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
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OUT NOW!
The Secrets Act
Pearl and Ellen are recruited to work at code-cracking HQ, Bletchley Park, during World War Two.
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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?
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A thrilling, nail-biting YA mystery with themes of friendship, loyalty, secrets and a dash of romance.
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Reviews for The Secrets Act
The Secrets Act is a historical mystery that races along at speed, with lots of twists and turns to keep readers gripped.Author Alison Weatherby expertly uses period details to bring everything brilliantly to life, from the wartime food in the Bletchley Park canteen to Ellen's chilly attic bedroom. Exploring everything from women in STEM to neurodiversity and the lives of LGBTQ+ people in wartime, The Secrets Act is a thrilling page-turner.
BookTrust UK
The Irish Times
“The appealing setting, nuanced and flawed heroines and engaging plot make this a gripping read"
Paper Lanterns
“This book is a page-turner and a fast read. It is filled with everything: love, drama, friendship, action and a twisting mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page.”
Fiona Sharp, Waterstones books
"Absolutely brilliant."
School Visits
Alison offers school visits for students nine and older, on a variety of themes, including:
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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.
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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.
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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. ​​
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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.