Thornbird by E. Kennedy

 “The world is hunting for answers—but what if the truth leads straight to you?

Ten years after her father—the infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn—was caught, Ryan Shipley is back in Starling, Tennessee, trying to lay low. No one can know who she really is. No one can know the truth about her past.

But as fresh eyes dig deeper into the case, old secrets refuse to stay buried. Cryptic texts, eerie coincidences, and a chilling note leave everyone wondering—does Ryan know more than she’s letting on? As the truth unravels, one thing becomes in a town full of secrets, Ryan might be the biggest mystery of them all.” - taken from Goodreads.

Ryan has arrived back to her hometown after the death of her grandmother to live with the only family she has left, in the hometown where her father killed her mother when she was a child after discovering that he was a serial killer. But trying to keep her true identity and the past a secret is harder and more traumatizing than Ryan ever imagined. As the date leading up her her father’s execution inches nearer, someone out there knows who she is and what really happened.

Just when you think the mystery has been solved, the Earth cracks beneath Ryan to uncover even more secrets that will rock her world (and yours). This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. I couldn’t put it down. The audio version was an incredible performance. 

Visit E. Kennedy's website.

Lies Between Us by Jessica Goodman

“Do you ever really know the people you love?

For the Gold sisters and Silver brothers, life has been idyllic, growing up in side-by-side waterfront mansions in a town where doors are never locked and the police do little more than issue speeding tickets. The Golds and Silvers have known each other their entire lives, as neighbors, as friends, as family.

But one carefree summer takes a dark turn when a beach party ends in tragedy and their perfect world cracks wide open. Suddenly, the bonds that tie these families together are strained by suspicion and fear. Painful secrets surface, revealing the fragile truths they've all been hiding.

Lucy, the oldest Gold girl, harbors a crushing secret from her boyfriend, one of the Silver boys. Millie, the middle sister, quietly yearns for the one person she can't have. And the youngest, Frankie, uncovers something that could blow their island apart.” - taken from Goodreads.

A summer of secrets between the Silver boys and the Gold girls explodes when the body of Billy Godwin is discovered. The youngest gold sister, Frankie takes it upon herself to play detective to find out what happened to Billy Godwin. Told between the present day and the uncovering of the events that occurred on the night of the party that Billy died, Readers will be kept on the edge of their seats until the very end to discover what really happened and who was to blame.

Visit Jessica Goodman’s website.

Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson

“When global singing sensation Blair Baker rises on a platform high above the stage for the opening number of her triumphant hometown concert, the crowd erupts in applause. But their joy quickly turns to horror when they realize Blair is dead. The shocking revelation that music's brightest star has been murdered rocks the world. But for her younger sister, Stevie, the tragedy is more than a headline - it's personal.

Determined to uncover the truth, Stevie dives headfirst into the shadows of her sister's glittering life.

What begins as a search for answers turns into a dangerous journey through the toxic underbelly of fame, where betrayal, manipulation, and obsession thrive. Yet, as Stevie peels back the layers of who her sister really was, she begins to uncover dark secrets closer to home - secrets that someone is desperate to keep buried…” - taken from Goodreads.

This book starts off with the murder of Stevie's older sister, Blair Baker, a pop star sensation at her concert in her hometown. It isn't too long before Stevie alongside her new friend Colby, who runs a fan site about Blair dive feet first into their own investigation over her murder. As the duo begin to uncover the clues, they are warned off by someone to mind their own business. But the more Stevie discovers, will she be able to face the truth about the secrets she learns? Because frankly, most everyone is hiding something.

Visit Jennifer Pearson’s website.

This Is Where We Die by Cindy R. X. He

“Eight friends went on a trip. Only six made it out alive. Now a killer has one night to make sure the survivors pay for what they did … so that zero make it out alive. 

