2026 & 2027 Upcoming Releases

Spoiler-free ARC reviews of the most anticipated thriller and mystery releases.

Cover for If They Knew
⏳ Releases in
12 days

If They Knew

A.J. Wooding

Mystery, Thriller, Horror • Oct 10, 2026

Theo Parrish didn't just inherit a cruise line from his deceased father; he inherited a legacy—and a colossal burden. With his twin, Tyler, opting out, the maiden voyage of Parrish Cruise Lines’ flagship rests squarely on Theo’s shoulders. He’s determined to prove himself, to honor a dream.
But what begins as a simple training voyage quickly plunges into a nightmare. A relentless storm rips through the ocean, shattering communications, cutting power, and leaving the vessel a lifeless hulk adrift in the vast, unforgiving sea. Theo, once a reluctant heir, now holds the fate of every soul on board in his trembling hands.
Days blur into weeks, then endless months. Supplies vanish. Hunger and desperation become the new normal. Alliances shift, leaders rise and fall, and the darkest corners of humanity begin to surface. Because among the stranded, one passenger harbors a secret so profound, so devastating, it could doom them all.
Rescue seems a distant myth. The real question isn't if help will come, but who will be left alive when it does.

Pre-Order Now
5 / 5

Thank you to A.J. Wooding for an advanced copy of this title.
I love when a thriller jumps right in, and this book gets to the carnage so fast. Once everything starts unraveling, it doesn’t let up. Being stranded on a cruise ship with no hope of rescue made for the perfect setting for chaos and madness. The story is told from several characters’ POVs, all in the present, with short chapters - but that doesn’t matter because once you start reading, you won’t want to put it down.
The main twist wasn’t anything unique, but I thought it was executed well. More importantly, there was so much else happening that it never felt like the book was built around that one reveal. For me, it almost felt like a bonus side plot within a much bigger story, and I was perfectly happy with that. I also found the characters’ reactions and behavior believable, which made everything easier to buy into rather than feeling like people were making ridiculous decisions just to move the plot along.
And then there’s that ending! I did not see it going the way it did, and I loved where Wooding took it. There is so much left swirling around in my head after finishing this, and I’m already praying there will be a sequel because I am not ready to leave this story behind yet.
If you like chaotic thrillers, stranded-at-sea settings, and unexpected endings, then you will love this book.

Cover for Will I Be Next?
📅 Releases in
23 days

Will I Be Next?

Kerry Wilkinson

Thriller • Oct 21, 2026

The secret was buried three decades ago when six children sent their Sunday school teacher to prison. Now, two of those witnesses are dead. Accident, suicide – or murder?
Faith never expected Jacob to reappear, a ghost from her past bearing a chilling warning: "Someone is picking us off." He was one of the six. She hasn’t seen him since they were ten year old children, and his sudden return feels as unsettling as the threat itself.
Then a sinister letter arrives, a clear message that someone is watching her. Watching her son. Is her child now a target because of a truth buried decades ago? Can Faith trust the man who vanished and reappeared, or is the real danger closer than she thinks? As the body count rises, Faith must confront a past far darker than she remembers. Will she be next?

Pre-Order Now
3 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this title.
The premise of childhood witnesses being targeted thirty years after sending their Sunday school teacher to prison is a great setup, but the execution struggled to hold my attention. Told entirely from Faith’s point of view in the present day with just a few brief flashbacks, the story involves a surprisingly cluttered cast. Keeping track of everyone was a chore, especially trying to remember which parents belonged to which member of the original six kids. That confusion made an already slow pace drag even more.
As a protagonist, Faith felt flat and lacked the distinct personality needed to make me root for her. With pretty much everyone in the book lying or hiding something, none of the characters ended up being particularly likable or sympathetic.
The mystery itself relies on a ton of red herrings, but they didn't pay off in a satisfying way. When the answers finally came, the explanations felt weak and hastily brushed aside rather than clever. Between the sluggish build-up and a main twist that was easy to guess way before the end, the final reveal just fell flat. It was an okay read, but ultimately too predictable to leave much of an impression.
If you like childhood secrets resurfacing, single POV mysteries, and lots of red herrings, then you may enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #WillIBeNext

