Book picks similar to
Deadly First Day by Emily Kazmierski


mystery
academy
romance
supernatural-paranormal

Don't Say a Word


Jennie Hansen - 2021
    She needs to regain her balance, and her parents’ ranch in Montana provides the perfect escape. But respite is the last thing she finds. While camping near the Bitterroot Forest, a strange sound leads Cassie to make a startling discovery: a young child, abandoned in the wilderness. She acts on instinct, taking him home to the ranch with her. But she has no idea that by doing so, she will be forced to engage in a fight for his life—and her own. With the help of Deputy Parker Grafton, Cassie works to uncover the mystery behind the boy’s origins. The pair is drawn closer together each step of the investigation as they follow a bizarre trail of clues. But when a series of dangerous accidents begins to plague the family ranch, Cassie and Parker realize that an unknown assailant is closing in. They have to run. In a game of cat and mouse spanning the country, Cassie and Parker will stop at nothing to protect what’s become most important to them: the child in their care—and each other.

Wicked Liars


Laura Lee - 2020
    Every last one of them. The kings and queens of my new high school.The father and stepmother I never knew. Each has more wealth and privilege than I could've ever imagined. Each has a pile of wicked dirty secrets they'd do anything to protect. These people have grown accustomed to getting what they want and what they want is to make my life a living hell. Too bad for them, you can't break someone who's already broken. Too bad for them, I won't give up without a fight. Too bad for them, I'm going to make them pay...even if it's the last thing I do. *Wicked Liars is the first book in the Windsor Academy series and cannot be read as a standalone. This is a dark high school MF bully romance that may contain triggers for sensitive readers. Due to mature subject matter, it is recommended for readers 17+ only.

Bad Girls Don't Die


Katie Alender - 2009
    Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude. When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

Pretty Corpse


Linda Berry - 2019
    The startling revelation hits the news and sends a shockwave through the city. A serial rapist with a “death” fetish is at large in San Francisco. The attack is intensely personal to Lauren. Not only did she find the victim, but the girl is a close friend of her daughter, Courtney. Lauren feels compelled to do some off-duty investigation. The perpetrator is keenly intelligent and methodical, and essentially, invisible. But Lauren has uncanny skills for detection, and routinely finds evidence missed by the detectives. She earns official trouble for her effort, but the warnings from her superiors don’t keep her from tugging at elusive clues. As she gets closer to the predator, he takes notice. Taunting Lauren, he demonstrates that he can get close to her, and to Courtney, without a trace. Lauren has put her daughter right in his crosshairs, and put herself on a collision course. Stressed and sleep-deprived, she is determined to find him and bring him down. But can she succeed before her daughter becomes his next victim?

