Suspenseful Beach Reads To Keep You Turning the Pages

So oftentimes beach reads are light, fun, and fluffy, but in a good way. Sometimes I just want to sit by the beach or outside and get lost in a lighthearted read....nothing too serious. On the other hand, sometimes I get sick of all the overly saccharine reads and want something with a little more weight and a little more oomph. Maybe there's a murder? Or an unreliable narrator? 

Today I'm sharing beach reads that still have many of the characteristics of a light novel, while featuring enough suspense to keep me on the edge of my beach chair.

Cocoa Beach by Beatriz Williams - Williams always does a good job of weaving history, romance, and suspense into her historical beach reads. I found this one to be a bit more suspenseful than her others.

The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews - A summer murder mystery set on a gorgeous North Carolina island.

A Single Breath - There's a ton of family secrets in this one and it kept me on my toes. Plus, look at that gorgeous setting!

The Blue by Lucy Clarke - This book features major drama and thrills aboard a yacht.

On the Island by Tracey Jarvis-Graves - The ultimate stranded on a tropical island survival story!

Under a Dark Summer Sky by Vanessa LaFaye - A hurricane is en route to the Florida Keys and of course it brings many dangers. Plus, it's based on the real-life hurricane that pounded the Keys in 1935.

With Malice by Eileen Cook - This is one of the best YA thrillers I've read in quite awhile. It's about a deadly accident set abroad in Italy and it involves amnesia, which definitely kept me guessing. 

 

 

 

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman - A psyschological thriller that takes place during a honeymoon.  

 

 

 

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand - This isn't Hilderbrand's usual beach read as it involves a murder! You may be familiar with the Netflix adaptation.

 

 

 

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton - What seems like it should be a good time turns really stressful as the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 approaches.

Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews - A major dose of a mystery with this beach read that follows a journalist's quest for the truth.

Summer Darlings by Brooke Lea Foster - The second half of this historical novel has some major film noir vibes to it, which kept me flipping the pages. 

You're Invited by Amanda Jayatissa - A summer wedding in Sri Lanka goes badly... an engaging summer thriller. 

 

 

The Siren by Katherine St. John - A juicy summertime escape with a lot of plot twists and mysteries that takes place on a film set in the Caribbean.

 

 

 

 

My Summer Darlings by May Cobb - This is a steamy romance that has some Desperate Housewives moments in it and even a murder!  

She Started It by Sian Gilbert - A bachelorette party on a beautiful private island in the Bahamas turns bad and I mean really bad! 

 

 

 

 

 

The Guilt Trip by Sandie Jones - A destination wedding in Portugal that's filled with secrets and a whole lot of drama.  

 

 

 

Sunburned by Katherine Wood - A sun-soaked murder mystery that takes readers from the Florida Everglades to the sunny shores of St. Barth's.

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner - This is a mystery + a historical fiction that will transport readers to the tumultuous shores of the Amalfi Coast.

 

 

 

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware - This thriller is about five couples trapped on a stormy island and there's a killer on the loose.

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton - This historical fiction includes a page-turning mystery involving a Gothic mansion in Miami.

 

 

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews - This murder mystery is set at a glamorous hotel, the Saint Cecelia, on the coast of Georgia. 

On The TBR List:

 

  

1. The Last Ferry Out by Andrea Bartz

 

2. Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Alison Brennan

 

 

 

3. Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

 

4. Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender

 

 

5. Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay

In the comments below, let me know what you think about the books that made my list. Have you read any of them? Let me know if you have any recommendations, too!