10 Page Turning Mystery Books For Teens

Welcome to our blog about the best mystery books for teens!

Teens can benefit from reading mystery novels as they are exciting and can introduce them to complex characters, plot twists, and themes. The books offer an escape from reality, and can spark a lifelong love for reading.

This article features a list of mystery books that are recommended for young adults who enjoy reading. Whether you're a teen or just a young-spirited individual, you'll be able to dive into a world of mystery and intrigue through these books. From traditional detective tales to modern suspenseful novels, you can expect to experience intense suspense and surprising plot twists. Get ready for an unforgettable journey into the unknown world of mystery literature!

Best Mystery Books for Teens

1) The Cousins

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are a group of cousins who have not had the chance to meet their grandmother. Their parents were disinherited by her before they were born as she was reclusive. When they receive job offers to work at her island resort during the summer, the cousins are shocked as it could be a chance to reconcile with their grandmother. However, upon arriving on the island, it becomes apparent that their grandmother has different intentions for them.

The Cousins

By McManus, Karen M.

2) Shadow Jumper: A Mystery Adventure Book

Jack Phillips has a medical condition that makes him allergic to sunlight. This means he has to avoid spending time in bright light, causing him to feel lonely and putting him at risk of serious burns if he does venture into the sun. To find a cure for his worsening symptoms, Jack sets out to find his missing scientist father with the help of his new friend, Beth. As they investigate his father's past for leads, they uncover unexpected information. They also engage in shadow jumping on rooftops during dusk, which is when Jack feels the most alive and free.

Shadow Jumper: A mystery adventure book for children and teens aged 10-14 (A Shadow Jumper Mystery Adventure)

By Forster, J M

3) One of Us is Lying

Students from Bayview High were in detention on Monday afternoon. Bronwyn, who always follows the rules, is an intelligent student and is all set to attend Yale University. Addy, the beautiful student, is the perfect homecoming princess. Nate, who's on probation for dealing, is the criminal among the five students. Cooper, the athletic student, is the star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the one who created the infamous gossip app of Bayview High. Unfortunately, Simon dies during detention.

One of Us Is Lying (One of Us Is Lying, 1)

By McManus, Karen M.

4) Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss

Gareth Greyfin needs to save his father, Samuel who was bitten by a snake and has little time left before the venom reaches his heart. He follows his father's instruction and takes him to a cabin in the swamps near Savannah, Georgia, where they meet a witch who is known by a fearsome reputation. The witch asks Gareth to find five ingredients for the potion that can save his father. Along the way, he’ll uncover a family secret that threatens to unravel his quest and life as he knows it.

Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss: A Southern Tale of Magic

By Garrett, Connor Judson, Garrett, Kevin N.

5) They Wish They Were Us

Life in Long Island seems perfect, from the expensive downtown shops to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends. However, Jill learned three years ago that things are not always what they seem. During their freshman year, Jill's brilliant and dazzling best friend, Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After the incident, Graham confessed, and the case was closed as Jill tried to move on. But now, Jill's dreams of a perfect senior year are falling apart as she receives text messages proclaiming Graham's innocence.

They Wish They Were Us

By Jessica Goodman

6) Girl in the Blue Coat

It’s Amsterdam in 1943. Hanneke spends her time acquiring and delivering black market goods to paying customers. She hides the nature of her job from her parents at night and grieves for her boyfriend who died in the Dutch front lines during the German invasion. During a usual delivery, a customer requests Hanneke's help. She expects the request to be for meat or kerosene, but the customer Mrs. Janssen is frantically seeking a Jewish teenager who disappeared from a secret room where she was being hidden.

Girl in the Blue Coat

By Hesse, Monica

7) The Quarry Girls

In the summer of 1977 in Minnesota, a group of teenagers in a tight-knit community enjoyed typical summer activities like swimming parties at the quarry, visiting the county fair, and exploring the tunnels under the city. However, two best friends named Heather and Brenda keep a secret about something they witnessed in the dark and agreed to never disclose it to anyone. When their friend goes missing, becoming the second girl to disappear in a week, their promise is challenged. However, the authorities seem hesitant to investigate.

