As the year draws to a close, avid readers and thriller enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating a slew of gripping novels set to hit the shelves in December. From seasoned authors to exciting newcomers, this month promises a diverse array of suspenseful narratives that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Let's delve into the details of the top 10 upcoming thriller books, each offering a unique blend of mystery, intrigue, and heart-stopping action.
1. Rock Bottom (Sisterhood #35) by Fern Michaels
Fern Michaels, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, invites readers back into the captivating world of her acclaimed Sisterhood series with "Rock Bottom." In this adventure-packed thriller, Izzy and Yoko embark on a new project—a café in a market village. However, the venture takes an unexpected turn when Izzy's old friend, Zoe Danfield, reveals a dark secret: a construction corporation's inferior materials are causing global disasters. As the Sisterhood steps in to uncover the truth, they find themselves facing a formidable adversary with deep pockets and nefarious intentions.
Category: Mystery, Thriller
Release date: December 26, 2023
Sisterhood #35
by Fern Michaels
#1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels continues her long-running and acclaimed Sisterhood series, in which a group of very different women forge a bond to help them right wrongs—especially when the victims are other women. Rock Bottom brings together some of her readers’ favorite characters in an adventure-packed story that will satisfy every Fern fan.
Isabelle “Izzy” Flanders and Yoko Akia are beginning a new project—an indoor/outdoor café that will be the cornerstone of a market village. Izzy knows just where to get the project off the ground: her old college classmate, Zoe Danfield, now vice president of a huge construction corporation. But the Zoe that Izzy reencounters doesn’t seem like her old, confident friend. This Zoe is tense and stressed, and Izzy eventually learns why.
2. Jaguar Prophecies (The Dresden Codex #2) by Jeff Wheeler
Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jeff Wheeler returns with the second installment of "The Dresden Codex" series in "Jaguar Prophecies." The fate of the world hangs in the balance as Jonathon Roth and his family become pawns in a deadly ritual orchestrated by Jacob Calakmul. To prevent an apocalyptic Armageddon foretold in the Jaguar Prophecy, Roth must decipher an ancient codex. From Cozumel to the Montana mountains, the suspense builds as they race against time to thwart Calakmul's sinister plan.
Category: Thriller
Release date: December 12, 2023
The Dresden Codex #2
by Jeff Wheeler
The fate of the world is in the hands of two men. One is prophesized to end it. The other must save it in an apocalyptic thriller by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jeff Wheeler.
If the end-of-the-world prophecy is true, a vengeful descendant will reign with blood and fury. The planets are already aligning.
For Jonathon Roth and his family, a vacation in Cozumel became a nightmare. Pawns in a deadly ritual, Roth and his children barely escaped with their lives, and with the secrets of its mastermind, Jacob Calakmul. Calakmul’s endgame: to fulfill the Jaguar Prophecy—the foretelling of an inevitable Armageddon, one that will destroy entire nations. An ancient codex holds the key to stopping it. If Roth can decipher it.
3. Sable Peak (The Edens #6) by Devney Perry
Devney Perry, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, weaves an unrequited love story in "Sable Peak." Vera Gallagher, determined to embrace her newfound freedom, harbors a secret crush on Mateo Eden. Despite the odds, Vera remains steadfast in her love for Mateo, even as her past threatens to keep them apart. Perry delivers a small-town romance layered with mystery and thrills in the sixth installment of "The Edens" series.
Category: Mystery, Thriller, Romance
Release date: December 5, 2023
The Edens #6
by Devney Perry
An unrequited love, small town romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Devney Perry.
Vera Gallagher is chasing constant. For four years, her life was anything but normal. And the years before that she refuses to even remember. Dwelling on the past only hurts. Life is fragile, a lesson her mother taught her well. She’s determined not to waste a moment of her newfound freedom.
Maybe some would consider her crush on Mateo Eden wasted time. Maybe some would call her a fool for loving a man who hasn’t once dropped a crumb of interest her way. Still, to Vera, it’s Mateo or nothing.
