This is like a scooby-doo mystery, a YA paranormal story with well developed characters. However sometimes the writing read very cliched, using typical words and overly described mundane things which is why I've only given this 3 stars.

The overall setting was very well plotted throughout the novel, you are gripped from the very beginning of the story and Freddie is such an enjoyable character to read. I think some readers will really enjoy this one.

I LOVED The Luminaries, so when I saw that Susan Dennard had another book coming, I just knew I had to read it ASAP.
The Executioners Three is a fantastic book, I am 100% not disappointed! Genuinely loved the nostalgia it brought (I mean, I was only 8 in 1999, but still)
It gave me classic Scooby Doo vibes, and I loved Freddie. She is a brilliant main character. The writing really drew me in, and I didn't want to put this down, and I didn't want it to end.
This is definitely one that needs to be read in the autumn, it's just so atmospheric!

Oh. My. Gosh.

This book was so immersive that it honestly felt like autumn in June. I was obsessed with the characters, the plot, the atmosphere - everything! The book is described as great for fans of Stranger Things, but to me it was giving more The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina vibes. There were definitely some moments in this book that had me checking over my shoulder when I turned the lights off. I really loved the relationship arc between the protagonist and her love interest too. I felt like I really clicked with the writing style and I can't wait to explore more of Dennard's work. 4.5 stars rounded up to five!

This book is a definite must-read. I cannot wait to see what others think once it's published because I have no one to obsess over it with!

This was an enjoyable YA thriller with paranormal elements that was well paced with a good amount of twists and a high level of atmosphere that hooked me right from the first page. I would definitely recommend checking it out

3.75⭐ - Thank you, Netgalley and Daphne Press, for an eARC of this book!

Let me start by saying that Susan Dennard is so freaking good at creating unique worlds with amazing lore and mystery that you can't help but get transported into that world. However, with that being said, the plot alone wasn't enough to make me rate this book higher.

It had all the good elements I love from murder mysteries and paranormal YA. But the writing at times felt overly cliched, and the word choices (such as writing out word for word what her ring tone sounded like??) were not needed. This was one of the things that also stopped me from rating The Illuminaries trilogy higher. Again, it doesn't happen all the time in the book, but surprisingly still a decent amount to warrant an icky feeling for me.

Another thing is that there are gaps in the lead-up to the mystery reveal. I understand the character can't piece it all together because it adds flavour to the plot, but still, towards the end, I felt we got a shortened explanation. Maybe it was just me, but I would've liked more of an explanation, maybe a backstory to it all? Also, the thing that annoyed me a little was how, after the events, everyone brushes the truth off as if no one acknowledges it, and a week later, they are pumpkin carving? I'm not sure if that's a 90's thing, but it baffles me how Freddie, the two FBI agents and somewhat Theo understand and know what truly happened, but everyone in the small town likes to brush it off as something else?

I will say with absolute certainty that I adored Freddie, though she did make a few questionable choices throughout, I grew to like her at the end. I would have liked to see more moments between Freddie and Divya. I feel like their moments on the page together were much shorter than Freddie's moments with Theo.

I was sceptical about Theo to begin with because, if you know me, I'm not the biggest fan of the blond male MMC. I think I'm too used to them being tall, dark and handsome. But Theo won me over quite quickly in the book; again, I would've liked to get more of his backstory and learn about him more apart from the quick snippets we got. But I think he added a much-needed layer to the story and kept Freddie on her toes.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read The Executioners Three. I was genuinely excited to dive into this, having really enjoyed the author’s work on The Luminaries. I had high hopes and was curious to see how their voice would shine in a new story.

While the premise intrigued me, I found the pacing slower than expected and didn’t quite connect with the characters or plot in the way I’d hoped. The 90s references added some charm, but as a 90s kid myself, they didn’t spark that nostalgic glow I was expecting. I also wonder if younger readers might not fully relate to them.

Still, I’m grateful for the ARC and the chance to explore something new from a writer whose work I admire. It’s always fascinating how differently stories land with readers, and I’m curious to see how others respond to this one.

The Executioners Three is a solid YA paranormal thriller. It gave me Stranger Things and Edgar Allan Poe vibes, so I think a lot of readers will enjoy it.

I was looking for a paranormal thriller that could bring back the thrill I felt when reading The Blonde Dies First, which I absolutely loved. This one was ok, not as good, but still a fun read.

