Dead End Girls by Wendy Heard

For two years, Maude has been planning to fake her death. Sure, she might seem selfish for doing so, but her parents deserve it; they’ve never loved her, after all. Pair that with the fact that she’s always wanted to live in London, and there’s really no reason to ever turn back. She’s got everything under control, right until the last minute. Except she didn’t account for one thing: her stepcousin, Frankie, discovering her passports, her fake IDs, the whole shebang. Maude thinks that all her work has gone down the drain- at least, until Frankie reveals she wants in. Now on the run, Frankie and Maude will do everything they need to survive- even going as far as murder.

“Dead End Girls” is a riveting thriller full of murder, queer love, and finding out who you really are.
Maude was truly a compelling character to read about, exploring why she wanted to fake her own death in the first place, why she was willing to give her entire life up for a fresh start. It surprised me to see that I could relate to her in so many ways, seeing as how we’re both very different people, but Heard did a wonderful job of making her entire personality feel like one I could easily meet in the real world. Of course, there was also Frankie, who I felt spoke so much for the entire LGBTQIA+ community. As a closeted lesbian teen, her resilience was admirable, and felt like a constant reminder to all queer teens that they’re not alone.
Not to mention, the moments of intimacy between Maude and Frankie were one of my favorite parts of the book, and that surprised me. I’m not usually one for romance, but it was so expertly woven into the main storyline that I couldn’t help but enjoy every last bit of it, and even found myself wanting more.
The ending of the book felt so, so satisfying, watching everything wrap up neatly. While Maude and Frankie may not have achieved the happily ever after that you would find in a fairytale, they were happy with their lives, and so was I.
In conclusion, I loved this book to the very end, and I’ll be sure to reread it over and over again.

Maude and Frankie being the ones committing crimes and living on the streets felt unique to the story. It was sort of like a reverse murder mystery, with the duo having to constantly evade the law and trying not to get caught. Maude had to be resourceful with finding ways to earn money, as well as trying to keep her true identity a secret. Down to the passports, the IDs, and illegal activity, the book was truly well-researched.