4. Manner of Death (Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery #14) by Robin Cook
In "Manner of Death," New York Times bestselling author Robin Cook takes readers on a fast-paced medical mystery-thriller. NYC chief medical examiner Laurie Montgomery faces a dilemma when a pathology resident's suicide appears suspicious. As Laurie investigates, she uncovers a dangerous fraud involving a lucrative cancer diagnostics company. The stakes are high, and Laurie's pursuit of the truth puts her life on the line in this gripping tale of deception and suspense.
Category: Crime fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Release date: December 5, 2023
Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery #14
by Robin Cook
In this new fast-paced medical mystery-thriller from the New York Times bestselling author Robin Cook, fan favorites Jack and Laurie must determine the manner of death after a pathology resident's suspicious suicide.
Due to Jack Stapleton’s ongoing recovery from his near-death confrontation with a serial killer, his wife Laurie Montgomery, the NYC chief medical examiner, is carrying the load both at work and at home. When she insists an underperforming pathology resident named Ryan Sullivan assist her on a suicide autopsy, Laurie unknowingly provokes an emotional storm in the trainee.
5. Night Owl (Trasker #1) by Andrew Mayne
Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Andrew Mayne introduces readers to retired spy Brad Trasker in "Night Owl." Trasker's quiet life is disrupted when a shocking act of sabotage targets aerospace CEO Kylie Connor. As Trasker delves into the conspiracy, he discovers a web of corporate espionage, revenge, and betrayal. Overmatched and unable to trust anyone, Trasker must adapt quickly to survive a deadly game that draws him back into the world of espionage.
Category: Mystery, Thriller
Release date: December 1, 2023
Trasker #1
by Andrew Mayne
A shocking act of sabotage draws a retired spy into a deadly conspiracy in an explosive thriller by an Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
After three decades in counterintelligence, Brad Trasker is retired, disillusioned, and dealing with a tragic loss. Spy games are behind him until he attends the launch of a next-generation aircraft. When the project of innovative aerospace CEO Kylie Connor explodes on the tarmac―nearly killing her in the process―Trasker is pulled back into the line of fire.
6. Charred (Echoes of the End #5) by Justin Bell, Mike Justin
Mike Kraus, the #1 best-selling post-apocalyptic author, collaborates with Justin Bell in "Charred," the fifth book of the "Echoes of the End" series. A new blend of metals, promising strength and durability, leads to catastrophic consequences. Fires, destruction, and the collapse of civilization force survivors to navigate a ravaged world. As a mother seeks to rescue her children, a man in the Everglades holds the salvation of a young girl in his hands. "Charred" is a gripping tale of survival, humanity, and the consequences of innovation gone awry.
Category: Post-Apocalyptic, Thriller
Release date: December 29, 2023
Echoes of the End #5
by Justin Bell, Mike Justin
Death and destruction wreak havoc on the Fullers and those around them as Jean, Scout and Jacob work ever closer to their final destinations in book 5 of Echoes of the End.
The #1 best-selling and most prolific post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus - working with best-selling author Justin Bell - brings a new gripping tale of destruction, survival and humanity like no one else can.
A new blend of metals was promised to be stronger and last longer than traditional steel ever could - until it started breaking down into hyper-combustible byproducts.
7. Incendiary (Echoes of the End #4) by Justin Bell, Mike Justin
In "Incendiary," the fourth installment of the "Echoes of the End" series, Mike Kraus and Justin Bell explore a world plunged into chaos by a breakdown in innovative metals. As fires rage and cities crumble, survivors face unimaginable challenges. A mother's determination to rescue her children and a man's quest for redemption in the Everglades create a riveting narrative of destruction and survival.
Category: Post-Apocalyptic, Thriller
Release date: December 1, 2023
Echoes of the End #4
by Justin Bell, Mike Justin
A simple infection can spell death in a world without proper medical care, though unlikely allies are found in even the darkest corners of the world in book 4 of Echoes of the End.
The #1 best-selling and most prolific post-apocalyptic author Mike Kraus - working with best-selling author Justin Bell - brings a new gripping tale of destruction, survival and humanity like no one else can.
