The best whodunit mystery books from a huge mystery fan

Why am I passionate about this?

Gabriella Lepore is a YA author from Wales in the UK. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can usually be found exploring the coastline or perusing a bookstore. She enjoys autumn days and cups of tea and is always searching for the next mystery!


I wrote...

Bad Like Us

By Gabriella Lepore,

Book cover of Bad Like Us

What is my book about?

Eva and her friends reluctantly join popular classmates for spring break, hoping to escape their troubles back home. But their idyllic beach trip turns sinister with an anonymous letter sparking tensions in a love triangle.

And when someone turns up dead, Eva can’t even trust her closest friends—but she thinks she can trust her former crush, Colton. As the pair get closer to the truth, dangerous secrets leave everyone trapped and at risk.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Tell Me What Really Happened

Gabriella Lepore Why did I love this book?

I’m starting this list with one of my favorite YA mysteries, This book is written in the form of police transcripts, the narrative is certainly unique, and I was hooked! I couldn’t put this book down and had no idea what happened to popular Maylee.

With sharp twists and complex backstories, these characters jumped off the page with their mysterious connections to the missing Maylee. Is Maylee dead? And who is responsible for her disappearance? I raced through this book to find out the answers! 

By Chelsea Sedoti,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tell Me What Really Happened as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.


Book cover of One of Us Is Lying

Gabriella Lepore Why did I love this book?

Next, we have a true standout in YA—a novel that arguably revolutionized the mystery genre for teen readers.

While mysteries have long been a staple in YA literature, in my view, this book sparked a new age. This novel, now adapted into a popular Netflix series, firmly established YA mystery as a force to be reckoned with, largely thanks to its clever twist.

Taut, scandalous, and enthralling, this book exemplifies the blame game genre.

By Karen M. McManus,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked One of Us Is Lying as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES. This stunning collector's edition of the internationally bestselling YA smash hit, ONE OF US IS LYING, contains a thrilling BONUS chapter!

Five students go to detention. Only four leave alive.

Yale hopeful Bronwyn has never publicly broken a rule.

Sports star Cooper only knows what he's doing in the baseball diamond.

Bad boy Nate is one misstep away from a life of crime.

Prom queen Addy is holding together the cracks in her perfect life.

And outsider Simon, creator of the notorious gossip app at Bayview High, won't ever talk about any of them again.…


Book cover of Rock Paper Scissors

Gabriella Lepore Why did I love this book?

Moving away from YA and into adult thrillers, this book has a major plot twist that left me shook!

In a final effort to fix their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Wright retreat to a secluded cottage in Scotland. However, they’re soon confronted with the ghosts of their past, leaving them vulnerable.

With the clever inclusion of diary entries, which serve as a breadcrumb trail for readers to follow, this story weaves a complex narrative of deceit, fixation, and deception. 

By Alice Feeney,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Rock Paper Scissors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Feeney lives up to her reputation as the “queen of the twist”…This page-turner will keep you guessing.” —Real Simple
Think you know the person you married? Think again…

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts--paper, cotton, pottery, tin--and each…


Book cover of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

Gabriella Lepore Why did I love this book?

I love this 1926 Agatha Christie standout, famed for pioneering the use of red herrings and misdirection.

With Hercule Poirot at the helm, Agatha Christie's renowned detective delves into a case investigating a series of murders linked to the mysterious Roger Ackroyd.

As always, Christie delivers a captivating and confounding mystery that kept me on my toes throughout!

By Agatha Christie,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked The Murder of Roger Ackroyd as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The classic "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd", finally at a fair price!The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a work of detective fiction by British writer Agatha Christie, first published in June 1926 in the United Kingdom. It is the third novel to feature Hercule Poirot as the lead detective.

In 2013, the British Crime Writers' Association voted it the best crime novel ever.


Book cover of Ace of Spades

Gabriella Lepore Why did I love this book?

This book carved its place in the YA genre.

Who lurks behind the ominous alias “Aces”? With its compelling narrative and prose, this book fearlessly confronts weighty topics like racism and homophobia.

It captivates with its brisk pace and emotional impact. And the ending was a twist I did not see coming.

By Faridah Abike-Iyimide,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ace of Spades as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


You might also like...

The Blue Prussian

By Eve Penrose,

Book cover of The Blue Prussian

Eve Penrose

New book alert!

What is my book about?

The Blue Prussian is a spellbinding story told by Blake O’Brien, a beautiful, young executive with a globetrotting career. Blake returns to her native Manhattan from San Francisco after escaping—or so she thinks—her marriage to a dashing man who turned out to be a prince of darkness. She had been hoping for a fresh start but learns that she has been poisoned with thallium—a deadly neurotoxin referred to as the poisoner’s poison.

Blake is treated with the only known antidote—Prussian blue—the same synthetic pigment with the deeply saturated hue used in dazzling masterpieces like The Starry Night and The Great Wave. Almost unfathomably, the alchemist who invented Prussian blue was the rumored inspiration for Mary Shelley’s character, Dr. Frankenstein. The similarities to Blake’s financier ex are striking as his true nature is revealed—including the discovery of a secret room in the brooding Victorian home where they lived their married life together.

The stylish enclaves of Beekman Place in New York City, Nob Hill in San Francisco, and the Mayfair neighborhood in London provide the backdrop as this chilling tale of treachery and betrayal unfolds. Blake’s resolve triumphs, and the camaraderie of her loyal and charismatic friends fortifies her as she takes the reader on a tantalizing international pursuit to try to catch her poisoner, who is known to the FBI as The Blue Prussian.

The Blue Prussian

By Eve Penrose,

What is this book about?

"A modern-day Gaslight"

The Blue Prussian is a spellbinding story told by Blake O'Brien, a beautiful, young executive with a globetrotting career. Blake returns to her native Manhattan from San Francisco after escaping—or so she thinks—her marriage to a dashing man who turned out to be a prince of darkness. She had been hoping for a fresh start but learns that she has been poisoned with thallium—a deadly neurotoxin referred to as the poisoner's poison.

Blake is treated with the only known antidote—Prussian blue—the same synthetic pigment with the deeply saturated hue used in dazzling masterpieces like The Starry Night…


Topics
  • Coming soon!

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in pop culture, presidential biography, and murder?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about pop culture, presidential biography, and murder.

Pop Culture Explore 148 books about pop culture
Presidential Biography Explore 19 books about presidential biography
Murder Explore 930 books about murder