The time is finally here: Classes are over, summer jobs start and the relaxation begins. If you, like me, use the summer as a time to catch up on reading those books that don’t involve calculus or the Vietnam War, this list is for you. And what better way to start this lovely season than with thrilling page-turners? Here are 10 (slightly messed up) mystery/thriller books that are on the top of my to-read list for this summer.
1. "Dark Places" by Gillian Flynn
Also recommended on Annie Burdick’s article "10 Recommendations For Books You Won't Be Able To Put Down". If you are a fan of "Gone Girl" (or aren't but are willing to give Gillian Flynn another chance), this book is a great start to the summer season and is one of my personal favorites. It is also a movie!
Summary: "Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” She survived—and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, the Kill Club—a secret society obsessed with notorious crimes—locates Libby and pumps her for details. They hope to discover proof that may free Ben. Libby hopes to turn a profit off her tragic history: She’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club—for a fee. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started—on the run from a killer."
2. "Sharp Objects" by Gillian Flynn
Another Gillian Flynn book, but also incredibly gripping. If you choose to read either of these novels, read them one after the other. Flynn’s writing technique makes for an amazing page-turner, so if you are going away for the weekend, pack these two novels and you will be thoroughly entertained.
Summary: "Fresh from a brief stay at a psych hospital, reporter Camille Preaker faces a troubling assignment: She must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. For years, Camille has hardly spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or to the half-sister she barely knows–a beautiful thirteen-year-old with an eerie grip on the town. Now, installed in her old bedroom in her family's Victorian mansion, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims—a bit too strongly. Dogged by her own demons, she must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past if she wants to get the story—and survive this homecoming."
3. "Luckiest Girl Alive" by Jessica Knoll
A New York Time's Best Seller last summer that also has a ton of plot twists. You will never see some of these turns coming. I would say this book should definitely come after the Gillian Flynn novels just because you will be left sitting there like "what..."
Summary: "As a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, Ani FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now, with a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé, she’s this close to living the perfect life she’s worked so hard to achieve. But Ani has a secret. There’s something else buried in her past that still haunts her, something private and painful that threatens to bubble to the surface and destroy everything."
4. "Beware That Girl" by Teresa Toten
As I was walking through Barnes & Noble (a.k.a. heaven) the other day in search of an audiobook, this title caught my eye. They tell you not to judge a book by its cover, but hopefully this won't disappoint!
Summary: "The Haves. The Have-Nots. Kate O’Brien appears to be a Have-Not. Her whole life has been a series of setbacks she’s had to snake her way out of—some more sinister than others. But she’s determined to change that. She’s book smart. She’s street-smart. Oh, and she’s also a masterful liar. As the scholarship student at the Waverly School in NYC, Kate has her work cut out for her: her plan is to climb the social ladder and land a spot at Yale. She’s already found her “people” among the senior class “it” girls—specifically in the cosseted, mega-wealthy yet deeply damaged Olivia Sumner. As for Olivia, she considers Kate the best friend she’s always needed, the sister she never had. When the handsome and whip-smart Mark Redkin joins the Waverly administration, he immediately charms his way into the faculty’s and students’ lives—becoming especially close to Olivia, a fact she’s intent on keeping to herself. It becomes increasingly obvious that Redkin poses a threat to Kate, too, in a way she can’t reveal—and can’t afford to ignore. How close can Kate and Olivia get to Mark without having to share their dark pasts?"
5. "Love You More" by Lisa Gardner
A recommendation from my lovely mother! She said she listened to it on audiobook and it was fantastic, and I am sure it will not disappoint in print. But if you are a fan of audio, this may be for you!
Summary: "Brian Darby lies dead on the kitchen floor. His wife, state police trooper Tessa Leoni, claims to have shot him in self-defense, and bears the bruises to back up her tale. For veteran detective D. D. Warren it should be an open-and-shut case. But where is their six-year-old daughter? As the homicide investigation ratchets into a frantic statewide search for a missing child, D. D. Warren must partner with former lover Bobby Dodge to break through the blue wall of police brotherhood, seeking to understand the inner workings of a trooper’s mind while also unearthing family secrets. Would a trained police officer truly shoot her own husband? And would a mother harm her own child?"
6. "Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
My boyfriend's mom said this was fantastic, and it sounds like it. A young adult novel, just like "Beware That Girl," this book presents itself to be a truly creepy read. Reviews said the writing is similar to Lemony Snicket so all of you "A Series of Unfortunate Events" fans should check this out. There are supposedly some eerie pictures to go along with it!
Summary: "A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows."
7. "The Memory Box" by Eva Lesko Natiello
This book has been on my Amazon Wish List for months now and I cannot finally wait to start it. More stories of a terrifying past? Count me in.
Summary: "In this fast-paced suspense, a group of privileged suburban moms amuse themselves by Googling everyone in town, digging up dirt to fuel thorny gossip. Caroline Thompson, devoted mother of two, sticks to the moral high ground and attempts to avoid these women. She's relieved to hear her name appears only three times, citing her philanthropy. Despite being grateful that she has nothing to hide, a delayed pang of insecurity prods Caroline to Google her maiden name--which none of the others know. The hits cascade like a tsunami. Caroline's terrified by what she reads. An obituary for her sister, JD? That's absurd. With every click, the revelations grow more alarming. They can't be right. She'd know. Caroline is hurled into a state of paranoia--upending her blissful family life--desperate to prove these allegations false before someone discovers they're true. Be careful what you search for."
8. "You" by Caroline Kepnes
In this day and age, a.k.a. the age of social media, this should hit home for many of us, maybe a little too much. I will definitely be paying with cash the next time I make my Dunkin' run.
Summary: "When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card. There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting. As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder."
9. "19 Minutes" by Jodi Picot
Two words: Plot twist. This is not Jodi Picoult's typical book, but it is certainly my favorite of hers.
Summary: "Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens--until the day its complacency is shattered by a school shooting. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes--or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show--destroying the closest of friendships and families. Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be."
10. "This Is Where It Ends" by Marieke Nijkamp
I found this title as I was scrolling through my recommendations on Amazon, so no opinions on this title yet. I just hope it is as gripping as its summary.
Summary: "Everyone has a reason to fear the boy with the gun. 10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve. 10:02 a.m. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class. 10:03 The auditorium doors won't open. 10:05 Someone starts shooting. Told from four perspectives over the span of 54 harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival."
