15 Best New Thriller & Mystery Books for Summer 2022
12 Best Psychological Thriller Books
When it comes to the best psychological thriller books, you should definitely experience them without knowing much about the actual story. That can be quite difficult in a world where a lot of the very best ones are made into films or TV shows, but it can really be worth it if you can possibly avoid spoilers for these stories. Some of the best psychological thriller books read like horrors, with the sense of anticipation building up and up until the reader is sure that something is going to snap at any moment. Test out your nerves and check out this selection.
The Best Psychological Thriller Books
1. My Sister, The Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite
This is one of the newest books on the list, published only in 2019, but it was a sensation at the time of publication, and got listed for a ton of prestigious awards such as a Booker Prize longlisting and shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. The literary merits of this book aside, it is also just a really great read.
Korede is the put-upon elder sister who has helped her little sister Ayoola clean up no less than three times after Ayoola has murdered three boyfriends. Ayoola says it is self-defence and Korode doesn’t really think about it, until Ayoola starts dating a man that Korode has been in love with. My Sister, The Serial Killer is full of treacle-thick black comedy and as sharp as any classic thriller you can think of.
2. And Then There Were None – Agatha Christie
Speaking of classics, Agatha Christie is a name that has to come up on a list of the best psychological thriller books. She was a master of the genre, building stories so tightly wound that by the end of the tale, you’re on the edge of your seat.
Ten strangers are brought to an island off the coast of Devon, and at dinner a recording plays the voice of their mysterious host, accusing all of them of harbouring a guilty secret. As a storm sets in over the island, the guests begin to die one by one. And Then There Were None is a murder mystery by definition – in fact, the best-selling murder mystery of all time – but the psychological elements of the story are plain to see.
3. Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
Another absolute master of the genre is Daphne Du Maurier, an author who really knew how to create an atmosphere with her settings and then exploit that atmosphere for maximum creepy effect. Her Jamaica Inn is a masterclass in writing setting, but Rebecca is the true jewel in her crown when it comes to psychological thrillers.
A young woman is wooed and quickly chooses to marry the enigmatic widower Maxim de Winter. He takes her to Manderley, his Cornish estate, where the new Mrs de Winter quickly comes to realise that her husband – and indeed his entire household – is haunted by the memory of his first wife Rebecca, and the mysterious circumstances of her death. It is no exaggeration to say that Rebecca is one of the best psychological thriller books of all time.
4. The Woman In The Window – A.J Finn
From the classics to the shiny and new now, A.J Finn’s debut The Woman In The Window took the world of psychological thrillers by storm when it was released in 2018. It has spawned a Netflix movie since then which has, predictably, got some pretty poor reviews so you are much better off checking out the book that started it all.
Anna Fox is a woman who hasn’t left her house in ten months. She spends a lot of her time watching the world go by through her window, and when the Russell family move in, she is drawn to them and how perfect they seem to be. One night though, Anna hears a scream and is thrown into having to uncover the truth of what she saw – but can she even trust herself?
5. Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
The phenomenon that was the buzz around Gone Girl had to start somewhere, and of course it can all be traced back to Gillian Flynn’s sharp and clever writing in easily one of the most popular and best psychological thriller books of recent years. She is a real talent, capable of building up tension to levels so unbearable that even a reader needs to take a break to catch their breath.
On the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne’s wife Amy has disappeared. The police suspect Nick and Amy’s friends confirm that she was afraid of her husband. Nick denies it, but evidence begins to build against him and we are drawn into a story where absolutely nothing can be taken at face value, and nothing is quite how it seems.
6. Red Dragon – Thomas Harris
The Hannibal Lecter series is four books strong, and thanks to the way that the films – especially The Silence of the Lambs – have been absorbed into pop culture, we think we know Hannibal Lecter’s story. But if you don’t read the books, you’re missing out on some seriously skilled writing — Harris really knows his trade.
Red Dragon, the second book chronologically in the Hannibal Lecter series, is the original novel and the one that started the whole legend of Lecter. Will Graham was a profiler extraordinaire until he was injured capturing Dr Hannibal Lecter. When a new serial killer emerges, Graham realises he needs Lecter’s brilliant mind to help him capture the killer. So we are introduced to Dr Lecter, one of the greatest characters of all time, and an expert manipulator.