Sadie, Will, Isla, Anthony, Emily, and Charlie are survivors. They were the six (out of eight) to return from a ski holiday turned nightmare two years ago. Although … nobody knows exactly what happened; the details hushed up via the wealth and connections of Sadie's rich parents.

When an exclusive private island with a mansion for rent goes viral on social media, their graduating class persuades Sadie to rent it for the weekend. The six arrive first by helicopter and wait for the rest of their classmates to join them by boat the next day.

But nobody ever comes.

Cut off from the rest of the world with no cell service and no means off the island, paranoia and terror mount as they start to be picked off one by one by an unseen killer. Their past has finally caught up with them, and they'll need to figure out who is killing them before they all wind up dead.” - taken from Goodreads.

This is a YA take on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Eight friends went on a ski trip but only six survived and no one talks about what happened. Now with graduation over, they decide to have one last night together before some other friends arrive on the private island that they rented for a party. Sadie, Isla, Emily, Charlie, Will, and Ant are all bound by the horrific secret that no one talks about. As soon as the six arrive on the island, they realize that they are trapped and at the mercy of someone who wants them to pay for what happened on that ill-fated ski trip. Told from six points of view with flashbacks to the ski trip, who will survive the weekend and who wants them dead?

Visit Cindy R. X. He’s website.

Six Must Die by Victoria Wlosok

“Twelve months ago, an escape room fire took everything from Steffi Zamekova. In just one hour, she lost it all: her popular blog, her close-knit inner circle, and her memories of the night that killed one of the group’s own… the charismatic (if infuriating) Matt Cesari.

On the anniversary of the bewildering tragedy, Steffi is still desperate to piece together what went wrong. So when she receives an ominous invitation in the mail summoning her to the new escape room across town, she seizes the chance for answers.

Reunited with her former friends, Steffi sees the game as a last chance to uncover the truth behind Matt’s death. But it’s soon clear that each participant has their own cagey reasons for accepting the challenge. And as tensions rise and the players are picked off one by one, it’s a race against the clock for Steffi to uncover their secrets and unlock her own memories before the game’s mastermind ensures that no one escapes the room alive.” - taken from Goodreads.

Steffi hasn't seen her friends since the night her best friend Matt died in a fire that occurred in the escape room that they were attending. Now the six of them have been brought back together at an inferno themed game the night before their high school graduation by an unknown person. Steffi suffers from a traumatic brain injury and hopes that playing the escape room scenario will allow her to remember the events of that deadly night .

What really happened the night of the escape room fire? Can Steffi regain her memories of that night? Who and why has someone brought the six survivors back to another escape room? Readers will be surprised.

Visit Victoria Wlosok’s website.

When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur

“When Dawson Sumter goes missing, all he leaves behind is a smattering of blood in room 4 of the debt-ridden motel owned by Neera Singh's family. Disappearances like this aren't uncommon in the rural Georgia town of Carrion, especially every thirteen years when a periodical cicada brood returns from underground, shrieking their deafening screams.

For Neera, Dawson is another reminder that in this corner of the South, the rich only get richer, and the poor—well, nothing good comes their way.

Neera sets out to investigate Dawson’s whereabouts—if he even still lives—along with three other teens: Isaiah, son of a prominent judge and clandestine true crime podcaster; Reid, son of the wealthiest man in the region; and Sam, estranged daughter of the local hitman. As they find themselves entangled in a messy web of secrets and lies, they discover the riches of the adjacent Lake Clearwater community may have a terrifying source of power dating back to the town’s founding and an ancient urban legend about three devils, each more sinister than the next. How deep does the rot go, and can they find a way to escape its reach?” - taken from Goodreads.

This book reminded me of the Charlie Daniels song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Except in Carrion, Georgia, local folklore has it that there are actually three devils at the crossroads, each one more sinister than the next. They each prey on desperate residents in rural, backwater Georgia where the uber rich live close by who keep their secrets even closer.

