2026’s Most Anticipated New Thrillers, Suspense and Mystery Books

Mystery & Thriller Releases By Month

• January Mystery & Thriller Releases
• February Mystery & Thriller Releases

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
Out January 6, 2026

At a glance: an atmospheric gothic suspense thriller

I’ve historically had an off and on relationship with her mysteries/thrillers but at the moment we are in the upswing after The Heiress and this one honestly is giving me vibes that it is going to follow suit.

It’s set around a coastal town that has weathered hurricanes and an infamous murder — a murder being dredged up by true crime author trying to solve the case and the return of the local girl, holding on to her own secrets, accused of the murder and claims to finally be ready to clear her name.

The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave
Out January 6, 2026

At a glance: a thrilling cat-and-mouse sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me

Do not pass go — if you haven’t read The Last Thing He Told Me, don’t read this! This is a sequel to that and fleshes out a lot more of the story! The Last Thing He Told Me truly is one of my favorites of the genre so I highly recommend checking that one out.

The Murder At World’s End by Ross Montgomery
Out January 6, 2026

At a glance: a fun, cozy locked room murder mystery; lots of fun amateur sleuthing

This vibe of murder mystery/amateur sleuthing has been my jam for a bit now (Only Murders, The Thursday Night Murder Club, etc.) and this one is a most anticipated mystery of the year for me.

Billed as Knives Out meets Downton Abbey (really speaking my language here!), it features an odd couple pair – an under-butler and a feisty 80 year old matriarch – as they set out to find a murderer amongst them in a Cornwall manor cut off from the rest of the world as Halley’s Comet is set to pass.

The Trip by Audrey J. Cole
Out January 6, 2026

✔ currently on Kindle Unlimited

At a glance: a thriller featuring a deadly reunion of old friends harboring shared history and secrets

A group of old friends take a trip to mend old wounds and honor the life of their friend who they lost tragically many years ago on another trip. Things take a turn when a deadly storm hits the luxury yacht they are on and people start disappearing unearthing dark secrets from the past.

The Briars by Sarah Crouch
Out January 13, 2026

At a glance: more of a literary mystery/thriller with a dash of romance; atmospheric & outdoorsy vibes

Starting anew after a breakup, a young woman takes a job as a game warden in a small Pacific Northwest town and soon finds herself on the hunt for a murderer when the bodies of two young women are found in the wilderness.

You’ll Never Forget Me by Isha Raya
Out January 13, 2026

At a glance: a cat-and-mouse thriller full of morally gray goodness and dark comedic vibes

A cat-and-mouse game between an ambitious actress who has certainly cleared the way for her career (jump-started by inadvertently killing her biggest rival in Hollywood) and the PI hired to put this murderess behind bars.

This looks so fun — ambitious women trying to outsmart one another but also having undeniable chemistry getting in the way??

Anatomy of An Alibi by Ashley Elston
Out January 13, 2026

⭐ TOP PICK ⭐

At a glance: a fast-paced twisty thriller that I couldn’t put down if my life depended on it

I’ve been a fan of Ashley Elston since The Rules For Disappearing (YA mystery) and 10 Blind Dates (the cutest YA holiday rom-com) but First Lie Wins catapulted her even higher in my book. Anatomy of An Alibi cemented that.

I thought my Airpods were going to fuse to my ear with my compulsive listening when it came to this thrilling story about a dead husband and two women who have an airtight alibi — except only one of them can use it without exposing what they did that night when Aubrey became Camilla and Camilla will get the answers both women want. What follows is a very tangled web of secrets, lies and plots of deceit!

It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara
Out January 13, 2026

At a glance: a domestic thriller where suburban neighborhood drama turns deadly

Sending a message to the wrong person can be mortifying but in this book it becomes downright deadly when a woman sends a gossipy text, meant for her sister, that turns her life and the neighborhood upside down as people wind up dead and secrets are unearthed.

P.S. This author currently has a thriller book adaptation streaming on Peacock — All Her Faults!

Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum
Out January 13, 2026

At a glance: a smart psychological thriller meets romantic suspense all set in the literary/publishing world

Jenna Blum’s Those Who Save Us was one of my favorite books I read back in 2009 and is still a historical fiction book that sticks with me all these years later. This looks like quite a departure from that one being a thriller but I am so excited to see what she can do in this genre!

A struggling author thinks she’s found “The One” after a glowing email from a literary superstar turns into something more romantic between the two of them as they begin to connect.

As she gets pulled further into his orbit, she starts to see first-hand the danger that lurks in his life between the many stalkers as well as the unexplained deaths amongst writers in the support group he runs.

All The Little Houses by May Cobb
Out January 20, 2026

At a glance: a juicy thriller with adults behaving badly and wicked social scheming in 1980s Texas

Nobody is doing it better these days for me with the juicy thrillers that are like murder-y Real Housewives/Desperate Housewives vibes than May Cobb. She knows EXACTLY the fun I’m looking for in these type of read.

This one is that vibe but set in the 1980s and is all about a woman who will do whatever it takes to keep herself and her family dynasty on top socially when a family moves to town that threatens the social order of things.

The blurb comped it to the soapy drama Dynasty from 80s and I have not thought about that show in a very long time but made infinitely more excited for that vibe.

Such Sheltered Lives by Alyssa Sheinmel
Out January 20, 2026

At a glance: psychological suspense set at an exclusive, high end rehab center where rich people behave badly and secrets abound

We follow three celebrities, all harboring their own secrets, checking into an exclusive rehab facility that promises anonymity and recovery away from prying eyes and paparazzi. When a body is discovered, these secrets and their lives are threatened.

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James
Out January 20, 2026

At a glance: a more spooky thriller with a bit of supernatural/horror elements (perfect for Fall!)

Even if you don’t love thrillers that lean more into the supernatural, I need you to give Simone St. James a chance! Seriously, I have hooked many a reader on her when I recommend The Sun Down Motel and this one, while a complete standalone, brings us back into the same mysterious town of Fell, NY. (Truly though that and The Broken Girls are top tier reads!).

After their little brother disappeared during a game of hide-and-seek, amongst many strange happenings in town before and after this incident, three siblings fled their home and never looked back.

Not until they are called to return home by the ghost of their missing brother who will lead them to the answers they’ve wanted for so long.

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney
Out January 20, 2026

At a glance: a twisty psychological thriller for people who love domestic suspense that feel like a mind game

Alice Feeney is an auto-buy author for me in this genre and for good reason.

I mean, imagine going for a quick run (ok, I can’t relate lol) and you come home to find out that your key doesn’t work anymore and the woman standing in your door – slightly resembling you- says she lives there and your husband, who is looking at you like a stranger, says that woman is his wife. HELLO?!

Such a Clever Girl by Darby Kane
Out January 20, 2026

At a glance: a domestic thriller surrounding a family who vanished without a trace 15 years ago

I really enjoyed Pretty Little Wife by this author so I’m excited to unravel the mystery in this book surrounding a family who vanished without a trace 15 years ago leaving a mysterious bloodstain and a scene that looks like they otherwise just stepped out.

Rumors have flown all these years but, when the now 30-something daughter of the family sweeps back into town, the prospect of answers riles up the town as well as three women who all hold secrets about the family and that night.

Very Slowly All At Once by Lauren Schott
Out January 20, 2026

At a glance: a domestic thriller about a family who keeps receiving mysterious sums of money that seems like a gift to fix things in their life…until it isn’t

This sounds SO fun: a family starts receiving mysterious checks (assumed to maybe be from an estranged relative) for an increasing amounts of money that seem like an answer to all their problems — that is until their anonymous benefactor comes to collect.

