12 Must-Read Books for National Book Lovers Day (Mystery & Closed-Door Romance Picks)

She came from nothing.
Avery has a plan: keep her head down, work hard for a better future. Then an eccentric billionaire dies, leaving her almost his entire fortune. And no one, least of all Avery, knows why.

They had everything.
Now she must move into the mansion she’s inherited. It’s filled with secrets and codes, and the old man’s surviving relatives – a family hell-bent on discovering why Avery got ‘their’ money.

Now there’s only one rule: winner takes all.
Soon she is caught in a deadly game that everyone in this strange family is playing. But just how far will they go to keep their fortune?

Intrigue, riches, and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to the beloved bestselling The Inheritance Games

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions—including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons. 

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows she’s not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, two of the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture—by any means necessary. 

With nonstop action, aspirational jet-setting, Knives Out-like family intrigue, swoonworthy romance, and billions of dollars hanging in the balance, The Hawthorne Legacy will thrill Jennifer Lynn Barnes fans and new readers alike.

Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.
 
But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.
 
Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.

A woman’s secret. A small town with a dark past. A serial killer bent on revenge. Lies kill in a shocking true crime–inspired thriller by the Edgar-nominated author of The Quarry Girls.

Tuesday Hendrickson has spent eight years running from memories of that night. Her sister’s screams. Blood on the walls. And Arsen Bauer, a monster known as the Crying Killer, shot down in a barrage of bullets as he fled. Case closed.

Intending to build a safe new identity out of the ashes, Tuesday changed her last name and moved away. She’s now a private investigator who guards herself and her daughter, Julia, like their lives depend on it. And maybe they do. Because unless she’s imagining things, Tuesday has seen Arsen on the streets of Saint Paul. She’d know her sister’s killer anywhere.

When bodies begin surfacing bearing the Crying Killer’s brutal and unmistakable signature, Tuesday is certain he’s coming for them. Except no one believes that but her. As her paranoia intensifies, she is left with a terrible choice: unearth the shocking secret she buried with her sister, or become the Crying Killer’s next victim.

Be careful who you let in.

Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.

She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.

Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.

For Hollywood influencer Poppy Fields, life is almost perfect. She wakes to sip coffee at her beachside bungalow, and lunches with pretty people, and her name is on the list at all the right nightclubs. Also, she shops. Like, a lot.

When Poppy travels to Mexico, with six bulging suitcases in tow, she’s ready for anything—sunbathing by breathtaking infinity pools, gourmet meals at five-star restaurants, glittering parties on patios overlooking the Pacific. Too bad she didn’t pack for a deadly adventure.
But then again, what does one wear for murder?
Or kidnapping?
Or meeting a Chihuahua with the heart of a lion?
Turns out Poppy is more than just a Hollywood golden girl. But with death lurking around every corner, she’ll need smarts, acting skills, and a lot of luck to make it back to Rodeo Drive.

Royalty, Renovations, and a Roadmap for Love
Life as a princess had its perks, but Andi Feltz gave them up when she walked away from the Freiberg royal family. Determined to succeed on her own, she heads to the quirky little town of Rotheberg, Oregon, to start over. She takes a job as an assistant to a high-strung interior designer. Then she finds out their new client is the man who saved her from an embarrassing situation in London and her brother’s newest pal.

Reece Turner has one goal: renovate his fixer-upper and flip it fast. But when his best friend’s spirited, strong-willed sister shows up as part of the design team, his plans-and his peace of mind-take a hit. Andi’s charm might be impossible to resist, but crossing the line with her could spell disaster for both his business and his friendships.

Caught between family interference and a little too much chemistry, Andi and Reece find themselves in a battle of wits, wills, and hearts. Can they build something lasting together, or will their foundation crack under the pressure?
With humour, heart, and a dash of small-town charm, this clean romantic comedy will have you rooting for love, laughter, and a happily ever after. 

After every storm…

A shock discovery turns Jess’ world upside down and she finds herself fleeing from a busy life in Glasgow. With nowhere else to go she seeks refuge in a picturesque lochside village nestled amongst the Scottish hills.

When a storm blows in over the loch, it sends her in the direction of her handsome neighbour, Cal. Cal is grieving the loss of his wife, Lainey, and he must come to terms with the fact that she had been hiding parts of her life from him before she died.

