Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Lauren Muñoz’s Very Dangerous Things, which is out July 29th 2025.

Everyone in town knows about the game. For decades, J. Everett High has staged an annual murder mystery to put its criminology students to the test. And this year, crime junkie Dulce Castillo is dead set on winning. Soon, the game kicks off, and the student playing the victim, Xavier Torres, is found poisoned in the school’s greenhouse . . . except his death is not pretend.

It’s murder.

When the authorities open an investigation, all the evidence points to Sierra Fox, Xavier’s ex-girlfriend and Dulce’s ex-best friend. Claiming innocence and desperate to clear her name, Sierra begs Dulce to look past their bad blood and find the culprit.

After all, Dulce knows this school better than any investigator ever could, but she must use caution to solve this mystery. Because these historic halls are full of suspects with no shortage of motives. And in this game of cat and mouse, the other player kills.

PROLOGUE

Two Weeks from Now

Sierra fox hurried down the muddy path, typing a message on her phone.

Livestream ran late. Omw.

It autocorrected to On my way! just as she hit send. Fantastic. The cheerful tone would make Xavier even angrier.

Sierra glared down at her heels, which were caked with dirt and crushed pine needles. “Ruined,” she muttered. And for what? Why did he need to meet her so far from everyone else? Things were bad between them, but it’s not like they were actually over. Her misstep had been a small thing. A forgivable mistake. Without Xavier . . .

She wouldn’t think about that.

Sierra breathed in the fresh air made sharp by the evergreens that cast long shadows over the ground. A few birds squawked overhead, but otherwise the path was silent. Her classmates were having lunch inside, away from the mud and the damp.

A loud rustling broke through the quiet. Sierra paused to listen, but the noise didn’t come again. Probably just a forest animal, she thought. It had sounded big, though, and she continued a little faster. No student had ever been attacked by a bear, but every year, Dean Whitaker reminded them not to go into the woods alone, especially during cub season.

Suddenly, a huge brown blur streaked across the path, almost hitting her.

“Ah!” Sierra shrieked, covering her mouth with a fist. She wanted to run, but she was frozen in place. The creature stopped a few yards into the woods. Trembling, Sierra forced herself to meet its eyes.

It was a baby doe.

“Stupid deer!” she yelled, sending the doe sprinting into the trees. Sierra tried to calm her racing heart. If she was freaking out over a cute little animal, she must be more nervous about meeting Xavier than she thought.

As she moved down the path, the knitting needles in her bag knocked against her arm, and she carefully shifted the tips away from her skin. Everyone else in the Stitch ’n’ Bitch Club she’d started used metal needles, but for Sierra, it was wood or nothing. She’d even had her initials burned into the ends.

The greenhouse at the bottom of the path was as lovely as the rest of campus. Tall panes of float glass rose in a Gothic arch, like something out of a storybook. A few special stained-glass pieces were set in casement above the door, which was closed.

Sierra frowned. Xavier had told her he would leave the door propped open, but maybe he hadn’t wanted the rain to blow in. She pressed her face against the nearest glass pane, careful not to smudge her makeup. Nothing moved inside.

The heavy scent of compost and violets made her nose wrinkle as she pushed the door open. It was surprisingly chilly in the greenhouse—nothing like its typical balminess. The last time she’d been inside was with . . . No, she wouldn’t think his name. He’d shown her the tobacco plants he’d been growing to make vape juice.

“You’ve got to be careful extracting the nicotine,” he’d said, pointing at a plant with broad green leaves. “It’s strong enough to take down a horse. Dope, right?”

Sierra had not thought it was dope. The only thing she disliked more than guys who smoked were guys who had a passion for killing things.

“Xavi?” she called into the space.

The only answer was a terrified flapping of wings as several birds escaped out a missing windowpane in the peaked roof, revealing the gray sky. She didn’t remember the opening being there when she was with him, but they’d been preoccupied with other things.

“Xavi, are you in here?” she asked again, walking between the rows of greenery, most of which had been planted by the forensic science students for their experiments.

The chill in the air entered Sierra’s bones. Had Xavier stood her up? Was it possible he was serious about dumping her? Angry tears pricked her eyes like needles. She wouldn’t let that happen. They belonged together.

