Staff Picks
Must-Read Teen Mysteries
- Brittany C.
- Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Collection
There's no better way to prepare for spooky season than by reading a good mystery. From a secretive town where thirteen girls mysteriously vanish to a weekend camping trip that quickly turns deadly, these mysteries will leave you in suspense until the very end. Check out our newest teen mysteries below!
Looking for more? Check out Great Mysteries for Teens!
Ace of Spades
Published in 2021
Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades , a YA contemporary thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé about two students, Devon & Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully. All you need to know is . . . I'm here to divide and conquer. Like all great tyrants do. —Aces When two Niveus Private Academy students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school's senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian, too. Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down and threaten every aspect of their carefully planned futures. As Aces shows no sign of stopping, what seemed like a sick prank quickly turns into a dangerous game, with all the cards stacked against them. Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become incredibly deadly? With heart-pounding suspense and relevant social commentary comes a high-octane thriller from debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.
Ace of Spades
Published in 2021
This program includes an author's note read by the author. Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades , a YA contemporary thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé about two students, Devon & Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully. All you need to know is . . . I'm here to divide and conquer. Like all great tyrants do. —Aces When two Niveus Private Academy students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school's senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian, too. Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down and threaten every aspect of their carefully planned futures. As Aces shows no sign of stopping, what seemed like a sick prank quickly turns into a dangerous game, with all the cards stacked against them. Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become incredibly deadly? With heart-pounding suspense and relevant social commentary comes a high-octane thriller from debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. A Macmillan Audio production from Feiwel & Friends
Ace of Spades
Published in 2021
At Niveus Private Academy, Devon and Chiamaka are the only students chosen to be Senior Prefects who are also black, which makes them targets for a series of anonymous texts revealing their secrets to the entire student body. Both students were on track toward valedictorian and bright college futures, but this prank quickly turns into a very dangerous game and they are at more than one disadvantage as it looks like things could turn deadly.
The Ivies
Published in 2021
The Ivies, five prep school elites who would kill to get into the colleges of their dreams, has a showdown after Liv gets into Harvard and queen bee Avery does not.
They'll Never Catch Us
Published in 2021
An utter page-turner. Goodman's voice is razor-sharp and keenly precise. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn! — Tiffany D. Jackson NYT Bestselling Author of White Smoke and Grown From rising star Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us , comes a new fast-paced thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team—until a teammate’s disappearance throws their lives off course. Stella and Ellie Steckler are only a year apart, but their different personalities make their relationship complicated. Stella is single-minded, driven, and she keeps to herself. Cross-country running is her life and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she also lets herself have fun. She has friends. She goes to parties. She has a life off the course. The sisters do have one thing in common, though: the new girl, Mila Keene. Both Stecklers' lives are upended when Mila comes to town. At first, Ellie and Stella view the new star athlete as a threat. But soon Ellie can't help but be drawn to her warm, charming personality. After her best friend moved away and her first boyfriend betrayed her, Ellie's been looking for a friend to share her secrets. Stella finds herself noticing the ways she and Mila are similar. Mila is smart and strong—she's someone Stella can finally connect with. As the two get closer, Stella becomes something she vowed she'd never be: distracted. With regionals approaching and college scouts taking notice, the pressure is on. Each girl has their future on the line and they won't let friendships get in their way. But then, suddenly, Mila goes out on a training run and never returns. No one knows what happened, but all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.
They'll Never Catch Us
Published in 2021
Sisters Stella and Ellie Steckler are both determined to win a scholarship and escape their stifling small town, but their plans are upset when a new girl joins the cross country team and then disappears.
When You Look Like Us
Published in 2021
Jay is forced to continually cover for his sister, Nicole, who hangs out with the wrong crowd; however, Jay can't deal with it any more. Soon after, Nic fails to return home. When she's deemed missing, the police barely bother to search for her; she's just another lost Black girl. Jay feels guilty and he thinks, "If I hadn't hung up on her that night, she would be home spending time with our grandma. If I was a better brother, she'd be finishing senior year instead of being another name on a missing persons list." He decides it's time to step up and find his sister and bring her home.-- Publisher's description.
