Mysteries

Mysteries

Looking to download free and discounted mystery ebooks? Well then, you sleuth, you’ve found the right place. Satisfy your crime solving needs in this category, and never pay more than what you should. We routinely feature the best authors of mystery ebooks, and they always promote their ebooks to you--for free or for a discount.

 

Definition of "Mystery Genre": Fiction in which a detective resolves a crime or series of crimes.  This genre can also be referred to as detective or crime novels.  The plot of a mystery ebook focuses on the crime that needs to be solved, and the detective that will solve it.  Typical elements include the detective being in danger, a host of suspects with their own motives, and clues, motives and alibis.  The genre can vary greatly dependent on the time in which the mystery is set, as that will drive what tools the detective has at his/her disposal.

 

Some examples of the best mysteries of all-time include Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon), Agatha Christie (Murder on the Orient Express), Caleb Carr (The Alienist), Lyndsay Faye (Dust and Shadow), James Cain (The Postman Always Rings Twice).  Of course, many of these are the best mystery ebooks of all time, as well as classics.  We try to bring you free and discounted mystery ebooks on their way to being the tops in their genre.

Make Her Pay: a killer psychological thriller you won't want to put down

by Miranda Rijks


Leonie has the perfect life. Someone wants to take it away.


Leonie is living her best life. Still in her twenties, she’s beautiful, successful and has just met Markus, the man of her dreams.

But Leonie has a secret. Ten years ago, she was involved in an accident in which another driver died. Leonie shouldn’t have been behind the wheel that night – no license, no insurance – so she fled the scene. And ever since, she’s been struggling to deal with the terrible guilt.

Now, as her wedding to Markus draws near, it seems someone is out to get her. It’s little things at first – botched work appointments, a cancelled bridal dress - but it soon escalates into a terrifying campaign which threatens her business, her family and even her life.

Leonie, caught up in a relentless nightmare, has no idea why anyone would set out to destroy her. Until she realizes there’s a link to the accident that happened all those years ago.

Someone knows what she did. Someone is determined to make her pay.


Make Her Pay – the gripping psychological thriller from the best-selling author of The Visitors and What She Knew.

Share

Flash Point (A Mason Sharpe Thriller Book 5)

by Logan Ryles


The Tampa mob have had it way too easy. But they’re about to meet Mason Sharpe.


Army Veteran Mason Sharpe is killing time on Florida’s gulf coast when he meets Ralph Roberts, a heartbroken older man who has come to Florida in search of the woman he loves – a woman who has mysteriously disappeared with a great deal of Ralph’s money.

Mason immediately suspects that Ralph has fallen victim to a scam artist, but Ralph won’t hear a bad word about his true love, Camilla.

And Camilla finally does show up – in Ralph’s hotel room, bludgeoned to death. As the obvious suspect, Ralph is accused of the murder and dragged straight to jail.

But Mason isn’t buying it. He’s been heartbroken himself, and he knows what love looks like. Ralph couldn’t have killed Camilla…but who did?

That question will lead Mason straight into the heart of Tampa’s criminal underbelly, where he’ll come up against the full might of the Italian Mafia.

The mob make it clear they want him gone – immediately. But Mason isn’t about to give up. He wants answers, and he’s not afraid to fight fire with fire. He’ll turn the heat up…straight to the Flash Point.


Flash Point - book 5 of the superb Mason Sharpe action thriller series. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, Jason Kasper & David Archer.

Share

Risky Whiskey (Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries Book 1)

by Lucy Lakestone


Stirring up trouble in New Orleans ...

Eager to shake up her drinks and her life, mixologist Pepper Revelle jumps at an invitation to join the elite Bohemia Bartenders. Leader Neil thinks she’ll be the perfect advance gal for his team at a colorful cocktail convention in her hometown of New Orleans, but the job turns out to be more bananas than a drunk monkey. Setting up the key tasting for their distiller client, she and Neil discover their whiskey has gone dangerously bad. But how? And was this shocking poisoning more than an accident?

As Pepper and Neil try to figure out what happened, keep the drinks flowing and help distiller Dash Reynolds survive the weekend, they find themselves the target of increasingly scary attacks. Maybe it’s the danger, or maybe it’s the drinks, but Pepper also can’t help an inconvenient attraction to cocktail nerd Neil as they stir up trouble and try to figure out who’s out to get them — before they’re sliced and squeezed like a lemon twist in a Sazerac.

