Where Should You Start Reading Emily Arsenault?
Because all of Emily Arsenault’s novels are completely standalone stories, there is no single "correct" reading path. However, depending on your favorite mystery subgenres, certain books make better entry points than others:
- For Lovers of Wordplay and Literary Puzzles: Start with her debut, The Broken Teaglass (2009). Drawing heavily from Arsenault's real-life experience working as an editorial assistant at Merriam-Webster, this novel is a clever, academic mystery that weaves clues into dictionary files.
- For Fans of Gothic and Dual-Timeline Suspense: Start with The Evening Spider (2016). It features two mothers living in the same New England home 130 years apart, exploring postpartum isolation and historical asylum records in a haunting, slow-burn atmosphere.
- For Readers of Atmospheric YA Thrillers: Start with All the Pretty Things (2020), a suspenseful drama set against the sweltering, slightly creepy backdrop of a small-town amusement park.
Emily Arsenault Books in Publication Order
If you want to track how Arsenault’s style evolved from cozy, dialogue-dense literary mysteries into darker psychological suspense and young adult thrillers, reading in publication order is highly recommended.
The Broken Teaglass (2009)
Set at a dictionary publisher reminiscent of Merriam-Webster, this novel follows two young lexicographers, Mona and Billy. As they sort through citation slips, they discover clues to an unsolved murder hidden within the files. It is an intellectual, dialogue-heavy mystery that focuses on language, office dynamics, and quiet relationships.
In Search of the Rose Notes (2011)
This emotionally complex story follows teenage friends Nora and Charlotte, who are haunted by the mysterious disappearance of their former babysitter, Rose, years earlier. As they look back at their childhood memories through a more mature lens, they begin to piece together what really happened, revealing the dark underbelly of their quiet neighborhood.
Miss Me When I'm Gone (2012)
When popular self-help memoirist Gretchen Waters dies after a fall down library steps, her college best friend Jamie is appointed as her literary executor. While compiling Gretchen’s unfinished second manuscript, Jamie realizes the book isn't a lighthearted follow-up, but a coded investigation into an old family murder that someone wanted to keep quiet.
What Strange Creatures (2014)
Theresa Battle is a struggling PhD candidate who finds herself investigating a real-life crime when her creative but aimless brother, Jeff, is accused of murdering his new girlfriend. It is a domestic, academic mystery filled with pet-centric humor and a deep exploration of sibling loyalty.
The Evening Spider (2016)
This gothic psychological thriller alternates between Frances in 1885—a young mother struggling with isolation who becomes obsessed with a murder trial and is hospitalized in a local asylum—and Abby in 2014, a new mother who moves into the same house and begins experiencing unexplained phenomena.
The Leaf Reader (2017)
Marking Arsenault’s first venture into young adult fiction, this novel centers on Marnie, a teenage girl who reads tea leaves for her classmates. When she is asked to read the leaves to help find a missing student, she becomes entangled in a dangerous local mystery that forces her to question the reliability of her own insights.
The Last Thing I Told You (2018)
This dark psychological mystery follows the aftermath of a therapist's murder. Detective Henry Peacher investigates the crime, focusing on two former patients whose histories intersect: a troubled woman named Nadine Raines and a local man responsible for a past tragedy.
All the Pretty Things (2020)
A YA psychological thriller set in a family-owned, run-down amusement park called Fabuland. Seventeen-year-old Ivy Cork investigations the death of a former classmate found in the park, uncovering uncomfortable secrets about her own family and her best friend.
When All the Girls Are Sleeping (2021)
Set at the historic Windham-Farnswood Academy, this YA thriller follows Haley as she investigates the death of her ex-best friend, Taylor. The investigation leads her into the school's dark history, boarding school cliques, and the spooky legend of a ghost known as the "Winter Girl."
Categorizing the Novels: Adult Suspense vs. YA Thrillers
Emily Arsenault’s career can be divided into two main categories, which helps readers choose the book that best fits their age group and reading preferences:
Adult Literary Suspense
These novels focus on adult protagonists dealing with career struggles, domestic life, historical mysteries, or professional environments. They are generally characterized by a slower pace, intellectual themes (like lexicography or academia), and deep character interiority. Books in this category include The Broken Teaglass, In Search of the Rose Notes, Miss Me When I'm Gone, What Strange Creatures, The Evening Spider, and The Last Thing I Told You.
Young Adult (YA) Thrillers
These stories feature teenage protagonists, high school settings, and quicker pacing. They explore themes of toxic friendships, identity, and adolescent isolation. While they still retain Arsenault’s signature focus on character psychology, they incorporate more immediate, high-stakes suspense elements. Books in this category include The Leaf Reader, All the Pretty Things, and When All the Girls Are Sleeping.
What to Know Before You Start
If you are coming to Emily Arsenault expecting fast-paced, action-packed domestic thrillers in the vein of Gillian Flynn or B.A. Paris, you may want to adjust your expectations. Arsenault is known for her slow-burn, atmospheric approach. She focuses heavily on authentic, conversational dialogue and the quiet ways that secrets erode relationships over time. Her settings—typically small towns in New England—often feel like characters themselves, adding a distinct regional flavor to her mysteries.