A. J. Hartley is a versatile writer whose work spans fantasy, thrillers, and adventure. In novels such as The Mask of Atreus and Steeplejack, he combines suspense, imaginative settings, and strong momentum to create stories that are both intelligent and entertaining.
If you enjoy A. J. Hartley’s books, these authors are well worth exploring next:
Jonathan Stroud writes lively adventures that mix danger, wit, and the supernatural with remarkable ease. His novel The Amulet of Samarkand introduces the sharp-tongued djinni Bartimaeus, whose sarcastic voice gives the story much of its energy and charm.
If you appreciate Hartley’s blend of excitement and imagination, Stroud offers a similarly clever and highly entertaining reading experience.
Jennifer A. Nielsen is known for fast-moving fantasy full of scheming, danger, and resourceful young protagonists. In The False Prince, she delivers a tightly plotted story packed with twists, political tension, and characters who survive through nerve and intelligence.
Readers who enjoy Hartley’s high-stakes adventures and capable heroes should find plenty to like in Nielsen’s work.
Kenneth Oppel has a gift for pairing inventive settings with emotionally grounded characters. In Airborn, he sweeps readers aboard a luxurious airship and builds a thrilling sense of wonder through vivid detail and nonstop adventure.
Fans of Hartley’s imaginative worlds and strong storytelling will likely be drawn to Oppel’s sense of originality and momentum.
D. J. MacHale writes energetic, action-driven fiction with an undercurrent of mystery. In The Merchant of Death, he introduces strange new worlds, dangerous conflicts, and a protagonist forced to uncover truths far bigger than he expected.
If Hartley’s twists, pacing, and adventurous spirit appeal to you, MacHale is a natural next choice.
Scott Westerfeld excels at taking unusual ideas and turning them into gripping, large-scale adventures. In Leviathan, he fuses steampunk invention, alternate history, and wartime tension into a bold and memorable story.
Readers who admire Hartley’s creative plotting and inventive settings will likely enjoy Westerfeld’s ambitious world-building.
Philip Reeve creates wildly imaginative stories that still feel grounded in character and emotion. His books often explore courage, survival, and the cost of ambition while maintaining a strong sense of adventure.
A great place to start is Mortal Engines, set in a startling future where entire cities roll across the land on giant wheels and consume one another to survive.
Robert Beatty writes accessible, atmospheric adventures filled with mystery, danger, and heart. His stories often blend fantasy with historical settings, while emphasizing friendship, bravery, and self-discovery.
Try Serafina and the Black Cloak, an eerie tale set in the Biltmore Estate, where a young girl must uncover sinister secrets to protect the people she loves.
James Dashner is a strong pick for readers who enjoy tension, mystery, and constant forward motion. His novels often place characters in baffling, dangerous situations where survival depends on solving puzzles and learning whom to trust.
In The Maze Runner, a group of teenagers wakes in a strange maze with no memory of how they got there and must work together to uncover the truth.
Rick Yancey combines cinematic action with a more reflective, emotional style. His stories often examine survival, fear, and what remains of humanity under extreme pressure.
His novel The 5th Wave follows a teenage girl trying to survive an alien-ravaged world while searching for her younger brother, balancing personal stakes with large-scale catastrophe.
Ransom Riggs is an excellent choice if you enjoyed Hartley’s darker moods and sense of mystery. He combines supernatural ideas with historical atmosphere to create stories that feel strange, elegant, and unsettling.
In Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, vintage photographs become part of the storytelling, drawing readers into a hidden world filled with eerie beauty and suspense.
Stefan Bachmann brings fantasy to life through richly textured historical settings and vivid, immersive prose. His stories have a theatrical quality, blending mystery, magic, and atmosphere in memorable ways.
In The Peculiar, he imagines an alternate Victorian England inhabited by fairies and shadowed by secrets. Readers drawn to Hartley’s inventive worlds and adventurous tone should find plenty to enjoy here.
Cat Winters writes historical fiction threaded with supernatural unease. Her novels are especially strong on atmosphere, using real moments from the past as the backdrop for ghostly mysteries and emotional tension.
In In the Shadow of Blackbirds, she captures the fear and grief of America during the 1918 influenza pandemic while unfolding a haunting, suspenseful story. If you like historical settings with a touch of the uncanny, she is a great author to try.
V. E. Schwab is known for crafting original fantasy worlds populated by memorable, morally complex characters. Her fiction balances action and atmosphere with thoughtful themes of identity, power, and belonging.
A strong starting point is A Darker Shade of Magic, which moves between multiple versions of London, each with its own relationship to magic and danger.
Readers who enjoy Hartley’s adventurous, character-centered storytelling will likely connect with Schwab’s layered, immersive novels.
Ally Carter specializes in fast, witty thrillers centered on teenage spies, masterminds, and high-stakes missions. Her books are driven by clever plotting, sharp dialogue, and an easy sense of fun.
Start with I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You, the opening novel in the Gallagher Girls series, which follows students training for a life in espionage. If you enjoy Hartley’s adventurous energy and likable heroes, Carter’s work is an entertaining match.
Jack Heath delivers tightly paced stories full of action, suspense, and clever reveals. His novels often feature smart protagonists, dangerous conspiracies, and just enough grit to keep the tension high.
In The Lab, Heath introduces Agent Six of Hearts, a teenage spy navigating a futuristic world shaped by secrets and corruption. If Hartley’s gripping plots and compelling heroes keep you turning pages, Heath is well worth picking up.