Cover for Gone Silent
📅 Releases in
120 days

Gone Silent

Kate White

Domestic Thriller, Mystery • Jan 26, 2027

For thirty years, Gideon and Gillian were inseparable, more sisters than friends. Their bond was a fortress, until Gillian inexplicably severed all ties, leaving Gideon with a final, chilling message: "You of all people should know."
Months later, the silence shatters with devastating news: Gillian is dead, lost to a tragic fall during a solo hike in the remote Adirondacks. Desperate for answers to both the betrayal and the death, Gideon travels to Gillian's isolated property. But the grieving husband's theories don't quite add up, and the stories of Gillian's accident are riddled with unsettling inconsistencies.
As Gideon delves deeper into the secrets of the sprawling estate, the disappearance of the family housekeeper ignites a chilling realization. Nothing here is as it seems. Trapped in a labyrinth of deception and danger, Gideon must uncover the truth before the darkness that consumed her best friend comes for her too.

Pre-Order Now
2 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of this title.
The setup for this mystery showed promise, but the execution struggled to sustain genuine suspense. Most distracting was the narrator’s habit of addressing her deceased friend directly in the second person. Framing lines around what "you loved" or what "you always said" makes sense conceptually to highlight grief, but having it woven into nearly every scene of the first half of the book quickly became repetitive.
That sense of repetition extended to the pacing and plot progression. Very little actually happens across long stretches to move the core investigation forward. Instead of an escalating sense of danger, the story spins its wheels. The protagonist constantly flip-flops on potential suspects - clearing someone in her mind only to turn around and suspect them again soon after with little justification, creating whiplash rather than genuine tension. Compounding the lag, the side story involving Ben felt like boring filler for the vast majority of the book; by the time a faint connection to the main plot finally surfaced, it felt far too thin to justify the detour. By the time the finale arrived, the resolution felt sloppy and rushed, leaving behind frustrating loose ends and dropped subplots that were never adequately tied up.
If you like grief-driven mysteries and slow-burn suspense, then you may enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #GoneSilent

Cover for Molly Is Missing
📅 Releases in
28 days

Molly Is Missing

Samantha Hayes

Domestic Thriller • Oct 26, 2026

Kim waits by the school gates, eager to welcome her daughter home from a week-long history trip. For a shy, anxious girl like Molly, time away was a major milestone, but cheerful, emoji-filled texts all week reassured Kim that she was thriving.
Then the bus doors hiss open. Molly’s seat is empty.
When Kim confronts the chaperones, their answer stops her cold: Molly never boarded the bus.
As the frantic search begins, the authorities move too slowly and the school retreats into defensive silence. Worse, Kim’s safe suburban world instantly fractures. Her best friend dodges her calls, and her husband slips away to whisper into a locked phone.
Realizing someone else was sending those reassuring messages, Kim is running out of time. Surrounded by lies and left with no one to trust, she’ll have to uncover her community's darkest secrets to find her daughter herself.

Pre-Order Now
3.5 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this title.
A missing child thriller lives or dies by its momentum, and Samantha Hayes definitely keeps the urgency dialed high from the jump. The story alternates between Kim and Molly's perspectives, mostly staying grounded in the present timeline. While there are only about four flashback chapters throughout the book, they felt unnecessary - none of the details shared in the past were essential, and every bit of that information could have easily been revealed naturally in the present without pausing the forward drive of the story.
The pacing also gets bogged down by casting the net a bit too wide. The sheer volume of secondary characters and possible theories starts to clutter the central mystery rather than deepen it. Certain subplots felt more like filler than tension builders, particularly the sudden reappearance of Molly’s estranged father, Bryan.
As for the resolution, I definitely didn't see the ending coming, but it walked a fine line. The final reveal was almost too twisty for its own good, requiring you to suspend quite a bit of disbelief regarding how normal people would actually behave in that situation. Still, if you can roll with the slightly far-fetched logic of the climax, it wraps up the central mystery in an entertaining way.
If you like dual-perspective suspense, missing person mysteries, and twisty domestic drama, then you will enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #MollyIsMissing

