either destitute or an addict, who is given any kind of deeper look on this scale (apart from Willow). I would have liked to have empathized and felt something for these other characters a bit more, so that when they got killed off, they didn't feel like another statistic in the genre of Giallo.
As for the themes of poverty and wealth inequality in this book; those were a lot more subtle then the sexism. They were underlying with the very plot itself. The premise being that these people in the snuff videos were so desperate for money for drugs or other things they needed, that they would make movies where they would have intercourse with people they were also simultaneously killing. The clever idea of the leaders of this organized snuff film ring being two members of the upper class (Jessica's parents) was a clever twist, though I did see it coming. It is a kind of commentary on how the rich stand at the top of the hierarchy, oppressing the poor and forcing those with less power to do horrible things under them, before casting their bodies away like their nothing. However, the one thing I would have liked to have seen with the reveal of this, was a bit more subtlety on the part of Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers. They both got quite cartoonish at a certain point of the climax, which took me a bit out of the experience of the story, breaking the tension.
Overall, this novel for me was something I'm glad is out there. It brings back some fun old tropes, while also having some fun with them. There are issues of the female side characters being underdeveloped and some of the dialogue being clunky, but those are only some small factors in an overall solid installment into the Giallo genre of books.
The real question however is, is this book successful at doing this, while also doing something new to capture a modern audience and breathe new life into a genre which has now become tired with some of its sexist and predictable motifs?
The answer is both yes and no.
While Sodergren does bring new ideas to the table with classism, sexism and discussions of poverty sprinkled in around the artfully written murder sequences, there are a few things that hold back from really taking things to a new level.
In the story we are primarily taken in by the mystery, as with all Giallo's. Who is behind these snuff tapes and who murdered Jessica Chalmers? From their we follow Willow as she slowly uncovers the secrets lying at the heart of this novel, and uncovers the killer(s). A huge part of this book is about Willow's descent into madness and her identifying more and more with being a killer. To the point where it quite literally consumes her when she is sucked into a pile of rotting bodies by the end of the book. Its an artful idea, which I think was executed in some places really well and in others a bit shoddily. It felt at points in the story a bit forced and I wasn't fully convinced of her grappling with her morality. The closest I came to believing her was the scene where she visits Jessica's apartment and views the tapes, before rescuing what turns out to be a fake baby, from a fire in the apartment complex.
The real sexism discussion is never really touched on fully in the text. Their are illusions to sexism and the treatment of women, when Willow (who is a sex worker) is objectified by the other male characters in the story (i.e. the police officer who is investigating Jessica's murder and Vinnie Sunset). She often makes a point to combat these depictions by being a self-sufficient character who stands on her own to feet. She makes a point of saying she wants to solve this murder because she hates the idea of a woman being treated as another statistic among many other women who are destitute or addicts, who end up being murdered. While I really liked this path that the novel was taking, I wished that this angle was explored in even more detail. I would have liked to have seen the female side characters getting a bit more development instead of obviously being there as part of the body count total. We only really learn details about Cat and her life in the moments of her death, and she is the only prominent female character who isn't either destitute or an addict, who is given any kind of deeper look on this scale (apart from Willow). I would have liked to have empathized and felt something for these other characters a bit more, so that when they got killed off, they didn't feel like another statistic in the genre of Giallo.
As for the themes of poverty and wealth inequality in this book; those were a lot more subtle then the sexism. They were underlying with the very plot itself. The premise being that these people in the snuff videos were so desperate for money for drugs or other things they needed, that they would make movies where they would have intercourse with people they were also simultaneously killing. The clever idea of the leaders of this organized snuff film ring being two members of the upper class (Jessica's parents) was a clever twist, though I did see it coming. It is a kind of commentary on how the rich stand at the top of the hierarchy, oppressing the poor and forcing those with less power to do horrible things under them, before casting their bodies away like their nothing. However, the one thing I would have liked to have seen with the reveal of this, was a bit more subtlety on the part of Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers. They both got quite cartoonish at a certain point of the climax, which took me a bit out of the experience of the story, breaking the tension.
