A Crime Fiction Reading List for Self-Isolation
It’s safe to say these are unprecedented times. With the rapid spread of the new coronavirus around the world, a whole lot of us (yours truly included!) are finding ourselves with a whole lot more solitary time on our hands as we stay home and self-isolate. If you’re in this position and looking for a new book or two to take your mind off the news cycle, you’ve come to the right place!
I’ve compiled a big list of highly-recommended crime books for you to peruse—and my hope is that one of these (or a few of these!) can keep you company and give you a sense of escape during these very overwhelming times. To help you find a book that will suit your reading tastes, I’ve organized this reading list by mood. Whether you’re in the mood for something binge-worthy, something bookish, or something downright scary, there’s a book for you here.
If you have any questions or need a personalized recommendation, please feel free to reach out! I’m always happy to help. As always, happy reading, and stay safe! xx A
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When you want an isolated mystery to match your own self-isolation…
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie
Why I Love It:
Agatha Christie is known as the Queen of Crime for a reason. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE is the ultimate “locked room mystery,” and it’s the perfect way to dip into Agatha Christie’s work, too. I’m not a huge fan of re-reading books, but this is a story I can read over and over, and I never stop marveling at Christie’s clever plotting.
About the Book:
Ten people, each with something to hide and something to fear, are invited to a isolated mansion on Indian Island by a host who, surprisingly, fails to appear. On the island they are cut off from everything but each other and the inescapable shadows of their own past lives. One by one, the guests share the darkest secrets of their wicked pasts. And one by one, they die…
Which among them is the killer and will any of them survive?
DEATH IN THE FAMILY by Tessa Wegert
Why I Love It:
This is the perfect modern-day take on a classic crime-inspired premise. DEATH IN THE FAMILY has a private island settling, a cast of highly suspicious characters, and all the intrigue you could want from a locked-room mystery — not to mention a duo of crime-solving protagonists who will have you hoping that this book becomes a series launch.
About the Book:
Thirteen months ago, former NYPD detective Shana Merchant barely survived being abducted by a serial killer. Now hoping to leave grisly murder cases behind, she's taken a job in her fiancé's sleepy hometown in the Thousand Islands region of Upstate New York.
But as a nor'easter bears down on her new territory, Shana and fellow investigator Tim Wellington receive a call about a man missing on a private island. Shana and Tim travel to the isolated island owned by the wealthy Sinclair family to question the witnesses. They arrive to find blood on the scene and a house full of Sinclair family and friends on edge.
While Tim guesses they're dealing with a runaway case, Shana is convinced that they have a murder on their hands. As the gale intensifies outside, she starts conducting interviews and discovers the Sinclairs and their guests are crawling with dark and dangerous secrets.
Trapped on the island by the raging storm with only Tim whose reliability is thrown into question, the increasingly restless suspects, and her own trauma-fueled flashbacks for company, Shana will have to trust the one person her abduction destroyed her faith in—herself. But time is ticking down, because if Shana's right, a killer is in their midst and as the pressure mounts, so do the odds that they'll strike again.
THE HUNTING PARTY by Lucy Foley
Why I Love It:
If you usually love juicy psychological suspense, this is the “locked room” mystery for you. Interpersonal drama and long-hidden secrets between old friends keep THE HUNTING PARTY fresh and fun, while a chilly atmosphere and sinister plot give this book plenty of suspenseful intrigue. Fans of Ruth Ware will love Lucy Foley’s debut novel.
About the Book:
Everyone's invited...everyone's a suspect...
During the languid days of the Christmas break, a group of thirtysomething friends from Oxford meet to welcome in the New Year together, a tradition they began as students ten years ago. For this vacation, they’ve chosen an idyllic and isolated estate in the Scottish Highlands—the perfect place to get away and unwind by themselves.
The trip begins innocently enough: admiring the stunning if foreboding scenery, champagne in front of a crackling fire, and reminiscences about the past. But after a decade, the weight of secret resentments has grown too heavy for the group’s tenuous nostalgia to bear. Amid the boisterous revelry of New Year’s Eve, the cord holding them together snaps, just as a historic blizzard seals the lodge off from the outside world.
Two days later, on New Year’s Day, one of them is dead. . . and another of them did it.
Keep your friends close, the old adage says. But how close is too close?
