Really good read. It was my first book by this author and i definitely plan on reading more !!! Four stars!!!

Sara and Mandy are vacation best friends, their families returning to the same lake resort every summer for the past few years. One summer, Sara dies, and Mandy becomes consumed with the belief that she is responsible for Sara’s death. One year later, Mandy returns to the resort with her family, and her younger sister brings along a friend who is obsessed with true crime and determined to uncover the truth behind Sara’s death.

The story alternates between this summer and the previous one, with Mandy as our very unreliable narrator. Mandy’s guilt is palpable, and she’s not revealing the full story. As the narrative unfolds, we learn that her relationship with Sara was complicated—sometimes deeply toxic—but we never get Sara’s side, so we only have Mandy’s words to go on.

The portrayal of their teenage friendship feels very real, capturing the messiness, intensity, and sometimes hurtful dynamics. Mandy’s voice is raw and full of self-doubt, as she questions her own memories of the events leading up to Sara’s death. This unreliability builds tension, as we’re never quite sure whether Mandy’s version of the story is the truth or shaped by her guilt.

However, the resolution felt a bit too much, offering a lot of information all at once. The reveal didn’t have the pacing I was hoping for, and it left me feeling like I didn’t have enough details leading up to the climax. There were also a few typical YA moments—teenagers making questionable decisions—that required a bit of suspension of disbelief, but that’s par for the course in this genre.

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Roselyn Clarke’s “Now She’s Dead” is an electrifying and deeply unsettling YA thriller that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go. At its core, the book is more than a murder mystery—it’s a nuanced exploration of toxic friendships and the psychological toll of guilt and buried secrets.

The story follows Mandy, a deeply flawed and anxious protagonist, as she wrestles with her role in the death of her best friend, Sara. Although Sara’s death a year earlier was officially ruled an accident, Mandy’s guilt and unresolved trauma say otherwise. Her fears are compounded when her younger sister, Kelsey, invites Natalie, a true crime YouTuber, to join their family vacation at Highmark, the very lake resort where Sara died.

The mystery unfolds through dual timelines, alternating between Mandy’s present-day struggle and flashbacks that gradually reveal the toxic, manipulative nature of her friendship with Sara. The book’s tension builds steadily as threatening messages and invasive questions force Mandy to confront both her memories and her carefully constructed story about what really happened that summer.

The best part of this book is Mandy herself. Through crossed-out text and fragmented thoughts, Clarke offers readers an intimate look at Mandy’s guilt-ridden mind. This stylistic choice makes Mandy an unreliable but deeply sympathetic narrator, her inner turmoil adding layers of complexity to the unfolding mystery. Her coping mechanisms, like listing flowers to manage her spiraling anxiety, bring her character to life in relatable and unique ways. Her guilt makes you question what really happened with Sara’s death, if it was really an accident or not.

Clarke also excels at balancing plot and character development. The mystery is fast-paced and full of twists, with every character at Highmark—a tight-knit yet suspicious community—feeling like a potential suspect. The flashbacks to Mandy and Sara’s friendship are just as gripping, offering a painfully realistic portrayal of a toxic relationship where Sara is extremely controlling while Mandy just wants a friend. Mandy’s dependency on Sara and Sara’s cruel, manipulative behavior add emotional depth to the story, making Sara both a victim and a complicated, deeply flawed character.

The book also explores the complexities of sibling relationships, and the ethical questions surrounding true crime media, specifically with Natalie, Mandy’s sister’s friend. Natalie’s invasive investigation into Sara’s death highlights the exploitative nature of some true crime content, sparking important questions about privacy and respect for victims’ families, especially when Sara has only been dead for a year and her parents are holding a memorial while Natalie questions anyone who may have been involved.

Overall, “Now She’s Dead” is as much about unraveling a murder mystery as it is about understanding trauma and the weight of unresolved guilt. Mandy’s internal struggle is handled with sensitivity, and her slow journey toward self-awareness is as compelling as the twists and turns of the plot. Clarke’s writing style, with its clever use of self-editorializing and vivid depictions of anxiety, places you in Mandy’s chaotic, guilt-ridden mind. This is a must-read for anyone who loves a gripping whodunit that also delves deep into the human psyche.

i didnt really like this. i wasnt a fan of the writing and i thought mandy (and pretty much all the other characters) were annoying

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I love a good atmospheric thriller and while Now She’s Dead is focused on a somewhat younger crowd it didn’t disappoint. Alternating between present and past, we meet Mandy, a young college student who lives in fear of being noticed given the events of last summer. And why last summer? Mandy’s friend Sara perished one night while the two girls were vacationing with their parents and Mandy carries a lot of guilt about that. Set up as a bit of cat and mouse with the reader being introduced to the girls’ friendship just before Sara’s death, and Mandy’s increasing unease at present with her sister carrying suspicions about the death that seem to be spreading, this was an excellent ‘what happened and why’.

A shorter mystery but by no means short on building up a strong mystery with great emotions, budding teen or adult mystery and thriller fans will definitely enjoy this.

Now She’s Dead is a great addition to the YA thriller genre! It explores the pains of outgrowing friendships, the complexities of sibling bonds, and how our choices and secrets can weigh us down. I furiously flipped the pages to solve the mystery behind Sara’s death.

