Summer is here, which means it’s the perfect time to cool down with some chilling reads. Not sure where to start? Here are ten mystery and thriller books to choose from!
The Deadly Book Club by Lyn Liao Butler
Every month, five book influencers gather online for their exclusive virtual book club. Things take a turn when their screens all freeze, and the only sound coming through is that of a brutal murder. The surviving members must figure out who among them they can trust and why they’re being targeted before the killer strikes again.
Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson-Opoku
Savvy Summers’ sweet potato pie is a favorite for patrons of her soul food café, but it begins to draw attention for all the wrong reasons when it’s seemingly connected to the sudden death of a customer. To save the business, Savvy and her assistant manager decide to uncover what truly killed Grandy Jasper.
Stay Away from Him by Andrew DeYoung
Melissa Burke isn’t looking for a relationship when she’s introduced to Thomas Danver. Still, she’s charmed by his looks and morbidly curious about his missing and presumed dead wife—especially once she learns that Thomas was once thought to be guilty and later exonerated. Her friends swear he’s innocent and harmless. A threatening note she receives seems to warn otherwise.
Mississippi Blue 42 by Eli Cranor
Eli Cranor kicks off a new series this summer that blends thrills and humor as it follows a rookie FBI agent through her first case. Special Agent Rae Johnson is sent to Compson, Mississippi to investigate fraud within the college football program. When the star quarterback dies after being thrown from a rooftop, it’s clear something darker may be at work. Rae must use all of her skills–and her knowledge of the game–to uncover what’s really happening in Compson.
Beautiful Brutal Bodies by Linda Cheng
Linda Cheng’s latest YA novel is a supernatural thriller blended with folk horror. Singer-songwriter Tian is known for her mesmerizing voice, but when her livestream results in fans falling ill, she’s sent away to a private island for a healing retreat. Joining her is Liya, her bodyguard, and Shenyu, her musical collaborator. It’s quickly clear to them all that something is off on the island, and they’ll have to figure out what if they want to survive.
All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu
Ken Liu returns this fall with a sci-fi thriller. When his wife goes missing, Piers contacts reclusive hacker Julia Z to find her. Though she prefers to keep her head down these days, Julia can’t resist learning more about dream artist Elli, who was apparently kidnapped by a figure known as the Prince after using her abilities to access people’s dreams on a criminal.
A Terribly Nasty Business by Julia Seales
Take a journey to Regency-era London to meet Beatrice Steele, who is still riding the high of solving her first murder. Now that she knows the ropes, she’s opened DS Investigations alongside Inspector Drake. Beatrice isn’t impressed by their first caseload of missing pets, and she seemingly gets her wish for a bigger challenge when a string of murders occurs in the city and the two must use all of their wits to stop the killing spree and catch a murderer.
To learn more about the inspiration behind this series, read our interview with Julia Seales!
I Become Her by Joe Hart
In this psychological suspense, Imogen and Lev Carmichael are on a honeymoon cruise when she realizes he may be keeping secrets. An argument ensues, and Lev falls overboard, only to miraculously survive with everything but his memory intact. Once they’re home, Imogen begins to believe he may remember more than he’s letting on.
Solid Gold Murder by Ellen Byron
Dee Stern is determined that no one will ever refer to her motel as the “Murder Motel” again, and step one of her plan is setting up a wholesome family activity: panning for fool’s gold. When real gold is discovered, it brings a wave of guests hoping to strike it rich. When one of them is murdered, it seems clear that the Murder Motel name is here to stay. To keep her business alive, Dee must work fast to find the killer.
Through Our Teeth by Pamela N. Harris
A teenage girl hunts for her friend’s killer in this young adult mystery. Everyone believes that Hope Jackson died by suicide, though her best friend Liv suspects that Hope’s jealous boyfriend had something to do with it. Liv teams up with two other friends to start searching for answers, and along the way realizes that more than one person may have had the motivation and means to kill Hope.
Which of these is being added to your TBR?
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Stuff Your Shelves
This is so cool! I’m absolutely thrilled to make the list. Thank you so much!