Such a Pretty Smile

Kristi DeMeester's 'Such a Pretty Smile' is a fierce and brilliantly paced horror novel that intertwines the stories of thirteen-year-old Lila in 2019 and her mother, Caroline, in 2004. Both women are plagued by a mysterious entity, 'The Cur,' who murders young women every fifteen years, specifically those who dare to speak their minds. Lila finds herself terrorized by an evil that shows her how to find her voice, while Caroline grapples with unsettling delusions and repressed memories. This book explores themes of female agency, societal pressure to conform, and the intergenerational trauma of being silenced. It is a dark, suspenseful read, best suited for mature young adults and adults who appreciate psychological horror with a strong feminist undercurrent.

One of Goodreads Most Popular Horror of 2022 Named one of Esquire's Best Horror of the Year "Brutal and shocking." - emily m. danforth “Razor-sharp. This one will cut you.” - Christopher Golden In this biting and electrifying novel from bold horror talent Kristi DeMeester, there’s something out there that’s murdering young women—until an overwhelmed mother and her secretive daughter refuse to live without answers any longer. He’s known as The Cur, and he leaves no trace—except for the victims he most viciously slays every fifteen years. Young women who refuse to conform and don’t know when to shut up. 2019: Thirteen-year-old Lila Sawyer has secrets she can’t share with anyone. But when young women around her begin dying, wild speculation ensues. Soon Lila feels haunted from within, terrorized by a delicious evil that shows her how to find her voice—until she’s in danger for using it. 2004: Caroline Sawyer sees dogs everywhere that no one else seems to notice. As these snarling, teeth-bared delusions begin to take shape in the sculptures she makes in a trance-like state, her fiancé is convinced she needs help from a professional. But Caroline’s past is a dark cellar, filled with repressed memories and a lurking horror that others around her can’t understand. As past and present demons converge, Caroline and Lila must chase the source of the unrelenting, oppressive power to its core. Brilliantly paced and unapologetically fierce, Such a Pretty Smile will make you want to stand up and rage at everyone who ever told you to shut up and smile pretty. "Compulsive and horrifyingly entertaining." - Liz Nugent