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Here are the 9 best mystery and thriller books to read before 2026 is over.
A Rainy Night in Georgia by J.Tom Morgan
Amazon
For the first time since the case in December 2000, former District Attorney J.Tom Morgan recounts the terrifying story of how he became the next hit on an assassinator’s list. After the newly elected DeKalb County Sheriff, Derwin Brown, was murdered in front of his house just before he was to take office, with a campaign devoted to cleaning up corruption and bringing integrity back to the police department, Morgan was assigned to investigate and prosecute the case. While working through dead ends, national media headlines, and increasing pressure from law enforcement, the case became personal for Morgan, since being on the hit list meant his family was in danger as well.
The Crying Killer by Jess Lourey
Amazon
Tuesday Hendrickson has spent the last eight years haunted by the memories of her encounter with the Crying Killer, Arsen Bauer. As he fled the scene, he was shot by law enforcement. That should be the end of the story. So Tuesday has moved on and moved away, changing her name and working as a private investigator. She is devoted to protecting her daughter, Julia, and that has never been more important than now. Tuesday swears that she has seen Arsen walking the streets of Saint Paul, and his face is one she could never forget. As bodies are being found with the Crying Killer’s undeniable signature, Tuesday knows that he is after her. As time begins to run out and Arsen gets closer, Tuesday must either become his next victim or unearth a shocking secret from that night.
Last Looks by Cate Holahan
Amazon
What starts as the opportunity of a lifetime for Nina Berry’s career as a personal stylist soon becomes a deadly cat-and-mouse chase when her client turns out to be a jaded ex-wife who believes Nina to be her ex-husband’s new lover. Cécile Duval has reached out to Nina for a personal makeover, at first. But what Nina doesn't know is that Cécile already knows her and doesn't care about the makeover. She's getting close to Nina because she wants revenge… but Nina has her own secrets.
When You Tell by Steena Holmes
Amazon
Bree Wagner’s life as an aunt and ghost writer has been shaped by tragedy. Now, her former best friend and popular influencer Randi is begging for Bree’s help with her next book. Bree apprehensively agrees, knowing this means she will reconnect with Randi eighteen years after a horrible accident. But as Bree starts to help, a viral mistake launches Randi into cancel culture. As she avoids the spotlight, secrets from that accident so long ago emerge and force Bree to look at how much she actually knows her old friend. Tensions rise and the past comes back, and Bree is faced with the decision to stay hidden, or expose herself in order to protect her orphaned nephew.
The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay
Amazon
After moving to the English Cotswolds, Gemma Brown is hoping to recreate the lives she has read about in mystery novels, making herself the leading lady. But the village is more difficult to handle than she expected. She’s better at solving mysteries and starting a bookstore than she is at the social stuff. She becomes friends with Peggy, another young woman that just moved in, and Ursula Beurton, the baker and controversial star of the small-town gossip chain. As more time in the Cotswolds with her new friends goes by, Gemma begins to notice similarities to her favorite novels. These similarities are more dangerous than she could have expected, pulling Gemma into an international investigation with law enforcement. The situation gets even more intense when Ursula asks Gemma for a favor that endangers all of their lives.
Dance in a Madhouse by Jess Wright
Amazon
1905, Philadelphia. Owen Townsend was once a medical intern set up for success, but now he’s a “patient” in the Fairmount Lodge asylum, which is essentially an exhibit for the public to gawk at patients. Owen has fallen to typhoid fever, delirium, and an act of violence, and now his sanity is a question mark. As literal fires spread and the danger increases, Owen realizes he has been placed in the asylum by someone with sinister intentions. In order to survive, Owen must find someone on the outside to help — and he soon meets a sharp policeman, Brumbaugh. Next, he must solve the mystery using clues from a young opera singer whom he saved from suicide.
Goodnight Monsters by Suzanne Junered
Amazon
Lia, the epitome of a Southern suburban housewife, and her husband Evan have been dreaming of becoming parents, but when Lia finds out she actually is pregnant, she questions if she wants the baby. While hiding her pregnancy, she blackmails her way into working at The Body Farm, a forensic anthropology center. While working at The Farm, Lia begins to feel the desire to kill, and fantasizes about murder. When a donated body ends up being someone she’s fantasized about killing, her reality begins to blur. As people around her drop dead, Lia doesn’t know who to trust, including herself, but must figure out how to put an end to the carnage.
Mist and Malice by Rachel Howzell Hall
Amazon
After moving to the foggy coastal town Haven, California, private investigator Sonny Rush is faced with a new case when a teenage runaway shows up terrified on her doorstep. Honor, the teen, shares her horrifying experience. Mere hours later, the remains of a missing day laborer are found, and Sonny will soon find out that the cases are horrifyingly connected. A predatory network is taking advantage of the vulnerable, but Sonny risks herself and those she loves in her search for justice.
Echo Ridge by Audrey J. Cole
Amazon
Jade Vega, hoping to heal from a betrayal, has come to the rainforest of the Cascades to become Echo Ridge’s tai chi instructor. Naomi March, one of the guests who has come to the sanctuary for calm and relaxation, is trying to manage the grief of her daughter passing away. Her healing and solace are ruined when Jade’s former best friend and new fiance, a man that Naomi will never be able to forgive, arrives, and the situation becomes dire when a storm traps the guests with a loose killer on the grounds.
Check out The 7 Best Prime Video Shows To Watch In November 2026 for more recommendations!
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