She's Too Pretty to Burn
Published in 2021
"An anxiety-ridden ride as two girls' lives crash together through secrets, love and danger. . . Captivating and stunningly visual." —Aiden Thomas, New York Times -bestselling author of Cemetery Boys An electric romance set against a rebel art scene sparks lethal danger for two girls in She's Too Pretty to Burn , an expertly plotted YA thriller by Wendy Heard. The summer is winding down in San Diego. Veronica is bored, caustically charismatic, and uninspired in her photography. Nico is insatiable, subversive, and obsessed with chaotic performance art. They're artists first, best friends second. But that was before Mick. Delicate, lonely, magnetic Mick: the perfect subject, and Veronica's dream girl. The days are long and hot—full of adventure—and soon they are falling in love. Falling so hard, they never imagine what comes next. One fire. Two murders. Three drowning bodies. One suspect . . . one stalker. This is a summer they won't survive. Inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray , this sexy psychological thriller explores the intersections of love, art, danger, and power. Christy Ottaviano Books
The Forest of Stolen Girls
Published in 2021
In 1426 in Joseon, a year after her father vanishes while investigating the disappearance of thirteen girls, eighteen-year-old Min Hwani returns to the island of Jeju to pick up his trail with the help of her estranged sister.
The Box in the Woods
Published in 2021
After solving the case of Truly Devious , Stevie Bell investigates her first mystery outside of Ellingham Academy in this spine-chilling and hilarious stand-alone mystery from New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson. Amateur sleuth Stevie Bell needs a good murder. After catching a killer at her high school, she's back at home for a normal (that means boring) summer. But then she gets a message from the owner of Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls—the site of the notorious unsolved case, the Box in the Woods Murders. Back in 1978, four camp counselors were killed in the woods outside of the town of Barlow Corners, their bodies left in a gruesome display. The new owner offers Stevie an invitation: Come to the camp and help him work on a true crime podcast about the case. Stevie agrees, as long as she can bring along her friends from Ellingham Academy. Nothing sounds better than a summer spent together, investigating old murders. But something evil still lurks in Barlow Corners. When Stevie opens the lid on this long-dormant case, she gets much more than she bargained for. The Box in the Woods will make room for more victims. This time, Stevie may not make it out alive.
The Box in the Woods
Published in 2021
After solving the greatest unsolved mystery of the century, Stevie Bell goes undercover as a camp counselor to investigate the strange going-ons at Camp Wonder Falls--the site of the infamous “Box in the Woods” murders.
Our Last Echoes
Published in 2021
People have been vanishing from an island called Bitter Rock for decades, Sophie learns after her own mother disappears in 2003 and she receives a mysterious phone call. Following the trail, the oddly-familiar place seems to explain her impossible dream -- memory? -- of drowning and being rescued as an infant. There may be other answers here, and Sophie may be the only one who can unlock them...or she may just be the next victim.
The Initial Insult
Published in 2021
Ostracized by the elite community of Amontillado, Ohio, after the disappearance of her parents, Tress organizes a Halloween costume party at an abandoned house, where she launches a macabre plan to force a popular former friend to confess what she knows.
Don't Tell a Soul
Published in 2021
"Bram moves to the small town of Louth in order to help her uncle start his new inn, but when she discovers a legacy of silenced women tied to her new home, she sets out to investigate the truth behind the town's 'Dead Girl' myths"-- Provided by publisher.
The Mary Shelley Club
Published in 2021
"A deliciously twisty YA thriller about a mysterious club with an obsession for horror"-- Provided by publisher.
Pride and Premeditation
Published in 2021
Perfect for fans of the Lady Janies and Stalking Jack the Ripper, the first book in the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries series is a clever retelling of Pride and Prejudice that reimagines the iconic settings, characters, and romances in a thrilling and high-stakes whodunit. When a scandalous murder shocks London high society, sixteen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seizes the opportunity to prove herself, despite the interference of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the stern young heir to the prestigious firm Pemberley Associates. Convinced the authorities have imprisoned the wrong person, Lizzie vows to solve the murder on her own. But as the case—and her feelings for Darcy—become more complicated, Lizzie discovers that her dream job could make her happy, but it might also get her killed.
