Reviews of Teen Books by Genre: Mystery

One of Us is Lying is a mystery novel about four high school students who are suspected for the murder of their classmate. Bronwyn, Addy, Cooper, Nate, and Simon go into their after school detention following a normal day at school, but the events that happened after weren't so normal. Simon, the outcast and the creator of the high school's gossip app, has been murdered and the other students in detention claim they know nothing. Yet after his murder, the posts on his gossip app don't stop, eventually revealing some shocking things about the suspects. Bronwyn, Addy, Cooper, and Nate decide to join forces and find out the truth behind Simon's murder.

Overall, this book was really good. I would have given it 5 stars but I feel like the description (from the book) is a little misleading. The book focuses on their lives after the murder of Simon Kelleher and not as much of them trying to solve the murder. While I really do like the way it explains the details of their lives, I just found it a bit misleading. Other than that, the book is great. I absolutely love the character development in this novel.

In the beginning Addy is what you might call a "dumb blonde" but later on she becomes much more independent and her character develops in many ways. I also really liked the plot twists, they completely blew me away! I can't reveal much more than that but I truly didn't expect some of the things that happened, to happen.

Big Little Lies is about a group of parents who come to know each other when their kids all start kindergarten together and all their drama collides and ends with a death. I loved how this book kept me interested the whole time. Every chapter something new is thrown at the reader. All the characters were very well developed and everything came together very nicely. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good book that can keep you interested through the whole book just wanting to get to the end to know what happens.

Haley Randolph and her friends have just won a free trip to one of the most high-end resorts in the California area. However, the minute they arrive on shore, things start taking a turn for the worse. One of the resort staff's bodies were found at the bottom of a cliff, and Haley suspects that foul play was afoot. Thus, she winds up plunged into solving yet another murder case, all while looking for her best friend's stolen underwear (I'm not kidding) and the latest and hottest beach bag: the Sea Vixen.

Overall, I think this novel was very well done. The mystery flows as smooth as Mondo Butter, the side plots are entertaining, the characters are great, and the writing itself left me unable to put it down. However, this book is not for everyone, as its girly tone and bag search side plot won't appeal to guys all that well. The mystery can also be a bit hard to follow at times, and it starts out really slow, although it does pick up the pace after the first few chapters. Overall, I recommend this to any girl who likes a good cozy.

We Told Six Lies is about a girl who is kidnapped and her boyfriend is the lead suspect. The whole book is not as it seems though. The whole story is quite disturbing and only gets worse as the book goes on. While the book is really well written and all pieces come together very well, the storyline is not my favorite. It was a book that I was not able to put down until I had found out what had happened and was not disappointed by the ending. Overall I would recommend this book for a more mature teen reader because of how disturbing it is.

Jaine Austen is looking forward to a relaxing Mexican cruise, but things go south when her cat Prozac hitches a ride in and is caught by one of the staff, who blackmails her into editing and typing a huge and unreadable story in just a few days, as well as denying her any luxury. On top of that, one of her only allies has been accused of murdering her unfaithful boyfriend and is being detained below the deck. Determined to save her friend and clear her name, Jaine dives into her most dangerous case yet, all with a furry castaway locked in her room.

I cannot stress how much I love every part of the Jaine Austen mystery series, and this book is no exception. I felt like everything in this novel is done to perfection, even one detail I'm usually critical of. While it still has the problem of its finale being just like every other entry in the series, this book actually does what I didn't expect: make that unpredictable to the reader. I'm confident in saying that Killer Cruise is the Jaine Austen mystery series at its best.

The Thirteenth Tale is a story of a woman telling a mysterious story about her childhood and her origins.It starts off with Margeret Lea, the main character, helping her father in his bookstore, and receiving a letter from a famous writer. I enjoy rereading this book because of how much mystery and confusion there is surrounding the core story, a book about twins. This is high on my list for recommendations because of how ensnaring it is to read.

The Naturals is an amazing book that was so fun to read. The whole book was very exciting and kept me interested the whole time. The ending was so shocking so I was extremely happy to find out that it is a series. All the details of the book are very well thought out and the author did a great job of developing each character to be special. The book is very similar to the tv show Criminal Minds which I thought was awesome.

