I haven't read anything previously by this author but I was impressed. This book will keep you up all night reading until the end and is the perfect thing to read before Halloween and share around the campfire. Highly recommend this one! Also, beautiful cover-art!
Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This thriller is a recommended first purchase for collections where the genre is popular. Has crossover appeal for certain HS collections as well.

I had a really hard time deciding what I wanted to rate this book. On one had I found it to drag on, but on the other hand the concept was interesting. Ultimately I gave it 2.75 hoots but rounded it up to 3 hoots, which means it was just okay. I feel like the author was trying really hard to make the reader feel uneasy and shocked in parts, but she just could not pull it together. Please keep in mind that the creepiness of a book is fully subjective, but for me this was kind of a miss.

Full disclosure, I did receive a free copy of this book from Netgalley, but as you already know that doesn’t mean I pull my punches. I thought the concept was incredibly interesting. Right off the bat the main character, Heather, admits that she was the one that killed her childhood friend. You then find out that there was more to it than it appeared….the Red Lady made it all happen. Who is the Red Lady you ask? Why she is the woman who haunts this group of girls after they perform a ritual to call her.

I did enjoy the portions of the story that had the Red Lady. Was she real? Were the girls really being haunted? What was really going on? Of course Becca, the girl that was murdered, was the one who told her friends about the Red Lady in the first place. She was the one that appeared to be the leader of the Dead Girls Club, their group where they discussed murderers etc. These girls were definitely the kind of people I would have loved to know when I was younger.

Anyway, back to the Red Lady….Becca summoned her because her mother was being abusive and she wanted to get help to escape. The Red Lady was talking to her and the other girls and things really started to escalate until that fateful night when Heather murdered Becca.

I honestly tried to like this book but it was really hard. There were portions that just dragged, were uninteresting, or just plain pointless. I mean seriously, one of the ways the Red Lady manifested her power was by forcing their period to start. I kid you not! They all seriously felt cramps and then bam, period. It was ridiculous. The pacing of this book also missed the mark for me, at times it was challenging to keep reading.
Overall, this was not the type of thriller that I enjoy but it might be better suited to someone who prefers to read books full of teen angst. For me it just didn’t work. The “then” portions of the book were almost painful to read and the “Now” portions just left you with Heather fumbling to figure out who is trying to mess with her. The ending itself and the final reveal was not very satisfying for me. If I had to recommend it to an audience, I would say it is better suited for a younger YA reader than an older teen.

I am very grateful that Netgalley allowed me to have a copy of this book, I just wished I had a more positive review to give. It is just that I have to be honest, I just wish I liked this book better.

A supernatural thriller in the vein of A Head Full of Ghosts about two young girls, a scary story that becomes far too real, and the tragic--and terrifying--consequences that follow one of them into adulthood.

The story starts in 1991, where 4 young girls formed a club called the "Dead Girls Club." Exchanging stories about serial killers and mythical monsters like The Red Lady.

One of the girls was killed because of the Red Lady.

30 Years later, the story follows one of the girls, Heather. She starts receiving "gifts" that make her remember The Red Lady, when she really doesn't want to.

Someone want's to make Heather pay for something...

I thought this book was pretty good, it goes between then and now and was written alright. The character's were likable, and I got caught up in the book so much that I read it in one day, not wanting to put it down at all!

The twist at the end was kind of predictable though, I already knew it before I got to it. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

Special thanks to Netgally and the publishers of this book. I recieved an ACR E-Book copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book.

After reading the synopsis I was concerned it might be a little too intense (I tend to have insomnia after horror novels) but once I started this book I just couldn't stop. While there are "spooky" portions it's definitely not as bad as I had envisioned, so if you're like me don't be afraid to dive right into this one.

I am a fan of telling a story from both the present and the past and it worked really well for this story. Heather had a best friend named Becca when she was a girl. Something happened to Becca and Heather believes it was her fault. She has been able push aside her feelings of guilt and become a child's psychologist with a handsome husband. Suddenly she receives some mail that make her relive the past and it starts to consume her causing issues in both her career and personal relationships.

The Dead Girls Club was a quick and enjoyable read. It's suspenseful and creepy and if you like these types of books this one needs to be on your list.

