6 Chilling Crime Novels to Keep You Cool in Summer

BR readers love crime, and we’ve been spoiled with some truly chilling reads. There’s plenty to choose from, such as long-time favourites Kathy Reichs and Michael Robotham, and newer voices in the genre including Matthew Spencer and Katherine Firkin. Put your feet up this summer, and try one of these chilling crime reads.

Black River by Matthew Spencer

Black River is an exceptional debut, and one of the best Australian crimes to hit the shelves in 2022. It’s set over a long, burning summer in Sydney, and a serial killer is preying on victims along the banks of the Parramatta River. We’ll be keeping our distance.

Buy a copy of Black River here.

Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham

This breathtaking thriller from Robotham will keep you guessing until the very end, as usual. The crime master shows no signs of slowing down, and his latest novel proves once again why he’s one of our best writers.

Buy a copy of Lying Beside You here.

Cold, Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs

#1 New York Times bestselling thriller writer Kathy Reichs returns with her twenty-first novel of suspense featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. With an action-packed plot, spine-tingling mystery, and a palpable atmosphere, this is Reichs at her best.

Buy a copy of Cold, Cold Bones here.

Still by Matt Nable

Still is an evocative, confronting page-turner, set against a haunting Australian landscape, written by writer and actor Matt Nable. Nable takes his time building up the characters and tension, but when the dark elements of the story hit you, they hit hard.

Buy a copy of Still here.

Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke

In this thrilling debut, a social worker turned true-crime podcaster investigates a decades-old serial killer cold case—only to unwittingly create new victims. Former social worker Elle Castillo is the host of a popular true-crime podcast that tackles cold cases of missing children in her hometown. After four seasons of successful investigations, Elle decides to tackle her white whale: the Countdown Killer.

Buy a copy of Girl, 11 here.

The Girl Remains by Katherine Firkin

A chilling police thriller set in a small coastal town on the Mornington Peninsula, where the discovery of human bones on an isolated beach has reawakened a twenty-year-old cold case. Now it’s up to Detective Emmett Corban and his team to dig up decades of trauma and find the missing piece of an investigation that’s as complex as it is tragic. The Girl Remains is an outstanding follow-up to Firkins’ Sticks and Stones.

Buy a copy of The Girl Remains here.