My list of Best Vacation Thrillers to Read in 2026! I love Travel Mysteries and Murder Mysteries on Vacation. These books feature exciting locations and characters out of their element. Hope you enjoy checking out my favorite books about Vacations Gone Wrong! I have selections from nearly every continent and many countries! Updated with new 2026 titles!
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The 45 Best Vacation Thrillers to Read in 2026!
Vacation Thrillers have been popular since Agatha Christie, whose characters were serious globetrotters. After the pandemic, Vacation Thrillers came BACK with a vengeance.
All these books take place outside the United States and I’ve broken them down by location, so you can decide where your next thrilling and chilling adventure should be!
Table of Contents:
New Vacation Thrillers for 2026!
NEW! Vacation Thrillers Set in Africa
Destination Thrillers Set in Antarctica
Vacation Thrillers Set in Asia
Travel Thrillers Set in Australia
Destination Thrillers Set in the Caribbean
Vacation Thrillers Set in France
Travel Thrillers Set in Greece
Vacation Thrillers Set in Italy
Destination Thrillers Set in Mexico
Vacation Thrillers Set in Scandinavia
Vacation Thrillers Set in the UK
New Vacation Thrillers for 2026
| If you want… | Read this |
|---|---|
| Sister story, LOST vibes | The Castaways by Lucy Clarke |
| Closed-circle thriller, alpine atmosphere | The Alpine Retreat by Sarah Goodwin: |
| A ride-or-die moment for sisters | That Night by Gillian McAllister |
| Amalfi Coast, British detective | A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker |
| A friend group thriller set in the Azores | The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis |
⭐ Jen’s Picks for Vacation & Destination Thrillers
| If you want… | Read this |
|---|---|
| The OG destination thriller | The Guest List by Lucy Foley |
| Destination wedding energy + dark family drama | The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis |
| Yacht setting, twisty | Sunburned by Katherine Wood |
| A harrowing survival thriller | One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware |
| friend drama, destination wedding | The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones |
| Agatha Christie closed-circle energy | One by One by Ruth Ware |
| Atmospheric, past-and-present timeline. | The Villa by Rachel Hawkins |
NEW Continent: Travel Thrillers Set in Africa
I am so excited to have TWO new titles set in Africa! One in North Africa (Morocco) and the other in South Africa!
The Surf House by Lucy Clarke (2025)
- The Surf House sits on the cliffs above Marrakech, serving as a sanctuary for anyone who washes in.
- Bea arrives, relieved to find refuge from the hustle and bustle.
- But another young woman went missing one year ago – and the last place she was sighted was The Surf House.
The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis (2025)
A widów gathers her family around her in a lavish South African resort. She’s getting remarried! But tragedy strikes and one of the wedding party is pronounced …. dead.
Check out my Readers Guide to The Safari
Travel Thrillers Set in Antarctica
The last frontier of travel, Antartica combines dramatic landcapes with a truly remote setting.
Midnight by Amy McCulloch
- What: a luxury Antarctic cruise on its maiden voyage
- Where: crossing the Drake Passage (between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica).
- Join this trip if: you love a locked room mystery with gaslighting
Check out my review of Midnight!
Vacation Thrillers Set in Asia & the Indian Ocean
Lavish beach resorts and remote islands make the perfect place to hide out and the ideal place to commit the perfect crime….
One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
- What: a reality show called One Perfect Couple goes terribly wrong
- Where: Ever After Island in the Indian Ocean
- Join this trip if: you enjoy a good survival thriller and some Lord of the Flies interpersonal drama
Check out my Review of One Perfect Couple
Bad Tourists by Caro Carver
- What: three friends on a post-divorce getaway
- Where: The Maldives
- Join this trip if: you love a good Friend Group Thriller or a girls trip thriller
Check out my review of Bad Tourists here!
The Resort by Sara Ochs
- What: a woman hides out as dive instructor and hangs out with Expat group, but a murder dredges up the past she was trying to run from.
- Where: Thailand
- Join this trip if: you’re up for some toxic found family vibes
I tried this and it wasn’t my thing, but the setting was great and it could be for you!
Breathless by Amy McCulloch
- What: a journalist joins a high-risk mountaineering expedition. But climbers keep dying, and it’s not accidental….
- Where: Nepal
- Join this trip if: you love an outdoorsy thriller
Read my Review of Breathless
Death in the Air by Ram Murali
- What: a word-class spa where the body count is rising
- Where: the foothills of the Himalayas
- Join this trip if you like: a locked room mystery
Vacation Thrillers Set in Australia and the South Pacific
Australia is a vast continent with beach towns, big cities, and the great expanse of the Outback. The South Pacific provides a gorgeous tropical setting.
The Castaways by Lucy Clarke (2026)
The Castaways features a vacation gone VERY wrong! Two sisters are on a South Pacific adventure together. As sisters do, they quarrel.
When only one sister boards a small plane to head to their destination, she ends up marooned on a deserted island after a plane crash. And who needs to find her? The other sister
My Goodreads Review of The Castaways is here!
This Stays Between Us by Sara Ochs (2025)
A student disappears on a study abroad program in Australia.
Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson
- What: a train full of mystery and thriller writers board the ‘Ghan, an iconic Australian train that travels through the outback. But one of them ends up dead.
- Where: the Australian Outback
- Join this trip if: you like a locked room mystery and some “break the fourth wall” narrative patter.
Read my Review of Everyone on This Train is a Suspect
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
- What: sailing to a remote island in the South Pacific that might be cursed
- Where: Meroe Island in the South Pacific
- Join this trip if: you’re up for a voyage that is Dead Calm meets LOST
Read my Review of Reckless Girls AND
Join my Spoiler Discussion for Reckless Girls
Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
- What: a couple takes a lavish tropical vacation they can’t afford. One day while snorkeling, they find something that could be the solution to all their problems. But at what price?
- Where: Bora Bora
- Join this trip if: you like a dark domestic thriller crossed with a travel thriller
Check out my Review of Something in the Water
Vacation Thrillers Set in the Caribbean and the Bahamas
The Caribbean is an idyllic holiday destination, but also the location of some high profile true crime cased.
How Bad Can Things Get by Darcy Coates (2025)
Pitched as Fyre Festival meets Blair Witch Project! Have you read this? Give us your take in the comments!
Sunburned by Katherine Wood (2025)
A bad boyfriend, a shared secret, a non-optional trip to St Barts…
Sunburned was a really fun book and I highly recommend it! My Readers Guide is here!
On the Surface by Rachel McGuire
- What: two travel YouTubers on a sailboat. One goes missing. One can’t remember what happened.
- Where: the Bahamas
- Join this trip if you like: a missing persons case plus some commentary on social media and tourism
Check out my Review of On The Surface
Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
- What: a girl goes missing on a family vacation to the Caribbean,
- Where: Saint X, a fictional Caribbean island
- Join this trip if: you like a victim-centered thriller and are a fan of true crime
Saint X has been adapted for Hulu!
Vacation Thrillers Set in France
France! Here are vacation thrillers set in the stunning city of Pari, in charming towns in the countryside, and in the French Alps.
The French Honeymoon by Anne Sophie Jouhanneau (2025)
A honeymoon is a little crowded with three people…
Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman
Magical days in Paris followed by an enchanting river cruise. Has this older detective found love, or is she being scammed?
Here’s my Review of Murder Takes a Vacation
The Paris Widow by Kimberly Belle
- What: a woman’s boyfriend goes missing on a romantic trip
- Where: Paris
- Join this trip if: you love a fast-paced, action-packed story!
Check out my Review of the Paris Widow!
The Chateau by Jaclyn Goldis
- What: a group of old friends gathers to celebrate a birthday at a French chateau.
- Where: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France
- Join this trip if: you are okay with a multi-POV narrative and somewhat unlikeable characters.
My Review of the Chateau is here
If you like/liked that, definitely try The Main Character, Goldis’s 2024 book about an author who assembles a murder-y train trip. I am not a fan of multi-POV characters who ruminate a lot, but if you like this author’s style, these are the books to try.
But my favorite book by this author is The Safari, described above in the Africa section!
One by One by Ruth Ware
- What: a corporate skiing retreat in the French Alps
- Where: the exclusive french ski resort of St Antoine
- Join this trip if: you like a Chilling Mystery or a book like And Then There Were None
Check out my Review of One by One and my Spoiler Discussion for One by One
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
- What: a young woman heads to Paris to find her missing brother
- Where: a luxury Paris apartment building
- Join this trip if: you like Books Set in a Spooky Mansion or Family Secrets Suspense
My Review of the Paris Apartment AND my Spoiler Review and Plot Summary for the Paris Apartment
Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant
- What: a fun friends and family getaway turns deadly
- Where: Saint-Cécile-du-Mer, France
- Join this trip if: you are up for a vibe-y and very atmospheric book with slow-burn suspense and couples with secrets
Check out my Review of Sun Damage by Sabine Durrant
Vacation Thrillers Set in Greece
Friends trip to a Greek Island? Yes, please!
The Fury by Alex Michalides
- What: a friends’ Easter weekend getaway on a private Greek island. But evil plans are afoot….
- Where: Aura, a private Greek island owned by reclusive movie star Lana Farrar
- Join this trip if: you love a slippery narrator and literary themes
Check out my Review of The Fury with Spoilers
Vacation Thrillers Set in Italy
Who doesn’t love Italy? From the ruins in Rome to the picturesque hill towns to the gorgeous Amalfi coast. Beautiful location for some terrifying stories…
New Vacation Thriller Set in Italy for 2026!
That Night by Gillian McAllister
A woman on vacation in Italy commits a hit and run murder and turns to her sister to help her cover it up.
I have an early copy of this and can’t wait to try it!!
A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker
DCI on vacation on the Amalfi coast of Italy investigates a murder. This may be a cozy and I will report back!
The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline
Family drama, a Tuscan estate, and creepy happenings!
This book was a SURPRISE to me. Check out my Readers Guide to the Unraveling of Julia!
Her Dark Lies by JT Ellison
- What: a lavish destination wedding in a family where brides seem to end up dead.
