Hatchet Girls by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Published by Delacorte Press on October 10, 2023
ISBN: 0593643410
Pages: 336
Genres: Horror, Psychological thriller
Format: Fiction
Goodreads

When Tessa convinces her family to move to Fall River, Massachusetts after the sudden death of her father, she has no idea how many horrific secrets and curses the area holds.  It’s also the town in which the Lizzie Borden Murders were committed a hundred years ago. History repeats itself and Tessa’s brother, Vik, is arrested after being found holding a bloody axe over his wealthy girlfriend’s parents’ bodies. Tessa is convinced that Vik is innocent and enlists her friend Phil, an expert in Fall River history, to help her prove that her brother is not a murderer.

What starts out seeming like a crime book about classism quickly morphs into a tense witchcraft thriller with some folk horror vibes. It has a nice cover and an interesting section in the back which describes the places mentioned and their haunted histories in more detail. A quick and fun read that will appeal to both horror and true crime fans.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath