It's become imperative for today's Teen (or Tween) novels to have a healthy dose of teenage angst. This is no different in the following three mystery books for young adults, where what's been hidden from these characters is who they are rather than "who done it."
Take Hit and Run, by four-time Arthur Ellis Award winner Norah McClinton. The book's troubled teen is fifteen-year-old Mike McGill. As is typical of most teen books, Mike does not like school and is obsessed with his image. By the second page we know that Mike needs to ask for more hours at his part time job and by Chapter Two, we know that he feels slightly inferior in the company of his rich girlfriend's family. Mike does not have it easy. His mother was killed in a car accident when he was eleven, leaving him in the care of his irresponsible uncle Billy. Billy, a mechanic, prefers to hang out with his friends drinking and going to parties rather than making sure that there is food in the fridge.
Left on his own most of the time, Mike and his friends end up in the police station for stealing baked goods. There he discovers that his annoying history teacher, Mr. Riel, was actually a former police officer who was in charge of investigating his mother's accident. When Mr. Riel offers to help Mike figure out exactly what happened to his mother the night she was killed, he learns more about his family than he would have liked.
A seasoned mystery writer for young adult, McClinton delicately inserts clues for her readers; this not only helps further the plot, but also allows for character growth. For example, when Mrs. Jhun slips and falls on her step dropping all of her groceries, and Mike comes to her aid, we find out that Mike's mom had done some bookkeeping for her before she died and that Mrs. Jhun's husband had been killed in a robbery. We also see that although Mike may not have a lot of money, be good in school or know exactly what he wants in life, he does care about people.
McClinton uses Mike's quest as a route to maturity. By learning to trust Mr. Riel and listen to his own instincts, Mike comes to terms with some of the illusions that he has held about his mother and discovers that he has the power to change his personal circumstances. Teen readers will not only appreciate Mike's frustrations over not being accepted by his peers, but will find it hard to resist being swept up in the mystery unfolding before them.