15 Twisty YA Mystery Books to Die For

A few years ago, I discovered YA mystery books and teenage thrillers. I loved reading about young amateur sleuths and the murder mysteries they solved so much that I devoured oodles of them. In case you’re as obsessed with young adult mystery books as I am, I created this reading list.

The great thing about YA mystery books is that the stories are more intense than you’ll find in middle grade mysteries, but not as dark as what you get in an adult novel. Since I prefer amateur detective stories anyway, high school mystery novels strike the right cord for me. And they probably will for you as well.

So if you’re looking for some teenage thriller books and YA mystery books to read this year, you’re in the right place.

Grab your favorite drink and a stack of these YA thrillers and find somewhere comfortable to read. Once you get started on these novels, you won’t want to stop!

*I’ve added content information to the books I’ve already read.

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YA Mystery Books to Die For

One of Us is Lying by Karen m. McManus

Fans of The Breakfast Club will love this darkly delightful YA mystery novel. When a group of teens gets tricked into going to detention, they never expect that one of them won’t come out alive. You’ll love this addictive, fast-paced mystery will keep you guessing until the last page!

And don’t miss the sequel, One of Us is Next!

Content: F-bombs, non-descriptive sex, and a small bit of violence.

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Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

Obviously, I really like this author because as soon as Two Can Keep a Secret became available, I dove in. Ellery and her brother move to Echo Ridge, a small town where homecoming queens go missing, sinister messages abound, and mysteries are never solved. This book will keep you on your toes!

Content: Some language (including F-bombs), suspense, and kissing.

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Gilt Hollow by Lorie Langdon

After spending four years locked up for a murder he didn’t commit, Ashton returns to the town of Gilt Hollow. Things are tense between Ashton and his former best friend, Willow. And when threatening messages and mysterious crimes start popping up, all fingers point to Ashton. But Willow knows he’s innocent, and she isn’t going to let him go again. Suspense, romance, and a psychopath on the loose—this book has it all!

Content: Mild innuendo and suspense.

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Killing November by Adriana Mather

November can’t understand why her father would send her to a super-secret school for assassins and spies. But when a classmate is murdered, all fingers point to November. She has to figure out who the killer is, clear her name, and stay alive in a school filled with criminal masterminds. It’s not as easy as it sounds.

Content: Some language (no f-bombs), kissing, violence, and suspense.

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The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

As the younger sister of one of the infamous cheerleaders that died five years ago, Monica has plenty of motivation for finding answers. But the more questions Monica asks, the more people clam up. Tight lips, old wounds, and terrible secrets abound in this smartly written whodunnit.

Content: Language (including f-bombs), violence, and kissing.

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You Owe Me a Murder by Eileen Cook

When Kim meets Nicki on a class trip to London, they immediately bond over jokes about murdering Kim’s ex-boyfriend. But when he winds up dead, Kim realizes Nicki was serious. Now, she’ll either have to commit a murder for Nicki or take the blame for one.

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The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook

Desperate for money, Skye agrees to participate in an elaborate kidnapping scheme that will get her some cash. But she never expects things to turn deadly. This book will keep you on your toes and watching over your shoulder!

Content: Some cursing (including f-bombs), and suspense.

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With Malice by Eileen Cook

A fatal car accident, a girl with amnesia, and suspense that slowly builds throughout the story will keep you tearing through the pages of this teenage mystery novel. With plenty of plot twists, you won’t be able to guess where the story is going next!

Content: Language (including f-bombs).

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Holding Court by K.C. Held

This book is a little different than everything else on this list for one big reason: it’s hilarious. Like, gut-busting, laugh-so-hard-you-cry kind of funny. When Jules takes a summer job at a castle dinner theater, she hopes to make some money and maybe score a date with her crush. But when she accidentally finds a secret door, trips over a dead body, then promptly loses said dead body, things aren’t looking so good.

Content: Language (no f-bombs) and suspense.

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The Dead Girls Society by Michelle Krys

If you miss watching Pretty Little Liars (or you’re enjoying The Perfectionists), then you need this YA thriller in your hands! When Hope receives a mysterious invitation to play a dangerous game of dares, she doesn’t hesitate. But it doesn’t take long for Hope to realize that this game is far more deadly than she originally thought. In fact, she might not make it out alive.

Content: Cursing (no f-words), violence and scary situations, and kissing.

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The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs

Sloane has spent the last six years in witness protection and now she’s ready to get out. So when she bumps into someone from her past, she decides not to tell the agent in charge of protecting her. If you love YA mystery books that deliver one twist after another and keep you guessing until the very end, pick this one up!

Content: Small amount of language, perilous situations, and kissing.

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Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

The founders of Ellingham Academy were murdered long ago, and now Stevie wants to solve the mystery. But when murder strikes the academy again, Stevie fears the founder’s killer has returned for more. This is the first novel in a YA murder mystery trilogy, so don’t miss out on the next two books in the series, The Vanishing Stair and The Hand on the Wall.

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Neverworld Wake by Marisha Pessl

After a weird but uneventful night out, Beatrice and her friends wake up in a bizarre time loop where they repeat the same day over and over. As friends clash and secrets emerge, Beatrice confronts the truth about what happened on the night her high-school boyfriend died.

Content: Language (including f-bombs), innuendo, violence, and sexual situations (although no sex happens).

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S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett

Nine students. Three bloodsports. One deadly weekend.

When Greer gets invited to spend a weekend huntin’ shootin’ fishin’ with a group of teens at the home of the richest boy at her boarding school, she feels like she finally fits in. But the weekend quickly turns deadly as Greer realizes that she’s become the prey.

Content: Some language (no f-bombs) and perilous situations.

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People Like Us by Dana Mele

Another YA mystery for Pretty Little Liars fans. People Like Us is set in an upscale private school where Kay Donovan is one of the “it” girls. But when a classmate is found murdered, Kay’s flawless persona begins to crack. Soon, neither the police nor the reader is convinced of Kay’s innocence.

Content: Language, kissing, innuendo, and allusions to sex.

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