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Don’t Blink: 6 Mystery & Thriller Books Full of Twists

These six page-turners will leave your pulse racing and your trust shattered. From missing persons to deadly conspiracies, each story is packed with shocking twists, high-stakes suspense, and characters you’ll love to doubt. Craving your next late-night obsession? Start here—if you dare.

States of Matter

by Lisa Loop

Release Date: May 13, 2025

Thea Sun lives in the moment, a widow with a mysterious past she is fine to forget. But, when a speedboat crashes into her, Thea's identity, of an unsung tech genius with vast personal power and a wealth of carefully guarded secrets, returns. Now, she will stop at nothing in her search for the truth, even facing the sorrow of what she has lost.

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A Black Saturday Afternoon

by R.D. Valentine

Release Date: March 31, 2025

David hears the thudding of Red Doc Marten boots coming towards him on Mercy Way. Quivering with terror, he screams, "Ray, run," deciding to leave him at the mercy of the universe and protect Angela and Elaine instead. It's too late, there's a bloody murder on a sunny afternoon, and now he must find the killer before the killer finds him.

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Under His Skin (Trapped Book 2)

by Livia Huntingdon-Jones

Release Date: April 23, 2025

Can a strained marriage survive a deviant male fantasy?

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Misery's Wings

by Jaig Saul

Release Date: March 30, 2025

Kidnapped by the sadistic Shaun, Anissa survives by surrendering pieces of herself—until a chilling truth sparks a plan for escape. As she transforms herself into the perfect captive, she prepares for a brutal fight for freedom. Misery’s Wings is a chilling tale of survival, power, and resilience.

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Brief Tenure (Louis Vila Series Book 2)

by Miles Ballard

Release Date: April 25, 2025

When a janitor and former professor finds her rival dead on campus, Detectives Vila and Destry uncover a web of grudges, scandal, and academic backstabbing. Darkly funny, razor-sharp, and full of twists, Brief Tenure explores the price of ambition, the long reach of revenge, and what happens when smart people do very bad things.

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Such Quiet Girls

by Noelle West Ihli

Release Date: April 29, 2025

Sage and her sister won’t make it home from school today. Neither will the other children on Bus 315. But that’s only the beginning of the nightmare. New bus driver Jessa blames herself for what happened. She couldn’t protect the kids she was supposed to deliver to daycare, just like she couldn’t protect her own daughter three years ago. But this time, everything will be different. It has to be.

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Interview with Stella Atrium, Author of The Matrix Opal (The Duchy Wars Book 1)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Matrix Opal (The Duchy Wars Book 1)?

The Matrix Opal starts a new science fiction adventure related to characters in the previous award-winning 5-book series. This standalone novel presents diverse female protagonists with determination and questions about their place in the group, and a little magic. Within the dystopian genre, my mission was to show relatable female characters who have goals beyond romance and security, to break out of the princess-or-evil-queen mold. I wanted to show women in all roles, like street kids, ranchers, teachers, doctors, warriors, militia commanders, diplomats. How do they solve real-world problems using the tools that women have? Male characters are not neglected, of course. We meet warriors, silk merchants, underhanded businessmen, and a young leader who must grow into his role. My idea was that a woman is more interesting when an interesting man is interested in her.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I read science fiction for pleasure. I read biographies and history for research. I like to anchor story situations within what can really happen in our physical world, adding unusual creatures and some bits of magic for spice.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’m reading Victor Davis Hanson’s The End of Everything because the historical situations about the fall of Sparta or Constantinople, and the following genocides, are useful for imagining dystopian worlds.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

A young girl named Ariseng is gifted with making wards. She fills a request while visiting a warrior group on an exposed beach below basalt cliffs. How she brings the spectators along and has some fun for herself keeps me chuckling long after the story has moved on.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I have a bad shoulder from too much computer work. I have moved my writing station from the worktable to holding the laptop on my actual lap. There’s less pacing around the room this way. LOL.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Keep offering my stories to readers until my stories are what they mostly want.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

The stories include role models for young women of diverse backgrounds, maybe providing a reason to show courage in her own difficult situation, and take responsibility for her choices.

Stella Atrium is the author of the new book The Matrix Opal (The Duchy Wars Book 1)

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Interview with Douglas Phillips, Author of First Ascent (Ascending Carbon Series Book 1)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write First Ascent (Ascending Carbon Series Book 1)?

I'm inspired by our natural world, and not just here on Earth, but everywhere and everywhen. I learn something new every day, and my characters represent that quest for knowledge and discovery. For this book, I spent a year working closely with physicists and engineers at the International Space Elevator Consortium, ISEC. What did I learn? You and I are very likely to see the world's first working space elevator in our lifetime.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of First Ascent (Ascending Carbon Series Book 1), what would they be?

