Sometimes you get in the mood for a little suspense, and there's no better way to scratch that itch than with a killer book—literally. Mystery thrillers never fail to get your heart pumping, making you turn the page at warp speed! To add a bit of excitement to your reading list, we found some mystery thriller books that are sure to send chills down your spine.
Deadly Observations by Regan Black
USA Today bestselling author Regan Black delivers another suspense-filled romantic adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
The best Jayne Salter could say for her childhood was that she survived. The hardships clouded her outlook, but she's carved out a fresh start and life is finally good. Until her first coffee date in ages goes all wrong.
Ethan Shelley is certain the Guardian Agency has given him the easiest assignment ever: Watch a beautiful woman, keep his distance, and send in regular updates. Just when he thinks he might actually be bored observing Jayne's perfectly normal routine, her date tries to kidnap her.
Now, with her illusions of security and stability shattered, Jayne must rely on Ethan's expertise as a bodyguard in a race to expose the person targeting her before they both wind up dead.
Mystery by the Sea (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #5) by Verity Bright
A magnificent seaside hotel, striped deckchairs, strawberry ice cream… and a rather familiar dead body? Lady Swift is on the case!
Spring, 1921. Lady Eleanor Swift, explorer extraordinaire and accidental sleuth, hasn’t had a vacation since she arrived in England a year ago. Being an amateur detective can be a rather tiring business and she is determined to escape any more murder and mysteries. So she books into the Grand Hotel in the fashionable resort of Brighton for some fresh air, fish and chips and, of course, a dip in the ocean.
Eleanor is enjoying her view of the waves and trying to find her bathing suit when calamity strikes: a guest has been found dead at her beautiful hotel. The distraught manager, who can’t afford a scandal, asks Eleanor to solve the case as swiftly as possible. Thank goodness she has her partner in crime – Gladstone the bulldog – to help her sniff out the dastardly culprit.
But when Eleanor enters the dead man’s room, she receives a shock big enough to make her forget even the finest ice cream sundae. The body is that of her husband, who supposedly died six years ago on the other side of the world. Has he been alive all these years? Why does he have a copy of their wedding photograph with a cryptic message written on the back? If Eleanor can keep herself safe long enough to find her husband’s killer, she might discover that everything is not quite as it seems beside the seaside…
Murders & Romance (The Touched Series Book 5) by Lashell Collins
Another gruesome set of murders is rocking the city, and Detective Isaac Taylor is on the case. But when danger strikes too close to the woman he loves, Ike fears she's being targeted.
Sidney Fairchild is now the focus of someone's sick mind games. But what her tormentor doesn't realize is that Sid is no longer a victim. She has learned how to fight dirty, and she's not afraid to prove it.
Now, with his psychic powers growing, Ike must act to protect the love of his life and the future they're building together. But will his abilities be enough to save them both before the game turns deadly?
Deep Woods by Helena Newbury
I was barefoot, sobbing, running for my life. But the men hunting me made one mistake: they chased me into *his* woods.
Cal Whittaker. Big, gruff and gorgeous, he’s made his home in the heart of the forest and has barely spoken to another person in six years. He deals with the men chasing me with a brutal efficiency that hints at a dark past. I should be scared...but when I look into his eyes, I feel a soul-deep longing I can’t explain. And the way he looks at me, like he just wants to push me up against a tree and tear my clothes off...
He offers me shelter on his smallholding. I’m used to the big city but I’ll have to learn a whole new way of life: a cow for milk, a wood stove for warmth and no one but the two of us for miles in any direction. I learn that Cal’s carrying a guilt that won’t let him get close to anyone...but neither of us can fight the attraction and in his tiny cabin, it’s impossible to keep our distance.
Even in the forest, though, we may not be safe. My escape has threatened a conspiracy so vast, so evil, that the men behind it won’t stop until they’ve silenced us. They know where we are. And they’re coming.
The Finish Line (The Ravenhood #3) by Kate Stewart
Secrets and Lies... I’ve lived the entirety of my life wrapped up in subterfuge for one purpose—revenge. Through the years, I lived more as an enigma than a man. For so long, I denied I had a beating heart of my own.
Until her. Until she unearthed the starving vessel inside, forced me to acknowledge it, forced me to understand that I’m capable of bleeding the same as any other. For that, we paid. We're still paying. Yet, she demands it still, the useless heart of the ruthless thief and shameless villain she fell for. My fear is, I’m no longer that man. With the lies I’ve told, the life I’ve led, my mistakes are beginning to catch up with me, day by day, one by one.
This is my last chance, and I have no intention of losing her again, but as the deception of my past starts to unravel and close in, shedding my humanity may be the only thing that can save us both. Maybe it’s already too late.
Lobster Wellington
Save the beef for a rainy day and make lobster Wellington for an elegant twist. Succulent lobster tail, buttery spinach, and herbed mushrooms find a cozy home wrapped inside flaky puff pastry--perfect for a special celebration at home.
Ingredients
· Four 8-ounce raw lobster tails in the shell, thawed if frozen
· 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
· One 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
· 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
· Zest of 1/2 lemon (about 1 teaspoon), plus wedges for serving
· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
· One 4-ounce package of sliced fancy mixed mushrooms
· 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
· 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package), thawed
· 1 large egg, beaten
Directions
· Special equipment: 4 wooden skewers
· Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Position a wire rack on a baking sheet and set it aside. Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
· Put the lobster tails in a large heat safe bowl, pour in boiling water to cover and let sit until the shells just begin to turn orange, about 4 minutes.
· Use kitchen shears to cut the shells and remove them from the meat. Insert a wooden skewer lengthwise through each tail so that the lobster stays flat and does not curl up while cooking. Set the tails aside.
· Microwave 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the spinach, garlic, lemon zest, a large pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper; set aside.
· Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, thyme, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and starting to turn brown in spots, about 5 minutes.
· Roll each puff pastry sheet into an 11-inch square. Spread half of the spinach mixture on each sheet and sprinkle with half of the mushrooms. Cut each sheet in half, making 4 rectangles. Place a lobster tail at one end of each rectangle, parallel with the short side. Roll the pastry pieces around the lobster and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
Bake until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the skewers, slice widthwise into pieces and serve with a lemon wedge.