A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Book of 2024 A 2025 YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction Selection From award-winning author Mindy McGinnis comes a mesmerizing YA psychological mystery following a teen girl who is grappling with the death of her brother as she starts a new job in the caverns of Ohio—only to become the number one suspect in her coworker's murder. Perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kathleen Glasgow. Neely’s monsters don’t always follow her rules, so when the little girl under her bed, the man in her closet, and the disembodied voice that shadows her every move become louder, she knows she’s in trouble. With a history of mental illness in her family and the suicide of her older brother heavy on her mind, Neely takes a job as a tour guide in the one place her monsters can’t follow—the caverns. There . . . she meets Mila. Mila is everything Neely isn’t—beautiful, strong, and confident. As the two become closer, Neely’s innocent crush grows into something more. When a midnight staff party exposes Neely to drugs, she follows Mila’s lead . . . only to have her hallucinations escalate. When Mila is found brutally murdered in the caverns, Neely has to admit that her memories of that night are vague at best. With her monsters now out in the open and her grip on reality slipping, Neely must figure out who killed Mila . . . and face the possibility that it might have been her. Praise for A Long Stretch of Bad Days: “McGinnis’s ability to take readers on an emotional rollercoaster is on full display here . . . Another incredibly wild ride from McGinnis; a first purchase for all teen collections.”  - School Library Journal (starred review) “A Long Stretch of Bad Days uses humor and poignant emotion to build a well-crafted murder mystery that is hard to put down and even harder to forget.”  - BookPage “McGinnis can be counted upon for delivering gritty truths wrapped in compelling stories, and readers love her for it.”  - Booklist “Wickedly comic dialogue and interesting characters—particularly wonderfully lewd feminist Bristal—will keep readers engaged through the many twists and turns.”  - Kirkus Reviews “Lydia and Bristal’s wry banter, their polar opposite characterizations, and their evolving, convoluted friendship lend a refreshing and dark joviality to this cleverly realized feminist thriller.”  - Publishers Weekly “A propulsive, unpredictable, and troubling thriller.”  - Kirkus Reviews “Tackling a sensitive subject that easily could have veered into sensationalism, McGinnis cleverly shapes a tender examination of mental illness, grief, and love that still contains her characteristic dry wit and deeply disturbing imagery.”  - Booklist (starred review) Praise for This Darkness Mine: “Rich imagery and a ruthless protagonist propel the novel forward to its shocking, ominous conclusion.” - Booklist Praise for A Madness So Discreet: “McGinnis excels at rich character development; every person readers meet makes a dramatic impact on the story and on Grace.”  - School Library Journal “McGinnis can surely tell a story.”  - USA Today “In perfect form, McGinnis drags you to the depths of a dark mind and doesn't let you go.” - Francesca Zappia, award-winning author of Eliza and Her Monsters “McGinnis invites you to venture beyond the ordinary, and step into the world of the misunderstood. I devoured this book.” - M-E Girard, award-winning author of Girl Mans Up “Striking a careful balance of dry humor and occasionally harrowing depictions of Neely’s mental health challenges, McGinnis delivers a compassionate and gripping read.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[I]t’s raw. Not “raw for YA.” Real-deal raw. And violent. And unforgettable. McGinnis explores both and she goes there in a way no one really has before in YA.”  - Globe and Mail (Toronto) “Your heart may still be pounding after you’ve finished this book.” - New York Times Book Review Praise for Heroine: “[A] realistic portrayal of how easy it is to develop an opiate addiction and the very real consequences of addiction. A timely and important message for teens everywhere.”  - Booklist “A compassionate, compelling, and terrifying story about a high school softball player’s addiction to opioids. The writing is visceral, and following Mickey as she rationalizes about her addiction is educative and frightening. A cautionary tale that exposes the danger of prescription medications by humanizing one victim of America’s current epidemic.”  - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Praise for Be Not Far From Me: "McGinnis' visceral and emotional tale features a strong, stubborn, and alarmingly capable protagonist with unwavering respect for the natural world... Impossible to put down."  - Kirkus Reviews "McGinnis is known for writing tough female protagonists and gritty realism, and she holds nothing back in this latest novel. Ashley is angry, vulnerable, smart, and compelling, and her journey is marked by setbacks, terror, and plenty of gross-out