Elevator by Drug Store Romeos.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Hard science fiction, especially first contact and time travel stories that are based on real science.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

More from Craig Falconer, Peter Cawdron, and Rysa Walker.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I enjoy writing scenes that take characters (and readers) by surprise. Twists, in the language of plot. In this book, there are several, but a favorite has the main character receiving breaking news from the other side of the world. She looks up with a quizzical expression and says, "Wait... there are two?"

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

While I write, I'm surrounded by story props, some of which I make myself. For this book, I constructed several allotropes of carbon from a molecular kit!

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

My favorite word is "discover." My newsletters always start with, "Science Fiction Begins with Science."

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Our universe is grander than we know and more amazing than we can imagine.

Douglas Phillips is the author of the new book First Ascent, book one in the Ascending Carbon Series

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Interview with D. L. Orton, Author of Hive (Madders of Time Book 1)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Hive (Madders of Time Book 1)?

A dying world, a shattered love, and one last shot at redemption—that’s what happens when your time machine runs on regret and quantum mechanics.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Hive (Madders of Time Book 1), what would they be?

Isabel: "Control" by Halsey; Diego: "The Scientist" by Coldplay; Madders: "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen (because chaos, brilliance, and British sarcasm).

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I live for twisty, high-concept sci-fi that punches you in the heart—and yes, I write what wrecks me.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

A City on Mars by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, Wanderers by Chuck Wendig, and Starter Villain by John Scalzi (because who doesn’t want a cat-led corporate coup?).

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The white piano scene—because nothing says ‘eternal love’ like crawling through burning rubble with a kitten and a confession.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

In the final scene of HIVE, Isabel sings 'Imagine' with her last breath. I wrote that part while sobbing into my laptop and eating peanut butter straight from the jar. The jar was fine. I was not.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Kindness requires strength. Empathy is a skill. Gratitude is a choice. Be your best self—even when no one is watching.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Hope is the most dangerous choice of all. Be brave.

DL Orton is the author of the new book Hive • Madders of Time Book One

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Interview with Elektra Roselyn, Author of Game, Set, Match (Champions of Sin Book 1)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Game, Set, Match (Vol. 1) (Champions of Sin Book 1)?

Funny enough, the initial spark came from real life; my sister is a tennis player and an absolute powerhouse on the court. Watching her resilience and drive over the years inspired me to create a heroine who doesn’t back down easily. I’ve always admired athletes for their discipline and mental strength, and tennis in particular is a world I feel deeply familiar with. The story came to life quite suddenly, merging that admiration with my love for exploring complex relationships and moral dilemmas. At its heart, this book is part of a romance series built around obsession, tension, and the choices we make when desire clashes with principle.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Game, Set, Match (Vol. 1) (Champions of Sin Book 1), what would they be?

Probably "Earned It" by The Weeknd.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

My TBR pile is a chaotic blend of genres, but I love it that way! Right now, I’ve got: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (because dragons, war academies, and slow-burn tension? Yes, please), The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (I adore a twisty thriller with dark secrets), Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino (for the kind of romance that hits you right in the heart).

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

There’s a quiet moment that still stays with me, when Rebecca shares with her students the personal story behind her rise as a tennis champion. She doesn’t dramatize it, doesn’t seek sympathy, she simply speaks her truth. And unbeknownst to her, Themis is there, listening. What moves him isn’t just her strength, it’s the way his son, usually lost in his world, looks up and listens. For the first time. That moment shifts something deep inside him. He sees her not just as a woman who challenges him, but as someone who inspires others without even trying. That, and of course… their first kiss!

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Oh, absolutely… and it’s a weird one. I enjoy having children’s shows playing in the background while I write. We’re talking classic Disney, old-school Looney Tunes, Winnie the Pooh, even SpongeBob SquarePants. I have no idea why it works, but it gives me this cozy, nostalgic comfort that somehow helps me write steamy slow-burn romance. Go figure. If Themis ever quotes Eeyore, now you know why.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I hold onto three simple truths: Everything happens for a reason. Anything is possible if you’re willing to work for it. And no matter what, always choose kindness, to others, and to yourself. They’ve carried me through every chapter of my story so far, and I hope they inspire others too.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

That the strongest connections aren’t built on looks or lust, they’re forged in quiet moments, shared struggles, and the kind of understanding that sees past the surface. True chemistry begins when two souls recognize each other, not just two bodies.

Elektra Roselyn is the author of the new book Game, Set, Match (Vol. 1) (Champions of Sin Book 1)

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Interview with Didi Adeyemi, Author of Bad Things Come in Threes

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Bad Things Come in Threes?

I wanted to write a romance book with a Nigerian woman. Not just a vague nod to Blackness or a box checked for diversity, but a character rooted in culture, identity, and truth. I wanted to prove that love could happen to people like me. That we could be complicated, strong and messy and still be worthy of softness and beauty and peace.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Bad Things Come in Threes, what would they be?