I liked the mystery/paranormal aspect of the plot, the vibes were immaculate. The pacing was ok, the book grabs your attention from the very first chapters. But I did not care for the prank war between the two schools...

I liked Freddy, the other characters were ok, but I didn't like how related to one another, especially when the main characters became stupid upon seeing their crushes. Also, the romance felt like too much, overpowering the plot at times and honestly it was a bit cringey.

I saw other readers mention references to Xena and The X-Files, but I didn’t catch those at all, not having watched/read them.

Edit: from reading other reviews, I realized that I missed so many 90s' references... And this might explain a couple of thinks and the fact that I didn't enjoy the book as much: I'm too young to understand the references, but also too old to relate to the charactes. Also, I found out that this was previously on Ao3, which explains the writing ... I did not enjoy it, it brought me out of the story because I found it to be cringe. So, that's that.

2.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to Daphne press, the author and netgalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Quirky (a bit too quirky for me), funny and cozy mystery. My young adult self wouldn’t appreciate it more than my adult self. I did like the Xena references as a huge Xena the warrior princess fan.

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0 STARS

I so did not expect The Executions Three to be one of my favourite books I've ever read. I loved watching Nancy Drew and Scooby-Doo growing up and I couldn't recommend this enough if you did to.

Without giving too much away because it's so much better to go in blind, this story was spooky, funny and romantic at times. All the characters are very quirky and were so well developed and loveable.

Thank you to Susan Dennard, Daphne Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the Executioners Three.

🔔 SMALL TOWN MYSTERY
🐦‍⬛ HIGH SCHOOL RIVALRY
🔔 90'S CORE
🐦‍⬛ SUPERNATURAL SPOOKIES

So nice structure to the plot that nothing feels out of place. Not a word in it is there without a thought. I love reading such books. Dennard is a true writer that I always will appreciate, because she gets it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After loving Susan Dennard's The Luminaries, I was thrilled to be able to read The Executioners Three early, and it didn't disappoint at all. In fact, I would say I prefer this one.
Perfect for fans of Halloween and Stranger Things, this YA mystery full of rivalry, nostalgia, romance, and a gruesome curse had me hooked.

Susan Dennard is, in my humble opinion, in a league of her own when it comes to writing the most haunting, atmospheric stories.

I would say this is more romantic than her other series but I personally loved that aspect After loving Susan Dennard's The Luminaries, I was thrilled to be able to read The Executioners Three early, and it didn't disappoint at all. In fact, I would say I prefer this one.
Perfect for fans of Halloween and Stranger Things, this YA mystery full of rivalry, nostalgia, romance, and a gruesome curse had me hooked.

Susan Dennard is, in my humble opinion, in a league of her own when it comes to writing the most haunting, atmospheric stories.

I would say this is more romantic than her other series, but I personally loved that aspect. Freddie is such a likeable character whom I only wanted good things for, and she definitely needed some romancing.

The small-town rivalry and school pranks were so entertaining to read coupled with an eerie supernatural plot just made for such a fantastic reading experience.

I'm a sucker for an autumnal, spooky read, yes, even in summer, and I would highly recommend this one.

I loved Susan Dennard’s Luminaries series so I was really excited to read The Executioner’s Three. Forest vibes all the way.

Freddie, like Winnie, is a fantastic main character. I just loved her instantly. Her gut feeling and her determination to find the answers, while also being a real teen with real teenage concerns, made her so much fun to follow. I loved her bff relationship with Divya, it was so pure!

There were similarities here to the Luminaries series - a missing/dead father that we don’t talk about, mysterious happenings in the woods, a love interest that is somehow linked to said mysteries - but I’m not mad about it because those were all the things I loved about the Luminaries too.

Add in lots of 90’s vibes (I’m so here for the x-files references) and you’ve got an incredibly fun, spooky, vibey novel that I just loved!

Loved this book so much!
I was blown away by this book as soon as I started it and couldn’t put it down which led me to finish in a day!
Every part of the story was well thought out , the characters were great and even though there was some backstory it didn’t drown out the actual story itself. Full of so many twists and turns and it was just amazing!

This book absolutely hooked me. What starts as a chaotic prank war between rival schools turns into a full-on murder mystery tied to an old curse—and I was not ready for how dark and creepy it would get (in the best way).

Freddie is such a great lead—awkward, clever, a bit of a loner, and fully obsessed with the X-Files. I loved being inside her head as everything slowly unravelled. The supernatural elements creep in gradually, and before I knew it, I was completely caught up in the mystery, the curse, and the weirdness happening in the woods.

