Fall Themed Book Recommendations

Thriller/Mystery

That’s Not My Name, Megan Lally

This novel contains two perspectives: that of Drew, a boy who is allegedly the murderer of his girlfriend, Lola, despite his efforts to prove himself and his desperation to find the truth, and that of ‘Mary’, who wakes up with amnesia and is collected from the police station by a man who claims to be her father. She’s taken to a discreet location that she’s supposed to call home and bombarded with what are allegedly her possessions, even though they completely clash with her interests, likes, and even allergies. This book has one of the most heartbreaking and criminal plot twists, and the fast-paced story perfectly matches the plot and rate of discovery. This is great for fans of mystery novels and not-so-happy endings.

Five Survive, Holly Jackson

Six high school friends take a trip during spring break in an RV. When the RV suspiciously breaks down, the friends find themselves faced with a sniper and a deadly game where buried secrets surface, tensions grow, and everyone's life is in danger. Whether they survive the night or not, their lives will never be the same. This fast-paced and dramatic novel is a must-read for thriller and mystery lovers.

Little White Lies, Jennifer Lynn Barnes

A girl, Sawyer, lives in a small town with her detached mother and has learned to take care of herself. She gets an offer from her long-lost grandmother that if she joins the debutante season, she will get a large sum of money. She accepts and is thrown into the world of debutantes, having to struggle to be someone she isn't. Along the way, she discovers family secrets and scandals, quickly learning that the underbelly of this society is deeper than it seems.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

Bel’s mother went missing when she was just a toddler, with Bel allegedly witnessing said disappearance. This is her life’s controversy and what everyone in her town talks about, with most being convinced that her father is the culprit. The small family was offered to be the subjects of a documentary on Rachel Price’s disappearance, which they ultimately took to support Bel’s grandfather financially. While performing for the documentary, they discover that Rachel Price never disappeared in the first place, which should’ve been the end of the story until Bel noticed some discrepancies between the facts and Rachel’s story, leading to her investigating the truth behind her mother’s disappearance. 

Truly, Devious by Maureen Johnson

Stevie Bell, a true crime enthusiast, was often seen as an outcast for her ‘strange’ way of thinking and ‘abnormal’ behavior. When she gets accepted into Ellingham, an academy for the gifted, she finds a home with peers of her nature. However, a string of strange incidents leads Stevie and her friends on a wild investigation, with mystery, emotion, and an unknown connection to the notorious Ellingham cold case, an incident they learn more about as the severity of their investigation increases. As people begin to get hurt and clues get more complicated, nobody can tell which clues lead to which puzzle, and how they might be intertwined. 

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

This book shares the story of Pippa Fitz-Amobi, a high school senior, who delves into the closed case of the murder of Andie Bell, who was allegedly killed by her boyfriend, Salil Singh. As she looks deeper into overlooked facts of the investigation, she finds that everything is not as it seems, and the killer may still be on the loose.

Horror

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Halloween is coming early for the residents of Green Town, Illinois. The clock strikes 12, and the carnival arrives, beckoning in oblivious guests. Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show promises extraordinary dreams and eternal youth. However, as two young friends soon discover, something truly wicked lies beneath the bright lights and calliope song. 

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

Millie Calloway is a housemaid for the seemingly perfect Winchester family. She tries to ignore Nina’s odd behavior around her and the lies she tells about her own daughter. She can only imagine what it would be like to live a life like Nina. Luxury clothes, expensive car, perfect husband. When Nina discovers Millie’s urges, she closes her small attic bedroom, which conveniently only locks from the outside. However, this housemaid knows something she doesn’t, and this “perfect” family has no idea what’s about to hit them. 

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson leads an ideal life as a famous painter married to a popular fashion photographer, Gabriel Berenson, and the two reside in a grand house in beautiful London. In a shocking turn, Gabriel returned home late one night after a photoshoot, followed by his wife, Alicia, shooting him five times in the face, and never uttering a word again. Her refusal to speak fascinates the public, and her art prices skyrocket. Her reaction has also caught the attention of psychotherapist Theo Faber, who obsessively studies the mystery of the murder. A deeper dive into the case leads to a spiral from which he can never return. 

Fantasy

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

Effy Sayre has been haunted by visions of the Fairy King ever since she was a child. The only constant in her life has been Emrys Myrddin's tale of Angharad. Naturally, when Myrddin's family announces a contest to redesign the late author's home, Effy feels this project was meant for her. But this decrepit mansion holds secrets, and Effy Sayre must work with fellow scholar Preston Héloury, despite his disdainful attitude, in order to uncover a truth that could ruin everything.

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

Celine Rousseau, forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris, ends up in vibrant New Orleans. She finds herself entangled within the city’s glittering underworld and is mixed up with some dangerous characters. Celine has specifically caught the eye of the king of the underground, known as the mysterious Sébastian Saint Germain. When bodies begin to appear, Celine must battle her feelings and dig deeper to discover what really lies beneath all the glitz and glamour. 

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and a well-known name on the streets of White Roaring. She runs a distinguished tea house that turns into an illicit bloodhouse for the vampires who roam the night. When the establishment is threatened, she is forced to team up with her charming rival and the skilled yet shifty outcasts of the city. As Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the illustrious high vampire society known as the Athereum, events begin to shift, and she realizes she has stepped right in the middle of a world-ending conflict.