The Top 6 Summer Mystery-Thriller Reads For College Students

Boredom can run rampant during the summertime for college students, which makes it easy to fall into the trap of sleeping all day and watching Netflix all night, or being so busy with work that you feel that you have no time to yourself. I know I don't get a lot of time during the school year to read for pleasure, so I try and read as much as possible during the summer! But don't worry, you can find all these novels as audiobooks to listen to as you're driving, working, or relaxing poolside.

Bottom line — if you're looking to change up your routine and you enjoy mysteries and detective stories, you're in luck! Here are my six favorite detective novels I've read this summer.

1. "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn

Wow. I had heard of this book and picked it up on a whim and I loved it! I was so shocked, even after reading tons of murder mysteries and books of the same nature. This book is also a movie starring Ben Affleck. Read the summary of this book here.

2. "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty

This is possibly my new favorite book. I didn't realize that it was going to be a mystery story, but I found out as I listened, and this book satisfied my need for drama, romance, reality, and crime all in one! The way Liane Moriarty structures this book (and some of her others) is to start with vague details about the end of the story and lead up to the reveal by inserting "interviews" with other characters about what has happened to lead up to the crime that was committed. This book has also been adapted into an HBO series. Read the summary of this book here.

3. "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold

I won't lie, this book is very graphically written at the beginning, but don't let that scare you off. This story is about a girl speaking from beyond the grave, and her family's search to find her murderer. This book has a unique perspective in that we get to see the point of view of the murder victim, instead of a detective or a family member. Read the summary of this book here.

4. "Into The Water" by Paula Hawkins

This was an interesting one. It's rather dark, and the mystery aspect is more surrounding the circumstances of the book than the murder that occurs in it. There is much to be said about Paula Hawkins' use of symbolism in this thriller. Read the summary of this book here.

5. "Truly Madly Guilty" by Liane Moriarty

Another one of Liane Moriarty's books, this one reads like a trashy beach read, but is so exciting and mind-boggling. You'll think you know what happened and then you find out that you're totally wrong! Read the summary of this book here.

6. "The Wrong Side of Goodbye" by Michael Connelly

This is one of many books in the murder mystery genre by Michael Connelly. This particular book is in the series of Harry Bosch novels. You don't necessarily have to read them in order, so don't be daunted by the 20 book series. This one was one of the first I read and I got hooked on Bosch novels, and Michael Connelly's work in general. Read the summary of this book here.

So if you're bored this summer, pick up a mystery/thriller! It will be worth your time. (P.S. many libraries have digital collections where you can find hundreds of e-books and audiobooks and download them to your phone, tablet, or Kindle. Mine uses Overdrive, but other apps exist. Check it out with your local library to save costs!)

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