So, last week I did a post about summer horror books. Since I love thrillers as well I couldn’t really pass up on making a list of summer thriller books. I wouldn’t say I like reading a particular genre that revolves around a particular season. I love reading them all year round and because of that, I like when the genre revolves around different seasons. It makes it better for me!
Hopefully, I’m not the only one who likes to read the same genre all year and have the seasons change with them.
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Summer thriller Books
Summer is almost here and that means we need some summer thriller books to read. I’m usually hit or miss when it comes to reading with the seasons. I know I know there are so many people who want to read books that kind of take place around the same time of year they are already in.
I can’t say that I blame them but I struggle with it. Hopefully this year I will be able to get to some of the summer thriller books that are already on this list.
The House Across the Lake
The House Across the Lake is literally being released in the summer! But just the title alone makes the book perfect for the summer thriller books list.
On top of that, I know most of you are probably huge Riley Sager fans. I know I am! I even have a review of one of his books here.
Here is what The House Across the Lake is about.
Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is rich; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.
One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she uncovers eerie, darker truths that turn a tale of voyeurism and suspicion into a story of guilt, obsession and how looks can be very deceiving.
With his trademark blend of sharp characters, psychological suspense, and gasp-worthy surprises, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake unveils more than one twist that will shock readers until the very last page.
If you want to check out The House Across the Lake then you can find it through the links below.
The Honeymoon
The Honeymoon is great for the summer thriller books just because of the cover. I mean come on not many people are going to go swimming in the ocean on a cold wintery day.
So, the idea of something like this has always freaked me out a little. Granted Chloe only knew Dan for a short period of time before getting married, but I have heard similar stories like this. There are so many stories about women and men being with someone for years before getting married and as soon as they got married one of them changed completely.
It’s so crazy for me to think that someone would be able to put a front up for years and then quickly change when they get pretty much a piece of paper.
Here is what The Honeymoon is about.
Chloe had the dream wedding. Dan is her perfect man. They haven’t known each other for long, but as she walked down the aisle and saw him standing by the altar, tears glistening in his eyes, she knew this was forever.
Later, as they relax on a beautiful island, settling into their new married life together, they congratulate themselves on their lovely wedding day, and Dan jokes that he’d like them to stay there forever.
But as the honeymoon goes on, he becomes increasingly adamant. They shouldn’t leave. In fact, he won’t let her…
If you want to check out The Honeymoon then make sure you check it out through the links below.
Don’t Leave me Alone
I know Don’t Leave me Alone doesn’t completely give out summer vibes because it could very well take place in the winter.
Even if this does take place in a different season it still makes a good tribute to the summer thriller books list. Most things in this story could still potentially happen in the summer.
Here is what Don’t Leave me Alone is about.
Leah’s husband has secrets. But so does she.
Leah and her husband Ben move to a gorgeous timber cottage in the hills, convinced a change of scenery can fix their marriage. She’ll finally get pregnant. He’ll remain faithful.
But Ben is called back to the city for work.
Leah is devastated, and all alone in a big, old cabin in the middle of nowhere. Then she starts hearing things at night.
Her fears are founded when she finds a threatening note, convinced it’s targeted at her. But she needs to prove to Ben that she’s grounded enough to be a mother, so she keeps her fears a secret.
Leah must figure out who’s taunting her. Alone.
Does it have to do with the chilling history of her house?
Is her husband keeping tabs on her from afar?
What about her creepy hillbilly neighbor? Or the handsome one who owns a winery?
Leah discovers her husband had more secrets than she thought. But also that she can’t keep her own secrets hidden forever, either.
If you want to check out Don’t Leave me Alone then make sure to check them out in the links below.
The Tenth Girl
Doing posts like summer thriller books and books with serial killers I’m slowly starting to realize that I have a tendency to buy books and then never look at them again. That’s something I really need to stop and work on.
But The Tenth Girl is another book I have been meaning to read after I have already bought the thing. Just from the cover though the story seems to have such a creepy setting to it.
Here is what The Tenth Girl is about.
Simmering in Patagonian myth, The Tenth Girl is a gothic psychological thriller with a haunting twist.
At the very southern tip of South America looms an isolated finishing school. Legend has it that the land will curse those who settle there. But for Mavi—a bold Buenos Aires native fleeing the military regime that took her mother—it offers an escape to a new life as a young teacher to Argentina’s elite girls.
Mavi tries to embrace the strangeness of the imposing house—despite warnings not to roam at night, threats from an enigmatic young man, and rumors of mysterious Others. But one of Mavi’s ten students is missing, and when students and teachers alike begin to behave as if possessed, the forces haunting this unholy cliff will no longer be ignored.
One of these spirits holds a secret that could unravel Mavi’s existence. In order to survive, she must solve a cosmic mystery—and then fight for her life.
If you’re interested in The Tenth Girl then you can check it out through the links below.
Something in the Water
So, I’m a little skeptical about reading Something in Water but wanted to add it to the list. For the most part, I do not like reading books that celebrities endorse. I’ve tried and hated the book that they recommended.
Not saying all of the books they suggest are bad but I would just rather avoid them. But I do have to say that Something in the water sounds pretty interesting and has caught my attention.
Here is what the book is about.
Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, and Mark is a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .
Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?
Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .
Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?
Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we’re tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves.
If you want to check out Something in the Water then you can find them through the links below.
Somewhere in the Dark
So, this is the first time I’m actually hearing about Somewhere in the Dark. I’m actually kind of surprised because this is the type of book I always read.
Hopefully I can get to it soon because I love books that deal with a character avoiding someone and they’re always there.
Here is what Somewhere in the Dark is about.
Do the mistakes of the past mark us as guilty for life?
