For some reason, I didn’t read as many mysteries and psychological thrillers as I usually do, so I don’t have a long list. I’ll have to remedy that next year, as many amazing-sounding thrillers are coming out in 2026.

Crime Fiction

Look Closer by David Ellis. I dare you to figure out the twisty twists and who the lying liars are in this psychological thriller.

Girl from Devil’s Lake by J. A. Jance. Another excellent Joanna Brady mystery, although the murders are a little more disturbing than usual.

Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn. The 60-something kick-ass women assassins are back in this worthy sequel to Killers of a Certain Age.

Audiobooks

The More the Terrier. And To All a Good Bite. Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt. I listened to three more Andy Carpenter thrillers (featuring various dogs) and loved them all. 

Murderbot Diaries (7 titles) by Martha Wells. Science fiction isn’t usually my jam, but I plowed through all seven of these wildly entertaining novels featuring a cyborg who hacks his governor module and hates anything “human.” Best if you can find them in GraphicAudio. 

Now or Never by Janet Evanovich. In her 31^st mystery, Stephanie Plum finally chooses between Ranger and Joe. These have gotten a little repetitive, but they are so much fun in audio.