Day’s YA: DEAD FAKE

DEAD FAKE by Vincent Ralph

9781250372123
1/20/2026
Wednesday Books
Ages 13-18

E-galley available on Edelweiss and NetGalley

Bleak Haven is a town that knows death—and more specifically murder—very well. Ava Wilson’s uncle was a well-known murderer in town, and she’s had to live with the conflicting emotions of being told and seeing that he was a monster, yet still remembering him as the kind, fun-loving uncle she had. Her family has been through enough, and she’s desperate to protect them and to be known as someone other than a killer’s niece, but it doesn’t seem like that will be happening any time soon. 

And then Swipe to Die appears. Swipe to Die is a website where people can answer some questions, literally “swipe to die,” and then see a deepfake video of their own bloody death. It is gruesome, terrifying, and looks all too real, and the entire high school can’t seem to get enough of it—except Ava, of course. She refuses to participate, feeling like there could be more danger to this than everyone believes there to be. So when the deepfakes come to life, and some of her classmates’ virtual murders are replicated in real life, it seems that the game has turned into a nightmare. As these murders start to look a little like the ones her uncle committed, Ava begins to wonder if these killings could actually be connected to him, or if it’s possible that he was completely innocent this entire time. If Ava can’t quickly figure out who the killer is and stop them, she may become just another statistic in Bleak Haven’s deadly history.

DEAD FAKE was a twisty, scary, hide-under-your-covers-for-comfort type of read. This story is an honest—and frankly terrifying—look into how far AI can go to harm others, and the implications it could have. It’s the first YA novel I’ve read that includes AI as one of the main concepts, which is a topic that is growing more and more relevant among young adult readers. It’s fast-paced and gripping, and if you’re anything like me, you will be on the edge of your seat, constantly guessing who the killer is all the way to the end of the book…and the twist will still shock you to your core. I also loved experiencing the story through Ava’s eyes, and trying to imagine how she feels as the family member of a murderer. Her emotions of both love and hate for her uncle felt understandable and realistic, and it often left me wondering how I would feel in that situation. As she hunts for answers and tries to expose the killer—and find out if it’s a copycat, or if her uncle was always innocent—it was hard for me to put this book down. I was desperate to know if the killer was the creator of Swipe to Die, who they were and what their motives were, and to find out who they would target next.

This was the perfect pre-Halloween, spooky season read. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking over my shoulder, double checking the locks on my doors, and leaving the lights on in my apartment at night while reading this. Fans of Fear Street, Scream, and other classic slasher movies should be sure to put this at the top of their TBR list. Also, DEAD FAKE is the start of Vincent Ralph’s brand new series, Bleak Haven! There will be four books, all set in this murderous fictional town, but each set in a different decade. And the second book, NIGHT TERROR, is releasing alongside DEAD FAKE, so you don’t even have to wait to return to Bleak Haven!.

And with that being said, if you need me, I’ll be heading back to Bleak Haven for NIGHT TERROR. Although, I’ll definitely just visit—I’m not quite sure I want to move there.

Happy reading!
<3 Margo

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