Dead in the Water by John Marrs
Out January 20, 2026

✔ will be included with Kindle Unlimited

At a glance: a dark psychological thriller about a man obsessed for answers to a memory he can’t place as his own and the extreme lengths he’ll go to get them

I prefer John Marr’s more speculative thrillers most of all but I always look forward to a thriller of his no matter what because he always brings something fresh and exciting that leaves me shook.

A man survives a near drowning and can’t quite shake a horrifying memory and a face he saw when his life flashed before his eyes — a memory he doesn’t ever remember happening. Unable to move on from the memory and the dead boy he saw, he becomes obsessed for answers to the point he’ll try to reach the brink of death again.

Dear Debbie by Freida McFadden
Out January 27, 2026

✔ will be included with Kindle Unlimited

At a glance: a twisty “good for her” revenge thriller

I have the most up and down relationship with Miss Frieda but it is undeniable she will keep me on the edge of my seat!

Her latest seems like the brand of “good for her” vibes I enjoy about a woman who has had enough, especially as her own life seems to be coming undone, and decides to get hands on with some vigilante justice instead of just doling out advice to the women who write in to her advice column.

Escape! by Stephen Fishbach
Out January 27, 2026

At a glance: a more literary thriller about a survival-based reality tv show that goes awry written by a beloved Survivor contestant and insider who can really peel back the curtain on reality tv

Probably the most exciting release for me on this list as a long-time Survivor aficionado who counts Stephen Fishbach as one of my favorite Survivor players. If anyone can make a reality tv set thriller come to life vividly, I just know it’s going to be him.

His exciting debut is about a washed up reality tv winner and a disgraced producer who find themselves looking for redemption and more as they embark on a survival-themed reality tv show that goes awry and threatens their actual survival.

Such A Perfect Family by Nalini Singh
Out January 27, 2026

At a glance: the prime suspect with a suspicious past must prove his innocence in a crime against the family he married into

A man becomes the prime suspect in the deaths of his new wealthy in-laws and the attack on his wife and sister-in-law and his the fact his past is littered with women close to him who have mysteriously died doesn’t help inspire anyone to think he is innocent.

While his wife lies in the hospital in a coma, he works to figure out what actually happened and unravels that there may be more to his wife’s family than the perfect facade showed.

Missing Sam by Thrity Umrigar
Out January 27, 2026

At a glance: literary domestic suspense about a missing wife that examines things like race and sexuality in this sociopolitical climate

An Indian-American woman becomes the prime suspect when her wife goes missing after a run in their suburban neighborhood and examines the aftermath and trauma of being accused as she still tries to figure out what happened to her wife.

Blade by Wendy Walker
Out February 1, 2026

At a glance: a psychological thriller set in the cutthroat world of high level figure skating

After The Favorites last year I am scooping up every book set in the figure skating world!

This one is about a woman who left figure skating after tragedy as a teen but who now is drawn back to her old stomping grounds (and old memories) when her old skating coach is found dead and a young skater is in need of her skills as a defense attorney in the murder.

The Exes by Leodora Darlington
Out February 3, 2026

At a glance: a dark domestic suspense about a woman with a trail of dead exes who desperately hopes this time is different

I love when a book sets off my potential “unreliable narrator” alarm bells off and promises a roller coaster ride of “did she do it or is something else going on here??”

A woman with a failed dating history and a trail of dead exes thinks she finally has found “the one” until it feels like it is slipping away along with her firm grasp on who she is and what actually happened to her exes.

Good Intentions by Marisa Walz
Out February 3, 2026

At a glance: a suspenseful psychological thriller about a woman who becomes obsessed with a fellow grieving stranger

A woman becomes obsessed with a grieving mother she encounters at the hospital the same day her twin sister dies and believes that they were brought together for some bigger reason in their shared tragedy on that day.

It’s Not Her by Mary Kubica
Out February 3, 2026

At a glance: a lakeside family vacation turns deadly

Mary Kubica always seems to deliver for me and I just know this latest psychological thriller from her is going to have me up late as she’s prone to do!

Two family members are found murdered in their cabin and their young teen daughter is missing. As the girl’s aunt tries to make sense of this and find the girl, family secrets are uncovered and the suspects become numerous.

