The Worst Is Yet to Come

by Trish Lundy

From the author of The One That Got Away with Murder comes a fresh YA mystery about a girl who survives a murder attempt and the boy who finds her bleeding on the side of the road as they team up to find out who is targeting teen girls in their small, Rust Belt community. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus.

High school might be officially over, but the real nightmare is just beginning. When two best friends are attacked on graduation night, only one of them makes it out alive.

Left for dead at an abandoned house but determined to find out who killed her best friend, Rose is rescued by former high school quarterback and heartthrob, Jake, who becomes an unexpected ally. . . and maybe something more. But when she learns that fifteen years ago, another girl suffered the exact same fate in the exact same place, she wonders if a murderer might be back with a vengeance. . . or is a copycat killer on the loose?

Time is running out, because whoever the killer is, they’re eager to correct their biggest letting Rose live. As Rose follows the trail of evidence, she’s led down a path of horrors that threatens to expose the insidious secrets at the heart of her community—secrets the killer will do anything to keep quiet.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

Trish Lundy is the author of THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY WITH MURDER (now in development for television at Hulu) and THE WORST IS YET TO COME (out 10/06/26.) She is represented by Kristin van Ogtrop and Stephen Barbara of Inkwell Management.

You can find Trish on Instagram as @TrishLundy and on TikTok as @TrishLundy17.

Reviews

[carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 5 stars - thank you to netgalley for this advanced copy!

we get to meet rose, a high schooler who finds out her best friend was with her ex at a party. soon after, her best friend is found dead in an abandoned house. the dynamic duo rose and jack (a former quarterback), work together to solve this murder and stumble across an elusive mystery that’s been haunting the town for decades.

this is a solid YA thriller from trish lundy. there are nuanced characters, interesting plot points, and an unique twist on the mystery behind the two murders! it seems like there will be a second book, i’m excited for her next novel!

[Matthew Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trish Lundy delivers another edge-of-your-seat thriller that's a masterclass in suspense and the human condition—it'll keep you up late rushing to the end!

[Veronica Bane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling dual timelines keep the pages turning in Trish Lundy’s latest gripping thriller. It simply demands to be read in a single, breathtaking sitting.

[Laura B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soon after her high school graduation, teen mom, Abigail goes missing in the woods. Seventeen years later, on the night of their high school graduation party, Rose is seriously injured and her best friend Kennedy is killed by a masked man in a hoodie at the same location, now an abandoned housing development. Could the two incidents be related? Rose is convinced they are, but she’s the number one suspect in her best friend’s murder and finding out the truth is not going to be easy. With help from an unexpected source, Jake, the former high school heartthrob and quarterback, Rose is determined to uncover all the hidden secrets and reveal who is behind the attacks.

Although my suspicions within the first two chapters as to who was behind the attacks was pretty spot on, I still had trouble putting this YA thriller down. Lundy does an excellent job weaving together the two stories, past and present, to create a beautifully written, fast paced, heart beating suspense. Her characters are flawed, yet sympathetic, and I felt emotionally invested in the outcome. There were a couple of coincidences that I questioned at the end making me want to go back and reread to see if maybe I missed some small details that helped to explain them - a true testament to the writing.

5 stars Ages 14+ LGBTQ+ characters, underage drinking, teen pregnancy, references to sex

[Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Henry Holt & Co and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I really enjoyed trying to figure this one out! In 2009 Abigail disappeared, no body was ever found, but everyone believed her ex-boyfriend and the father of her child did it. With no evidence no charges were ever filed. Now Rose finds out a secret that her best friend has been keeping and she leaves a party only to be attacked. When she comes to she’s disoriented and chased by someone in a hoodie. She manages to get away thanks to the quarterback from her high school. Soon as she’s waiting to be treated at the hospital she learns that her best friend died at the very same place that Rose was attacked. It’s also the place that Abigail disappeared from. Now Rose will have to find out what happened that night before she’s either arrested for murder or a murderer finds her. And how is everything connected to Abigail? I was hooked with this one right from the start. I love how Trish Lundy weaves the mystery of the past with the mystery of the present and I honestly had no clue with this one! Full of teen drama, secrets, lies, betrayal, and plenty of twists! This was a quick read that I couldn’t put down, it’s intense, thrilling, and intriguing!

[Lisa Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Worst Is Yet to Come is a twisty YA thriller that perfectly captures the intensity, drama, and uncertainty of life after high school. Trish Lundy does an excellent job building tension while weaving together friendship, secrets, and the lingering consequences of choices made in the past.

The mystery kept me turning pages, and I especially enjoyed how the story balanced suspense with authentic teen relationships. The pacing occasionally slowed in places, but the strong atmosphere and steady stream of revelations kept me invested until the end.

Fans of dark YA thrillers packed with secrets, betrayal, and escalating stakes will find plenty to enjoy here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent YA mystery thriller following a teen as she tries to uncover the details of her best friend’s murder, which is hauntingly similar to a decades old murder. This book is full of twists, betrayals, and plenty of teen drama. Thoroughly entertaining and kept me on my toes throughout the reading experience. I particularly enjoyed this perspective of the medical field being a healthcare worker myself.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for fans of Holly Jackson. This one follows Rose, who had just graduated from high school. When she and her best friend go to a post graduation party, the trouble begins. And only one of them survives rhe night.

Rose spends the rest of the book trying to figure out what happened and who could have killed her best friend. Also, a missing girl case from 17 years ago seems to be related. But is it?

This book really held my attention and kept me reading late into the night.

[Kelsea Yu · Rating 5 out of 5]

My blurb of The Worst Is Yet to Come:
“A stunningly twisty, unputdownable thriller filled with long-buried secrets and an unlikely, swoon-worthy romance! Lundy explores complex morality, impossible choices, and what drives people to desperation in this wild, terrifying ride!”