Recommended Reading Pathways: Where Should You Start?
Because Chelsea Ichaso's novels are entirely standalone, you do not need to follow a strict chronological sequence to enjoy her work. You can jump in wherever the premise hooks you. However, to help you find the perfect entry point based on your reading preferences, we have outlined the best pathways below:
- For the Ultimate Classic YA Vibe: Start with Little Creeping Things (2020). As Ichaso's debut, it perfectly establishes her signature style—featuring a deeply unreliable narrator, small-town secrets, and a protagonist haunted by a past trauma she cannot fully remember.
- For the Acclaimed Bestseller Experience: Start with The Summer She Went Missing (2024). Earning a starred review from Publisher's Weekly and featured on Barnes & Noble's Best of 2024 list, this Clearwater Ridge mystery is widely considered one of her most polished and emotionally resonant YA thrillers.
- For Fans of Dark Academia and Secret Societies: Start with They're Watching You (2023). Set in the elite Torrey-Wells Academy, this book follows a high-stakes, deadly secret society called the Gamemaster's Society, making it perfect for readers who love boarding school dramas and lethal games.
- For Wilderness Survival and Outdoor Suspense: Start with Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets (2022) (originally released as The Dark Way Down). This novel focuses on a high school wilderness club's camping trip that becomes a tense interrogation ground for a sister trying to uncover the truth behind a tragic fall.
- For Spooky Legends and Cursed Ruins: Start with We Were Warned (2025). This story takes place at an abandoned beach resort rumored to be cursed, combining atmospheric dread, an overnight party gone wrong, and a deadly game of survival.
- For Mature Readers Ready for Adult Thrillers: Start with So I Lied (2025). Marking Ichaso's debut into adult psychological suspense, this book follows a bachelorette party in North Wales that descends into paranoia, stalking, and betrayal.
Chelsea Ichaso Books in Publication Order
Following Ichaso's publication order lets you trace her evolution from a debut YA author into an established suspense novelist writing for both teenagers and adults. Below is the complete bibliography of her novels in order of release:
1. Little Creeping Things (2020)
Cassidy "Cass" Pratt is haunted by a childhood fire that killed her neighbor—a tragedy she has been blamed for but cannot remember. When her high school bully, Melody Davenport, goes missing, Cass finds herself in deep trouble. She had recently joked about wanting to get rid of Melody and even wrote down a mock "murder plan" in her notebook. Soon, she begins receiving texts from an anonymous sender who is using her own written plan to frame her. Cass must solve the mystery of Melody's disappearance to clear her name while confronting the dark corners of her own memory.
2. The Dark Way Down (2021) / Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets (2022)
Savannah Sullivan refuse to believe that her sister Piper's coma-inducing fall at the notorious Suicide Point was an accident or a suicide attempt. When Savannah discovers a hidden note in Piper's locker inviting her to a meeting of the school's wilderness club on the very day of her fall, she decides to join the club's next weekend camping trip. Out in the deep woods, miles away from help, Savannah realizes that the person responsible for her sister's fate is on the trip with them—and they are willing to kill again to keep their secrets buried.
3. They're Watching You (2023)
At the prestigious Torrey-Wells Academy, Maren Montgomery's roommate and best friend, Polly St. James, vanishes without a trace. While the school administration and police write Polly off as a teenage runaway, Maren discovers an invitation to the exclusive, underground "Gamemaster's Society" hidden among Polly's things. Determined to find her friend, Maren infiltrates the society by participating in their dangerous, high-stakes games where students compete for academic and social power. Maren quickly learns that losing a round in this game has lethal consequences.
4. The Summer She Went Missing (2024)
Paige Redmond spent every summer at Clearwater Ridge, a lakefront vacation spot for the wealthy, alongside her best friend Audrey Covington. But last summer, Audrey vanished, and the police investigation eventually went cold. A year later, Paige returns to the ridge and uncovers a secret diary entry or clue in Audrey's room that changes everything she thought she knew about the night Audrey disappeared. Teaming up with Audrey's brother, Dylan, Paige digs into the secrets of the vacation community's elite families, unaware that she is drawing the attention of a killer.
5. So I Lied (2025)
In her adult thriller debut, Ichaso takes readers on a claustrophobic bachelorette trip to North Wales. Jocelyn, Rowan, and Cadence are lifelong friends, but their relationships are strained by years of unspoken secrets, jealousy, and lies. What was meant to be a celebratory getaway turns into a nightmare when they find themselves stalked by mysterious figures, and their friendship fractures completely. The narrative alternates between the three women's perspectives and features flash-forwards to a police investigation, keeping readers guessing about who survived and who is lying.
6. We Were Warned (2025)
Set in the eerie ruins of Fairport Village, an abandoned beach resort closed decades ago after a horrific murder, this YA thriller plays on local legends and curses. Eden Stafford, a social outcast due to a family scandal, reluctantly joins a group of classmates for an overnight party at the ruined resort. When one of the teens dies, the death is ruled a tragic accident. However, Eden and a small group of students—including Caleb, her former best friend turned enemy—know they saw something else. Trapped on the property, they realize they are being hunted by a stranger who wants to ensure none of them leave the ruins alive.
Chronological Ordering and Reading Caveats
When reading Chelsea Ichaso, there are two key details to keep in mind regarding book editions and continuity:
- The Title Change Caveat: Her second novel was originally published in 2021 as The Dark Way Down by some international and digital publishers. It was subsequently re-released in 2022 under the title Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets. These are the exact same book; do not purchase both thinking they are separate stories!
- Strict Standalone Nature: Every single one of her novels exists in its own separate universe. Characters do not cross over, and there are no overlapping plotlines or shared locations between the books. You can read them in any order you choose without risking spoilers for her other works.
Short Stories and Anthology Appearances
In addition to her full-length novels, Chelsea Ichaso contributed a short story to the young adult anthology titled First-Year Orientation, which was published on April 4, 2023, by Candlewick Press. Edited by Lauren Gibaldi and Eric Smith, the collection features linked stories from various YA authors focusing on the chaotic first days of college. Ichaso's story brings her trademark suspense and emotional tension to the collegiate setting, making it a great quick read for fans of her writing style.
What to Know Before You Start
Chelsea Ichaso is a former high school English teacher from Southern California, and her experience working with teenagers shines through in her realistic character dialogue, social dynamics, and understanding of teenage pressures. Her YA novels are highly recommended for fans of Karen M. McManus (One of Us Is Lying), Holly Jackson (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder), and Caleb Roehrig. If you enjoy psychological suspense filled with red herrings, unreliable narrators, and high-stakes survival scenarios, you will feel right at home with her books.