Mystery & Thriller

Hiro sees dead people—and they will not stop heckling him. Pair that with a grumpy homicide detective who doesn't believe in ghosts and you get Medium Trouble: creative, fast, and gleefully unserious paranormal mysteries that know exactly how ridiculous they are. Realism is not the point. Fun is.

Rain Christiansen sees dead people, and it cost him his FBI career and the man he loved. Five books of solid cold-case mysteries, razor-sharp banter, and a second-chance romance that earns every beat. The Spectral Files is paranormal procedural done right.

An American accidental heir, two enemy politicians on the run, and a prince who can't charm his own bodyguard — Jax Calder's Unlikely Dilemmas series is high-concept, fast, and shameless about its own implausibility. It stretches credibility at every turn and I didn't care once. Comfort reads with a pulse, and a B+ from me.

Nicolas DiDomizio's A Murder Most Camp is a tight, funny Adirondack whodunit with a snarky nepo-baby sleuth worth rooting for. A solid summer read.

P.J. Vernon's Bath Haus is a relentless gay thriller about a recovering addict whose anonymous bathhouse hookup turns into attempted strangulation—and the lies he tells his wealthy older partner to cover it up. Pacing is relentless, the final twist actually lands, and the book takes gay-specific power dynamics seriously. Major content warnings—go in with your eyes open—but if you can handle the darkness, it absolutely earns its A rating

Jackson Harper is adorable, Head Rock Harbor is delightfully sleepy, and the murder is almost beside the point — which is either a feature or a bug depending on what you're looking for. Head for Murder is the coziest of cozy mysteries: low stakes, low drama, and genuinely charming. If that's what you need right now, you've found your book.

Absurd, funny, and fully committed to its own ridiculousness—but the humor that starts witty ends up a little exhausting. A fun ride if you're in the mood for pure escapism, though I wish Leland had dialed it back a notch.

Addison Harper is witty, charming, and trying to clear his name in a small New Zealand town. Murder on Milverton Square delivers cozy vibes and a great protagonist, even if the mystery asks you not to overthink things. A solid debut that sets up a promising series.

A charming, witty, beautifully rendered romance with two leads I'd follow anywhere. The mystery doesn't quite reach the heights of the character work, but I didn't mind. I was too busy being completely charmed.

Cat Sebastian's Page & Sommers series is cozy without being cloying—a smart blend of Christie-style mystery and heartfelt romance. Tightly written, emotionally satisfying, and anchored by two men with shared trauma learning to trust again.

If you're looking for fun, magical, romantic historical fantasy with characters you'll want to spend time with and dialogue that'll make you smile, pick up The Magpie Lord. You'll be glad you did.

A popcorn thriller with a body count and a Vegas meet-cute. The Murder Between Us won't surprise you, but it doesn't need to—it's fun, soapy, and exactly what it promises to be.

A gay Secret Service agent. The President of the United States. Yes, it's absurd—but Enemies of the State is the kind of unputdownable popcorn read that knows exactly what it is. Check your brain at the door and enjoy the ride.

Rav Trivedi is the kind of protagonist I didn't know I needed: sharp-dressed, sharp-tongued, and falling for his prime suspect. He's to Die For works better as a romantic thriller than a whodunit, but with dialogue this witty and a voice this fun, I'm not complaining. A step up from typical gay fiction—and I'm already hoping for a sequel.

Liam is a homicide detective with a secret side hustle: killing the murderers who got away. When his partner Gabriel catches him red-handed, it should be the end—but instead, it's the beginning of a bloody, banter-filled romance. Alice Winters' Deadly Mistakes series is fun, fast, and doesn't ask too much of you. Just don't expect to remember it next week.

Henry Rios is freshly sober and investigating a death that might not be an accident. But Carved in Bone isn't just a mystery—it's a portrait of gay San Francisco on the brink of the AIDS crisis. Michael Nava delivers character, history, and heart in equal measure.

C.S. Poe raises the stakes in this grittier sequel, and Larkin and Doyle's slow-burn connection is more convincing than ever. I just wish the mystery knew what kind of book it wanted to be.

storm unearths a body and a Victorian death mask in Madison Square Park. Enter Everett "Grim" Larkin—a cold case detective with perfect recall and zero social graces. The mystery kept me guessing, even if I wanted more moments to watch Larkin's unusual mind at work.

A gay Latino lawyer. A charming young man in recovery with a dark family secret. A hunt for truth through San Francisco's mean streets and Nob Hill mansions. Michael Nava's 1986 noir is gritty, authentic, and handles addiction with unflinching honesty—plus a twist I never saw coming.

Inheriting a mystery bookshop in a quaint seaside village? Living the dream—until there's a body on your floor. Murder at Pirate's Cove is cozy, charming, and comfort-food readable, but I wish the mystery had been a little less predictable.