Romance might not be for everyone, but keeping it spooky with a page-turning mystery is definitely on the agenda for summer 2024.
Megan Miranda is one author who always brings the suspense with her mystery novels, and her latest book, Daughter of Mine is no different. Miranda told Us exclusively earlier this year that she was inspired by real-life events when bringing this story to life.
“I read a story about people who were doing a home renovation in their backyard, and they found a car just buried there,” the author explained. “They had no idea how long it had been there or how many years it had been there. And it made me start thinking about all the mysteries that might just be existing around us — hidden just under the surface.”
When it comes to placing big reveals in her novels, Miranda admits she will “hold back” on certain things to hide it from the reader and keep the story going. “Those reveals allow me to provide a backbone of information that changes the perspective that the readers are seeing,” she added.
15 Steamy Romance Novels to Read on the Beach This Summer
Keep scrolling to see which mystery novels Us is reading on the beach in 2024:
‘Daughter of Mine’ by Megan Miranda
Hazel Sharp returns home to Mirror Lake to find her father dead and his house in her name. During her trip, missing women’s cars get dredged out of various bodies of water in town — one of the vehicles being her mother’s. (Out now)
‘Listen for the Lie’ by Amy Tintera
When a true crime podcast about the death of her best friend brings Lucy back home, she’s forced to confront her memories — and clear her name. (Out now)
‘The Resort’ by Sarah Ochs
Cass is faced with the truth about her long-term Thailand vacation after one of her diving students goes missing and turns up dead. She moved to the Koh Sang Resort to escape for the past, but it seems to swiftly be catching up with her. (Out now)
‘The Sicilian Inheritance’ by Jo Piazza
A vacation to Sicily seems like a dream come true, but it might just become Sara Marsala’s worst nightmare. After the death of Sara’s great-aunt Rosie, she takes a trip to Italy and uncovers a longtime family secret — her great-grandmother Serafina might have been murdered. (Out now)
‘Spring Harvest’ by Rektok Ross
Vampires at Coachella? Kind of. When Alix Summerlin and her friends head to the Garlic Groove Music Festival, they’re not expecting some concertgoers to disappear. Once Alix realizes there’s something sinister at play, she has to come up with a plan to save her friends. (Out now)
‘The Perfect Couple’ by Elin Hilderbrand
The Perfect Couple follows a wedding weekend that gets uprooted when a body was found on the beach. The best part? Netflix just made a six-part limited series starring Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Meghann Fahy, Eve Hewson, Dakota Fanning, Ishaan Khattar, Billy Howle and Jack Reynor in key roles. (Out now)
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‘Middle of the Night’ by Riley Sager
A Sager thriller never disappoints, and this one is no different. Ethan Marsh is reluctant to return to his New Jersey home 30 years after his best friend Billy went missing. But once Ethan’s back in his childhood home, the truth about what happened to Billy starts to come out. (June 18)
‘The Next Mrs. Parrish’ by Liv Constantine
Sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine had a hit on their hands with The Last Mrs. Parrish, and the sequel is just as twisty. Daphne and Amber Parrish have found themselves back in each other’s lives. Now that Jackson is out of prison and there’s a new threat in the midst, the ladies must uncover who can really be trusted. (June 18)
‘What You Leave Behind’ by Wanda M. Morris
Deena Wood just lost her mother and her job, so she returns home to Georgia. After coming face-to-face with a man who threatens Deena and tells her to never return, she must get to the bottom of the mysterious plot of land he was protecting. (June 18)
‘The Midnight Feast’ by Lucy Foley
Foley readers know that there’s sure to be a big reveal at the end of her novels. The Midnight Feast takes place at The Manor during its opening night. When the lights turn back on the next morning, someone is dead — but what happened while the guests were enjoying their night? (June 18)
‘All the Colors of the Dark’ by Chris Whitaker
Historical fiction and a mystery? Sign Us up. Patch, a one-eyed boy, saves the daughter of a wealthy family, kicking off a series of events that leads some major truths to be revealed. (June 25)