Adira would be Vigilante Shit by Taylor Swift. Together, they would be Daylight by Taylor Swift.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love to read anything with a romantic subgenre: be it fantasy, thriller or a plain romance book. It is also my favorite genre to write.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The scene in the bar on Friday night (iykyk).

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I only write in the mornings. It is the only time my creative juices flow. I also love to write with music.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Whatever your hands find to do, do it well.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

You don't need to be perfect. You don't need to smother yourself or make yourself more malleable to others. You are perfect.

Didi Adeyemi is the author of the new book Bad Things Come in Threes

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Interview with Miles Ballard, Author of Brief Tenure (Louis Vila Series Book 2)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Brief Tenure (Louis Vila Series Book 2)?

When I began this series, I knew Louis Vila would have to face the cutthroat world of academia at some point (I was a literature professor for ten years), and so it happened in Book Two.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Brief Tenure (Louis Vila Series Book 2), what would they be?

For Louis, the main character across the series, probably "Unsatisfied" by The Replacements.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Mostly non-fiction: history and music.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I usually read three books at a time. Right now, it's one on record collecting, one on the Titanic, and I'm saving a spot for Carl Hiaasen's latest.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

There’s a scene where the protagonist, Shelly Barstow, looks back on a romantic night with regret. That one practically wrote itself.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I do my day job at home, and also have a four-year-old daughter, so I write in stolen moments at night after she goes to bed or during lunch breaks. I carry a journal with me to capture any ideas that pop up unannounced.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

"Your participation may not be required for this."

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

To sign up for my mailing list on my webpage!

Miles Ballard is the author of the new book Brief Tenure (Louis Vila Series Book 2)

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Interview with Marlen Suyapa Bodden, Author of In Defense of Earth

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write In Defense of Earth?

I’ve always wondered if there was a planet that had beings more advanced and older than us, and if they had been trying to contact us.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of In Defense of Earth, what would they be?

Axy, the super-android from an exoplanet, who comes to Earth, mentions a NASA song that the astronomers played for the launch of their robots to Mars: “Roam,” by the B-52s.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Historical fiction is my favorite genre to read and write, but sci-fi is my favorite genre to watch.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Travels in the Interior of Africa and Africa and the West.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

When the alien beings visit Earth during the time of the dinosaurs.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I am most creative as soon as I wake up, when my dreams linger.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Rainer Maria Rilke: “What is necessary, after all, is only this: solitude, vast inner solitude. To walk inside yourself and meet no one for hours — that is what you must be able to attain.”

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

We have only one planet and no other one to go to.

Marlen Suyapa Bodden is the author of the new book In Defense of Earth

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Interview with D.E. King, Author of Cut In Half (In All Jest World Book A)

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Cut In Half?

It is a standalone prequel to my main In All Jest series, and in Book 3 of that series a quest & character comes up which the readers know little about. Cut In Half is set 800 years before the series and provides a lot of background to the series while being a story in its own right.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Cut In Half, what would they be?

Ligriv: Still haven't found what I am looking for, US, Nigriv: This must be the place - Talking Heads, Rainbow: Happy - Farrell.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Epic Fantasy, Crime, Thrillers.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Two pre-orders, both thrillers, one from Karin Slaughter, the other from Jeffrey Deaver.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The main climax for Ligrivis is in the story. Can't say more as it would be a spoiler.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Nothing quirky, but because of my main business, I get up early to write before the day starts.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

There's a quote that is in this book, from a mentor to the twins. "They are only broken when they aren't finished." I like the way this talks to that sense of things feeling broken or wrong when you're still a work in progress.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

To not lose sight of what you have, rather than always looking for something better.

D.E. King is the author of the new book Cut In Half

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Interview with Robert A. Walker, Author of Two Crowns, Three Blades

What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Two Crowns, Three Blades?

I’ve been wanting to write novels ever since I was a child. When I finally found time to put pen to paper, Six Moons, Seven Gods is what flowed out. I can’t say there was any specific inspiration, but I was definitely motivated to write a fictional story that would entertain. I will say that the movie Camelot had a profound impact on me when I was young; my father read Tolkien to me and my sisters, and later in life, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Herbert’s Dune series and Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastard series to my son. So I suppose a bit of all of that helped to inspire me.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love to read thrillers! And although I write fantasies, I do also consider them thrillers.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

The series, Game of Thrones.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The scene where Overseer Reynard Rascall explains how he got the prominent scar on his forehead and why he considers it a gift.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I do my best writing late at night, in the dark and listening to a playlist comprised of sad ballads.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Work hard, play hard, die hard.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I suppose if there’s one message I hope they take away it would be that very few things in life are strictly black and white; the world is filled with shades of gray, nothing’s quite as simple as it first appears, and it’s often worth the time to try and sort things out. The same is true of this novel’s plot and its characters!

Robert A. Walker is the author of the new book Two Crowns, Three Blades

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