14 Ways to Die
Published in 2021
Ten-years ago, Jess lost her mother to the Magpie Man, an infamous serial killer who is still at large and planning to kill again. She's going to use her new platform as the star of a YouTube reality series to catch him. That is, if he doesn't catch her first. Jess's online show means that everyone is talking about her mother's murder case. But, fame comes with its downsides. The whole world is watching her every move. And, it's hard to know who she can trust. Could the Magpie Man be lurking closer to her than she thought? Is he watching her right now?
14 Ways to Die
Published in 2021
Seventeen-year-old Jessica Simmons becomes the star of a YouTube reality series, and she uses her fame to catch her mother's murderer.
The Silver Blonde
Published in 2021
In 1946 Hollywood, eighteen-year-old Clara Berg dreams of becoming a film editor and going on a real date with handsome yet unpredictable screenwriter Gil, until she stumbles upon a murder mystery.
Hold Back the Tide
Published in 2021
Since there wasn't enough proof to convict Alva's father for the murder of her mother, she's been forced to live in his house in Ormscaula, Scotland, being raised by the man she holds responsible for her motherlessness. His family has been called guardians of the loch for generations, and now it falls to her to monitor the water levels, despite not knowing what she's watching for -- or what may be watching her back.
The Castle School
For Troubled Girls
Published in 2021
From New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Sheinmel comes the emotional story of a grieving teenager sent to a boarding school that is nothing like she expected. When Moira Dreyfuss's parents announce that they're sending her to an all-girls boarding school deep in the Maine woods, Moira isn't fooled. She knows her parents are punishing her; she's been too much trouble since her best friend, Nathan, died-and for a while before that. At the Castle School, isolated from the rest of the world, Moira will be expected to pour her heart out to the odd headmaster, Dr. Prince. But she isn't interested in getting over Nathan's death or befriending her fellow students. On her first night there, Moira hears distant music. On her second, she discovers the lock on her window is broken. On her third, she and her roommate venture outside...and learn that they're not so isolated after all. There's another, very different, Castle School nearby-this one filled with boys whose parents sent them away, too. Moira is convinced that the Castle Schools and the doctors who run them are hiding something. But exploring the schools will force Moira to confront her overwhelming grief-and the real reasons her parents sent her away.
The Castle School (for Troubled Girls)
Published in 2021
Paralyzed by grief, Moira feels punished when her parents send her to a therapeutic boarding school in Maine where she meets eleven other troubled girls and gradually begins to understand her parents' true intentions behind sending her there.
The Project
Published in 2021
Lo Denham wants to expose the Unity Project as a cult and reconnect with her indoctrinated sister, but as she immerses herself in the group with no signs of Bea, Lo begins to question everything she thought was true.
House of Hollow
Published in 2021
A New York Times Bestseller! An Instant Indie Bestseller! A dark, twisty modern fairytale where three sisters discover they are not exactly all that they seem and evil things really do go bump in the night. Iris Hollow and her two older sisters are unquestionably strange. Ever since they disappeared on a suburban street in Scotland as children only to return a month a later with no memory of what happened to them, odd, eerie occurrences seem to follow in their wake. And they're changing. First, their dark hair turned white. Then, their blue eyes slowly turned black. They have insatiable appetites yet never gain weight. People find them disturbingly intoxicating, unbearably beautiful, and inexplicably dangerous. But now, ten years later, seventeen-year-old Iris Hollow is doing all she can to fit in and graduate high school on time—something her two famously glamourous globe-trotting older sisters, Grey and Vivi, never managed to do. But when Grey goes missing without a trace, leaving behind bizarre clues as to what might have happened, Iris and Vivi are left to trace her last few days. They aren't the only ones looking for her though. As they brush against the supernatural they realize that the story they've been told about their past is unraveling and the world that returned them seemingly unharmed ten years ago, might just be calling them home.
House of Hollow
Published in 2021
"Iris and Vivi work to uncover their dark, dangerous, and possibly magical past when their older sister Grey goes missing"-- Provided by publisher.
That Weekend
Published in 2021
After Claire wakes up alone on a mountain with no memory of how she got there, she learns her best friend Kat and Kat's boyfriend are missing and Kat's past is full of secrets.
The River Has Teeth
Published in 2021
When her sister goes missing on the Bend, becoming the second girl to disappear from the wildlife preserve, Natasha turns to a local girl rumored to be a witch to find her.