When you want a thriller scary enough to take your mind off everything else…
THE SANDMAN by Lars Kepler
Why I Love It:
This is one utterly gripping serial killer thriller, and it introduces a villain whose creepiness rivals that of Hannibal Lecter. Kepler is a husband-and-wife writing duo, and this book is part of a series, but it can easily be read on its own. THE SANDMAN has short, action-packed chapters, and it’s absolutely dripping with suspense. If you’re a fan of The Silence of the Lambs, this book is for you!
About the Book:
Late one night, outside Stockholm, Mikael Kohler-Frost is found wandering. Thirteen years earlier, he went missing along with his younger sister. They were long thought to have been victims of Sweden's most notorious serial killer, Jurek Walter, now serving a life sentence in a maximum security psychiatric hospital. Now Mikael tells the police that his sister is still alive and being held by someone he knows only as the Sandman. Years ago, Detective Inspector Joona Linna made an excruciating personal sacrifice to ensure Jurek's capture. He is keenly aware of what this killer is capable of, and now he is certain that Jurek has an accomplice. He knows that any chance of rescuing Mikael's sister depends on getting Jurek to talk, and that the only agent capable of this is Inspector Saga Bauer, a twenty-seven-year-old prodigy. She will have to go under deep cover in the psychiatric ward where Jurek is imprisoned, and she will have to find a way to get to the psychopath before it's too late--and before he gets inside her head.
I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
Why I Love It:
This book is part ghost story, part murder mystery, and all creepy entertainment. It takes a familiar-sounding plot - a group of friends renovating an old building - and pushes it in all kinds of unique and spine-tingling directions. As an added bonus, this book is set in Iceland, so it’s got a fantastic sense of place, too! Yrsa is one of my personal favorite authors, and this is my favorite book of hers.
About the Book:
International superstar Yrsa Sigurdardottir has captivated the attention of readers around the world with her mystery series featuring attorney Thora Gudmundsdottir. Now, Yrsa will stun readers once again with this out-of-this-world ghost story that will leave you shivering. In an isolated village in the Icelandic Westfjords, three friends set to work renovating a rundown house. But soon, they realize they are not as alone as they thought. Something wants them to leave, and it's making its presence felt. Meanwhile, in a town across the fjord, a young doctor investigating the suicide of an elderly woman discovers that she was obsessed with his vanished son. When the two stories collide, the terrifying truth is uncovered. In the vein of John Ajvide Lindqvist, this horrifying thriller, partly based on a true story, is the scariest novel yet from Yrsa Sigurdardottir.
KILL CREEK by Scott Thomas
Why I Love It:
KILL CREEK is a horror story written for horror fans. It follows horror writers who agree to spend the night in a supposedly haunted house as a publicity stunt…. What could go wrong? (Everything. Everything can go wrong.) I loved this page-turning, slasher-movie-worthy story. Do keep in mind that this is truly a horror book, and it gets quite bloody and violent.
About the Book:
At the end of a dark prairie road, nearly forgotten in the Kansas countryside, is the Finch House. For years it has remained empty, overgrown, abandoned. Soon the door will be opened for the first time in decades. But something is waiting, lurking in the shadows, anxious to meet its new guests…
When best-selling horror author Sam McGarver is invited to spend Halloween night in one of the country’s most infamous haunted houses, he reluctantly agrees. At least he won’t be alone; joining him are three other masters of the macabre, writers who have helped shape modern horror. But what begins as a simple publicity stunt will become a fight for survival. The entity they have awakened will follow them, torment them, threatening to make them a part of the bloody legacy of Kill Creek.
When you want a binge-worthy “popcorn read”…
THE FIRST MISTAKE by Sandie Jones
Why I Love It:
Sandie Jones is one of my go-to authors when I’m looking for juicy, totally entertaining psychological suspense, and THE FIRST MISTAKE is such an excellent take on a story of a marriage gone awry. I have to admit, when I first read this book’s plot description, I thought it sounded a bit stereotypical for the domestic suspense genre… but I was totally wrong. The read here is totally fresh, twisty, juicy, and fun, and I loved my time spent in this book.
About the Book:
THE WIFE: For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house.
HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved.
HER BEST FRIEND: Through the ups and downs of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced . . .
The first mistake could be her last.
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by B.A. Paris
Why I Love It:
This is one of my most-recommended domestic suspense novels! BEHIND CLOSED DOORS is pure entertainment: it’s over-the-top, twisty, shocking, and completely fun to devour. Don’t expect anything too serious or realistic here—what I love most about this book is how it truly is entertainment, pure and simple. If you want something easy to devour and brimming with interpersonal secrets, this is the book for you.
