BAD SISTER

In this follow-up to Identikill (2025), two girls stuck between life and death find themselves searching for answers.

Although Chelsea’s twin sister, Angelica, died years ago, the two remained close. Angelica’s ghost was a constant presence until recently, when Chelsea made a new friend named Janette, and Angelica’s jealousy spilled over. Now that Angelica has taken possession of Chelsea’s body, Chelsea is the one trapped in the Underside, the dark, dank world where Angelica was relegated anytime Chelsea paid attention to other people. Chelsea isn’t alone, though; the twins’ former friend Riley is there with her, though the reasons for her presence are unclear. As Angelica wreaks havoc on Chelsea’s life, teaming up with bully Pia and trashing her friendship with Janette, Chelsea struggles to let Janette know what’s going on; meanwhile, Riley tries to identify the imposter living in her own body before things get worse. Told from both Angelica’s and Chelsea’s third-person perspectives, the novel contains enough moving pieces for an engaging and suitably complex yet swiftly paced plot, with plenty of character development worked in. With explorations of friendship taking center stage, Alexander makes space for his protagonists to contend with ugly feelings like jealousy, bitterness, and rage. The story can be read as a stand-alone (a quick recap of the previous book’s events will catch readers up), though familiarity with the earlier installment is recommended for full effect. Physical descriptions are minimal.

A satisfying balance of compelling characterization and creepiness.