Dead Girls Is a Killer, Queer, Campy Love Letter to Slashers
Review of "Dead Girls" by Beck Kubrick
Some books know exactly what they are trying to do, and Dead Girls by Beck Kubrick absolutely slashes its way through the assignment. Written and illustrated by Beck Kubrick, this upcoming YA graphic novel from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers is described in the press release as a witty, laugh-out-loud, campy, feminist send-up of teen slashers, with a story that both celebrates and subverts classic horror tropes. It follows Ash Hargreeves, the teen daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, who must prove she is not responsible for a new wave of copycat murders in her town.
And honestly? I loved this book.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for Young Readers for the ARC and my honest review. I will also be giving away a copy of Dead Girls to one lucky winner! Scroll down to learn more about how to enter and win a copy for yourself.
Dead Girls is the kind of graphic novel that horror fans, mystery readers, queer readers, and anyone who has ever yelled “don’t go in there!” at a slasher movie will immediately understand. It has the missing girls, the eerie woods, the suspicious small town, the masked killer energy, and the “everyone thinks they know what happened” atmosphere. But instead of simply repeating the same familiar formula, Kubrick twists it into something sharper, funnier, and much more self-aware.
One of my favorite parts of the book is that Ash is the daughter of a serial killer, but the infamous killer is her mother, not her father. That detail adds such an interesting layer to the slasher satire. So often, stories about serial killers, legacy, and inherited darkness focus on violent fathers and the children left behind in their shadow. By making Ash’s mother the Clossdale Killer, the book immediately shifts the dynamic. It complicates the expectations around motherhood, monstrosity, femininity, and how girls are judged when violence enters the story. Ash is not just trying to prove she did not commit these murders; she is also trying to prove she is more than the worst thing people associate with her family.
That theme of identity is one of the strongest parts of the book. Ash is weird, guarded, funny, and understandably exhausted by the way people look at her. She is also a lesbian, and I loved seeing her queerness be part of her character without the story reducing her to only that. This was such a great read for Pride Month because the LGBTQ+ representation feels natural and meaningful. Ash’s lesbian foster mothers also bring a layer of found family to the story, which balances the bloodier, scarier elements with warmth and emotional grounding. In the middle of murder, suspicion, and chaos, the book still makes room for love, support, and chosen family.
The humor is another huge highlight. Dead Girls is genuinely funny, and not just in a “slasher characters make bad decisions” way. The dialogue is snappy, the timing is great, and the horror references are exactly the kind of thing that made me grin while reading. My personal favorite was the WWJLCD moment: “What Would Jamie Lee Curtis Do?” I am absolutely taking this acronym with me from now on. It feels like a perfect horror-fan spin on WWJD, but instead of asking what the traditionally righteous choice is, you are asking how to face danger with the fierce, practical, no-nonsense survival instincts of the ultimate scream queen and LGBTQ+ advocate. Honestly, in a crisis, calling the police or Jamie Lee Curtis feels like a solid plan.
I also really enjoyed the way Kubrick brings in the world of true crime podcasts and crime-thriller culture. The book taps into the current obsession with murder content, amateur investigation, and the way real tragedy can become entertainment. That adds another smart layer to the satire. Dead Girls is not only poking fun at slasher tropes; it is also looking at how people consume stories about dead girls, missing girls, and “fascinating” killers. It asks what happens when a town, a media culture, and even strangers decide they already know the villain before the truth is uncovered.
The artwork is fantastic. Kubrick’s illustrations create suspense, comedy, and thrills in every frame. The style has the energy of classic comic book storytelling mixed with touches that reminded me of anime techniques: expressive faces, dramatic reactions, sharp movement, and panels that know exactly when to go big and when to pull back. The scary moments have impact, but the funny moments land just as well. That balance is hard to pull off, especially in a story that is juggling murder mystery, satire, emotional trauma, queer identity, and friendship, but the visuals keep everything moving.
What really makes the book work, though, is the cast. Every character feels rounded, not just thrown in to be a trope or a body count. Ash’s friends have personality and purpose, and I loved following them through this chaotic, bloody, hilarious journey. The relationships give the story its heart. Yes, there are murders to solve and danger around every corner, but underneath that is a story about girls trying to protect each other in a world that keeps turning them into suspects, victims, or punchlines.
Dead Girls is fearless, funny, feminist, and full of horror-loving attitude. It is perfect for readers who enjoy Scream, Yellowjackets, campy slashers, queer YA, graphic novels with bite, and stories that can make you laugh right before they make you nervous. Beck Kubrick has created a debut graphic novel that is clever, stylish, suspenseful, and completely entertaining.
I had such a fun time reading this, and I will definitely be recommending it. For me, Dead Girls is a bloody good Pride Month read—and a killer addition to the YA graphic novel shelf.
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/ 5
About the book:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
On Sale: September 22, 2026
Buy Links: Simon & Schuster
Synopsis:
The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this witty and laugh-out-loud funny 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, WWJLD: what would Jamie Lee do?
Resource: Simon & Schuster Guide to Using Graphic Novels in the Classroom
Meet the Author/Illustrator:
Beck Kubrick is an award-winning writer and cartoonist living in Manchester, UK. They like stories about terrible girls and thinking about the apocalypse. They have worked with Cartoon Network, Mad Cave Studios, Oni Press, and more. Dead Girls is their debut graphic novel as author-illustrator. You can visit them online at BeckKubrick.com or @BeckKubrick.
Giveaway:
One (1) physical copy of Dead Girls by Beck Kubrick. USA only. Giveaway ends on June 30, 2026, at midnight EST.
Thank you for joining me today. Please jump into the conversation below by telling me if you’ve read and liked “Dead Girls” and, if not, which LGBTQ+ book or horror book you recommend.