Risky Whiskey is the first book in the Bohemia Bartenders Mysteries, funny whodunits with a dash of romance set in a convivial collective of cocktail lovers, eccentrics and mixologists. These quasi-cozy culinary comedies contain a hint of heat, a splash of cursing and shots of laughter, served over hand-carved ice.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST MYSTERIES OF 2020 by The Book Decoder!

"There’s a lot of fun flirting, deadly chases and mixed drinks (who knew bartending could be so fascinating?) to make this the perfect first book to what promises to be a unique and wholly entertaining series. I highly recommend it!"
- Maggie March, author of the Lucy McGuffin, Psychic Amateur Detective mystery series

Share

The Prepper's Cabin: A Small Town Post Apocalypse EMP Thriller Boxset

by Vincent Valentean


It's been a month without power. With no phones, no computers, and no reprieve, the remaining fragments of humanity are disintegrating rapidly. Starvation grips the populace as ruthless gangs emerge, seizing control in a merciless free-for-all that engulfs the entire nation.


Daniel and Vic Vena weren't content to sit around and wait for the world to end. Long ago, they swore that when the day came, they'd be ready for it. But when an EMP decimates the nation's power grid, the brothers find themselves separated by many miles and even more threats. Vic must work to protect Daniel's teenage son Anthony as they fight their way out of the chaos-filled streets of a powerless Manhattan. Daniel meanwhile travels from the family's farm to battle his way into the city to ensure that his family can make it out alive. But as the streets of NYC become a battleground between a vicious street gang and remnants of a massive Mafia crime family, can these brothers reunite, survive this powerless apocalypse, and start their lives anew in their fortified homestead?

Share

The Waitress: a gripping psychological thriller with a breakneck twist

by Emily Shiner


Secrets can be kept. If you’re willing to pay the price.


Anne Marie’s life isn’t easy. She’s a single mom in a dead-end waitressing job with a beater car and bills to pay. Adding to the pressure, her teenage son, Dave, is out of control, and no matter what she does, Anne Marie can’t seem to get through to him.

Then, out of the blue, Dave completely changes. He’s kind, he’s thoughtful, he helps out around the house and looks after his mom. Anne Marie can’t believe her luck.

Until she discovers the reason for her son’s sudden transformation – he’s done something really awful and he’s terrified he’ll be caught. Even worse, someone out there knows about it and they’re blackmailing him.

Anne Marie is desperate to protect her son and knows she has to somehow stop the blackmailer. But how?

As she considers her choices, Anne Marie realizes she may be taking the first steps on a path that will lead her straight to the gates of hell.

How far is she willing to go to save her only child?


The Waitress - a stunning psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Share

Ghost Team (A Tom Rollins Thriller Book 11)

by Paul Heatley


This small town is many things. Peaceful isn’t one of them.


Tom Rollins gets news that an old Army buddy, Adam Lineker, has killed himself. But at the funeral, another friend confides that he doesn’t believe the suicide story – he thinks Adam was murdered.

Sticking around the small town of Samson to investigate, Tom goes up against the disinterested and hostile sheriff, and finds an ally in Adam’s therapist, herself an ex-deputy.

Tom soon discovers that Samson has a lot of unsavory elements. A militia is based nearby, and they’re intimidating the townsfolk. Mysterious strangers are tailing Tom and watching his every move.

But how does all this connect back to Adam? What was he involved in?

As he digs for the truth, Tom comes under increasing pressure from the militia. Undaunted, he pushes back. And only then realizes there are bigger players involved and the bloodthirsty and well-armed militia may actually be the least of his problems.

But Tom presses on, determined to find out what really happened to Adam. And when he does, there’ll be hell to pay.


Ghost Team - Book 11 in the superb Tom Rollins action thriller series. Perfect for fans of Lee Child, Jason Kasper & David Archer.

Share

Whisper Island: An absolutely gripping thriller for 2021 with a twist you won’t see coming!

by Carissa Ann Lynch


Don’t miss the gripping new page-turning thriller from the USA Today bestseller!

It was the perfect escape

Until one by one they vanished…

For friends Riley, Sam, Mia and Scarlett, their trip to Whisper Island, Alaska, was meant to be a once in a lifetime adventure – just four young women, with everything to live for…

But as soon as they arrive things start to go wrong.  First there is the unexpected arrival of Sammy’s drug addict brother and his girlfriend Opal – why are they here? 

And then the deaths begin. 

As the dream trip quickly turns into a nightmare, suspicion is high.  Are they really alone on the island?  Or is there a killer hiding in the shadows? 

