Hello!
I'm Alison Weatherby, writer of teen murder mysteries. Sometimes funny, sometimes historical, always full of twists, I'm eager to keep teens and tweens reading with stories that grip them and keep them reading and laughing.
OUT JUNE 2026
Mae Flynn is used to the chaos of her rural Irish Catholic boarding school, but she isn’t expecting to discover a dead body in the school kitchen. To make matters worse, the hapless victim, Conor Haddock, was the previous owner of the school building and had recently been talking about selling up, alongside getting on the bad side of seemingly every adult Mae knows. In other words: the suspects are endless.
Along with her best friends, the self-named Common Criminals' Club, Mae is determined to solve the murder. But the more she uncovers, the more she begins to suspect that everyone around her is hiding something. Soon it’s not only her lessons and friendships at stake, but her very life . . .
The Common Criminals' Club: Death Before Detention
Pre-Order Now
OUT FEB 2027
The first years at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart go on their annual weekend getaway to Connemara Survival Adventure Centre, where bad weather cuts off the group. What's worse, they're trapped with the annoying pupils of a local boys' school, a few of whom are passionate members of the Galway Gumshoes, an online citizen detective group who dig up cold cases. Apparently, there's one right here at the adventure centre.
The decades-old mystery comes to light when Mae stumbles into a bog and finds herself clutching the freezing hand of a dead body.
Another death leads the Common Criminals' Club to believe this cold case has turned warm. What follows is a terrifying storm, heart-pounding action, friendships tested, and a very muddy mystery indeed . . .
The Common Criminals' Club: School Trip Survival
Pre-Order Now
OUT NOW!
The Secrets Act
Pearl and Ellen are recruited to work at code-cracking HQ, Bletchley Park, during World War Two.
When the girls stumble across a sinister plot which threatens the very soul of the war effort, their budding friendship is put to the test – especially when their hearts are on the line. Who can they really trust, who can they afford to fall for, and can they solve the greatest puzzle of their lives before it’s too late?
A thrilling, nail-biting YA mystery with themes of friendship, loyalty, secrets and a dash of romance.
Order Now
Reviews for Death Before Detention
This is one of those books where the voice sparkles from the very first page. Funny, fresh and filled with mystery, I can see this book being devoured by fans of Murder Most Unladylike and Pamela Butchart.
Chris Edge, author of Escape Room
Funny, clever, and sharp. A brilliant new take on the murder mystery boarding school genre. More please!
Pádraig Kenny, author of Tin and The Monsters of Rookhaven
Crackling with energy, pace and more jokes than even Sherlock Holmes could keep track of, Weatherby's a fantastic new voice in upper middle-grade. Crime shouldn't be this much fun . . .
Dave Rudden, author of the Knights of the Borrowed Dark trilogy
A gripping rollercoaster ride full of compelling characters, mean-spirited fellow students, grumpy Guards and neurotic nuns … as well as a slightly puzzling corpse in the kitchen cooler! ... A truly exhilarating read with more twists than a mother superior’s rosary beads.
Alan Nolan, author of the Molly Malone and Bram Stoker series
School Visits
Alison offers school visits for students nine and older, on a variety of themes, including:
-
How to Get Away with Murder: Learn how to create the nail-biting, edge-of-your seat mystery stories you love, getting tips on creating tension, red herrings, building suspects. We discuss the critical elements of a murder mystery and look at examples from recent teen murder mystery books. (creating maps, drawing murder boards, and illustrating the crime scene) for a more diverse/younger audience.
-
Whodunnit!?: Learn how to build exciting and unique characters for your writing. Through writing and illustration, we talk about what makes a good hero, the most despicable villain, the perfect sleuth, and more by following a character worksheet writers can use for any creative writing project.
-
Clever Clues: Learn about writing mysteries, what makes a good mystery, evil villain, and a satisfying sleuth and what breadcrumbs are needed to pull the whole story together. We talk about secret passageways, hidden treasure, even forensics and then do some secret code breaking together.
All events can be adapted for age (9+), size (up to 60 students). Can also include art-based elements.
About Alison Weatherby
Alison Weatherby is the author of The Secrets Act, which was discovered through Chicken House's 2020 Open Coop Competition. The Secrets Act was Shortlisted for the Young Quills Award and won the Redhill Academy Trust 2023 Award.
Alison writes young adult mysteries from her soggy home in Dublin, her trusty lurcher, Greta by her side. She likes to run, listen to funny podcasts and curl up with a juicy spy novel in front of the fire.