Dead Girls Walking: A Novel

Sami Elliss' Dead Girls Walking is a YA horror slasher about a girl searching for her dead mother's body at a summer camp that was once her serial killer father's home. Temple Baker, the daughter of the North Point Killer, returns to his old hunting grounds to prove he killed her mom. However, the farm has been turned into an overnight camp for queer, horror-obsessed girls. When a girl turns up dead in the woods, Temple fears that one of her father's "fans" may be mimicking his crimes. She realizes that there may be something stranger and more sinister at work, and that her father may not have been the only monster in the woods.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 25 April 2024
Publisher: Abrams

"Dead Girls Walking" is a spine-tingling YA horror slasher that delves into the chilling tale of a young girl's search for her deceased mother's body at the summer camp that once served as the home of her serial killer father. This gripping novel is a must-read for fans of classic horror films like "Friday the 13th" and "White Smoke."

Temple Baker, born into a family shrouded in darkness, carries the burden of knowing that evil runs deep within her veins. Her father, the notorious North Point Killer, is an infamous serial killer known for his macabre methods. He marked each of his victims with a distinctive brand, a chilling testament to his depravity. Convicted of murdering twenty people, he became the subject of countless true crime blogs, with rumors circulating about his possession by a demon or the existence of unsolved victims. Despite his imprisonment, whispers persisted that people continued to die in the woods, haunted by the legacy of the North Point Killer.

Despite her doubts, Temple never believed that her father was responsible for her mother's death. However, when he confesses to the crime while on death row, she is left with no choice but to return to the hunting grounds that once held both her father's horrors and her childhood memories. The farm, once her father's hunting grounds and her home, has been transformed into an overnight camp for queer, horror-obsessed girls. Temple poses as a camp counselor to infiltrate the camp and search for any evidence of her mother's remains.

As Temple immerses herself in the world of these true crime enthusiasts, she grapples with her own ambivalence towards girls her age. She finds herself out of her comfort zone, struggling to fit in and conceal her true identity. However, when a girl turns up dead in the woods, Temple's fears escalate. She suspects that one of her father's "fans" may be mimicking his crimes, perpetuating a cycle of violence that has haunted her family for generations.

Determined to uncover the truth and keep the campers safe, Temple delves deeper into the mystery. She realizes that there is something far more sinister at work, something that goes beyond the confines of her father's legacy. As she confronts the darkness that lurks in these woods, Temple comes to the chilling realization that her father may not have been the only monster in these woods. The truth is a terrifying revelation that will forever change her understanding of the world and her place within it.

"Dead Girls Walking" is a haunting and suspenseful YA horror slasher that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring impact of trauma and evil. This novel is a must-read for fans of horror, suspense, and psychological thrillers, as it explores the darkest corners of the human psyche and the lengths that one will go to protect those they love.

Dimension: 210 x 140 x 32 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781419766763