And as each of the girls reveals a dark secret of their own, perhaps the truth is the killer is closer than they think…just a whisper away…

Readers can’t stop raving about Whisper Island:

‘This five-star read had my heart pounding…I was completely shocked at the ending’ Norma

‘The girls all had secrets and they twisted around the story perfectly. I loved the creepy, thrilling and murderous plot. The ending was brilliant. Highly recommended’ Zoe

Omg!!!! Love this book…kept me guessing the twist until the end’ Meghan

‘Love love love this book!’ Andrea

‘A thrilling and tense tale that keeps you guessing until the end’ Emma

‘Locked room mysteries are my favorite genre to read and this one did not disappoint’ Ashley

Share

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone: A Novel

by Benjamin Stevenson


Curl up with this page-turning mystery perfect for fall

Knives Out and Clue meet Agatha Christie and The Thursday Murder Club in this “utterly original” (Jane Harper), “not to be missed” (Karin Slaughter), fiendishly clever blend of classic and modern murder mystery.

“A witty twist on classic whodunits… Stevenson not only 'plays fair,' he plays the mystery game very, very well.” -- Maureen Corrigan, Washington Post

Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate.

I’m Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I’d killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort, but it’s a little more complicated than that.

Have I killed someone? Yes. I have.

Who was it?

Let’s get started.

EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE

Share

The Operator (Ian Bragg Thriller Book 1)

by Craig Martelle


A hitman with a conscience…

Ian Bragg is paid to kill people. Only bad people and not many, but for a great deal of money.

Case the target. Make the hit. Move on until he meets the woman with sparkling green eyes who changes everything.

Is his newest target deserving of death? Who is Ian to decide if the politician needs to die? He is the one who has to live with the consequences, that’s who.

The contract deadline nears. Too many unknowns, too much to lose. Pull the trigger or not?

Ian makes his own rules to get himself out of a quandary where it’s more than just his life on the line. For the greater good, join Ian Bragg.

 

Share

Murder on the Geneva Express: A Mac and Millie Mystery (Mac and Millie Mysteries Book 6)

by JB Michaels


Dead body found on Geneva Express!

In a perfect storm of misfortune, Mac O’Malley finds himself embroiled in a whodunnit that has everyone convinced HE has done it. Mac and Millie race against time, flee from authorities both municipal and magical, and attempt to clear Mac and his good reputation from absolute incarceration.


***FIVE STARS*** This realism in character dynamics is the key to the balanced, well-rounded storyline that Michaels understands and executes so well. The writing is clean and tight, the social structure in the magic realm and real world is defined, and the mystery-slash-accusations against Mac that force the duo into a unique situation are flawless. Very highly recommended. - Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

***FIVE STARS*** The captivating plot perfectly balances action with the depth of the characters, and I am unable to fault any aspect of this ingeniously crafted mystery. I highly recommend it to crime fiction, thriller, and fantasy fans.- Olga Markova for Readers' Favorite

***FIVE STARS*** The characters are unique and drive the plot through the search for evidence. My favorite thing about this book is how JB Michaels folded magic into the story and made it work so well. This book is an action-packed thrill ride of a crime story that will entertain readers and leave them wanting more.- Amy Raines for Readers' Favorite

***FIVE STARS*** Murder on the Geneva Express by JB Michaels is a fascinating mystery with shocking twists and gripping scenes that fans of murder mysteries will find enthralling. It is a great addition to the Mac and Millie Mystery series.- Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite

Share

The Patriot Oath

by Lloyd Lofthouse


After 24 years, Special Forces legend Josh Kavanagh has retired from the military. But now that he’s home, he’s finding that everyone has a different understanding of his motivations, and realizes there are some wounds no amount of time can heal.


Josh’s traumatized sister Suki, thinks her big brother is a hero and has come home to punish her rapist, the youngest son of a ruthless, crooked billionaire who lives to get revenge on anyone he sees as a threat to his family, wealth, and power.

Josh’s childhood sweetheart, Rachel, hopes he’s returning for her—the fierce girl he left behind when he joined the military. But Rachel doesn’t know about Mia, the woman in France …

And Josh isn’t coming home alone. The Oath Group, an elite force of private military contractors, is already in Montana waiting for their commander to arrive.

The DOD and CIA don’t want President Trump to know they hired Josh’s Oath Group to examine dangerous white supremacist militias that are threatening the U.S. Constitution. That covert black-ops military operation is starting in Idaho and Montana. Josh and his teams have to get the job done while preserving their anonymity—and their lives.

