Mysteries & Thrillers

When Cass returns home after disappearing three years ago with her sister, Emma, questions abound. What happened? Where had they been? And where was Emma? Cass gears up to tell the story and make sure that she is believed--but who is it that she is trying to convince? As forensic psychiatrist Abby Winter tries to unravel truth from fiction, she is drawn into the family's web of deceit and narcissism.

Emma in the Night is a twisty psychological thriller full of family dysfunction that will keep you guessing. I listened to this one on audio and found the story compelling and the narrator was excellent.

Bree lives a privileged life after growing up poor. With three beautiful children and a successful lawyer husband, she has a life she couldn't have even dreamed. Then one morning she spies a witch at her window and thinks she is dreaming, but she can't shake the bad feeling her vision brings.

When her baby son disappears, Bree is now at the mercy of another mother, one who is holding Bree's son hostage until Bree completes a task for her. But completing the task opens the door to an ugly past--one that Bree and her family may have to pay for.

With a newborn baby in peril, the premise of this book is absolutely terrifying, and the backstory is also filled with horror. It's no wonder that it seemed to lack Jackson's signature sly wit, though her writing is as excellent as always. Compelling, but sensitive readers may want to steer clear--it's full of triggers.

Shay Miller is struggling with jobs, roommates, and loneliness when she witnesses a woman jump in front of the subway. Her already precarious mindset threatens to topple as she obsesses about the woman, who she learns is Amanda. She soon is entangled with the group of friends who are mourning Amanda. They are charismatic and welcoming, and amidst her turmoil, Shay is thrilled to have new friends. But they are interested in more than just Shay’s friendship.

There were parts of this that felt a bit far-fetched, but it was such a riveting listen that I just didn’t care. Data analyst Shay is likable, the others are intriguing, and the back-and-forth perspectives kept me guessing. This is one of the few audiobooks that I binged.

This audio original thriller was written with a listening audience in mind. It has a full cast, sound effects, and no narration (the story is told through dialog, which is a little awkward at times). Nonetheless, this is a pretty fun listen. Nadiya writes crime novels and mostly keeps to herself, but that changes when her long-lost half-brother comes to stay with her. Chase is an aspiring Tik Toker, and he sees his chance when there is a burglary in the apartment upstairs. Soon he’s live-streaming the action–including when it all goes south and they end up mixed up with organized crime.

This is a fast-paced, funny adventure for anyone looking for a short and easy listen. A few serious moments balance the goofiness, and this novel provides the setup for possible sequels, with an entertaining team of crime fighters. Fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series or the Finlay Donovan series might enjoy this.

The first in the acclaimed Dublin Murder Squad series examines two similar crimes, in the same location, 20 years apart.

After surviving the private plane crash in the Colorado Rockies that kills the pilot, Allison Carpenter must also survive the wilderness as she makes her way through the mountains. But the wilderness isn't the only threat Allison faces. Her story slowly unfolds to reveal what she is running from--and to.

Meanwhile, Allison's mother Maggie learns that Allison was likely killed in the crash. Estranged for two years, she begins to delve into Allison's life, trying to understand why she was on that plane and who her daughter had become. Maggie's findings and Allison's reflections converge to reveal explosive secrets that endanger them both--and many others.

Freefall is a solid thriller that effectively uses alternating narratives to reveal the story, while elements of wilderness survival, family tension, moneyed influence, and corporate corruption provide a dizzying array of backdrops that keep the reader guessing. Read my full review.

Jake is an author whose best days seem to be behind him. After the respectable showing of his first novel, he’s now teaching in a relatively unknown MFA program. When arrogant student Evan Parker proclaims the plot of his book “a sure thing,” Jake is doubtful–until he hears the plot.

Several years later, Jake learns that Evan has died, and the book has never been published. So Jake takes the plot and writes his own version–to astounding success. But then the messages start coming in, accusing him of stealing the story. As Jake chases the sender and learns more about Evan Parker, he finds out that his fictional story may be truer than he thought.

This fast-paced novel-within-a-novel is a fun ride, though it didn’t quite deliver on the promise of the can’t-miss plot in either book. I predicted the twists and endings in both–something I don’t consider myself particularly good at. An enjoyable listen, but all the hype made the predictability quite a let-down.

It’s been a long time since I picked up an Agatha Christie novel and I’ve been eager to read this classic. The Orient Express is stuck in the snow and when one of the passengers is murdered, Hercule Poirot is ready to solve the case.

Christie writes clever puzzles that are fun to piece together alongside her detectives. Dan Stevens (of Downton Abbey) does a fantastic job narrating this.

Lisa Jewell's Then She Was Gone is one of the better thrillers I've read recently, so I knew I wanted to try out her new offering, Watching You. Jewell's mastery of the thriller shines here as she steps backward from the scene of a murder in a small English town, bringing together a cast of characters all focused on one charismatic man: the headmaster of a local school, Tom Fitzwilliam.

A young newlywed develops an unhealthy infatuation with Tom, while a teen girl in the neighborhood is convinced he's not all he seems--and her mentally ill mother agrees. Tom's son, in the meantime, grapples with his own mixed feelings about his father while he watches and records the goings-on in the neighborhood.

The loose ties between the characters tighten as past meets present and Jewell manages to surprise without resorting to twists that feel gimmicky. I'm not a devoted reader of thrillers, but I'll continue to pick up her books knowing I'm in for a twisty and satisfying read.

