With summer right around the corner, there is no better time to start thinking about heading to the nearest beach for some fun in the surf and sand. But before you finish packing your beach bag, you’ll need a great book or two for company while lounging in your chaise. So settle in, grab a Mai Tai, and get lost between the pages of these dirty dozen tales ranging from gothic thrillers to a high-stakes caper — all perfect for your summer reading list.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas (Berkley, May 3, 2022)
Beatriz has lost everything, so when wealthy, handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, how can she refuse? But her new home is far from the idyllic sanctuary she longs for after the Mexican War for Independence. Hacienda San Isidro holds secrets, fear and a supernatural threat that is the stuff of nightmares. A suspenseful, gothic horror story set in 1823 Mexico, this uncanny tale has unsettling descriptions of the sinister entity lurking in the hacienda. This “Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca” is a feast for horror lovers. (Read our review and interview with the author here.)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak (Flatiron, May 10, 2022)
From Edgar-nominated author Jason Rekulak comes a totally new take on a classic horror story in Hidden Pictures. This supernatural thriller is about a new nanny taking care of a little boy who starts drawing very disturbing pictures — and at a level impossible for his age. Can she uncover his secrets and what’s going on before it’s too late? Even Stephen King said he loved it. How can you go wrong with that?
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen (William Morrow, June 7, 2022)
Ava Wong is a successful attorney with what appears to be the perfect family. But behind closed doors, everything is falling apart. Then Ava’s college roommate, Winnie, surfaces after 20 years with a proposition for Ava to help manage her business — a counterfeit luxury purse business. But when Winnie disappears, Ava is left holding the bag. A blend of crime, high fashion and friendship.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill (Poisoned Pen Press, June 7, 2022)
When a scream rips through the Boston Public Library reading room and a woman is found murdered, security orders everyone to stay put. As the wait drags on, four strangers sharing a table begin to bond, discussing struggles and a love of literature. But one of the newfound friends had a sinister motive for being there that day — murder. An intelligent and gritty book that leaves you in awe, this story within a story is wonderfully deceptive and highly addictive.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand (Little Brown, June 14, 2022)
What could happen when a crumbling hotel gets rescued by a billionaire eager to return the structure to its glory? A lot in this tale by Elin Hilderbrand, where fate and nostalgia collide. Xavier Darling brings in Lizbet Keaton to get the run-down Hotel Nantucket ready to impress a big social media influencer who can put the place on the map. But first she must deal with the personal intrigues of her newly hired staff and the antics of a chambermaid’s ghost, who was murdered in the hotel fire of 1922. Likable characters seeking opportunity and redemption at the haunted hotel make this a fun, summer drama sure to entertain.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager (Dutton, June 21, 2022)
A gaslighting thriller by New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, The House Across the Lake introduces newly widowed Casey Fletcher and her search for solace from her grief. She aches to get away from the city and seeks refuge at her family’s lake house in Vermont. Soon she questions her decision when memories of her husband haunt her at every turn. But her salvation is her growing interest in the couple across the lake who live in a newly built home. Not long after Casey befriends the wife, Katherine Royce, the beautiful woman goes missing. The lake has a history of odd disappearances and unexpected drownings, and everyone assumes Katherine has met the same fate. Still, Casey doesn’t buy it, and in a classic tale brimming with Hitchcockian suspense, she soon discovers the unfathomable truth. (Check out BookTrib’s coverage of Sager’s books here.)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
We All Have Our Secrets by Jane Corry (Penguin, June 23, 2022)
From across the pond comes Sunday Times and Washington Post bestselling author of My Husband’s Wife, Jane Corry. A former magazine journalist who spent three years working as the writer-in-residence of a high-security prison for men, Corry is a master of twisty thrillers. We All Have Our Secrets is that and more. Gripping and very well drawn, We All Have Our Secrets focuses on a woman who runs back to her Devon home to see her elderly father after making a grave mistake at the hospital where she works, only to find a beautiful stranger claiming to be his caregiver — until he dies of mysterious circumstances. Suspicions are cast on both women, who each have a secret, but one may kill to keep it.
