“Everything we fear finds us eventually, so there’s no point trying to outrun it.”
Mystery books are some most popular stories in the world. They are also some of the hardest to define. The best mystery books are able to squeeze into horror, crime thrillers, sci-fi and speculative fiction, historical pieces and even romance tales when done correctly. Nevertheless, we here at What We Reading thought it would still be a good idea to have a running list of the best mystery books from 2024. All of these novels have a crime of some kind at their centre and feature at least one jaw-dropping plot twist designed to keep readers guessing. So, from gripping murder mysteries to poignant historical dramas, join us today for our take on the best new mystery novels from 2024!
The Hunter (Cal Hooper #2) – Tana French
Kicking off our list of the best mystery books from 2024 is Tana French’s poignant story, The Hunter, the second entry in her Cal Hooper series. Cal Hooper took early retirement from Chicago PD and moved to rural Ireland hoping to find some peace. And, more or less, he’s found it. He’s turned Trey Reddy from a feral child to a kid going places, and his relationship with Lena has started to blossom.
But then Trey’s absentee father reemerges, bringing with him an English millionaire and a scheme to find gold within the town. Suddenly, everything Cal has been building appears to be under threat. Cal and Lena will do almost anything to protect Trey. But Trey doesn’t want to be protected. She wants revenge. A layered and atmospheric Irish mystery, The Hunter is all about what we do for the ones we love and what we’ll do for revenge.
The Fury – Alex Michaelides
Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex-movie star and one of the most famous women on the planet. Each and every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the dreary English weather and escape to her picturesque private Greek island for Easter.
However, after finding themselves trapped on the island overnight, old friendships are soon eroded away by concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What began as the perfect trip soon descends into violence and one of the guests is found murdered in The Fury, the latest mystery book by Alex Michaelides.
Missing White Woman – Kellye Garrett
It was supposed to be a romantic getaway in New York City. Breanna’s new boyfriend, Ty, insisted on taking care of everything. Yet, when Bree comes downstairs on the final morning, Ty is nowhere to be found. Instead, there is a dead body in the foyer. The stranger the entire internet has become obsessed with: Janelle Beckett. Before long, both the police and the rest of the world are asking the sorts of questions Bree knows she doesn’t have the answers to.
Desperate to find Ty and even more desperate to keep her own secrets buried, Bree turns to her ex-best friend, a lawyer with whom she shares a complex past. In one of the best mystery books from 2024, Kellye Garett puts a spin on the ‘Missing White Woman’ syndrome in a story that explores how well we can really know the people we love.
The Last Murder At The End Of The World – Stuart Turton
Outside the island, there is nothing: the world was wiped out by a fog that swept across the planet, killing anyone it touched. However, it is an idyllic experience living on the island. One hundred and twenty-two villagers and three scientists live in harmony. The villagers fish, farm and feast, and are perfectly content sticking to their nightly curfew imposed by the scientists.
That is until, to the horror of the villagers, one of their beloved scientists is found brutally stabbed. What’s more, the murder has triggered the security system. In 107 hours, the only thing keeping the fog at bay will be dropped and everyone on the island will be smothered. The security system has also wiped everyone’s memories of what has happened. Someone on the island is a murderer, and they don’t even know it. The Last Murder at the End of the World is a 2024 mystery book by Stuart Turton, bestselling author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.
End Of Story – A.J. Finn
Another one of the best mystery books from 2024 comes from serial bestselling thriller author A.J. Finn in End of Story. With just months left to live, reclusive novelist Sebastian Trapp invites Nicky Hunter to his grand San Francisco mansion to help pen his life story. Twenty years earlier, Sebastian’s first wife and teenage son disappeared from different locations, never to be seen again.
As Nicky attempts to pull together the threads of Sebastian’s life, she becomes more and more obsessed with discovering the truth. Meanwhile, Sebastian’s protective daughter, Madeline, begins to ponder on how much her father really knows about that fateful night two decades ago. And when a corpse turns up in the family koi pond, both women are shocked to learn that the past isn’t gone – it’s just waiting.
The Midnight Feast – Lucy Foley
It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles, and crystal pouches for the guests’ healing have been placed in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches and the ‘Manor Mule’ cocktail is available on-demand. Everyone present is wearing linen.
Yet, under the midsummer sun, a darkness stirs. Longtime friends and enemies mingle inside among the guests. Outside the Manor’s pristine grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And, by the Sunday morning of the opening weekend, the police have been summoned. There’s been a fire. A body’s been found. One of the best new mystery books from 2024, The Midnight Feast is a story by Lucy Foley about a fifteen-year-old secret, a party being crashed, and a murder.