Overall, this novel for me was something I'm glad is out there. It brings back some fun old tropes, while also having some fun with them. There are issues of the female side characters being underdeveloped and some of the dialogue being clunky, but those are only some small factors in an overall solid installment into the Giallo genre of books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2020
This is What You Get if You Combine Joel Schumacher's 8mm With a Cannibal Corpse Album
If you're a fan of horror how can you not love an opening line like:
"At around seven PM on a crisp October evening, Jessica Chalmers stabbed a man twice in the neck and made her escape."
I instantly wanted to know more! So many questions.
With October on the horizon, I made up my mind to have fun with my reads and dive into several pulpy horror novels. Dead Girl Blues provided fast pacing, a great heroine, and an excess of gore. I expected this novel to follow a fairly predictable B-movie path. But I was impressed by how frantic and wild the story became as our protagonist Willow traveled deeper into the world of snuff.
Thematically, Dead Girl Blues explores injustices against women. Willow is a stripper and we see her life from her own perspective instead of through the objectifying lens of the men around her. I liked that this book refrained from overtly sexualizing the female protagonists. I was worried that Willow would merely be portrayed as the "fighting fuck toy" trope. Instead, Willow approaches the horrific situations that she encounters in a grounded way, empathizing with the women that have been victimized.
I had a few minor issues with the book. I felt a few scenes were "too convenient" and one or two of the conversations felt a little cliche. None of these moments detracted much from the novel.
This novel pulls from classic pulp novels with Willow feeling like a noir detective, combing the rainy streets of Edinburgh for clues. There is plenty of horrific gore and when I describe this book to people I refer to it as "metal."
I will definitely be reading more of David Sodergren's works in the future. I can't wait to get a copy of his upcoming novel Maggie's Grave. Speaking of metal, that cover could easily be an early 90s death metal release! I recommend this novel for fans of fun horror and noir.
If you're a fan of horror how can you not love an opening line like:
"At around seven PM on a crisp October evening, Jessica Chalmers stabbed a man twice in the neck and made her escape."
I instantly wanted to know more! So many questions.
With October on the horizon, I made up my mind to have fun with my reads and dive into several pulpy horror novels. Dead Girl Blues provided fast pacing, a great heroine, and an excess of gore. I expected this novel to follow a fairly predictable B-movie path. But I was impressed by how frantic and wild the story became as our protagonist Willow traveled deeper into the world of snuff.
Thematically, Dead Girl Blues explores injustices against women. Willow is a stripper and we see her life from her own perspective instead of through the objectifying lens of the men around her. I liked that this book refrained from overtly sexualizing the female protagonists. I was worried that Willow would merely be portrayed as the "fighting fuck toy" trope. Instead, Willow approaches the horrific situations that she encounters in a grounded way, empathizing with the women that have been victimized.
I had a few minor issues with the book. I felt a few scenes were "too convenient" and one or two of the conversations felt a little cliche. None of these moments detracted much from the novel.
This novel pulls from classic pulp novels with Willow feeling like a noir detective, combing the rainy streets of Edinburgh for clues. There is plenty of horrific gore and when I describe this book to people I refer to it as "metal."
I will definitely be reading more of David Sodergren's works in the future. I can't wait to get a copy of his upcoming novel Maggie's Grave. Speaking of metal, that cover could easily be an early 90s death metal release! I recommend this novel for fans of fun horror and noir.
September 22, 2020
After a young woman dies in Willows arms, Willow is led by a mysterious video into an underground world of snuff films. As those around her start turning up dead, she realizes those she’s looking for will stop at nothing to stop her.
Dead Girl Blues is the third book I’ve read by David Sodergren, and I think it’s safe to say he can do no wrong. Dead Girl Blues showcases his flare for slasher horror and the grotesque, which is easily visible in all three books. Where this one takes a turn is the addition of it being a mystery, being more like a film noir detective story. I was a bit sceptical at the idea of this when I first heard about the book, because I just couldn’t picture how this would translate well in a book, but Sodergren has proven me wrong!