One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, June 28, 2022)
Lexi Lowes’ bachelorette weekend on a Greek island is supposed to be a joyful occasion. But with each friend harboring a secret, her wedding might not happen, and one of the friends might not leave the island alive. A sinister, spellbinding story of misdirection with shocking revelations that could change them forever. This cautionary tale explores trust and the undercurrent that holds the six women together. The descriptions of the azure waters and scenic surroundings turn this suspense-filled mystery into a perfect beach read.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
The It Girl by Ruth Ware (Gallery, July 12, 2022)
The It Girl by Thriller Queen Ruth Ware is a gripping page-turner. During her first term at Oxford, Hannah Jones meets the popular April Coutts-Cliveden, and they soon befriend Emily, Will, Hugh and Ryan. But before long, April is dead, and a porter is charged with her murder. A decade later, everyone has moved on with their lives, including Hannah and Will who are expecting a baby. Then a journalist reveals that she thinks the wrong person was convicted of April’s death, and everything Hannah believed is upended as she is forced to face the possibility that one of those closest to her might be a killer. Twists and vivid characterizations bring this riveting novel to a spine-chilling conclusion. (Check out BookTrib’s coverage of Ware’s books here.)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda (Marysue Rucci Books, July 26, 2022)
The Last to Vanish by New York Times bestselling author Megan Miranda will drag you down a rabbit hole of suspense and secrets. Cutter’s Pass is a picturesque resort town in the North Carolina mountains known for outdoor activities — and a mysterious history of unsolved disappearances. Then a journalist checks into The Passage Inn eager to investigate the high number of missing persons linked to the sleepy town. But when the journalist becomes one of the missing, the Inn’s manager, Abigail Lovett, must uncover the town’s secrets before it’s too late. The twists and turns will make this tale one you won’t soon forget.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
River of Ashes by Alexandrea Weis & Lucas Astor (Vesuvian Books, August 2, 2022)
The award-winning writing duo of Weis and Astor have woven a cinematic Southern Gothic, psychological thriller that has both Gillian Flynn and Bret Easton Ellis vibes. The series centers around the powerful, secretive Devereaux family and the idyllic town of St. Benedict, Louisiana. Their only son is the handsome and charming star quarterback of the high school football team. He’s also a psychopath who unleashes his predatory instincts on the unsuspecting along the banks of the Bogue Falaya River. Unfortunately, only 17-year-old Leslie Moore can see who he truly is — and that is a dangerous role to play in this twisted, nerve-jangling story that hits close to home by showing how the most terrifying monsters are the ones we never see coming. A tale of obsession, secrets, murder and revenge, this series debut will keep you riveted until the shocking end. (Read BookTrib’s review here.)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (Flatiron, August 30, 2022)
Reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney reminds you blood is not thicker than water in Daisy Darker, when a dysfunctional family’s reunion leads to murder. Trapped on a small tidal island and cut off from the world for eight hours, someone is killing the family members off one by one. Secrets will bury you in this creepy tale with loads of atmosphere and a gasp-worthy ending.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Bookshop
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
Beatriz has lost everything, so when wealthy, handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, how can she refuse? But her new home is far from the idyllic sanctuary she longs for after the Mexican War for Independence. Hacienda San Isidro holds secrets, fear and a supernatural threat that is the stuff of nightmares. A suspenseful, gothic horror story set in 1823 Mexico, this uncanny tale has unsettling descriptions of the sinister entity lurking in the hacienda. This “Mexican Gothic meets Rebecca” is a feast for horror lovers. (Read our review and interview with the author here.)
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
From Edgar-nominated author Jason Rekulak comes a totally new take on a classic horror story in Hidden Pictures. This supernatural thriller is about a new nanny taking care of a little boy who starts drawing very disturbing pictures — and at a level impossible for his age. Can she uncover his secrets and what’s going on before it’s too late? Even Stephen King said he loved it. How can you go wrong with that?
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
Ava Wong is a successful attorney with what appears to be the perfect family. But behind closed doors, everything is falling apart. Then Ava’s college roommate, Winnie, surfaces after 20 years with a proposition for Ava to help manage her business — a counterfeit luxury purse business. But when Winnie disappears, Ava is left holding the bag. A blend of crime, high fashion and friendship.
The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill
When a scream rips through the Boston Public Library reading room and a woman is found murdered, security orders everyone to stay put. As the wait drags on, four strangers sharing a table begin to bond, discussing struggles and a love of literature. But one of the newfound friends had a sinister motive for being there that day — murder. An intelligent and gritty book that leaves you in awe, this story within a story is wonderfully deceptive and highly addictive.
