Whispers of Dead Girls
- Judith D Collins
- 7 days ago
- 10 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
By: Marlee Bush
ISBN: 9781728289564
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: 05/27/2025
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
She’s right. It can never happen again. She won’t let it.
Ten years have passed, and Ren Taylor is back at square one, having accepted a job at her old high school. She’d hoped to make peace with the past but now she’s thrust back into it: her murdered teenage sister is still immortalized in town, and Ren can’t stop seeing her wherever she goes. She’s dogged by the scandal that ruined her childhood and killed her sister.
Then Ren meets physics teacher Bryson Lewis. Handsome and charismatic, all the other teachers and students seem to fall at his feet. But Ren knows men like him – she knows they can’t be trusted.
The more Ren watches him, the more suspicious she becomes. And when she notices his close relationship with a girl in one of his classes – a girl just like her sister – she worries history is about to repeat itself. This time, she won’t sit back and watch another girl be taken before her time.
This time, Ren will do what she must to save her, even if it means revealing her own darkest secrets.
About the Author
MARLEE BUSH lives in Alabama with her husband and children.
With degrees in Criminology and English, she’s obsessed with true crime and documentaries. Her favorite stories to tell are the kind that make you double check the locks on your door at night.
When She Was Me was her debut novel and WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS out May 27, 2025.
Connect with Marlee:
Marlee's Novels
Exceptional Authors.
Standout Books. Elevator Talk.
Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
An Elevator ride with bestselling author, Marlee Bush
and WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS
Welcome to the third May 2025 #AuthorElevatorSeries. Notable guest author, Marlee Bush (personal favorite) joins us for the first time with her latest highly anticipated riveting sophomore thriller, WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS. Out, May 27, 2025.
Join us as Marlee shares some fascinating behind-the-scenes exclusives from the book and up-close-and-personal fun moments from this talented author.
Welcome, Marlee!
Behind the Book
Q. Give us your best ELEVATOR PITCH for your new novel, WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS.
Ren Taylor moves back to her old hometown as a high school teacher. It’s there she meets the enigmatic chemistry teacher Bryson Lewis and notices his peculiar relationship with one of his students. It reminds Ren too much of the past and her own dead sister, but this time Ren is determined not to let history repeat itself.
Q. INSPIRATION: The spark that ignited the novel. Where were you when the idea came to you?
The spark of this story actually started with Ren. Her voice just exploded to life in my brain, and I knew I wanted to write her. So I spent weeks and weeks thinking about her. She became a teacher with a secretive past, a dead sister, and a few mildly, morally gray proclivities. I set her loose in a small town with its own fair share of secrets.
Of all the books I’ve written (and this is only my second published, but I wrote four before my debut) Whisper of Dead Girls was without a doubt the easiest.
Q. GENRE: What continues to draw you to this genre? Your favorite genre (s) to read?
I think I love thrillers because I can experience every emotion and feeling on the human spectrum within a good one. They’re deep. Cunning. Clever. Scary. Romantic. Mysterious. And pure fun. Also, I live for a good twist.
Continue reading below for more up close and personal with Marlee!
Behind the Author
WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH READERS KNEW ABOUT YOU?
There is a question that I must always know about a person: what book changed your life? So if you ever find yourself in a conversation with me (apologies in advance) then please do let me know.
(This goes for you too, Judy!) *"Marlee, see my response below at the end of the interview. This is the first I have been asked a question. Am honored.
I know you said "book" but I am including "book (s)."😊 Yours?"
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A BOOK, WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE OF YOUR CURRENT CHAPTER?
You will sleep when you’re dead: an introduction to the next eighteen years
NAME A BOOK TITLE ON YOUR BOOKSHELF OR NIGHTSTAND THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOUR READERS?
Right now? The Brother’s Karamazov (and I better have it finished by the time these answers go live!)
YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A PARENT?
The life skills they’ve taught me (patience, unwavering love, empathy, kindness). They’re my best tutors.
THE LAST BOOK YOU RAVED ABOUT?
The Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
JUDY: This sounds fascinating. Adding to my list. .
ONE BIT OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE AN INSPIRING AUTHOR?
I’m not qualified to hand out advice on account of the fact I failed my way into publishing. But if I had to give an answer—embrace failure. Every piece of failure is just an opportunity. An opportunity to think bigger, work harder, have patience, be humble. You’ll be better for it. Trust me.