I find that with slasher style books, a lot of authors lose the thread of the story, just trying to outdo themselves with being as violent and gross as possible, so hats off to Dead Girl Blues for never drowning in violence and then forgetting to toss in an actual plot line. The story here is fantastic. Hunting down the makers of snuff films, the mystery that Willow is following, and the tension as Willow discovers she’s being hunted too. The violence and gore is a great addition, making it all the more creepy, but it never overwhelms the story and it’s not there just for the sake of scaring people.
If you’ve not picked up a Sodergren before, you really need to if you’re a fan of horror, and over the top gore All three books have been five star reads for me, and I can’t recommend any of them enough. It’s just up to you where to start, and if you like a bit of noir mystery in your stories, this would be the right one to go for.
Dead Girl Blues is the third book I’ve read by David Sodergren, and I think it’s safe to say he can do no wrong. Dead Girl Blues showcases his flare for slasher horror and the grotesque, which is easily visible in all three books. Where this one takes a turn is the addition of it being a mystery, being more like a film noir detective story. I was a bit sceptical at the idea of this when I first heard about the book, because I just couldn’t picture how this would translate well in a book, but Sodergren has proven me wrong!
I find that with slasher style books, a lot of authors lose the thread of the story, just trying to outdo themselves with being as violent and gross as possible, so hats off to Dead Girl Blues for never drowning in violence and then forgetting to toss in an actual plot line. The story here is fantastic. Hunting down the makers of snuff films, the mystery that Willow is following, and the tension as Willow discovers she’s being hunted too. The violence and gore is a great addition, making it all the more creepy, but it never overwhelms the story and it’s not there just for the sake of scaring people.
If you’ve not picked up a Sodergren before, you really need to if you’re a fan of horror, and over the top gore All three books have been five star reads for me, and I can’t recommend any of them enough. It’s just up to you where to start, and if you like a bit of noir mystery in your stories, this would be the right one to go for.
August 1, 2020
Summary
Willow's life hasn't been easy. Her parents died when she was young, leaving her to bounce around to different foster homes. When she was old enough, she ran away and became an underaged exotic dancer.
Everything changes one night when she is approached by a dying girl on the street.
After finding a very disturbing video on the girl's phone, Willow becomes obsessed with putting an end to the horrible acts being committed and to the girls being murdered in the process.
Personal Opinion
This is by far the goriest book I have ever read! Definitely not for the squeamish. It is also my favorite David Sodergren novel so far.
I loved the mystery aspect that really changed things up from being a normal slasher story. David definitely did a great job of mixing the old fashioned crime mystery feel with his usual gory goodness.
The fact that the fearless and kick-ass person trying to solve the mystery is an ex-foster kid, a woman and even an exotic dancer was also a nice touch that most books don't offer.
The plot itself was very interesting with little twists, gory murders and quite a bit of suspense. But the ending definitely topped things off with all the blood, brains and gore that I love in a good slasher book. There was even a twist I didn't see coming at all.
March 26, 2020
A modern twist on Giallo offers the reader an incredibly brutal tale that sets up a new genre, Slasher Noir.
As with David's previous work, Dead Girl Blues is incredibly well written with lots of action, horror, strong characters and a splash of humour.
Not the easiest of reads due to some of the themes covered this proves Sodergren is an author not afraid to take risks.
That's three books I've read by Sodergren now and all three are incredibly different yet all achieve a remarkably high standard of story telling. A near perfect trilogy of novels.
Full Review To Follow on Kendall Reviews
As with David's previous work, Dead Girl Blues is incredibly well written with lots of action, horror, strong characters and a splash of humour.
Not the easiest of reads due to some of the themes covered this proves Sodergren is an author not afraid to take risks.
That's three books I've read by Sodergren now and all three are incredibly different yet all achieve a remarkably high standard of story telling. A near perfect trilogy of novels.
Full Review To Follow on Kendall Reviews
October 5, 2020
His books are definitely my go to for 80's nostalgia slasher reads. This one was another great mix of gory horror with a touch of humour thrown in. Great pace, story line and characters with some cringe moments thrown in.
May 12, 2020
So gory and amazingly written, with an ending to die for......highly recommend, especially if you enjoy a good slasher!!
May 13, 2020
3.5 stars enjoyable enough read, though I found it a bit convenient that people kept being related to each other. I really liked the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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