11 New Mystery & Thrillers for February 2025

For fans of YA missing person mysteries and great audiobook narration—this will definitely be on Best of 2025 Lists!

Sariyah has the ability to hear what other people need. It makes it difficult for her to be around a lot of people: their needs are chanted in her head until they’re resolved (toothbrush, sandwich, pen), and some people think she has some kind of power which can put her in danger. That’s not the only thing stressing out Sariyah: her best friend’s sister has been a missing person for a while, with no attention on the case; her mom is currently in a depressive state so Sariyah decides to take money earned from her “gift” in order to pay for a camp for her brother; and her best friend disappears from a concert minutes after standing next to Sariyah…

For fans of translated novels looking for a noir detective novel that doesn’t follow the mystery genre’s rules.

Cristina Rivera Garza won the Pulitzer Prize for Memoir or Autobiography for her true crime memoir (Liliana’s Invincible Summer) about her sister’s murder which also highlighted the femicide in Mexico. It’s a fantastic book and I’m thrilled to see she followed it up with a novel. Still focusing on gender violence—along with poetry, art, authorship, text— the novel follows a professor and a detective obsessed with poetry as they try to solve a series of cases of murdered men.

Your bridal shower is supposed to be fun—even if you’re freaking out about getting your future mother-in-law to like you. But Samantha Washington should know better as a mystery writer—and starring in a cozy mystery book! The morning after the party at the Four Feathers Casino, Sam’s future MIL calls to tell her that there’s a dead body in her room! Guess she’ll have to solve the mystery to finally impress her.

If you want to start at the beginning of the series, pick up The Plot is Murder!

For fans of procedurals, small towns, and cold cases!

A note on the series: You can start with A Long Time Gone and not feel lost, but if you want to watch Ben Packard’s career and the unfolding of a childhood mystery he still lives with, you can start at the beginning of this great series with And There He Kept Her.

Now about A Long Time Gone: Since moving back to the town he grew up in, Ben Packard has had career highs (sheriff) and lows (security at the courthouse). Not only does he have to deal with the politics of the town and his job, but he’s also on leave after killing a man who opened fire in court. But when he discovers that someone made a deal regarding his brother’s cold case, and the file is now empty, he starts investigating and pissing off a lot of people…

For fans of historical mysteries, murder mysteries, and excellent PI pairings!

A note on the series: You can start with this book and not feel lost or confused, however it starts on the cliffhanger from the previous book, Murder Crossed Her Mind. If you want to start at the very beginning—the entire series is great—pick up Fortune Favors the Dead.

Now about Dead in the Frame: Lillian Pentecost is a famous detective, partnered with Will Parker, who she trained after discovering her working at a circus. Will and Lillian are both on this case but have to work separately since Lillian is in prison—accused of murder!—and Will is trying to prove her innocence, while visiting Lillian in disguise and maintaining their other work. It’s another great read for fans of the genre and if you want to learn about the real prison Lillian is in, pick up The Women’s House of Detention by Hugh Ryan.

For fans of legal dramas and romantic suspense!

Talia Tate is a young lawyer working on a case at her father’s firm and between just passing the bar and it being her dad’s firm, she has to prove herself. Detective Maddox Reed is a seasoned detective known for cutting corners. Tate and Reed may end up on opposite sides of the case but the attraction is instant… I was sold on the marketing line “scandalously sexy legal drama!”

For fans of family drama, cold remote mysteries, and the “past coming to get you” trope!

Connor is from the kind of wealthy family that makes his girlfriend Theo nervous when he brings her home for the first time after six months of dating. The family is of course full of drama and history and Theo is worried about being accepted. Not helping the situation are text messages warning her to stay away, and that’s before she finds a childhood photo of her on the estate…

For fans of friendship drama, fame, diary entries, and things-are-not-as-they-appear suspense!

Ivy and Ramona are childhood best friends whose lives are intertwined as they work in their parental figures’ film house while dreaming of their own fame. When they apply to a school known for creating the next superstars and get in, it looks like all their dreams are now going to come true. But it comes with a warning and a lot to give up for the chance of fame…

For fans of family drama and crime novels!

While living in an Italian neighborhood in New York, Risa Taverna kills her husband in self-defense in front of her baby and her sister. They bury the body in upstate NY, tell everyone he left the family, and hope to be rid of the problem. But this is a crime novel, and instead, what unfolds are all the ways that that one moment haunts Risa and her family—from extortion to her brother-in-law showing up wanting to know what really happened to his younger brother…

Sara Gran has followed up her Claire DeWitt mystery series with a collection of fun and inventive short stories for detective fans and literary fans. While many stories star Claire DeWitt, you don’t have to be familiar with the series, but this could be a great reason to pick up Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead. Perfect for when you only have time for some bite-sized reading.

For fans of middle grade mysteries and mysteries that start with invitations!

It’s been 13 years since six-year-old Beatrice Willoughby, the Mayor’s daughter, disappeared while at an annual party. Now, invitations have been sent to six households in the mountain town of Nevermore for another All Hallows Eve party. Except this time they’re invited to solve the case of the missing Beatrice…