Update Consent

Best New Mystery and Thriller Books of December 2020

10 Captivating New Thriller and Mystery Books Coming Out in December

Dec 2 2020

As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.

Twisted family secrets, an open house that ends in tragedy, a holiday that's not what it seems — December's new thriller and mystery reads are full of plots that will keep you questioning everyone's motives. These 10 novels are perfect for long winter nights spent curled up by a fire with a cosy blanket to stave off the chill that accompanies the best thrillers. Go ahead and start brewing a cup of your favourite tea now, because these mysteries are just begging to be unraveled . . . and trust us, there's no way you'll be able to choose just one of these exciting new titles to add to your ever-expanding TBR.

Image Source: Amazon

1. The Cousins by Karen M. McManus

Karen M. McManus, the author of One of Us Is Lying, returns with The Cousins, a new twisted family thriller. This time around, the story follows a trio of cousins who are beckoned by the grandmother they've never met to work at her island resort. Unfortunately, what sounds like a dream job will lead them to discover dark secrets about their family's past (and present).

Out Dec. 1

Image Source: Amazon.com

2. Every Last Secret by A.R. Torre

The desire to create a perfect life for themselves drives two women to dangerous extremes in A.R. Torre's Every Last Secret. Cat Winthorpe has it all: a gorgeous house, social standing, and the perfect husband. Unfortunately for her, her new neighbour Neena is obsessed with the idea of claiming Cat's success as her own, starting with Cat's husband, William.

Out Dec. 1

Image Source: Amazon.com

3. The Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Claire Eliza Bartlett's The Good Girls is a thriller for the Me Too era. The murder of senior Emma Baines puts three of her fellow classmates at the top of the suspect list, but the truth behind Emma's death isn't what it seems. And with a secret threatening to come to light, it's only a matter of time before someone else is killed.

Out Dec. 1

Image Source: Amazon.com

4. The Last Resort by Susi Holliday

Susi Holliday puts a modern twist on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None in The Last Resort. Seven strangers are invited on an all-expenses paid holiday to a private island in this twisty tale, and as you can imagine, there is a dangerous catch attached to their free ticket to paradise.

Out Dec. 1

Image Source: Amazon.com

Watch This!

Pop Quiz

Watch the Cast of Fear Street Play a Creepy Game of Horror Movie "Would You Rather"

5. The Dead Season by Tessa Wegert

Shana Merchant wants nothing more than to leave her past behind in Tessa Wegert's The Dead Season. Unfortunately for Shana, serial killer Blake Bram wants her to return home and delve into the suspicious death of her uncle, and if she ignores his challenge, the blood spilled will be on her hands.

Out Dec. 8

Image Source: Amazon.com

6. The Open House by Sam Carrington

The Open House by Sam Carrington has a simple premise: The soon to be divorced Nick and Amber Miller hold an open house in hopes of finding a buyer for their home, but by the end of the event, one person ends up dead. But why would an open house turn deadly? That's the question readers will be asking themselves as they read this page-turning thriller.

Out Dec. 10

Image Source: Amazon.com

7. Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Wilberg

London is a character unto itself in T.A. Wilberg's Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder. This throwback mystery takes readers inside Miss Brickett's Investigations and Inquiries, an underground network of detectives who use their cunning and top of the line gadgets to crack the city's most challenging cases. But when one of their own is murdered, it's up to Marion Lane to unravel the alliances that exist within Miss Bricket's to expose the killer in their ranks before it's too late.

Out Dec. 29

Image Source: Amazon.com

8. Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane

Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane delights in subverting the expectations of readers. The disappearance of a woman's husband leaves her small town shaken to it's core, but Lila Ridgefield isn't worried about her husband. She's simply confused about where his body has gone, since she was the last person to see it.

Out Dec. 29

Image Source: Amazon.com

9. Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd

Christina Dodd's Wrong Alibi features a woman who fearlessly turns the tables on the man who framed her for murder. Years after Donald White left her to face murder charges, Evelyn Jones is waiting for her chance to make Donald pay for what he did. When he resurfaces in their small Alaskan town, she's ready to do whatever it takes to bring him to justice.

Out Dec. 29

Image Source: Amazon.com

10. The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher

Tarryn Fisher's latest thriller, The Wrong Family is utterly absorbing. After receiving the news that she doesn't have long to live, Juno moves in with the perfect Crouch family. But when she overhears a conversation between the Crouches, she realises the family isn't as perfect as she thought, but then again, she has no room to judge, because she's keeping a secret of her own.

Out Dec. 29

Image Source: Amazon.com

Want More?

POPSUGAR Would Like To Send You Push Notifications.