A strange snuffling sound, like an animal crawling among the plants, made her hurry toward the table at the back of the greenhouse, where pothos vines spilled onto the ground, blocking her view of whatever was behind it.

Sierra stopped dead when she reached the table. Something white was sticking out at an odd angle, nearly touching the uprooted remains of the tobacco plants. There were plenty of tools lying around the greenhouse, but this was something else. Something she recognized.
Xavier’s shoe.

Sierra rushed around the corner, nearly twisting her ankle in her heels. When she saw what lay beyond the shoe, she screamed an endless agonized scream that traveled out of the greenhouse, up the path, and into the lunchroom.

At a table near the back door, Dulce Castillo’s ears perked up. Her best friend, Emi, was still talking about how unfair it was that Xavier Torres got picked for everything.

“Shh,” Dulce said. “Can you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Emi asked. “Everyone chomping on their food? Of course I can. It’s disgusting.”

“No, it sounds like—” Dulce paused, trying to listen over the sound of the noon church bells ringing down the road. “Never mind. It’s gone.”

Twenty minutes later, Sierra Fox came sprinting into the lunchroom from the hallway, her red curls in a tangle and her sheath dress covered in mud.

“Xavi’s in the greenhouse!” she screamed, her voice full of anguish. “He’s been murdered!”
Sierra gazed around the cafeteria in wide-eyed horror before crumpling to the ground. The entire student body fell silent.

Then everyone broke into applause.

“That was fast,” Emi said over the clapping. “Usually no one finds the body until after Labor Day.” She began stuffing chips into her mouth. “We should finish up so we can get to the greenhouse first. Early bird solves the murder.”

Dulce smiled. Xavier Torres was dead. The game had begun.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Very Dangerous Things’ by Lauren Muñoz appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

It’s Only A Game is a twisty, fast-paced YA thriller, a dangerous game becomes all too real when Marina and her friends are framed for murder.

When I first set out to write the idea that would eventually become my debut novel, It’s Only a Game, I picked up every young adult thriller I could get my hands on. I was initially reading to understand the genre and to find comparable titles for pitching, but that quickly turned to reading for enjoyment. There’s something so inherently accessible about thrillers—between fast pacing, high tension, and the promise of answers to be revealed, they’re easy to pick up and hard to set down. I love that rush of trying to guess along the way and the satisfaction of turning the last page after the mystery has been solved.

I’ve read so many amazing YA thrillers that there’s no way I can include them all in one article, but I’m excited to share a few recent reads (and one beloved reread!) that I absolutely adored. I hope you’ll consider picking them up! And if you’re up for a YA thriller featuring a group of gamers who are blackmailed into playing a dangerous video game with real life consequences, my book, It’s Only a Game, will be out on July 9 this year!

Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell

Mara Racette, a relative newcomer to the Blackfeet Reservation, hasn’t had the warmest welcome. But she’s hopeful when a local girl invites her to a traditional Blackfeet giveaway to honor her missing sister—until a girl from the giveaway is found murdered.

Told through the perspective of four Blackfeet teens as well as snippets from a true crime podcast, Looking for Smoke is a deeply moving novel that brings attention to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement. Cobell crafts a compelling, masterful story full of complex characters you’ll find yourself rooting for and twists that will keep you guessing!

Perfect Little Monsters by Cindy R.X. He

Ella Moore is the queen bee of Sierton High. When she’s murdered at her own party, the prime suspect is Dawn Foster, the new girl at school and the last person to hand Ella a drink before she died. As Dawn investigates Ella’s past in an attempt to clear her own name, she discovers just how many people hated Ella—some of whom have no qualms about letting Dawn take the fall for Ella’s death.

Told through dual perspectives, Perfect Little Monsters is a clever, page-turning book that reminded me of Mean Girls (one of my favorite movies) in the best way. He’s writing sucked me in immediately and kept me riveted through the ending, which was a stunner—especially when paired with the author’s note.

That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally

A teen wakes up bruised and shivering on the side of a dirt road with no memory of what happened to her—or even of her own name. After being picked up by a local officer, she’s brought home by a man who’s been searching frantically for her—a man who claims her name is Mary and he’s her father. In another town, Drew searches for his girlfriend, Lola, who’s been missing for weeks—and whom everyone in town thinks he murdered.

