The Best Mystery & Thriller Books To Binge This Summer

Crime Noir & High Stakes Mystery

The Pinnacle by Abir Mukherjee

Set in a luxurious Mumbai apartment block, The Pinnacle masterfully explores the divide between the ultra-rich and those who serve them. When fading actor George Abercrombie wakes up to find his superstar wife dead and himself covered in blood, he becomes the prime suspect in a high-stakes crime. Told through multiple perspectives, this is a fast-paced tale of corruption, power, and secrets that refuses to let up.

The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Following the success of Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia returns with a noir-inspired thriller that is as atmospheric as it is gripping. Set against a backdrop of mid-century glamour and hidden corruption, the story follows a protagonist drawn into a world of shadow, deception, and high-stakes games. Moreno-Garcia has a gift for blending genre-bending narratives with immersive historical settings, and this latest offering promises a dark, stylish, and utterly unputdownable mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

The Viper by Brad Meltzer

Master of the political thriller, Brad Meltzer returns with The Viper, a chilling tale that blends historical intrigue with a modern-day cold case. When a decades-old mystery is suddenly thrust back into the spotlight, an investigator must follow a trail of breadcrumbs that leads to a dangerous truth someone has spent years trying to bury. With high-stakes tension and meticulous research, Meltzer crafts a story that feels both epic in scale and deeply personal in its execution. If you enjoy thrillers that keep your heart racing and your mind sharp, look no further.

Who Is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews

This book by Alexandra Andrews centers on Florence Darrow, who's craving a more exciting life when she lands a job opportunity with a famous novelist named Maud Dixon. They go on a research trip to Morocco, and Florence believes it'll be the adventure she's been dreaming of.

Eventually, though, a car accident leaves her injured, and Maud is missing. These strange circumstances give Florence an unexpected chance to slip into her boss's identity.

Psychological Thrillers

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

If you’ve been waiting for the next addictive mystery from the queen of character-driven suspense, this is it. When a woman is found dead in a London apartment, the investigation unravels a complex web of lies that stretches back decades. Lisa Jewell excels at peeling back the layers of seemingly perfect lives, and this novel is no exception. With sharp prose and deeply flawed, compelling characters, It Could Have Been Her explores the haunting ways that our past choices—and the people we leave behind—inevitably catch up to us.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

What would you do if the person you loved vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a cryptic note? This is character Hannah Hall's reality after her missing husband Owen leaves her a note that simply reads, "Protect her."

The "her," in this case, is Bailey, her teenage stepdaughter, who can barely tolerate Hannah. Nonetheless, as federal agents start to close in and Owen's identity comes into question, Hannah and Bailey are forced to rely on each other to uncover the truth.

We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

In We Were Never Here, Andrea Bartz tells the tale of a backpacking trip in the mountains of Chile that turns deadly when Emily stumbles upon a bloody murder scene, and her best friend, Kristen, claims to have acted in self-defense.

But this isn't the first time a vacation with Kristen has ended with violence. So, after they return home, Emily can't shake the feeling that history is repeating itself and her friend might be hiding something.

You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose

This story centers around Grace Evans, a woman who trades in the chaos of her New York City life to visit a ranch in remote Wyoming. Yet, her dream vacation turns into a nightmare.

At first, her host, Calvin, seems charming and handsome, but the lack of cell service, a local woman's mysterious disappearance, and Calvin's increasingly unsettling behavior make Grace feel uneasy. You Shouldn't Have Come Here begins as a slow-burning romance but morphs into a psychological thriller that will keep you gripped.

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

Leave the World Behind is a psychological thriller that feels reminiscent of what happens when you slowly begin turning up the heat on a pot of boiling lobsters. What happens to a group of people as fear creeps up and consumes them?

Amanda and Clay load their two kids in a car and book it to a remote area of Long Island for a quiet vacation from their life in New York City. They’re barely able to settle into their stunning rental when they’re surprised by a late night knock on the door. The home’s owners, G.H. and Ruth, have returned and have requested to stay with the family. Something happened back in NYC – they claim a sweeping blackout suddenly hit the city. They returned back to their Long Island home before things could get worse. They say they don’t know anything more about the chaotic event.

With no internet or cell service to prove the couple’s claims, the two families are left dancing around each other. What happened in the city? Are they safe where they’re at? Can they trust these complete strangers? Rumaan Alam leaves you thinking about prejudices, race, and how fear can force a person to extreme lengths. Give it a read now before its movie counterpart (starring Mahershala Ali and Julia Roberts) is released.

Social Thriller & Dark Satire

Five by Ilona Bannister

High-concept and expertly plotted, Five is the kind of mystery that demands your full attention. The story centers on five strangers, all waiting for a train on the London Underground, whose lives are forever changed by a single, shocking event. As the narrative jumps between perspectives, the reader is drawn deeper into the personal histories and hidden connections that brought this disparate group together at the exact same moment. It is a sophisticated, tension-filled puzzle that examines fate, coincidence, and the fragility of our daily lives.

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

If you loved Killing Eve or Promising Young Woman, this is a revenge story that revels in justice for women. It’s a psychological thriller that follows the intense desire for retribution by two different women at a college campus.

