15 Thrilling Locked Room Mysteries to Die For
Locked room mysteries are some of the most popular mysteries because as a reader, you not only have to figure out who did it, but how? These mysteries have had a resurgence in the last few years and we can see why.
What is a locked room mystery? There are two types of locked room mysteries.
the first is when someone is found murdered behind a locked door. With no apparent way for anyone to get in or out, this seems like an impossible crime. The second is when someone is found murdered in a location where nobody is able to enter or exit after the crime has been committed. The perfect example of this is Murder on The Orient Express by Agatha Christie.
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Best New Locked Room Mysteries
Plot
Mila del Angél is hosting a writing retreat for J.R. Alastor, an anonymous writer. The retreat will take place on Alastor’s private island off the coast of Maine for six thriller authors who are all masters of the craft.
Mila is excited to organize a week of games, puzzles, and riddles, as well as the murder of one of the authors for whom she has an ax to grind. But when one of the authors turns up dead and it is not the author Mila planned to kill, she is trapped in a different weekend than the one that she planned!
Why Kirsten loves it
This twisty novel had me guessing from the very beginning. It reminded me of And Then There Were None in the best possible way. I loved the premise of all the writers having dark secrets worth killing over and I tried desperately to figure out who was really J. R. Alastor. If you are a fan of Clue, you’d probably love this story too.
Find this book in: Puzzle Mysteries / Locked Room Mysteries
The Night of the Storm
Author: Nishita Parekh
Year: 2024
Genre: Thriller
More info: National Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I finished this multi-genre book in one day. I simply couldn’t stop listening (the narrator is tops!). It was a fast-paced ride the entire time. From the hurricane to the family secrets to the death, it was a shock and surprise around every corner.
Jai is forced to head to her sister’s family home with her son due to Hurricane Harvey. As she hunkers down with her sister Seema, her brother-in-law, his mother, and his brother and sister-in-law, family secrets come out in the most dangerous ways.
From potential affairs to the shocking reason Jai is divorcing her husband, it was a never-ending thrill ride. Add in the tensions between the sisters, Jai’s relationship struggles with her preteen son, and the brother’s drama and you’ve got one hell of a story.
Why Kirsten loves it
I love that the author was inspired to write a thriller that starred an Indian family like hers and that her family and their experience during Hurricane Harvey inspired this story. #Gifted by PRH Audio
Find this book in: Hurricane Novels / Locked Room Mystery / Family Drama / Best New Thrillers of 2024
The Last Party (DS Morgan #1) by Clare Mackintosh
Rhys Lloyd is having a New Year’s party in his house on Mirror Lake. By morning, Rhys is dead. The story is told from multiple viewpoints by different characters over the same time period. Rhys is not the popular guy we think he is at the beginning of the book.
This is by far the best mystery I have read in a long time. One party, one body, and everyone had a reason for wanting him dead. This is a brilliant well-thought-out, locked room mystery that reminds me of Agatha Christie or the movie Clue- because everyone had motive and opportunity.
Why I Love It: The answer is brilliant and kept me guessing until the last page- and I was still left with my mouth agape!!! Clare Mackintosh delivers excellent mysteries that are well-written and brilliantly executed.
Find This Book In Lake Novel / Ultimate List of Mysteries / Locked Room Mysteries / Best Beach Reads of 2023 / New Year’s Eve Books
Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood
This is the second book in the Marlow Murder Club series. We are back with Judith, Becks, and Susie. If you have not read the first book, do not worry, you can read this locked room mystery novel and love it.
When Judith gets a call from Sir Peter Bailey inviting her to his house for a pre-wedding celebration, she cannot say now. She is even more interested in why he would invite her. When Sir Bailey is found dead in a locked room crushed by a cabinet, it seems like a horrible accident or suicide. However, busy-body, skinny-dipping, crossword puzzle author, Judith is not so sure. #gifted
Celebrity Book Club Locked Room Mysteries
The Sanatorium
Author: Sarah Pearse
Year: 2021
Genre: Mystery
More info: Detective Elin Warner #1 , February 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Plot
Oh boy, was this a creepy haunted house book! I wish I had chosen to read it during the wintertime instead of the summer because seeing snow while reading it would have made it that much creepier.
With dead bodies piling up, and a blizzard keeping the guests of the fancy sanatorium-turned-hotel stuck inside, will Elin be able to solve the mystery before she becomes a victim herself?
Why Kirsten loves it
This is such a great blizzard book for mystery book lovers. It is creepy and everything else you want in a thriller and it’s an iconic book to read during a snowstorm!
Find this book in: Fiction Serial Killer Books / Locked Room Mystery / Isolation Book
The Guest List
Author: Lucy Foley
Year: 2020
Genre: Mystery
More info: New York Times Bestseller, June 2020 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I’ve just read THE thriller
Why Kirsten loves it
I’ve become very picky about thrillers recently and this one is hands down my favorite of the year so far. It also made our Best of 2020 list!
Adaptation Information
This story is soon to be a TV series on Hulu. Liz Tigelaar is set to write and produce the show.
