Summer is ending, but there's still enough time to catch those final rays on one last trip to the beach. You already have the perfect bathing suit and your summer wardrobe is LIT. The only thing left to pack is reading material. And a suspenseful book to end the summer is just what the doctor ordered, IMHO.
I’m all for relaxing in the sun, but when it comes to my vacation reading material, my mind seeks fast-moving suspense, and lots of it. To me, a good beach read offers up a healthy dose of intrigue, escalating twists, sordid secrets, and suspense so intense it makes me want to bury my head in the sand to calm down. Couple this drama with a strong protagonist and some romance, and you’ve got the makings of a perfect seaside suspense novel.
The last few weeks of summer are now upon us, so we’ve teamed up with Kensington Books to bring you the latest chilling thrillers sure to cool you down during the dog days of summer. So lay your towel out and get that sunscreen flowing, because once you start with one of these bad boys you won’t be leaving your sandy seat of suspense until the end.
1. Ominous by Lisa Jackson, Nancy Bush, and Rosalind Noonan
This suspenseful page-turner will make you think twice about taking that late night swim. Three teenage girls set out for a night of summer fun in a local lake, oblivious to the man lurking in the woods. What ensues is so horrendous the friends vow to never speak of it again. But years later, the past catches up with them, and it becomes clear the horrors of the past have only just begun wreaking havoc on the present.
2. Pretend You're Safe by Alexandra Ivy
Ever feel like someone is following you? This book taps into that feeling. Protagonist Jaci has known that feeling since she was 16. Ever since she was a kid, she's been receiving ominous, grisly gifts (like a locket full of hair) from an unnamed source. Now as an adult, Jaci is back in her hometown, and the feeling isn't going away. When a local flood washes up dead bodies, it becomes clear there's a murderer on the prowl. And this time, he won’t let Jaci escape his grasp.
3. Beyond Reason by Kat Martin
This first installment of Kat Martin's Texas Trilogy follows Carly, who has found herself at the helm of her grandfather’s trucking business after his death. She's determined to succeed in a dude-dominated world, but faced with bankruptcy, threats, and even a murder, she has to resort to desperate measures. An alliance with the duplicitous yet powerful Lincoln Cain is just the thing that will save her business, if it doesn't destroy it first. But with truck chases, a drug-smuggling plot, and a sexy, forbidden romance with Cain, Carly's adventures provide you with the kind of taut, edge-of-your-seat action you crave from a suspenseful book.
4. Hide Your Fear by Kevin O'Brien
When single mom Caitlin finds her fantasy home for a bargain price, it seems like a dream come true. Little does she know that the house will devolve into a living nightmare for her and her children. Rumors that the house is cursed are proven true as increasingly bizarre incidents start unfolding. Trust us, this nail-biter will chill you to the core, yet you won’t be able to put it down.
5. Dangerous Behavior by Nancy Bush
When Julia washes ashore with no memory of how she got there or how her husband died, her brother-in-law and first love, Sam, comes to her rescue. Yet this tragic “accident” continues to haunt the pair. Take a killer ride with this sordid tale of dark romance and twisted passions.
6. Fall by Candice Fox
Sometimes it takes a killer to catch a killer. Which makes Eden — cop by day, killer by night — the perfect woman to hunt down Australia’s latest serial killer. But this case will test Eden, forcing her to confront a fear she’s been running from for a very long time.
This article is sponsored by Kensington Books.
