Dead Girls
Beck Kubrick
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published September 22, 2026
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About Dead Girls
The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.
In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.
Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence—and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.
With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls—now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?
My Review
Far from delicate damsels waiting in fear as a brutal murderer closes in, these girls have decided to run toward danger and stop it in its tracks. I love the energy on the page as Ash and company gather their courage and go on the hunt.
Though the graphic novel includes some slasher themes and tropes, I appreciated how the illustrations used the animal costumes to blunt the violence a bit. It adds just enough creepiness to have those blank-eyed costume heads looming in doorways, and yet… they’re literally cute costume pieces. I thought that was pretty genius, honestly.
Slashers aren’t my favorite horror subgenre, but something about this one really drew me in. I think it’s because it both subverts tropes and also embraces them? There’s a kind of playfulness in the writing that I can’t help but like.
Ash’s small friend group is a lot of fun, too. I loved the banter and jokes, as well as their deep commitment to one another and the unexpected bit of romance.
This book offers so much for readers looking for a fun twist on classic fall horror tropes. Definitely check this out if you’re a horror fan craving a bit more feminism in your reading life.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 15 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and dating relationships.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
Several characters are murdered on the page. References to past murders. Some characters fight off attackers.
Drug Content
None.
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