I Choose You


Miralee Ferrell - 2019
    She finds a friend in her cousin Millie as she puts the pieces of her shattered life back together. Frank, a local pastor, is everything she would look for in a spouse. If she were looking. But she discovers that Millie has set her hopes on becoming the pastor’s wife. Aunt Penny’s outrageous attempts to ensure that Millie wins Frank’s heart might destroy any chance she has at a happy future. Can love find a way to break through? Runaway Romance by Miralee Ferrell Ann Stanway had it all—a reality show and a sparkling future. Until that life no longer existed. She flees L.A., lands in Kentucky at an Amish inn, and realizes what was missing--peace, friendship and a man who accepts her for who she is--or who he thinks she is. Hunter is intrigued by the woman staying at the inn. Annie is secretive and won’t open up. He’s been burned by a woman before. His interest in Ann grows, and the attraction is mutual—Dare he risk his heart, when he’s sure Ann is keeping secrets? Or will Ann run again? Finding Love in Friday Harbor, Washington by Annette M. Irby Professor Mikaela Rhoads wants to help an old friend’s whale touring business stay afloat. The challenge? The tour captain is her first love and ex-fiancé, Hunter Cahill. Mikaela longs to help, but she’s keeping secrets. She’ll have to face her past to make it through the summer. Hunter has taken over the family touring business. He’s drowning in debt and hoping the incoming professor will resurrect the business, but he’s not prepared when it turns out to be his former fiancée. How much will it cost him to spend the summer romancing Mikaela? A Love to Treasure by Kimberly Rose Johnson Nicole’s Grandmother’s final wish lands Nicole in a mysterious scavenger hunt. She finds a fellow sleuth in handsome police officer, Mark Stone. Mark is hoping for a quiet summer in Sunriver as he considers his future in law enforcement. To complicate matters, Nicole is in danger, and Mark knows his growing feelings for her could cloud his judgment. Will their differing career goals be the end of their summer romance—or just the beginning of forever after? An Anchor on Her Heart by Patricia Lee McKenna, abandoned by her husband for his work, is left alone to raise their autistic child. When circumstances drive a wedge in their marriage and Dane chooses to escape, how long can she be strong? Can she remain faithful to her marriage vows when tempted by the friendship of an unlikely stranger? Rudy Taylor, who senses McKenna's loneliness, struggles to keep his concern for the young woman pure. Will McKenna’s faith in God and Rudy’s commitment to his Lord keep their relationship simple until McKenna's husband one day returns? The Broken Trail by Christa MacDonald Katherine takes a job in smalltown Maine to break away from the toll of secrets she’s buried. With evidence of shady dealings on her job, there’s nothing relaxing about it. Maybe it would be easier if she wasn’t so distracted by Captain MacAlister. Mac has enough to deal with from poachers to drug crime. But when he meets Katherine, he’s drawn in by her intelligence and strength, despite getting burned by her quick temper. If only their scars didn’t threaten to tear them apart. Two wary hearts must soften to have any hope of making it down the broken trail to love. Finding Love in Eureka, California by Angela Ruth Strong Raised in a family of adopted siblings, Genevieve works to keep her family together. If she isn’t good enough to keep her parents from giving her up then no way she’ll be enough to have a lasting relationship. Matt’s life is easy until he starts hanging out with Genevieve more than his girlfriend. He tells himself he’s intrigued by Gen’s quirkiness, but nobody makes him smile the way she does. Can Matt give up his plan and Gen risk her heart?

The Blue House in Bishop


Sunanda J. Chatterjee - 2017
    Duke Wilcox is forced to recover in the house of his old college roommate, Dr. Sunil Samant. Haunted by his failed mission and failed marriage, Duke has lost his trust in women and yearns for a chance to redeem himself.Indian Police Inspector Alisha Raj has a passion for bringing criminals to justice. After leaving the police force with a broken heart, she agrees to an “arranged marriage” with Sunil. But it is an unusual proposal; Sunil asks Alisha to pretend to be his fiancée to please his dying mother.Alisha comes to Bishop to leave her past behind, only to fall hopelessly in love with Duke. But she is engaged to Sunil, whose mother is expected to visit any day. The attraction seems mutual, but Duke’s troubled past prevents him from opening his heart.Everything changes when a mysterious woman shows up with a baby, seeking Sunil’s help.But is this woman who she claims to be? Why is the FBI after her? And how is she involved with a Colombian Drug lord?A story of loyalty, camaraderie, and love, The Blue House in Bishop brings four strangers together in a fight for survival.

Dead Girls Society


Michelle Krys - 2016
    Tell no one, and come alone. If you dare.Hope is sick of everyone treating her like she’s breakable. Sure, she has cystic fibrosis (basically really bad lungs), but she’s tired of being babied by her mom and her overprotective best friend, Ethan, not to mention worrying about paying for her expensive medication and how she’s going to afford college. And she’s bored with life in her run-down New Orleans suburb.When an invitation arrives from a mysterious group that calls itself the Society, Hope jumps at the chance for some excitement. This could be her ticket out. All she has to do is complete a few dares and she might win some real money.But the Society isn’t all it seems . . . and soon Hope finds that playing the game isn’t a choice—it’s a requirement.

Variant


Robison Wells - 2011
    A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.Where breaking the rules equals death.But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape—his only real hope for survival—may be impossible.

Undead


Kirsty McKay - 2011
    They hardly know each other, but that changes when they see the others coming back. Something has happened to them - something bad. Soon, only a pair of double doors stands between those on the bus and their ex-friends outside.

