From award-winning author Ann Dávila Cardinal comes an edgy, genre-bending thriller following a retired photographer who begins to hear the murders of women she knew in her punk youth, forcing her to reckon with the past she’s desperate to forget.
“Full of twists…with just the right hint of the supernatural. A rollicking ride into the heyday of the New York City punk scene.” — Jennifer McMahon, New York Times bestselling author of The Winter People and Stay Buried
“Like holding A LIT CHERRY BOMB. A flat-out blast of a mystery. ” — Margot Douaihy, USA Today bestselling author of the Sister Holiday Mysteries
I’m a big fan of speculative stories, especially when they intersect with other genres to create unique, unputdownable reads. It makes for super exciting books in general. But I think this is especially true when the speculative intersects with thrillers, and these six must-read speculative thrillers are ones you won’t want to put down.
There are many kinds of speculative fiction as well as many kinds of thrillers. So, to keep it simple, I focused on the thriller parts of these novels. In other words, as long as they were classified as thrillers but had some other magical or otherworldly element or setting, they are speculative thrillers. Because of that, there’s a variety of stories in this list. While many lean towards sci-fi, each has a different vibe. But some paranormal novels toe the line with horror a bit, too–perfect for this time of year.
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6 Must-Read Speculative Thrillers
Psychopomp by Maria Dong
Let’s kick things off with a psychological thriller set in a sci-fi world! Psychopomp follows Young, who is training to become one of the Pomps of Hibiscus Station. Their job is to excavate a highly volatile crystal, and they’re pretty important among the colony’s ranks.
The thing is, Young has these strange hallucinations. She has managed to keep them secret so far, but when one of them rightly predicts an explosion that kills her entire crew, she begins to unravel. Her paranoia kicks in, and she can’t trust anybody. What if that explosion wasn’t an accident?
Bang Bang Bodhisattva by Aubrey Wood
Moving on to another sci-fi, this one is set in a dark cyberpunk future. Bang Bang Bodhisattva follows Kiera, who takes on any job she can find just to survive. Things take a turn when the person she was looking for is found murdered. The killer left behind a stick of incense and nothing else.
When her crush goes missing and another stick of incense is found at the scene, Kiera is blamed for both crimes. Her only chance to clear her name is to work with Angel Herrera, a private investigator. From here, the story becomes a buddy comedy that you won’t be able to put down!
River Woman, River Demon by Jennifer Givhan
If you enjoy witchier psychological thrillers that have a tiny bit of a horror tinge then River Woman, River Demon is for you. This novel follows a Chicana artist named Eva Santos Moon, who practices brujería and curanderismo. She’s going through a tough time, especially since her husband was arrested for a murder that was eerily similar to one from her childhood. Soon enough, Eva herself becomes a suspect— and the only way to find out the truth is if she comes face to face with her own past.
Needy Little Things by Channelle Desamours
This speculative thriller follows a Black teen named Sariyah Lee Bryant. She can hear what other people need and while it might seem like a gift, it sometimes feels like a curse. Especially after she uses it to help a friend who winds up in the missing persons list. Determined to find her, Sariyah takes matters into her own hands. Let’s hope she can keep out of trouble and find her friend.
The Death I Gave Him by Em X. Liu
Let’s go back to sci-fi with this retelling of Hamlet!
The Death I Gave Him follows Hayden, who just found his father brutally murdered inside their lab. They were working on a formula that could potentially reverse death itself, and whoever killed him must’ve been after it. Either way, Hayden steals the research in the hopes of finding who was responsible. The lab goes on lockdown because of it, and Hayden is trapped inside the lab with four other people.
Will he find the killer and avenge his father?
Jackal by Erin E. Adams
Jackal follows Liz Rocher, who’s reluctantly going back to her hometown for her best friend’s wedding. Soon after, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing, and Liz realizes that this has happened before. When she looks at the town’s history, dozens of Black girls have gone missing over the years. Let’s hope she finds Caroline in time.
Still looking for more books with this vibe? Then you might enjoy our compilation of science fiction and fantasy mysteries or this look at witchy mysteries.
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