The Quarry Girls: A Thriller

By Lourey, Jess

8) Asylum 3-Book Box Set

The Asylum book series follows the story of Dan and his friends as they discover secrets about an old psychiatric hospital, which used to be their summer-program dorm. Each book continues their journey, with the second book revealing the arrival of anonymous photos inviting them to return to the asylum and the third book following their senior road trip to New Orleans while being pursued by a mysterious group called the Bone Artists.

Asylum 3-Book Box Set: Asylum, Sanctum, Catacomb

By Roux, Madeleine

9) The Haunting of Elmwood Manor

Pekin, together with her best friends Amber and Scout, start a ghost-busting business to achieve their goal. Although her friends are hesitant, Pekin convinces them to join her. As they dig further, they discover the case of Miranda Talbert, a fourteen-year-old who disappeared in 1918 and has been haunting Elmwood Manor ever since. However, while solving the case, they encounter an angry ghost who opposes their efforts.

The Haunting of Elmwood Manor: A Pekin Dewlap Mystery (The Pekin Dewlap Mysteries Book 1)

By McCord, Pamela

10) Five Survive

Kenny is on a spring break road trip with five friends that include her best friend, her best friend's older brother, his girlfriend, her secret crush, a classmate and an unknown person who turns out to be a killer. Unfortunately, their RV breaks down in a remote location with no phone service. They soon realize that someone has deliberately trapped them and is targeting one of them. They have until dawn, which is eight hours away, to escape or determine which one of them is in danger. As the situation escalates and secrets are revealed, tensions rise, and the clock is ticking.

Five Survive

By Holly Jackson

11 Best Fantasy Books for Teens to Enjoy and Escape Into

Welcome to our list of the best fantasy books for teens!

Fantasy books provide an escape from reality while enticing readers with a world full of magic, adventure, and heroes. It's not surprising that such books are popular with teens who are looking for some excitement and an escape from routine life. As a result, there are countless options to choose from. Here’s a list of the 11 best fantasy books for teens that will captivate, inspire, and thrill them.

So without further ado, pick out the perfect fantasy book for your teen!

Best Fantasy Books For Teens

1) Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss: A Southern Tale of Magic

This fantasy book for teens is about a boy named Gareth Greyfin who needs to save his father, Edward, from the deadly venom of a snake bite. Gareth takes his father to a cabin in the swamps outside of Savannah, Georgia, as instructed by his father. There, they meet a witch who asks Gareth to find five ingredients for a potion that can save his father's life. A raven from the witch accompanies Gareth on his journey, where he meets various unimaginable characters. The clock is ticking, and Gareth must hurry if he wants to save his father.

Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss: A Southern Tale of Magic

By Garrett, Connor Judson, Garrett, Kevin N.

2) Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling

The hero of the Harry Potter series, the boy wizard, fights against dark magic and a formidable villain, Lord Voldemort. Along with his friends, he navigates Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and deals with the challenges of growing up.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

By Rowling, J.K.

3) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In this dystopian novel, Katniss Everdeen is a tribute chosen to compete in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death. The series follows her journey as she battles against the oppressive regime and fights for her own survival.

The Hunger Games Trilogy: The Hunger Games / Catching Fire / Mockingjay

By Collins, Suzanne

4) The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

The epic story of a hobbit named Frodo Baggins and his journey to destroy the powerful and cursed Ring of Power. Along with the Fellowship of the Ring, he travels to defeat the evil Sauron.

The Lord of the Rings 3-Book Paperback Box Set

By Tolkien, J.R.R.

5) Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson discovers his true identity as a demigod and embarks on a quest to retrieve Zeus’ lightning bolt stolen from Mount Olympus. Along the way, he faces many obstacles and battles mythical creatures.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Paperback Boxed Set (w/poster) (Percy Jackson & the Olympians)

By Riordan, Rick

6) Eragon by Christopher Paolini

A farm boy named Eragon, discovers a mysterious stone which hatches into a dragon, and he becomes the last of the Dragon Riders. He’s enlisted in an epic battle against the evil king of the realm and the Empire.

