When I started writing The Liars Society—a twisty mystery set in the world of the New England prep school, featuring a secret society, a mysterious island, and family secrets—I set out to create a high-concept story that would excite readers of any age. My primary goal was not to underestimate kids, their talents, intelligence, and ability to keep up with a sophisticated mystery. I wanted to write an evergreen story like The Westing Game—one that would become beloved by middle-graders—but that would read just as well to adults.
The Westing Game is the book that turned me, a kid who struggled with undiagnosed ADHD, into a reader. And so, mysteries have always meant something more than just a genre—they literally created my future. When I thought about the readers I wanted to reach, kids who were like me in elementary and middle school, I knew that a mystery was the way to grab them—and a series was the way to keep them reading. The Liars Society: A Risky Game will be in stores on April 1.
From the beginning, I knew The Liars Society had to be an elevated, smart, and fast paced mystery. I wanted the story to be made up of layered characters of all ages who would be fun and dynamic for kids, but also deep and intriguing to adults. Here, the kids take the lead, but the cast is all-ages.
I grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, in the shadow of Phillips Academy Andover, and later, I went to boarding school, where I didn’t always feel like I fit in. Having undiagnosed ADHD in an academically rigorous environment made me feel like I’d never belong. I wanted to create a distinct and relatable story that took place in this mysterious, insular world, like Knives Out for the whole family.
The Liars Society is told from multiple points of view: Jack Hunt is the ultimate insider and Weatherby Walker is a fish-out-of-water-scholarship student. They get picked for a chance to join the most powerful secret society in the world. Only they both have life ruining secrets they will do anything to protect.
These two distinct perspectives give readers the chance to dig into big, important questions to consider at any age: What makes someone a liar? Are we defined by our worst mistakes? Who can you trust when everyone has secrets? What can we do when the people in charge of us are lying?
I’ve put together a list of thoughtful and compelling middle grade mysteries that you won’t want to miss. These stories will keep you guessing and thinking at any age.
Nancy Springer, Enola Holmes
I love Enola Holmes—the clever younger sister to Sherlock Holmes. With just the right amount of danger and intrigue, this series that centers around a determined, smart girl detective is the perfect mix of mystery and adventure. When you’re done reading all the books, you can stay in the world by watching the show on Netflix. It’s an incredible adaptation!
Version 1.0.0
Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Author) and Gabriela Epstein (Illustrator), Invisible
This is one of my all-time favorite graphic novels and mysteries. The story is a Breakfast Club scenario set in middle school, featuring five, misunderstood Spanish-speaking kids with varying levels of English and Spanish fluency who have to solve a mystery together. Not only is this a smart, engaging mystery, but Christina Diaz Gonzalez brilliantly navigates between English and Spanish as she tells a fully bilingual story.
Stuart Gibbs, Spy School
When Ben Ripley is recruited to the CIA’s top-secret Academy of Espionage as bait to catch a dangerous enemy agent, he starts solving crimes and saving the day. The best part is that this action-packed series about a normal kid who becomes a secret agent has 12 books, 4 graphic novels, 1 puzzle book, and counting.
Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin, The Bletchley Riddle
This is the historical mystery you need. The story follows two siblings at Bletchley Park, the home of WWII codebreakers, as they race to decipher clues and unravel the secrets surrounding their mother’s disappearance.
Varian Johnson, The Parker Inheritance
I love a mystery with puzzles, fortunes, secrets, and complicated family histories. Also, what’s better than a ticking clock?! Varian Johnson’s The Parker Inheritance offers all of that, and the story is set in Lambert, South Carolina, a place with its own web of historical secrets.
Jen Calonita, Isle of Ever
This new series starter is the mystery-adventure you need now. In 1825 a group of kids in Greenport, NY went missing searching for a mysterious island. They were never found. There was only one survivor—Evelyn Terry. 200 years later Evelyn’s ancestor—Benny discovers she has been left a huge inheritance, which she can only collect if she finds an island that doesn’t exist on any maps. And she has two weeks to find it. The stakes are so high, and the characters are complicated and fun.
Karina Yan Glaser, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
If you’re looking for an engaging, enchanting family with secrets to solve, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street is the perfect mystery series to read together. Their adventures finding clues and solving puzzles in New York City will keep you intrigued for all seven installments.
James Ponti, City Spies
If you like adventures around the world, you’re going to be obsessed with these five young agents, who along with MI6, British Secret Intelligence, agents, form their own unique version of family. They are spies with elite skills, and they can go places and solve crimes in the world of espionage where adults can’t.
***
