Thrillers (and cozy mysteries and suspense) have helped get me through the pandemic. There’s something about suspenseful books that just distracts me like nothing else. Here’s PART ONE of my list of 2021 Thriller Books I’m Dying to Read!
Are you looking for a list of the best mysteries and thrillers of 2021?
The first part of my list covers my most anticipated 2021 Winter and Spring Thrillers (January 2021-June 2021). Soon I will be adding 2021 Summer and Fall Thrillers (July 2021 – December 2021)
2021 Winter and Spring Thriller Books I’m Dying to Read
Gothic fiction? True Crime? Podcasts? Could 2021 be any more filled with thrillers tropes that I love? Check out these Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2021.
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The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins: January 5, 2021 from St. Martin’s Press
I am a huge fan of Gothic romantic suspense. I’m also a huge fan of Jane Eyre (which is Gothic romantics suspense). I really enjoyed this updated version of the story of the innocent (or is she?) young woman who falls for a brooding guy with a missing wife DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Check out my review of The Wife Upstairs here and my SPOILER discussion for The Wife Upstairs here.
Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner: January 19, 2021 by Dutton Books.
Frankie travels around the country finding missing women, specifically women of color whose disappearances rarely get enough media attention. Frankie is not a PI or a police officer, just a recovering alcoholic with a gift for connecting with people. I really enjoyed this one. It was part police procedural and part thriller.
If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier: January 26, 2021 from Berkley.
Sera loves true crime podcasts (same!) so when Rachel, her favorite podcast host, goes missing, Sera knows she’s the perfect person to try to find her. Following clues that Rachel has hidden in the episode, Sera sets off to solve the mystery, following Rachel’s trail right into danger.
Possession by Katie Lowe: January 26, 2021 from St. Martin’s/ Minotaur
Yes, another podcast themed book. Hannah’s husband was murdered and she can’t remember what happened on the night of his death. She’s trying to start her life over with her young daughter when a podcast starts digging into every last detail of her husband’s case. Uh oh …. I love the sound of this one. What did Hannah know?
Bad Habits by Amy Gentry: February 2, 2021 from Mariner Books.
This one is getting a lot of positive buzz from fellow thriller reviewers and I can’t wait to read it! It’s about deadly rivalry between two former female best friends and takes place an academic setting. Will it be Dark Academia? I can’t wait to find out. (But if you’re looking for other Dark Academia books, check out my list here.)
Too Good to be True by Carola Lovering: March 2, 2021 from St. Martin’s Press
A dual timeline narrative that tells the story of two women involved with the same sketchy guy, thirty years apart. Plus, the guy tells his own story through letters to his therapist. I love a good twist, and this one is getting a lot of praise for its shocking revelations. Can I figure them out? Challenge accepted!
Her Dark Lies – J. T. Ellison: March 9, 2021 from Mira Books
Fellow thriller lovers recommended I check out J. T. Ellison and I’m glad I did. I loved Good Girls Lit (it’s on my Dark Academia book list linked above. This book, about a wedding on an island off the coast of Italy, has a bit of a Guest List vibe – if you’ve read The Guest List and want to talk spoilers, come on over here and let’s chat. Otherwise, let’s read this one, about a woman whose wedding jitters start to get real!
Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay: March 16, 2021 from St. Martin’s/ MinotaurBooks
Matt, a college student, learns that his mom, dad, and younger siblings died in a mysterious gas leak. Matt’s only surviving relative, his brother Danny, is in prison for murdering his girlfriend. Danny was the subject of a podcast that claimed he mights have been wrongfully convicted, but Matt suspects otherwise. This debut is getting rave advance reviews and I am dying to read it!
Every Vow You Break – Peter Swanson: March 23, 2020 from William Morrow
A woman about to be married has an impulsive one night stand. What happens at the bachelorette party stays there, right? Nope. Her fling shows up and won’t leave her alone. Oooh … I’m picturing a gender-flipped Fatal Attraction scenario and I CAN’T WAIT. I’ve read other Peter Swanson books and really enjoyed them.
Which of these are on your list? AND are there any other books that I need to add to mine? Please tell me in comments!
This is genre I dabble in, but don’t really read much from. I am intrigued by Hawkins’ book, because I have enjoyed all her YA books so much.
I’d try it. It’s not super dark or scary and it does have some of her trademark humor. Let me know what you think!
I grabbed an e-ARC of Possession and audio from The Woman Upstairs. It’s been so long since I’ve read a thriller!
Come join the thriller party! They’ve been getting me through the pandemic!
This is a great list- I love suspenseful reads too so it’s good to see what’s coming in 2021!
Oh, yay! Happy that our reading will have some overlap.
I definitely want to read The Wife Upstairs. I saw your post on Insta. Excited!
I think you will like it!
These are my kind of reads! I liked (didn’t love) The Wife Upstairs, and getting ready to read Every Last Fear on my Kindle soon. The new J. T. Ellison and Peter Swanson books are on my wishlist, too. The others on your post sound exciting — adding to my TBR now!
Yay – we can share our thoughts when we read. I thought Wife Upstairs was very cleverly done. The characters were all pretty unlikeable, but they kind of needed to be.