Young adult thrillers are my latest addiction and I can\u2019t get enough of them. Whether they\u2019re exploring deep space, experimenting with monsters, or navigating private school politics, YA thrillers inevitably keep me turning pages well past my bedtime. Here are a few action-packed thrillers I\u2019m obsessing over this summer.<\/p>\n
no no 9780593651889 Wander in the Dark <\/i> by Jumata Emill <\/p>\n
Mardi Gras, murder, and messy family secrets collide in this fast-paced thriller from the author of The Black Queen<\/a><\/i>. When a rich white girl invites Amir to take her home, then winds up dead, everyone assumes he\u2019s a murderer. His estranged brother Marcel is the only person who can help him, and together, they dig up enough secrets to shock New Orleans to its core.<\/p>\n 9780593704080 The Party <\/i> by Natasha Preston <\/p>\n No summer is complete without reading the latest Natasha Preston<\/a> thriller! When Bessie and her friends head to a remote English castle for spring break, they expect to have the time of their lives. But their party takes a sinister turn when someone ends up dead. As a storm rolls in, the body count rises, and the teens realize they may never leave the party alive.<\/p>\n 9780593118832 The Color of a Lie <\/i> by Kim Johnson <\/p>\n A tragedy forces Calvin\u2019s family to relocate to a suburban town where his father insists they pretend they\u2019re white. However, living a double life leads Calvin to the other side of town, where he can be himself. He makes new friends and uncovers a dark current of secrets running underneath the picture-perfect town.<\/p>\n 9780593567593 Nothing Bad Happens Here <\/i> by Rachel Ekstrom Courage <\/p>\n An idyllic summer in Nantucket is just what Lucia needs, but when she discovers a dead teenager on the beach, her carefree summer gets turned on its head. As Lucia investigates the murder, she gets pulled into the glamorous world of three wealthy girls. But the more time she spends with her new friends, the more she suspects they\u2019re connected to the murder. This chilling mystery is the perfect summer thriller!<\/p>\n 9780593625484 When the Bones Sing <\/i> by Ginny Myers Sain <\/p>\n Dovie can hear the bones of dead people singing and uses her ability to help the police find hikers who vanished in the Ozark mountains. When her best friend, Lo, tells her the spirits of the murdered hikers haunt him, they set out into the wilderness to find out who or what has been killing them. This spooky Southern thriller will keep you reading well past bedtime!<\/p>\n 9780593301036 Murder Between Friends <\/i> by Liz Lawson <\/p>\n When Grace\u2019s testimony put Henry\u2019s brother, Jake, in jail for murder, their group of friends shattered. Now, Jake is walking free, and Grace is retracting her testimony. Henry, Grace, and their friend Ally must figure out what really happened before Jake\u2019s new trial date \u2014 but the three former friends don\u2019t know who or what to trust anymore.<\/p>\n 9780593903988 Difficult Girls<\/i> by Veronica Bane <\/p>\n Greta takes a summer job at the local amusement park, where she immediately gets charmed by an enigmatic girl named Mercy. When Mercy vanishes, Greta goes looking for answers. But the deeper she digs into the sinister history of the amusement park, the more her own secrets threaten to expose her past. This spine-tingling thriller is a must-read!<\/p>\n 9780593485057 Such Charming Liars<\/i> by Karen M. McManus <\/p>\n A jewel heist, a murder, and several serial scammers collide at a billionaire\u2019s birthday party in this novel from the author of One of Us Is Lying<\/a><\/i>. When a body is found at the party, ex-step-siblings Kat and Liam team up to solve the murder and avoid becoming the next victims. This fast-paced heist thriller will keep YA readers glued to the page.<\/p>\n 9780593374207 The Reappearance of Rachel Price<\/i> by Holly Jackson <\/p>\n If you loved A Good Girl\u2019s Guide to Murder<\/a><\/i>, don\u2019t miss this #1 New York Times<\/i> bestselling novel by the same author. It\u2019s about a girl named Bel whose mother vanished when she was a toddler. Now, her family is filming a true crime documentary about the disappearance when her mother suddenly reappears \u2014 alive. As Bel digs into her mother\u2019s story, she makes a shocking discovery that changes everything.<\/p>\n RELATED: YA Reads Trending on BookTok<\/a><\/p>\n 9780593433317 Liar\u2019s Beach<\/i> by Katie Cotugno <\/p>\n Agatha Christie fans will love this modern YA reimagining of The Mysterious Affair at Styles<\/a><\/i>. Linden isn\u2019t rich but does his best to fit in when his boarding school friends invite him to spend the summer in Martha\u2019s Vineyard. When someone drowns in the pool, Linden\u2019s childhood friend, Holiday Proctor, decides to investigate. As she pieces together the clues, she peels back the layers of their friend group to reveal a deadly secret.<\/p>\n 9780593532041 Kill Her Twice<\/i> by Stacey Lee <\/p>\n Travel back in time to the 1930s in Los Angeles\u2019s Chinatown in this murder mystery from the bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl<\/a><\/i>. Three sisters find the body of their famous former classmate and suspect foul play. But with the police unwilling to investigate, the sisters risk everything to discover what happened to their friend. <\/p>\n 9781641295383 Ride or Die<\/i> by Gail-Agnes Musikavanhu <\/p>\n Loli is an adrenaline-seeking teen who never turns down a dare. So when a mysterious boy named X challenges her to a series of dares, she doesn\u2019t hesitate to say yes. But each dare gets riskier than the last, and soon, their game of one-upping each other turns perilous. This fast-paced summer read is perfect for readers who want a fun, exhilarating thrill ride.<\/p>\n 9780593524220 The Counselors<\/i> by Jessica Goodman <\/p>\n Secrets, lies, and murder collide at a summer camp where Goldie works as a counselor. Her best friend goes to the lake one night, and the following day, a dead body turns up in the water. Goldie gets caught between wanting the truth about that night and wanting to protect her friend. If you love this book, grab a copy of Jessica Goodman\u2019s other YA thriller, They\u2019ll Never Catch Us<\/i><\/a>.<\/p>\n 9781595148537 Lies You Never Told Me<\/i> by Jennifer Donaldson <\/p>\n A high school drama with a twist, this novel follows four teens through breakups, new love, and dark secrets. With plenty of surprises and disturbing elements, this book will keep you flying through the pages.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2025.<\/small><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" These captivating, action-packed thrillers will keep teens and young adult readers turning pages well past their bedtimes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":116002,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[80,162,193],"coauthors":[23],"class_list":["post-12268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-summer-reading","tag-ya","tag-thriller","ages_stages-teen"],"yoast_head":"\nYou might also like:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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