Dead End Girls by Wendy Heard
Narrated by Natalie Naudus and Taylor Meskimen
Hachette Audio / Christy Ottaviano Books
Publication Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 9781668613238
After years of careful planning, Maude is ready to die. Or rather, to pretend to die. She’s ready to leave her life- her awkward relationship with her step-family and their wealth, her friends, her school, everything she’s ever known – behind. Everything is in place, but right before things start in motion her step-cousin Frankie finds out. And even worse for Maude – Frankie wants in. What follows is a delicious mess. Things go wrong – really, really, wrong. But Maude’s sheer determination won’t let them turn back, even after the bodies start piling up in their wake.
Told through alternating point-of-view, the reader gets insight into the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of both Frankie and Maude. Wendy Heard provides realistic insight into trauma, grief, queer identity and relationships, friendships, and family. Not without its fair share of suspense, thrills, and romance, this page-turner will leave readers both frustratingly exasperated and delighted. Both narrators (Natalie Naudus and Taylor Meskimen) are well matched to their respective characters and the news clips are especially well done in an audio format.
Perfect for fans of Tess Sharpe’s The Girls I’ve Been and Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin.
-Katie Patterson
The Selected Lists teams read throughout the year in search of the best titles published in their respective categories. Once a book is suggested (either internally or through the title suggestion form), it must pass through a review process to be designated an official nomination.
Each week, the teams feature a review of one of the officially nominated titles. Additional titles to receive this designation are listed as well. At year’s end, the team will curate a final list from all nominated titles and select a Top Ten.