Walk has never left the small California town where he grew up and is now chief of police. He worries endlessly about his childhood friends, Vincent (just out of prison for a murder Walk’s testimony convicted him of as a teen) and Star, sinking into self-destruction.

As Star implodes, Walk’s concerns turn to her neglected children, Duchess and Robin. Duchess, 13 and a self-declared outlaw, lashes out fiercely, ready to defend her brother with all she has. As the troubles of the past meet the present and come to a head, Walk and Duchess are powerless to stop the damage.

This audiobook started off slow for me–I wasn’t following the characters and past/present storylines very well–but halfway through, I was suddenly riveted. There’s hope and resilience here, but it broke my heart in a million different ways. Don’t miss this one.

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have been assassins for the Museum forty years. Originally formed to hunt Nazis, the Museum targeted the world’s most evil people. But as the four women set out on a cruise to mark their retirement, they realize that they are now the targets. Using their lifetime of old-fashioned experience, they have to turn the tables on their own employers in order to survive.

This was one of most fun books I read in 2022 and was the perfect ending to my reading year. The outrageous storyline, the 60+ year-old assassins taking down bad guys, and the satisfying premise (how can you not cheer for Nazi hunters?) all made this irresistible. While I would have appreciated more character development for each of the women, this is perfect for anyone looking for a fast-paced, light, and funny thriller.

Molly is the Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a role she adores. She is exacting and takes extraordinary pride in her work. When famous mystery author J.D. Grimthorpe dies during an event at the hotel, Molly knows that her gift for details will be the key to figuring out who killed him. As she reflects on her childhood connections with Grimthorpe, and the days leading up to the murder, Molly's meticulous mind might just reveal more secrets than the identity of the murderer.

I didn't read The Maid, which preceded this novel, but I felt this stood alone just fine. Molly is a delightful character, and while this didn't blow me away, it was a pleasant, cozy mystery with a lighter tone than I'm accustomed to in my mystery reads.

I had high hopes for this book about two English teenagers on a gap year in Thailand who have gone missing, but I found The Suspect just mediocre. Less thriller and more just an untangling of what happened, I felt bogged down in the details of the life and competition of journalists to "get the story." I was also confused throughout about why English police could investigate a crime in Thailand (this was cleared up late in the book). I think I like thrillers and mysteries where I don't figure everything out before the end (without resorting to outlandish gimmicks), and this just didn't keep me guessing.

After five years in prison, Patty Watts has been released. Her crime? Causing her daughter’s lifelong illnesses (and duping the community in the process).

But Rose Gold has agreed to take Patty in–even after she testified to put Patty in prison. Now they are each playing a game with their own ends in mind.

Darling Rose Gold is one of those dark, complicated books that’s hard to like–the characters are almost impossible to like. Wrobel inserts reasons for sympathy, including the effects of Patty’s Munchausen’s by proxy on Rose Gold, and potential reasons for Patty’s behavior. I think the story could have benefited from therapists for both of them, adding some insight. As is, it’s an uncomfortable read that left me feeling a little icky–but it definitely kept me reading.

Benedict Prince is a sleep doctor who specializes in crimes committed during sleep. He--along with the whole of England--has long been captivated by the Anna O case. Anna is a young woman who has been a sleep ever since the murder of her two friends--a murder it seems she committed. Ben is sure he can finally wake Anna and get to the truth. But the truth may be more complicated than it appears.

Between the jumps in time, the multiple narrators, and the convoluted storylines, this felt like a bit of a mess. It may have been the audio format--I found it tough to track characters and motivations (though Dan Stevens is always an excellent narrator). The condition known as "resignation syndrome," in real life only seen in Sweden in children of asylum seekers, was a clever premise and was something I hadn't heard of before. Unfortunately, the story built around it didn't quite land (though again, it might be more successful in print).

Korede would do anything for her sister, Ayoola--and she does, when Ayoola starts killing her boyfriends. After Ayoola's panicked phone calls, Korede shows up, cleans up the mess, and ensures that they are not caught. As Korede realizes that her sister is veering into serial killer territory, Ayoola sets her sights on the doctor Korede is in love with herself. Under the weight of her own guilt and loyalty to her sister, Korede struggles with how to protect both the man and the sister she loves--but she may have to choose.

You wouldn't think a serial killer novel would be so entertaining, but My Sister, the Serial Killer was darkly funny and slightly absurd, while maintaining the gravitas of what was happening in the story. Joshilyn Jackson is the only other author I can think of recently who has managed this delicate balance, but Braithwaite's style is entirely her own. It was the perfect fiction audiobook--not too long, gripping story, excellent narrator, and only a few main characters to track.

Wow, this buzzy book packs a punch–and for good reason! Blythe’s experience of motherhood with her daughter, Violet, is not what she hoped. They have trouble connecting, and she sees things in Violet that worry her. Blythe’s husband, Fox, dismisses her concerns and urges her to work harder to get close to Violet.

She finds that longed-for connection when her son, Sam, is born. But when a tragedy changes everything, Blythe’s sanity is in question–by herself and everyone around her.

This novel is framed as a letter from Blythe to Fox, and it’s the first book written in second person that’s actually worked for me. I was hooked from the beginning–mothers especially will relate to many of Blythe’s difficulties adapting to motherhood. Audrain captures the experience so well–and then it turns dark in unexpected ways. Some readers may find this too difficult (and it was so, so sad), but it would be a great book club pick for those who can handle the dark themes.