7. Out – Natsuo Kirino
If you like your psychological thrillers to have more than a touch of the macabre about them, then Out is probably the book for you. It is definitely not a read for the faint-hearted. Published in Japan in 1997, it was translated into English in 2004 and was very well received. Kirino is a big name in crime writing in Japan, and it isn’t hard to see why.
Out follows four women who work the nightshift at a boxed lunch factory, packing bento boxes. Each of them has a difficult home life, full of issues with their families. When one of the women snaps and murders her abusive husband, the women band together to dispose of the body – which is fine, until the body parts begin to turn up and the women begin to turn on each other.
8. Misery – Stephen King
No list of best psychological thriller books is complete without Stephen King, and of course, that book has to be Misery, his masterpiece in suspenseful writing. Like Hannibal Lecter, Misery is so engrained in the zeitgeist that we feel we know the story already, but if you haven’t had a chance to check out the original novel then I’d recommend giving it a read.
Paul Sheldon, a popular author, is badly injured in a car accident and taken into the home of Annie Wilkes, who cares for him and gives him pain medication. As Paul realises he is a prisoner in her home, he comes to understand that Annie is a psychotic fan of his work, intent on forcing Paul to bring back to life a character he killed off in his last novel.
9. The Family Upstairs – Lisa Jewell
Lisa Jewell is a big name when it comes to modern psychological thrillers and almost any of her novels could have been included on this list. The Family Upstairs is a pacy, dark and twisted affair with a plot that zips along at high speed, leaving any reader a bit breathless with anticipation.
In a house in Chelsea, a well-fed and happy baby is awake in her cot, waiting to be picked up. But the only other occupants of the house are three decomposing bodies which have been dead for some time. Someone has been looking after the baby, but they’re gone now. What happened to them? And why has the baby been left alone?
10. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson
Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy is a genre-defining work of Swedish crime novels, published posthumously after the tragically early death of the author in 2004. In 2008, Larsson was the second-best selling author in the whole world thanks to his Millennium trilogy, and of course it all started with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
Lisbeth Salander is Larsson’s greatest creation, a tattooed computer hacker hired alongside disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist to solve a forty-year-old mystery. Harriet Vanger disappeared from a gathering on an island owned by her family, and her uncle is still convinced that a member of the family killed her. Salander and Blomkvist are about to discover how far the rich and powerful Vangers will go to protect themselves.
11. Shutter Island – Dennis Lehane
Dennis Lehane is a prolific author, with more than a dozen novels to his name. Many of these are in the Kenzie and Gennaro series, but Shutter Island is one of his standalone novels, and a really great one. Lehane writes with an old-school, hardboiled vibe that is completely engrossing from start to finish.
Shutter Island follows US Marshal Teddy Daniels as he tracks an escaped killer to the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane on Shutter Island. There is a hurricane headed for the island and Teddy finds more mystery than he expected, from cryptic clues to a woman escaping from a locked room. Someone is trying to drive Teddy mad, and the closer he gets to the truth, the harder it is to see exactly what it is he’s looking for.
12. The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides
One further newer entry for the list, it would be a surprise if The Silent Patient wasn’t chosen for future best psychological thriller books lists – Michaelides’ debut really is something special. If you are a big fan of twist endings in your thrillers, then this is certainly the book for you to check out.
Theo Faber is a psychotherapist charged with finding out why Alice Berenson, a woman with an apparently perfect life, shot her husband five times. She hasn’t said a single word since that day, and Theo is obsessed with getting her to talk and unravelling the mystery of the whole thing. But the search for truth threatens to consume him.
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33 Best Thriller Books to Read in 2021
Sometimes you get in the mood for a little suspense, and there's no better way to scratch that itch than with a killer book—literally. Thrillers never fail to get your heart pumping, making you turn the page at warp speed while also delivering an oddly satisfying uneasiness about what's to come. Naturally, the gripping psychological thrillers on this list make for excellent beach reads or Halloween books as the spooky season approaches.
You might recognize one in particular that has been adapted into a Netflix show: You, which is returning for a third season in 2021. If you want to read the novel that started it all, check out Carolyn Kepnes's tale below. Or, for another piece of juicy fiction that'll be getting the small screen treatment, read Liane Moriarty's Nine Perfect Strangers.
