All The Mystery Books I’m Loving This Winter

August 15, 2021

There are certain things in life that just go together perfectly, like gin and tonic, or warm sourdough and salty butter (drool…) but another iconic match that I spend the year longing for is Winter and mystery books. When the weather is warm I’m much more likely to reach for a romantic comedy or light contemporary fiction, but when it’s frosty outside and the rain is coming down, all I want to do is curl up with a good mystery book on the couch and lose a few hours.

Winter Mystery Books

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – probably one of the most popular psychological thrillers out there and for good reason. I think most people have seen the film or at least watched the trailer, so I’ll spare you the synopsis, but to say this book deserves a place on your shelf is an understatement. Sharp and unexpected, and that ending! Highly recommend it to everyone, even if you’ve seen the film, the book is a level above.

The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan – set in the foggy and chilly Irish countryside in the dead of Winter, a young police officer (guarda) Cormac Reilly visits a seemingly abandoned home to find a young brother and sister, and their recently deceased mother, taken by an accidental drug overdose. Fast forward 20 years and the same guarda is called in on the investigation of the brother’s apparent suicide. Mystery galore, and a very unexpected ending. The ultimate Winter read.

Woman In The Window by A. J Finn – a mystery novel that centers around someone who doesn’t leave their house might hit a little close to home right now, but for agoraphobic Anna Fox, it’s her normal way of life. One night she innocently witnesses an intense assault on her new neighbour, but upon calling the police, it becomes apparent that all is not as it seems. A really dramatic read with so many twists and turns, and infinitely better than the film if you’ve already seen that.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – another Gillian Flynn gem, this one follows a flawed journalist as she returns to her hometown to cover the murder of a local girl. Camille escaped her tiny Midwest town (a Flynn staple) and poisonous mother and hasn’t looked back since, but as a second girl is found murdered her investigation takes on a familiar tone and sheds light on Camille’s own scary past.
TW: self-harm, family abuse, mental illness.

The Dry by Jane Harper – there’s nothing like reading about a town in the throes of a heatwave, and deeply suffering from a drought to make you appreciate the chilly and rainy afternoons. The novel paints the picture of a grief-stricken Aussie town divided after a man kills his wife and eldest child before turning the gun on himself. The father’s childhood best friend, now big city Federal Police detective, doesn’t seem convinced and teams up with the equally sceptical local cop to find the real story. The book covers the current investigation, but it’s peppered with flashbacks to their childhood and the unsolved homicide that broke the town nearly twenty years earlier. A truly fantastic read.

So what’s next on the TBR list? Lots more murder mysteries and thrillers actually!

Winter Mystery Books

Have you read any of these? Any recommendations on what to start first?

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