1. This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston (Stand-alone book, short length)

Warning: A local wealthy, popular high schooler is murdered while out hunting with his friends. The killer could be any of the four friends that went with him, and motives are popping up left and right. Kate is interning at the district attorney's office and has a personal connection to the case. She is determined to bring the boys down. But, are they all bad? Will any of them speak up? With a sprinkle of romance and twists on twists, I couldn't put it down!

 

2. I Hunt Killers Series by Barry Lyga (3 books series, medium length)

Warning: Jazz was raised by one of the nation's most prolific serial killers and he has always struggled against what he perceives as a genetic pull towards murder and the macabre. To fight that nature he decides to help the FBI solve murder cases. These books nicely balanced Jazz's internal struggle with who he is and the hunt for new killers. Each surprise punched you in the gut and you prayed that Jazz would figure it out before it was too late!

 

3. Missing by Kelly Armstrong (Stand-alone book, medium length)

Warning: Winter never blamed all the people that left her small town in a hurry. There's nothing left there except abandoned mines and the woods. But when she finds a body in those same woods she teams up with the local bad boy to investigate. Were all those people really leaving? But who would have the power to cause so many people to vanish? It shocks you in all the best ways and gets darker with every page.

 

4. The Masked Truth by Kelly Armstrong (Stand-alone book, medium length)

Warning: A shooter has a group of troubled teens trapped in their group therapy, but how do they know what’s real and what’s not? The plot was mind-bending and had me on the edge of my seat. Interesting romance between flawed, but lovable characters.

 

5. Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Stand-alone book, medium length)

Warning: After returning home from an accident with amnesia, she has to piece together who is hunting her. Nobody seems trustworthy, including the old version of herself. With the help of her attractive, compassionate neighbor Cole she realizes the accident wasn't an accident and someone wants her dead. This book is a shocking, twisting thrill ride from one of my favorite authors!

 

6. Games of Fire by Arrika Phoenix (Stand-alone book, medium length)

Warning: As she falls in love with the boy next door, her stalker terrorizes her every move, trying to get closer to her. A potent romance makes up for a slightly predictable plot line.

 

7. Naturals Series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (3 book series, medium length)

Warning: A team of gifted teens work together to profile serial killers. Like a teen version of Criminal Minds! A real warning: there is a slight, annoying love triangle. It all works out in the end, with a little blood and mystery.

 

8. Stalking Jack the Ripper by Keri Maniscalo (3 books, medium length)

Warning: If you love Sherlock Holmes, crime shows, and the Victorian era this is the book for you. An awesome couple dissects bodies, bickers constantly, and falls in love. Maniscalo weaves in true crime or famous myths to take on this fictional team. Cameos include Dracula, Houdini, and H.H. Holmes. It's all put together brilliantly, equal parts romantic, mysterious, and hilarious.

 

9. How to Lead a Life of Crime by Kirsten Miller (Stand-alone, long length)

Warning: Flick is trying to escape an abusive father and the mysterious death of his brother. He takes solace in his relationship with the beautiful and fierce Joi. But when an opportunity arises to find out who killed his brother, Flick leaves her behind and goes undercover at a school designed to teach kids off the street to be criminals. Will he reunite with Joi just in time to take down the school? It felt totally new and totally addicting.

 

10. A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (3 books, medium length)

Warning: A new generation of Holmes and Watsons, with a teen Sherlock and Watson teaming up with the legacy of their families behind them. Will their story be different? Can they become something new, and be the best team of them all? Both Holmes and Watson struggle under the weight of familial legacy, as well as some other heavy issues like addiction and mental health. Their bond was an up and down battle, but it never truly failed them. They were a team you prayed would make it out.

 

11. The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, Deception Point, and Digital Fortress by Dan Brown (All can be read separately, though the first two have the same main character, medium length)

Warning: Brown rarely needs an introduction, but his most famous work begins with a murder centered around the Da Vinci exhibit in the Louvre. The clues and historical allusions made by the murdered cause a professor to be brought in to work the case. What follows is thoroughly thrilling and educational ride. Nothing was recycled here, it was all fresh and exciting!

 

12. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (Stand-alone, short length)

Warning: Not a thriller in the traditional sense, this book follows the broken mind of a teenage girl whose friend committed suicide. Issues of eating disorders and hallucinations make this book haunting. (TRIGGER WARNING)

 

13. Daughter of Deep Silence by Carrie Ryan (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: Her whole family is killed in a ship crash, and the world thinks she’s dead too. But she comes back with her eye on revenge against the people whose mismanagement caused her family’s destruction. I loved our protagonist's determination and focus, but also her moral backbone and willingness to confront sticky situations.