Not all is what it seems in Carrion/Lake Clearwater. And as readers dive deeper into the story, the more all of the pieces of this story come together as Sam, Neera, Reid, and Isaiah race to figure out what has happened to Dawson Sumpter, the one person who initially ties them together. This was an excellent Southern Gothic mystery/thriller that will keep readers eagerly anticipating what really is going on in Southwest Georgia. The audio version was incredible.

Visit Xan Kaur’s website.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto

“Welcome to the Thrashers, the elite friend group at New Helvetia High.

They’re everything everyone wants to be.

Jodi Dillon was never meant to be one of them. Julian, Lucy, Paige, and the infamous Zack Thrasher are rich, sophisticated, and love attention. Jodi feels out of place, but Zack’s her childhood best friend, so she’s in.

Then Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, dies—and the whispers about the Thrashers begin. As Emily’s journal surfaces, detectives close in, and Jodi faces an impossible choice: betray her friends or protect herself.

But as eerie messages and strange occurrences escalate, it becomes clear—Emily isn’t done with them yet.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a book that kept you on the seat of your pants until the very end trying to uncover what really happened. Emily MIlls dies by suicide on prom night. She desperately wanted to fit in with a group of popular students known as the Thrashers. Soon, fingers start pointing at Jodi and her friends when Emily’s journal portrays a climate of bullying with Zach Thrasher being the leader. Jodi, not rich like her friends, soon discovers that she is the key to figuring out what really happened. As secrets begin to unfold, Jodi soon realizes that maybe she does not know who her so-called friends really are.

Visit Julie Soto’s website.

Watch Us Crack by Gabriella Lepore

“Sadie Morelli and Cason Tano were friends in middle school, back before Cason’s mom died and Sadie transferred to a new school. When they meet again as high school juniors at the local ice rink where Sadie waitresses and Cason’s hockey team plays, what was once friendship blooms into something more. Given the intensity of the rivalry between their schools, their budding romance is a secret for them alone.

But then someone turns up dead at the local train station. Sadie and Cason were both at the station the night of the murder, and both have a reason to want to hurt the victim. With accusations flying and secrets being held close to the chest, Sadie and Cason must decide the lengths they’re willing to go to to clear their own names—and to protect each other.” - taken from Goodreads.

Sadie & Cason knew one another in middle school but drifted apart when she moved to a rival high school. Now as juniors, the two meet again at a local ice rink but decide to keep their relationship to themselves. When someone is found dead at the train station near Sadie’s house, suspicion is cast upon everyone near the victim, including Sadie & Cason. Can the two of them crack the case without destroying their relationship? Just who killed Kai?

Visit Gabriella Lepore’s website.

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer

 

“Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien's great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu's ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.

But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.” - taken from Goodreads.

This book is based on the fairytale Blue Beard by Charles Perrault. Right from the start I knew that The House Saphir was going to be my favorite book by Marissa Meyer. Mallory Fontaine is quite the spunky character. She is trying to keep the fact that she isn’t a true witch like her mother and keep Armand Saphir in the dark about the truth in order to make enough money to start a new life elsewhere. The only magic Mallory does have is the ability to see ghosts, including Le Bleu’s three murdered wives. Before too long, she finds herself drawn to Armand. When a new murder occurs at the Saphir house, the Fontaine sisters realize that they are truly in over their heads. Can Mallory solve the murders surrounding Le Bleu and House Saphir before it is too late?

Visit Marissa Meyer’s website.

Girls Who Play Dead by Joelle Wellington

 

“When Mikky Graves left his small, stifling hometown of Prophets Lake to live with his estranged mother, he thought nothing could ever make him return for good.

Until his sister Kyla’s best friend, Erin, is murdered.

Mikky never worried about leaving Kyla behind at their family-owned funeral home so long as she had Erin. But when Mikky heads home, determined to help Kyla grieve, the sister he encounters barely resembles the one he remembers. Mikky decides, then and there, to do the one thing that seems even more impossible than stay.