Here Lies All The Boys Who Broke My Heart by Emma Simmerman
Out February 3, 2026

At a glance: a college-set murder mystery about a college senior whose exes start turning up dead

College is for messy romance, studying and bad decisions — not becoming a prime suspect in the murder of a bunch of your exes.

Unfortunately that’s where the main character in this one finds herself when, in her senior year, the exes she eulogized in her diary start turning up dead.

Little One by Olivia Muenter
Out February 3, 2026

At a glance: a more literary suspense about a woman who grew up in cult she desperately wants to keep in the past

A woman’s fresh start is threatened when a digging journalist, who seems to know more than he should, starts asking questions about the cult she grew up in and that was led by her father.

The more he digs, the harder it becomes to keep the past where she buried it and her lingering questions about her sister beg for answers.

Ours is A Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy
Out February 10, 2026

At a glance: domestic suspense unraveling the secrets of three families in a quiet suburb

The lives and secrets of three seemingly unconnected families in a quiet suburb are hurtling toward collision in a tragic way. If you like your jaw to be dropped and the rug to be pulled out from under you, Nora Murphy is for you!

Out of the Loop by Katie Siegel
Out February 10, 2026

At a glance: a woman tries to solve a murder that happened on the day she’s lived out over and over again

I’m a big fan of a good time loop story of any genre but it’s been awhile since it’s been in the mystery/thriller genre and this is a fun twist on it.

A woman is miraculously free of the 2 year time loop she’s been living in only to find out a neighbor was murdered on the day she’s lived hundreds of time. As she gets used to life outside of her time loop, she uses her knowledge of that day to try and solve the murder.

The Better Mother by Jennifer Van Der Kleut
Out February 10, 2026

At a glance: a thriller featuring a co-parenting situation from hell

An expectant mother, the pregnancy a result of a fling, becomes concerned when the girlfriend of her unborn child’s father goes from an alleged helpful interest in co-parenting to something more sinister and obsessed.

Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra
Out February 10, 2026

At a glance: a wintry survival thriller

You know I love a good wintry thriller that becomes a fight for survival from the elements and things that may be lurking. Pair that with a new-to-me author who recently wowed me (hello, Nightwatching!)? It’s a must-read for me.

A backcountry father/son ski trip, a trip meant to wine and dine investors, has a young boy sensing danger and knowing he will have to put his survival skills to the test– from the elements, a potential creature stalking them and the men on the trip themselves.

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera
Out February 10, 2026

At a glance: a locked room whodunnit about a murder that took place in the back of a taxi

A Sri-Lankan taxi driver becomes the obvious prime suspect when a man is murdered in the back of her taxi on a night drive to the airport. Needing to clear her name, with the help of a friend, the woman uses her true crime knowledge to figure out how this nearly impossible crime could happen.

Adrift by Will Dean
Out February 17, 2026

At a glance: a dark, claustrophobic domestic suspense about a family living under the controlling thumb of the patriarch

This one sounds heavy but nail-biting as it is about a family who is living under the control of the patriarch on a remote canal boat where he dictates every part of their life and has been pulling them further and further from anyone else. As they try to survive and make plans for the future, the family descends even further into darkness and toxicity.

A Sociopath’s Guide To A Successful Marriage by MK Oliver
Out February 17, 2026

At a glance: a dark humor driven crime novel about a reformed sociopath who will do whatever for her family’s success and well-being

If you love reading about a good anti-heroine, this might be a good one to pick up. It’s about an ambitious wife and mother whose dark little secret of being a bit of a sociopath and murderer could get in the way of the picture perfect life and family she is trying to achieve.

I’m Not The Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig
Out February 17, 2026

At a glance: a cozy mystery about a former serial killer who must prove her innocence when bodies pile up at her retirement home

Carol is finally out of prison and ready to enjoy her golden years at her luxury retirement home and ready to leave her serial killer past behind. However, when a murder in her new home leads people to find out about her past she must clear her name and find the real killer.

Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
Out February 17, 2026

At a glance: a TRULY claustrophobic cat-and-mouse thriller about a cave exploration adventure gone wrong

I often think of No Exit from Taylor Adams and I’m ready to be taken for a ride with a new one from him!

Get ready to feel claustrophobic as you read about a woman who finally agrees to go on a cave exploration trip with her friend that turns into a fight for survival and an untangling of secrets as a detective parses what happened from the survivor.

The New Neighbors by Claire Douglas
Out February 17, 2026

At a glance: a neighborhood thriller about a woman who is convinced her neighbors are going to commit a crime

A woman overhears a conversation between her upstanding 60-something neighbors and, despite those around her claiming it was a case of mishearing, is convinced they are planning a crime and starts to nose around for answers.

Finders Keepers by Natalie Barelli
Out February 24, 2026

At a glance: thriller about a woman who tries to get close to the author who somehow published a book containing her dark past and secrets

I really hope this one delivers because it sounds so good!

Very cat and mouse vibes about an author who is befriended by a woman who is trying to figure out how the author’s published book contains her actual dark past and secrets in it and prevent her biggest secret from ever being revealed.

* Previously self-published and you can read this on Kindle Unlimited for free right now!

Pinky Swear by Danielle Girard
Out February 24, 2026

At a glance: a domestic thriller about a woman’s search for her friend who agreed to be her surrogate but disappears right before the due date

Childhood best friends Lexi and Mara drifted apart after a high school tragedy and Lexi is surprised when Mara shows up all these years later fleeing from a bad situation. She takes her in and the two share closeness once again — especially when they make the decision that Mara will become her surrogate.

It’s a dream come true to become a mother until Mara disappears right before the due date and, in her search to find her friend and unborn child, she starts to wonder how well she really knew her friend at al.

Then He Was Gone by Isabel Booth
Out February 24, 2026

At a glance: a thriller about a couple’s search for their missing child

At the end of a family hike, a couple allows their two boys to run a bit ahead to meet them at the car. Expecting both boys to be there they are in for a shock when only one of their sons is there while the other one went to the restroom and never came back.

The terrified parents, with the local authorities, investigate both scary possibilities — their son is lost in this National Forest or he was kidnapped by whoever was driving the truck their son saw around the time his brother went to the restroom.

She Thought She Was Safe by Terri Parlato
Out February 24, 2026

At a glance: a domestic thriller about a tight-knit community with secrets

A woman connects with her estranged famous father and accepts his invitation to stay at his secluded lakeside community in hopes of building a relationship with him and work on her novel after a tough period in her life.

Her hopes of a fresh start are dashed when a neighbor turns up dead and things turn ominous as she discovers the history and secrets of this community.

Blood Relay by Devon Mihesuah
Out February 24, 2026

At a glance: a mystery about an Indigenous detective investigating a woman’s disappearance and threats to her reservation

Perry, a Choctaw Detective, and her partner Sophia are investigating the disappearance of a beloved woman and athlete which leads them on a path filled with other abductions of Indigenous women and a very chilling threat to her reservation that puts her own life and family at jeopardy the more she follows the lead.

How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson
Out February 24, 2026

At a glance: a police procedural about a detective’s race to find the author of a manual for murder

When a teenager is found murdered in a London park and the only lead is the “how to get away with murder” manual found at the scene, a detective sets out to find the author – self-proclaimed most successful serial killer of all time – of the book while trying to solve the latest murder that seems inspired by it.

Reasons To Lie by Emily Listfield
Out February 24, 2026

✔ will be included with Kindle Unlimited

At a glance: a student is murdered on a school trip and plenty in the school community have things to hide

Three very different moms with students at the same elite private school have built an unexpected friendship — until tragedy strikes and a student is murdered on a school trip. It seems everyone – including the women – has something to hide in the school community and the relationships of these women starts to crack as everyone attempts to do what they need to protect their own.