Scarlett Clark is an English professor at Gorman University with a stellar reputation and hidden vigilante tendencies. Each year, she plots, investigates, and finds the “worst” man at the school. She then diligently executes their murder. For years she has gotten away with this, but a moment of rage could completely upend her secret.

Simultaneously, we learn of student Carly Schiller, who is a freshman at the school. Shortly after arriving on campus, her roommate and new friend is sexually assaulted while at a party. Carly is consumed with needing vengeance for her friend – a friend that she has also become a bit obsessive over. This book explores themes of desire, rage, and good old-fashioned revenge.

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

What would you do for your siblings? Could you abandon your own morals to help keep them from trouble; to protect them? Would you cover up their violent crimes?

My Sister, the Serial Killer is a thrilling and satirical story of two sisters: one is a nurse with a meticulous approach to life, and the other has a tendency to murder her boyfriends. When Korede has been called yet again by Ayoola to help save the day, she comes to the rescue with bleach and gloves in hand. Another boyfriend is dead, and Ayoola claims it was self-defense. Korede helps her sister, but soon finds herself at an impasse when Ayoola starts seeing a doctor that Korede is secretly in love with. Is there a chance he could turn up dead too? Korede is faced with an impossible decision – she cannot save both. Which runs thicker – blood or love?

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

Two authors with a complicated friendship are working to make their way in the publishing world. One of them, however, has been vastly more successful. Athena Liu has hit the literary jackpot (with the publishing deals to prove it) and June Hayward has next-to-nothing. When a freak incident leaves Athena dead, June makes the split-second decision to take Athena’s recently-completed manuscript and present it to her publisher as her own. June is rebranded from a basic white girl to ethnically ambiguous Juniper Song, and the success she craved finally comes. The honeymoon phase is fleeting, however, as her “success” and secrets are threatened.

Published in 2023, Yellowface has already made a lasting impact on the literary genre. The publishing thriller is hard to put down and raises conversations on racism, cultural appropriation, and how far people will go for what they believe they deserve.

Atmospheric, Suspense & "Locked Room"

Device Free Weekend by Sean Doolittle

This novel by Sean Doolittle follows Ryan Cloverhill, a tech billionaire and founder of a popular social media platform, who invites six of his closest college friends to his private island. The catch? No phones are allowed.

However, what starts as a luxurious getaway spirals into chaos when the group wakes up on the second day to find Ryan missing. Plus, a strange tablet is waiting in Ryan's place that sends his friends on a scavenger hunt woven with clues from their past. Device Free Weekend is fast-paced, tension-filled, and perfect for people who enjoy puzzles.

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs comes a propulsive new thriller that is sure to dominate your summer reading list. When a group of friends gathers for a long-awaited reunion at a remote coastal estate, the arrival of a massive storm cuts them off from the rest of the world. As the winds howl and the power flickers, long-buried secrets begin to surface, proving that the most dangerous threats aren't coming from the storm outside—but from the people trapped inside with you. It is a masterclass in tension and isolation.

They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall

Seven strangers and a lavish island retreat: what could possibly go wrong? They All Fall Down follows Miriam Macy, who gets a surprise invitation to travel to a private island on a yacht with six strangers. However, once she and the others arrive, it becomes clear that this isn't an ordinary getaway.

Every guest actually has their own secret, and someone is determined to make them all pay. So, accidents start to claim lives, and suspicion and fear become overwhelming.

Saltwater by Katy Hays

Below the cliffs of Capri, Sarah Lingate was found dead in 1992. She left behind her daughter, Helen, who was only 3 years old at the time, and despite some suspicions of foul play, her death was ruled an accident.

But when Helen returns to her family's villa three decades later, something is different: her mother Sarah's necklace, which was last seen the night she died, has somehow reappeared.

The piece of jewelry causes old secrets to resurface, and the facade that the Lingates had been putting on begins to crack. If you love slow-burning suspense, you definitely have to pick up Saltwater this summer.

Literary & Dark Academia

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

A hedonistic secret society, life at a New England college, and smashing the boundaries of morality – this is the perfect equation for a dark academia novel. The Secret History is Donna Tartt’s sweeping debut. Six incredibly sophisticated and clever (read: pretentious) college students at an elite liberal arts school try to escape the trite lives of their peers. Their transcendence, though, leads the group down a debaucherous, dangerous, and downright evil path.

The book opens with a tragic death and Tartt then slowly pulls back the details of exactly what led to the mysterious passing. The Secret History reminds me of the Dead Poets Society...if the Dead Poets Society pushed Greek classics and animalistic, anarchic ideals. Perfect for Fall!

Romantic Suspense

The Matchmaker by Aisha Saeed

Nura Khan has a stellar record as a matchmaker until someone starts sabotaging her clients' weddings. What feels like a cruel prank soon escalates into something more sinister, and Nura realizes both she and her business are under threat.

With the help of her childhood best friend and fake fiancé, Azar, she must figure out who's behind the scheme. The Matchmaker is a suspenseful mystery that also has rom-com elements, so it's a solid summer read.