In You’re Dead to Me by Amy Christine Parker, Ruby, a high school senior on scholarship at Oleander Bay Academy, spends her days working at her family’s animal park and running a secret TikTok account, @reputationkiller, where she exposes the secrets of the town’s elite—especially the Bling Brigade, a group of privileged students who rule the school. But after one of her biggest posts, Ruby receives a chilling warning from her own ghost, who appears in her prom dress and tells her she has less than a week to live before she’s murdered on prom night.
Shaken, Ruby is forced to confront the eerie truth: her ghost isn’t just a warning, it’s a countdown. As Ruby struggles to process this, her secret online persona is discovered, throwing her into further danger. With no time to waste, Ruby teams up with her best friends, Anton and Xavier, a gay couple, and an unlikely member of the Bling Brigade to investigate the mystery surrounding her murder. As they dig deeper, they uncover long-buried secrets about the town and the people around them, realizing that Ruby’s death is just one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Parker masterfully builds a sense of dread, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere as Ruby’s ghost grows more decayed with each passing day. The twists come fast, and the story keeps readers on the edge of their seats as Ruby races against time to solve her murder before it’s too late. The novel not only thrills with suspense and paranormal elements but also delves into themes of justice, social inequality, and the consequences of living in a small town full of hidden secrets.
You’re Dead to Me is a gripping, fast-paced thriller with plenty of twists and jump scares, making it a must-read for fans of paranormal mysteries and psychological suspense.
