Best Mystery Books of 2025
I have read so many great books this year that I knew it was time to make my list of the best mystery books of 2025. I wanted to have a list of all my favorite books in one place.
Together, Kirsten and I read approximately 300 books a year, give or take. The best books immediately stand out. The writing, storytelling, and characters set these books apart. The 5-star reads become more than just the sum of their parts. You will not be able to guess the ending of these amazing mystery novels. If you are looking for the best thriller books of 2025, I have that list as well.
Since this year is not through, this list will change as Kirsten and I add books we love. We would also love to hear your recommendations for your favorite five-star mystery books of 2025 to add to our list. Feel free to reach out with suggestions.
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Best Mystery Books of 2025
The Killer Question
Author: Janice Hallett
Year: 2025
Genre: Mystery
More info: New York Times Bestselling author
Age Range: 14+
Plot
This murder mystery is told through phone messages, emails, and quiz categories in multiple timelines. Sue and Mal Eastwood run a pub in an isolated rural area. The weekly trivia keeps it afloat. When a body turns up in the nearby river and a new team arrives to win the trivia every week, Sue and Mal wonder if there is a connection.
We find out that Sue and Mal were police officers who had to flee their last town after being caught up in a police operation. We gradually find out more about their time on the force.
Five years later, their nephew.
Why Jackie loves it
I love Janice Hallett’s Books and this is another one that is perfect for my list of Epistolary Novels. This latest book is one of my favorites because I love the idea of a quiz night. I listened to this book and I love the full cast audio narration. It is fantastic. #Gifted from S & S Audio.
Find this book in: Janice Hallett Books in Order with Summaries
A Most Puzzling Murder
Author: Bianca Marais
Year: 2025
Genre: Not so Cozy Mystery
More info: Author of Hum if You Don’t Know the Words, one of Jackie’s Top 10 All-Time Favorite Books
December 2025 Beyond the Bookends Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Destiny Whip, an enigmatologist who has not left her house in a year, receives a mysterious job offer to be the Scruffmore family historian, a job she did not apply for. Try as she might, she can find no information about the family, but the invitation is a hidden message that promises to reveal family secrets. The best part? You, as the reader, get to partake in solving the clues.
Destiny is enticed by the idea of learning more about herself and follows the clues to Eerie Island. When she arrives, she discovers why the Island has the name “Eerie” and finds hidden messages, a looming murder, and a magical royal family. As her visions reveal a death that hasn’t happened, she must race to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
Why Jackie loves it
I love a great puzzle, and this book not only has that, but it also allows you to interact with Destiny via email if you need help solving the clues. I did this for the fun of the interaction! There is also some choose-your-own-adventure in the story. This is the most fun I have had reading a book in ages. I added sticky notes in the pages because, even though Marais encourages you to mark within the pages, I could not bring myself to do it. If you are reading digitally, there is a printable to help you work out the puzzles!
Find this book in: Cozy Mystery Books / Best Beach Reads 2025 / Puzzle Books / Best Mystery Books of 2025
Etiquette for Lovers and Killers
Author: Anna Fitzgerald Healy
Year: 2025
Genre: Historical Mystery
More info: A Beyond the Bookends Most Anticipated July 2025 Book Release
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range:16+
Plot
This novel is a historical fiction set in the 60s, a cozy mystery, and a romance all tied up into one book! And it’s set in Maine as well. Billie McCadie lives with her grandparents and lives vicariously through the characters in the books she gets from the library. She loves epic love stories and mysteries. She is confused when she receives a letter addressed to Gertrude asking for her hand in marriage with a diamond ring. She is even more surprised when Gertrude is found dead and Billie is one of the last to see her alive.
Now her boring life becomes much more interesting, especially when she must take it upon herself to find the murderer. Everyone is hiding secrets, bodies are piling, and Billie is receiving concerning phone calls. Is she safe? Is she a suspect?
