Last week, we delved into girl detectives; this week, we’re looking at those girls growing up.

Young-adult fiction is rich with young women who investigate crimes, solve mysteries, and apprentice in magical archives. Here are some of our favorite YA heroine sleuths.

(Again, hat tip to the ALA Think Tank Facebook group for this idea and the suggestions!)

Ananka Fishbein
An NYC story with a twist: When a sinkhole opens up in the park across the street from her apartment, Ananka discovers the Shadow City. It’s a secret underground world of vengeful ex-Girl Scouts, brilliant hackers, killer rats, and much more… including the new girl in school, Kiki Strike.

First book in the series: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller

 

 

 

Sukie O’Dare
The heroine of the Grimm Legacy series starts out as a page working at the "New-York Circulating Material Repository”— a library-esque archive that catalogs magical objects.

First book in the series: The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

 

 

 

 

Beka Cooper
In an alternate magical universe, quiet, brave, smart Beka helps solve crimes as a member of the Provost’s Guard—the peace-keeping force the nation of Tortall.

First book in the series: Terrier by Tamora Pierce

 

 

 

Cassie Hobbes
Seventeen-year-old Cassie joins the FBI as a member of an elite teen force with special powers. Suspense, action, and insight into the inner life of a profiler.

 First book in the series: The Naturals by Jennifer Barnes

 

 

 

 

Mary Quinn
When Mary—an orphan and a thief—is accepted into Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls after she’s spared from the gallows in London in the 1850s… only to find that the elite school is a cover for “The Agency,” a super-secret all-female investigative unit.

First book in the series: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

 

 

 

Sally Lockhart
Another historical London mystery! Newly orphaned, Sally finds herself drawn into a dark Victorian world in this classic mystery series.

First book in the series: The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

 

 

 

 

Kami Glass 
Sorry-in-the-Vale—the fantastically named English town where Kami Glass lives—is awash in secrets and lies. And when an old Sorry-in-the-Vale family returns to its ancestral home, Kami must reevaluate the town itself and the boy she’d always assumed was her imaginary friend.

First book in the series: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

 

 

 

Rory Deveaux
A Jack the Ripper copycat is murdering girls in present-day London… and Rory—far from her home in Louisiana, and able to see ghosts—is part of a team trying to get to the bottom of the killings.

First book in the series: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson (The Boy in the Smoke is a prequel!)

 

 

 

Tory Brennan
Exposure to a canine virus leaves Tory and her friends with incredible new powers. The author, a forensic anthropologist, blends science and adventure in this fast-paced mystery series.

First book in the series: Virals by Kathy Reichs

 

 

 

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!