DEAD GIRLS DON'T TALK

A dead girl gets to tell her side of the story—but even death can’t guarantee the truth​.

This dual-perspective psychological thriller​​ invites readers into the fraught lives of two girls who are caught in a spiral of secrets​, guilt​, and betrayal​. Told in the voices of Syl Jameson, a 17-year-old​ who dies in a suspicious car crash​, and Viola Harrison, also 17, her estranged former best friend​ and prime suspect​, the book deftly balances the paranormal with gritty emotional realism​. Syl’s ghostly narration​ pulses with quiet intensity as she pieces together what happened and why​, while Viola’s voice exposes the complex impact of friendships, privilege​, and trauma​ that defined their relationship. The small-town American setting of Lovell (ironically nicknamed Love Hill) feels like a character in its own right​. The heavily Christian community, established in the late 1600s “by white supremacists,” pushes queer residents into hiding. This work by Belgian author Paul, who wrote it in English, features sharp​, emotionally resonant​, and deeply atmospheric prose. The structure of the book, which lets readers choose whose version to read first, cleverly emphasizes the subjectivity of truth​ but can at times lead to repetitiveness. Even though some revelations lack depth, the narrative maintains a steady pace and will linger long after readers turn the last page. All characters read white.

Haunting and heartfelt​.