“Some people are pretty good at hiding who they really are.”
If you tore through Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson and are craving more gripping mysteries, you’re in the right place. This list of intense books like Good Girl Bad Blood is perfect for fans of clever twists, dark secrets, and unforgettable amateur sleuths. Whether you loved the small-town suspense of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder or the high-stakes investigations that kept you turning the pages, these YA mystery thrillers will keep your pulse racing. From shocking crimes to morally grey characters, each story captures that same addictive blend of danger, deduction, and drama. If you’re searching for books similar to Good Girl, Bad Blood or wondering what to read next after Holly Jackson’s hit series, these picks deliver all the suspense and emotional intensity you’re looking for. Get ready to dive into your next page-turning mystery.
A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder Book Series
- Kill Joy (2021) – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #0.5
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2019) – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #1
- Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020) – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #2
- As Good as Dead (2021) – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #3
One Of Us Is Lying – Karen M. McManus
First up on our list of books like Good Girl, Bad Blood is Karen M. McManus’ YA mystery, One of Us Is Lying. On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks the rules. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview’s infamous gossip app.
Only, Simon never makes it out of the classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon is dead. And according to investigations, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy details about all four of his fellow classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?
Truly, Devious – Maureen Johnson
Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest minds. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways and gardens. Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only clue left behind was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder signed from the pseudonym “Truly, Devious.”
True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will once she gets a handle on her demanding new school life. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, bringing death back to Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave, and someone has gotten away with murder.
A Study In Charlotte – Brittany Cavallaro
The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius, but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.
From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting, and nowhere is safe – and the only people they can trust are one another.
Sadie – Courtney Summers
Another gripping YA mystery novel, similar to Good Girl, Bad Blood, Courtney Summers introduces us to Sadie in her 2018 release. Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister, Mattie, in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water. But her world is truly upended when Mattie is found dead. Sadie hits the road, following only a meagre set of clues, determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice.
When West McCray – a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America – overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.
How To Find A Missing Girl – Victoria Wlosok
A year ago, beloved cheerleader Stella Blackthorn vanished without a trace. Devastated, her younger sister, Iris, launched her own investigation, but all she managed to do was scare off the police’s only lead and earn a stern warning: once she turns eighteen, more meddling means prison-level consequences.
One year later, Iris’ ex-girlfriend, Heather, disappears too – just after dropping the polarising last episode of her true crime podcast about Iris’ sister. This time, nothing will stop Iris and her amateur sleuthing agency from solving these disappearances. Perfect for fans of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and Good Girl, Bad Blood, How to Find a Missing Girl is a propulsive thriller that follows a sapphic detective agency as they search for the truth behind a growing trail of missing girls in small-town Louisiana.
The Agathas – Kathleen Glasgow And Liz Lawson
Last summer, Alice Ogilvie’s basketball-star boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. She’s not talking, so where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove. At least, it was. But now, another one of Steve’s girlfriends has vanished: Brooke Donovan, Alice’s former best friend. And it doesn’t look like Brooke is coming back.
Enter Iris Adams, Alice’s tutor. The police are convinced that Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn’t so sure. With Alice on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory correct. But, to do so, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. Armed only with the complete works of Agatha Christie, the pair set out to unearth the secrets nestled across Castle Cove, unaware of how much danger they’re about to walk into.
You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight – Kalynn Bayron
Charity Curtis has the summer job of her dreams, playing the “Final Girl” at Camp Mirror Lake. Guests pay to be scared in this full-contact terror game, as Charity and her summer crew recreate scenes from a classic slasher film, Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. The more realistic the fear, the better the business.
But the last weekend of the season, Charity’s co-workers begin disappearing. And when one ends up dead, Charity’s role as the final girl suddenly becomes all too real. If Charity and her girlfriend Bezi hope to survive the night, they’ll need to figure out what this killer is after. Is there more to the story of Mirror Lake and its dangerous past than Charity ever suspected? Perfect for fans of Good Girl, Bad Blood, Kalynn Bayron’s You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight is a YA horror thriller brimming with homages to the golden era of slasher movies.
The Ivies – Alexa Donne
Everyone knows the Ivies: the most coveted universities in the United States. Far more important are the Ivies. The Ivies at Claflin Academy, that is. Five girls with the same mission: to get into the Ivy League by any means necessary. In one of the best mystery books like Good Girl, Bad Blood, Alexa Donne delivers a nail-biting and timely thriller about teens who will stop at nothing to get into the college of their dreams. Too bad no one told them murder isn’t an extracurricular.
Little Monsters – Kara Thomas
Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a 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 to the wild highs and lows of the old one, in which she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone appears to be so nice in town – she’s even been welcomed into a new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.
That’s why it’s so odd when things begin to change. And when they don’t invite her to a party, Kacey suspects it might be deliberate. But, before she has a chance to ask, Bailey doesn’t make it home from the party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem to be welcoming. Kacey is about to learn something very important. Sometimes, appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.
The Inheritance Games – Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his whole fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why – or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.
To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man’s touch – and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias just dispossessed, including the four Hawthorne grandsons. Similar to Good Girl, Bad Blood, Avery finds herself ensnared in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every corner, needing to play the game herself just to survive.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Inheritance Games
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
