Beth Is Dead by Katie Bernet

Beth Is Dead

Katie Bernet

Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers · Print & ebook · January 6, 2026

A Mystery pick for readers exploring Beth Is Dead.

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Who it’s for
A tight, conversation-ready thriller pick with sibling-story edge.
Genres
YA Mysteries, Thrillers & Suspense, YA Sibling Stories
Published
Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, January 6, 2026

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For older readers: A Family Matter, The Missing Half

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About this book

A NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and #1 INDIE BESTSELLER! Sunnie Reads’ Inaugural Book Club Pick—Sunnie Select! Four starred reviews! Beth March’s sisters will stop at nothing to track down her killer—until they begin to suspect each other—in this “brilliantly snappy . . . electrifying” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) debut thriller that’s also a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved classic Little Women.

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When Beth March is found dead in the woods on New Year’s Day, her sisters vow to uncover her murderer. Suspects abound. There’s the neighbor who has feelings for not one but two of the girls. Meg’s manipulative best friend. Amy’s flirtatious mentor. And Beth’s lionhearted first love. But it doesn’t take the surviving sisters much digging to uncover motives each one of the March girls had for doing the unthinkable. Jo, an aspiring author with a huge following on social media, would do anything to hook readers. Would she kill her sister for the story? Amy dreams of studying art in Europe, but she’ll need money from her aunt—money that’s always been earmarked for Beth. And Meg wouldn’t dream of hurting her sister…but her boyfriend might have, and she’ll protect him at all costs. Despite the growing suspicion within the family, it’s hard to know for sure if the crime was committed by someone close to home. After all, the March sisters were dragged into the spotlight months ago when their father published a controversial bestseller about his own daughters. Beth could have been killed by anyone. Beth’s perspective told in flashback unfolds next to Meg, Jo, and Amy’s increasingly fraught investigation as the tragedy threatens to rip the Marches apart.

Sharp Suspense

A tight, conversation-ready thriller pick with sibling-story edge.

Come here for

  • YA thriller energy with domestic tension
  • book-club-friendly mystery talk

Expect

  • layered suspense
  • murder-mystery beats

Where it sits

YA Mysteries67%
YA Sibling Stories50%
Thrillers & Suspense45%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • YA Sibling Stories
  • YA Stories About Girls & Women
  • Thrillers & Suspense
Authors
Katie Bernet
Publisher
Sarah Barley Books / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published
January 6, 2026
Format
Print & ebook
Reading lane
YA Sibling Stories