What Happened To Nina? – Dervla McTiernan
Nina and Simon are the perfect couple. Young, fun and hopelessly in love with each other. That is until they leave for a weekend at Simon’s family cabin in Vermont, and only he returns. Simon’s explanation for what happened between them in their final hours doesn’t stack up. Nina’s parents push for the police to investigate, and Simon’s parents rush to his defence. Both sides hire expensive law firms and a PR firm to conjure up a nothing-is-off-limits media campaign.
Soon enough, the facts of the case are being drowned out by accusations and counter-accusations. From armchair detectives to hardcore conspiracy theorists, everyone picks a side. Outgunned by Simon’s wealthy family, Nina’s family finds themselves under siege. In her new 2024 mystery book, What Happened to Nina, Dervla McTiernan centres on the family as they realise that, if playing by the rules isn’t going to get them anywhere, it’s time to break them.
A Grave Robbery (Veronica Speedwell #9) – Deanna Raybourn
Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism so that the Rosemorran Collection has its own Sleeping Beauty. But, when Stoker goes to cut open the mannequin, he makes a grizzly discovery. The mannequin is the impeccably-preserved body of a young woman.
In this historical mystery novel from 2024, readers follow Veronica and Stoker as they attempt to work out why someone would do such a horrifying act. From underground laboratories to travelling circus shows, the gaslit atmosphere of London provides the perfect backdrop for a thrilling chase to unmask a killer. Will Veronica and Stoker be able to save his next victim? Or will they find themselves as the latest figures to be immortalised in his collection of horrors?
One Of Us Knows – Alyssa Cole
Years after a breakdown and a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder upended her historical preservationist career, Kenetria Nash and her alters have been given another chance: a position as resident caretakers of a historic estate. Having been dormant, Ken has no idea what led them to this isolated house on Hudson River island. But she is determined not to ruin another opportunity.
A surprise visit from the home’s conservation trust on the eve of Nor’easter soon threatens to disrupt proceedings. And when one member of the group – the man who ruined her life years earlier – Ken is placed as the prime suspect. Caught in a web of secrets and in a race against time, Ken and her alters must work together to clear their name, and uncover the dark truth behind Kavanaugh Island in Alyssa Cole’s 2024 mystery thriller novel, One of Us Knows.
Close To Death (Hawthorne & Horowitz #5) – Anthony Horowitz
Riverside Close is a picture-perfect community. The six exclusive and affluent houses are nestled far outside the grime and bustle of the city, allowing their occupants to soak up the beautiful gardens, pleasant birdsongs and tranquillity, all from behind the security of a locked gate.
It all appears to be the perfect idyllic existence. Until the Kentworthy family arrives with their four gas-guzzling cars, shrieking children and plans for a garish swimming pool in their garden. The Kentworths clearly do not belong in Riverside Close, and they soon offend all of the locals. When Giles Kentworth is discovered dead on his own doorstep, a crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest, Detective Hawthorne is sent to investigate in this latest mystery novel by Anthony Horowitz, Close to Death. But, how do you go about investigating a murder when everyone is a suspect?
How To Solve Your Own Murder (Catle Knoll Files #1) – Kristen Perrin
It’s 1965, and teenage Frances Adams is at an English fair with her two best friends. But, Frances’ perfect evening takes a dark turn when a fortune teller reveals to her that, one day, she will be murdered. Frances spends her lifetime trying to solve a crime that is yet to happen, scraping together every last bit of dirt on anyone who crosses her path.
In the present, Annie Adams is summoned to a meeting at the sprawling estate in the quaint village of Castle Knoll of her great-aunt Frances. By the time she arrives, however, Frances is already dead. Annie is determined to catch the killer. Thankfully, her great aunt’s habit of collecting every last piece of evidence reveals that almost every eccentric and endearing local in the village might have had a reason to want her dead. A cosy novel perfect for fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, How to Solve Your Own Murder is a new mystery book by Kristen Perrin.
Tell Me Who You Are – Louisa Luna
Brooklyn psychiatrist Dr Caroline Strange is adamant she knows what is best for her patients, her loved ones and pretty much everyone else she meets. But, that all changes when a young man arrives for his appointment claiming that he knows who she really is, and that he is going to kill someone.
Dr Caroline is used to hearing her patient’s deepest, darkest secrets. But it appears Nelson Schack might be one step ahead of her. And when the police arrive asking about missing women, it appears that he’s made good on his threat. Convinced that the police are incompetent, Dr Caroline takes matters into her own hands, charging into her dark past to chase down the elusive Nelson. As she comes closer to her target, all the pieces of her perfectly polished life come crashing down as people start to question who she really is.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
