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Young Adult Mysteries Offer Thrills as Autumn Begins

By Marlena Astorga, Contributing writer | November 1, 2016

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Curl up with a cup of tea and a good mystery book this fall.

Book Buzz is a blog produced in collaboration with neighborhood librarians from Houston Public Library, Harris County Public Library and the Bellaire Library.

During the autumn, as Houston’s heat finally gives way to cooler weather, there is nothing I like better than to curl up in a warm spot with a cup of hot tea and a good mystery. My favorites are the classic detectives like Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple. This year I decided to ignore the weather and start my fall mystery celebration a bit early.

I began with A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro, the first of a trilogy featuring Charlotte Holmes and James Watson, the great-great-great grandchildren of the original duo. At times fascinated and intimidated by Charlotte, Jamie finds himself drawn to Holmes and often daydreams about going on adventures with her. Watson finally gets his chance when he and Charlotte are the prime suspects of a fellow student’s murder.

I found this story intriguing as it offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between Holmes and Watson, and explores the idea that no matter what form they take a partnership between these two powerful personalities is inevitable. Further, Cavallero has carefully crafted her story paying homage to the original works, as well as the more recent adaptations. This work is recommended for all who love the original Holmes tales, and those desperately awaiting the fourth season of BBC’s Sherlock.

The next work I explored is the psychological thriller The Killer in Me by Margot Harrison. This is Harrison’s debut work, and it is an astounding read. Our protagonist, Nina Barrows, is a 17-year-old girl who is intimately acquainted with the work of a serial killer she calls The Thief. The horrors that Nina witnesses in her sleep drive her to uncover the identity of this killer, and to understand why there is a connection between them. At times Nina cannot even be certain that there is a murderer, or if she has created these crimes to satisfy a dark part of her psyche. Fans of Jeffrey Deaver, Kay Hooper or Linda Howard are sure to enjoy this novel.

Both works are available at the Houston Public Library.

Find more mystery book suggestions here.