My list of New Mystery and Thriller Books: August 2026 Releases is organized by my top picks, by subgenre/vibe and also by date, so you can find your perfect read easily!
Summer reading is almost over, but August 2026 is still showing up strong with domestic suspense, cozy comfort reads, and a few big sequels all landing in the same four weeks.
I’m also trying something new this month: instead of scrolling by release date to find your next read, this list is sorted by subgenre: psychological suspense, crime thrillers, series mysteries, and cozy picks, so you can jump straight to the shelf you actually want to browse.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks by Vibe
| If you want… | Read this |
|---|---|
| Suspense with Succession vibes set in Scotland | One of the Family by Mark Edwards |
| Something eerie and paranormal and based on real events! | The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen |
| A wilderness survival thriller with squabbling sisters | My Sister is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon |
| Rebecca / Verity energy: a Gothic second-wife mystery | Promise Me Never by Liv Constantine |
| The big sequel everyone will be talking about | Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty |
| A cozy murder club read | Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols |
The August 2026 Books I am Most Excited About
My must-reads of August, plus a few big names everyone will be talking about.
MY PICKS: NEW MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 4
The Unknown by Riley Sager
A dual-timeline suspense story about missing women, one thread in the 1920s and one in the present day. Looking forward to this one, as I hope it has The Only One Left vibes.
The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen
A caretaker of an elderly participant in a 1960s parapsychology study investigates the disappearance of other participants. I liked that this was based on actual events, which is the creepiest part of all!
Read my review of The Women in White →
One of the Family by Mark Edwards (suspense)
Old money, a family with dark secrets, a Scottish Highlands location, and the kind of simmering tension that made Succession must-watch TV. Great pick for readers who (like me) love some fictional family drama.
Read my review of One of the Family →
You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner (suspense)
A newlywed couple buys the “murder house” in a small town. Gardner grounds the gothic setup with a procedural structure.
Read my Goodreads review of You’ll Be Sorry →
MY PICKS: MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 11
The Secrets We Hide (North Falls #2) by Karin Slaughter (procedural)
Emmy and Jude investigate an attack on a mother and daughter. We Are All Guilty Here was one of my favorites of 2025 so I can’t wait for this one.
MY PICKS: NEW MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 18
Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols (cozy)
A new arrival to the cottage colony becomes a murder suspect. If you need a refresher for The Marigold Cottage Murder Collective, I’ve got it here! And I’ll let you know if this can be read as a standalone
That Night by Gillian McAllister (travel thriller)
A woman on vacation summons her sisters after committing a hit-and-run. I can’t resist an “I Know What You Did Last Summer” premise.
Promise Me Never by Liv Constantine (Rebecca / Verity vibes)
A woman married to a horror writer starts investigating what really happened to his first wife. Constantine’s last couple books have been a little wacky for me but I cannot resist a modern gothic.
My Sister is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon (wilderness thriller)
Two couldn’t-be-more-different sisters investigate a murder during a Grand Canyon rafting trip.
Read my Goodreads review of My Sister is Going to Kill Me →
JEN’S PICKS NEW MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 25
Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty
The ten-years-later sequel to Big Little Lies — the women are still hiding big lies.
I’m so excited about this one! Loved Big Little Lies, and loved the show!
Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier (psych thriller)
Two women are shocked when the serial killer accused of killing their friend recants his confession. I love her take on a psychological thriller, so I’m all in on this one!
The Dog Park Murders by Angela Barker (cozy)
A dog walker stumbles on a murder in a dog park. Low-stakes-setting, high-charm cozy mystery.
The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett
The follow-up to The Appeal: as the Fairway Players perform Agatha Christie, disaster strikes. Hallett’s documents-and-transcripts format is genuinely unlike anything else in the genre.
If you need a refreshed on The Appeal, my plot summary and character list are linked above!
You Know Why by J.T. Ellison
A woman and her family are en route to an Italy vacation when her husband vanishes, and suddenly he’s a murder suspect.
The Shadow Friends (Martini Club #3) by Tess Gerritsen
The ex-CIA agents of the Martini Club are drawn into another case. Spy-thriller-light with real charm — perfect for fans of Ride or Die on Prime Video.
The Full August List by Subgenre
If you want cozy, need to check on your favorite series, or love a psych thriller, I’ve got your new picks!
Psychological Suspense & Domestic Thrillers
- The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen: A caretaker of a woman in a 1960s parapsychology study investigates other participants’ disappearances.
- You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner: A newlywed couple buys the town murder house.
- One of the Family by Mark Edwards: A wealthy family with plenty to hide, and a lot of Succession-style menace.
