Skip to main content

Dead Fake (Bleak Haven #1) by Vincent Ralph


 Dead Fake introduces readers to Bleak Haven—a town with secrets, shadows, and a disturbing relationship with technology. When a mysterious website allows students at Bleak Haven High to view AI-generated “deepfake” videos of their own deaths, it initially feels like just another morbid online trend. That illusion shatters when those fabricated deaths begin to play out in real life.

The story follows Ava Wilson, who refuses to participate in the craze. As the niece of an infamous murderer, she already carries enough unwanted attention. But when her classmates’ deepfakes start becoming reality, Ava is forced into a deadly game where solving the mystery may be the only way to survive it.

This was my first experience reading Vincent Ralph, and while the novel is written in first person—a point of view I don’t typically prefer—Ralph handles it well. Ava’s voice is clear and engaging, and the pacing keeps the tension high throughout. The premise is timely and unsettling, tapping into modern fears around AI, identity, and voyeuristic online culture.

That said, I repeatedly found myself double-checking to make sure this was truly the first book in the Bleak Haven series—and it is. While Dead Fake is set in the present day, Book Two (Night Terror) jumps back to the 1980s, and I personally felt that reversing the order might have allowed the town’s history to feel more grounded from the start. The shift in timeline can be a bit jarring, though it does add depth once the bigger picture comes together.

The ending includes a few moments that made me roll my eyes slightly, but they mirror a familiar trend in modern horror—where everything needs to be explained just a little too clearly. Even so, the resolution fits the genre and doesn’t derail the overall experience.

All in all, Dead Fake is a solid, entertaining read with a clever concept and strong atmosphere. I enjoyed Ralph’s writing style enough that I’ll be seeking out more of his work in the future, and I’d definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy tech-driven horror, teen slashers, and small towns with dark pasts.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Another by Paul Tremblay

In Another , Paul Tremblay offers a gripping, unsettling tale that explores themes of alienation, identity, and the supernatural through the lens of middle-grade horror. The novel follows Casey Wilson, a young boy struggling with the aftermath of a traumatic event known only as the "Zoom Incident." With tics worsening and a strained relationship with his peers, Casey feels more isolated than ever—until a mysterious boy named Morel shows up for an extended sleepover that quickly takes a dark turn. Morel is unlike any friend Casey has known. His clay-like skin and silent demeanor set him apart, yet Casey's parents, once warm and supportive, begin to lavish attention on the strange newcomer, much to Casey's growing unease. As Morel's presence grows more dominant and unsettling, Casey begins to realize that his family is slipping further away, and he fears the boy might be replacing him altogether. The tension builds as Casey struggles to reclaim his place in a worl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Season of the Monster I: Spring by AJ Humphreys

AJ Humphreys’ Season of the Monster, Part 1: Spring delivers a gripping and innovative twist on the monster genre, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. This first installment introduces us to Ghini Freeman, a tenacious single mother whose world is upended when her thirteen-year-old daughter vanishes during a class field trip. Despite the passage of six months, Ghini remains relentless in her search, embodying a mother’s unwavering determination and refusal to surrender to despair. Humphreys crafts a narrative that seamlessly blends the ordinary with the extraordinary. Set in a small mountain town, the story’s familiarity is juxtaposed with the eerie and the supernatural, creating a compelling backdrop for the unfolding mystery. The plot takes a sharp turn when a detective points out Ghini’s mysterious doppelgänger, sparking the fuse to a series of events that suggest her daughter’s disappearance may be linked to something far more sinister than initially im...
Post a Comment
Read more

Rituals by Lorcán Black (Illustrations by Tim Durham)

  In Rituals , Lorcán Black crafts a deeply evocative and unsettling collection of poetry that challenges readers to confront the stark realities of existence, the ache of monotony, and the enduring search for meaning. Black’s work is both haunting and illuminating, painting vivid pictures of despair and hope intertwined in a surreal, almost hypnotic dance. The collection’s use of mental institutions, Egyptian mythos, and stark portrayals of modern disillusionment feels like an intricate tapestry, each thread pulling you deeper into its world. Through these symbols, Black holds a mirror to the suffocating repetition of daily life—the "rituals" we all perform to survive—and the yearning to break free from them. His exploration of love, or perhaps the hope of love, emerges as a faint yet persistent light amidst the darkness, a fragile thread binding us to our humanity. Tim Durham’s illustrations serve as a haunting counterpart to Black’s poetry, enhancing the macabre and et...
Post a Comment
Read more