Gifts for mystery & thriller lovers: a book-gift guide

Mystery and thriller readers are wonderful to shop for — they go through books fast and always want the next twist. The trick is matching the kindof suspense they love. Here’s how to nail it.

For the cozy reader

Low stakes, a charming village, maybe a cat and a cup of tea. Cozies are the comfort food of crime fiction — start them off with our cozy mystery starter shelf.

For the up-all-night thriller fan

They want their pulse up and the lights on. Hand them a twisty psychological thriller from our best thrillers to keep you up list — The Silent Patient and Gone Girl are reliable gateway hits.

For the literary-crossover reader

Some readers want a mystery with real prose behind it. Try Where the Crawdads Sing or other atmospheric, character-driven reads — see our books like Where the Crawdads Sing.

Give a series to binge

Crime readers love a detective to follow. Used copies make it affordable to gift the first few books of a long-running series — enough to get them properly hooked.

The no-risk option

Fast readers are hard to keep up with. If you’re not sure what they’ve already devoured, store credit lets them hunt their own next case.

Build the stack with us

Come browse the shelvesand we’ll help you pick, or let the Matchmakersuggest a thriller they haven’t cracked yet. More ideas in our gift cheat sheet.