There's never a bad time to get lost in an enthralling mystery or thriller, but with the days growing shorter and the evening hours feeling ever longer, now truly is the best time to settle into your comfiest armchair for some mystery-solving fun. Thankfully, there's no shortage of new thriller reads [1] coming out this December. Whether you love a fun historical mystery or you're looking for a story with protagonists who are every bit as obsessed with true-crime podcasts as you are, there's a book on this list that's sure to captivate you. Need even more mysteries and thrillers to choose from? Don't forget to check out our list of November's must reads [2], too.
The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale
Set against the backdrop of the competitive world of ballet, The Ballerinas [3] by Rachel Kapelke-Dale follows three friends who are keeping a dark secret. The story alternates between the past and present as a woman named Delphine faces the truth about what drove her away from the Paris Opera Ballet 13 years before.
Out Dec. 7
A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
Shea Ernshaw's adult debut is an eerie thriller destined to keep readers up at night. In A History of Wild Places [4], a secluded community known as Pastoral becomes the backdrop for a strange tale of a missing man and a family who begin to realise their safe haven from the world is much more frightening than they ever could have imagined.
Out Dec. 7
Observations by Gaslight by Lyndsay Faye
Observations by Gaslight [5] by Lyndsay Faye flips the script on Sherlock Holmes and his partner, Watson. In this collection of short stories, the minor characters from the most famous Sherlock tales take centre stage, including Irene Adler, Lestrade, and Mrs. Hudson. Told entirely through letters, telegrams, and other written forms of communication, these stories all showcase how other characters see the great Sherlock and Watson.
Out Dec. 7
One Night, New York by Lara Thompson
Set over the course of one night in 1930s New York, One Night, New York [6] by Lara Thompson follows two women, Frances and Agnes, who meet on a rooftop to confront the man who wronged them both. Along the way, the story takes readers on an adventure through the streets of old New York, down back alleys, and inside bustling clubs as a mystery unfolds.
Out Dec. 7
True Crime Story by Joseph Knox
True Crime Story [7] by Joseph Knox is at once a satirical take on the true-crime genre and a thrilling mystery in its own right. In 2011, a young woman named Zoe Nolan walked out of her dormitory and never came back. Now a fictional version of Knox and his friend Evelyn are on the case, and they may find a truth much stranger than they bargained for.
Out Dec. 7
Winter Water by Susanne Jansson
Winter Water [8] by Susanne Jansson is a truly chilling thriller that tells the story of a small village in Sweden where children have a habit of disappearing into the ocean on the same day in January every few years. When his son becomes one of the missing, Martin feels a sense of hopelessness, until a retired police photographer arrives in the village and becomes fascinated by the strange case.
Out Dec. 7
Silent Parade by Keigo Higashino
Detective Galileo has a truly mind-boggling case on his hands in Silent Parade [9] by Keigo Higashino. During a street parade, a suspected murderer is found murdered, but everyone with a motive has an unimpeachable alibi. Now it's up to Galileo to figure out not only who is behind the death of the alleged murderer but also whether he was actually guilty in the first place.
Out Dec. 14
The Replacement Wife by Darby Kane
There might be a murderer close to home in Darby Kane's latest domestic thriller, The Replacement Wife [10]. Elisa Wright wants nothing more than to live a peaceful life, but she also suspects her brother-in-law is a murderer. If she's right, then only she can warn his latest girlfriend of the dangerous web she's about to be ensnared in.
Out Dec. 28
The Sorority Murder by Allison Brennan
The Sorority Murder [11] by Allison Brennan follows podcaster Lucas and guest lecturer Regan as they investigate the death of Candace Swain, who left a sorority party and never returned. As the podcast gains followers, the truth about Candace's death begins to emerge — and so do the people who are determined to keep her story a mystery.
Out Dec. 28
The Spanish Daughter by Lorena Hughes
The Spanish Daughter [12] by Lorena Hughes is a fascinating historical mystery about a woman named Puri, who assumes her husband's identity after a mercenary is sent to kill her and murders him instead. Now Puri must navigate running a cocoa estate in Vinces, Ecuador, while also digging into dark family secrets and unraveling the mystery of who wants her dead.
Out Dec. 28