Girls Who Play Dead – Joelle Wellington

I hope you enjoy the little Billy cameo

Thanks to Simon Teen for the gifted copy

GIRLS WHO PLAY DEAD – Joelle Wellington (Released November 4th, 2025)

Book Description:

Two siblings investigate the murder of a friend only to unearth even more deadly mysteries in their small town in this page-turning young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games.

When Mikky Graves left his small, stifling hometown of Prophets Lake to live with his estranged mother, he thought nothing could ever make him return for good.

Until his sister Kyla’s best friend, Erin, is murdered.

Mikky never worried about leaving Kyla behind at their family-owned funeral home so long as she had Erin. But when Mikky heads home, determined to help Kyla grieve, the sister he encounters barely resembles the one he remembers. Mikky decides, then and there, to do the one thing that seems even more impossible than stay.

As Kyla spirals further into her rage and secrets, Mikky realizes the only thing that can help his sister is finding the truth about who killed Erin. But the more he investigates, the further he’s pulled into other ugly mysteries of Prophets Lake and the beauty brand that is its lifeblood. The town’s rot runs deep, and everyone has something to hide. Perhaps no one more than Kyla herself.

My Thoughts: 4/5 stars

Erin was murdered and her two friends, Mikky and Kyla, are determined to get to the bottom of it. I’d like to think I could work with my brother on something like this, but let’s be real, it wouldn’t happen. The dynamic between the sisters was great and I loved seeing their separate POVs throughout the book. 

The small town has secrets galore and there’s something sketchy with the massive beauty brand that is the town’s lifeblood. I do like the thrillers/suspense books that go in behind the curtain of the beauty industry and how ugly it really is. I was not ready for that ending! I love when I can’t predict the outcome and I never would have gotten this one!

From what I saw in other reviews, the audio version is great!