The Other Americans is a complicated narrative focused on the hit-and-run killing of Driss Guerraoui, a Moroccan immigrant who was crossing the street one evening near his business. As his family grapples with this death and the truths about his life, the police investigate what happened.

Told from multiple points of view–Driss’ family, the investigators, neighboring business owners, and Driss himself–Lailami covers a lot of ground. From family tensions and expectations to prejudices, her story is subtle and nuanced. It’s can be challenging on audio because the characters and storylines were a little hard to track. I enjoyed the audio and recommend it for immersive audiobook listening, but if you find complex listens a challenge, opt for the print version.

Molly has woken up with a hangover and a strange man in her bed. She soon learns that she’s trending on social media for a video of her performing a sex act in the street. As she stumbles through the horrible day, she finds Posey, her best friend and roommate, dead in the bathtub. The police determine that it’s an accident, but the more she investigates, the more she’s convinced it isn’t. But that video means her credibility is shot, so she needs to get real proof.

Brent also wrote How to Kill Men and Get Away with It, which I found over the top and unnecessarily gruesome. This one is more plausible (and lacks the graphic violence), but still a bit uneven in character development, though it’s a fast-paced read. I think Brent has something to say about violence against women–as well as the ways women are doubted and underestimated–and if she brings those sensibilities and the same wry tone, I expect some entertaining and impactful books in the future.

I loved both The Secret History and The Goldfinch, so I have been eager to get to Tartt's less-discussed book. The synopsis makes it sound like it has elements of both of those books, but is also entirely different: The setting is Alexandria, Mississippi, where one Mother’s Day a little boy named Robin Cleve Dufresnes was found hanging from a tree in his parents’ yard. Twelve years later Robin’s murder is still unsolved and his family remains devastated. So it is that Robin’s sister Harriet - unnervingly bright, insufferably determined, and unduly influenced by the fiction of Kipling and Robert Louis Stevenson--sets out to unmask his killer. Aided only by her worshipful friend Hely, Harriet crosses her town’s rigid lines of race and caste and burrows deep into her family’s history of loss.

When an intriguing woman appears at the neighborhood book club and threatens to derail Amy's perfect life by revealing secrets she'd rather leave buried, Amy has to figure out just who the woman is, what she knows, and how to beat her at her own game.

Joshilyn Jackson's first foray into domestic suspense did not disappoint, and this was excellent summer reading. Jackson was on point with her usual quirky, well-developed characters and excellent writing. Add in a twisty cat-and-mouse game that truly surprises--I thought I had things figured out multiple times and was so close, but new layers emerged--and you have one of the most fun thrillers I've read in a while.

After the death of her mother in prison, a woman must face the horrific abuse that she and her siblings endured as children.

Bodie Kane is a podcaster and film professor who has been invited back to her boarding school in New Hampshire to teach a course. She isn’t nostalgic about her years at Granby; she was a misfit from Indiana, not wealthy like many classmates. Her memories are further marred by the murder of her former roommate, Thalia, in her senior year.

When her students decide to produce a podcast on Thalia's case, she is drawn back into the murder and her past. She begins to doubt the guilt of the Black athletic trainer who was convicted; and instead, she starts to suspect a beloved music teacher who may have had a relationship with Thalia. In a unique construct, she narrates directly to him throughout this literary mystery.

Makkai also wrote The Great Believers, a favorite of mine, and she delivers here as well. She is masterful at juxtaposing events and attitudes in multiple timelines, making sharp points at just the right moments.

I was hooked both by the plot and mystery itself, but also by her examination of memory and how the trappings and high emotions of teen life make accurate memories so difficult. She peeled back layers of the characters Bodie thought she knew as a teen and revealed more from her adult lens, giving us an unintentionally unreliable narrator. This still has me thinking and will be one of my best of 2023.

This is a creepy coming-of-age novel that might appeal to fans of Stephen King. Eddie and his friends are pretty typical 80s kids in England, spending time at the park, riding bikes, and avoiding bullies. They start communicating with one another through chalk drawings--until one day drawings appear that none of them made, leading them to a dismembered body. Now, 30 years later, Eddie and his friends are reunited, finding that they all received a chalk drawing in the mail. Secrets start unraveling, and the friends find that they may not have known each other as well as they thought. I found the characters a little hard to pin down, which I think was part of the point, but it made it a tough to connect with any of them. Overall, this was gripping but a little too creepy and gruesome for my taste--true fans of this type of book will have no trouble at all, and it's received many positive reviews.

When Bea and her husband Dan decide to take a long holiday from their small London flat and Dan's soul-sucking job, they visit Bea's brother Alex in France. They find him alone in the old hotel his rich parents have bought him, with the understanding that he would improve and run it. But the hotel is empty, save for the nest of snakes in the attic and the fake entries in the guestbook. When their parents pay a surprise visit, resentments and secrets simmer below the surface, and then tragedy strikes and brings everything crashing into the fore.

This book is filled with snakes--luckily (for my phobia) most of them are not the ones in the attic. While the majority of this book was a bit slow-moving  and overlong for me, the last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat--the combination made it a solid 3 stars. If you like a dark, slightly creepy book filled with family dynamics and the dark side of wealth, this one might be for you. Readers with a bit more patience than me will be rewarded with an ending that pays off.