About the Book:
Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He’s a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You’re hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You’d like to get to know Grace better.
But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.
Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.
Some might wonder what’s really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.
GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. Ellison
Why I Love It:
This is my favorite J.T. Ellison book yet. This suspense novel takes place in an all-girls prep school, and it’s got secret societies, toxic friendships, suspicious deaths, and a whole lot more. What’s not to love? In GOOD GIRLS LIE, readers delve into the dark side of a prep school that educates the daughters of the world’s most powerful businesspeople, politicians, and more—and the secrets they find there will shock and entertain.
About the Book:
Goode girls don’t lie…
Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond.
But a stranger has come to Goode, and this ivy has turned poisonous.
In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder.
When a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide.
But look closely…because there are truths and there are lies, and then there is everything that really happened.
When you want a book about books…
EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS by Peter Swanson
Why I Love It:
In EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS, a bookseller at a mystery-focused bookstore is tapped to advise the FBI on a series of crimes that seem to be inspired by classic mystery novels. This is a crime fiction aficionado’s dream: a mystery built for crime fiction fanatics, filled with in-genre jokes and references to some of the greatest classic crime novels in history.
About the Book:
Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack—which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”—chosen from among the best of the best including Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, Ira Levin’s Death Trap, A. A. Milne's Red House Mystery, Anthony Berkeley Cox's Malice Aforethought, James M. Cain's Double Indemnity, John D. Macdonald's The Drowner, and Donna Tartt's A Secret History.
But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookstore in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. The killer is out there, watching his every move—a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife.
To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects . . . and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead—and the noose around Mal’s neck grows so tight he might never escape.
THE STRANGER DIARIES by Elly Griffiths
Why I Love It:
A modern suspense story inspired by Gothic literature, THE STRANGER DIARIES is immersive and very clever. It centers around a murder inspired by a Gothic story, and finds a teacher of Gothic literature working to prevent more stories from coming true. This was my first book by Griffiths, and I couldn’t put it down!
About the Book:
Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she even teaches a course on him. But when one of Clare’s colleagues is found dead, with a line from Holland’s iconic story “The Stranger” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with her favorite literature.
The police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her diary, the only outlet for her suspicions and fears. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:
“Hallo Clare. You don’t know me.”
Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?
LIES SHE TOLD by Cate Holahan
Why I Love It:
The “book within a book” mystery gets a fresh twist in Cate Holahan's excellent psychological thriller LIES SHE TOLD. This book is a fantastic crossover of bookish intrigue and juicy psychological suspense. I absolutely loved following along with author Cate Holahan’s expert plotting—this book has a true “book within a book” element to it, and I was simply in awe of how Holahan juggled timelines and plots so effortlessly.
About the Book:
The truth can be darker than fiction.
Liza Cole, a once-successful novelist whose career has seen better days, has one month to write the thriller that could land her back on the bestseller list. Meanwhile, she’s struggling to start a family, but her husband is distracted by the disappearance of his best friend, Nick. As stresses weigh her down in her professional and personal lives, Liza escapes into writing the chilling exploits of her latest heroine, Beth.
Beth, a new mother, suspects her husband is cheating on her while she’s home caring for their newborn. Angry and betrayed, she aims to catch him in the act and make him pay for shattering the illusion of their perfect life. But before she realizes what she’s doing, she’s tossing the body of her husband’s mistress into the East River.
Then, the lines between Liza’s fiction and her reality eerily blur. Nick’s body is dragged from the East River, and Liza’s husband is arrested for his murder. Before her deadline is up, Liza will have to face up to the truths about the people around her, including her own. If she doesn’t, the end of her heroine’s story could be the end of her own.
When you want a psychological thriller that’s got something a bit different to offer…
DARLING ROSE GOLD by Stephanie Wrobel
Why I Love It:
True crime addicts, listen up - this is a crime novel that you’ll love. Debut author Wrobel tackles the disturbing syndrome of Munchausen by proxy in her psychological suspense novel DARLING ROSE GOLD. This book is sharp, sinister, sometimes totally crazy, and all-around totally engrossing. When I read DARLING ROSE GOLD, it had been ages since I found a book that I genuinely couldn’t put down. This book solved that slump for me!