I loved the author’s writing style - with Mandy’s self-editorializing happening on page through the use of crossed out lines and thoughts, I truly felt like we were in her head. Mandy’s coping skills were also brilliantly on display as she listed flowers to manage her growing anxiety. You know she’s hiding something, but she’s buried the truth even from herself. Such great characterization!

The dual timelines gave great insight into Sara’s personality (from Mandy’s perspective) and shed just enough details on the events leading to her death to keep me engaged and guessing. I think this story will resonate with younger audiences (those going through those growing pains) and older audiences (reminiscing in hindsight) alike. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

While I enjoyed the summer resort setting of Now She's Dead, I think this book is better suited for a YA audience. The characters felt a bit one-dimensional, especially Sara, who was a bit of a mean girl cliche. The multiple timelines could be a doozy at times since they centered around the same locations and characters. But for many who are looking for a good thriller (and who like the nuance of different timelines), this will probably be a stronger fit.

💥 ┊ " i know sara ellis is dead because of me. ”


3.5 STARS

PLOT

<i>Now She's Dead</i> follows Mandy, who blames herself for the death of her best friend, Sara. Although her death was ruled an accident the previous year, she still can't let go of what happened. Her fears of someone finding out what really happened that night only grow when her younger sister, Kelsey, invites Natalie, a true crime YouTuber, along on their family vacation.

Although I struggled to like some of the characters, the mystery/thriller aspect was never a problem for me! From spray-painted threats to true crime videos being posted, there was always something going on and I appreciated the fast pace. I sort of guessed who the suspicious person they were looking for was at a little past the halfway point, but it was just as nerve-wracking waiting for them the figure out as it would have been trying to solve the mystery.

The only thing I didn't like was the ending. It felt rushed, and I wish we spent a little more time on the 'after' portion, once everything with the culprit was wrapped up. The ending some of the characters got just didn't feel fair, and it felt like some of the things that happened were brushed over way too easily.

CHARACTERS

Even though the book was hinting that Mandy had more to do with the death, I was (almost) always on her side! I assumed she had much less to do with it than was being put into question and that's what made the other characters so frustrating. While I understand her sister was worried and thought Mandy may have did something that night, both she and Natalie made so many stupid choices that could have led to themselves or others being hurt that it's hard to support them. I get that they're both like fifteen and fifteen-year-olds are prone to making stupid decisions, but oh my god.

The parents were similarly annoying and I really hoped there would be a moment where Mandy called them out for how they seemed to care more about their image than their own daughter.

I'm not really sure how I feel about Sara, the character the entire mystery is set around. I feel sorry for her, as she was obviously going through a tough time around the time of her death, but she was just so needlessly cruel.

PROS:

- bisexual protagonist
- engaging mystery
- beautiful setting (a lake resort)
- realistic depiction of grief

CONS:

- rushed ending (ymmv)
- frustrating side characters

Fantastic book for a younger audience. I didn’t personally like it much but I think maybe it just felt a little rushed to me. I did think it was a quick easy read that the younger people will love.

I have very mixed thoughts and emotions when it comes to this book.

I can totally see the younger demographic being into this book (who it is intended for, a YA audience), but I think that is the only audience it works for.

I found myself getting annoyed with every single character and not being the biggest fan of the constant swapping of timelines (we follow three or four in this book and since they all follow the same people, it gets confusing and convoluted).

I did like other aspects of the writing quite a bit though. I especially liked the crossing out of text, showing how the main character really feels but also how she wants to be betrayed. I really liked that insight into that current state of mind for her. That was really cool, clever and effective.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

Spoiler alert: this book cannot hit the shelves soon enough! 😍

Mandy isn’t just dealing with the loss of her summer friend Sara; she’s also haunted by the weight of a dark secret. Told through two cleverly interwoven timelines, we slowly uncover what really happened on that fateful night.

What makes this thriller so unique? Mandy isn’t a detective or an outsider piecing together the clues—she’s involved in the crime herself. As an #unreliableNarrator, she pulls us into her guilt- and fear-ridden perspective. You can’t help but swing between sympathy and suspicion. Can we trust her?

The characters are as layered as the plot. Mandy is super relatable—even if her chaotic thoughts can be a bit much at times, she’s still so lovable and easy to root for! Andy, the lifeguard, is charming and sweet, while Sara remains a fascinating yet manipulative enigma.

What really hit me was the exploration of sibling dynamics—past and present. Sara and her brother Finn’s complicated relationship is mirrored by Mandy’s bond with her younger sister.

The suspense is real until the very last page. Who’s threatening Mandy? What actually happened at the lake that night? And how much of Mandy’s memories are true? That twist? Absolutely brilliant!

With an atmospheric writing style and sharp psychological insight, the author perfectly captures the suffocating vibe of Highmark. This book will grip you—it’s emotional and packed with tension from start to finish.

💡
Now She’s Dead is an exceptional YA thriller that shines with its unique perspective, layered characters, and gripping plot. The mix of guilt, fear, and the search for truth makes for an intense reading experience. A must-read for fans of complex, emotional thrillers!