Felix Pink is a retired widower who volunteers as an Exiteer--someone who stays with terminally ill people as they die by suicide. It is a mission of mercy and compassion, and the volunteers operate on just the edge of UK law. When one of his visits goes horribly wrong, Felix is dodging the police and trying to find out what actually happened.

Don't let the ominous cover and dark description put you off. They really don't do this book justice--it is surprisingly delightful. Felix is lovely and well-meaning, and many of the other characters are as well, which makes for many chuckle-worthy interactions. Dark themes and shady characters are a part of it, yes, but this is much more like a A Man Called Ove than an edge-of-your-seat thriller.

Avery is a fixer--of relationships. Her methods are so controversial that she lost her therapy license, but they work. When Marissa and Matthew come to her for help, she knows that Marissa's infidelity is just the start. She has to find out what's really going on.

As Avery digs deeper, she realizes that are more secrets than she can imagine, and she becomes entangled in ways she doesn't expect.

This author duo writes deliciously twisty novels that are fantastic on audio--I also loved listening to You Are Not Alone. I'm reviewing this a little early, but add it to your list for March!

One year ago, Isabelle's infant son, Mason, was taken from his crib. Aside from naps, she hasn’t slept since and she's obsessed with finding answers. Her husband has left, the police are tired of her. Only a true-crime podcaster seems interested in what she has to say. Her sleepless state brings up memories from her past, and she questions what she thinks she knows–about herself and everyone around her.

I usually hate the thriller trope of the slightly crazed woman that no one believes, but in this case, it worked so well. The desperate, sleepless mother with a history of sleepwalking brought me into her daily fever dream, trying to claw through the haze of the past–both that of a year ago and of her childhood.

I was hooked on this audiobook–it was dark, surprising, and completely satisfying.

One summer morning in 1975, 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar goes missing from summer camp. Barbara is the daughter of the family that owns the camp, and 14 years prior, her brother had also gone missing. He was never found. As the story jumps between past and present, we learn the complicated history of the Van Laars, as well as the locals with ties to the wealthy family.

These past few years, I've found literary mysteries to be a satisfying alternative to the more trendy "thrillers with a twist" that get a lot of hype. The God of the Woods is another excellent addition to the sub-genre, with well-drawn characters, a slow unfolding of multiple mysteries, and an intriguing puzzle that comes together nicely. Recommended for readers who don't need fast-paced thrills with their mysteries.

The Husband’s Secret weaves together the lives of three women dealing with their own personal tragedies, secrets, and the repercussions of their decisions. As she did in Big Little Lies, Moriarty is great at mining the insecurities and dramas simmering below the surface of happy-seeming suburban families. This was a fast read for me, though not an "unputdownable." I don’t always like Moriarty’s writing style, but I can’t deny that she writes a compelling story that keeps me turning the pages.

When Liv and Nora and their husbands decide to take their families on a cruise, it feels like just what everyone needs after some stressful times. They just start to relax when the worst happens: in a moment of lapsed vigilance on a day trip ashore, all of the children disappear. What follows is the parents' desperate attempts to find the kids while dealing with their sudden mistrust of themselves and each other. Meanwhile, the children find themselves having to take responsibility for each other, make life and death choices, and make moment-to-moment decisions about who to trust. The story started a little slow but soon had me on the edge of my seat, all while making sharp observations about privilege, parenting, relationships, and facing both the worst and best in ourselves.

Two brothers meet at the line of their properties in the Australian outback, with their third brother dead at their feet. They grieve his loss and investigate what could have happened--but there are few suspects on the isolated outback, and secrets that people want to keep hidden.

While a mystery is at the center of this story, it's really a character examination, filled with family dynamics. This is one of those novels where the setting--the forbidding outback--has a life of its own. It was fascinating how Harper managed to make such an expansive setting feel so suffocating. As unappealing as life in the outback would be to me, this book piqued my interest in life there and in Harper's other stories set there. I look forward to reading more of her books.

Kieran and his young family have returned to his hometown to visit his struggling parents, and to see old friends left behind. But when a body is found on the beach, questions are raised about a tragedy that took the life of Kieran's brother years before.

Jane Harper writes fantastic character studies set in atmospheric Australian locales, and The Survivors is no different. Like the Outback in The Lost Man, the sea itself is crucial to the lives and attitudes of the characters, and to the mystery at hand. Excellent, compelling, slow-burn listening.

In an empty NYU dorm over a holiday, a young man is drawn in by an intriguing young socialite named Claudia Castro. He is thrilled to be spending time with her, but she is puzzled and disturbed by events from several nights earlier that she can't remember. Soon, he is helping her piece them together--and get back at the people who stole those hours.

This was an interesting take on a woman's reaction after being violated and her choice to get justice in her own way--knowing it was unlikely any other way. With themes of power, privilege, vengeance, and justice, there are no winners here, but it's an oddly satisfying read after so many real incidents that leave victims suffering for life and perpetrators with no consequences.

Meribel's fame has attracted numerous unhinged fans, but her most recent stalker is different and more threatening. When she and her daughter move across the country to escape, it seems he may have followed. Now all of the men in her life are suspects, but she can't keep herself and her daughter safe until she figures out who this person actually is.

