As spooky season approaches, we are all looking for some chilling and thrilling novels that are perfect to read while sipping on some hot chocolate or warm cider. Here are some of the best mystery novels for true crime and suspense lovers to read this fall:
A good girl’s guide to murder (2019)
- Author: Holly Jackson
- Length:433 pages, 105,547 words
- Summary: A High School Senior, Pippa, decides to do her capstone project on the mystery of a teenage girl who was murdered in her small town a couple years ago. The police believe the girl’s boyfriend murdered her, but Pippa isn’t convinced. Pippa starts to put herself in danger as she discovers the dark secrets the people in her town are trying to hide.
- This book is perfect for a student looking for distraction from their own Fall semester projects with a look into a school project all about murder and mystery. This modernized Nancy Drew book will have you piecing together clues and guessing suspects until the very last page!
Murder on the Orient Express (1934)
- Author: Agatha Christie
- Length: 274 pages, 81,926 words
- Summary: Detective Hercule Poirot is on the Orient Express, a luxurious train filled with suspicious travelers, when a snowdrift blocks the tracks. When one of the travelers is discovered to be murdered, Poirot realizes he is trapped with the killer and he must solve the case before they strike again.
- As one of the greatest classic mysteries of all time, this book is great for someone looking for a tricky case to solve. This book’s frosty atmosphere is great for fall, and you’ll be thinking about it’s shocking ending for the rest of the year! Also, if you end up loving the detective, there are 32 more Hercule Poirot books for you to binge read.
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902)
- Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
- Length: 256 pages, 76,544 words
- Summary: The death of Sir Charles Baskerville is said to have been caused by a gigantic ghostly hound that has supposedly haunted his family for generations. Famous detective Sherlock Holmes dismisses this theory, but when the strange and supernatural elements of this case unfold, Sherlock’s rationalism is put to the test.
- Everyone knows Sherlock is a classic choice for a mystery read, but this book has a particularly eerie and atmospheric vibe that is perfect for spooky season. If you love both detective dramas and iconic monster movies, then you’ll love this combination. This is also a great place to start if you’re looking for an introduction to Sherlock Holmes.
Rebecca (1938)
- Author: Daphne du Maurier
- Length: 449 pages, 134,251 words
- Summary: When the novel’s heroine is swept off her feet by a dashing widower in Monte Carlo, she believes her troubles are behind her. However, once she arrives at her new home, the dark and ominous shadow of her husband’s late wife threatens to destroy her new marriage.
- This book is a great choice if you’re looking for a dark and romantic tale that will keep you guessing until the very end, perfect for those who want something hauntingly tragic to read this October. After reading, curl up with a hot drink and try watching the Netflix movie adaption.
The Westing Game (1978)
- Author: Ellen Raskin
- Length: 182 pages, 54,418 words
- Summary: A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely strangers gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. No one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger—and a possible murderer—to inherit his vast fortune, and now the strangers may have to work together to solve the mystery of his death.
- This book is an absolute classic fit for all ages and all times of year, but reading this mystery in Autumn gives it an extra spooky feel. With a huge cast of dynamic characters, this mystery will keep you wondering whodunit, and the ending will shock you! This is a great choice for families or book clubs looking to solve a mystery together.
Sharp Objects (2006)
- Author: Gillian Flynn
- Length: 254 pages, 75,946 words
- 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 unsolved murder of a preteen girl and the disappearance of another. Camille has avoided her complicated family for years, but now she must unravel her own past if she wants to solve this mystery.
- This choice is great for those looking for an edgier, darker read this fall. If you enjoyed Gone Girl, this will be perfect for you. The Netflix adaption is also a great choice for fall!
Natalie Edwards | 2021
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