This Is Not a Dead Girl Story

By: Kate Sweeney

Narrated by: Jen Zhao

A dark and powerful mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and true crime podcasts, in which a teen girl must do whatever it takes to find her missing cousin—who everyone else thinks is dead.

Remy Green is missing. Eight days after the death of her boyfriend, River O’Dell, the magnetic, golden-haired girl disappeared in the dead of night.

Jules Green, Remy’s cousin, is her opposite in every way: awkward, shy, and a bit strange, never feeling at home in the small town of Black Falls, NY. The only place she has ever belonged is with River and Remy. Now she’s on her own—and everyone around her believes that Remy is dead.

But Jules can still hear Remy’s voice in her head, urging her to keep looking. With the help of River’s cousin Sam, a troubled and mysterious boy, Jules starts untangling the truth of what exactly happened. Through her search, Jules must delve into the dark corners of her hometown—unearthing family secrets and hidden truths about the two people she thought she knew most.

Who was Remy, really, behind the popular-girl façade she wore? What trouble was she involved in? And can Jules find a way to save her from it? Or is this a dead girl story after all?

Critic reviews

"This twisting narrative, which asks complex questions about power and autonomy, will keep even seasoned genre fans guessing while trusting them enough to avoid simplistic answers. . . A clever, dogged, and well-executed mystery that examines critical issues."--Kirkus

"[A compelling story]...Full of intrigue and small-town politics, the book holds up a mirror to the realities many girls face in relationships with boys and men. A perfect choice for fans of Meredith Adamo’s Not Like Other Girls (2024) and Sarah Everett’s How to Live without You (2022)."--Booklist

"In this propulsive pivot from Sweeney (This One’s for You), a smart and complex heroine contends with issues surrounding body image, sex, drugs, mental health, and justice."--Publishers Weekly

"More than a mere suspenseful thriller, this book tackles grief, friendship, love, loss, girlhood, mental health, and abuse in a thoughtful way. The characters are nuanced and complex, and the emotions they feel and issues they encounter are gritty and realistic. VERDICT Readers who enjoy Elana K. Arnold and Courtney Summers will appreciate this thought-provoking suspense story."–School Library Journal

Praise for This One's for You:
*"A beautifully written story about grief, love, and not just discovering who you are but finding the courage to declare, “This is who I am!” before the world . . . This is a must-read for music fans and romantics who believe in destiny but know fate alone can’t hold up a relationship—even true love needs you to put in the work." --Booklist (starred review)

"Amplifying raw emotion through imagery-rich prose, Sweeney explores mental health and the transition to adulthood...[and] captures the sensory immersion of musical performance...via lyrical alternating perspectives." --Publishers Weekly

Praise for Catch the Light:
"Beautifully captured, like a photograph of a stolen moment. I ached for Marigold in her journey to move forward while not forgetting her past. Kate Sweeney's Catch the Light overflows with grief, love, and growing up." --Amy Spalding, bestselling author of We Used to Be Friends

*“Catch the Light is an affecting and affirming case for the painful, transformative inevitability of hope in the face of heartache.” --BookPage (starred review)

A page-turner that resists tropes as promised

Well-written and a good story. Relatable female protagonist. Would love to see what the author comes out with next.

intriguing

not what I expected, but a very different viewpoint of what happens to girls in a society that uses them poorly.