I imagine that I’m going to be thinking about this story for awhile. It didn’t give me that WOW factor that some thrillers do, but it was definitely still and engaging and interesting read. The story weaves together an urban legend with a real life murder. Those two plot points are outstanding. There were some awesome creepy moments throughout the book every time we learned a little more about “the Red Lady.” I know I didn’t want to read those parts in the dark!
This story will keep you guessing till the end and will keep you turning the pages. How we I was a bit disappointed with the twist. It didn’t wow me like I wanted it to. I actually thought it was going to go in another direction with our main character, Heather, and I almost wish it did. I think it would have gave you more if that punch to the guy with a thriller you sometimes get.
Overall I do recommend this if you like thrillers that are not too overly creepy or gorey. This is a page turner with easy writing that will keep you entertained.
My short review will be up on My Instagram- ReadingwithPugs. This full review will also be up on Goodreads. Closer to publication my review will be up on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

This was such a good read. I loved the supernatural suspense, the friendships and mystery. I couldn't put this book down and wanted to know why and what happened. Thanks netgalley for the e-arc

What a doozy! I literally hung on every line of The Dead Girls Club and couldn’t put it down. From the very beginning, the mystery of the dead girls caught my eye, and the story of the Red Lady was so spooky. The story revolves around four girls- the main character Heather and her best friend Becca being the main characters.

The story is cut between Heather’s childhood and her present life as a child psychologist. It talks about a childhood ghost story and how many years later, the ghost is back. The author did a great job of describing the way middle school-aged girls think and act and it brought me right back to my own childhood. The ghost story of the Red Lady is such a perfect example of a childhood story gone terribly wrong.

This book is definitely a psychological thriller and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It had a slow, suspenseful build-up, and I loved the way the ending explained everything. I hate when books have plot holes, and this book tied everything up nicely. I thought that The Dead Girls Club was a quick and interesting read, and recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my ARC!

Review Copy

THE DEAD GIRLS CLUB is everything I want and love in a novel. It's a coming of age story about girls - something that's rare. It's also that, combined with horror, and it's a psychological thriller as well. The writing is sharp and faultless. I appreciated every word. Such a brilliant novel about friendship and loss is one that shouldn't be missed.

While child psychologist Heather Cole has not forgotten what happened during the summer of 1991, she has moved on with her life—until she receives the missing half of the friendship necklace she shared with Becca. Becca was killed that summer, and her alcoholic mother was jailed for her murder. As she receives more disturbing reminders of that summer, and the Dead Girls Club, which she and Becca formed with two other girls, Heather can’t stop herself from investigating. But her google searches and telephone calls begin to occupy more of her time, until her career, marriage, and other relationships suffer.

Even as she realizes the toll her obsession is taking, Heather won’t stop until she learns the truth.

The Dead Girls Club is a creepy suspense thriller. Heather is not entirely a sympathetic character, and at times, I wanted to shake her and beg her to stop. Author Walters does a fabulous job of establishing what a normal, enviable life Heather has constructed, before forcing the reader to watch her tear it down. Walters saves some pretty big surprises for the end. #NetGalley #DeadGirlsClub

Damien Angelica Walters has built a community and populated it with some very realistic characters. The story is told in layers, flipping from past to present as it unfolds. We see the Dead Girl's Club rushing towards a tragedy but when it actually happens, the surprise is disturbing. A different twist on many thrillers that revolve around youth and their abilities to cause deadly havoc. Well worth reading, but leave the reading light on....

1.5 Stars

“When you made a promise, you had to keep it. No matter what. You had to keep it forever.”

Heather and Becca are the very best of friends. Along with two other classmates, they form the Dead Girls Club. Sneaking away to tell ghostly stories such as the Urban Legend the Red Lady, the girls form a bond of shared secrets…and some of those secrets don’t stay buried…

The blurb to the Dead Girls Club gives too much away as it is, so I’ll jump into my review. Sorry to say, this book was just ok. The chapter format of the story is a “Then” and “Now”. Too much drama, drama, drama during the “Then” sections between the tweens drove me insane, and after much skimming over the tedious blah blah blah of getting their periods, going to the mall and sneaking away to tell ghost stories, I kinda forgot about the tale of the Red Lady and how it connected to Heather killing her bestie Becca. And honestly, by the end, I didn’t care.

