Here’s a summary of the highlighted mysteries and thrillers for 2026:
Notable Titles
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Deadly Does It by Abbi Waxman
- Publisher: Berkley
- Pages: 364
- Price: $20
- Overview: Mason and Mann, recovering alcoholics, tackle a murder while intertwining their personal lives with humor and wit.
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I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig
- Publisher: Berkley
- Pages: 272
- Price: $30
- Overview: A former hobbyist serial killer finds herself framed for murder in a retirement home filled with ex-cops and lawyers.
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The Secrets We Hide by Karin Slaughter
- Publisher: William Morrow
- Pages: 406
- Price: $32
- Overview: A sheriff grapples with family secrets amid a murder investigation right after her mother’s funeral.
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Blood, Rust and Steel by Stuart MacBride
- Publisher: Macmillan
- Pages: 610
- Price: $30.99
- Overview: A gritty police procedural focused on an acting detective inspector facing a complex case as her retirement approaches.
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Who Knew the Ridpath Girl by Stacy Johns
- Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
- Pages: 448
- Price: $17.99
- Overview: A mystery unfolds around a young girl’s death, explored through the perspectives of her friend and family.
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The Four Wives and Five Deaths of Richard Milford by Nafissa Thompson-Spires
- Publisher: Scribner
- Pages: 176
- Price: $26
- Overview: In 1920s Oklahoma, the mysterious murder of a wealthy man is explored through the voices of several witnesses.
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You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner
- Publisher: Grand Central Press
- Pages: 357
- Price: $30
- Overview: A couple’s fixer-upper reveals dark secrets about a long-vanished family, intertwining past and present horrors.
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Safari Murder Party by Rachel Moore
- Publisher: Berkley
- Pages: 352
- Price: $30
- Overview: The cut-throat world of media and a deadly contest unfold on a remote safari island.
Themes Explored
- Many titles center around themes of redemption, complex personal histories, and the interplay of humor and darkness in solving mysteries. They often feature strong character dynamics, such as recovery, friendship, and familial ties against the backdrop of crime.
These engaging thrillers and mysteries are sure to provide gripping plots and intriguing character studies for readers in 2026.