New to the genre? Beginners might enjoy The Last Thing He Told Me which is as captivating as it is page-turning. No matter what, you won't regret spending a few afternoons with these thrilling books.
15 Best New Thriller & Mystery Books for Summer 2022
Summertime calls for relaxation, sunshine, a good book — and of course, a good scare. Want to get your heart racing while poolside? These 15 best new thriller and mystery books will do just the trick.
Whether you’re looking for something slightly spooky or downright horrifying, this diverse batch of beach reads has it all: YA and adult, psychological thrillers, classic slasher tales, unsettling supernatural mysteries, and page-turning whodunits. Take your pick! Just know that you won’t be able to put it down until you’re done… or else. JK!
While most of the books in this roundup are already waiting for you on the shelves, there are a few releasing later throughout the summer for you to look forward to. From the Bronx to haunted houses to summer camp, masterfully wicked authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Jennifer Lynn Barnes will transport you to different worlds — how's that for summer travel?
Check out our roundup of the 15 best new thriller and mystery books perfect for summer 2022 below.
Summer's Edge by Dana Mele
Described as I Know What You Did Last Summer meets The Haunting of Hill House, young adult author Dana Mele's second novel Summer's Edge follows the reunion of four friends a year after the tragic death of a member of their once-inseparable group. Emily died in an accidental fire in the summer lake house. But when the four remaining friends return to the lake house, now rebuilt, it becomes evident that Emily's death wasn't actually an accident — and the person responsible is in the house, looking for revenge.
The It Girl by Ruth Ware (July 12)
Author Ruth Ware has been called “the Agatha Christie of our generation," and her new book is evidence of how worthy she is of the title. April Clarke-Cliveden was the “It girl” at Oxford. During her first term, April made a mark on campus and on her friends' lives, especially Hannah Jones — which made it hurt even worse when April was killed by the end of their freshman year. Now, a decade after April was murdered, a journalist contacts Hannah with new evidence that seems to suggest the man convicted of her murder was actually innocent — and her close-knit group of college friends may be more guilty than she thought.
Courtesy of brand The It Girl by Ruth Ware $27 at Bookshop
The Island by Adrian McKinty
Adrian McKinty's The Island has already been optioned for television as a Hulu Original Series, so this is the perfect chance for you to read the book before it hits your screens. A thriller about a family vacation that morphs into a nightmare, the synopsis reads: “After a tragic accident, a young wife with her new husband and his two children find themselves being hunted by locals in harsh bushland. Her husband doesn’t really believe in her, the kids don’t trust her and the locals want to kill her. But Heather has been underestimated most of her life and she knows that she is capable of bringing this family together, becoming the mother her children need, even if it means doing terrible things to keep them all alive.”
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Perfect for fans of Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, Lucy Foley's The Paris Apartment tells the tale of Jess, a young woman seeking a fresh start. Looking for a change of scenery, she decides to temporarily move to Paris and crash with her half-brother Ben, who already lives in the City of Light. But when she arrives at Ben's Paris apartment, he's nowhere to be found. As days pass and Ben is still MIA, Jess comes to realize that the people she's questioning aren't really Ben's neighbors… they're suspects to his disappearance.
Courtesy of brand The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley $27 at Bookshop
Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado
In a modern thriller described as Stranger Things meets Jordan Peele's social thriller universe, Vincent Tirado's debut novel Burn Down, Rise Up follows a group of friends “determined to save their city at any cost.” A dark fictional twist on the real-life incidents of missing Black teens, two kids from the Bronx get wrapped up in a terrifying urban legend called the Echo Game, one they'll have to play to win and save their community… or die trying.
Courtesy of brand Burn Down, Rise Up by Vincent Tirado $18 at Bookshop
The Counselors by Jessica Goodman
Summer camp is the most classic horror story setting for a reason. When a kid ends up dead in Camp Alpine Lake, one counselor named Goldie knows that someone isn't telling the truth… because she isn't either. When secrets threaten to surface, Goldie finds herself in the center of a tragic mystery, betrayal, and terrible danger.
