The Best Mystery & Thriller Books to Read This Summer

If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing better than getting lost in a twisty thriller and mystery —especially in the summertime. Whether you’re poolside, lounging at the beach, or curled up on your couch with a cold drink and the fan blowing, a good mystery can pull you into another world and keep you turning pages long after sunset. In the 2022 Summer Reading Guide Mystery and Thriller Books Edition, I’m sharing stories filled with buried secrets, eerie small towns, high-stakes investigations, and dark truths that refuse to stay hidden.

The 2022 Summer Reading Guide Mystery and Thriller Books

These books are perfect if you love suspenseful reads that keep you guessing until the very last page.

Aurora by David Koepp

What happens when the lights go out—for good?

Set just a few years in the future, a global blackout leaves the world in chaos. In the aftermath, we follow a billionaire tech mogul living off-grid in a luxury survivalist compound and his estranged sister, a suburban mom doing everything she can to protect her family. As panic spreads and power struggles emerge, this timely thriller explores what it really takes to survive—and stay human—when society collapses.

You can get a copy of Aurora by David Koepp on Amazon.

The Recruit by Alan Drew

Something dark is growing in a quiet Southern California town.

In this gripping police procedural, Detective Ben Wade investigates a series of increasingly disturbing crimes that suggest the presence of a dangerous extremist group hiding in plain sight. As he follows the clues, Ben must confront his past and the cost of doing what’s right, even when it puts everything he loves at risk. A thoughtful, character-driven thriller with chilling real-world echoes.

You can get a copy of The Recruit by Alan Drew on Amazon.

Confidence by Denise Mina

True crime becomes dangerously real.

When true-crime podcasters Anna and Fin begin investigating the death of a young woman in France and her link to a missing religious artifact, they think they’ve found their next big story. But what starts as a compelling mystery becomes a harrowing race for survival when their investigation draws the wrong kind of attention. This smart, globe-trotting thriller blends media culture, historical intrigue, and pulse-pounding suspense.

You can get a copy of Confidence by Denise Mina on Amazon.

The It Girl by Ruth Ware

Ten years ago, she found her roommate dead. Now the past won’t stay buried.

Hannah has spent the last decade trying to move on after discovering her glamorous college roommate April murdered in their dorm room. But when new evidence emerges, Hannah reunites with her old university friends to uncover the truth—only to realize everyone has something to hide. With shifting timelines and unreliable memories, Ruth Ware spins a haunting psychological thriller about friendship, guilt, and the danger of assumptions.

You can get a copy of The It Girl by Ruth Ware on Amazon.

The Swell by Allie Reynolds

A remote paradise, a tight-knit group, and deadly secrets beneath the waves.

Kenna flies to a remote Australian beach to reconnect with a friend who’s fallen in with an intense group of surfers. The beach is beautiful, the waves are perfect—but the group is secretive, and people are disappearing. As Kenna digs deeper, she learns that paradise comes at a price. The Swell is a sun-drenched thriller packed with tension, obsession, and the dangerous pull of belonging.

You can get a copy of The Swell by Allie Reynolds on Amazon.

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda

Disappearances haunt a small town with a chilling past.

In the tourist town of Cutter’s Pass, North Carolina, legends of missing hikers attract thrill-seekers—and conspiracy theorists. When a visiting journalist vanishes while investigating the disappearances, local innkeeper Abby starts questioning everything and everyone around her. With the clock ticking and trust unraveling, she must decide what secrets are worth keeping. Atmospheric, eerie, and deeply suspenseful, The Last to Vanish is classic Megan Miranda at her best.

You can get a copy of The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda on Amazon.

Which 2022 Summer Reading Guide Mystery and Thriller Books Will You Read First?

Have you read any of these books? Which one are you adding to your summer reading list? Let’s chat in the comments all about the 2022 Summer Reading Guide Mystery and Thriller Books!