Cover for He Had It Coming
⏳ Releases in
8 days

He Had It Coming

Darby Kane

Domestic Thriller • Oct 6, 2026

Eight years ago, Jerek Hayes's carefully constructed world imploded. A devastating incident, a flurry of accusations, and the deafening whispers that his powerful family bought his freedom. He escaped the scandal, built a new life across the country, and now moves through the world as if the past never happened. He thinks he got away with it.
He couldn't be more wrong. Sabrina has waited. Patiently. Precisely. For Jerek to feel safe, to rebuild everything he lost, to believe he's finally free. But her meticulously planned vengeance is finally ready to strike, and she's not just looking to settle a score. She's here to dismantle Jerek's carefully constructed life, piece by agonizing piece, and ensure he pays the price he truly deserves.

Pre-Order Now
3 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for an advanced copy of this title.
Darby Kane is great at setting up messy drama right out of the gate, and the start of this story pulled me in quickly. The setup wastes no time dropping you into the chaos, telling the story through dual perspectives by starting with Jerek's point of view before switching to Sabrina's. It kicks off with enough energy that I expected to breeze straight through it.
Things slowed down around the halfway mark, though. The characters kept talking in circles instead of actually moving the plot forward. On top of that, a few of the events started feeling a little too far-fetched to take seriously. Then, the end turned into a huge info-dump trying to spell out how every tiny piece fit together. It’s still an easy, entertaining option if you just want a quick, dark suspense, but the second half definitely fizzled out compared to how strong it started.
If you like morally gray characters, bite-sized revenge plots, and domestic suspense, then you may enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #HeHadItComing

Cover for You Made Me Do This
📅 Releases in
134 days

You Made Me Do This

Jesse Q. Sutanto

Domestic Thriller • Feb 9, 2027

Sienna Langley sold millions on the secret to a perfect marriage. Now, her own picture-perfect life is about to become her deadliest lie.
With devoted husband Colby, she's half of the internet's most adored couple. But their anniversary getaway to a luxurious Bali villa is anything but blissful.
A chilling letter from her 'Number One Fan' arrives. Cassidy, their too-attentive young butler, feels a little too close. And Colby's relentless romantic gestures only sharpen Sienna's dread.
When paradise shatters with a shocking tragedy, the resort whispers begin: Accident? Or something far more sinister? As secrets claw their way to the surface, it becomes horrifyingly clear. The only thing perfect about Sienna and Colby's marriage was the illusion itself.

Pre-Order Now
2.5 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of this title.
This book is a quick, effortless read, but good writing cannot compensate for a subpar plot. The story alternates between a few different POVs in the present day with occasional glimpses into the past, yet the pacing frequently hits speed bumps due to unnecessarily long chapters that over-explain and over-detail things the characters are doing in place of anything of meaning actually happening. Part of the struggle stems from an overly stripped-down cast: beyond Colby, Cassidy, Sienna, and Liam from their past, there is virtually no one else involved. With so few players on the board, the narrative lacks depth, leaving the conflict entirely dependent on every single character lacking basic common sense and refusing to communicate like actual human beings.
Having such an isolated, unlikable group makes staying invested an uphill battle. Colby is exhausting to follow because he acts like a complete doormat, making it difficult to sympathize with him or care about his fate. Cassidy and Sienna offer little relief, coming across as thoroughly unlikable rather than compelling or morally complex. By the time the central twist arrived, the familiar setup made it completely expected rather than shocking.
If you like small-cast domestic thrillers, multiple POVs driven by miscommunication, and fast-paced, easy reads, then you may enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #YouMadeMeDoThis

Cover for Watch Her Run
⏳ Releases in
3 days

Watch Her Run

Jennifer Moorhead

Domestic Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller • Oct 1, 2026

Jade St. James, a glamorous influencer, is living the dream: a high-profile wedding to an LSU quarterback, a life meticulously crafted for the public eye. But one glance at a scarred bartender, a glimpse of a nosy reporter, and her world shatters. She flees, only to wake up injured and disoriented in a secluded cabin, deep within the Louisiana swamp.
Her self-proclaimed protector is a mysterious woman, whose claims unravel as Jade’s fragmented memories resurface - threatening DMs, a deadly fire from her past. The more Jade pieces together, the clearer it becomes: her 'savior' is a captor. Stripped of luxury, forced to fight for every breath, Jade faces a terrifying choice: escape the woman who holds her hostage, or succumb to the unforgiving wilderness that surrounds them both.
Jade's picture-perfect life concealed untold terrors. Now, the swamp reveals them all.