About the Book:
For the first eighteen years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was seriously ill. She was allergic to everything, used a wheelchair and practically lived at the hospital. Neighbors did all they could, holding fundraisers and offering shoulders to cry on, but no matter how many doctors, tests, or surgeries, no one could figure out what was wrong with Rose Gold.
Turns out her mom, Patty Watts, was just a really good liar.
After serving five years in prison, Patty gets out with nowhere to go and begs her daughter to take her in. The entire community is shocked when Rose Gold says yes.
Patty insists all she wants is to reconcile their differences. She says she's forgiven Rose Gold for turning her in and testifying against her. But Rose Gold knows her mother. Patty Watts always settles a score.
Unfortunately for Patty, Rose Gold is no longer her weak little darling...
And she's waited such a long time for her mother to come home.
THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides
Why I Love It:
This is simply an exceptional psychological thriller. This book is probably best characterized as a “whydunnit” - a story that isn’t asking who committed a crime, but why they did so. It’s a deep-dive into the mind of a woman convicted of murdering her husband, and a deep-dive into the mind of the therapist committed to treating her. Bonus: it weaves in elements of Greek mythology (!) and it’s got an utterly knockout ending.
About the Book:
Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....
REWIND by Catherine Ryan Howard
Why I Love It:
REWIND is a very engaging, easy-to-binge psychological suspense read - but what makes it really stand out is its structure. True to its title, this book is structured like a video. It’s got sections titled “Fast-Forward,” “Pause,” “Rewind,” and more, and each section pulls readers into the past, present, and future of the story’s central mystery. It sounds confusing, but it’s not at all - it’s just totally entertaining.
About the Book:
PLAY
Andrew, the manager of Shanamore Cottages, watches his only guest via a hidden camera in her room. One night the unthinkable happens: a shadowy figure emerges on-screen, kills her, and destroys the camera. But who is the murderer? How did they know about the camera? And how will Andrew live with himself?
PAUSE
Natalie wishes she’d stayed at home as soon as she arrives in the wintry isolation of Shanamore. There’s something creepy about the manager. She wants to leave, but she can’t—not until she’s found what she’s looking for …
REWIND
Psycho meets Fatal Attraction in this explosive story about a murder caught on camera. You’ve already missed the start. To get the full picture you must rewind the tape and play it through to the end, no matter how shocking …
When you want a suspense novel that’s a bit creepier than you might expect…
LOCK EVERY DOOR by Riley Sager
Why I Love It:
Riley Sager always infuses his psychological thrillers with touches of the creepy, and LOCK EVERY DOOR is no exception. Here, a modern-day story gets a touch of the Gothic: a young woman accepts a job as an apartment-sitter in a luxurious New York apartment building with a dark past.
About the Book:
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.
Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's sordid past and into the secrets kept within its walls. What she discovers pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.
THE SUN DOWN MOTEL by Simone St. James
Why I Love It:
THE SUN DOWN MOTEL isn’t just creepy - it’s a story with straight-up ghosts running around. I love how Simone St. James manages to make supernatural touches feel so authentic in her stories, and I loved the way THE SUN DOWN MOTEL blends real-world mystery with a compelling ghost story.
About the Book:
Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. But something isnʼt right at the motel, something haunting and scary.
Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. She decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.
THE HIDING PLACE by C.J. Tudor
Why I Love It:
C.J. Tudor is one of my personal favorite authors, and she’s such a perfect choice when you want a psychological thriller that’s pretty darn creepy. THE HIDING PLACE has elements of horror-inspired thrills - this is a story guaranteed to send some shivers down your spine.
About the Book:
Joe never wanted to come back to Arnhill. After the way things ended with his old gang—the betrayal, the suicide—and what happened when his sister went missing, the last thing he wanted to do was return to his hometown. But Joe doesn’t have a choice, not after a chilling email surfaces in his inbox: “I know what happened to your sister.” It’s happening again . . .
Lying his way into a teaching job at his former high school is the easy part. Facing off with onetime friends who aren’t too happy to have him back in town—while avoiding the enemies he’s made in the years since—is tougher. But the hardest part of all will be returning to the abandoned mine where his life changed forever, and finally confronting the horrifying truth about Arnhill, his sister, and himself. Because for Joe, the worst moment of his life wasn’t the day his sister went missing.
It was the day she came back.
