#1 Thornbird by: Elle Kennedy
#2 Beware the Abbott Boys by: Chelsea Ichaso
#3 Somebody Worth Killing by: Jessica Payne
#4 In Case I Go Missing by: R.N. Swann
#2 Beware the Abbott Boys by: Chelsea Ichaso
#3 Somebody Worth Killing by: Jessica Payne
#4 In Case I Go Missing by: R.N. Swann
Whenever I get into a reading slump or feel burnt out–especially after reading a satisfying and great series–I tend to lean towards a totally different genre to refresh and reset my reading palette. Usually how I can do this is by picking up standalone read or a genre outside of my norm (fantasy/fiction/sci fi) and typically a thriller/mystery novel helps fend off the feels I have when I complete a fully fleshed out story and it comes to its end. Am I alone in feeling this way? I wonder.
That being said, here are 4 mystery-thriller novels that have released in 2026 that have made it into my TBR.
1. Thornbird looks every bit the part of what I perceive a good thriller to look like! It definitely has a stunning cover with a blood splattered bird which catches the eye immediately. But what drew me to this one is the complex family dynamic of an infamous serial killer's daughter who is trying to piece together her father's secrets all while trying to remain anonymous in a new town.
The highly anticipated young adult thriller about a serial killer's daughter and her race to solve the crimes of her family's twisted past before it's too late—from E. Kennedy, aka New York Times bestselling romance author Elle Kennedy!
Goodreads Synopsis:
The world is hunting for answers—but what if the truth leads straight to you?
Ten years after her father—the infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn—was caught, Ryan Shipley is back in Starling, Tennessee, trying to lay low. No one can know who she really is. No one can know the truth about her past...
2. Beware the Abbott Boys just seems like a book you can't put down without knowing what happens next and the three main suspects are also triplets! I'm excited to see where each of their stories goes. Super eager to pick this one up and find out what the whole deal is. ALSO, I'm a fraternal triplet so this definitely appeals to my curiosity! A basic but visually effective cover which is the sort of reason I chose this one to feature :-)
Goodreads Synopsis:
Three brothers. Two deaths. One girl, caught in the middle.
But Hayden, the girl who lives next door to the Abbotts, swears they're innocent. After all, Henry's her best friend—maybe he could be more. She's been worried about Adam ever since he was injured in the accident that killed Mariana. As for Bram, he's a little complicated, but he and Mariana had been in love.
But Hayden, the girl who lives next door to the Abbotts, swears they're innocent. After all, Henry's her best friend—maybe he could be more. She's been worried about Adam ever since he was injured in the accident that killed Mariana. As for Bram, he's a little complicated, but he and Mariana had been in love.
3. Somebody Worth Killing appears to be a very surprising combination, a successful mother, who also happens to be an assassin. I mean this is the type of book I feel like taking a towel and reading in the sun, surely its bound to be a fun romp considering who winds up on her hit list is her "devoted" husband. I like a good plot twist and this seems like it's going to have that!
Goodreads Synopsis:
Meet Nadia Davis, a doting mom and loving wife who has a big secret: she’s actually an assassin. And she really needs a babysitter who shows up on time.
Nadia Davis is living the dream as a successful working mom with a career she loves, two adorable little girls, and a devoted husband who has no idea that she’s secretly a hired assassin and psychopath who kills certified bad guys. So when Nadia finds out she’s been “mommy tracked” by her assassin’s agency and is no longer getting the bigger, more exciting jobs, she demands an important mark…somebody worth killing.
But it turns out that big kill is the last person she expects—her husband.
4. In Case I Go Missing - Of the four selections this one is definitely the one I'm most excited for! I love the cover art, it screams mystery in progress vibes, along with the fact that the title is about a girl named Fenny whose best friend goes missing who also is an amateur detective (hell yes!) who leaves a binder full of clues as to her disappearance. Already color me down for the cause to deep dive into what I believe will be twisty adventure.
Goodreads Synopsis:
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder meets Fargo in this fast-paced YA mystery about a teen detective gone missing and her best friend who must finish her investigation.
Seventeen-year-old Fenny Allen has been Sarah Vincenty's sidekick for as long as she can remember, ever since the two of them solved the mystery of the stolen library books back in elementary school. Over the years, Sarah has ruffled a few feathers in their small town, building a reputation as both an amateur detective and a vigilante who has dispensed her own form of justice.
Now Sarah is missing...
Seventeen-year-old Fenny Allen has been Sarah Vincenty's sidekick for as long as she can remember, ever since the two of them solved the mystery of the stolen library books back in elementary school. Over the years, Sarah has ruffled a few feathers in their small town, building a reputation as both an amateur detective and a vigilante who has dispensed her own form of justice.
Now Sarah is missing...
DROP A COMMENT IF YOU THINK THESE ARE WORTH CHECKING OUT..OR IF YOU HAVE ANY MYSTERY THRILLER RECOMMENDATIONS!!! ❤👇
