These days, teenage armchair sleuths have it good. When I was in high school, my friends and I shared well-loved mysteries (Dorothy L. Sayers and Reginald Hill were particularly beloved). They remain favorites, but I’m jealous that we didn’t have the array of mysteries and thrillers written with teens in mind that are available now. Like their adult counterparts, these books insightfully explore the inner psyches of their characters: What would make seemingly ordinary people turn to crime? How do you know whom you can really trust? Against a backdrop of everyday concerns, like shifting friendships, homework assignments, dorm life, and school dances, characters grapple with manipulation, deception, and even murder. Two hallmarks of the genre—a strong sense of place and a distinctive voice—are evident in the following must-reads.
The murder of high school teacher Ms. Appelbaum tore apart the close-knit trio of Grace, Ally, and Henry in Liz Lawson’s whiplash-inducing, twist-filled Murder Between Friends (Delacorte, April 22). Now Grace is rethinking the testimony she gave that helped convict Henry’s brother, Jake, who’s facing a retrial. But if it wasn’t Jake that Grace saw in Ms. Appelbaum’s backyard that fateful night, who was it? And can she persuade a hostile Ally and Henry to investigate with her?
Lauren Muñoz’s Very Dangerous Things (Putnam, July 29) is a nail-biter centered around every crime enthusiast’s dream school project: J. Everett High’s Grand Game, in which criminology students investigate the “murder” of one of their own. Only this year, Xavier Torres, the student chosen to be the victim, actually winds up killed. Fortunately, besties Dulce Castillo and Emi Nakamura are on the case—helped by the dishy new boy (whom they both like, complicating matters).
The immersive atmosphere of Catch Your Death by Ravena Guron (Sourcebooks Fire, September 2) evokes Golden Age mysteries. A snowstorm strands three teen girls in an English country house with a strange, hostile family. Devi got lost while heading to her grandmother’s, Lizzie was making a delivery, and Jayne works part-time at the mansion. Overnight their hostess is murdered—and the culprit must be one of the people trapped there. The girls’ alternating narrations are distinct and compelling.
The latest from award winner Tiffany D. Jackson, The Scammer (Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins, October 7), is a taut, psychologically astute story set at a fictional historically Black university. Jordyn Monroe, who’s seeking community, is thrilled to meet her three suitemates, and the girls bond immediately. But when one of them invites her charismatic older brother, who was recently released from prison, to stay with them, their dynamics become warped and dangerous. Devonte exerts undue influence, and events quickly spiral out of control.
The Dysfunctional Family’s Guide to Murder (Knopf, October 21) marks the North American debut of Australian author Kate Emery. This work, hilariously narrated by 14-year-old Ruth, is ideal for middle school readers—and anyone else who appreciates witty commentary and an eccentric cast. When GG, Ruth’s stepgrandmother, is murdered during a family gathering at GG’s remote farmhouse outside Perth, amateur sleuth and Agatha Christie superfan Ruth is on the case, uncovering shocking family secrets.
Laura Simeon is a young readers’ editor.