As Kyla spirals further into her rage and secrets, Mikky realizes the only thing that can help his sister is finding the truth about who killed Erin. But the more he investigates, the further he’s pulled into other ugly mysteries of Prophets Lake and the beauty brand that is its lifeblood. The town’s rot runs deep, and everyone has something to hide. Perhaps no one more than Kyla herself.” - taken from Goodreads.

Kyla's best friend Erin is found murdered and the search for her killer is underway. Erin was an up-and-coming influencer for Cook Cosmetics, the town's leading employer. Mikky, Kyla's older brother, only comes back to live in Prophets Lake to be with his sister in her time of grief. Or so he thinks. After being away for more than three years, Mikky finds that Kyla has changed and it’s not for the better. Upon Erin's death, Kyla has taken over the role of resident mean girl. It's not too long before Mikky begins to realize that not all is what it seems in the town of Prophets Lake. Who killed Erin and why? And what secrets is Kyla keeping?

Visit Joelle Wellington’s website.

The Executioners Three by Susan Dennard

 

“Freddie Gellar didn't mean to get half the rival high school arrested. She’d simply heard shrieks coming from the woods, so she’d called the cops like any good human would do. How was she supposed to know it was just kids partying?

Except the next day, a body is found. And while the local sheriff might call it suicide, Freddie's instincts tell her otherwise. So, like the aspiring sleuth (and true X-Files aficionado) she is, Freddie sets out to prove there's a murderer at large.

But her investigation is quickly disrupted by the rivalry between her school and the school of the partying teens she got arrested. For over twenty years now, the two student bodies have had an ongoing prank war, and Freddie's failed attempt at Good Samaritanism has upped the ante. Big time. Worse, the clever―and gorgeous―leader of the rival prank squad has set his sights on Freddie.

As more pranks unfurl, more bodies also start piling up in the forest. But it's the supernatural warning signs around town―each plucked straight from an old forgotten poem called "The Executioners Three"―that worry Freddie the most. She knows the poem and its blood curse can’t be real, but she's quickly running out of time to prove it.

Because the murderer―or executioners?―knows she's onto them now, and their next target might just be Freddie. - taken from Goodreads

With a throwback to 1999 and all of the cool references from that year, Freddie Gellar soon finds herself involved in a creepy murder mystery that only seems relevant to her.. With weird happenings occurring in the town that seems to relate to an old poem that she uncovers, Freddie is in a race against time before the next victim is discovered.

Visit Susan Dennard’s website.

Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti

“It was all her idea. They would get away from their parents and spend the weekend camping. Down by Salvation Creek, the five of them would make smores, steal kisses, share secrets.

But sometime around midnight, she vanished.

Now the four friends who came back are under suspicion―and they each have a very different story to tell about what happened in the woods.

The clock is ticking. What are they hiding? Who is lying? Dark truths must come to light if their friend is to be found...

Told entirely through first-person police interviews, this riveting mystery asks: what really happened that night? - taken from Goodreads.

This story is told from four different points of view as they are each being interviewed by the police. Each chapter is a different question that has been posed to each suspect by the police. As Petra, Nolan, Abigail, and John recount the night in question, the surprising details about Maylee’s disappearance begin to unfold.

Visit Chelsea Sedoti’s website.

Glorious Rivals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Grandest Game book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, The Grandest Game, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first book.

“Seven players arrived on Hawthorne Island, each with their own secrets and motivations to win the Grandest Game. Millions are at stake, but so are hearts—and lives. The players now must race to win the game, solve myriad mysteries, and survive the twists and turns of Glorious Rivals.” - taken from Goodreads.

Picking up immediately where the first book left off, five players are left in the game and the stakes have picked up. This is really Grayson’s and his sisters’ story and the ride is contagious. Readers will quickly figure out that this is not the end of the series and the explosive ending will leave readers waiting for the next book. Lots of mysteries are still unsolved.

This trilogy will conclude with The Gilded Blade out sometime in 2026.

