Last Updated on November 24, 2025
I was chatting to a friend the other day who’s 12-year-old daughter absolutely loves watching Father Brown. It made me laugh because I’m sure she’s not the target demographic but it did get me thinking.
When so many of the TV programmes being made these days are ramping up the adult content, it has become more and more difficult to find family-friendly shows.
In my own family we love nothing more than a good whodunit. We even up the ante by guessing the culprit, before the reveal, to see who got it right.
So, when younger kids love a cozy mystery on TV, the next logical step is to get them reading them as well.
After all, if it means they put down their phones then it can’t be a bad thing.
With that in mind I’ve put together a list of five of the best mystery books for teenagers, specifically looking at the 12 – 16 age group.
These books offer the thrill of solving a crime without the graphic violence or intense suspense that might be unsuitable for younger readers.
For teens there’s a growing selection of engaging, clever, and age-appropriate murder mystery books so let’s have a look at them.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Holly Jackson’s debut novel has taken the young adult mystery world by storm, becoming an instant bestseller and critical darling.
The story follows Pippa Fitz-Amobi, a high school senior who decides to investigate a closed murder case for her final year project.
Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. At least, that’s the official story.
Pippa isn’t convinced and sets out to uncover the truth. As she delves deeper into the case, she discovers that her small town is hiding dark secrets, and someone is determined to keep them buried.
The protagonist, Pippa, is a clever and determined amateur detective who uses her intelligence and resourcefulness to piece together clues.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is widely considered an excellent mystery book for teen readers and the novel’s format, which includes interview transcripts, maps, and text messages, adds an interactive element that many young readers find engaging.
It has also been turned into a TV show which is available on Netflix in the US and BBC in the UK.
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, known for her young adult novels, delivers another hit with The Inheritance Games.
This is a classic whodunit blended with the high-stakes drama of an inheritance dispute.
Avery Grambs, a high school student struggling to make ends meet, suddenly inherits billions from a stranger, Tobias Hawthorne.
The catch? She must live in Hawthorne House for one year, sharing space with the family who expected to inherit.
As Avery tries to understand why she was chosen, she uncovers a web of secrets, riddles, and potential danger.
While there isn’t a traditional murder to solve in this book, the central mystery revolves around Tobias Hawthorne’s death and his puzzling decision to leave his fortune to a stranger.
Avery must navigate the complex dynamics of the Hawthorne family while trying to solve the riddles left behind by the deceased billionaire.
The book is packed with clever puzzles, intriguing characters, and keeps readers guessing until the end.
There are four books in the series so if you like there’s plenty more to get stuck into.
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
Maureen Johnson’s Truly Devious is the first in a series that has garnered significant attention in the young adult mystery genre.
The book interweaves two mysteries set in different time periods, both centered around Ellingham Academy, an elite private school in Vermont.
Stevie Bell, a true-crime aficionado, enrolls at Ellingham Academy with one goal: to solve the decades-old kidnapping case of the founder’s wife and daughter.
As she investigates the historic crime, a present-day murder occurs at the school, forcing Stevie to juggle two mysteries at once.
The historic crime involves the kidnapping and presumed murder of Alice Ellingham and her daughter, while the contemporary mystery revolves around the death of a student at the academy.
Stevie, sharp-witted and determined, must navigate both cases while dealing with the pressures of school and her own personal challenges.
This book has a more complex plot and atmospheric setting, while seamlessly blending historical and contemporary mysteries.
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
This book has also been turned into a Netflix TV series and is the first of three in the series from Karen M. McManus.
It has become a phenomenon in the young adult mystery genre, spending more than 130 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. If that wasn’t enough, it also has nearly a million ratings on Goodreads!
The premise goes like this…five students enter detention, but only four leave alive.
Simon, the creator of a notorious gossip app, dies under suspicious circumstances, and his four classmates become the prime suspects.
Each of them had a secret that Simon was planning to reveal, giving them all a motive for murder.
The story is told from the perspectives of the four suspects: Bronwyn, the brain; Addy, the beauty; Nate, the criminal; and Cooper, the athlete.
As they work to clear their names, they uncover secrets about each other and themselves.
The book explores themes of identity, peer pressure, and the consequences of keeping secrets. It has also been praised for its engaging plot and well-developed characters, and the pressure teenagers face in the age of social media.
The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
The Agathas, from Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson, is the last recommendation in our best mystery books for teenagers and is a recent addition to the genre.
The book is a love letter to Agatha Christie, with plenty of references that mystery fans will appreciate.
Alice Ogilvie, a wealthy teenager obsessed with Agatha Christie novels, teams up with her tutor, Iris Adams, to solve the disappearance of Alice’s ex-best friend, Brooke Donovan.
As they investigate, they uncover dark secrets about their seemingly perfect town and its inhabitants.
The central mystery revolves around Brooke’s disappearance and presumed murder. Alice and Iris, an unlikely duo, must use their combined knowledge of Christie’s detective techniques and their understanding of high school social dynamics to unravel the truth.
The Agathas pays homage to classic mystery novels while still feeling fresh and relevant to modern teenagers and has quickly become hugely popular.
This is the first of two books in the series, with the follow-up called The Night in Question.
The Choice Is Yours
The world of cozy mystery books for teenagers is rich and diverse, offering young readers the chance to exercise their deductive skills without venturing into territory that’s too dark or mature.
These five books represent some of the best the genre has to offer, combining intriguing mysteries with relatable characters and themes that resonate with young adults.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of detective fiction or a newcomer to the genre, these novels provide the perfect entry point into the world of teen murder mysteries. Happy sleuthing!
