February might be the shortest month of the year, but the mystery and thriller world isn’t taking any shortcuts. This month’s lineup brings a psychological deep dive into Hollywood’s underbelly, a marriage gone missing in the Canadian wilderness, a decades-old conspiracy catching up to the present, and a snowbound survival story that will leave you breathless. Whether you like your mysteries procedural, psychological, or pulse-pounding, there’s something here for every fan of the genre.
Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman
Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are back, and this time they’re chasing a killer who has an unsettling knack for making bodies disappear—until they reappear in the worst possible way. It all starts with an aspiring actress, dumped near an ER, drugged, and dead. But what should be a straightforward investigation turns into a game of cat and mouse when their prime suspect becomes the next victim—shot by a sniper. Then another body drops. And another.
In typical Kellerman fashion, Open Season layers psychological depth onto a classic whodunit, weaving through Los Angeles’ dark corridors of ambition, deception, and violence. What’s the connection between these victims? Is it a thrill kill spree, or something more insidious? With each clue, Delaware and Sturgis find themselves up against a killer who is just as calculated as they are. If you like your mysteries with equal parts grit and intellect, this one belongs on your nightstand. Get the book here.
Into the Fall by Tamara L. Miller
If you’re a fan of atmospheric thrillers, buckle up—Tamara L. Miller’s debut, Into the Fall, plunges deep into the rugged Canadian wilderness, where isolation isn’t just a setting but a character in and of itself.
Sarah Anderson thought her biggest problem was her crumbling marriage. But when her husband, Matthew, vanishes without a trace during a family vacation up north, she realizes the nightmare is just beginning. Stranded with her two children in the treacherous expanse of the Canadian Shield, Sarah is forced to navigate both the elements and the mysteries unraveling around her. A small-town lawman takes an interest in the case, but the trail goes cold, pushing Sarah into a yearlong quest for answers. The deeper she digs, the more unsettling the truth becomes—not just about her missing husband, but about herself.
Miller delivers an unsettling, slow-burn mystery wrapped in psychological suspense. Think Gone Girl meets The River with a dose of rugged survival. If you like thrillers that make you question every character’s motive, this one’s for you. Get the book here.
Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb
Sixty books in, and J.D. Robb still isn’t pulling any punches. In Bonded in Death, Lieutenant Eve Dallas finds herself tangled in a case that stretches all the way back to the Urban Wars of the 2020s. An old soldier, traveling under the name Giovanni Rossi, arrives in New York and is dead within minutes. No obvious cause, no clear suspects, and a widow who knows nothing about his recent movements.
Enter Summerset—Dallas’ husband’s ever-loyal (and perpetually grumpy) major-domo. Turns out, he wasn’t always just a butler. During the Urban Wars, he was part of a secretive group called The Twelve, and Rossi wasn’t the only member to turn up dead. Someone is hunting the last survivors of this covert unit, and Summerset might be next. As Eve untangles the past, she faces a race against time to stop a killer with a decades-old vendetta.
With political intrigue, futuristic forensics, and Robb’s signature blend of procedural and pulse-pounding action, this one is a must-read for fans of the series. Get the book here.
The Crash by Freida McFadden
Freida McFadden is back with another thriller designed to mess with your head. The Crash follows Tegan, a woman on the run from her past—eight months pregnant and desperate to start fresh. She sets out for her brother’s home, but a blizzard has other plans. Stranded in the Maine wilderness with a wrecked car and a broken ankle, her relief comes in the form of a kind couple who take her in.
But this is McFadden we’re talking about, so of course, kindness comes with strings attached. As Tegan recovers in their cozy cabin, she starts to notice little things that don’t add up. The warmth of her new sanctuary starts to feel more like a trap, and soon she realizes she’s in far more danger than she ever was on the road.
A mix of survival thriller, psychological suspense, and straight-up nightmare fuel, The Crash is guaranteed to keep you turning pages deep into the night. Just maybe keep a flashlight nearby. Get the book here.
Final Word: February’s Thrillers Are Not for the Faint of Heart
This month’s mysteries all have one thing in common: characters pushed to their absolute limits. Whether it’s Alex Delaware unraveling a serial killer’s twisted mind, Sarah Anderson fighting for answers in the wilderness, Eve Dallas confronting a decades-old conspiracy, or Tegan battling for survival in a snowbound nightmare, these stories don’t let up. It’s a smart idea to clear some space on your bookshelf or favorite e-reader because February’s lineup is worth every nail-biting moment.
