15 New Winter Book Thrillers That You Won't Be Able To Stop Thinking About
1.Hemlock Hollow by Culley Holderfield
Release date: December 6
What it's about: Caroline returns to her family's cabin in the South after her father dies. She spends her time packing up her family's possessions and unraveling the original owner's haunting history. The cabin is infamous for the fatal love triangle between two feuding brothers, loner Carson and mean Thomas, and magnetic Marinda. Caroline can't help but obsess about fellow nature lover and accused murderer Carson, especially since she and other cabin dwellers have had spooky experiences.
2.Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson
Release date: December 27
What it's about: Amateur sleuth and high school senior Stevie travels to London to visit her boyfriend. Once there, she gets caught up in a cold case from the '90s about two theater students who were murdered during a trip with their seven best friends. Nine Lives is a YA version of Nancy Drew, where Stevie tries to solve the mystery with the help of her best friends, from the acclaimed author of The Box in the Woods.
3.The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone
Release date: January 3
What it's about: The Blackhouse is an awesome, atmospheric thriller about Maggie, a young woman who travels to a small Scottish town to make sense of visions she's had since she was a girl. She actually moves into a small cottage on the isolated island and interviews the locals about a man she believes was murdered there in the '90s. Immerse yourself in Scottish culture with this creepy must-read!
4.The Summer Party by Rebecca Heath
Release date: January 5
What it's about: Thirty-five-year-old Lucy reluctantly returns to her grandmother's empty cottage in South Australia when news breaks that human remains were found on the beach nearby. Once there, she again becomes engrossed in the enigmatic lives of the wealthy Whitlam family, Mae, Annabelle, and gorgeous Harry, and the disappearance of their mother at their party years ago. The Summer Party is Daisy Darker meets Inventing the Abbotts with a disturbing mystery wrapped around a family saga.
5.Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper
Release date: January 10
What it's about: Followers of the #MeToo movement and the Harvey Weinstein trial must read Everybody Knows, a crime thriller that gives away the Hollywood dirt without actually admitting anything. Mae is an effective publicist in LA specializing in the last resort and extremely confidential cases. Her trusted boss, Dan, is found dead in the middle of LA traffic after hinting about a salacious secret to Mae, and she is determined to find out what happened.
6.Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica
Release date: January 10
What it's about: In typical Mary Kubica fashion (my head is still spinning from The Other Mrs), Just the Nicest Couple is full of twists and secrets that hook the reader until the very end. Things have not been going well for Nina and her husband, Jake, but she never expected him to completely disappear. Her co-worker and close friend Lily tells her husband she saw him the night before his disappearance but keeps the information from Nina. Tension rises the more days Jake stays missing, and more secrets threaten to surface.
7.What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
Release date: January 17
What it's about: What Lies in the Woods is a creepy mystery about three childhood friends with deep, dark secrets. Now in their 30s, Naomi, Olivia (Liv), and Cassidy reunite in their small town after the death of their accused assailant. Although the assailant was also an alleged serial killer, Liv feels guilty about not telling the whole truth about that night. Naomi decides to help her find out the truth, which results in unbelievable repercussions.
8.Exiles by Jane Harper
Release date: January 31
What it's about: Exiles is a cool and well-written family drama by popular Australian author Jane Harper. Detective Aaron Falk (think Knives Out/Glass Onion's Detective Benoit) returns to Southern Australia for best mate Raco's son's baptism. It was canceled the year before after Kim, Raco's sort-of sister-in-law and mother of a 1-year-old, went missing. Falk is the boy's godfather and is obliged to return to the close-knit community, but he can't help trying to solve the cold case disappearance, which happened at the annual Food and Wine Festival.
9.The Black Queen by Jumata Emill
Release date: January 31
What it's about: The Black Queen is a YA mystery/thriller set in the South. When would-be first Black Homecoming queen Nova is found dead, her best friend Duchess immediately suspects white, legacy runner-up Tinsley. But the deeper Duchess digs into her late friend's life, the more secrets and suspects are revealed.
10.Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez
Release date: February 7
What it's about: If you want to get fully creeped out, read Our Share of Night, a legendary Latine horror reminiscent of The Shining. Set in Argentina, this is the first English translation of Enriquez's hit. Cult member and recent widower Juan will do anything to save his young son Gaspar from becoming enveloped in the cult. And I mean anything. His tricks will astonish you. Our Share of Night spans decades from the '60s to the '90s, and although it describes the devastation of the government's dictatorship, nothing is as disturbing as the "macumba," or black magic, of the powerful cult.
11.Murder at an Irish Castle by Ellie Brannigan
Release date: February 7
What it's about: If you're looking for a fun mystery, Murder at an Irish Castle is the book for you. It's probably my favorite book on this list because of the lovable and well-developed heroine, Rayne McGrath. Although Rayne's life in Beverly Hills has suddenly turned to shit because of her backstabbing boyfriend and business partner, she is still wary about following her late uncle's request to move into his castle in Ireland. However, after her crabby cousin Ciara insists her uncle was murdered, Rayne decides to dedicate her time and attention to the upkeep of the castle and its longtime staff.
12.Every Missing Girl by Leanne Kale Sparks
Release date: February 7
What it's about: The heavy topics in Every Missing Girl make it the perfect read for fans of CSI and Law and Order: SVU. Colorado FBI Agent Kendall is swept up in a string of kidnappings of young girls, including her colleague Detective Taylor's 12-year-old niece. Despite the dark reality of their investigation and many loose ends, Kendall, Taylor, and their team manage to liven things up with their witty banter.
13.The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
Release date: February 21
What it's about: The Writing Retreat is a must-read for established and budding authors alike. Writers know that getting words on the page at a writing retreat can be stressful, but the atmosphere should never get dangerous! Determined to be published, Alex attends an exclusive writers retreat at world-famous author Roza Vallo's isolated and possibly haunted winter manse. It's uncomfortable enough with her frenemy there, but things get terrifying once a guest disappears, and Alex stops being able to tell the difference between nightmares and reality.
14.Last Violent Call by Chloe Gong
Release date: February 28
What it's about: If you want a quick read during these short winter days, Last Violent Call (Foul Lady Fortune 1.5) is your answer. Fans of These Violent Delights and Foul Lady Fortune can enjoy two novellas with the same characters. In A Foul Thing, Roma and Juliette investigate the mysterious murders of Russian girls in Zhouzhuang, China. In This Foul Murder, Benedikt and Marshall get involved in a murder train mystery aboard the Trans-Siberian Express.
15.Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
Release date: February 28
What it's about: Delicious Monsters is an addictive YA horror story set in Northern Ontario. Badass Brittney travels to the legendary vacation home "Miracle Mansion" to investigate a missing Black girl for her burgeoning web series, Haunted. Brittney is determined to unravel the truth about the house, specifically the harsh accusations about former teen resident Daisy.