Told through Mary’s and Drew’s perspectives, That’s Not My Name is tense, impossible to put down (I read it in one day), and hard-hitting. I was completely blown away by Megan Lally’s mastery of plots, reveals and twists—and that ending will stick with me for a long, long time.

Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo

Once-popular Jo-Lynn Kirby is now an outcast at school—so, when her ex-best friend Maddie comes to her claiming to be in trouble, Jo figures it’s another cruel prank…until Maddie goes missing. Jo agrees to fake-date her ex-crush, Hudson Harper-Moore, as a way into her old clique to investigate Maddie’s disappearance—but being back on the inside means confronting the secrets and betrayal that ruined Jo’s reputation and broke her friendship with Maddie.

I fell hard for Jo—she’s a force of personality with a voice that absolutely leaps from the page. She feels real, complicated, and relatable. I loved every moment of her journey, from her initial, prickly determination not to rely on anyone to her slow discovery of the joy in connection and reconnection—both with herself and others—as she’s forced to work through past traumas. Not Like Other Girls brought tears to my eyes—emotions that only intensified with the deeply personal author’s note. A masterfully written mystery!

The One That Got Away with Murder by Trish Lundy

When Lauren O’Brian moves to a new town, she’s relieved to leave her past behind—painful memories that her summer hookup, Robbie Crestmont, helps her forget. Then she learns that Robbie’s ex-girlfriend mysteriously drowned at his lake house over a year earlier. Lauren knows what it’s like when everyone assumes the worst of you…but when she finds shocking evidence that might implicate Robbie, she must decide who to trust—the boy she’s growing closer with or the town that’s convinced he’s a murderer.

The One That Got Away with Murder is as clever as the title suggests. Lundy keeps readers guessing throughout—and wondering, alongside Lauren, just how far we can trust the Crestmonts. With complex characters, precisely timed backstory reveals, and a satisfying ending, this book was a stunning read!

Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Muñoz

Izzy Morales and five friends join Izzy’s best friend, Kassidy, in a 1920s-themed getaway at a glamorous historic mansion. There, they party in vintage dresses and expensive jewelry—until Kassidy’s boyfriend turns up murdered. Investigators consider everyone a suspect—and no one can leave the estate until they find the killer.

With comps like One of Us is Lying and Knives Out, this book has a lot to live up to—and Muñoz delivers! The atmosphere is stellar and there are plenty of suspicious motives to go around. Suddenly a Murder is a fun and compelling locked room mystery that nods to classics like Agatha Christie while weaving in hard-hitting modern issues.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Daunis Fontaine—biracial, an unenrolled tribal member, and product of a scandal—has never quite fit in either her hometown or the nearby Ojibwe Reservation. When someone she loves is murdered in a drug-related incident, Daunis agrees to work as an undercover informant to help find the source of the meth addiction ravaging her community—a choice that will uncover more deceit and corruption than Daunis could’ve imagined and put her at increasing risk.

Firekeeper’s Daughter is one of those deeply moving, once-in-a-generation books that deserves every bit of acclaim it has received and more. Boulley expertly balances every aspect of this incredible book that is so powerful that I started crying upon starting the reread—and finished rereading anyway, tears and all.

Girls Who Burn by M.K. Pagano (Out July 16)

Addie Blackwood’s sister, Fiona, died a year ago. Since then, Addie has suspected Thatcher Montgomery, the rich boy down the street, of killing Fiona…until Thatcher’s found dead too. Addie tentatively agrees to team up with the only person she can trust, Seth Montgomery—the boy she was with during both deaths. But the more Seth and Addie learn, the more it seems their families’ pasts are tied up in what happened to Fiona, and the less Addie knows who to trust.

Girls Who Burn perfectly entwines the danger and suspense of a thriller with the emotional, wonderfully angsty tension of an enemies-to-lovers romance. With beautiful prose and fast pacing, Pagano tackles themes of loss, guilt, and class differences in this twisty, thoroughly enjoyable mystery that will leave readers breathless to the very last page.

