13 New Mystery Books You Won't Stop Thinking About This Summer
Kick off the summer reading season with our selection of plot-twisting page-turners you won't be able to put down. These new mystery novels range from fun, quick reads to pulse-pounding and perhaps panic-inducing (in the best way) experiences.
If you’re here, your reading preferences likely skew toward the macabre—something psychologically messed up, maybe a serial killer or two, a supernatural haunting, disturbing mystery, twisty turns, a rollercoaster of emotion, mayhem and enough suspense to keep you up all night. Sound like your kind of book? Good. This summer has you covered with a long and seriously impressive list of new releases. Lock your doors.
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13 New Mystery Novels
1. Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon
Jillian Moorewood has always been the responsible one in her family of con artists—even going to prison to protect them. After more than three years away, she’s returned to the family’s compound with an ultimatum: The scamming Moorewoods can either go straight or be cut off from the family coffers. Her crooked cousins and uncle respond with a series of escalating attacks that Jillian and her new, hunky bodyguard work together to outsmart. Oceans 8 fans will love the fun and fast pace of Moorewood Family Rules (Avon). $17, amazon.com
2. Where are the Children Now? by Alafair Burke and Mary Higgins Clark
In 1975, Mary Higgins Clark captivated readers with her bestseller, Where Are the Children?—a gripping tale about a mother wrongfully accused of harming her children, Mike and Melissa. Forty years later, the sequel, Where Are the Children Now? (Simon & Schuster), follows the now-grown siblings attempting to find Melissa’s missing stepdaughter. To survive, they’ll need to draw on the experience of their own abduction and finally acknowledge the trauma they survived. A powerful and worthy successor to the original. $20, amazon.com
3. The Night Flowers by Sara Herchenroether
Seeking a distraction from her breast cancer treatments, librarian Laura MacDonald teams up with Jean Martinez, a veteran detective, to solve a cold case in The Night Flowers (Tin House). Thirty years earlier, in 1983, the bodies of a young woman and two children were found in New Mexico’s Gila National Forest. Drawing on a thin case file, the unlikely pair set out to finally get justice for the victims in a book that’s pulse-pounding and poignant. $24, amazon.com
4. The Senator’s Wife by Liv Constantine
Anyone who still misses watching Kerry Washington in Scandal won’t want to miss Constantine’s The Senator’s Wife (May 23, Bantam), a delicious concoction of political intrigue, medical mystery and psychological suspense. The titular senator’s wife, D.C. philanthropist Sloane Chase, becomes convinced that the in-home nurse her husband hired to assist after hip surgery is trying to steal her life. Be prepared: You’ll be tempted to finish this one in a single sitting. $26, amazon.com
5. Central Park West by James Comey
Former FBI director Comey draws on his experience prosecuting mobsters in this fiction debut (May 30, Mysterious Press). U.S. attorney Nora Carleton is on the cusp of finally sending a notorious mobster to jail when her star witness claims the crime family was responsible for the recent murder of a disgraced former governor, Tony Burke. The accusation derails plans to prosecute Burke’s ex-wife and sparks a battle between the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Manhattan District Attorney and the NYPD. Equal parts political thriller, legal suspense and police procedural, Central Park West will keep readers turning pages late into the night. $26, amazon.com
6. A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao
It’s 1914, and Indian police sergeant Akal Singh has been sent to Fiji after making an embarrassing professional mistake. When an indentured Indian woman disappears from a plantation, Akal recognizes it as a chance to redeem his reputation, but his superiors urge him to conduct a cursory investigation. Combining a tightly plotted mystery with a thoughtful critique of colonialism, A Disappearance in Fiji (June 6, Soho) establishes debut author Rao as a writer to watch. $26, amazon.com
7. All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby
Cosby reminds us all he’s the reigning king of Southern noir with this latest thriller (June 6, Flatiron). A year after former FBI agent Titus Crown became the first Black sheriff in the history of his hometown, a young Black man is fatally shot by one of his deputies. Titus vows to complete a thorough investigation and uncovers a serial killer lurking in the community, launching a gripping cat-and-mouse game between the sheriff and a murderer. $24, amazon.com
8. Hot Pot Murder by Jennifer J. Chow
The second installment of Chow’s cozy mystery series set at a California market, Hot Pot Murder (June 6, Berkley) is as charming and delightful as the first. The food stall cousins Yale and Celine Yee run is so successful they’ve been invited to attend an exclusive dinner with the local restaurant owners’ association. Unfortunately, their celebration is cut short by the murder of the group’s president. When suspicion falls on the cousins’ good friend, they set out to find the real murderer. Spending time with these characters is a treat, but—full warning—this book will make you hungry. $9, amazon.com
9. Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding
On New Year’s Eve 1999, seven women are gathered in a hotel room—with the severed head of a man they all had reason to kill. Each woman denies she committed the murder, but they agree to work together to uncover the truth. Speak of the Devil (June 13, Minotaur) is told from alternating perspectives, giving each suspect a chance to reveal her secrets and possible motive. With seven unreliable narrators, the twists in this one will keep readers guessing. $28, amazon.com
10. You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard
Heard’s You Can Trust Me (June 13, Bantam) follows two best friends—and con women. For five years, Summer and Leo scammed Californians up and down the coast. When Leo meets billionaire Michael Forrester, the pair thinks their future is set, until she goes missing on his private island. Summer quickly cons one of Michael’s friends and earns a coveted invite to the isle. Once she’s there—and learns there’s no way to leave—she uncovers a series of deadly secrets. It’s a propulsive cross between The Talented Mr. Ripley and And Then There Where None, with a feminist twist. $28, amazon.com
11. To Have and To Heist by Sara Desai
Why choose between a heist book and a romance novel when To Have and to Heist (July 18, Berkley) offers both? When down-on-her-luck Simi Chopra receives a phone call–not a text—from her best friend Chloe, she knows it’s serious. Just how serious? Chloe’s been set up for the theft of a $25 million necklace. After Simi’s rescue attempt fails spectacularly, a mysterious criminal, Jack, suggests they team up to steal the necklace from the real thief, thereby clearing Chloe’s name and making millions in one move. Come for the crime; stay for the sizzling chemistry. $17, amazon.com
12. The Stolen Coast by Dwyer Murphy
Jack Betancourt runs the family business, helping people with powerful enemies disappear. The arrival of his ex-girlfriend, Elena, in his sleepy Massachusetts beach town upsets his routine. A longtime swindler, Elena explains her plans to steal millions in diamonds from a colleague’s safe. Jack becomes entangled in his ex’s plan, and the pair launch a complex plot. Atmospheric and transportive, fans of classic hard-boiled noir will want to put The Stolen Coast (July 18, Viking) on the top of their to-be-read lists. $27, amazon.com
13. How Can I Help You by Laura Sims
A book lover’s dream, How Can I Help You (July 18, Putnam), is a taut, high-stakes thriller set in a library. None of Margo’s colleagues or patrons at the library know her real name or that she spent years as a murderous nurse who killed her patients. But Patricia, her new co-worker, senses Margo is hiding something. After a patron is found dead in the library’s bathroom, Patricia becomes obsessed with finding—and exposing—her colleague’s secret, a fixation that culminates in a shocking climax. $27, amazon.com
Next up, Want to Crack the Case? These Are The 101 Best Mystery Books of All Time