I always love Joshilyn Jackson’s books–she has this sly, witty voice that always draws me in, and now that she’s gone into thriller territory, she’s become a master of misdirection and surprises. I was a bit dissatisfied by the overall ending of this, just because it ended abruptly and I wanted a few more answers. But on the whole, I was hooked and loved this dark thriller.

The story of a boy's coming-of-age in an idyllic suburban neighborhood where a horrible crime is committed against the girl he loves from afar. He remembers the event from adulthood, coming to terms with his role in the crime and how it shaped his identity then and as an adult. The writing is fantastic, if a bit wandering at times. The mystery ties the story together, but it's more of a telling of how memory and perspectives on events change as we grow and have the benefit of hindsight, maturity, and experience.

Five-year-old Jack has never known the world beyond Room. He lives there with Ma, who has made it into a world for him. But she has been a prisoner for seven years and she knows it's time for Jack--and her--to have more of a life. But the terrifying escape plot is only the first part of the challenge. If they can make it out of Room, they then need to find their way to a new life, to feelings of security, to new identities, and ultimately back to each other. Room is terrifying for its basis in real-life events, but it's also hopeful for its portrayal of the strength of the bond between parent and child.

I loved Peter Heller's The Dog Stars, so I've been looking forward to this new book from him. It did not disappoint. Not only was this a five-star read, but I couldn't put it down over the two days I read it.

The story starts slowly, with college friends Wynn and Jack drifting down a Canadian river in their canoe. The two met in college and quickly became best friends, bonding over their shared love of the outdoors and literature. As they drifted along, I settled in for a story that I thought may slowly meander. Heller's writing was pleasant, and I already liked Jack and Wynn. I didn't expect it to pick up as fast as it did.

The two men spot a wildfire in the distance, then encounter two other pairs on the river and try to warn them. Their leisurely journey turns into a race to safety, where the fire is not the only threat they face.

Heller is obviously a skilled outdoorsman; he doesn't ignore the beauty and brutality of the setting or what it takes to survive in it, even as he builds the tension of the story. He grants both Jack and Wynn enviable survival skills and toughness. While different, they also have artistic, empathetic hearts that make you love them both and root for their friendship, even as the struggles of the trip strain it. This would make an excellent movie--I hope it happens someday!

At Seattle's elite Elliott Bay Academy, college admissions is a full-time preoccupation--for the parents. When Stanford says they will only be offering admission to one EBA non-athlete, three mothers obsess about how to get the spot for their daughters. A potentially fatal "accident" raises the stakes, forcing them all to reckon with the question of whether it's all worth it.

I don't often enjoy this kind of suburban domestic fiction with parental schoolyard drama, but the authors struck the right just over-the-top tone here to highlight the absurdity of the college admissions race, while building an interesting backstory for the main character. A good book for fans of Big Little Lies.

The Likeness--the second book in French's Dublin Murder Squad series--is less thriller and more exploration of the psychology of commitment, identity, and friendship. The premise of a murdered girl who looks exactly like Detective Cassie Maddox and calls herself by an old alias of Cassie's is implausible but intriguing. As Cassie goes undercover as the dead girl to find answers, the questions keep coming: Who is this girl? What motivated her? Who wanted her dead and why? Will Cassie be found out, and what will be the consequences? This one reminds me a bit of The Secret History (but it's a little less twisted).

Ellie Mack has been missing for ten years. At fifteen, beautiful, smart, and full of life and potential, she disappeared without a trace. The police suspect she ran away, but her mother Laurel refuses to believe it. Ten years later, divorced and disconnected from her other children, Laurel is still struggling to accept that Ellie is not coming back. Things start to look up when she meets Floyd and quickly falls into a relationship--falling under his nine-year-old daughter Poppy's spell as much as his. Poppy bears an eerie resemblance to Ellie, and soon Laurel is wondering if the connections between them are more than just coincidence.

This book reads as a mystery, and though it's not hard to figure out from the beginning, I was completely hooked and needed to know how the story played out. It's rare that I rate a thriller with five stars, but this one fit the bill. It doesn't quite fit the criteria for a thriller that isn't a mystery, but it's close. Jewell manages to build suspense but is meticulous in tying up loose ends, making this one of the most satisfying thrillers I've read in a long time.

Alicia is a successful painter, living with her photographer husband in London--until he returns home one night and she shoots him in the face. She never says another word. Now she's locked away is a psychiatric facility, and criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber is determined to figure out what Alice isn't saying.

This is a truly unsettling book with very few likable, reliable characters--which left me feeling a little icky, but also made it a great twisty psychological thriller (there's a reason I don't read a ton of books like this). The "big twist" I had heard about truly left me reeling, even though I knew it was coming and was on the lookout. I'm skeptical of gimmicky "twists" these days, but I actually felt a little dizzy as the pieces fell into place and my understanding of the story shifted--definitely a first. Impressively done, and a great pick if you like psychological thrillers.

Author Finlay Donovan is struggling. Her book isn’t finished, she needs to make some money, and her ex-husband is threatening to sue for full custody of her kids. When she’s mistaken for a contract killer while discussing her book with her agent, her curiosity and the lure of the payout) gets the best of her. She doesn’t REALLY plan to kill anyone–but somehow he ends up dead anyway.

As she tries to figure out what happened, she finds herself in the path of the local mob, dodging the police, and stealing the too-weird-to-be-true events for her novel. I don’t typically rate a book like this five stars, but it was just so absurd, so fun and funny that I couldn’t put it down and loved every minute. Fantastic escapist reading for fans of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series–and this is slated to be a series as well!