After a childhood marred by neglect, Jessie Duval’s finally got it together. With an apartment in Nashville and a job with a catering company, she’s thriving.
But all that changes when Jessie works an event where celebrities will be in attendance–including the one person from her past she must avoid at all costs: singer Shelly James. Jessie doesn’t hate Shelly. Quite the opposite. One summer, she followed Shelly’s tour everywhere. Only, Shelly wasn’t flattered; she was terrified by Jessie’s devotion–especially after Jessie was arrested. But after a year of therapy, Jessie understands what happened. She’s not the same person anymore.
Jessie keeps her head down, but when Shelly is found dead, Jessie’s troubled past comes tumbling out and she quickly becomes a suspect in the high-profile murder. As the police close in on her, ignoring other credible leads, Jessie realizes Shelly’s murder will be pinned on her–the perfect scapegoat–unless she finds the real killer. And no one knows Shelly’s life and inner circle better than her. But she will have to go deeper into the dark–if ever she wants to find her way out.
If you’re interested in Somewhere in the Dark then you can find it in the links below.
Such a Quiet Place
So it has been a while since I have read Such a Quiet Place but I do remember enjoying it.
It’s a crazy idea to me that someone would allow someone who was “convicted” of murder back into your home. Who does that!? I get that the main character feels guilty because she was deemed as innocent but I would still not want her in my home. There’s no telling if she would really want revenge on those in the neighborhood.
Here is what Such a Quiet Place is about.
We had no warning that she’d come back.
Hollow’s Edge used to be a quiet place. A private and idyllic neighborhood where neighbors dropped in on neighbors, celebrated graduation and holiday parties together and looked out for one another. But then came the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett. A year and a half later, Hollow’s Edge is simmering. The residents are trapped, unable to sell their homes, confronted daily by the empty Truett house, and suffocated by their trial testimonies that implicated one of their own. Ruby Fletcher. And now, Ruby’s back.
With her conviction overturned, Ruby waltzes right back to Hollow’s Edge, and into the home she once shared with Harper Nash. Harper, five years older, has always treated Ruby like a wayward younger sister. But now she’s terrified. What possible good could come of Ruby returning to the scene of the crime? And how can she possibly turn her away, when she knows Ruby has nowhere to go?
Within days, suspicion spreads like a virus across Hollow’s Edge. It’s increasingly clear that not everyone told the truth about the night of the Truett’s murders. And when Harper begins receiving threatening notes, she realizes she has to uncover the truth before someone else becomes the killer’s next victim.
If you’re interested in Such a Quiet Place you can find it in the links below.
The Guest List
It has been a while since I have read The Guest List. I do remember enjoying it and thinking the story was pretty fast paced. This is one that I actually need to try and reread over again since I have forgotten some things that actually happened in the book.
The Guest List is such a scary idea. Granted I would never have been able to afford to have a wedding on an island I would still be a little concerned about a wedding there. Then again I would never imagine someone having something against me.
I guess a part of me would be worried about people falling into the ocean though since a lot of people would be getting drunk.
The Guest List is perfect for the summer thriller books list since it takes place on an island. For the most part most people travel on islands during the warmer months!
Here is what The Guest List is about.
The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.
But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.
And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?
If you’re interested in The Guest List then you can find them through the link below.
We Were Never Here
We Were Never Here is probably one of my favorite books so far this year. I read it a few months back and was pretty baffled over the whole story.
Travelling around the world has been something I have always wanted to do but doing it alone has always been something I was scared to do. There are so many crazies out there no matter what part of the world you are in. But what is the crazy person just so happens to be the friend you decide to travel with.
We Were Never Here is perfect for the summer thrillers list because not only does it take place in the warmer months but obviously takes place when most people travel. So, I also suggest reading this one as you go on vacation.
Here is what We Were Never Here is about.
An annual backpacking trip has deadly consequences in a chilling new novel from the bestselling author of The Lost Night and The Herd.
Emily is having the time of her life–she’s in the mountains of Chile with her best friend, Kristen, on their annual reunion trip, and the women are feeling closer than ever. But on the last night of their trip, Emily enters their hotel suite to find blood and broken glass on the floor. Kristen says the cute backpacker she’d been flirting with attacked her, and she had no choice but to kill him in self-defense. Even more shocking: The scene is horrifyingly similar to last year’s trip when another backpacker wound up dead. Emily can’t believe it’s happened again–can lightning really strike twice?
Back home in Wisconsin, Emily struggles to bury her trauma, diving head-first into a new relationship and throwing herself into work. But when Kristen shows up for a surprise visit, Emily is forced to confront their violent past. The more Kristen tries to keep Emily close, the more Emily questions her friend’s motives. As Emily feels the walls closing in on their coverups, she must reckon with the truth about her closest friend. Can she outrun the secrets she shares with Kristen, or will they destroy her relationship, her freedom–even her life?
If you’re interested in We Were Never Here then you can find it through the links below.
The Night Swim
The Night Swim I think was a pretty popular book at the beginning of this year and for the latter half of last year. It is one I have been meaning to read for a while and this might be the perfect time I try.
I love books that kind of revolve around true crime and podcasts. I’m not even really sure why because I don’t even watch much true crime movies or shows. I don’t even really listen to many podcasts either. So, I’m not completely sure why books like this always catch my attention.
Here is what The Night Swim is about.
After the first season of her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall is now a household name―and the last hope for thousands of people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.
The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. The town’s golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping a high school student, the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season Three a success, Rachel throws herself into interviewing and investigating―but the mysterious letters keep showing up in unexpected places. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered―and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody seems to want to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.
Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?
If you’re interested in The Night Swim then you can find it through the links below.
I hope you enjoyed this list of summer thriller books. Let me know in the comments if there are any that I missed!
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