Good Mystery Books For Teens

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Today I wanted to talk about some good mystery books for teens that youngsters can enjoy. I got an email a few days ago with a request to list some young adult mystery books that this growing generation can also read.

Now with summer almost here, once all exams are over and done with, mystery for teens, which have nothing to do with study books mind you, will be all the rage among the young folk who do love reading rather than playing computer games all day long.

So here are some of my favorite teen mystery books and series – some are already well known, while others are new publications. They are not always straight murder crime stories like the Nancy Drew series.

Some might have a dystopian flair, while others are creepies and thrillers – but they all have something in common: they are all popular teen mystery books where the mysteries need to be solved, with a lot of suspense and danger involved. Some are old school mysteries, while others are recent publications by known and new authors.


Popular Young Adult Mystery Series

1. Young Sherlock Holmes series by Andrew Lane

young sherlock holmes

This series includes currently 6 books, plus a shortner novella, each focusing on an adventure of a young Sherlock Holmes starting at the age of 14, set in 1868. In the first book Sherlock, who so far has lived a normal life, is sent to his aunt who lives in Hampshire, and here is when he comes across a first murder…murder that he has to solve, of course.

There is lots of action, tension and suspense in these books, and for anyone who enjoys reading about Sherlock Holmes, or even loves watching the TV series with this character in center stage, these book will be a great addition to their collection.

You can check out all the Young Sherlock Holmes books at Amazon.

 2. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

pretty little liars

Some might not agree with me here, but I’m telling you, the Pretty Little Liars books are a heck of a mystery series worth reading. I haven’t watched the same named TV show, so I don’t know how it compares, but the books are awesome. I am not a teen, heck, I’m far away from that, but I enjoyed them just as well. My neighbor’s daughter, who is now 16 has all the books in paperback nicely aligned on her shelf.

Currently there are 16 main books in the series (14 published, with 2 more on the way this year, as well as 2 additional shorter novellas), so there is plenty of reading material for a long hot summer of fun and reading.

You can check out the Pretty Little Liars series  on Amazon, all books are on Kindle right now.

 3. The Confessions Series by James Patterson

James Patterson is well known for his Alex Cross series, and his Women’s Murder Club series – all adult mystery material. However he has also started recently to write a young adult mystery series called Confessions. Currently there are 3 books in the series (2 published and a third one available from this October).

Confessions series by James Patterson
The books are about the Angel family, a very wealthy family with a lot of skeletons in their proverbial closets. A mad scientist dad, kids with supernatural powers…what more do you need? It is a dark, suspenseful and quite engaging series.

4. Gilda Joyce Psychic Investigator series by Jennifer Allison

Gilda Joyce books

Here is another fun mystery series worth checking out for teens, pre-teens and any age before and after. It’s a cute paranormal mystery set of 5 books (with the last one published in 2011, so they’re not that old). Gilda is a professional psychic investigator who solves mysteries that she comes across – which are quiet a lot, I might add.

There is a great mixture of chilling/creepy scary stuff and humor to make it a wonderful series to read. Highly recommended. Btw I love the covers, they are really awesome, especially if you have the books in paperback.

I found all the Glenda Joyce books at Amazon, check them out.

5.  Virals series by Kathy Reichs

Virals series by Kathy Reichs

I love all Kathy Reichs Temperance Brennan books, and if you’ve read some of them, you will have learned about Tempe Brennan’s niece, Tory Brennan. Now she has her own series with currently 4 main books and 2 novellas included. It is a fun series about Tory and her ragtag band of teenage “sci-philes who enjoy solving crimes in their own strange ways. Another great book series worth reading for teens – and not only.

Check out the Virals series by Kathy Reichs at Amazon

Some additional series worth checking out, all mysteries and all suitable for teens:

* Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene

* Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter

* Heist Society series by Ally Carter

* Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz

* Jason Steed series by Mark A. Cooper

* The Agency series by Y.S. Lee

The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting

The 39 Clues series by Rick Riordan

Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series by Ransom Riggs


Popular Teen Mystery Novels

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan – and any Lois Duncan book for the matter

Lois Duncan books

If you’re not familiar with this author’s worth, you might be, however, familiar with the movie which was made base on the bestselling young adult mystery  novel. Some people even say it borders on horror. I’ve read all Lois Duncan’s books back in the day (I’ve read them in the 90s) and they’re really a classic, each and one of them. Locked In Time, Don’t Look Behind You, The Third Eye, I loved each book, and I can warmly recommend them all.

The books are all standalone, so you can read whichever you want in any order you please.

Here is Lois Duncan’s page at Amazon with a listing of all her currently published books. Most of them are already on Kindle as well.

* Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman

* Black Mirror by Nancy Werlin

* Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield

* Ten by Gretchen McNeil

* Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight

* The Rag and Bone Shop by Robert Cormier

* Tightrope by Gillian Cross

* Pointe by Brady Colbert

* Windows to the Soul by J.M. Barlog

* Henry Franks by Peter Adam Salomon

* Desert Angel by Charlie Price

I will add more great mystery books for teens as I add them to my reading list or by others recommendations.

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2 Responses to “Good Mystery Books For Teens”

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  1. Jim B says:

    What???? Nancy Drew but no Hardy Boys?
    Shameful!

  2. Thanks for this post. I have 3 that I am looking for books for to get some summer reading together.

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