Update Consent

Best New Mystery and Thriller Books of October 2021

13 Chilling New Mystery and Thriller Books Coming Your Way in October

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.

There's a fresh batch of mysteries and thrillers books coming your way this month, and trust us, the chill factor is high with these must reads. Among the most exciting thrillers hitting shelves in October are new titles from fan-favourite writers like Louise Penny, C.J. Cooke, and Lisa Unger. But prepare to discover a few new authors to add to your favourites list as well. From a riveting novel that tackles the horror of complicity to the story of a young cop's dangerous journey into the dark heart of Los Angeles, October's best thriller and mystery books will keep you up reading way past your bedtime.

Image Source: Amazon

1. Under Colour of Law by Aaron Philip Clark

Aaron Philip Clark's Under Colour of Law tackles the debate surrounding police reform head on with a protagonist who hopes to change the system from the inside out. Unfortunately for Trevor "Finn" Finnegan, the corruption within the Los Angeles Police Department runs deeper than he ever imagined, and when a volatile case leads him deep within the city's underbelly, Finn's very life may be on the line.

Oct. 1

Image Source: Amazon.com

2. Last Girl Ghosted by Lisa Unger

The world of online dating is even scarier than usual in Lisa Unger's intense Last Girl Ghosted. After forming an instant connection with a man she matches with on a dating app, a woman is astonished when he completely ghosts her. But that's only the beginning — she soon realises he's done this before, and the women in question have all disappeared.

Out Oct. 5

Image Source: Amazon.com

3. The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

C.J. Cooke's The Lighthouse Witches is an unnerving Gothic thriller designed to keep readers guessing. Twenty years after two sisters went missing on a Scottish island, one of them returns, but somehow, she's still a child. The third sister is sceptical, but she knows the only way to unravel the mystery is to return home and face the truth about what happened to her siblings.

Out Oct. 5

Image Source: Amazon.com

4. The Neighbour's Secret by L. Alison Heller

If you've been craving a Big Little Lies-esque thriller, then The Neighbour's Secret by L. Alison Heller is sure to be one of your favourite reads this year. The story focuses on a book club populated by suburban moms who love to read mysteries and thrillers. But when increasingly violent acts of vandalism target the group's members, it becomes apparent their idyllic cul-de-sac isn't all that different from the dark stories they love reading so much.

Out Oct. 5

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. Reprieve by James Han Mattson

Destined to be one of the most talked-about books of the year, Reprieve by James Han Mattson is a searing novel of suspense, horror, and class politics. In 1997, a disparate group of people attempt to navigate a full-contact haunted escape room in hopes of winning a cash prize. What begins as a night of controlled fun spirals out of control when someone is murdered, leaving the rest of the group to contemplate their complicity in the heinous act.

Out Oct. 5

Image Source: Amazon.com

6. No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield

No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield is a thriller for the digital age. Narrated from beyond the grave by Lizzie, the most hated person in her small town, she recounts how her life became entangled with a famous influencer's and how their fateful meeting led to her untimely demise.

Out Oct. 12

Image Source: Amazon.com

7. Silverview by John Le Carré

John Le Carré died in December 2020, but the prolific author left behind one final novel, Silverview. Like so many of his most famous works, Silverview takes readers inside a world of espionage and mystery. This time the focus is on Julian Lawndsley, a man who leaves behind his career to run a small bookshop, only to find he can't outrun his past.

Out Oct. 12

Image Source: Amazon.com

8. State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny

Bestselling authors Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny have combined their unique perspectives to serve up a Byzantine tale of political intrigue on a global scale in State of Terror. When an untested secretary of state is confronted with an international conspiracy, she'll have to team up with a journalist and a foreign service officer to unravel the intricate plot that is unfolding around her.

Out Oct. 12

Image Source: Amazon.com

9. Litani by Jess Lourey

Inspired in part by the satanic panic of the '80s, Litani by Jess Lourey is an eerie thriller about a 14-year-old girl named Frankie who moves to a small town where whispers of an event called "The Game" hint at something dark going on just below the surface. After a group of bullies invite her to join the mysterious event, Frankie becomes determined to discover what's really going on in her new hometown.

Out Oct. 19

Image Source: Amazon.com

10. As the Wicked Watch by Tamron Hall

Emmy Award-winning journalist Tamron Hall kicks off a new mystery series with As the Wicked Watch. Crime reporter Jordan Manning's move to Chicago is meant to kick her career up a notch, but she soon becomes consumed with fighting for justice when she realises the deaths of two Black women that most of the media would rather ignore are actually connected.

Out Oct. 26

Image Source: Amazon.com

11. Fan Club by Erin Mayer

Celebrity obsession becomes deadly in Fan Club by Erin Mayer. When a disillusioned millennial finds a sense of purpose within a group of fans devoted to tracking every move a famous pop star makes, she soon realises there is something sinister lurking beneath the club's obsessive love for the celeb.

Out Oct. 26

Image Source: Amazon.com

12. Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun

Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun is an evocative crime novel that's as much about exploring privilege and trauma as it as about solving the central mystery. Seventeen years after the death of high school student Kim Hae-on, the case has gone cold. But while the rest of the world has moved on, her younger sister can't stop searching for answers.

Out Oct. 26

Image Source: Amazon.com

13. These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

In These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant, a father will do anything to preserve his life with his daughter — even if it means they have to live in total isolation. For eight years, the father and daughter have lived in a house in the woods with no electricity and minimal interaction with the outside world, but when a new person shows up in the area, their carefully constructed life is in danger of falling apart.

Out Oct. 26

Image Source: Amazon.com

Want More?

POPSUGAR Would Like To Send You Push Notifications.