Under the Surface by Diana Urban (Out August 13)

While on a class trip to Paris, Ruby’s best friend follows a local guy down to explore the Catacombs one night—and Ruby, Ruby’s ex-best friend, and another classmate end up along for the ride. They get lost underground—a nightmare that only grows worse when they realize someone is hunting them through the tunnels. Meanwhile, Sean, the boy who loves Ruby, races to find her from aboveground, helping the police and pushing awareness for the plight of the missing teens—before it’s too late for them all.

This heart-pounding book is a mix of survival thriller, tense teen drama, and twisty mystery, with an overarching romantic theme. I’m in awe of Urban’s skill in crafting a suspenseful, incredibly creepy and emotional story that does not let up until the very end. Five heartfelt shivers for this amazing book!

More YA Thrillers to Pick Up

• For fans of historical thrillers—The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur
• For fans of The Picture of Dorian Gray—She’s Too Pretty to Burn by Wendy Heard
• For fans of dark academia—How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao
• For fans of Carrie—The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson
• For fans of survival thrillers—Stay Dead by April Henry
• For fans of Rebecca—I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick
• For fans of psychological thrillers—The Half-Life of Molly Pierce by Katrina Leno
• For fans of Get Out—Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
• For fans of Scrabble—Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf
• For fans of Angie Thomas—When You Look Like Us by Pamela N. Harris

The post Kelsea Yu’s YA Thriller Recommendations appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Muñoz, which is out now!

Someone brought a knife to the party.

To celebrate the end of high school, Izzy Morales joins her ride-or-die Kassidy and five friends on a 1920s-themed getaway at the glamorous Ashwood Manor. There, Izzy and her friends party in vintage dresses and expensive diamonds–until Kassidy’s boyfriend turns up dead.

Murdered, investigators declare when they arrive at the scene, and now every party guest is a suspect. There’s the girlfriend, in love. The other girl, in despair. The old friend, forlorn. The new friend, distressed. The brooding enigma. And then, there’s Izzy–the girl who brought the knife.

To find the killer, everyone must undergo a grueling interrogation, all while locked in an estate where, suddenly, the greatest luxury is innocence.

Prologue

The knife burns cold in my trembling hand. I lock Blaine’s door with a soft click so no one can follow me into his bedroom. The others are busy getting dressed for cocktail hour, but it would be unforgivable to take any risks now that I’ve come this far.

The antique shower plumbing whistles and bangs as loudly as the rusty boiler in Marian Academy’s basement. Even so, I hold my breath as I creep toward the bathroom. I hide behind the cracked door and peer through the gap. Blaine is standing in the canary-yellow tub, a sheer shower curtain drawn around him, his head and chest barely visible through the swirling steam. The vintage wool bathing suit he’d worn to the beach is in a heap on the mosaic tile.

Each bathroom in Ashwood Manor has been meticulously preserved, and Blaine’s is decorated with golden art deco mirrors.

I look at the gold blade of my knife.

They match.

If I were the kind of person who believed in signs, I might think the universe approved of the crime I was about to commit.

But I’m not that kind of person. That person would have spilled their secret to Kassidy weeks ago, hoping the universe would repay their good deed. I’m more of a don’t-fuck-with-myfuture-if-you-don’t-want-to-meet-my-knife kind of girl. At least I want to be. My shaking hands tell a different story.

Blaine’s eyes are closed, his head tipped up to the water as it cascades down with the delicate patter typical of old houses, a quiet contrast to the thumping plumbing in the walls. It’s a soothing sound, like spring rain, and I briefly flash back to the day before prom, when Blaine danced in my apartment building’s courtyard during a storm while my family and I laughed from the sidewalk.

He looked vulnerable and young then, just as he does now, standing naked and defenseless in the shower. I’ve been waiting for this moment. Obsessing over the details in my head for days. But as Blaine runs his hands through his ginger hair, slowly pushing a stream of water off his forehead and down his freckled back, a burning guilt spreads through my arms, almost making me drop the knife.

Blaine doesn’t deserve this—not really. But neither do I. And I can’t sit back and let him destroy my life.

I grip the knife tighter and step through the doorway.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Suddenly a Murder’ by Lauren Muñoz appeared first on The Nerd Daily.