Book Reviews YA Mystery, Adventure, Suspense, and Thriller

I love to read, and these book reviews YA mystery, adventure, suspense, and thriller showcase one of my favorite genres! You can find these books in a variety of places, and along with public libraries, I’m a huge fan of independent book stores, including my favorite (which is right here in Denver), the Tattered Cover. Also check out Barnes & Noble   or this list of independent bookstores. These book suggestions can be found online at all or most of these stores, (as well as at Amazon ). I hope these book reviews YA mystery will help with gifts and book suggestions!

With series, I usually review my favorite of the group -- but all the books are worth reading! Here’s the basic key I will use when reviewing the plots:

Kat thought she wanted a normal life, but when her good friend Hale gets her kicked out of school, she discovers that her father -- a renowned art thief -- needs her; and as she gathers her friends around her to pull off an impossible job, she begins to wonder what normal means, anyway.
RT: Favorite because of the rich characters, the sense of excitement and adventure, and the lure of a world where teens can play with the big boys.

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover , by Ally Carter *

In the third book in the Gallagher Girls' series, Cammie finds herself helping when the Senator's daughter (who happens to be one of Cammie's good friends) is almost kidnapped. Also check out the first two books in the series (Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy and I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You).
RT: Favorite because the storyline is fun and intriguing, the characters are likable, and the romance is tense and exciting.

Book Reviews YA-Mystery includes the variety of suspense, adventure, and thrillers (along with mysteries) because most mysteries have all these elements, to a certain extent. Carter's books (above) are spy-type and adventure novels; Duncan's and Wynne-Jones' books (directly below) are more suspenseful.

Don't Look Behind You , by Lois Duncan (I, mild V)

When April's dad gets involved with dangerous criminals, the entire family must go into the witness protection program -- but April struggles to remain unknown.
DWI: loyalty; trust
RT: Favorite because it's a great story along with suspense and intriguing characters.

The Uninvited, by Tim Wynne-Jones (mild S, L, V, I)

Mimi tries to get away from her failed romance and meets Jay -- quickly learning he's her half-brother -- and both, along with another half-brother, must figure out who's trying to frighten them away from their cabin before it's too late.
DWI: what makes a family?
RT: This is an interesting, suspenseful tale. I liked Mimi, but her relationship with her two half-brothers is strange, to say the least.

The Less-Dead, by April Lurie (L, V)

Noah's dad is a radio-show host who likes to discuss righteousness and lifestyles -- and when gay teens begin to be murdered, Noah believes it's someone from his dad's show...and when the next boy to be killed is Noah's friend, he decides to take action and find out the truth.
DWI: accepting others; GLBT lifestyles and love
RT: I really liked this because of the great Author's Note at the end discussing Biblical ideas behind loving and accepting those whose sexual preferences are not the 'norm' -- Noah's also a very sympathetic character, and the mystery is compelling and heart-breaking.


Today, it's not unusual to find paranormal elements in mysteries. Book Reviews YA-Mystery also recognizes the 'unreliable narrator' as a mystery device (Giles' book). An unreliable narrator basically lies to the reader (or excludes details) while sharing the narrative, leading to misconceptions on the part of the reader. Both the paranormal aspects and the unreliable narrator can add suspense to Young Adult mysteries.

The Body Finder, by Kimberly Derting (L, S, V)

Violet has always been able to sense violent death, even on animals -- but when a killer targets girls in Violet's town, she has to figure out how to help the police while still maintaining her safety.
DWI: sacrifice; courage; dealing with first love
RT: Favorite because of the great plot and the lovely romance between Violet and Jay.


Liar, by Justine Larbalestier (I, S, V, L)

Micah is a teenager with many problems -- though deciding exactly what those problems entail is the source of many mysteries within this book (mysteries including possible paranormal elements, murder, psychological trauma, etc).
DWI: what causes schizophrenia; what is real
RT: This is my favorite unreliably narrated book -- I wouldn't be surprised if it became the classic example of an unreliable narrator -- definitely worth a read!

Blue is for Nightmare, by Laurie Faria Stolarz (L, S, V, I)

Stacey's having nightmares to start off her junior year, and since her nightmares often involve what will happen in the future, it's especially bad when she discovers the focus of her dreams is her roommate.
DWI: friendship; falling for a friend's boyfriend
RT: I enjoyed this because it's quite reminiscent of adult suspense novels -- there is fear, romance, suspects, mystery -- no punches are pulled. If you enjoy this, Stolarz has written more in the series (White is for Magic and Red is for Remembrance).