In a small Washington town, the horrifying deaths of two teen boys shock everyone. Daniel’s father, Isaac, mourns his son and grapples with his anger, turning to his Quaker faith. Jonah’s mother, Lorrie, struggles with guilt. When Evangeline, a pregnant teen girl comes into their lives, she offers hope for new beginnings–and the possibility of answers to the questions that plague them.

Told in alternating voices of imperfect characters, Tompkins weaves a riveting literary mystery. Each distinctive character battles their worst impulses that hold them back from the love they desperately want. It’s a sensitive examination of tragedy and grief–a fantastic debut. Animal lovers will adore the dog who is expertly woven into the lives of the characters (be warned, though, about some violence toward animals in this book).

I'm not generally drawn to mysteries, but I've been hearing so much about Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Gamache series and Three Pines that I had to check it out. Three Pines is a small, artsy town in Quebec that has almost no crime--until one of its beloved elderly residents is found dead in the woods, shot through the heart with an arrow. Is it a hunting accident, or something more? Gamache brings his team in from Montreal to investigate. The great thing about this book is the kind but flawed people at the heart of it. Gamache doesn't follow the bitter-but-brilliant investigator trope; he doesn't always see the answer, but he does know how to lead and relate to people. The people of Three Pines have formed a sort of family against a backdrop of quirks, past hurts, and current struggles. The characters drove me through this book more than the mystery, and I look forward to more visits to Three Pines.

When Reuben's brother Davy flees after an encounter with bullies that ends in murder, 11-year-old Reuben, his poetic sister Swede, and his father follow him into the unforgiving Badlands. While the plot centers on the family's search for Davy, the atmospheric writing touches on poetry, faith, and miracles--for which Reuben's father seems to be a conduit. This book manages to be both tragic and hopeful, and Enger is a writer whose prose is worth savoring.

I'm wrapping two in one here, as I listened to both Hardcore Twenty-Four and Look Alive Twenty-Five. Both are completely predictable, formulaic, but still fun and entertaining addition to the Stephanie Plum series, in which Stephanie is a completely inept bounty hunter. The storylines change slightly, but the drama stays largely the same. Goofy and stereotypical New Jersey characters, funny dialog, and zero forward movement on Stephanie's romances with Morelli and Ranger are the bread and butter of these books. I hardly remember the storylines after finishing them, but I knew what to expect and they were a good choice for a weekend of painting bedrooms.

Emily and Chess have been best friends forever, but lately, things have felt strained. When Chess invites her to stay in a villa in Italy, Emily is hoping the trip repairs their friendship. While there, Emily learns of a murder that took place at a villa in 1974.

She becomes embroiled in the complicated story of sex, drugs, rock and roll–and murder. Determined to find the truth, she starts finding clues hidden throughout the villa. Meanwhile, tensions with Chess continue to rise, and Emily suspects all isn’t as it seems.

This got a little wild, and I can’t say I was fully satisfied with the resolutions in either timeline. However, it did keep me hooked until the end, so it’s a solid three stars.

When a mother walking home with her young son lets go of his hand for a moment, she loses everything. This thriller simmers through the grief following the accident until it turns in a way you won't expect, in one of the few hyped "twists" of recent years that truly surprised me. The first half of the book felt aimless and actually felt like it reached a dead end in the story, but then it picked up and the pieces slowly fell into place. The backstory is well-crafted and walks us through the sadness and desperation the led up to the accident and its aftermath.

"Ten . . ."
Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious "U.N. Owen."

"Nine . . ."
At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead.

"Eight . . ."
Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one . . . one by one they begin to die.

"Seven . . ."
Who among them is the killer and will any of them survive?

At 25 years old, Libby opens a letter to find out the identity of her birth parents--and that she has inherited their abandoned mansion in London. Twenty-five years ago, police were called to the house to find only a baby alive in a crib--and three dead bodies in the kitchen. The four other children were gone. Libby finds herself entangled in the families that lived in the house--and their secrets. Through flashbacks between past and present, as well as from multiple character perspectives, we learn happened in the house and how the events of the past are still unfolding in the present.

Lisa Jewell has become one of my favorite mystery and thriller writers. She writes smart, solid stories with fully developed characters and without gimmicky twists, and I'm pleased to say that The Family Upstairs follows this pattern. She adds just the right touch of creepiness for a reader like me who is a little sensitive to scary stories. Most intriguing here are the manipulative, dark characters, and the flashbacks told by various characters will keep you guessing about what is true and what is not.

Ike and Buddy Lee are two ex-cons with a mission: find who killed their sons and get revenge. They are an unlikely pair; Ike is a Black man on the straight-and-narrow for 15 years, while Buddy is a white redneck who is rarely sober for a full day. Their sons, Isiah and Derek, were married to one another, with a young daughter that Ike and his wife are now raising. Both fathers struggled to accept their sons, but both are grieving hard following their deaths.

The men are determined to make up for their failures in their sons' lives, in the only ways they know. Their search for the killer leads them back into the violent world they left behind--and they slip back in comfortably. Cosby has created two unforgettable characters and a fantastic relationship between them, which is the real driver of this book. They could easily have been drawn as endearing men who simply made past mistakes, but the gruesome and cavalier violence in this book makes it clear: they are hardened criminals who did then, and will do now, whatever it takes to fulfill their end.