Emma in the Night is an intense story that had me interested the whole time. While at times the book had me frustrated because it wasn't all making sense right away, in the end the whole story comes together. The author does a great job of having all the pieces add up and make everything be exactly what you wouldn't think. I didn't always love that it was switching perspectives, but it did add a twist to the story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is wanting a book that they will not be able to put down until the whole mystery is solved.

Deep in the Alaskan Woods is a mystery thriller that will keep you wanting to read till the end. Alex decides to visit her cousins in the Alaskan wilderness to serve as a gateway from her toxic relationship. Alex loves the Alaskan wilderness and enjoys getting to be unplugged from the internet. It is a great vacation until someone is found dead! Can Alex and the others find out what or who is responsible for this action? I liked this book because I love reading thrillers and this book was definitely a thriller. I disliked that the author repeated a lot of information through the book.

Nora is desired by every man and envied by every woman. She's beautiful, charming, and intelligent, but every man she's been with is dead, and FBI agent John O'Hara wants to know why. When Nora's millionaire fiance suddenly dies of a heart attack, John goes undercover as Craig Reynolds, the insurance man that will help manage Connor's finances. The more John learns about Nora, the more convinced he is that she's a killer...and the more he becomes attached to her.

The beginning of the book was a bit slow, but once Connor dies-wow!. As much as Nora is a serial killer, she's the most interesting character. We never know why she kills all the people she does, so the reader is left with a bunch of questions: Was she abused by a previous partner? Was she raised in an abusive household? Does she just hate men? Whatever the reason, Nora is good at what she does. This murder mystery book puts some murder shows to shame!

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena is a suspense thriller that kept me wanting to read more until the end! Anne and Marco go to a dinner party and come home late on one fine evening, only to find out that their beautiful 6 month old infant is missing. It was soon discovered that this is horrifying incident was the result of a kidnapping. Will Marco and Anne be able to find and rescue their daughter before its too late? And even if they find their daughter, will she be found alive? There are just too many unknown questions to be answered. Family secrets are exposed and this book will grasp your attention until the very end! I really liked the way that the author was able to craft suspenseful moments. I also really liked how the different characters' personality traits and secrets were revealed. The Couple Next Door is filled with plot twists. The Couple Next Door is a must read and I would highly recommend it!

An Unwanted Guest is a fantastic mystery novel that will consume readers till the very end! This book will make you want to stay up all night trying to figure out who the murderer is. An Unwanted Guest is a thriller that consumed me for many hours. This novel is set in a remote countryside motel where the main characters come to spend their weekend to serve as a getaway from their busy lives. At first everyone seems to enjoy the peace and lack of internet connection. But as the first victim is found, the uncertainty, panic, and fear kick in among the guests. A large snowstorm makes it impossible for any new guests or the police to arrive at the scene, so certainly the murderer must be among them! The question is who? I would highly recommend reading this book, especially if thrillers and mysteries are something you enjoy reading. I found this book to be surprising and I really liked the rural setting that this novel is set in. Finally, I really enjoyed the way that the dark secrets of each character is slowly unveiled to the reader throughout the course of the book.

“Mexican Gothic” follows Noemí Taboada’s mission to uncover the dark secrets of the High Place. Her journey begins when she receives a mysterious letter from her cousin with talk of poison and ghosts. Upon arriving, the Doyle household proves to be untrustworthy with the exception of the family’s youngest son. The Doyle family hid prying eyes behind the walls of the High Palace but Noemí’s sleuthing unlocks a wave of violence and madness.

I enjoyed this book and was hooked from the beginning. I recommend this book for people who enjoy reading about mysteries and paranormal activity. There is a hint of romance but the plot does not revolve around that.

