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Reading Recs

Scary summer YA books for fans of unsolved mysteries

If you’re already over the summer heat and looking for some fall vibes and scary times, read on! We’ve got your TBR of scary summer YA books, perfect for fans of unsolved mysteries.

You’re So Dead by Ash Parsons – A hilarious Agatha Christie-inspired YA thriller-comedy about three best friends who sneak into an influencers-only festival event (gone wrong), only to discover a killer is in their midst–and they have to uncover the truth and solve the mystery before it’s too late. Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying and Truly Devious.

The Legacies by Jessica Goodman – A glitzy YA thriller set in New York City elite social circles, filled with backstabbing and blackmail, twisty secrets, and a dead body, from New York Times bestselling author Jessica Goodman.

Suddenly A Murder by Lauren Muñoz – Seven friends throw a 1920s–themed party, where it’s all pretend—until one of them is murdered. One of Us Is Lying meets Knives Out in this glamorous locked-room mystery.

Go Hunt Me by Kelly deVos – For Dracula lovers and fans of Diana Urban’s All Your Twisted Secrets,this spine-tingling thriller follows seven horror buffs as their dream trip to a remote Romanian castle turns into a nightmare when they begin to be killed one by one.

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban – A juicy thriller of jealousy, love, and betrayal set on a Semester at Sea-inspired cruise ship, with a diverse cast of delightfully suspicious characters who’ll leave you guessing with every jaw-dropping twist.

Thin Air by Kellie M. Parker Eight hours. Twelve contestants. A flight none of them might survive. A flight to Paris full of teenagers seeking opportunity turns deadly in this suspenseful, locked-door YA thriller. Perfect for fans of Diana Urban, Karen McManus, and Jessica Goodman.

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou – In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city, for fans of Song of Achilles.

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh – Now in paperback, the first book–an instant bestseller–in the sumptuous, sultry, and romantic YA vampire series from New York Times bestselling author Renee Ahdieh.

Your Lonely Nights Are Over by Adam Sass Scream meets Clueless in this YA horror from Adam Sass in which two gay teen BFFs find their friendship tested when a serial killer starts targeting their school’s Queer Club.

The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn MarshThe Conjuring meets Sadie in this queer ghost story, when seventeen-year-old podcaster Dare finds herself in a life-or-death struggle against an evil spirit.

These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice MarshallThe Haunting of Hill House meets Knives Out in a bid for an inheritance that will leave Helen Vaughan either rich…or dead.

Holly Horror by Michelle Jabès Corpora – After her parents’ painful divorce, Evie Archer hopes that moving to Ravenglass, Massachusetts, is the fresh start that her family needs. But Evie quickly realizes that her new home—known by locals as the Horror House—carries its own dark past after learning about Holly Hobbie, who mysteriously vanished in her bedroom one night.

The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins – Stephanie Perkins, the bestselling author of There’s Someone Inside Your House, returns with a heart-stopping, gut-wrenching novel about friendship, survival, and navigating unmarked paths even as evil watches from the shadows.

Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis – A must-have horror/thriller that will keep you gripped, keep you guessing, and keep you up all night.

The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan – In this queer YA psychological thriller from the author of Some Girls Do and Hot Dog Girl, the sole surviving counselors of a summer camp massacre search to uncover the truth of what happened that fateful night, but what they find out might just get them killed.

How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle ValentineScream meets Happy Death Day in this terrifying stand-alone horror novel from YA scream queen Danielle Valentine.

Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain – A teen girl disappears from her small town deep in the bayou, where magic festers beneath the surface of the swamp like water rot, in this chilling supernatural thriller for fans of Natasha Preston, Karen McManus, and E. Lockhart.

Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall – In this beautifully dark and enthralling YA, four sisters with unusual talents investigate a mysterious disappearance in their secluded Appalachian town. For fans of House of Hollow and Wilder Girls!

Penguin Teen