Murder on the Beach: Beach Read Thrillers for Summer

Time for murder on the beach. These beach read thrillers will really add to that by-the-water ambiance. Check out these YA murder mysteries perfect for your seaside, lakeside, poolside, glass-of-water-with-a-reusable-straw-side reading.

Liar's Beach

By Katie Cotugno

A fresh new take on Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery The Mysterious Affair at Styles, with iconic detective Hercule Poirot recast as a brilliant, brash teen girl named Holiday, and narrated by her childhood friend Linden, an athlete-scholar who fits right in at his elite New England prep school—all the while hiding some secrets of his own.

The Night in Question

By Kathleen Glasgow, Liz Lawson

How do you solve a murder? Follow the lessons of the master—Agatha Christie! Iris and Alice find themselves in the middle of another Castle Cove mystery in the sequel to New York Times bestseller The Agathas, by powerhouse authors Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson.

Those We Drown

By Amy Goldsmith

An ocean-drenched, atmospheric horror debut! Liv’s best friend disappears on their first night aboard their dream semester-at-sea program—but is he really sick, like everyone says, or is something darker lurking beneath the water?

Seasick

By Kristin Cast, Pintip Dunn

Coming 06.03.25

There’s a killer on board a luxury yacht, and two former friends must team up to figure out which of their privileged classmates has a penchant for murder before they become victims themselves. Don’t miss out on this gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling authors Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn!

Our Wicked Histories

By Amy Goldsmith

A teen girl’s attempt to make amends with her former friend group takes a sinister turn during a weekend getaway at an ancestral Irish estate in this atmospheric, literary horror from the author of Those We Drown.

Cursed Cruise

By Victoria Fulton, Faith McClaren

From the authors of Horror Hotel, called “fast-paced and freaky” by #1 NYT bestselling author Kendare Blake, comes another addictive YA horror about a group of teen ghost hunters who are invited to travel onboard a haunted historic cruise ship.

All aboard . . .