When you want to travel to Scandinavia from the comfort of home…
Travel to Norway in THE SNOWMAN by Jo Nesbo
Why I Love It:
THE SNOWMAN is my favorite book, so it’s no surprise it wound up on this list! Nesbo is one of the preeminent crime writers in Scandinavia, and experiencing the grit and intensity of his writing is the perfect way to “travel” to Norway from the comfort of home. Bonus: if you fall in love with THE SNOWMAN, it’s part of Nesbo’s bestselling Harry Hole series - you’ve got a lot more Nesbo books you can read while you’re at home! (This is NOT book one in the series, but it’s perfectly fine to dip in here!)
About the Book:
One night, after the first snowfall of the year, a boy named Jonas wakes up and discovers that his mother has disappeared. Only one trace of her remains: a pink scarf, his Christmas gift to her, now worn by the snowman that inexplicably appeared in their yard earlier that day. Inspector Harry Hole suspects a link between the missing woman and a suspicious letter he’s received. The case deepens when a pattern emerges: over the past decade, eleven women have vanished—all on the day of the first snow. But this is a killer who makes his own rules . . . and he’ll break his pattern just to keep the game interesting, as he draws Harry ever closer into his twisted web. With brilliantly realized characters and hair-raising suspense, international bestselling author Jo Nesbø presents his most chilling case yet—one that will test Harry Hole to the very limits of his sanity.
Travel to Sweden in THE ICE PRINCESS by Camilla Lackberg
Why I Love it:
A chilly atmosphere plus endearing characters combine to create the unique atmosphere of Camilla Lackberg’s Fjallbacka series, of which THE ICE PRINCESS is book one. These books aren’t as dark or gritty as your standard Nordic Noir; instead, these will be a great choice for readers who prefer less violent crimes and gentler, less damaged characters.
About the Book:
In this electrifying tale of suspense from an international crime-writing sensation, a grisly death exposes the dark heart of a Scandinavian seaside village. Erica Falck returns to her tiny, remote hometown of Fjällbacka, Sweden, after her parents’ deaths only to encounter another tragedy: the suicide of her childhood best friend, Alex. It’s Erica herself who finds Alex’s body—suspended in a bathtub of frozen water, her wrists slashed. Erica is bewildered: Why would a beautiful woman who had it all take her own life? Teaming up with police detective Patrik Hedström, Erica begins to uncover shocking events from Alex’s childhood. As one horrifying fact after another comes to light, Erica and Patrik’s curiosity gives way to obsession—and their flirtation grows into uncontrollable attraction. But it’s not long before one thing becomes very clear: a deadly secret is at stake, and there’s someone out there who will do anything—even commit murder—to protect it.
Travel to Denmark in THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS by Sara Blaedel
Why I Love It:
This book was the first I read by Blaedel, and I instantly fell in love with her writing! THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS is an installment in Blaedel’s bestselling Louise Rick series, but it’s a great place to dive in and sample the series. Blaedel’s books are procedurals with endearing characters - they’re not as gritty or violent as Nesbo, but they’re a bit darker than Lackberg.
About the Book:
The body of an unidentified woman has been discovered in a remote forest. A large, unique scar on one side of her face should make the identification easy, but nobody has reported her missing. Louise Rick, the new commander of the Missing Persons Department, waits four long days before pulling off a risky move: releasing a photo of the victim to the media, jeopardizing the integrity of the investigation in hopes of finding anyone who knew her.
The gamble pays off when a woman recognizes the victim as Lisemette, a child she cared for in the state mental institution many years ago. Lisemette was a "forgotten girl", abandoned by her family and left behind in the institution. But Louise soon discovers something even more disturbing: Lisemette had a twin, and both girls were issued death certificates more than thirty years ago.
Louise's investigation takes a surprising when it brings her closer to her childhood home. And as she uncovers more crimes that were committed--and hidden--in the forest, she is forced to confront a terrible link to her own past that has been carefully concealed. Set against a moody and atmospheric landscape, THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS is twisty, suspenseful, emotionally intense novel that secures Sara Blaedel's place in the pantheon of great thriller writers.
Travel to Iceland in THE DARKNESS by Ragnar Jonasson
Why I Love It:
Iceland has such a special atmosphere, and Ragnar Jonasson captures it beautifully in his compelling and immersive Hidden Iceland trilogy. THE DARKNESS, the first trilogy installment, sets this trilogy up in a fascinating way: it introduces readers to the series protagonist at the end of her career. This trilogy is told backwards chronologically, which sounds like it could be confusing or gimmicky, but is far from it.
