The Dead Won’t Tell is a work of fiction in the mystery subgenre. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by S. K. Waters. The book follows journalist Abbie Adams after she is invited to look into an unsolved murder from 1969. Whilst initially excited by the prospect, she quickly comes to realize that a personal adversary may be involved and unwilling to co-operate in the investigation. As Abbie starts locating the witnesses and piecing together the truth, the danger of her questioning becomes apparent as the witnesses are targeted and the truth at the center of it all threatens the stability of a whole town.

This was a very deep and dynamic mystery that continued to evolve and grow in threats the more Abbie pulled on the threads of conspiracy. S. K. Waters consistently demonstrates skill as a mystery writer with prose that maintains an air of uncertainty, always keeping the threat level high enough so that the next twist in the tale could strike at any moment. The dramatic impact of using a cold case, the repercussions of which are still being felt in the present, is deeply engaging. The author doesn’t waste any of the potential in the narrative as dominos that started falling in the 60s continue to topple with heartbreaking and devastating effect throughout the story. The Dead Won’t Tell is an exciting mystery thriller that will hook readers quickly with its simple but well-executed plot, carefully considered mystery, and engaging lead character.

Rosalie DuFrayne was brutally murdered in 1969 after helping at a party. Her murder was half-heartedly investigated, and the killer was never caught. The editor of The Hunts Landing Times gave Abbie Adams the assignment to investigate and write a story about this girl’s murder. After all these years, she has to find witnesses that are still alive and interrogate them. It was a big leap for her; she was used to doing research and writing history articles. Jethro Turner was the detective on this case so she approached him about his findings during his investigation. It appears that someone did not want the investigation to continue and, after questioning a few witnesses, they turn up either dead or being attacked. Abbie knew she was onto something and with more questions than answers, she continued her investigation in The Dead Won’t Tell by S.K. Waters.

I was intrigued by the murder of a young black girl by blunt force trauma and the suspense made the story very powerful. The plot is complicated; how will Abbie find the truth after all these years and get justice for the girl? The story was unpredictable and full of surprises. I never knew what to expect, and I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out. The story is fast-paced, but never felt rushed and the chapters flow naturally into each other. The characters are well developed and skillfully handled. Each had their character traits, and I could relate to them. The Dead Won’t Tell by S.K. Waters is well-written and had my attention from the beginning. The ending was unexpected and was a big surprise.