Title: GAMES FOR DEAD GIRLS
Author: Jen Williams
ISBN: 9780008383855
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 384
Source: Private Copy
When Charlie was young, she would visit with her family, making friends and playing down by the beach.
Their favourite was telling scary stories; silly games of make-believe that would twist and weave old wives’ tales to scare each other. They would laugh and try to shake off the shiver that ran down their backs and made the hair on their necks stand on end.
But what if it wasn’t all make-believe?
Years later, Charlie returns to Hithechurch with her niece, researching a book on folklore. As she delves deeper into the history of the area, she finds something disturbing: a decades-long history of women going missing. Could the stories be true?
Charlie is about to find out some games are deadlier than others.
Official Summary
11 September 2025
It was great to stumble across this book at the Exclusive Books sale last month. I have only read one other book by Jen Williams – Dog Rose Dirt – and the title of this book immediately had me intrigued.
Games for Dead Girls is one of those haunting, atmospheric thrillers that burrow under your skin and stay there long after you’ve turned the last page. Jen Williams delivers an absolutely chilling story that blends childhood nostalgia, eerie folklore, and the kind of small-town secrets that send shivers down your spine.
From the start, I was completely drawn into Charlie’s world. The dual timelines — her childhood visits to Hithechurch and her present-day return with her niece — are woven together beautifully, creating an unsettling sense of déjà vu. As a child, Charlie and her friends told scary stories for fun, never truly believing the legends they whispered about. But now, as she digs deeper while researching local folklore, she uncovers a dark and twisted history of missing women that makes you question where the stories end and the truth begins.
The atmosphere in this book is phenomenal. Jen Williams paints Hithechurch in such vivid, eerie detail that you can practically hear the waves crashing on the beach, feel the damp chill in the air, and sense the weight of its secrets pressing down on you. The tension builds slowly, creeping up on you like a cold shadow, and before you realise it, you’re completely hooked.
I loved Charlie as a protagonist — she’s flawed, complex, and incredibly relatable. Her determination to uncover the truth, despite the painful memories tied to this place, makes her journey all the more gripping. The folklore element added an extra layer of intrigue, blurring the line between myth and reality in a way that kept me second-guessing everything.
By the time I reached the final chapters, I was completely on edge. The twists were perfectly executed, the pacing spot-on, and the conclusion deeply satisfying. It’s dark, unsettling, and utterly addictive — everything I want in a suspenseful mystery.
If you enjoy books that combine chilling folklore, small-town secrets, and slow-burning tension that explodes into heart-pounding revelations, Games for Dead Girls is an absolute must-read. It’s clever, creepy, and beautifully written — a five-star read from start to finish.
Also by Jen Williams
DOG ROSE DIRT
What if your mother had been writing to a serial killer?
A convicted murderer with a story to tell
Serial killer Michael Reave – known as The Red Wolf – has been locked in Belmarsh Prison for over 20 years for the brutal and ritualistic murders of countless women.
A grieving daughter with a secret to unearth
Ex-journalist Heather Evans returns to her childhood home after her mother’s inexplicable suicide and discovers something chilling – hundreds of letters between her mother and Reave, dating back decades.
A hunt for a killer ready to strike again
When the body of a woman is found decorated with flowers, just like his victims, Reave is the only person alive who could help. After years of silence, he will speak to Heather, and only Heather.
If she wants to unearth the truth and stop further bloodshed, she’ll have to confront a monster.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
Jen Williams is a writer from London currently living in Bristol with her partner, fellow fantasy author Peter Newman. A fan of witches and dark folklore from an early age, these days she writes character-driven fantasy novels with plenty of banter and magic as well as horror-tinged crime thrillers with strong female leads. In 2015 she was nominated for Best Newcomer in the British Fantasy Awards. She is represented by Juliet Mushens of Mushens Entertainment.
I have not read anything by Jen Williams since Dog Rose Dirt in 2022, so stumbling across a copy of Games for Dead Girls at this year’s Exclusive Books Warehouse sale was a lucky find. I raced through this book; it’s a brilliant read. You need to add this one to your TBR. Until next time…. Happy Reading!
