Eighteen-year-old art student Isadora Chang swore never to return to Slater. Growing up as one of the only people of color in Slater, she never felt at ease in the repressive former mining town. When she returns one summer, Isa begins to hear strange songs on the wind, and eerie artwork fills her sketchbook that she can’t recall drawing. Something is waiting in the shadows of Slater’s valleys. Whatever it is, it knows Isa’s back . . . and it won’t let her escape again. Fans of She Is a Haunting, Stephen King’s IT, and The Haunting of Hill House will love this YA horror debut.
Mystery and the supernatural are two genres that have often gone hand in hand and for very good reason. While a supernatural explanation can sometimes ruin a mystery story—for example, if it’s not signposted from the beginning and happens out of left field in the finale—a good supernatural mystery can be a nail-biting, compelling read. Unravelling the explanation behind why something is happening, whether through ghostly, demonic, or otherwise magical means and unravelling the mystery of what has happened, are plot structures that work well together, leading the reader into a richly-drawn world with a tense narrative thread running through it.
In recent years, some spectacular, scary, supernatural mysteries have been released in both the adult and YA categories. Some explore childhood trauma, while others look at the impact of racism or sexism, but all do so through the lens of fantastical horror and high-stakes mystery. These books pull no punches and often dive deep into body horror or psychological torments, and in many cases, the protagonists don’t make it out unscathed. Whether they’re set in the depths of the desert, the darkest part of the woods, or at a creepy old boarding school, these supernatural mysteries will keep you on the edge of your seat and probably make you lose some sleep as you’re reading them.
The Hungry Dark by Jen Williams
The past casts long shadows in this creepy murder mystery. Ashley is a fraudulent psychic with a secret—despite using cold reading and research for her shows, she can, in fact, see ghosts. She escaped death as a child because of her visions, but when ghostly figures begin to appear again, Ashley has to try to solve a decades-old murder—and save her own life at the same time.
The Forest Demands Its Due by Kosoko Jackson
Douglas, a gay Black student at an isolated, mostly-white private school, is trying to get through his academic career and survive the micro- and macro-aggressions being thrown at him by his classmates. However, when one of the students dies, Douglas realises that something strange is going on—by the next day, no one can remember that the student in question ever existed. Douglas decides to investigate what has happened and discovers that there is something in the woods, waiting to devour unwary students.
Mister Magic by Kiersten White
A creepy old TV show takes on a life of its own in Mister Magic, a supernatural thriller from the author of Hide. Val was one of the child stars who appeared on the show, which has gained legendary status online despite no recordings existing and no one being able to agree on what happened on the show or how it all ended. Brought together with the other surviving stars, now adults, Val agrees to take part in what is pitched as a documentary about the show but soon realises that there is something sinister going on behind the camera.
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
This YA thriller follows Jake, a Black teenager who has the ability to see ghosts—including the ghost of Sawyer. Sawyer is another teen, a school shooter who killed six students at his high school before turning his gun on himself. Sawyer realises that he can use Jake to carry out more violence from beyond the grave, so Jake has to fight against supernatural influence and societal prejudice to defend himself before it’s too late.
The Black Veins by Ashia Monet
A group of supernaturally powered teens go on a cross-country road trip to try to stop a war between magical factions in this mystery thriller. Blythe is a powerful magician, one of seven Guardians who can manifest a particular branch of magic—but when her family is kidnapped by a mysterious group who also seem to be able to control her, she realises she can’t fight them alone. Blythe gathers the rest of the Guardians to try to find out who is attempting to kick-start the war.
The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
Thriller-writing legend Tiffany D. Jackson explores the USA’s racist history through a supernatural lens in The Weight of Blood. Maddy, a biracial teenager who has been pretending to be white thanks to pressure from her racist father, faces bullying from the other students in her school. As prom night draws closer, Maddy starts to think that she may finally be starting to fit in at school, but her supernatural powers come into play and change everything forever.
The Burning Girls by C. J. Tudor
C. J. Tudor has been compared to Stephen King, and her books certainly pack a twisty, supernatural punch. The Burning Girls tells the story of Reverend Jack Brooks, a new vicar who arrives in a village to find himself in the middle of a scenario straight out of a folk horror. With a history of witch-burnings and questions over the fate of the previous vicar, Jack must unravel the mystery before he and his teenage daughter are threatened by the village’s bloody past.
A Song for Quiet by Cassandra Khaw
A noir detective story inspired by Lovecraftian horror, A Song for Quiet is the second in Cassandra Khaw’s Persons Non Grata duology, but can be read as a standalone. Supernatural private eye John Persons finds himself on a train to Arkham, along with several other characters who have drawn the interest of beings from outside reality—including Deacon James, a musician with a demon seed in his mind that might if things go really wrong, destroy the world.
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
Pseudonymous author Chuck Tingle is best known for his meme-worthy erotica featuring dinosaur billionaires and whatever happens to be in the news cycle that day, but Camp Damascus is a departure from his usual writings. A high-stakes horror mystery, the book is set at a conversion therapy camp that is even more monstrous than it initially seems. Following Rose, a queer autistic girl who soon realises that something is rotten at Camp Damascus, this story is a powerful and compelling read.
Want a supernatural mystery that will give you the warm fuzzies instead of the cold chills? Try some of our list of Paranormal Cosy Mysteries. If you’re looking for a mystery set in a location that has its fair share of spooky stories, try 10 of the Best Mystery Books Set in the Pacific Northwest.
