Why I’m Addicted to Mysteries|Book Recommendations!

I have a new genre to add to my favorites! I read Truly Devious the other day, and while its unsatisfying ending rubbed me the wrong way, that book has catapulted me into a complete mystery/thriller addiction. I can’t stop reading them now, and here’s why:

1. The Perfectly Creepy Atmosphere– I’m definitely not a horror person… well, I’ve never actually watched a horror movie or read any Stephen King because… just no thanks. I need my sleep. But with mystery/thriller books, the atmosphere is usually just the right amount of creepy to be suspenseful without being full-on scary.
2. The Clues– I love logic puzzles and always have. When the author drops enough hints for you to be able to solve the mystery, it’s so stimulating and engaging and just makes you want to read more. It’s like solving a puzzle while reading. Sometimes I decide to just leave it to the characters so I can find out what happens as fast as possible, but other times it’s fun to take time to work things out myself. And if I solve it, I feel smart.
3. The Plot Twists– Plot twists are my favorite things in life. And that’s barely an exaggeration. Yeah, I know I said that solving the mystery ahead of time makes me feel good, but there’s one thing even better than that: when the author gives you everything you need to solve the mystery, and STILL manages to deliver a shocking plot twist. When you get to the big reveal and everything clicks, and you think wow, I can’t believe that but it makes so much sense, THAT is my favorite part of reading thrillers. Plot twists don’t have the same impact if they’re completely random and illogical, but if done right they are A M A Z I N G.

Some YA Mystery/Thriller Recommendations!

Not all books are created equal… here are some of the best mysteries I’ve read recently.

1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson– aka my favorite book of 2020. Find out why here
2. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson– the book that kicked off my addiction! I still need to read the 3rd book in this series, and although it seems to be taking three entire books to solve this mystery, I’m intrigued enough to finish the series. And Maureen Johnson’s writing is really good! The story follow a girl named Stevie Bell with an uncanny knack for detective work and an obsession with crime as she attempts to solve the notorious unsolved murder case surrounding the elite private academy she attends.
3. One of Us is Lying by Kaitlyn M. McManus– this was unsatisfyingly predictable, but it was still an entertaining read and I did doubt my conclusions at the beginning. If you want more of a YA drama vibe, you will like this one. It follows four different stereotypical teens who are each being investigated for the death of their classmate, who was poisoned while the five of them were in a locked room together.
4. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart– I didn’t rate this book very highly, but I’m including it here because I know for a fact I would have liked it more if the twist had not been spoiled for me (sigh) It’s about a damaged girl named Cady who can’t remember what happened to her two summers ago on her family’s private island. This is less of a hardcore mystery, but I’m including it because the plot focuses on Cady trying to learn the truth, and it has a really huge shock-reveal moment.

Well, that’s it for today! Thanks for checking out my blog 🙂