And then there’s Theo. He’s annoying, charming, and the perfect chaotic rival/love interest. Their dynamic gave me just the right amount of tension and emotional moments without taking over the plot. I wasn’t expecting to root for them, but I 100% did.

The whole book gives strong 90s horror nostalgia—small town secrets, creepy poems, eerie forests, and a mystery that goes way deeper than it first seems. It’s spooky but not too heavy, and the pacing had me flying through it.

Was the ending a little fast? Maybe. But honestly, I was too into it to care. It wrapped things up well and left me wanting more from this world.

⸻

Would I recommend it?
Yes, absolutely. If you like 90s vibes, murder mysteries, curses, and a slow-burn enemies-to-something-more, this one’s for you. Creepy and fun with just enough emotional weight to keep you thinking after you’ve finished.

The third book in this series, I really loved the previous two books and was very excited to have had the opportunity to read this one. A great addition to the series, highly recommend

This book was so atmospheric. I was hooked at the prologue and how tense and chilling it was. The small town drama and feelings were really well written and I could really picture myself being a ghost observing everything unfolding in this book.
The added romance adds a touch of realness and bringing us back to reality.
I found that Freddie was very relatable, I could vividly picture her and loved how her character was just what I had pictured for such a setting.

I loved Stranger things and this book really made me feel like it was set in a similar style, I could imagine the clothes and cars and everything with a gloomy shadow cast over it.
Every twists had me wondering what the hell could happen next, the added banter between the characters made me laugh and then I was brought back into the mystery with goosebumps.
A very good book, I can’t find anything negative to say, I can’t wait to receive my Waterstones exclusive edition!!

I love the vibes of this book. Late 90’s, awkward teenager who gets caught in a mystery and wants to solve it but somehow accidentally rolls into several side quests. It’s entertaining in an endearing ‘ah, kids’-way, but also in an ‘on the edge of your seat’-way. As a nineties kid, the amount of references was amazingly nostalgic. Playing snake on your nokia, the X-files, Scooby Doo, AIM - gods I miss those messaging services. The amount of Romeo and Juliet references made my literature heart happy as well.

Susan Dennard always manages to write a world that sucks me in, and I always go through it with the main characters - Freddie’s intensity made me go through it. I flew through this book, read it in one sitting, as I couldn’t go to bed until all was unravelled. The suspense got me on the edge of my seat, once again trying to figure out what clues I was missing, who I should or shouldn’t trust. Add to that a rivalry relationship, and you end up with a wonderful story.

Additional Mae rec: this book vibes even more with your favourite nineties playlist playing in the background!

This book oozes Fall. You can practically smell the damp leaves and woodsmoke curling off the pages.

The Executioners Three by Susan Dennard is the perfect mix of cosy atmosphere and creeping dread; a read made for October nights with the wind howling outside.

Freddie and her friends find themselves tangled in an old curse, the kind that never really dies. What starts as bell ringing in the trees quickly unravels into something far more sinister. Think hangings, beheadings, disemboweling’s… yeah, it gets grim. It’s up to her and her friends to put a stop to this curse and save the town.

This is the kind of story where the forest feels like it’s watching you back.

The Executioners Three releases on August 26th get it on your TBR and pre-order!

I had a lot of fun with this one.

The story follows Freddie, who loves the x-files and whose father was a cop before his death, as she gets involved in investigating a series of weird deaths plaguing her small town.

I really loved the spooky atmosphere here, as well as all of the 90s nostalgia, and I thought that Freddie was a really great main character. I enjoyed the escalating prank war, it was a nice light-hearted relief against the murderous goings on, and the banter between Freddie and her friends was great.

My only upset is that I felt that the ending was a little rushed for me. While I liked the conclusion I’d have liked a little more explanation.

But all in all I really had a great time here, and I’ll definitely be having a lookout for more of Susan Dennard’s books in the future.

Thank you so much to Daphne Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5⭐️

This book was the perfect combination of cozy, small town vibes but with a very intense mystery and spooky plot!
The setting gives stranger things vibes which I really enjoyed.
I absolutely flew through this as was desperate to know what was going on. The characters are high school age and there is a lovely romance sub-plot too.

After reading the luminaries, and now this, Susan dennard is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors and I am excited to read her backlist.

If you want fast-pacing, mystery, spooky small town vibes, this book is perfect. Would definitely recommend. I would recommend going in blind as that is what I did and it was fab!
Thanks netgalley for the ARC!