The story is gripping (though I guessed many of the reveals), the violence is gruesome (it truly bears repeating), but Ike and Buddy Lee's relationship and journey will stay with you. Highly recommended.

Kitty Collins is a rich influencer who has a gruesome side hobby. It all started with a guy at the nightclub who wouldn’t leave her alone. Then the killing became an addiction. Soon, she's seeking out stories of women and their attackers--and going after the attackers.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but with the cartoonish cover and funny title, I definitely wasn't anticipating what I got. This is a dark and gruesome book--some of the scenes are pretty disturbing. Kitty somehow managed to keep getting away with murder, despite her general sloppiness (how did she keep cleaning up the blood and not leaving a trace??) and the digital trails that would lead police directly to her. I guess it's assumed that a rich, beautiful, white woman wouldn't be a suspect. Despite the plot holes, I was hooked enough to keep reading. Just know that this is not a read-alike for the much lighter humorous thrillers Finlay Donovan or Killers of a Certain Age.

As a day at the zoo winds down, Joan and her four-year-old son, Lincoln, make their way toward the exit and realize that the fireworks they heard earlier were, in fact, gunshots. Joan and Lincoln spend the next three hours running, navigating the false wilderness and exhibits that provide hiding places--for themselves and for their hunters.

This book had me on the edge of my seat--I read it in a matter of hours--and I could feel the weight of the four-year-old in her arms, as well as the desperation to keep him quiet and make him understand the situation without causing hysteria. I have to admit to some reservations about the zoo after reading this book! My only complaint was some questions that were left unresolved by the end of the book--it could have used another chapter or two.

It was a cloudless summer day in the year 1900. Everyone at Appleyard College for Young Ladies agreed it was just right for a picnic at Hanging Rock. After lunch, a group of three girls climbed into the blaze of the afternoon sun, pressing on through the scrub into the shadows of the secluded volcanic outcropping. Farther, higher, until at last they disappeared. They never returned. . . .

A private plane goes down on a flight from Martha's Vineyard to New York City. All onboard are lost, with the exception of a painter and the four-year-old boy he saves, who is also the sole heir to an enormous fortune. The other passengers were wealthy and powerful, and Scott Burroughs, the painter, finds himself the subject of media scrutiny. First for his heroism, and then for his possible role in the crash.

Hawley tells a compelling story as he wades through the pasts of each passenger, examining their relationships and their ultimate paths to a seat on the plane. This didn't feel like a thriller or suspense novel, as the marketing would suggest, but rather an examination of the characters and the media circus that accompanies incidents surrounding people of power. It was a compelling listen; I found the end somewhat disappointing, but the journey to it was enjoyable.

Every night, Christine goes to sleep knowing that she will wake up with no memory–of almost anything. Her day will consist of attempts to reconstruct her identity, and relying on her husband to remind her: an accident stole her memory. She is an adult. She is married.

When she begins keeping a journal to remind herself, cracks begin to form in the stories she is told. The “what would you do” factor here is high, as each day she races time and devises ways to learn before her memory is again erased.

A passenger goes missing on a small luxury cruise liner in this claustrophobic thriller.

An old English estate and a decades-old mystery give this slow-burner of a book its atmosphere, but Morton's sharp storytelling keeps you trying to work out the puzzle from start to finish. Sixteen-year-old Alice's family is torn apart when her baby brother disappears during a midsummer's eve garden party. He is never found, and the house is abandoned. When a wandering detective discovers it years later, she unearths the old mystery and secrets that had been long forgotten.

Social Creature was a spur-of-the-moment library grab, because I remembered Sarah's strong reaction to the book last year. It stuck in my mind as one I had to check out. And everything Sarah said was right: I almost put this down several times, but it took turns that kept me reading and was truly a messed up story.

It reminded me of a recent story in The Cut that I vaguely followed and that caused a bit of an online buzz: read I Was Caroline Calloway and you'll get the idea (even if you have no idea who Caroline Calloway is, because I certainly didn't). Briefly: a meek, plain girl meets a charismatic socialite who takes her under her wing. Plain girl becomes sidekick and hanger-on, and both exploit one another in their own ways. Social Creature draws on archetypes that are apparently common in this weird socialite world, but it takes a truly dark turn and follows a twisted path toward its conclusion.

Super dark, messed up books like this aren't always my thing--I usually feel kind of icky after reading them, and this was no exception (which makes it hard to rate, because the execution was pretty brilliant, if a bit implausible). But sometimes I just can't resist the premise or strong reactions of other readers. For now I'll be taking a break from "dark and twisted" until another comes along that I just can't resist.

If you like ripped-from-the-headlines stories, The Night Swim is for you. Combining several recent headline-making cases (rape by a golden-boy swimmer, true-crime podcast captivates the nation), the book’s fictional distance allows readers to examine both.

While the cover especially makes it look like a thriller, this is more of a procedural courtroom drama, with a twist. Rachel Krall’s true-crime podcast is a sensation, and she goes to Neapolis to follow the trial of a star swimmer accused of raping a teen girl.

While there, she receives mysterious messages from Hannah, who claims her sister Jenny was murdered 25 years prior–though it was officially called an accidental drowning. As Rachel follows the trial, she also digs into Hannah’s story, which has unsettling similarities to the current case.

The Night Swim was excellent on audio. I loved the perspective of a true-crime podcaster, as well as the story’s sensitive take on rape, victim-blaming, and how all-star defendants are treated.

