By Cynthia Murphy (author)
"Life imitates art, and art gets dark, in a twisty, gothic YA murder mystery that sees an aspiring crime journalist try to track down a copycat killer."
Paperback Temporarily Out Of Stock £9.99 £8.99
View All Editions (2)
Super-suspenseful and shot-through with esotericism, Cynthia Murphy’s Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls blazes with the drive of its determined protagonist, seventeen-year-old Fliss, who throws herself into investigating a series of murders after finding what her art history professor father describes as “one of the most important pieces of lost art in the last century”.
The artwork in question, “so fabled that no one was sure it even existed”, depicts a creepy “soulless face”, and completes a set of four paintings of women by the same artist, whose body was found with all five paintings. When Fliss learns that some experts believe the painter killed the four women and immortalised them on canvas, she sets herself a goal: “I’m going to find out who these women were and share their names with the world.”
Through Fliss’ investigation, the narrative shifts back to the artist’s victims in 1911, all of them young women who were trying to forge fresh lives in New York City. When a series of murders happens close to home in the present-day, Fliss pivots her focus to tracking down the culprit. Adding to the intrigue, while Fliss is convinced the perpetrator is copying the historic murders, her best friend believes the painting is cursed, with tarot card connections playing a part in both their theories.
Told in Fliss’ voice, the entertaining, suspenseful story builds to a searing finale. Fliss is focussed, earnest, and driven by urgency, and so is the writing. Recommended for 13+-year-olds who love creepy contemporary thrillers, gothic murder mysteries, and scary movies, Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls is also ideal for aficionados of the esoteric.
Murder is an art . . . and she's the next masterpiece.
From the bestselling author of Win Lose Kill Die and Keep Your Friends Close comes an addictive killer-thriller with a horror twist, following an aspiring crime journalist's investigation into a case of copycat murders seemingly connected to a 'cursed' painting. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' The Naturals series and Bill Wood's Let's Split Up .
When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller uncovers a disturbing self-portrait of a man at an estate sale, her Art History professor dad buys it, despite how unsettled Fliss feels. The portrait has been lost for decades and completes a set of four existing paintings of women by the same artist already hanging in the town's gallery.
That evening, the portrait falls to the floor, revealing paperwork inside the frame that suggests the artist was a serial killer and that the women depicted were his victims. Despite her alarm, Fliss vows to investigate and uncover the truth.
But when a series of gruesome murders rock the community, and some think the resurrection of the self-portrait has unleashed a curse, Fliss knows better than to believe them. There are shocking similarities between the poses of the modern-day murders and the painted women, and she's sure there's a copycat killer on the loose.
Racing against time, can Fliss unravel the clues before she becomes the murderer's next muse?
'A wickedly brilliant masterpiece from the queen of YA thrillers. Deliciously dark and addictive, this is Cynthia Murphy's best - and scariest - book yet.' Kathryn Foxfield , author of Good Girls Die First 'Dark and unsettling, Murphy delivers an original, suspenseful thriller driven by richly drawn characters, where the horrors of the past refuse to stay buried. Perfect for fans of twisty crime!' Jennifer Pearson , author of Drop Dead Famous 'A delicious mystery full of clever twists and shocking turns.' Jessica Goodman , author of They Wish They Were Us 'I couldn't put it down. A really original concept and such a fun read.' Kelly McCaughrain , author of Just Another Dead Boy 'Sharp, thrilling and darkly riveting. Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls kept me on the edge of my seat!' Alexis Henderson , author of When I Was Death 'Slick and twisted. A pulse-pounding thriller that held me captive all the way to the blistering finale! Prepare for a one-sit read.' Kat Ellis, author of Harrow Lake 'A propulsive thriller that's both wickedly funny and deviously dark' Veronica Bane , author of Difficult Girls 'Dark, thrilling and so creepy. An enthralling world of art, obsession and murder' Amy McCaw , author of Mina and the Undead Praise for Cynthia Murphy; 'Bold, thrilling, and wickedly addictive. Your next obsession.' Karen M. McManus , author of One of Us is Lying 'An intricately crafted YA thriller that I cannot wait to read again.' Bill Wood , author of Let's Split Up 'Twists, turns and heartstopping tension, Cynthia Murphy is a thriller author at the top of her game.' Benjamin Dean , author of How to Die Famous
Cynthia Murphy is the bestselling author of a number of YA thrillers, including the BookTok sensation Win Lose Kill Die.
She has a long-standing love affair with all things scary, reading Point Horrors before graduating to Stephen King in her misguided teens. Studying for a degree in Art History and Archaeology meant that she developed a thirst for anything old, beautiful and very often dead. She tries to combine this with contemporary settings in her writing to make unique and chilling modern stories.
Cynthia lives in her hometown of Manchester with her husband and their rescue dog, Loli, who you will see a lot of on TikTok and Instagram @CynthiaMurphyYA
Brilliant Children's and YA Books to Read this Summer
Murder is an art . . . and she's the next masterpiece.From the bestselling author of Win Lose Kill Die and Keep Your Friends Close comes an addictive killer-thriller with a horror twist, following an aspiring crime journalist's investigation into a case of copycat murders seemingly connected to a 'cursed' painting. Perfect for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' The Naturals series and Bill Wood's Let's Split Up.When aspiring crime journalist Fliss Keller uncovers a disturbing self-portrait of a man at an estate sale, her Art History professor dad buys it, despite how unsettled Fliss feels.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls and determined it is suitable for children aged 15-18 years old
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls features in the following genres: Featured Books for Young Adults, Recommendations, Adventure Stories, Crime & Mystery, Horror & Ghost Stories, Thrillers, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Art and artists, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Children’s / Teenage: General interest
Paperback. £8.99, down from the £9.99 cover price. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls was written by Cynthia Murphy and published by Penguin Books an imprint of Penguin Random House Children's UK
Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls has 337 pages
£8.99, reduced from £9.99. Temporarily Out Of Stock.
©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer
The National Year of Reading starts here. Join thousands of families and schools supporting reading for pleasure across the UK.