The cast of the CW's show "Riverdale"

An all-American teen is dead, a small town full of secrets and suspects. What could have happened to a teen with the seemingly perfect life? What secrets were they hiding?  Someone better find out the truth before another person turns up dead.

If this sounds familiar, you may be a fan of Riverdale. 

Riverdale's mystery of what happened to Jason Blossom is addictive and familiar (i.e. Twin Peaks and Pretty Little Liars). As are the soapy goings on of it’s very familiar characters: all-American nice guy Archie, perfect girl next door Betty, rich girl Veronica and quirky outlierJughead. Let’s not forget some of the other great characters like Kevin, Josie and her Pussycats  and one of the best mean girls ever, Cheryl Blossom. And of course, the parents! Sidenote: I’m kind of obsessed with the parents. I'm hoping for flashbacks to their high school days in season 2.

So whether you just finished watching season 1 or about to binge it on Netflix, here are some books that all have that Riverdale feeling and should keep you busy all summer long!

The World of Archie

The Road to Riverdale: volume 1& 2 by Mark Waid, et al: An introduction to all the characters featured on the hit show.

Archie, Volume 1, 2 & 3 by Mark Waid: A new school year for Archie, Betty, Jughead and new girl Veronica

Jughead, Volume 1 & 2 by Chip Zdarsky: Jughead may seem mild mannered but when you mess with things he loves (like eating) or mess with his friends...watchout!

Kevin: A novel by Paul Kupperberg: Kevin is gay and living in Riverdale. This is his story.

Archie: Goodbye Forever by Melanie J. Morgan: When Archie’s Dad gets a promotion Archie must move from Riverdale, leaving devastated females in his wake.

*Afterlife with Archie, Book 1 by Roberto Aguirre- Sacasa: Archie, Betty & Veronica, and the Gang must fight for their lives against zombie hordes led by their former pal, Jughead.

*Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Book 1 by Roberto Aguirre -Sacasa: On the eve of her 16th birthday, young witch Sabrina Spellman is forced to choose between her witchy destiny and her mortal boyfriend, Harvey.

* These books are both written by the creator and show runner of Riverdale. Might we see zombies and witches in season 2?

Mysteries with Small Towns and Secrets:

 

This is Our Story by Ashley Elston

 No one knows what happened that morning at River Point. Five boys went hunting. Four came back. The District Attorney is happy to sweep the case under the rug for his political career but Kate, his intern, wants justice for her friend.

 

The Amateurs by Sara Shephard

 After connecting in an online cold-case solving forum, Maddy, Seneca, Brett, and Aerin team up to solve a high-profile murder involving Aerin's sister Helena. In rich, trendy Dexby, Connecticut they find dark secrets and shocking betrayals.

 

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

When homecoming queen Ruth is found brutally murdered, in her small midwest town, her best friend Kippy decides to find the killer herself. Armed with Ruth’s secret diary and a can-do spirit, Kippy is way ahead of the police.

 

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab

 When Neily’s ex-girlfriend Carly is murdered he teams up with her cousin (and his enemy) Audrey to solve the murder. Carly knew a lot of secrets about people at school and in town - secrets people would kill over.

 

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone by Adele Griffin

Small town girl Addison Stone had it all: beauty, talent, love and fame. She was the toast of New York City’s art world with an open invitation to every exclusive club - so why did she kill herself? Or did she? A reporter interviews her friends and family to uncover what secrets Addison had been hiding.

 

The Body of Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci

 When bullied school outcast Christopher Creed goes missing, he leaves a note naming his tormentors. Is it suicide or something more sinister? One of his tormentors, Torey Adams, goes searching for answers but he only digs up secrets the town would rather stay buried. Read the sequel: Following Christopher Creed.

 

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

When Nick’s sister Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks its just a joke. Even though they’re estranged, she knows Dara wouldn’t miss it. When she finds out that a 9 year old girl went missing the same day, she thinks the disappearances must be linked. Now she needs to find both girls before it’s too late.

 

As Red as Blood by Salla Simukka

Set in Finland, in the middle of an Arctic winter, 17 year old Lumikka walks into her school’s darkroom and finds a stash of cash splattered with someone’s blood. She’ll have to wade through dirty cops and ruthless drug dealers to get at the truth of who it belongs to.

 

As Simple as Snow by Gregory Galloway

Anna is a complicated girl who loves puzzles, Houdini tricks and ghost stories. When she disappears, she leaves only a dress by a frozen river and unanswered questions. Desperate for answers, her friend reconstructs their time together and searches through everything Anna left behind and... continues to send him.

 

Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

 Three years ago, Alex’s sister was raped and murdered and when the police let the killer go free on a technicality, Alex found her own justice. Now she continues to carry around all that rage and capability for violence inside her.

 

All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

Ten years ago, Nicolette left town after the disappearance of her best friend Corinne and never looked back. Now she's returned and another girl has gone missing with the same suspects popping up: Nic’s brother Daniel, her ex-boyfriend Tyler and Corinne’s ex, Jackson. As she investigates the present day mystery, she begins to unravel exactly what happened to Corinne all those years ago.