IF YOU COULD CHOOSE CELEBRITY PARENTS, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
Taylor and Travis of course.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR?
Being kind.
WHAT ARE EARLIER JOBS YOU HAD BEFORE BECOMING AN AUTHOR?
HOW HAVE THESE EARLIER JOBS HELPED YOU OR BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN YOUR WRITING CAREER?
I have had every job under the sun. Hostess, cashier, server. There was a year in a call center. A few months as a runner at a court reporting firm. A black Friday in a retail store. A teller at a bank.
They’ve all been sprinkled into my writing (and fondest memories) somehow.
IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF WISE ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Listen more.
(Also try Sushi sooner. You’ll love it.)
THE GENRE YOU READ THE MOST?
It’s a tie between thrillers and nonfiction. I love thrillers for obvious reasons. But nonfiction, particularly books on religion and social psychology have my heart. I recently just finished Julian of Norwich: The Showings: Uncovering the Face of the Feminine in Revelations of Divine Love by Mirabai Starr (Life changing by the way!) and I currently have the Tao Te Ching loaded on my Kindle which I am so eager to dive into.
YOUR BIGGEST CHEERLEADER?
My grandmother! A 78-year-old retired librarian. She is always the most excited for me about literally everything. Unfortunately she does read all my reviews and sometimes tells me about them. She can’t seem to understand how anyone could dislike my books.
IF YOU WERE NOT A WRITER, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR IDEAL CAREER?
I want to be the person who stands at the entrance of a store as they walk in. I’d greet people all day and occasionally stop a shoplifter. It’s the perfect job.
(Or maybe the night security guard for a museum.)
THE FUNNIEST ONE STAR REVIEW YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED AND NAME OF THE BOOK?
So let me preface this by saying I do not typically read reviews (unless relayed to me by my grandmother). However, I did stumble across one that made me smile. A scathing one star for When She Was Me that went something like this:
I DNF [did not finish] after one page. Worst book I ever read.
JUDY: Clearly this person did not read the book.
*FROM JUDY: I think I will steal this life-changing book question for future author interviews! 😉 Thank you for asking. Of course, I cannot answer this with only one book, so here goes: These are in addition to a few of the classics I adore.
Life-changing books that stand out:
~WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR by Paul Kalanithi.
~THE FIFTH SEASON: Creativity in the Second Half of Life by Mark Nepo.
~EVICTED and POVERTY BY AMERICA by Matthew Desmond
~THERE IS NO PLACE FOR US: Working and Homeless in America by Brian Goldstone.
OK, back to you, Marlee!
Thank you, Marlee, for spending time with us today. This was informative and so much fun!
Thank you again for including me and for all you do in the reader-ly world, Judy.
Praise
"Haunting, propulsive, and chillingly atmospheric with claustrophobic small-town vibes, I was totally gripped by Marlee Bush’s, Whispers of Dead Girls, which I devoured in one sitting! Fans of Lisa Jewell and Mary Kubica will be OBSESSED with this riveting thriller that will keep you guessing, but trust me, you’ll be wrong!"
― May Cobb, author of The Hunting Wives
"Whispers of Dead Girls, Marlee Bush’s propulsive new thriller, forces readers to wonder if a damaged person can ever truly heal. In the case of Bush’s exquisitely crafted protagonist, Ren Taylor, the jury is decidedly out... much to our pleasure. Ren is the most morally gray of all heroes, which not only rings true but allows us to see ourselves in her. Could we let our fractured pasts go, or would we forever chase absolution, only to realize that only serves to keep us imprisoned? There is no clear answer, and there shouldn’t be, but the chase itself makes for a hell of story. I devoured this powerful, gutsy book, and you will, too."
― Carter Wilson, USA Today bestselling author of Tell Me What You Did
"Emotions run deep in this tension-filled and expertly-plotted thriller about grief, sisterhood, the hurts that won’t heal, and the haunting memories we can’t leave behind. Whispers of Dead Girls is a gripping exploration of damaged girls and the things that break them."
― Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau, author of The French Honeymoon
"Puzzle pieces change shape as the fierce female characters shift in the shadows, and the author keeps us twisting and tumbling until the whispers become roars. Unforgettable."
― KD Aldyn, author of Sister, Butcher, Sister
"Propulsive, creepy, and oh-so-satisfying! Marlee Bush’s Whispers of Dead Girls grabbed me and wouldn’t let go."
