4.3 (3 ratings)

Where Ladybugs Go to Die

Where Ladybugs Go to Die is a chilling psychological thriller that follows 17-year-old Alexis Harper as her world unravels after the mysterious and gruesome disappearance of her mother, Nicole. Raised in a toxic home shadowed by emotional abuse and predatory men, Alexis wakes one morning to find her mother gone, and her house soaked in blood-leaving only a severed finger tucked inside a carved pumpkin. Haunted by twisted nursery rhymes and hunted by a serial killer who sees her as the next piece in his deadly plan, Alexis is thrust into a dark mystery that ties her past to a string of grotesque murders inspired by children's verses. As she's forced to leave California and move in with her estranged father in Oregon, Alexis must confront the secrets of her family's history, face visions of her dead mother, and survive the predator who's been stalking her since childhood. Blending suspense, trauma, and a thread of romance, this novel explores the thin line between victim and survivor-and what it means to rewrite your own ending when the ghosts of your past refuse to stay buried.

Published: July 25, 2025

Pages: 312

ISBN: 9798899659232

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Reader Reviews

4.3

3 ratings

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Nicole K.

Apr 17, 2026

Where Ladybugs Go to Die – 3/5 Stars

The premise here is genuinely original. A killer using nursery rhymes, ladybug carvings as calling cards, a grieving daughter thrust into the middle of it – there's a lot to love in the concept, and Kirsten clearly has a creative mind. The story kept me reading, and that counts for something.

Where it stumbles is in execution. There are pacing issues that pulled me out of the story – scenes that escalate out of nowhere without enough build-up to earn the tension (a sudden storm at a wedding that goes from zero to chaos in a matter of lines, for example). A few scenes also had characters appear or dialogue shift in ways that left me re-reading to figure out who was talking and whether they'd been there all along.

The editing needs another pass. It's not a deal breaker if you love the genre and can overlook rough spots, but readers who need polished prose will struggle.

I'm genuinely rooting for this author – the bones of a great thriller are here. With a developmental edit and a thorough line edit, this could be a standout. As it stands, it's a 3-star read with 5-star potential.

Mar 15, 2026

Mysterious , captivating, suspenseful

Gail C.

Mar 13, 2026

Alexis awakes to find her mother's room splattered with gore and her mother missing. Her father comes to take her to his home. Things quickly escalate as more people are being murdered, with a nursery rhyme note left behind. All meant to taunt Alexis. Where The Ladybugs Go To Die is a nonstop thriller, full of secrets and lies, leaving Alexis not knowing who she can trust.