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Unusual Suspects

4 Crime and Suspense Novels That Make for Hot Summer Reading

Whether you're looking for your next thrilling audiobook or want to pick up a brand new mystery, we've got you covered.

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Jamie Canaves

Contributing Editor

Jamie Canavés is the Tailored Book Recommendations coordinator and Unusual Suspects mystery newsletter writer–in case you’re wondering what you do with a Liberal Arts degree. She’s never met a beach she didn’t like, always says yes to dessert, loves ‘80s nostalgia, all forms of entertainment, and can hold a conversation using only gifs. You can definitely talk books with her on Litsy and Goodreads. Depending on social media’s stability maybe also Twitter and Bluesky.

View All posts by Jamie Canaves

Hi, mystery fans! A Family Affair is now streaming on Netflix, and the trailer had me howling with laughter, so I am absolutely watching it this weekend!

Bookish Goods

tshirt with graphic illustration of a woman reading on the beach that says "book girl summer / dive into a good book"

Book Girl Summer Shirt by ChapterCatchers

If you’re looking for a summer book tee! There are 8 color options for the shirt, up to 5XL. $23.

New Releases

cover image for Death in the Air

Death in the Air by Ram Murali

For fans of remote mysteries and lawyer main characters!

Ro Krishna has decided to take the settlement from losing his job and go to a Himalayan spa. This sounds like a fantastic life choice, except he’s in a mystery book, so L O L, it’s the perfect place for a murder to take place! Now add in a group of guests who are all suspects and Ro being selected to look into the continuing murders because of his legal training!

cover image for Love Letters to a Serial Killer

Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell

For fans of fictional serial killers, aimless leads, and an uncomfortable look at society’s “obsession” with serial killers!

Hannah is in her 30s, living in Minneapolis, and finding things not going great for her. She works at a nonprofit where she doesn’t get promoted, she lies to her parents about her life, and she gets ghosted. While posting on an online community board of true crime that turns a focus to an Atlanta serial killer, she decides to write a letter to William Thompson, the lawyer accused of the crimes. She did not intend to seek him out for a relationship and now, she is suddenly his girlfriend and traveling to Atlanta for his trial. There, she gets entangled with his family and questions whether she’s dating a serial killer or not…

Riot Recommendations

Here are my last two audiobook checkouts from my library!

the cover of Into the Light

Into the Light by Mark Oshiro

For fans of YA, mystery, and nonlinear storytelling!

Manny is a 17-year-old kid who has been unhoused for about a year but is hopeful now that he has found some security with the Varela family, including parents Ricardo and Monica and Carlos, their teen son. But Manny is missing his older sister, Elena—they were always close as they grew up in the foster care system. He uses a local Deacon’s broadcasted show to try and spot Elena when he can to know that she’s okay, but when he sees a news video report that a body has been found near a religious camp, he knows he needs to find out what happened.

The audiobook is narrated by Alejandro Ruiz, who you might know from books like The Murderbot Diaries (dramatized adaptations) and A Court of Thorns and Roses—also the recent YA romance Canto Contigo.

cover image for The Vanishing Hour

The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass

For fans of fictional serial killers, the one that got away, and multiple points of view!

Almost a decade ago, Grace Holloway escaped a serial killer after being held captive, and now, she lives as close to an isolated life as possible in a small Maine town.

Kira Everett is desperately searching for any information on the disappearance of her 19-year-old daughter, Brooke. She thinks Brooke’s boyfriend has information he’s withholding, and he claims Kira’s harassing him.

Aden Coleman rents a room during the off-season at the inn Grace manages, having returned home because his father has suddenly gone missing. He doesn’t think it’s a big deal, but the more time that passes, the more it seems something may have happened to him.

Aden realizes who Grace is, and Kira also comes crashing into her life while searching for her daughter, forcing all three of them to question if there are any connections between a recently murdered man, Aden’s father being a missing person along with Kira’s daughter and Grace being the only survivor of a serial killer.

The audiobook is narrated by Brittany Pressley, who you might know from a ton of mystery/thriller/horror books, including The Spy Coast and Local Woman Missing and the popular nonfiction work Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.

News and Roundups

Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf. See upcoming 2024 releases and mysteries from 2023. Check out this Unusual Suspects Pinterest board and get Tailored Book Recommendations!

Until next time, keep investigating! In the meantime, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy — you can find me under Jamie Canavés.

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