― Stacy Johns, author of What Remains of Teague House
"A dark, twisted, and gripping thriller with a main character who is as complicated and compelling as any heroine you’ve ever wondered if you can really trust."
― Stacie Grey, author of She Left
My Review
Atmospheric. Chilling. Haunting. Twisty.
Author Marlee Bush (favorite author) returns following her smashing debut, When She Was Me (2024), with her gripping sophomore thriller, WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS.
WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS is an engrossing Southern small-town rural mystery featuring a woman confronting her complex past and dark secrets to protect a student after her sister's death.
Set in a place where teens and women are vulnerable, and men are dangerous. The finger of suspicion points at them all with a driving force and overpowering need for revenge and justice as payback for their traumas.
Don't miss this riveting, twisty psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, guessing until the end!
"When girls die, when they can't speak their truths anymore, all we have left are their whispers. "
About...
Ren Taylor returns to her hometown as a biology teacher at her former high school. Challenging to face everyone (including her parents) after the death of her beautiful older sister, Margo's tragic murder years earlier when they were in high school.
Haunted by her ghost, she still sees and speaks with her—haunted by her memory. She needs closure.
Soon after joining the staff, Ren becomes suspicious of a charismatic physics teacher, Bryson Lewis. All the students are in love with him, and she observes him and the close relationship with a female student. This makes her uncomfortable, reminiscent of her late sister and her own experience. Could she have saved her before it had gone too far? Choices and consequences that change the trajectory of your life and others.
She is determined to prevent history from repeating itself and keep this web of secrets from spiraling out of control. There are more girls. How do they link?
See knows all too well about keeping secrets. She still blames herself for her sister's death. She must save the girls from their secrets before it's too late. Something tells her she is running out of time.
My thoughts...
Marlee Bush has created rich, multilayered characters who lead us into a darkly immersive exploration of loss and the search for truth and justice, while brilliantly capturing the atmosphere of this small town.
WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS has all the dark vibes, psychologically rich, dark, gritty, chilling, multi-layered, and complex as the author cleverly gives us the background and unravels all the secrets, lies, and betrayals as the past meets the present for an explosive finale.
An absorbing character study and a perfect choice for readers who want to sink into a well-developed and executed psychological thriller. A dark and twisty story of what happened to one young Georgia teen girl, with a bright future. And the sister left behind with ghosts and secrets who refuse to let her rest.
There are many twists, turns, surprises, suspense, mystery, and tension. INTENSE! When you get to around 70% hang on and buckle up, with fast-paced suspense and wilder than any roller coaster ride to the end.
Richly textured and beautifully written with lyrical prose. The author superbly builds tension, and the plot twists will keep your head spinning (mind-bending). Deliciously twisty and eerie, intricately layered, and instantly compelling.
An emotionally charged exploration of guilt, secrets, grief, revenge, JUSTICE, obsession, and redemption. From teenage secrets, sibling rivalry, first love, pain, loss, rejection, betrayal, trust, lies, and the need for acceptance. Nature vs. Nurture.
"The thing about justice? Sometimes when you take it into your hands, it becomes something else entirely. Sometimes justice crumbles to dust and you're left sweeping up the ashes. I've stopped hunting monsters. Not because I want to, but because sometimes when you hunt monsters, you actually find them."
An unputdownable thrill-ride mystery with fully developed characters, making you question every character's motives. Often, the monsters are directly in front of us. Ideal for book clubs and further discussions.
The writing is stunning, and I highlighted many quotes. The novel crosses many genres, blending coming-of-age, YA, murder, family drama, crime, psychological, and domestic thriller. Caution: do not start reading until you have plenty of time. It is unputdownable. An author to watch!
"I think of secrets. How they take root in us and grow, curving around our bodies, blocking us— the real us—from the view of others. Until, to those who see us, we become someone else entirely."
Interview...
Stay tuned for my upcoming #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A ride with Marlee, where we will go behind the scenes of the book and up close and personally with this super- talented author. Pub Day 5/27.
Recs...
WHISPERS OF DEAD GIRLS is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Mary Kubica, Wendy Walker, Megan Miranda, Julia Heaberlin, Kate Alice Marshall, Heather Gudenkauf, Megan Abbott, and Charlie Donlea.
Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press, Sourcebooks, and NetGalley for a gifted digital and paperback advanced review copy, for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
