Pretty Dead Queens

De: Alexa Donne

Narrado por: Phoebe Strole

The new homecoming queen is dead . . . and she's not the first unsolved murder at Seaview High. From the critically acclaimed author of The Ivies comes a nonstop YA thriller about a decades-old mystery, a copycat killer, and the teen who will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.

"Utterly savage." –Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of They’ll Never Catch Us

"Hand this fast-paced thriller filled with plenty of twists and drama to fans of Holly Jackson or Karen M. McManus." -SLJ

A 2023 Edgar Award Nominee!

After the death of her mom (screw cancer), seventeen-year-old Cecelia Ellis goes to live with her estranged grandmother, a celebrated author whose Victorian mansion is as creepy as the murder mysteries she writes. On the surface, life is utterly ordinary in the California coastal town . . . until the homecoming queen is murdered. And she’s not Seaview’s first pretty dead queen.

With a copycat killer on the loose, Cecelia throws herself into the investigation, determined to crack the case like the heroines in her grandmother’s books. But the more Cecelia digs into the town’s secrets, the more she worries that her own mystery might not have a storybook ending.

Reseñas de la Crítica

Praise for Pretty Dead Queens:

"An intricately plotted whodunit that maintains suspense to the end.” –Kirkus Reviews

"Donne sets up an irresistible premise for mystery lovers, blending toxic family legacies, small-town secrets, and true-crime culture into a twisty tale." -Booklist

"Perfect for...spooky season." -BuzzFeed

"Sharp as a knife and utterly savage, Pretty Dead Queens has an ending that will shock even the most astute mystery buffs." –Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of They’ll Never Catch Us

"Compulsively readable and methodically plotted, Pretty Dead Queens is smart, twisted, and cozy—everything I love in a mystery." –J.Elle, New York Times bestselling author of Wings of Ebony

"Twisty, imaginative, and highly addictive, Pretty Dead Queens is Alexa Donne at her devious best. Packed with small-town secrets, family mysteries, and intrigue: be prepared to stay up well past your bedtime." –Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of All Eyes On Her and The Girls Are All So Nice Here

"Pretty Dead Queens crackles with wit, romance, and atmosphere! Set in a small town full of big lies and unsolved murders, this fast-paced whodunnit will keep you guessing as Cecelia, a whip-smart teen turned amateur investigator, risks everything to stop the killer and bring justice to the victims. A thriller to die for!" –Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, author of Lies Like Wildfire and Friends Like These

"A brain-bending, twisty tale in a picturesque, coastal town bursting with secrets, lies, and ultimate betrayals. The perfect blend of Hitchcock, Agatha Christie, and Jessica Fletcher—all brought to life with the deftness of Donne’s razor-sharp insight into the dark side of human nature." –Jennieke Cohen, author of My Fine Fellow and Dangerous Alliance

"Donne has written a wicked, twisted high school horror-show that will keep you guessing until the very last page." –Brenna Ehrlich, author of Killing Time

"A twisted and deliciously messed-up YA thriller with a dead homecoming queen and a copycat killer that will keep you guessing to the end." --Darby Kane, #1 international bestselling author of Pretty Little Wife

easy and fun

a very easy and fun book.
nothing too overly complicated or tedious.
overall it was an enjoyable time.

Enjoyable

Oh Alexa Donne, I’d love to pick your devious brain to see how you create such delicious mysteries.

After her mom’s death Cecelia arrives to live with her estranged grandmother, a best selling mystery writer whose iconic classic is based on the real murder of a high school homecoming queen Caroline. History seems to be reliving itself at Cecelia’s new high school or does this sleepy town have deeper secrets.

I loved the way Donne connected past and present with descendants of the original high school students who experienced Caroline’s murder. Residents steeped in power and privilege know more than they’re saying.

Cecelia is a great narrator, in pain but making the best of her circumstances, open to new friendships and getting to know her difficulty grandmother. She felt like a real person rather than a teen character written by an adult.

Mystery and thriller lovers will love PRETTY DEAD QUEENS, a story at the top of this popular YA genre.

Best YA I've Read in a While

I'm a big fan of Alexa Donne as a person (as far as she has shown on the internet - I don't personally know her) and as a writer. I always find her work enjoyable and when she challenges herself, she is electrifying.

Pretty Dead Queens is on par, if not better, than The Ivies (which I loved).

The romance angles in this book hit a sweet spot for me that is hard to reach. I loved every red herring, motive, and character. I legitimately did not want this book to end.

Pretty Dead Queens might be my favorite read of the year, or at least in the top three. I am so happy I read this book and I am now very anxious about what I'll read next because what could possibly fill the void in my psyche that this book has left me with?

Anyway, I highly recommend this book, especially if you like YA and small town thrillers.

Also, there was this little nugget at the end about how someone in the story could go on to be a Detective or the like later on in life ... and I am going to be thinking about that for ages. I have a hope beyond hope that Alexa Donne will eventually bring that character back as the MC of an adult thriller series or something. It's a hope with no wings, honestly, but that doesn't stop me from wanting it.

It was fine

I've read my share of YA mystery novels where a girl moves to a new town and solves a murder, but this one has to be the most average of all. The story is fine, but there's few to no big twists in the middle, so the ending feels super abrupt. I have no problem with a lot of characters in a story, but some of these characters were mentioned so rarely, that I almost had to rewind to remember who they were. I feel like half the characters could've been left out and the story wouldn't have changed a bit. Overall, if you're looking for something that will keep you entertained but not give you that "can't put it down" feeling, this is the perfect book.

Hmmmm

I enjoyed the book. I like Ms Donne writing style. But that ending…just didn’t sit write with me …i should like the ending nbu maaiaccounts. But it just didn’t work for me