We Made It All Up by Margot Harrison (July 12)
For fans of Mare of Easttown, Margot Harrison's We Made It All Up is a modern thriller that plays with the thin line between fiction and real life. When two high school misfits named Vivvy and Celeste befriend one another and start to write a star-crossed fanfiction about the most popular guy in school and the outcast stoner, the fanfic starts to reveal parts of Celeste's past. When Vivvy and Celeste break through the real-life social barrier at school, Celeste ends up kissing the school's golden boy… who then turns up dead. Soon enough, all eyes are on Vivvy and Celeste, who can't seem to remember where she fits into the story of Joss' murder.
Courtesy of brand We Made It All Up by Margot Harrison $17 at Bookshop
Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey (July 19)
When Vera, the daughter of a serial killer, returns to the house that her father buried his victims underneath to reunite with her estranged mother, she quickly realizes that there are still secrets alive in the place she once called home. When notes start popping up around the house in her father's handwriting, she must find out what else is still undiscovered — or has been kept hidden — in the foundations of her home.
Courtesy of brand Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey $26 at Bookshop
The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson
Written by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson, young adult thriller The Agathas is inspired by none other than the mystery master Agatha Christie… with a little dash of Veronica Mars. The synopsis reads: “The most popular girl in school is dead. And everyone’s blaming the wrong guy. After falling from grace last summer, Agatha Christie-obsessed Alice Ogilvie needs to stay out of trouble. While smart and reclusive Iris Adams just wants to get the hell out of Castle Cove. But now they have a murder to solve. There are clues the police are ignoring, a list of suspects a mile long and some very dangerous cliffs. Amateur detectives Alice and Iris are about to uncover just how many secrets their sleepy seaside town is hiding."
Courtesy of brand The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson $18 at Bookshop
Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier (July 19)
When Paris Peralta is the number one suspect in the murder of her celebrity husband — she's arrested right at the crime scene, covered in his blood holding a straight razor — it's not being convicted that scares her. It's the threat of her dark and twisted past that she's worked so long to hide finally being exposed. The past is coming back to haunt her, and potentially destroy her future.
Courtesy of brand Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier $23 at Amazon
The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (July 19)
Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night author Silvia Moreno-Garcia is back with a historical science fiction thriller that's a reimagining of H.G. Well's The Island of Doctor Moreau, set in nineteenth-century Mexico and weaving in political themes like colonialism and feminism that Moreno-Garcia effortlessly pens.
Courtesy of brand The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia $26 at Bookshop
We Were Kings by Court Stevens
The synopsis for Court Stevens' murder mystery We Were Kings reads: “Twenty years ago, eighteen-year-old Francis Quick was convicted of murdering her best friend, Cora King, and sentenced to death. Now the highly debated Accelerated Death Penalty Act has passed giving Frankie thirty final days to live. Surprising everyone, one of the King family members sets out to challenge the woefully inadequate evidence and potential innocence of Frankie Quick. The at-first reluctant but soon-fiery Nyla and her unexpected ally—handsome country island boy Sam Stack—bring Frankie’s case to the international stage through her YouTube channel, Death Daze. They step into fame and a hometown battle that someone’s still willing to kill over. But who? The senator? The philanthropist? The pawn shop owner? Nyla’s own mother?”
Courtesy of brand We Were Kings by Court Stevens $19 at Bookshop
Two Truths and a Lie by April Henry
New York Times bestselling author April Henry is back with a YA mystery that follows a high school acting troupe who find themselves trapped by a blizzard in an old motel — with a killer. When a harmless game of Two Truths and a Lie reveal that there's a murderer amongst them, the teens must uncover who is putting on the best performance of their lives… or die.
Courtesy of brand Two Truths and a Lie by April Henry $17 at Bookshop
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (August 18)
Alice Feeney has been lauded as the “Queen of Twists” — and her Agatha Christie inspired whodunit Daisy Darker may just be her crowning achievement. When the Darker family reunites for Nana's 80th birthday party at her secluded tidal island home, a storm brings the tide in, preventing them from leaving. Suddenly, Nana is found dead. Then, an hour later, another family member is killed. In a modern take on And Then There Were None, Alice Feeney presents twist after twist after twist.
The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (August 30)
The highly-anticipated next chapter of Jennifer Lynn Barnes' The Inheritance Games saga arrives on August 30, so mark your calendars now. Here's the synopsis: “To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her. But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.”
Courtesy of brand The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes $18 at Bookshop
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