Pre-Order Now
3.5 / 5

I love a character I can love to hate, and Virginia fit the bill from the moment she couldn't even be bothered to answer her phone while her own daughter was missing. Her bizarre, frustrating reactions gave the story an entertaining hook early on, and the alternating timeline helped build that initial momentum. Jumping back to the videographer’s perspective in the past was especially effective, giving solid insight into the eerie reality that someone was actively targeting Jade.
Jade herself, however, proved much harder to connect with. While I understood why she didn't want to go home, her logic fell apart the longer she chose to stay with Lucinda despite constantly suspecting her of shady behavior. Jade’s thoughts were rooted in paranoia but her actions did not align with them as she shrugged off red flag after red flag. Paired with long chapters, that lack of urgency made the final third drag significantly. Moorhead seemed caught in a loop of false reveals toward the end, constantly serving up the "real" truth only to take it back a chapter later. Several odd details also felt completely abandoned - like whether there was an actual chain around Jade’s leg, or why Lucinda stole her engagement ring.
If you like messy family dynamics, and dual-timeline mysteries, then you will enjoy this book.

Cover for While They Were Watching
📅 Releases in
141 days

While They Were Watching

A.R. Torre

Domestic Thriller, Suspense, Mystery • Feb 16, 2027

A perfect Sunday afternoon in Beverly Hills. The most exclusive birthday party of the year. Then, four children vanish, shattering the illusion of idyllic wealth and flawless families.
As the clock ticks and the investigation intensifies, the meticulously crafted facades of privilege begin to crack. Marriages buckle under the pressure, exposing a dark underbelly of secrets, resentments, and desperate measures. Each family's reaction to the unthinkable loss raises more questions than it answers, revealing what they are truly willing to hide.
But the secrets aren't confined to the mansions' owners. The nannies, often overlooked and underestimated, carry their own pasts, fierce loyalties, and quiet desperation. Uncovering their untold stories becomes crucial to understanding the terrifying truth of what happened while everyone thought they were watching.
When perfection shatters, who is truly innocent, and who will finally be seen?

Pre-Order Now
4.5 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of this title.
A.R. Torre consistently delivers sharp, high-stakes suspense, and While They Were Watching is no exception. The short chapters keep the narrative moving at a fast pace, and the overall vibe stays tense given the urgency of four missing children. There is a large cast of characters, but everyone feels distinct, making them easy to track as the story unfolds. While the characters feel relatable, my emotional investment stayed tied directly to the safety of the kidnapped kids. Instead of relying on an endless trail of red herrings, the plot builds a steady, pervasive sense of mystery right up until the central secret comes to light. The main twist lands with a satisfying punch, accompanied by a seemingly separate subplot that is equal parts shocking and deeply entertaining in how seamlessly it ties back into the main storyline. The overall structure and clever execution keep the narrative grounded throughout. If you like fast-paced mysteries, multi-POV suspense, and unexpected side plots, then you will enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #WhileTheyWereWatching

Cover for Someone Else's Daughter
📅 Releases in
148 days

Someone Else's Daughter

Andrea Stewart

Domestic Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller • Feb 23, 2027

Ellie Campbell's life was a public spectacle, every intimate moment from her first period to her first love monetized by her influencer parents. She was a product, her childhood sold in snippets online. So she changed her name, severed ties, and vanished from the digital stage, desperate to reclaim a private existence.
But old habits die hard. From a distance, she still watched. When a chilling detail in her parents' latest video coincides with the disappearance of a family friend, a cold dread forces Ellie back into the spotlight. She rushes home, compelled by a single, desperate need: to protect her younger sister, Olivia.
What she finds is a perfect family facade cracking under pressure. Olivia is gone. Her parents claim she ran away, but Ellie knows better. Olivia would have come to her. As secrets unravel and the search intensifies, a grim discovery shatters any illusion of safety. Ellie must now confront the true cost of her online childhood, where the curated perfection hides a darkness far more sinister than she ever imagined.

