Pretty Dead Things
Author: Kelsey Cox
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Format: eARC
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (3.75 stars)
Synopsis
Twenty-five years ago, Isabelle Whitmore vanished without a trace after visiting Sherman Ranch in Anhalt, Texas.
No body.
No evidence.
No answers.
Now, in 2025, the annual Lone Star Princess Pageant is about to begin, bringing former contestants and long-buried rivalries back to the surface. At the same time, construction crews arrive at Sherman Ranch, threatening to uncover secrets that have remained hidden for decades.
As old wounds reopen and a devastating storm traps everyone together, another crime rocks the small town, proving that some secrets refuse to stay buried.
My Thoughts
I swear, this book is exactly how I've always imagined beauty pageants behind the scenes.
I've never really followed pageants myself, but whenever they pop up in books or movies, I picture fierce rivalries, lingering grudges, jealousy, sabotage and enough drama to fuel an entire thriller.
Pretty Dead Things definitely delivered on that front.
The story revolves around two central mysteries.
The first is Isabelle Whitmore's disappearance twenty-five years earlier, a cold case that has haunted the town ever since.
The second unfolds in the present, as the return of the Lone Star Princess Pageant and the arrival of a construction crew at Sherman Ranch begin stirring up old memories, old resentments, and new dangers.
Needless to say...
Small towns have long memories.
One thing I found particularly entertaining was the contrast between the generations.
Many of the women who competed in the pageant decades earlier never really seemed to move past their "mean girl" phase. Twenty-five years may have passed, but the rivalries, grudges, and competitiveness are very much alive.
Thankfully, their daughters ,who are now competing in the pageant themselves, seem to have turned out a little better.
That contrast gave the story an interesting dynamic and prevented it from becoming just another pageant rivalry.
This is also one of those mysteries that demands your full attention.
With multiple points of view, shifting timelines, and plenty of interconnected secrets, it's not the kind of book you can casually breeze through. There were a couple of moments where I wondered if I'd missed an important detail, but thankfully everything eventually clicked into place.
The mystery itself kept me invested from beginning to end.
Between the decades-old disappearance and the new investigation unfolding alongside it, there was always another revelation waiting around the corner. The twists kept me guessing, and I genuinely wanted to know how everything connected.
My only real reservation came with the ending.
It wasn't bad by any means, but it didn't leave quite the impact I was hoping for after such a strong buildup. I found myself more invested in the journey than the final reveal.
Final Thoughts
Pretty Dead Things is an engaging mystery that blends cold cases, family secrets, pageant politics, and small-town drama into an entertaining thriller filled with twists and long-buried resentments.
While the ending didn't quite deliver the same punch as the rest of the novel for me, the mystery, layered storytelling, and memorable cast kept me turning the pages.
If you enjoy thrillers with multiple timelines, complicated family dynamics, and plenty of secrets waiting to be uncovered, this one is well worth adding to your TBR.
⭐️ 3.75 stars
ARC Disclaimer
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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