9 YA Mysteries to Read This Fall

This is such a fun, twisty YA murder mystery whodunnit trilogy that is delightfully readable. A special school for the individually gifted, Ellingham Academy is nestled deep within a secluded, forested location in the Vermont Mountains. It is also home to a world famous unsolved murder that occurred in 1936 in which founder Ellingham’s wife and young daughter were kidnapped and killed. The only clue: a mysterious letter signed “Truly Devious”. Years later, true crime detective aficionado Stevie Bell lands a spot at this prestigious private school to work on the case. Upon her arrival, strange things start happening –  it appears Truly Devious may have returned! If you’re a fan of old mysteries, private schools, Vermont in the fall, whodunnit and the game of Clue, this is your next favourite read!

Puzzle & riddle solving aficionados will gobble up this fun, romantic and completely thrilling series. Following Avery, who one day is living out of her car and the next is the secret inheritor of billionaire Tobias Hawthorne's fortune … which doesn't exactly go down well with his immediate family! Tobias was a master puzzler and to figure out why she has inherited his estate (and not one of his four handsome grandsons!) Avery, along with some help from the Hawthorne boys, must solve the clues left behind my this master trickster!

This is a greatly underrated YA mystery thriller and fall is the perfect time to pick it up. In this page turning whodunnit, Marnie, a “creepy social outcast”, takes up the hobby of tea leaf reading and finds herself swept up in paranormal happenings and a real life missing persons case of local girl, Andrea Quinley. As Marnie delves deeper into the mystery of Andrea’s disappearance increasingly strange occurrences continue to happen to her, with more signs pointing towards murder. Pick this one up if you’re looking for a fast read that delivers on creepy atmosphere, paranormal happenings, magic, and school settings.

High school, podcasts, secrets and unsolved murders. Fans of Truly Devious (above) or the TV show Only Murders in the Building, will eat this one up! Sal Singh committed suicide after he was accused of killing his popular high school girlfriend, Andie Bell. Now five years later, Pip decides to reopen the case as part of a senior final school project and begins to uncover a trail of secrets that might prove Sal’s innocence … which means the killer is still at large, and is hellbent on stopping Pip from uncovering the answers she seeks. If you like stories told in mixed media format - pop this story up to the top of your TBR!

Another underrated YA gem, this is a fast paced, gothic novel, set in Regency London. Katherine Randolph’s life is turned upside down when her wealthy English grandfather passes, leaving her and her brother George as inheritors of his grand estate. Suddenly wrenched from a Virginian farm to upper-class England in the 1820s, Katherine feels more at home with a hunting rifle in her hand than the dazzling dresses she must wear. When her brother is found dead in a frozen lake, Katherine is convinced it wasn’t an accident – and it appears his murderer might be setting sights on her.

I know this is an incredibly popular YA Novel, having been selected as a Reese YA book club pick in 2021, but in case you haven't yet picked it up, here's your push to do so. Daunis Fauntaine has never felt like she's fit in – either in her hometown or her Ojibwe reservation. After tragedy struck her family, Daunis out her post secondary dreams on hold to stay and care for her mother. When Daunis witnesses a murder, her life is thrown upside down as she is thrust into a criminal murder and drug investigation. As the investigation continues, Daunis grows increasingly frustrated by law enforcement's focus on punishing the offenders but not on protecting new victims, as the deaths keep growing. She has to decide how far she'll go for her Ojibwe community, even if it means breaking apart her own world. This one is excellent on audiobook. 

Frustrated by the lack of police response surrounding her missing former BFF, Alice Ogilive, a major Agatha Christie buff, pairs up with a fellow classmate to investigate. Coastal small town vibes, children of the Uber-wealthy behaving badly, and plenty of nods to the grande dame of mystery, this is a refreshing read in the YA mystery genre. 

Private Academy, drama, and mystery combine in this exciting YA thriller that follows two students, Devon and Chiamaka, who’ve just been selected to be part of the school’s Senior Prefects. But soon someone who goes by “Aces” begins sending anonymous text messages, revealing secrets about the students, threatening their future. As the texts continue, it becomes apparent this is no prank and quickly turns into a dangerous game. Devon and Chiamaka must work together to stop Aces before things turn deadly … 

If you’re looking for a mystery that is going to scare the creepers out of you, than The Diviners should be your next read! I’ve only read the first instalment in this series – which let me say right here, reads a lot older than the typical YA standard – but it will, guaranteed, put chills down your spine by the end of the first chapter. The ghost of a vigilante serial killer is on the loose collecting body parts from his murdered victims in order to bring forth unspeakable power and harm to mankind, and it’s up to the excellent cast of main characters to stop it. A fantastically creepy period piece (set in the 1920s) this story is absolutely rich with atmosphere and intrigue. Highly recommend the audiobook.