Share

The Many Lives of Ivy Wells: A Time Travel Thriller (Ivy Mystery Series Book 1)

by Michelle Files

Dying is simple. Coming back is when things get interesting.

Ivy Wells never wanted to die. When she does, she thinks it's all over. It isn't.

When the 30 year old mother of two wakes up as a 12 year old, she has to navigate her life all over again. And she remembers everything, including the serial killer who is terrorizing her small town.

Over several lifetimes, Ivy battles to save herself, her friends, and even her own children from the vicious killer.

Follow Ivy Wells in a desperate race through time as she tries to outwit the person that is killing her over and over.

What would you do if a serial killer was tracking you through time?

Teens and adults alike will love this mystery, thriller.

Ivy Mystery Series:

The Many Lives of Ivy Wells
The Many Lives of Sam Wells
The Many Lives of Jack Wells
The Many Lives of Georgie Wells

Share

Zero Day Ghost: An Electrifying Near Future Techno-Thriller of Revenge and Redemption

by Scott Olson


In a Near Future World, Wired for Revenge and Redemption

Emily Hernandez, a reformed hacker turned NSA analyst, is on a relentless mission. As a once rogue hacker, she's now determined to dismantle The Collective, a ruthless cybercriminal syndicate led by the cunning Zahra Kartal. Their deadliest creation, "APRIL," an AI botnet, lurks in the shadows of compromised computers.

Caught between her duty to destroy The Collective and her personal connections within the enemy's ranks, Emily faces heart-wrenching decisions. Tragedy strikes, igniting a fiery fury within her soul.

In an adrenaline-fueled quest through Hong Kong's neon-lit battleground, Emily battles ruthless adversaries and relentless authorities.

"Zero Day Ghost" is an electrifying techno-thriller that plunges into emotions of revenge, redemption, and life-and-death choices. Will Emily triumph and weave her destiny from vengeance and forgiveness, or will she be ensnared in haunting shadows forever?

Embark on a pulse-pounding journey now and experience a riveting tale of courage, sacrifice, and the fight for redemption.

Fans of Dean Koontz and Lee Child will devour this gripping vigilante adventure. Get ready for the edge-of-your-seat ride with "Zero Day Ghost."


Readers are LOVING this fast-paced Techno-Thriller

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This was a fast-paced, action packed thriller…full of secret agents, crime bosses, intrigue, explosions, hit men and underground railroads… a non-stop rollercoaster of action… Well worth the read for fans of thrillers…” –Netgalley review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “…genuinely hard to put down… you believe how urgent everything that is happening is… I recommend it to anyone that loves a good action-packed book that offers great insight…” –Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “If you love espionage, intrigue, and AI this is the book for you. Filled with danger, spy vs. spy in cyber space, and unlimited suspense… this book moves along at breakneck speed and will keep you on the edge of your seat.” –Netgalley review

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A fast paced techno thriller… This is a really quick read, there is some tech jive but doesn’t distract from the action, I enjoyed every twist and turn and there are a lot.” –Netgalley review

⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Zero Day Ghost opens with a blast and never lets until the last page and even then it is still hanging on… The suspense kept me hanging on not able to turn the pages fast enough as I tried to figure it all out.” –Netgalley review

 

Share

In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad, Book 1)

by Tana French


The debut novel of an astonishing voice in psychological suspense


As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.

Richly atmospheric, stunning in its complexity, and utterly convincing and surprising to the end, 
In the Woods is sure to enthrall fans of Mystic River and The Lovely Bones.

Share

Cram Down (3J Legal Thriller)

by Mark Shaiken


Kansas City attorney Josephina Jillian Jones, 3J to her friends, has dealt with people perpetrating online disinformation, white supremacists, and clients hiding assets, so when a couple who heads up a company that builds inner city housing for marginalized communities comes to her for legal help because their longtime banking partner has shut off their funding, the case appears at first blush to be tame by comparison. But when the bank president disappears and his greed-driven brother seems the likely culprit, things heat up. And when it appears the Kansas City mob is involved, the race is on to save both the company and the bank president. Lives are at stake and the clock is ticking. 3J has a reputation for being fierce and determined, but she’s going to need both help and a little luck to save the day this time.

Share

A Long Time Dead: A D.I. Duncan McAdam Mystery (The Misty Isle Book 1)

by J M Dalgliesh


You can’t stay dead forever…

A group of high school students gather on the Isle of Skye’s remote Coral Beach for a hedonistic night of partying to celebrate the passing of their final exams. The new millennium is on the horizon and the future beckons, promising new hope and a fresh wind of optimism. In the coming days, many will leave the island for work or to study on the mainland, whereas others will remain on Skye and forge a more traditional path much as their families have done for centuries before them.