The Raxter School for Girls is located on a secluded island off mainland America. They have been under quarantine for over a year because of the "tox" that has infected the students and teachers there. The tox gives the girls strange mutations like a hand covered in scales, two hearts or two spines, but it can also kill them. There are few students or teachers left on the island, and with little food and dwindling supplies it's a struggle to survive. Hetty is just trying to keep herself and her friends alive long enough for someone to find a cure but when one of her friends, Byatt, go missing Hetty takes it upon herself to find her and learns that things on the island aren't all that they seem to be.
This book is mainly told in two perspectives, Hetty and Byatt. I like this because it gives more insight to other parts of the story. I enjoyed being in Hetty's head. It was interesting to see her look back at her time before Raxter and to see the reasoning behind the decisions she makes. I also liked reading about this new world the girls are living in.
The ending was left very open ended which was kinda annoying. I also think the characters could have more personality outside of how they have been affected by their circumstances. They often lacked depth

Five years ago in Pippa's small town Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh. Everyone believes the case is closed, but Pippa isn't sure. When she decides to look more into the case for her senior capstone (thesis) project, she discovers secrets about the case someone in her town wanted to keep hidden.
The plot of this book was very interesting and fast-paced. It wasn't predictable and the twists at the end were surprising. I really liked Pippa (or Pip) as a character. I appreciated her dedication to her friends and how they would be affected by her investigation. Also because she didn't take things at face value and looked into them more deeply before making a conclusion.
Some things I didn't like about this books is that Pip was a bit unethical in her investigation. She broke into houses, pretended to be a reporter and other people involved with the murder to get the information she needed. Also I had to suspend by disbelief at some parts because it was kinda hard to believe that a seventeen year old with little to no prior investigative experience was so much better then detectives at their job.

Uncaged is about how an animal rights group breaks in to a high profile animal testing facility. This facility is notorious for abusing, torturing, testing, and genetically modifying animals.The group is lead by Odin and Rachel and they want to expose the animal cruelty going on in the lab. After the break in the animal rights group was able to take videos and pictures as well get their hands on important flash drives, and rescue a monkey from the lab. Many members were killed and several were injured, and the operation was a disaster. Can the group decode the flash drives, rescue the animals, and remain safe from the lab's goons, before its too late? This book was not predictable and it was a great read.

Douglas Layton was a famous architect and a hero until the balcony of London’s Britannia Empire Theater collapsed. The balcony caused many to lose their lives and Douglas Layton served prison time for it. After serving his time in prison Douglas is on a mission to find out who was truly responsible for this tragedy. He gets a job at the same theater and gets a brand new identity to disguise himself. Douglas gathers more evidence that this incident was intentional. He must tread the water carefully and not let anyone figure out who he is. Fallen Architect is a suspenseful mystery book that will grip the reader's interest and will have them craving for more.

Nola is the army's painter and a solider. She was working on a top secret military mission in Alaska before she died. She got on a military plane and it crashed killing everyone on board. Zig works at an Air Force base and finds out that Nola is miraculously still alive! Nola saved Zig's daughter a long time ago and Zig will do anything to find and be reunited with Nola. Can Zig get to Nola first before her enemies do? This book is a fast paced thriller that will engage the reader.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is another outstanding Sherlock Holmes novel. After wealthy landowner Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson must investigate the rumors of an otherworldly hound with glowing eyes and jaw. The Hound of the Baskervilles once again showcases Sherlock Holmes brilliant deductive capabilities and the mental chess-match he plays with villains. However, this novel also shows Dr. Watson's wit and all that he has learned throughout his years with Holmes.
This gripping adventure will keep you on your toes and leave you guessing until the very end. I highly recommend this book for any fan of classic mystery novels.

The Last Flight is a thriller filled with many unexpected plot twists and cliff hangers. Claire is married to an affluent man named Rory. Everyone is jealous of Claire as they believe she has everything in life. Little does the world know about Rory's temper and abusive behavior. An unexpected meeting at the airport changes everything for Claire. At the airport, on the way to Puerto Rico, Claire meets another woman Eve who also seems to be in a dire situation. Just before Claire's flight is set to depart the two woman swap tickets and Claire is now headed to Oakland and Eva is on her way to Puerto Rico. As Claire arrives in Oakland she finds out that the flight to Puerto Rico crashed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with no survivors. Claire is now stranded in Oakland with no money, and must live the life of a complete stranger who has some dark secrets. This book is a great read and it will keep you at the edge of your seat.