- Where: Isle Isola in the Tyrrhenian sea, south of Capri
- Join this trip if: you love a good destination wedding suspense story in a gorgeous setting
Check out my review of Her Dark Lies and
My Spoiler Discussion and Plot Summary for Her Dark Lies
The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
- What: a past/present narrative that switches between a friends’ getaway and a 1970s murder mystery
- Where: Villa Aestes, Umbria, Italy
- Join this trip if: you love a book with two distinct narratives and a lot of clues and misdirection
Check out my Review of The Villa and
My Spoiler Discussion and Plot Summary for the Villa
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack
- What: a popular author and her entourage and fans take an Italian holiday
- Where: Rome, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, with day trips to Pompeii and Capri
- Join this trip if you like: comic mysteries (like this series) and books that break the fourth wall. And have footnotes
See my Review of Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies
Vacation Thrillers Set in Mexico and South America
The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz (2025)
Andrea Bartz is back with a suspense story set on an island in the Gulf of Mexico!
Check out my thoughts on The Last Ferry Out!
We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz
- What: a girls trip gone very wrong
- Where: the mountains of Chile
- Join this trip if: you like suspense books about toxic friendships
Check out my Review of We Were Never Here
and my Spoiler Discussion and Plot Summary for We Were Never Here
They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall
- What: seven strangers, each with a secret, are invited to a private island
- Where: island off the coast of Mexico in the Sea of Cortez
- Join this trip if: you’re a fan of And Then There Were None and are trying to diversify your mystery reading
Vacation Thrillers Set in Portugal
The Weekend Away by Sarah Alderson
- What: a girls’ weekend for a new mom and her friend
- Where: Lisbon
- Join this trip if: you like a Friends Trip suspense book and a BIG twist
Check out my Review of The Weekend Away
Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone
- What: a couple takes what was supposed to be a quick trip to Lisbon. When the husband vanishes without a trace, his wife struggles to find him
- Where: Lisbon, Portugal
- Join this trip if: you like political thrillers
Check out my Review of Two Nights in Lisbon
The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones
- What: a group of friends from university gather to celebrate a wedding. But secrets, lies and resentment start to bubble up.
- Where: a beautiful villa in the seaside fishing village Nazaré
- Join this trip if: you loved The Guest List
Check out my Review of The Guilt Trip
And my Spoiler Discussion and Plot Summary for the Guilt Trip
The Wilds by Sarah Pearse
Part Three in Elin’s journey.
Check out my review of The Wilds, the final book after The Sanatorium and The Retreat here!
New in 2025: Vacation Thrillers Set in Scandinavia
I have an entire post on Nordic Noir streaming shows and am trying to read more thrillers set in Scandinavia!
The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
- A group of friends myseriously disappears on an island off Sweden
- Eight years later, a group of woman on a bachelorette party goes to that island and (no surprise) BAD things happen!
- Check out my readers guide to The Bachelorette Party!
Vacation Thrillers Set in Switzerland
The Alpine Retreat by Sarah Goodwin (2026)
An overworked PR fixer heads to a luxury spa and ends up trapped with a killer.
The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (2025)
The Woman in Cabin 10 is getting not only a Netflix series, but a sequel! If you need a recap of The Woman in Cabin 10, you can find it here!
And check out my Readers Guide for The Woman in Suite 11!
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
- What: a British police officer
- Where: Le Sommet, a luxury hotel in the Swiss Alps
- Join this trip if: you like a locked room mystery format and a chilling winter setting
Read my Review of The Sanatorium and join
My Spoiler Discussion for the Sanatorium
Vacation Thrillers Set in the United Kingdom
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
- What: a lavish destination wedding between two celebrities gives new meaning to “til death do us part”
- Where: Inis an Amplóra (Cormorant Island), an island off the coast of Ireland and home to The Folly, an exclusive resort
- Join this trip: if you like: a thrilling Wedding Mystery
Read my Review of The Guest List and
Join my Spoiler Discussion for the Guest List
Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
- What: the opening night of a trendy new luxury eco-resort
- Where: the stunning Dorset coast of the UK
- Join this trip if you like: unlikeable characters with secrets, tension between locals and tourists, and a horror vibe!
Check out my review of The Midnight Feast with spoilers!
The Search Party by Hannah Richell
- What: a group of university friends and their partners and families reunite to celebrate the new glamping resort one of them just opened
- Where: the Cornish coast in Southwestern England
- Join this trip if: you like a twisty, well-crafted Friend Group Thriller
Check out my Review of The Search Party
The Retreat by Sarah Pearse
- What: the opening of a new eco-wellness resort, a place with a dark history
- Where: Reaper’s Rock, an island off the English coast
- Join this trip: if you like influencer stories
Check out my Review of The Retreat and
My Spoiler Discussion Post for the Retreat
What location would you pick for your Vacation Thriller? Talk to me in comments
hi Jen, just wanted to say that i appreciate that each book had its own description and category instead of just a plain list. Was going to click away but stayed for the entire post because the descriptions were so vivid. thanks!
I’m glad! I love this kind of book! If there are any of my lists that need more filling in, just let me know@