The Inheritance Cycle 4-Book Trade Paperback Boxed Set: Eragon; Eldest; Brisingr; Inheritance

By Paolini, Christopher

7) The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Clary Fray, a seemingly ordinary girl, is thrust into the world of Shadowhunters who hunt demons and supernatural creatures of the night. She and her allies fight against the forces of darkness in this epic adventure.

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments Book 1)

By Clare, Cassandra

8) The Lunar Chronicles, Cinder by Marissa Meyer

In this futuristic, sci-fi fantasy, Cinder, a cyborg mechanic, is drawn into a world of rebels and is ultimately revealed to be the lost princess of Lunar who may hold the key to preventing a war.

Cinder: Book One of the Lunar Chronicles (The Lunar Chronicles, 1)

By Meyer, Marissa

9) Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Alina Starkov, an orphan, discovers that she has the power to summon light and she’s thrust into the world of the Grisha, who are magical elites. She becomes a target of a dark figure who threatens to destroy her world.

The Shadow and Bone Trilogy Boxed Set: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising

By Bardugo, Leigh

10) His Dark Materials TRilogy by Phillip Pullman

Lyra Belacqua is a 12-year-old orphan who uncovers a sinister plot involving kidnapped children and a mysterious substance called “Dust.” She travels to the North to rescue the children and uncovers secrets that shock her worldview.

His Dark Materials 3-Book Paperback Boxed Set: The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass

By Pullman, Philip

11) Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Set in the same world as Shadow and Bone, Six of Crows introduces six misfits who undertake a dangerous heist of a heavily guarded fortress. They all have a past to escape and hope to make some money with this heist.

Six of Crows (Six of Crows, 1)

By Bardugo, Leigh

So, there you have it, the 11 best fantasy books for teens brimming with adventure, magic, and memorable characters. These books not only entertain but also teach valuable lessons about friendship, loyalty, courage, and perseverance. They will inspire your teen to dream big and help them step into new worlds of imagination. Get them started on these exciting journeys, and watch them get lost in the world of fantasy!

Writing a Fantasy Novel with My Dad During Protests, Power Outages, and a Pandemic

When I was a kid, my dad Kevin N. Garrett used to tell my older brother and me his mashed-up remixes of fairy tales, such as Little Blue Riding Hood and The Medicinal Tequila, and Robin Hood and The Three Little Pigs. After the Harry Potter series came out, it took over our storytime. A few years later, The Lord of The Rings movies captured my and my brother’s imaginations.

My mom and dad were both authors and travel writers. I always had a love of stories, and I secretly wanted to be a writer. However, I didn’t consider myself intelligent enough to make it my profession. The desire to write kept growing until it was so overwhelming that my self-doubt was consumed by it. Writing was no longer just a thought or even a hobby; It rapidly transformed into a compulsion, supplanting even my love of soccer. By then I knew that no matter how good or bad I was with words, I would write for the rest of my life.

When I was in high school, my dad and I watched Big Fish together. He is my best friend. However, our friendship hasn’t gone untested. A few years before, when I was in middle school, he had been in a severely damaging car accident. Overnight, he turned from Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde. As a kid, I didn’t understand what brain trauma does to someone, so I just resented him. The truth is, when you’re young, you don’t always know how to forgive, but as his brain healed, the dad that I knew and loved returned. In fact, he became even kinder, more loving, and sharper than he was before. So when we watched Big Fish together, the father-son dynamic combined with the sense of whimsy we shared through fractured fairytales, struck a chord with us. Almost in unison, we said to each other, “We’re going to write something magical together someday.”

Fast-forward a few more years, I had just completed college. I skipped my own graduation ceremony to move straight to Los Angeles. I was wrestling with the plot of a science fiction book I’d written and rewritten seven times since I was sixteen, while also working as an advertising copywriter. During that period, I wrote two poetry books, completed my first novel Falling Up in The City of Angels, and co-founded a non-traditional publishing company Lucid House Publishing with my mom Echo Montgomery Garrett and dear friend Jawad Mazhir. 

All along, however, it remained on my heart and my father’s to find a way to collaborate. 

