By: Mariah Thomas
Dollface is a book that meshes together many beloved genres and horror movie tropes. Imagine if the movie Bad Moms took place in the Barbie movie universe and was a slasher. On the surface this feels like a straight forward story you may think you would be able to easily predict. However, there are many twists and turns that leave readers still piecing things together up until the final chapter. Lindy Ryan’s book Dollface is an introspective dive into the world of PTA moms and what can happen when high school mean girl behavior lives on.
Jill Marshall is a horror author who is in for new horrors of her own moving into a New Jersey suburban neighborhood. Though being vastly different in personality and interests she still hopes to befriend the PTA moms and make an effort to fit in. Not long after her arrival a serial killer with a vendetta against the Stepford wife like PTA moms starts killing them off one by one. The police don’t seem to see or care for the connection and the other moms are rightfully angry believing they are in danger of being next. Jill finds herself deeply interwoven into this mess and may just be the last mom standing as she rushes to find the true killer.
Without giving away any spoilers, the first chapter and final chapter mirror each other in such a brilliant way. The characters involved go through such immense changes and approach a similar simple conversation in such different ways. By the end the reader views these characters from such opposite lenses. I also enjoyed the strong 90s nostalgia and references to certain films sprinkled throughout. This is one of those books you read and immediately want to see it adapted into a film or show.
Lindy Ryan does such a wonderful job at world building in her novels. As the reader you are fully immersed in whatever environment the story is set in. Whether you are dealing with Southern Vampires, small town werewolves or suburban PTA moms, there is quite a pull to understand every single group. Each of Ryan’s books possesses a lingering whimsical touch that is just as strong in Dollface. I constantly look forward to what she puts out next.
Dollface is the perfect medley of horror and humor. It is a fresh take on theses genres as it puts the reader directly into the investigation alongside the main character, Jill. It is fun to read and find out new information with her as opposed to knowing something she doesn’t. Dollface is a worthy read for those interested in horror but prefer a less intense version of it.