One Old, One New: YA Mystery Edition

One Old, One New features two books - one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today, I am sharing two YA mysteries, that kept me guessing, and I loved it!

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
Holly Jackson
Series: A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

For readers of Kara Thomas and Karen McManus, an addictive, twisty crime thriller with shades of Serial and Making a Murderer about a closed local murder case that doesn't add up, and a girl who's determined to find the real killer--but not everyone wants her meddling in the past.

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

This is the story of an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect.

Sal was kind and sweet, and Pip never believed that he could kill Andie. Therefore, she set out to prove his innocence, but as she dug deeper and deeper, she got closer and closer to not only exonerating Sal, but discovering the true killer's identity. The closer she got, the more dangerous it became. Would she uncover the killer or would she become his next victim?

It's been a while since I read a good YA mystery, and this, my friends, was a great YA mystery. It had twists and turns galore, and I loved the way Jackson laid out the story for me. It gripped me from page one, and kept me fully engrossed until the very end. I was eager gather clues, and found myself asking question after question, as we got deeper into the case.

The actual telling of this story was fantastic. There was the regular narrative, but there were also transcribed interviews, graphics, news clippings, and journal entries. Pip's journal entries were particularly impactful for me, because they let me into her head as she puzzled through all the pieces she was picking up as she searched for the truth, and I liked being led through her process.

There was lots of sleuthing, subterfuge, and even some precarious situations along the way, but peppered throughout were some really average teen moments, which is why I think this book was so successful for me. Yes, there was a clear focus on the mystery at hand, but I liked getting to know Pip, Pip's family and friends. I was a fan of the connection she made with Ravi, Sal's younger brother, and this allowed me to see Pip as a whole person.

Jackson did a great job scattering the clues. Leading me down this path and that path until the killer's identity was fully revealed. I wouldn't say I saw it coming. I suspected certain parts of it, but not all of it, and I love when an author can keep me guessing.

This was a wild ride, and I was glad I got to take it with such a character as amazing as Pip. I found this to be a stupendous debut, and I am really looking forward to catching up with Pip and Ravi in the sequel.

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Little Monsters
Kara Thomas
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life. A life with a stepbrother, a stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.

Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.

Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.

But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.

Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.

After a seance gone wrong, Kacey found herself excluded from the Kacey-Bailey-Jade trio. All the mind games were forgotten, when Kacey awakened to discover that Bailey was missing. As the search for Bailey picked up steam, Kacey emerged as a suspect, which had her closely examining what she thought were "friendships".

Thomas wowed me with The Darkest Corners, and I was totally sold on her brand of YA mystery thriller after reading The Cheerleaders. Once again, she presented me with a mystery, which was compelling and well layered. The tension grew and grew as more pieces of the puzzle came to light. I loved the way Thomas fit excerpts from Bailey's diary into the narrative. They offered a tremendous amount of insight into Bailey's inner workings, and supported the build until my suspicions were confirmed.

The mystery of what happened to Bailey was a huge part of this story, but there was an examination of Kacey's many relationships, and the one between Kacey, Bailey, and Jade was rather toxic. You could see how Bailey manipulated Kacey, and took advantage of her vulnerability. Kacey was a new student, at a new school, in a new town, with her new family. Bailey and Jade taking her in seemed like a gift, when it first happened, but as Kacey searched for her missing friend, she came to some realizations about their relationship.

Thomas took me on a rather dark journey searching for this missing girl, but also brought me into those dark recesses of the human psyche. The mystery unraveled in a way, that kept me hooked, guessing, and in suspense. Another great addition to her catalog!

Favorite mystery thriller?
Let us know in the comments!