Mystery, Fantasy, and Female Agency in Young Adult Fiction
We all love brilliant, authoritative Sherlock. But there’s also something really appealing about an overlooked or underestimated person putting the clues together: “old biddy” Jessica Fletcher shocking everyone by solving the case, or quiet, unassuming Hercule Poirot uncovering the plot. Or, more recently, small, blond Veronica Mars, solving countless mysteries, including that of her own sexual assault.
I have always been drawn to the underdogs, the underestimated, the forgotten. As a kid, I loved reading about female characters who began their stories without a voice or agency, only to discover their power. I could relate to the feelings of being overlooked, not listened to, dismissed. As a young person, I found these characters not in the mystery novels I read, but in the fantasy—specifically, young adult fantasy. In the books of Robin McKinley, Cynthia Voigt, and Madelaine L’Engle. But I still loved mystery novels, particularly those of Dick Francis and Wilkie Collins.
As an adult, it brings me so much joy to read books that combine all these elements: mystery, fantasy, and female characters finding their agency. I want to read—and write—about girls proving the world wrong, using their smarts and lived experience to solve crimes and see justice done. Now, more than ever, I need these stories. I think we all do.
Red as Royal Blood is a royal mystery set in a non-magical fantasy kingdom, about an orphan maid who is made queen by the dying king…and is tasked with solving his murder. Ruby must navigate a new world of privilege and power, all while dealing with the many, many people who don’t believe she deserves her new role. Throughout the book, she’s underestimated, overlooked, forgotten, and constrained by the expectations placed on her by others. Ultimately, it’s her lived experience—her upbringing as a maid—that gives her the edge in solving the mystery of the king’s murder…and ensuring her own survival.
Here are five of my favorite young adult speculative novels that feature female characters bound by their circumstances…who find the strength and agency to break free and solve the mysteries in their lives.
Princess Alyrra is trapped in a nightmare of royal life by her cruel family and the expectations of her role. When she’s betrothed to a foreign prince and travels to his country, she has little hope for a better life, until she’s tricked into giving up her identity and becoming a goose girl. At first, this simple life is a relief, until she realizes she’s also given up what power she had to help the people of her new home. She must solve the mystery of the witch who cursed her…before she loses her power—and voice—for good.
Ren is an acrobat performing with her beloved adoptive family—and hiding the secret of her magic from the world. Until her family is threatened and her magic revealed, setting her on a journey to reclaim her past and solve the murder of her birth mother.
Discover the Book
When the prime suspect is murdered and Lizzie’s own life is endangered, rising bodies and deepening secrets raise the stakes. Now Lizzie and Darcy must uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.
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