 

14. Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (Stand-alone, long length)

Warning: An unwed Amish girl is accused of killing her newborn baby. A city-slicker lawyer with her own dark past is called in to help and figure out the case. With heart-stopping twists, an amazing look into Amish life, and a touching romance, this book sticks with you.

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15. The Accident Season by Moira Fowley-Doyle (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: Every October Cara’s family inexplicably experiences terrible accidents. Sometimes it leads to death, like with her father, sometimes it’s just bumps and bruises. This year feels different, though. This year she’s found love and, maybe, truth. What does she not know about the Accident Season? Haunting, dark, and hopeful, this book will grab you and not let go.

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16. Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: She wakes up from a six-month long nap with a new boyfriend, an ex-best friend, and terrifying flashbacks. With the help of loner, bad boy Adam, she pulls back the curtain on an insane conspiracy that’s been hurting her without her knowledge. An engrossing read with wonderful character development. It had you looking over your shoulder.

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17. The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: She used to be a good girl from the “right side of the tracks” until her boyfriend is murdered in front of her. She has fractured memories of the event but is desperate to find his killer. She shakes up her life and meets an enigmatic, broken boy who illegally races cars. Together, they fight for love and answers. The romance was strong, the mystery was intriguing, and the cars were fast, fast, fast!

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18. Dive Smack by Demetra Brodsky (Stand-alone, short length)

Warning: Theo is an orphan trying to straighten out his life. After he accidentally killed his mother by starting a house fire, and thus caused his dad to die years later of grief, he’s focused as much attention as he can on diving and a new girl he likes. But, his amnesia about the night his mom died is starting to fade and the memories make him question everything he knew about his family and that night. With the twistiest of twists, I loved every minute.

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19. Like Never and Always by Ann Aguirre (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: After a car accident, Liv wakes up knowing her best friend Morgan is dead. But, a glance at the mirror shows her that she woke up in her dead-best-friend’s body. Everyone thinks she’s Morgan and she goes along with charade only to not end up diagnosed as crazy. Soon, she realizes that maybe Morgan wasn’t who she thought and taking over as Morgan allows her to rip open an intense conspiracy. With a heart-wrenching romance and incredible surprises, Aguirre never fails to impress.

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20. Phantom Wheel by Tracy Deebs (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: A group of gifted teen hackers from very diverse backgrounds band together after they are tricked into unleashing a terrible program onto modern society. Filled with action-movie thrills and twists, as well as lovable and interesting characters, this book was easy and delightful.

 

21. Hide with Me by Sorboni Banerjee (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: Cade is shocked one morning when he finds Jane hiding in his barn. She refuses to share her real name, her past, or who she’s running from, all Cade knows is that she needs help and a place to hide while her bullet wound heals. As he helps Jane recuperate, the two form an intense connection, one that could mean a fresh beginning for both of them. But what happens when the two are hunted for information that Jane knows? Will they be torn apart? This was a traditional thriller/romance in all the right ways. 

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22. All the Little Lights by Jamie McGuire (Stand-alone, medium length)

Warning: Elliott and Catherine begin to fall in love the moment they meet. Both struggle through difficult childhoods and they quickly find solace in each other. When Elliott moves on the same fateful day that Catherine’s father dies, leaving her with her moody, abusive mother, Catherine cuts ties to Elliot and ignores any of his attempts to explain. A few years later, Elliott comes back to the small town where he and Catherine first met. Sparks fly, but Catherine’s mother and the town’s discrimination towards Elliott’s Cherokee heritage put some obstacles in their path. When murders begin to occur, all eyes turn towards the couple and secrets begin to unravel. The love story was strong and romantic, but the mystery was dark and twisty. It kept me guessing until the very last page!

 

23. Serious Moonlight Jenn Bennett (Stand-alone, medium length):

Warning: Birdie has always been fascinated by mysteries, something that blossomed when she lived in isolation with her strict grandparents. They eventually agree to let her get a job at an aging, historic Seattle hotel and Birder is thrilled to gain some independence. There she meets Daniel, the young hotel van driver, who introduces her to the mystery of an elusive writer who frequents the hotel. Daniel leads Birdie on a thrilling chase and soon deeper feelings begin to grow between them. But, some things are just not adding up throughout their sleuthing, and Birdie begins to wonder if it is Daniel who is the real mystery. The relationship between Birdie and Daniel feels very important and honest, both working through mental health struggles and finding their place in the world. It was a surprising, tantalizing mystery with real, fleshed-out characters. A new look at the mystery genre!