Pre-Order Now
2 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an advanced copy of this title.
Someone Else’s Daughter is told through Ellie's perspective as the story bounces between past and present. The setup hooks you early on with a promising premise, but once the initial intrigue settles the pacing hits a wall and struggles to regain traction. The central mystery gets buried under repetitive flashbacks that fail to move the plot forward, making the midsection feel like a chore to navigate. Instead of building tension, the timeline jumps feel like stalling tactics rather than deliberate narrative choices.
Subplots that should have enriched the character development ended up feeling disconnected from the primary arc. Digressions into Ellie's shoplifting habit and stories about her dog added extra noise without offering any substance or payoff to the core tension. While the eventual twist was solid enough to briefly spark interest, the execution fell flat due to an abrupt conclusion that wrapped up the who and the why far too quickly.
If you like dual-timeline structures and slow-burn mysteries then you may enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #SomeoneElsesDaughter

Cover for Bad Honeymoon
📅 Releases in
113 days

Bad Honeymoon

Jessie Garcia

Domestic Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Thriller • Jan 19, 2027

For ambitious TV reporter Becca Larson, a ratings hit is non-negotiable. So when a simple story crosses her desk – a newlywed couple's "honeymoon gone wrong" in sun-drenched Florida – she sees an easy win. Eve Schmidt's tale of a nightmare hotel stay promises compelling television, a sure shot for Becca's career trajectory. Becca preps the shoot, lines everything up, confident in her next big scoop.
Then, Eve goes silent. Calls go unanswered, emails bounce. With her story evaporated and her boss waiting for an explanation, Becca heads home, defeated and humiliated.
What she doesn't know is there's been a murder.
When police show up at her door, Becca's world shatters. A woman is dead. Eve has vanished. And the evidence suggests Becca may have been intimately involved. This isn't just a simple segment anymore; it's a full-blown homicide investigation, and Becca is the prime suspect.
As suspicion mounts, every decision Becca made in pursuit of the segment comes under intense scrutiny. Her career unravels, her credibility is shredded, and her marriage strains under the crushing weight of doubt. Trapped in a nightmare she didn't create, Becca must untangle the truth and clear her name before this story consumes her entirely. Sometimes, the best stories bring out the worst in people... and some stories can be deadly.

Pre-Order Now
3 / 5

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this title.
A suspense novel built on a revolving door of narrators relies entirely on the strength of those individual voices to build tension. While I had no trouble keeping track of whose chapter I was reading, the character development falls flat. None of the individuals possess a distinct personality, which made it difficult to feel emotionally invested in anyone's survival or downfall.
The character logic also falters as the story progresses. Several characters swing drastically from believing in someone's innocence to deciding they must be guilty over the smallest details, which felt very unrealistic. One character in particular seemed to have an entirely different personality depending on which chapter of hers I was reading, and I really struggled to figure her out.
However, the brisk pacing and short chapters create a fast-moving momentum that kept the pages turning. It is an easy, straightforward read, that did keep me entertained throughout.
When the climax hit, the resolution felt abrupt and anticlimactic. I would have preferred a final chapter from the killer's perspective to unpack their motives; even though the reasons were obvious, hearing it in their own words would have provided a much stronger payoff. Instead, the story tacks on an epilogue that felt out of place and cringy, leaving a sour note at the very end.
If you like multiple points of view, quick chapters, and straightforward suspense, then you will enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #BadHoneymoon

What is an ARC?

An ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) is a pre-publication version of a book provided by publishers so reviewers can share early feedback. Our spoiler-free reviews help you decide which upcoming titles to add to your pre-order list!

Advance copies reviewed on SpoilThePlot are securely sourced through industry partners, including NetGalley and Inside Story.