When Tully and Rachel's father, Stephen, announces that he is engaged to Heather--a woman younger than both of them--they are perplexed. Stephen is still married to their mother, who suffers from dementia but is very much alive. They are suspicious of Heather, but willing to give her a chance to support their father.

As the wedding draws near, cracks begin to show that leave Tully, Rachel, and Heather questioning everything they think they know--about themselves, their pasts, and their futures. And the only person who can provide clarity often doesn't remember who she is.

This was a riveting and sometimes disturbing read. The tension isn't in the action, but in the manipulation and uncertainty that underly every interaction. It's well done and all-too-realistic.

Based on a true case from 1843, the story focuses on Grace Marks, a young woman who at the age of 16, was convicted of the murders of her employer, Mr. Kinnear, and a fellow housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery. Her alleged accomplice, James McDermott, was also employed in Kinnear’s home. The two were arrested in a hotel not long after the murders, wearing the victim’s clothes and carrying valuable items stolen from the home. Grace insists she has no memory of the key events.

Now, eight years later, McDermott has been executed and Grace remains in prison. She often assists in the prison governor’s home, providing visitors with opportunities to gawk at the famed murderess. Some community members believe in her innocence and bring in psychiatrist Dr. Simon Jordan to draw out lost moments of Grace’s memory in the hopes of exonerating her. Read my full review of both the book and Netflix series.

For Kya, the marsh is everything: her home, her family, her safety. Abandoned at a young age, she survives alone, aided only by a poor black couple and a boy who teaches her to read and gives her hope for the future. Over the years, she becomes a local legend--the eccentric "Marsh Girl" who refuses to attend school and avoids most people. Lonely, uneducated, and left behind, she finds respite in her emotional and scientific connection with the wilds of the marsh. But her ties to the marsh, her fear of abandonment, and her inability to connect with people are her undoing. Long-held suspicions find their target when a former high school sports hero is found dead and Kya is named as the prime suspect.

While the marsh setting was not appealing to me at first, Owens (who is a nature writer) brought it to life through Kya's eyes. She made me care deeply about both Kya--a resourceful survivor who also feels endlessly vulnerable--and the marsh as her sacred refuge. This character-driven survival story checked a number of boxes for me and will likely be one of the best books of 2018.

Like this book? Check out 13 Books Like Where the Crawdads Sing

Miracle Creek takes us into a courtroom following a devastating accident: a hyperbaric chamber holding a number of patients--including children-- being treated for various conditions, exploded. Two people were killed. The mother of a dead boy is accused of causing the explosion. Miracle Creek takes the reader through each of the people tied to the accident and the events leading up to it, untangling secrets, lies, and the complexities of families.

This is truly a page-turner of a book, and while long, it held up in audio format. It was initially a little difficult to keep track of all of the characters, but they eventually sorted out and I couldn't stop listening. The author interview at the end, in which Kim recounts her own experience with hyperbaric chambers and as an immigrant, is also excellent.

Ruby King's mother was murdered in the south side of Chicago, and Ruby is now left with her violent father. Layla, Ruby's best friend, is determined to save her, but Layla's and Ruby's fathers have a past with secrets that bind their families together across generations.

This is a fantastic debut novel that explores race, generational trauma, and the importance of communities. I loved this on audio; the multiple narrators (including the church itself) were excellent and brought these characters to life.

I loved Jane Harper’s 2019 novel The Lost Man, so I knew I wanted to try out some of her previous books that others had also raved about. In a small town in Australia, Aaron Falk has returned for the funeral of his best friend, Luke, and Luke’s wife and son. It appears that it was a murder-suicide, but Aaron has a hard time believing that’s true. As he investigates, secrets both past and present come to light.

This was a gripping mystery, and Harper uses the Australian landscape and culture of the farms and small towns to full advantage. My only complaint was a little trouble keeping the various characters straight on audio, but the narrator was excellent if you’re able to listen carefully.

Helena has always been a little different from everyone else, but over the years, she's learned to hide that she doesn't always understand social niceties. She has a loving husband and daughters and a business, and life is going smoothly, until she hears that an inmate has killed two guards and escaped from the local prison.

The authorities believe they are on his tail, but she knows the truth. He has disappeared into the marsh, and he's coming for her. The man is her father, and until she was a teenager, she didn't know that he had kidnapped and held captive her mother. Faced with hunting down a man she all-at-once fears, loathes, and loves, Helena goes into the marsh.

The Marsh King's Daughter is a slow-burn of a novel--a little slower than I would have liked, but still unsettling in all the ways a psychological thriller should be. There are thrilling moments that justify the genre designation, but the story is told largely through flashbacks to a childhood tinged with a new interpretation following Helena's discovery of their captivity. It's a unique twist on a psychological thriller, as the reader is forced to understand her love for her father while knowing him to be a monster.

Ruth is a widow living alone in an isolated beach house, and one day Frida shows up claiming to be a care worker sent by the government. Ruth lets her in, and suddenly she begins to question her own perceptions, her memories, and whether Frida can be trusted. I chose this book because it seems to speak to the vulnerability of some elderly people to be preyed upon, particularly if they are isolated.

The domestic thriller that set the stage for a "big twist" trend in publishing.

A gothic sci-fi thriller set at a mysterious university that doesn't allow its students to leave.