The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand
What could happen when a crumbling hotel gets rescued by a billionaire eager to return the structure to its glory? A lot in this tale by Elin Hilderbrand, where fate and nostalgia collide. Xavier Darling brings in Lizbet Keaton to get the run-down Hotel Nantucket ready to impress a big social media influencer who can put the place on the map. But first she must deal with the personal intrigues of her newly hired staff and the antics of a chambermaid’s ghost, who was murdered in the hotel fire of 1922. Likable characters seeking opportunity and redemption at the haunted hotel make this a fun, summer drama sure to entertain.
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
A gaslighting thriller by New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, The House Across the Lake introduces newly widowed Casey Fletcher and her search for solace from her grief. She aches to get away from the city and seeks refuge at her family’s lake house in Vermont. Soon she questions her decision when memories of her husband haunt her at every turn. But her salvation is her growing interest in the couple across the lake who live in a newly built home. Not long after Casey befriends the wife, Katherine Royce, the beautiful woman goes missing. The lake has a history of odd disappearances and unexpected drownings, and everyone assumes Katherine has met the same fate. Still, Casey doesn’t buy it, and in a classic tale brimming with Hitchcockian suspense, she soon discovers the unfathomable truth. (Check out BookTrib’s coverage of Sager’s books here.)
We All Have Our Secrets by Jane Corry
From across the pond comes Sunday Times and Washington Post bestselling author of My Husband’s Wife, Jane Corry. A former magazine journalist who spent three years working as the writer-in-residence of a high-security prison for men, Corry is a master of twisty thrillers. We All Have Our Secrets is that and more. Gripping and very well drawn, We All Have Our Secrets focuses on a woman who runs back to her Devon home to see her elderly father after making a grave mistake at the hospital where she works, only to find a beautiful stranger claiming to be his caregiver — until he dies of mysterious circumstances. Suspicions are cast on both women, who each have a secret, but one may kill to keep it.
One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke
Lexi Lowes’ bachelorette weekend on a Greek island is supposed to be a joyful occasion. But with each friend harboring a secret, her wedding might not happen, and one of the friends might not leave the island alive. A sinister, spellbinding story of misdirection with shocking revelations that could change them forever. This cautionary tale explores trust and the undercurrent that holds the six women together. The descriptions of the azure waters and scenic surroundings turn this suspense-filled mystery into a perfect beach read.
The It Girl by Ruth Ware
The It Girl by Thriller Queen Ruth Ware is a gripping page-turner. During her first term at Oxford, Hannah Jones meets the popular April Coutts-Cliveden, and they soon befriend Emily, Will, Hugh and Ryan. But before long, April is dead, and a porter is charged with her murder. A decade later, everyone has moved on with their lives, including Hannah and Will who are expecting a baby. Then a journalist reveals that she thinks the wrong person was convicted of April’s death, and everything Hannah believed is upended as she is forced to face the possibility that one of those closest to her might be a killer. Twists and vivid characterizations bring this riveting novel to a spine-chilling conclusion. (Check out BookTrib’s coverage of Ware’s books here.)
The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda
The Last to Vanish by New York Times bestselling author Megan Miranda will drag you down a rabbit hole of suspense and secrets. Cutter’s Pass is a picturesque resort town in the North Carolina mountains known for outdoor activities — and a mysterious history of unsolved disappearances. Then a journalist checks into The Passage Inn eager to investigate the high number of missing persons linked to the sleepy town. But when the journalist becomes one of the missing, the Inn’s manager, Abigail Lovett, must uncover the town’s secrets before it’s too late. The twists and turns will make this tale one you won’t soon forget.
River of Ashes by Alexandrea Weis, Lucas Astor
The award-winning writing duo of Weis and Astor have woven a cinematic Southern Gothic, psychological thriller that has both Gillian Flynn and Bret Easton Ellis vibes. The series centers around the powerful, secretive Devereaux family and the idyllic town of St. Benedict, Louisiana. Their only son is the handsome and charming star quarterback of the high school football team. He’s also a psychopath who unleashes his predatory instincts on the unsuspecting along the banks of the Bogue Falaya River. Unfortunately, only 17-year-old Leslie Moore can see who he truly is — and that is a dangerous role to play in this twisted, nerve-jangling story that hits close to home by showing how the most terrifying monsters are the ones we never see coming. A tale of obsession, secrets, murder and revenge, this series debut will keep you riveted until the shocking end. (Read BookTrib’s review here.)
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney reminds you blood is not thicker than water in Daisy Darker, when a dysfunctional family’s reunion leads to murder. Trapped on a small tidal island and cut off from the world for eight hours, someone is killing the family members off one by one. Secrets will bury you in this creepy tale with loads of atmosphere and a gasp-worthy ending.