As Cal and the close-knit community help Jess to heal from heartbreak, she in return helps to bring some life back to the village. There is a mystery to solve, a boat race to organise and most importantly, a renewed trust in love to be found.

The Loch Tunnagan series is literary comfort food, so find a cosy spot, curl up, and tuck into this sweet romance. It will suit the palate of readers who love a guaranteed happy ending.

A small–town romance with a touch of real–life drama. No steam, but some strong feelings and some strong language. Perfect for fans of Hannah Ellis and Jessica Redland.

She’s all heart. He’s all grump. Together, they’re about to bake up something sweeter than pie.
When Tessa Arden moves to the cozy mountain town of Juniper Falls, she’s determined to honor her late aunt’s memory by entering the annual Harvest Festival Pie Contest. But there’s one little problem. Tessa can’t bake to save her life. Cue the grumpy-yet-irresistible Hale Fletcher, owner of the town’s general store and reluctant baking expert.

Hale prefers solitude to socializing, but something about Tessa’s sunshiney determination pulls him in. Against his better judgment, he agrees to help her tackle her aunt’s award-winning apple pie recipe. As they mix ingredients and swap stories, sparks start to fly in the kitchen—and not just from the oven.
When a meddling rival stirs up trouble, their fragile partnership is tested. Will Tessa’s determination—and Hale’s guarded heart—be enough to turn their unlikely pairing into a recipe for love?

He was supposed to be a fake boyfriend…
Maddie
Getting dumped by text? Brutal.
Watching Josh show off his new girlfriend in the cafeteria? Even worse.
So I can’t wait to give him payback.
Dating the new boy—his cross-country rival—seems like the perfect way to get revenge.
Peyton’s shy and he’s self-conscious about the birthmark on his face. But he’s sweet, funny, and I think I’m falling…for real.

Peyton
New school. New town. Same old stares.
My birthmark has always made it hard to fit in.
So when Maddie asks me to the Homecoming Dance,
I start to think maybe things are different here in River Valley.
She’s smart, fearless, and makes me believe in fairy tales—
that a kiss could make me a prince.
I always thought of myself as the Beast.
But there’s one thing I forgot:
Beauty falls for the Beast…
And they live happily ever after.

Book three in the D.C. Eagles Hockey Series!
Can Ford Remington–team captain of the D.C. Eagles–forge the future he wants?
Ford’s love life isn’t non-existent, it’s just hopelessly one-sided. And the only woman he’s ever wanted—his childhood best-friend, Amber—doesn’t reciprocate his feelings. So why bother dating?
When Amber’s fiancé leaves her pregnant, and without health insurance, she’s prepared to do it all alone. Until childbirth causes complications with her heart and she needs minor heart surgery.

Ford proposes a plan: a quickie wedding, insurance for Amber and her baby girl, and two years of platonically wedded bliss.

But how will he let go when he’s not only in love with Amber, but also with her baby girl who now feels like his own?

And even worse, Ford might have to walk away sooner than he ever expected …

Betrothal or Breakaway is a dual pov, fade to black romance, with lots of sizzle but no spice.
This work of fiction contains mild language, depictions of child neglect, bullying (minimal), and the death of an animal (not descriptive). If you are sensitive to these subjects, please use these trigger warnings to make an informed decision about reading this story.

Will a little mistletoe bring two office foes closer, or will the competition ruin the Christmas magic?
Every year, a member of the marketing team organizes the company-wide Christmas party at SPORTY. The reward: a promotion along with a hefty bonus. The problem: there’s only one promotion available.

The hockey rink in Conor’s family is going under thanks to overdue bills. After an injury ended his professional hockey career early, the last thing Conor wants is to also end the hockey dreams of the kids he trains at the rink. Meanwhile, Sierra hasn’t seen her aging grandmother in ten years, and the bonus would be exactly what she needs to fly Grammie from Venezuela for the holidays.

No one wants this promotion more than Sierra and Conor, and their boss knows that—along with the fact that they’re the fiercest office rivals.
Making them work together and dangling that promotion over them like it’s a sprig of mistletoe will certainly lead to the best Christmas party SPORTY has ever seen… and not to disaster, right?

Mistlefoe is a dual POV, closed door Christmas romance with mild language and heat without spice. It’s perfect for those who enjoy their office rivals in a quirky, snowy Hallmark backdrop. It’s the first book in the SPORTY Christmas series and can be read as a standalone.