Games for Dead Girls by Jen WilliamsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!
During a family vacation to the sleepy seaside town of Hithechurch, England, 11-year-old Charlie meets Emily, and they soon become fast friends. Charlie loves to tell scary stories, inventing or embellishing when she can. After Emily becomes violently obsessed with one of Charlie’s tales, another girl is found dead, and both Emily and Charlie are charged with her murder. When Charlie visits Hithechurch as an adult hoping for closure, she is drawn to the case of another missing girl, stepping into a darker tale whose secrets have been buried deep far too long. Charlie is unexpectedly likable, despite her background, and readers will find themselves rooting for her. The changing point of view slowly but satisfyingly ups the level of intensity throughout the story, especially once the POVs come together at the end. The twists are unexpected and delightfully creepy. A brilliantly crafted tale of unexplained disappearances and macabre urban legends, Williams’ sophomore thriller is even better than her debut, A Dark and Secret Place (2021). Recommend to fans of Stacy Willingham, Karin Slaughter, and Stephen King. Booklist 2023
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