I sent him a document with a list of ideas and asked him to pick one. He chose the rough sketch for a fantasy book, which would later become Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss: A Southern Tale of Magic. We began working on it immediately, drawing on our own journeys as father and son and as two individuals reconciling our respective evolutions. Shortly after we started outlining the novel, I left for Beirut, Lebanon, to live with my girlfriend for three months. The week I arrived, protests erupted. A proposed tax to WhatsApp, the very form of communication we would use to finish the book, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The people were fed up with the corruption that had in part led to the country’s economic collapse. 

If my girlfriend and I had to go to the grocery store or wanted to go out to eat, chances were the road was blocked by burning tires. The country was literally up in smoke. My dad and I redoubled our efforts and used that time of me being relatively stuck to get the book written. Meanwhile, I was surrounded by tremendous loss, which informed the tone of the book — though it’s anything, but sad. Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss: A Southern Tale of Magic deals with love, loss, grief, and the loneliness that comes from being different, but it does so with humor and a triumphant spirit. 

Another thing I learned while I was there is that electricity does not function the same in all parts of the world. At certain times of the day — I think 2pm, 6pm, and midnight — the electricity goes off throughout the country before restarting ten or so minutes later. In the scheme of things, it’s a minor inconvenience. But we were learning how to work through difficulties and hardships and channel love and hope into our writing during this period. What we didn’t know then was how critical this skill would become in the months to follow.

We were about seventy percent done with the first draft of Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss when I flew back to the United States to start a job working in operations for an eCommerce company. About a month after I returned to Los Angeles, the COVID pandemic began. This time, my dad and I were both in somewhat of a partial lockdown. As an advertising photographer, who frequently travels, all of his jobs were canceled and delayed. 

I spent about three days being stressed over how the pandemic affected my livelihood before I gathered myself and focused on being grateful. And once again, we had to double down on the things we could control, which was, at the time, really just this fictional world we were transcribing onto the pages. 

We finished the first draft as Los Angeles was shutting down. All the while, we worked using WhatsApp as we had become accustomed to when we were an ocean apart. By mid-April the lockdown was full-blown. I flew back to Atlanta, where we finished revising Spellbound Under The Spanish Moss. 

By the time we started sending the book out for blurbs, we knew our partnership had indeed conjured up a magical tale. Confirmation came in form of praise rolling in from famed actor Pete Onorati, Grammy-award winning musician Speech of Arrested Development, Harper Lee award-winner Patti Callihan Henry, The Pat Conroy Literary Center Executive Director Jonathan Haupt, and writer and editor Susan Cushman.

My mom added revisions and edits of her own. By the time we wrapped up the production side of Spellbound for the market, it solidified not only a father-son project but also, our family business as writers and publishers. We set June 7 as our southern fantasy novel’s launch date nearly a month ago, anticipating that readers would be in need of an escape from the pandemic. 

What we did not anticipate were the recent peaceful protests. At first, we were conflicted about the timing of the launch. But the truth is, we wrote a story that, at its heart, is about loving your differences and, therefore loving the differences of others. 

Spellbound is also a story about facing your fears; something we are all doing to various degrees during this time of unprecedented change and challenges. But there’s hope in our book and in real life. The heroes of our story don’t all possess superpowers. They are heroes because they face down their fears and sacrifice when the moment requires it of them. 

My dad and I spent 27 years learning how to collaborate, and this past year we learned how to create in the middle of chaos. The themes in Spellbound include orphans, adoption, disabilities, prejudice, female empowerment, and unconditional love. If it weren’t for protests, power outages, the pandemic, and yet more protests, we might not have found the ingredients it took to bring these memorable characters to life. 

And thanks to still being somewhat in lockdown, we have made use of the time and space to work on the next book. We are already a third of the way through writing and concepting the second book in the series. This one is set in Puerto Rico, an island with a rich history, lore, and vibrant culture. It features many of the characters and themes of the first book and ironically involves protests, other real world events, and unexplained phenomena in the vein of magical realism. We are also hard at work on the third book, which is set in New Orleans, Louisiana and brings us back to the Southern fairytales and lore that powered the first book.