It’s a new year, which means it’s the perfect time to look ahead at scheduled book releases and start building a TBR pile. These are the thrillers I’m most excited about in 2026, ordered chronologically by release date.

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

Genre: Psychological thriller

Release Date: January 6, 2026

St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

As a writer who lives near the Gulf Coast, I’m intrigued by this newly released novel from the “queen of the Gothic thriller” Rachel Hawkins. It promises beachy gothic vibes and I’m here for it! Even if IS the middle of the winter…although as I write this, it’s currently 76 degrees.

The Briars by Sarah Crouch

Genre: Mystery/thriller

Release Date: January 6, 2026

The USA TODAY bestselling author of Middletidereturns with a lush and atmospheric novel of suspense following a young woman whose job as a game warden puts her in the path of a murderer in a small town eager to protect its own.

I’m a mystery lover and outdoorsy person, so this novel is the perfect blend of those two interests. The back cover copy promises lots of atmosphere, tension, and even moments of tenderness, with a romance hinted at in the character of Daniel Barela.

It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Release Date: January 13, 2026

You press send and your message disappears. Full of secrets about your neighbors, it’s meant for your sister. But it doesn’t reach her – it goes to the entire local community WhatsApp group instead. As rumor spreads like wildfire through the picture-perfect neighborhood, you convince yourself that people will move on, that this will quickly be forgotten. But then you receive the first death threat.

I don’t know why, but this premise instantly gripped me. Maybe it’s the fact that it started out as a mistake most of us have made at some point – sending a text to the wrong recipient. In our mundane lives, the worst consequence is usually embarrassment. In this novel, it leads to murder. The fact that the first victim is at the same address as the protagonist but in a different section of town…wow, that sent chills up my spine. Was it a mistake? Is the killer coming after the protagonist next? I can’t wait to find out.

Blade by Wendy Walker

Genre: Domestic Thriller

Release Date: February 1, 2026

From USA Today bestselling author―and former competitive skater―Wendy Walker comes a chilling psychological thriller set in the cutthroat world of elite figure skating.

I’m excited to pick up a copy of this novel that blends sports with a murder mystery. My sister-in-law does competitive figure skating so I’m intrigued by the setting (to my knowledge she’s never had to solve a murder or defend an accused killer, though). The back cover copy hints at secrets that will turn this whole case on its head and dredge up a past that was perhaps better left buried under the ice.

Honestly, the sports angle mixed with the murder case is comparable to my thriller set in the world of professional boxing. I’m highly anticipating this February release.

The Jills by Karen Parkman

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Release Date: February 10, 2026

In this propulsive debut, a Buffalo Bills cheerleader will stop at nothing to solve the disappearance of her best friend and teammate, navigating the dark underbelly of a hardscrabble city, the grime and glamour of professional cheerleading, and her own tangled family history.

This story has so many of my favorite elements in a book – a tough female lead; a dark setting in the criminal underbelly of a city; themes of trust in relationships; and of course, a twisty mystery. This is another comp novel for my thriller about a boxer who investigates the criminal underbelly of her city to track down her manager’s killer.

When I Kill You by B.A. Paris

Genre: Domestic Thriller/Suspense Thriller

Release Date: February 17, 2026

Nell Masters is certain someone is following her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise when she travels to and from work, there are silent calls to her office, and a huge bouquet of flowers arrives without a card. And Nell has a reason to be looking over her shoulder, because she has a secret that she’s hiding from everyone in her life, including her new partner, Alex. But Alex also has secrets of his own.

This novel sounds like a classic suspense novel with a stalker plotline that would be boring and overdone, except for the twist: Nell was once herself a stalker, tracking a man she suspected of murder. It sounds like we’re in for an unreliable narrator and an ending no one will see coming.

How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson

Genre: Police Procedural/Suspense Thriller

Release Date: February 24, 2026

This fresh debut thriller finds a Scotland Yard detective trying to find the author of a self-help book that promises quite literally to teach readers how to get away with murder, which seems to have inspired London’s newest murderer.

This concept feels fresh, a clever spin on the typical serial killer trope. Is the self-help book real, or a prank in poor taste? Why was it left in the fourteen-year-old murder victim’s backpack? Did the author commit the murder and leave a clue to taunt investigators, or was the victim not as innocent as she seemed? I have to know the answers to all these questions, and I will once the book releases in February.

My Grandfather, the Master Detective by Masateru Konishi

Genre: Mystery

Release Date: March 17, 2026

A Japanese The Thursday Murder Club, taking healing fiction for a mystery-filled spin with this Japanese bestseller that has sold more than 200,000 copies in Japan.

You had me at “Steeped in references to classic crime from Christie to Chesterton to Poe.” I’m a huge mystery fan (I’ve even read the entire collection of Sherlock Holmes novels and stories), so this is going straight into my TBR pile. It promises a delightful mix of mystery and heartwarming family bonding as a granddaughter turns to her grandfather for help in solving the mysteries she encounters in her daily life.

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke

Genre: International Mystery/Crime

Release Date: April 7, 2026

Six authors. One private island. Seventy-two hours to write the ending that will change their lives.

This book is a no-brainer for the TBR list since I’m a thriller author myself! Honestly, the premise sounds like a dream come true for any writer, except for the implication that at least one (probably most) of the authors will end up dead…

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

Genre: Domestic Thriller

Release Date: August 4, 2026

In 1964, four remarkable young women at a prestigious university became the subjects of parapsychology experiments by a visionary scientist. On the cusp of a historic breakthrough, the women mysteriously vanished and the program was erased from history.

I love a good conspiracy theory, especially when it turns out to have more truth to it than we may care to admit. The fact that this novel is inspired by real research conducted at Duke University instantly hooked me. I’m sure the real-life tale isn’t as dramatic as this work of fiction, but I’m anticipating this thriller when it comes out in August. Sounds like beach read material to me.

New Year, New Books to Read

I’m excited to dive into this list of mysteries and thrillers set to release in 2026. Cheers to new books and a new year – happy 2026!