- Promise Me Never by Liv Constantine: A woman investigates what happened to her husband’s first wife.
- That Night by Gillian McAllister: A woman on vacation summons her sisters after a hit-and-run murder.
- My Sister is Going to Kill Me by Nina Simon: Two sisters investigate a murder on a Grand Canyon rafting trip.
- The Crying Killer by Jess Lourey: A woman whose sister was murdered thinks she sees the killer.
- Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty: The ten-years-later Big Little Lies sequel.
- Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier: A “confessed” serial killer recants, shocking the victim’s friends.
- You Know Why by J.T. Ellison: A husband vanishes on a family vacation and becomes a murder suspect.
- They Say a Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough: Two murdered girls in a town full of dark secrets.
- Edge of the Woods by Sarah Alderson: A serial killer’s victim starts to think her attacker is still out there.
- Not a Word by Linwood Barclay: A man finds his parents dead in their home.
- The Woman Who Wouldn’t Die Quietly by Katarina Bivald: An 80-year-old matriarch dies at her birthday party — murder, or not?
- The Opposite of Murder by Sophie Hannah: A woman confesses to a murder she thinks she might commit.
Crime Thrillers & Procedurals
- The Unknown by Riley Sager: Dual-timeline mystery of missing women, 1920s and present day.
- The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian: An amateur golfer accidentally kills a caddy. Or was it an accident?
- Clean Slate by Brianna Labuskes: A crime scene cleaner tracks a murderer.
- Time to Burn by Ellery Lloyd: Time-travel tourism collides with a missing-woman case.
- The Blue Flame by George Pelecanos: PI George Strange is hired to check a client’s alibi.
- All We Hide by Robyn Gigl: A trans detective investigates the death of a sex worker.
- Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little: A bouncer-turned-security-hire joins the team protecting an investigative journalist.
- Codebreakers by Stella Sands: Two detectives who solve cases through words and symbols.
Series Mysteries to Continue
- The Secrets We Hide (North Falls #2) by Karin Slaughter: Emmy and Jude investigate an attack on a mother and daughter.
- The Butcher Legacy (Butcher and Blackbird #3) by Alaina Urquhart: A mortician probes missing women around Halloween.
- The Shadow Friends (Martini Club #3) by Tess Gerritsen: The ex-CIA Martini Club agents take on another case.
- God’s Country (Cork O’Connor #22) by William Kent Krueger: Cork searches for his missing friend.
- The Tailor (George Cross #8) by Tim Sullivan: DS Cross investigates a dead tailor found on a train.
Cozy Mysteries
- A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker: A DCI on vacation in Capri investigates a tourist’s murder. This is a novelization of a show on BritBox and I’d recommend the show instead!
- Murder on Charity Lane by Jo Nichols: A new arrival to a cottage colony is a murder suspect.
- Murder Bites by Mimi Montgomery: An unlikely group of detectives investigates a dog walker’s murder.
- The Dog Park Murders by Angela Barker: A dog walker stumbles on a murder in a dog park.
- The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallet: The Fairway Players perform Agatha Christie, and disaster strikes.
- Be Still My Unbeating Heart by Josh Winning: An innocent vampire is framed for murder.
Cozy Mystery Series
- And Then There Were Bun (Noodle Shop #13) by Vivian Chien: A surprise birthday party at the noodle shop ends in murder.
- Murder at the Toy Soldier (Cozy Capers #8) by Maddie Day: Mac investigates a murder at a local toy store.
- Probable Caws (Meg Langslow #39) by Donna Andrew: A horse abuser is murdered.
- Murderer’s Guide to Mardi Gras (Vintage Cookbook #5) by Ellen Byron: A krewe captain is found dead.
- Killer Donuts (Deputy Donut #11) by Ginger Bolton: Murder at a fall festival.
- Apple Pies and Poisoned Lies at the Cider Falls Festival by Traci Hall: Murder at a baking competition.
- Take Heart (Corey in Los Angeles #2) by Jamie Parker Stickle: A former TV journalist investigates a missing mother.
- To All the Men I’ve Killed Before (Kitty Collins #3) by Katy Brent: Kitty and her sister go after a man who hurt her best friend.
- The Quilt Whisperer Investigates by Peggy Ehrhart: An antique quilt expert investigates a murder.
Dark Comedy & Twisty Genre-Benders
- Fruit Fly by Josh Silver: A desperate author with writer’s block steals an unhoused man’s story.
- My Inner Child Wants to Kill by Karsten Dusse: Björn locks a mafia boss in his basement.
- The Secret Dinner by Raphael Montes: Four childhood friends host mysterious, secret dinner parties for money.