Dead Girls Don't Write Letters, by Gail Giles (L, I)

Sunny's sister Jazz is dead, so why is she now trying to get back into their family's life?
DWI: mental illness
RT: I'm not a huge fan of unreliable narrators, and I know people who have literally thrown books like this against the wall in frustration after reading -- BUT, if you know in advance what you're dealing with, I think it's an interesting read (similar to a psychological thriller). Giles has written a few mysteries without the unreliable narrator, as well (Shattering Glass and What Happened to Cass McBride?, among others).


Book Reviews YA-Mystery tries to stay on top of the recent mystery releases, as well as the classics (like Agatha Christie). Keep checking back!

All Unquiet Things, by Anna Jarzab (S, L, V)

Neily's ex-girlfriend was murdered a year ago, and now her cousin has returned, hoping Neily will help her find out the true killer, instead of her father, who's currently serving a sentence for the death.
DWI: high school relationships and social challenges
RT: Favorite because of the great mystery here and the multiple points of view in the telling -- plus, Neily and Audrey are both fascinating characters.

Dirty Laundry, by Daniel Ehrenhaft (mild L, mild S)

Carli and Fun, already playing roles for a television show Carli hopes to land, take a break and try to solve a mystery of a missing girl from their boarding school, instead.
DWI: perseverance; friendship
RT: I liked this mystery because of the dual narratives (back and forth between Carli and Fun), and also because of their friendship. There's humor and intrigue thrown into the mix, as well.

Invisible I: The Amanda Project, by Stella Lennon and Melissa Kantor (mild L)

When Amanda goes missing, she recruits (somehow) her three only friends -- none of whom realized the others knew about Amanda -- to find her.
DWI: friendship; guilt; making amends
RT: Favorite because this is a truly compelling mystery, where the clues are scattered artistically (similar to the illustrations) and the characters are complex. Although the main mystery of Amanda's disappearance is not resolved in this book (book two comes out in July, The Signal From Afar), it still finds a satisfying ending (though I definitely want more).

Reality Check, by Peter Abrahams (S, V, L)

Cody panics when his long-time girlfriend is sent away to boarding school -- panics to the point of breaking up with her; now, she's missing, and he's certain it has something to do with her new boyfriend.
DWI: determination and following your heart
RT: This is a good mystery/suspense tale, and I like how Cody does whatever it takes to find the girl he loves -- how he finally discovers what's truly important to him.

And Then Everything Unraveled, by Jennifer Sturman *

When Delia's mom goes missing during a business trip, Delia is the only one who believes she isn't dead -- but trying to figure out how to convince her never-before-seen aunts that she's coping with this new tragedy while also attempting to find her missing mom makes for a lot of stress.
RT: Favorite because of the intriguing story and pace -- and because of the lovely romance between Delia and Quinn. The next one in the series isn't out yet, so be prepared to wait for many of the answers in this mystery.

Wish You Were Dead, by Todd Strasser (L, V, I)

Madison's friends are disappearing, and she thinks it's linked to a blogger who complains about them right before they vanish -- and it might also be connected to the mysterious new kid at school, on whom Madison has a crush.
DWI: cyber-stalking; popularity and bullying; obsession
RT: I really liked this (though it's a little creepy in places) because of the realistic scenario presented on bullying and popularity and someone taking it a little too seriously (and exacting their revenge). Good suspense!

The Man in the Brown Suit , by Agatha Christie (I)

Anne sees a man die before her, and then finds herself on a cruise with the 'doctor' who first came to the scene.
DWI: finding your own path
RT: Favorite because Christie's mysteries are great for teens who love this genre. They're clean and fun, and the bad guy always gets his due! (I also love the romantic elements.)


The Morgue and Me, by John Ford (L, V, mild S)

Christopher gets a job at the local morgue and finds a way to puruse his first love of investigating when he stumbles on a coverup.
DWI: why people kill
RT: This is a good mystery, and the amount of humor from Christopher makes the subject matter more entertaining than gruesome. I like the entire feel of the book.


The Squad: Perfect Cover , by Jennifer Lynn Barnes *