Find this book in: Locked Room Mysteries / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation / Best British Mysteries / Books Becoming Movies in 2024 / Best Beach Reads / British Books /Best Psychological Thriller Books / Popular Thriller Books
Best Locked Room Mysteries: The Classics
Murder on the Orient Express
Author: Agatha Christie
Year: 1934
Genre: Classic Mystery
More info: Hercule Poirot #10, International Bestseller
Age Range: 14+
Plot
When the luxurious Orient Express train is snowbound overnight, no one expects a murder to take place. But that’s exactly what happened and with Hercule Poirot onboard, the murderer just might get caught.
Why Kirsten loves it
This is a classic and an absolute must-read. It’s one of those books that unless you know the ending, you would never guess it. So well-devised, this book is a definite favorite and it all takes place on a train in the middle of a snowy tundra, making it a fantastic story for a cozy winter night.
Find this book in: Agatha Christie Books in Order / Locked Room Mysteries / Novels About Weather / Detective Books / Ultimate List of Mystery Books
And Then There Were None
Author: Agatha Christie
Year: 1939
Genre: Classic Mystery
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
A mysterious person is trying to right the wrongs of the past by luring unsuspecting criminals to a deserted island…and then murdering them one by one. But who is the killer? Why are they killing? And just how long have they been stalking their prey? You have to figure out whodunit in this unreliable narrator book.
Why Kirsten loves it
This Agatha Christie book is one of the best stories she has EVER written. It was fast-paced, totally engaging and I did not see the ending coming. Each murder was more clever then the one before. Check out the black and white movie based on the book. It’s great!
Why Jackie loves it
A classic for a reason, Agatha Christie broke the mold with this book. It’s one of the most well-plotted mysteries I’ve ever read.
Find this book in: Unreliable Narrator Book / Best Classic Novels / Historical Mystery Books / Agatha Christie Books in Order / Best Mystery Books / Locked Room Mysteries
More Locked Room Mysteries
Daisy Darker: A Novel
Author: Alice Feeney
Year: 2022
Genre: Thriller
More info: Instant New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Daisy’s family is gathering for Nan’s birthday on a tiny, private, tidal island after not seeing each other for years. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from everybody for 8 hours.
When Nana’s body is found dead with a creepy poem written on the wall beside her, they each begin to suspect each other- after all, one of them is a murderer. Soon, everybody’s secrets start to come out as the members of the family die one at a time.
Why Jackie loves it
This book had me guessing until the very end and definitely has the feeling of “And Then There Were None”. In the true Alice Feeney style, I had no idea what was going to happen next so, I stopped trying to guess so I could just enjoy the thrill of the ride.
Find this book in: Isolation Books / Locked Room Mystery / Books With Flowers in the Title
The Woman in Cabin 10
Author: Ruth Ware
Year: 2016
Genre: Mystery Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Shortly after being burglarized, a travel journalist boards a small luxury cruise liner to cover its inaugural voyage. When she thinks she sees a passenger thrown overboard – but everyone is still accounted for – she has to decide if what she saw was real or only in her head.
Why Kirsten loves it
This book wasn’t as creepy as some of Ware’s others, but it still kept me on the edge of my seat. You just might want to wait until you are off a boat to read this one! If you love thriller novels, this book is a must-read.
Adaptation Information
Netflix is adapting this book into a movie starring Kiera Knightley. Guy Pearce, Hannah Waddingham, Art Malik, Gitte Witt, David Ajala and more have recently been cast as well. Release date is TBD
Find this book in: Sailing Novels / Isolation Books / Psychological Thriller Books / Unreliable Narrator Books / Books Becoming Movies / Mystery and Thriller Novels About Writers / Popular Thriller Books
The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Author: Stuart Turton
Year: 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: 15+
Plot
Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered every day at 11:00 PM. In order to escape Blackheath, Aiden Bishop must solve her murder. He will wake up every day for 8 days inhabiting a different host body. He will experience the same day until he solves the murder.
Why Jackie loves it
This is one of the best books that I have read in a really long time. It is so smart and so well written- the complexity of the plot line is mind-boggling and kept me entranced until the very last page.
Find this book in: Locked Room Mystery / Books About Puzzles / Best Time Loop Books / The 20 Best Books of 2018
Anxious People
Author: Fredrik Backman
Year: 2019
Genre: Fiction
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Fredrik Backman is a master storyteller and he does it again with this book. He somehow manages to tackle difficult subjects without trivializing them but still allowing them to be humorous.
This book is a story of a bank robbery gone very wrong and the idiots in the story (his word, not mine) who are taken hostage after the failed robbery. While the police are interviewing each of the hostages to find the robbers, they become more confused after each interview. It is also a story about compassion, human relationships, and the daily struggles that we all have.
Why Jackie loves it
I love how Fredrik Backman’s books show the good in people despite the flaws that make them human. Backman writes so many different kinds of books but they all have so much heart. Backman weaves themes of love, friendship, and compassion throughout all his books.