A new blend of metals was promised to be stronger and last longer than traditional steel ever could - until it started breaking down into hyper-combustible byproducts.
8. The Daughters of Block Island (Echoes of the End #4) by Christa Carmen
Christa Carmen presents a subversive twist on the classic gothic novel in "The Daughters of Block Island." Two sisters, bound by family secrets, become entangled in a century-old mystery on an isolated island. As they navigate scandal, secrets, and murder, the dark past of an island mansion comes to light. With accusations, restless ghosts, and a torrential downpour, the sisters must unravel the truth before the forces conspiring to keep Block Island's secrets buried rise to consume them.
Category: Horror, Gothic Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Release date: December 1, 2023
by Christa Carmen
In this ingenious and subversive twist on the classic gothic novel, the mysterious past of an island mansion lures two sisters into a spiderweb of scandal, secrets, and murder.
Two sisters, strangers since birth yet bound by family secrets, are caught up in a century-old mystery on an isolated island.
After arriving on Block Island to find her birth mother, Blake Bronson becomes convinced she’s the heroine of a gothic novel—the kind that allowed her intermittent escape from a traumatic childhood. How else to explain the torrential rain, the salt-worn mansion known as White Hall, and the restless ghost purported to haunt its halls? But before Blake can discern the novel’s ending, she’s found dead, murdered in a claw-foot tub. The proprietress of White Hall stands accused.
9. Please Tell Me (Echoes of the End #4) by Mike Omer
New York Times bestselling author Mike Omer presents a chilling psychological thriller in "Please Tell Me." After a year in captivity, eight-year-old Kathy Stone escapes with horrific truths. Child therapist Robin Hart, the only one connecting with Kathy, uncovers unsettling play therapy sessions that hint at unsolved murders. As Robin races against time to unlock Kathy's secrets, she realizes the child might hold the key to past and future killings. "Please Tell Me" is a riveting exploration of trauma, survival, and the disturbing connection between play and reality.
Category: Psychological Thriller, Crime fiction, Thriller
Release date: December 1, 2023
by Mike Omer
After a year in captivity, a kidnapped child escapes—only to reveal horrific truths that lead her psychologist on a race against time in this thriller from New York Times bestselling author Mike Omer.
When eight-year-old Kathy Stone turns up on the side of the road a year after her abduction, the world awaits her harrowing story. But Kathy doesn’t say a word. Traumatized by her ordeal, she doesn’t speak at all, not even to her own parents.
10. Shoot for the Moon (Detective Kate Rosetti Mystery #11) by Gina LaManna
Gina LaManna brings Detective Kate Rosetti back in "Shoot for the Moon," the eleventh installment of the Detective Kate Rosetti Mystery series. When a dead body rolls off a truck in front of Kate, she is thrust into an investigation before it officially reaches the precinct. As the case evolves, Kate faces a complex web of murder, kidnapping, and convoluted business ventures. With the stakes escalating, Detective Rosetti must solve the mystery quickly to prevent further harm.
Category: Mystery, Thriller
Release date: December 1, 2023
Detective Kate Rosetti Mystery #11
by Gina LaManna
When a dead body rolls off the bed of a truck, directly in front of Kate Rosetti on a busy highway, the homicide detective starts to wonder if she’s cursed. Dead bodies have a way of following her around, and this guy definitely wasn’t killed by accident.
Before she knows it, Detective Rosetti is sucked into an investigation before it was even called in to the precinct—a record, even for her. To make matters worse, Kate’s sort-of boyfriend was driving at the time, and now he’s also invested in the murder investigation. What starts off as a simple homicide case, however, quickly morphs into something bigger, something darker, something that could get someone seriously hurt—or worse.
As December unfolds, readers can anticipate a thrilling literary journey through these gripping tales, each promising to deliver suspense, mystery, and an unforgettable reading experience. Whether you're a fan of post-apocalyptic scenarios, medical mysteries, or espionage thrillers, this month's lineup offers something for every taste in the world of suspenseful fiction.
So, buckle up and get ready for a rollercoaster ride into the heart of December's most anticipated thriller releases.