That is… all but one…

D.I. Duncan McAdam is dispatched home to the Misty Isle. A body has been found buried in a remote location on the Waternish peninsula. Well preserved in the peat, Isla Matheson – missing for the better part of two decades – is revealed to a shocked island community. A teenage runaway is dead… and no one is talking…

Joining a small team of detectives, Duncan is tasked with revisiting those who knew Isla, those who cared for her… and those with the potential to kill her… In a remote community well used to settling scores among themselves, will they trust one of their own when he asks questions or will they persevere with the façade of ignorance?

A Long Time Dead is the first book in the new Misty Isle series of crime thrillers from the Amazon #1 multi-million selling crime writer, J M Dalgliesh, the author of the Hidden Norfolk and Dark Yorkshire books.

 

Share

The Protocol (A James Acton Thriller, Book #1) (James Acton Thrillers)

by J. Robert Kennedy


THE FINAL SKULL HAS BEEN FOUND. NOW ALL HELL'S BREAKING LOOSE.


For two thousand years, the Triarii have protected us, influencing history from the Crusades to the discovery of America. Descending from the Roman Empire, they pervade every level of society, and are now in a race with our own government to retrieve an ancient artifact thought to have been lost forever.

Caught in the middle is Archaeology Professor James Acton, relentlessly hunted by the elite Delta Force, under orders to stop at nothing to possess what he has found, and the Triarii, equally determined to prevent the discovery from falling into the wrong hands.

With his students and friends dying around him, Acton flees to find the one person who might be able to help him, but little does he know he may actually be racing directly into the hands of an organization he knows nothing about.

Share

The Only Son: a psychological thriller with a shocking twist

by Brian R. O'Rourke


Sarah loves her only son. She’s pretty sure he could never kill anyone.


When Sarah’s son, Andrew, calls her at work and begs her to come home immediately, she fears he’s being bullied again. But it’s so much worse than that.

Because when Andrew got back from summer camp, he found thirteen-year-old Hal English in their garage.

Dead. With no plausible explanation as to how he got there.

To make matters worse, Hal was one of the kids bullying Andrew at school and just recently they had a fistfight. And Andrew has a reputation for being impulsive and quick to anger.

As much as she loves him, as much as she wants to believe he is innocent, Sarah has to admit that Andrew 
looks guilty.

But she knows one thing for sure – no matter what she has to do, what risks she has to take, she will do 
anything to protect her only son.

The Only Son – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, Daniel Hurst, Kiersten Modglin.

Share

Today I'll See Her (The Riverview Mysteries)

by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek)


Today I'll See Her is a standalone psychological thriller short story in The Riverview Mysteries series by USA Today bestselling author Michele PW (Pariza Wacek). Ideal for fans who love twisty mystery and suspense stories with a touch of supernatural.

Every day, Sissy goes to the same restaurant at the same time and orders the same thing.

No one knows why.

Until the day a stranger from a mysterious, haunted town arrives.

And nothing will be the same.

Share

Blood Debt (A Rogue Warrior Thriller Book 2)

by Ian Loome


A biker gang, ruthless assassins, a relentless cop. For Bob Singleton, it’s business as usual.


Former black ops assassin Bob Singleton is on the road and on the run, an open CIA contract on his head. He rolls into New Orleans to visit a dead comrade’s mother and finds himself neck-deep in a neighborhood battle.

A biker gang is blockbusting – scaring people from their homes so they’ll be forced to sell them cheap. A casino boss needs the land, and he doesn’t care who his thugs hurt to get it.

Bob isn’t going to stand by while innocent people are victimized. He brings his lethal skills to bear and soon the bikers realize they have a real fight on their hands.

But bikers aren’t the only thing Bob has to worry about. The casino boss has dangerous associates, two brothers from the same deadly background as Bob. And the police are closing in, a relentless detective determined to find the man who has unleashed a firestorm in his town.

Among the flashing lights and bells of the casino slots, a showdown awaits. The bad guys in the Big Easy need to be taught a big lesson … and Bob Singleton’s the man to do it.


Blood Debt — the next installment in a stunning new action thriller series. Perfect for fans of Jason Kasper, Jack Carr, and Lee Child.

Share
X

NEVER MISS AN EBOOK DEAL

eBookHounds Connects you With Free and Discounted
eBooks in Genres You Love

Sign up