About the Book:
The body of a young Russian woman washes up on an Icelandic shore. After a cursory investigation, the death is declared a suicide and the case is quietly closed.
Over a year later Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavík police is forced into early retirement at 64. She dreads the loneliness, and the memories of her dark past that threaten to come back to haunt her. But before she leaves she is given two weeks to solve a single cold case of her choice. She knows which one: the Russian woman whose hope for asylum ended on the dark, cold shore of an unfamiliar country. Soon Hulda discovers that another young woman vanished at the same time, and that no one is telling her the whole story. Even her colleagues in the police seem determined to put the brakes on her investigation. Meanwhile the clock is ticking.
Hulda will find the killer, even if it means putting her own life in danger.
When you want a bookish alternative to binge-watching a TV crime drama…
THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN by Dot Hutchison
Why I Love It:
This sinister and harrowing story pits a team of FBI agents against a seriously twisted criminal. Hutchison structures this story in a fresh, engaging way: this story begins with our criminal having been captured, and constructs a (disturbing) picture of his horrific acts through the testimony of one of the women who survived him.
About the Book:
Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden.
In this garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees…and a collection of precious “butterflies”—young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes. Overseeing it all is the Gardener, a brutal, twisted man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely specimens.
When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning. FBI agents Victor Hanoverian and Brandon Eddison are tasked with piecing together one of the most stomach-churning cases of their careers. But the girl, known only as Maya, proves to be a puzzle herself.
As her story twists and turns, slowly shedding light on life in the Butterfly Garden, Maya reveals old grudges, new saviors, and horrific tales of a man who’d go to any length to hold beauty captive. But the more she shares, the more the agents have to wonder what she’s still hiding…
STALKER by Lars Kepler
Why I Love It:
This book is one of Kepler’s Joona Linna thrillers, but can easily be read on its own. If you’re in the market for a purely gripping thriller about police chasing down a twisted stalker, this is simply the book for you. Short chapters, lots of action, and a shocking ultimate reveal make this my personal favorite Kepler book.
About the Book:
The Swedish National Crime Unit receives a video of a young woman in her home, clearly unaware that she's being watched. Soon after the tape is received, the woman's body is found horrifically mutilated. With the arrival of the next, similar video, the police understand that the killer is toying with them, warning of a new victim, knowing there's nothing they can do. Detective Margot Silverman is put in charge of the investigation, and soon asks Detective Joona Linna for help. Linna, in turn, recruits Erik Maria Bark, the hypnotist and expert in trauma, with whom Linna's worked before. Bark is leery of forcing people to give up their secrets. But this time, Bark is the one hiding things.
Years before, he had put a man away for an eerily similar crime, and now he's beginning to think that an innocent man may be behind bars--and a serial killer still on the loose. . .
EENY MEENY by M.J. Arlidge
Why I Love It:
This is the ultimate binge-read for fans of TV shows like Criminal Minds. It’s got a premise reminiscent of the Saw movie franchise (but far less gory, I promise!), and it introduces readers to a protagonist you’ll love to root for. Bonus: this is the first book in a series, so if you love it, there’s lots more where it came from!
About the Book:
Two people are abducted, imprisoned, and left with a gun. As hunger and thirst set in, only one walks away alive.
It’s a game more twisted than any Detective Helen Grace has ever seen. If she hadn’t spoken with the shattered survivors herself, she almost wouldn’t believe them.
Helen is familiar with the dark sides of human nature, including her own, but this case—with its seemingly random victims—has her baffled. But as more people go missing, nothing will be more terrifying than when it all starts making sense....
That’s a wrap on this recommendation list! If you have any questions or would like additional recommendations, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Stay safe and healthy, and happy reading! xx A
Home ownership feel like a distant dream? Zillow listings have you convinced you’ll be renting for the rest of your life? The woman at the heart of Carissa Orlando’s debut The September House feels your pain—and she’s prepared to put up with a lot if it means she and her husband can finally have a place to call their own. In this case, that might just mean living in a house that’s haunted. Playful and irreverent, spine-tingling and spooky, The September House puts a fresh spin on the classic haunted house story, delivering an immersive tale about the secrets lurking within one building’s walls, and within the lives of its inhabitants.