Find this book in: Books Like A Man Called Ove / New Year’s Eve Books / Best Beach Reads / Locked Room Mysteries / Best Books of 2020 / Ultimate List of Feel-Good Reads
One of Us is Lying
Author: Karen M. McManus
Year: 2017
Genre: YA Thriller
More info: Named one of the ten best books of the year by Entertainment Weekly
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 14+
Plot
This YA locked room mystery is one of my favorites on the list. It is the breakfast club meets murder and I am obsessed. The Brain, the Beauty, the Criminal, The Athlete, and the Outcast are all in detention together. Only, Simon, the outcast is dead before he can leave the room.
With everyone holding onto secrets and everyone with a motive, can you figure out who did it?
Why Jackie loves it
This is a mystery and psychological thriller wrapped up in one. This is one book where you will not guess the ending.
Find this book in: Best Psychological Thriller Books /Locked Room Mysteries to Die For / Best Mystery Books of All Time
In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
Leonora is invited to a cabin in the woods for a girl’s weekend getaway. What should be a fun bachelorette (hen) weekend turns into anything but.
Nora hasn’t seen her friend for over 10 years when she receives the invitation to celebrate her upcoming marriage. Maybe she should have stayed home….just saying. As the memories and pieces of the weekend slowly come back, the tale of what really happened in the woods comes together. This locked room mystery is classic Ruth Ware!
Best Locked Room Thrillers
The Only One Left: A Novel
Author: Riley Sager
Year: 2023
Genre: Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestselling Author
Age Range: 16+
Plot
In this new mystery thriller book, Kit McDeere has taken a position as a home health aid for Lenora Hope who was accused of murdering her whole family years before. With no evidence, Lenora was never convicted and has lived in her home without leaving all this time. Lenora can only move her one finger and communicates with a typewriter.
Kit feels like there may be more to the story than anyone knows and wants to leave the crumbling mansion, but she has nowhere else to go. This is a perfect thriller book for fall.
Why Jackie loves it
If you have been following Beyond the Bookends for a while you know we love Riley Sager. This is one of my favorites! I was left guessing until the end what was really going on in this crazy house.
Find this book in: Isolation Thrillers / Riley Sager Books Ranked
Rock Paper Scissors
Author: Alice Feeney
Year: 2022
Genre: thriller
More info: Instant New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This book by Alice Feeney is another great read. Her books always have me turning the pages. This novel starts with Adam and Amelia Wright headed to a weekend away in a remote Scottish getaway to save their marriage. It turns into a locked-room thriller that you will not be able to put down.
Told from the point of view of both Adam and Amelia, it is clear that one weekend away may not be enough to save what is left of their failing relationship. Each year of their marriage, Adam and his wife exchange traditional wedding gifts and she writes him a letter that she will not let him read.
When reading a thriller, you expect twists and turns because that is part of the fun and while I expected a few, some of the ones in this book were completely unexpected!
Why Jackie loves it
I love Alice Feeney as a writer. She never fails to surprise me with her books which is something I love. The twists never feel like they are too much, rather, I feel like I should have known all along!
Find this book in: Locked Room Mysteries / Domestic Thriller Books / Halloween Thriller Books / Hotel Novels
The Writing Retreat
Author: Julia Bartz
Year: 2023
Genre: Thriller
More info: Instant New York Times bestsellers
Spice Rating:💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Alex has almost given up her dream of being a writer when a famous horror writer invites her to a month-long writing retreat. When she arrives, she is told that she must, along with the other attendees, write an entire novel during the retreat and the best novel will win a huge publishing deal.
Soon, Alex is having trouble differentiating between her book and reality. To make things even worse, her ex-best friend is among the 5 invitees and now she does not know who to trust.
Trigger Warnings
Murder, sexual content
Why Jackie loves it
I know this book had mixed reviews, but I love this horror thriller book. I was never sure what to believe, and I did not predict where the story was headed. It is certainly a scary pick and not for the faint of heart.
Find this book in: Fiction Books About Writers / Mystery and Thriller Novels About Writers / Horror Thriller Books / Isolation Thriller
The Club by Ellery Lloyd
March 2022 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
This contemporary fiction book was a WILD ride and I loved every exhilarating twist and turn! The Home Club is clearly based on members-only celebrity clubs like SoHo House but the newest Home Club is opening on a private island and features an opening weekend to die for.
Literally, because it’s a murder mystery. Except we the readers don’t know who is murdered, how, or why at the beginning…but instead we are treated to various narrators telling the points of view of the weekend as it unfolds.
The layered approach to telling the story of the celebrity shenanigans and the murder of a key figure in the Home Group family had me flipping through the pages of this isolation novel. A truly enjoyable beach read!
What Are Locked Room Mysteries?
Locked room mysteries are a type of mystery that refers to the crime scene.
There are two types of locked room mysteries.
1. Someone is found murdered behind a locked door. With no apparent way for anyone to get in or out, this seems like an impossible crime.
2. Someone is found murdered in a location where nobody is able to enter or exit after the crime has been committed. The perfect example of this is Murder on The Orient Express by Agatha Christie.
Love Mysteries? You’ll probably love this swag too!
Which are your favorite locked room mysteries?
The Ultimate List of Mystery Books
Love Mysteries? This is a list of the best mystery books carefully divided by sub-genre for anyone who lives a good mystery as much as I do.