Why Jackie loves it
These characters are so much fun. They are unique and surprising, which makes this an easy read. I loved the glimpse into the 60s with the yachts and parties and the mystery was well-plotted. I had no idea who murdered Gertrude. #gifted from Putnam
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2025 / Books Set in Maine / Cozy Mystery Books / Books Set in the 1960s / RomCozy Books / Best Mystery Books of 2025
The Stolen Queen
Author: Fiona Davis
Year: 2025
Genre: Historical Mystery
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This book simultaneously tells the story of the Egyptian Gallery of the Met, the Met Gala (helmed by Diane Vreeland), and the discoveries of archaeological digs in Egypt.
In 1936, Charlotte Cross was an anthropology student working in the Valley of Kings when something happened that changed the course of her life. In 1978, Annie Jenkins is working for former Vogue editor, Diane Vreeland to organize the Met Gala.
When an ancient Egyptian necklace goes missing on the night of the Gala, Annie must work with Charlotte, now the associate curator in the Met’s Department of Egyptian Art, to recover the lost necklace.
Why Kirsten loves it
I loved both female leads – particularly Annie, who found the gumption to change her life circumstances. Davis‘s writing sucked me right in and I was fretting with nerves the night of the gala.
I loved each setting of The Stolen Queen, but Egypt really captured my heart. Another hit by one of my favorite authors.
Find this book in: Fashion Books / Novels Set in Egypt / Best Mystery Books of 2025 / Books Set in Museums
Plot
Mrs. Blossom, a widow and former private investigator, finds a winning lottery ticket in a parking lot and decides to see the world. She embarks on a river cruise in France but gets caught up in a murder mystery when a fellow passenger dies unexpectedly. As she digs deeper, she uncovers secrets about the victim and is even accused of inadvertently smuggling art for him!
Why Kirsten loves it
I love that the protagonist is 68, starting her life over, and going on an adventure while also being wrapped-up in a stolen art murder mystery! The setting of the river cruise was delightful, but it was Mrs. Blossom’s winning personality that really kept this novel afloat (Pun intended!) #gifted by Libro.fm
Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2025 / Boat Books
Sisters in the Wind
Author: Angeline Boulley
Year: 2025
Genre: YA Fiction
More info: GMA YA Book Club Pick September 2025, Bestselling Author of Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 15+
Plot
Lucy Smith’s father died 5 years ago. Lucy has been on the run ever since rather than become a ward of the state. Her father had hoped that his new wife would love and care for Lucy when he was gone, but it quickly became clear that the new Mrs. Smith had no intentions of caring for Lucy.
Now, after a horrible “accident”, Lucy meets Mr. Jameson, who tells her that her father hid her Ojibwe heritage. She has a family she never knew about, including siblings and a grandmother. Lucy must now come to terms with who she really is and why her father hid it from her. This YA book is a mystery about a young woman claiming her heritage. #gifted
Trigger Warnings
Foster care, abuse, neglect, and drug use
Why Jackie loves it
Angeline Boulley is a master storyteller who weaves historical context into her novels. The characters in this book overlap with the characters from her other books. This story is heartbreaking and compelling from the first page. Lucy has a dark past, but her story is one of many children that is overlooked.
Find this book in: GMA Book Club List 2025/ Best Good Morning America Book Club Books
Expert Tip
Are you looking for the best new mystery books of 2025 but can’t choose what to read next? Here are some expert tips for choosing your next book:
- If you know what genre of book you are in the mood for, pick a book from that category
- Are you a “Kirsten” or a “Jackie”? Have a look at who read the book and what we loved about it. Kirsten and I often read different books, so you have a wide variety of books to choose from. Bonus if we both read the book!
- Read the description of what the book is about. Kirsten and I never include books that we have not read in our book lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best new mystery books of 2025?
1. A Most Puzzling Murder by Biance Marais
2. Etiquette for Lovers and Killers by Anna Fitzgerald Healy
3. The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis
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Epilogue
What is your favorite mystery book of 2025? If you have a book that you loved that is not on this list, please let me know so I can add it to my TBR.