Pretty When She Cries


A. Zavarelli - 2020
    Ours was baptized in fire.I was the new girl trying to find her place.Landon was the brooding neighbor I tutored over the summer.I didn’t know he was a legend at Black Mountain Academy.I didn’t know they worshipped him like a religion.But I fell for him before I knew those things.To me, he was just the tortured soul who drew me in like a magnet.And then he did something so unspeakable, so unforgivable, it shattered me.I ran away then because I was weak, but I’ve shed my tears.He stole my heart and my dignity, and I’m here to take it back.The only problem is… he’s not giving it up without a fight.

Killing November


Adriana Mather - 2019
    There’s no electricity, no internet, and an eye-for-an-eye punishment system. Classes include everything from Knife-Throwing and Poisons to the Art of Deception and Historical Analysis. And all of the students are children of the world’s most elite strategists—training to become assassins, counselors, spies, and master impersonators. Into this world walks November Adley, who quickly discovers that friends are few in a school where personal revelations are discouraged and competition is everything. When another student is murdered, all eyes turn to November, who must figure out exactly how she fits into the school’s bizarre strategy games before she is found guilty of the crime…or becomes the killer’s next victim.

Boy Nobody


Allen Zadoff - 2013
    He shows up in a new high school in a new town under a new name, makes a few friends, and doesn't stay long. Just long enough for someone in his new friend's family to die-of "natural causes." Mission accomplished, Boy Nobody disappears, moving on to the next target.But when he's assigned to the mayor of New York City, things change. The daughter is unlike anyone he has encountered before; the mayor reminds him of his father. And when memories and questions surface, his handlers at The Program are watching. Because somewhere deep inside, Boy Nobody is somebody: the kid he once was; the teen who wants normal things, like a real home and parents; a young man who wants out. And who just might want those things badly enough to sabotage The Program's mission.In this action-packed series debut, author Allen Zadoff pens a page-turning thriller that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping, introducing an utterly original and unforgettable antihero.

Welcome to the Dark House


Laurie Faria Stolarz - 2014
    For Parker Bradley, it’s bloodthirsty sea serpents that slither in his dreams.And for seven essay contestants, it’s their worst nightmares that win them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at director Justin Blake’s latest, confidential project. Ivy doesn’t even like scary movies, but she’s ready to face her real-world fears. Parker’s sympathetic words and perfect smile help keep her spirits up. . . at least for now.Not everyone is so charming, though. Horror-film fanatic Garth Vader wants to stir up trouble. It’s bad enough he has to stay in the middle of nowhere with this group—the girl who locks herself in her room; the know-it-all roommate; “Mister Sensitive”; and the one who’s too cheery for her own good. Someone has to make things interesting.Except, things are already a little weird. The hostess is a serial-killer look-alike, the dream-stealing Nightmare Elf is lurking about, and the seventh member of the group is missing.By the time Ivy and Parker realize what’s really at stake, it’s too late to wake up and run.

Dangerous Girls


Abigail Haas - 2013
    Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off on a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives. But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations. As Anna sets out to find her friend's killer, she discovers hard truths about her friendships, the slippery nature of truth, and the ache of young love.As she awaits the judge's decree, it becomes clear that everyone around her thinks she is not just guilty, but dangerous. When the truth comes out, it is more shocking than one could ever imagine...

The Girl In Between


Laekan Zea Kemp - 2012
    Afflicted with Klein-Levin Syndrome, she suffers episodes of prolonged sleep that steal weeks, and sometimes even months, from her life. But unlike most KLS patients, she doesn’t spend each episode in a catatonic state or wake up with no recollection of the time she’s missed. Instead, Bryn spends half her life in an alternate reality made up of her memories. For Bryn, the past is a place, until one day a boy she’s never met before washes up on the illusory beach of her dreams with no memory of who he is.But the appearance of this strange boy isn’t the only thing that’s changed. Bryn’s symptoms are worsening, her body weakening as she’s plagued by hallucinations even while awake. Her only hope of finding a cure is to undergo experimental treatment created by a German specialist. But when Dr. Banz reveals that he knows more about her strange symptoms than he originally let on, Bryn learns that the boy in her head might actually be the key to understanding what’s happening to her, and worse, that if she doesn’t find out his identity before it’s too late, they both may not survive.