Horror stories are subjective to what scares or engages the reader, and the Dead Girls Club hooked me into thinking this would be my “It”. If you are a fan of teenage angst with a killer twist, you may enjoy. Sadly, this was a no scare or even thrill for me.


**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

This was a slow start and I had trouble with the pacing throughout the book. There were long stretches not much happened in and I never really felt invested in the characters at all.

The best aspect of this novel was easily the relationship between the girls. Walters perfectly captured the intensity of female friendships, specifically between best friends. The narrative was very realistic and reminiscent of many of my own childhood experiences. Given these aspects of the novel, I think other female readers will most strongly connect to this story although it could certainly be enjoyed by anyone.

As a piece of nostalgic story about female friendship, this book reminded of me of My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendix. While not the exact same story, readers who loved that narrative will likely enjoy this one as well.

While this had aspects of horror, this novel read much more like a psychological thriller. Personally, I prefer the horror genre over the thriller genre, which affected my overall enjoyment for this book. Unlike other thrillers, this one is less dependant on a giant twist ending. Instead, this was more the kind of slow burning suspense story where the reader slowly learned how the characters got to the situation revealed in the present day.

This is my second time reading Walters and she is now well on her way to becoming a favourite author of mine. I have previously read the her short story collection, Cry Your Way Home, and absolutely loved it. She is a strong writer with a talent for writing strong female focused narratives like this one. I look forward to reading her future work, which will hopefully lean a bit more heavily towards the side of horror.

I would recommend this one to readers who enjoy thrillers centered around friendships and female coming of age narratives.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher, Crooked Lane Books.

“You don’t need flickering lights or doors slamming shut, the parlor tricks of a poltergeist, to be haunted. The true ghosts are made of deed and word and live deep inside the marrow and bone.”*

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The events of Heather’s childhood haunt her. There’s the loss of her best friend Becca, the dissolution of her friendship with Rachael and Gia, the other members of their Dead Girl’s Club, and the vengeful Red Lady, who Becca may have made up or who may be all too real.

Now a child psychologist with a successful practice and a happy marriage, Heather’s sorrow over the past has become a dull, white noise that vibrates below the surface and colors every aspect of her life with a tinge of gray. Then, Heather’s whole world comes crashing down. Damning evidence from the night that destroyed her life starts appearing, as does hints that the Red Lady is back and hellbent on making Heather pay.

The story toggles between the past and present, showing the evolution of the Dead Girl’s Club and the Red Lady’s role in the girls’ friendship. Heather’s choice of career is telling and her unraveling is well shown. She is a take-charge protagonist who fights to figure out who is threatening her and end the harassment, whether the culprit is supernatural or flesh and blood. Meanwhile, the pranks turn deadly and her laser focus on solving her problem stands to destroy all that she holds dear.

The pacing of the story is a bit slow as the past is revealed and the threats escalate, while the ending barrels along freight-train fast. The resolution was a bit problematic for me from a storytelling perspective, but I really liked how the epilogue tied up loose ends. The Red Lady nicely plays on urban legends such as the Slender Man and Bloody Mary, and imbibes a delicious spookiness into the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

This was a solid thriller with well drawn characters and a story that kept me interested, but I figured out "who did it" very early on because I read a lot of thrillers and it was pretty obvious what happened.

I will not be reviewing for my website as it is not horror enough

This was a definite 5 star read for me. I didn't see the end coming and I thought for sure I knew what was going to happen. The beginning was a little hard to get into but the end more then mad up for it. Once I reached about halfway I couldn't put it down!

I really enjoyed this book, but the ending did leave me disappointed. I felt when the truth comes out it is rushed. I did love the story behind it all, but I was wanting more to the revealing of the truth. The ending did answer a lot of my questions that I did have. I did feel like this book kept me guessing what was going to happen.

Huge Thank You to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this opportunity!!!

What a great story! I wasn't planning to finish it in one sitting, but I did! I appreciated the plot, the well developed and believable characters and plots twist I didn't see coming!!

A chilling story, full of suspense and mystery, maybe with a little of the paranormal and supernatural thrown in. Four young girls, just twelve years old, are obsessed with true crime and horror stories and form the Dead Girls Club. We learn early on that Heather kills her best friend, Becca, both were in the Club. As an adult, Heather receives messages that someone knows she killed Becca. It will keep you on edge and I do not think you will guess the ending!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.