Visit Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ website.

Kill Creatures by Rory Power

“Last summer, Luce, Edie, Jane, and Nan took a boat out for one final swim in the river. It was a perfect summer night.

But the only one who returned that night was Nan. Edie, Jane, and Luce disappeared, and Nan’s story has always been the She has no idea what happened. The girls went ahead, and it was as though they vanished into thin air.

Now, one year later, all of Saltcedar has gathered at the river for a memorial. Nan even recreated the outfit she wore that fateful day last summer. And when Luce climbs out of the water, no one is more surprised than Nan.

Because Nan killed her. Right before she killed Edie and Jane.” - taken from Goodreads.

Well that was creepy and that ending was completely unexpected. Definitely worth the read to see why Nan killed her “best friends.”

Visit Rory Power’s website.

The Meadowbrook Murders by Jessica Goodman

 

“It’s the first week of senior year at Middlebrook Academy. For Amy and her best friend Sarah, that means late-night parties at the boathouse, bike rides through their sleepy Connecticut town, and the crisp beginning of a New England fall.

Then tragedy. Sarah and her boyfriend are brutally murdered in their dorm room. Now the week Amy has been dreaming about for years has turned into a nightmare, especially when all eyes turn to her as the culprit. She was Sarah’s only roommate, the only other person there when she died—or so she told the police to cover for her own boyfriend’s suspicious whereabouts. And even though they were best friends, with every passing day, Amy begins to learn that Sarah lied about a lot of things.

Liz, editor of the school newspaper and social outcast, is determined to uncover the truth about what happened on campus, in hopes her reporting will land a prestigious scholarship to college. As Liz dives deeper into her investigation, the secrets these murdered seniors never wanted out come to light. The deeper Liz digs, the messier the truth becomes – and with a killer still on campus, she can’t afford to make any mistakes.” - taken from Goodreads.

Amy discovers one morning that her roommate and best friend Sarah and Sarah’s boyfriend have been brutally murdered during the night. Forced to leave her dorm room and bunk with Liz, the school newspaper editor, the two do not immediately click. As the mystery surrounding the deaths on campus deepens, Amy and Sarah soon rely on one another to piece together the clues to stop them from becoming the next victims. 

Visit Jessica Goodman’s website.

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor

 

“Seven years ago, Maeve Abenthy lost her world, her father, even her name. Desperate to escape the stain of her father’s crimes, she lives under a fake name, never staying in one place long enough to put down roots.

Then she receives a mysterious letter with four impossible words Your father was innocent.

To uncover the truth, she poses as an apprentice for the Otherwhere Post, where she’ll be trained in the art of scriptomancy—the dangerous magic that allows couriers to enchant letters and deliver them to other worlds. But looking into her father’s past draws more attention than she’d planned.

Her secretive, infuriatingly handsome mentor knows she’s lying about her identity, and time is running out to convince him to trust her. Worse, she begins to receive threatening letters, warning her to drop her investigation—or else. For Maeve to unravel the mystery of what happened seven years ago, she may have to forfeit her life.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a great mysterious fantasy that will suck readers into Maeve’s quest to uncover the truth about her father. Attempting to keep her identity a secret while learning the art of scriptomancy, Maeve beings to fall for the one person who can destroy her plans, A definite read.

Visit Emily J. Taylor’s website.

Murder Between Friends by Liz Lawson

“Grace, Henry, and Ally grew up together on the same block. They used to be best friends--until Grace's testimony put Henry's brother, Jake, away for killing their English teacher. Now, two years later, Ally and Henry hate Grace, and Grace is doubting what she thinks she saw that night. 

It feels like everyone's getting a second chance, then, when due to a mistrial, Jake is suddenly released. And Henry knows his brother is innocent, but when Grace reaches out to say she’s rethinking what she saw the night of the murder, Jake’s reaction is confusing. He doesn’t want Henry—or Grace--getting involved.

