THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS AT NOT COST TO YOU. 
I have always loved a good mystery book. The more twists and turns, the better.
A few years ago, I really struggled with finding fiction I loved. I spent a decade reading non-fiction exclusively. Although I learned a lot in those years, I missed reading a good story. A story with captivating characters and enthralling plot.
Lucky for you, I do a lot of book research each and every month. I find friends and bloggers with great reading taste and I read what they love. Sometimes, I find a winner. Sometimes, I quit reading the book after I few chapters.
For whatever reason, my to-read list this past year was full of great thrillers and mystery books. I literally can't get enough of this genre right now.
I complied my favorite, could not put down, I read in a weekend (some in ONE day) mystery books. These books are my go-to recommendations when friends ask me what to read next. I can't stop thinking of the characters and the plot long after the final pages. They are that good.
So if you need a good mystery fix. I am your gal! On to the books!
Anna and Marco have a wonderful life. From the outside, they appear to have it all - a wonderful home, a loving marriage, and a beautiful baby. Their world flips upside down when they attend a dinner party at the neighbor's house. A horrible crime is committed. Anna and Marco are the main suspects, but the truth is complicated.
I read The Couple Next Door in one day. It is full of twists and turns. I loved the storyline and the characters were unforgettable. Grab this book for the pool or a vacation.
Scott Burroughs and a 4-year-old boy are the only survivors of a private jet that crashed into the ocean 16 minutes after take off. The boy is the only heir of a wealthy and powerful media mogul. The investigation into this strange crash takes all kinds of twists and turns. It is faced paced and will keep you guessing until the end.
In 1930, Judge Joseph Crater steps into a cab in New York City and is never seen again. Joseph Crater was a prominent judge in New York City. He was married to his faithful and fashionable wife, Stella. He employed a hard-working maid, Maria, and spent time with his showgirl mistress named Ritzi. The day he goes missing unfolds through the eyes of each woman and reveals the stories of their lives. The ending was not what I expected and kept me guessing until the end. I could not put this book down.
Big Little Lies follows 3 women at a turning point. Madeline is strong and unforgiving. Divorced and remarried, he ex-husband and his new wife move to town. Their children go to school together. Her teenage daughter would rather spend more time with her dad than Madeline.
Celeste is stunning and beautiful. She is raising two rambuncious twin boys. She and her husband are the envy of everyone at school. Her fairlytale life comes a price and she is unsure how much she is willing to let go to share the truth.
Jane is a single mom and new to town. She is struggling with all the decisions she has made in life up to this point. Celeste and Madeline take her under their wing. They have no idea how that new friendship will unravel thier worlds.
This book is one of my all-time favorites. Once I started it, I couldn't stop!
Jenna Gray moves to a broken down cottage in a remote coastal town. She wants to forget a terrible car accident and the child she lost. The middle of this book will leave you in shock and have you on your toes until the end! Fans of Girl on the Train and Gone Girl will love this book. Fair Warning: this book deals with the death of a child and domestic violence.
Ingrid Coleman writes letters to her husband and hides them in books around their home. Her marriage to Gil has been rocky from the beginning. The life she has is nothing like the dreams she had when she met him in college. Ingrid writes her final letter and disappears. She leaves her husband and 2 daughters behind.
Her disappearance is a mystery. Twelve years later, Gil thinks he sees Ingrid in town. Their daughter Flora comes home to care for Gil and learns her family secrets are bigger than she imagined. This book goes back in forth from Ingrid's letters to present time. The letters and the characters had me captivated from the first few pages. I really enjoyed this book.
Julie Whitaker was thirteen when she was kidnapped from her bedroom in the middle of the night. She was never seen again. Eight years later, a woman who looks just like Julie shows up on her parent's doorstep. Her family is ecstatic. The daughter they assumed was dead is home.
As the days go by, Anna, Julie's mother grows concerned that the daughter who returned home is not Julie. This story unwraps with every chapter, leaving the reader guessing until the end. This book has amazing characters and mind-bending plot. It will leave you guessing until the end.
Warning: If you are sensitive to certain content, read this book with discretion. This book deals with violence towards women and sexual abuse.
Kate Morton's books have great content without excessive violence and sex. I can be over sensitive to some material, so I always appreciate her ability to write an amazing book that won't give me nightmares!
Alice Edevanes youngest brother mysteriously vanishes during a summer party. The case went cold and decades later is accidentally picked up by a young detective, Sadie Sparrow. The novel parallels a similar case Sparrow is working on in London. The book chronicles the Edenvanes family history and is a fascinating look into family dynamics and all the secrets we keep.
Aubrey Hamilton's husband was declared dead 5 years after he went missing. It is has been a long 5 years for Aubrey dealing with her husband's strange disappearance. Aubrey has struggled to cope and move on. Her marriage seemed to be great on the outside. Or was it? What really happened to her husband? No One Knows is a thriller that will have you guessing until the end. I could not put this book down. Fans of The Girl on the Train or Gone Girl will love this book.
The Career of Evil is the third novel it the Cormoran Strike series written by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling). In the opening chapter, Strike's assistant Robin receives a severed leg in the mail. The book dives into an investigation of this leg that leads deep into Strike's past and is full of twists and turns. I could not put this book down. Be warned, it is violent and talks of severed body parts. If you are sensitive to those things, I would be careful with this book. I enjoyed this book more than the second. I talked about book two here. In all, I have really enjoyed this series. I am hopeful for more.
Mystery novels are great for vacation and pool side reading. Pick one of these books for your next vacation.
If you need more book inspiration, check out my monthly book reports. I share with you everything I am reading. I would love to help you find your next read.
Do you want to read more but don't know where to start? I've been there. I struggled to find GOOD books to read and found myself reading the same genre of books over and over. I compile these monthly book reports to take the guesswork out of reading.