For Ally not getting involved isn’t an option, and there’s nothing Grace can say to convince Ally she’s not the enemy. But can Ally afford to push Grace out when she’s one of the only other people willing to believe in Jake’s innocence?  

The clock is ticking. Jake’s new trial date is about to be set, and he's sure to be found guilty again unless there's new evidence to prove he's innocent. Grace, Henry, and Ally are going to have to decide whether you can trust an old friend now that they’re your enemy. - taken from Goodreads.

Told in three different points of views, this trio of former friends work together to clear one brother’s name and uncover who the real culprit is. Suspenseful until the end.

Visit Liz Lawson’s website.

They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman

 

“In Gold Coast, Long Island, everything from the expensive downtown shops to the manicured beaches, to the pressed uniforms of Jill Newman and her friends, looks perfect. But as Jill found out three years ago, nothing is as it seems.

Freshman year Jill's best friend, the brilliant, dazzling Shaila Arnold, was killed by her boyfriend. After that dark night on the beach, Graham confessed, the case was closed, and Jill tried to move on.

Now, it's Jill's senior year and she's determined to make it her best yet. After all, she's a senior and a Player--a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society. Senior Players have the best parties, highest grades and the admiration of the entire school. This is going to be Jill's year. She's sure of it.

But when Jill starts getting texts proclaiming Graham's innocence, her dreams of the perfect senior year start to crumble. If Graham didn't kill Shaila, who did? Jill vows to find out, but digging deeper could mean putting her friendships, and her future, in jeopardy.” - taken from Goodreads.

A compelling mystery told between the past as the present.

Visit Jessica Goodman’s website.

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar

 

“Two sisters went missing on their class trip—Grace, the outgoing athlete who is friends with just about everyone, and Maddy, the wallflower wilting in her sister’s shadow who'd rather absorb herself in her journal than talk to her classmates.

But when Grace is found—injured, with no memory of what happened—everybody thinks she’s lying. It’s hard not to look guilty with Maddy’s blood on her clothes.

Desperate to save her sister—and prove her own innocence—Grace must piece together what happened on that school trip with the help of her sister’s notebook and classmates who may not be telling the police everything that about that tragic night.

She will discover her sister’s secrets can’t stay quiet…but what if her own are the most terrifying of all?” - taken from Goodreads.

This was an unexpected mystery for me, but in a good way. Told by both sisters, Grace in the present and Maddy in the past, readers will be clamouring to discover what Grace is trying to remember about that night. Heartbreaking at times, the ending completely caught me off guard. So glad that I read/listened to this book.

Visit Megan Davidhizar’s website.

The Bitter End by Alexa Donne

 

“When a winter storm traps eight teens in a remote ski cabin, they find themselves stranded with a killer—who may be one of their own.

The trip of a lifetime might be the death of them all.

The students of LA’s elite Warner Prep can’t wait for their Senior Excursion—five days of Instagrammable adventure in one of the world’s most exclusive locations. This is not your average field trip.

Which is why eight students can’t believe their bad luck when they end up on a digital detox in an isolated Colorado ski chalet. Their epic trip is panning out to be an epic bore . . . until their classmates start dropping in a series of disturbing deaths. The message is clear: this trip is no accident.

And when a blizzard strikes, secrets are revealed, betrayals are exposed, and survival is at stake in a race to the bitter end.” - taken from Goodreads.

Eight students are on a school trip with their school counselor for a weekend detox retreat. In a mountain chalet without the internet, things begin to go off the rails the following morning when one student is discovered dead. With no way to call out, the counselor decides to take the snowmobile down the mountain to get help. Soon after, a blizzard hits and the cabin is plunged into darkness when the power goes out. Soon the remaining students realize that there is a killer in their midst when the bodies begin to pile up. 

Told between the present and a party that took place 3 years earlier, can the killer be uncovered before it is too late?

Visit Alexa Donne’s website.