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The chill of the winter season sets the perfect scene for the most atmospheric winter thriller books and mysteries. As a mood reader who indulges in as many snowy whodunit stories as possible each January and February, I share below my curated list of only the top recommendations for every crime reader’s tastes, from the most twisted thriller novels to the most cozy winter mystery books.

Trust me, these are the types of books that make your heart race and keep you warm by the fire as you turn the pages. There’s just something about being snowed in, so let’s get literary!

one by one ruth ware on the carpet.

Best Winter Thriller Books: From Cozy Mysteries to Psychological Thrills

TOP 3 PICKS

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie: the most widely read mystery book of all time; a locked room mystery on a snowbound train

Still Life by Louise Penny: the award-winning novel that begins the beloved series of cozy Canadian mysteries

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse: my top pick and a Reese’s book club pick with an atmospheric setting in the Alps and lots of twists

  1. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
  2. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
  3. Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
  4. One by One by Ruth Ware
  5. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
  6. The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
  7. The Shining by Stephen King
  8. Still Life by Louise Penny
  9. Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
  10. The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

My Reviews of the Top Thrilling Winter Fiction For Adults

julianne buonocore headshot.

a Note from jules 

Winter offers an array of chilly book settings with atmospheric plots. As a seasonal reader, each winter I read as many thriller and mystery books about winter as possible to help readers find exactly the right book to read.

Of note, I didn’t include any Christmas-themed thrillers or mysteries here since they have a more festive tone, but I did include a few post-Christmas/New Year’s books to transition your seasonal reading.

Here, you’ll also find lots of locked room mysteries where the characters are bound by snow and the dread of isolation, as well as some of readers’ favorite thriller authors, like Ruth Ware and Alice Feeney books.

The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

  • Recommended For: fans of historical fiction mysteries
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†

Plot: The Frozen River takes place in 1789 Maine, where midwife Martha Ballard investigates the death of a man found frozen in the Kennebec River. This uncovers ties to a rape case she documented months earlier.

Her diary becomes key evidence, forcing her to seek justice while remaining loyal. It’s about an unsung heroine’s pursuit of truth during a time when women were expected to stay silent.

My Review: This popular winter book club pick is more of a historical mystery than a thriller. So, read it for its historical context and feminist themes set against the backdrop of crime, not for salacious thrills. It’s also great for a middle-aged protagonist and a take of a happy marriage.


Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

  • The most widely read mystery of all time
  • Recommended For: classic readers
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…

Plot: In Murder on the Orient Express, a snowdrift halts the Orient Express to a stop. By morning, an American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, having been stabbed a dozen times, with his door locked– from the inside.

Isolated by the snow and with a killer on board, the renowned detective Hercule Poirot must uncover the murderer from a cast of memorable characters full of secrets.

My Review: This locked room mystery is exactly what you would expect from an Agatha Christie book, and it stands the test of time. It’s a must for all mystery readers.

Reading Tip: Pair it with the recent movie adaptation, which captures the atmospheric vibes!


Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

  • Recommended For: a chilling intruder story
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†

Plot: In Nightwatching, a mother is home alone with her children during a blizzard. At night in their old home, she hears weird noises like footsteps. Then, she sees a man in the shadows.

She gathers her children and hides in a concealed room with them. As she debates what to do, she gets another look at him and knows exactly who he is and precisely what he wants. It’s worse than she feared.

My Review: Just writing about that plot gave me chills! This is the kind of book that psychologically terrifies anyone who thinks of home as his or her safe space. It begins as a minute-by-minute suspense, then dives into the family’s dark backstory and adds in a potential twist that our narrator may be unreliable.

It leaves you with not just thrills, but also some bigger things to consider, including who is to be believed, when, and why.


One by One by Ruth Ware

  • Instant New York Times bestseller
  • Recommended For: locked-room mystery readers
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†

Plot: In One by One, eight coworkers from a trendy London tech start-up get snowed in at a luxurious ski resort in the French Alps. Then, an avalanche cuts the group off from the outside world.

It may seem cozy, but as the hours pass without any sign of a possible rescue, the group dwindles as four characters die “one by one.” Ulterior motives and dark secrets are slowly revealed as tensions mound.

My Review: This heart-pounding book kept me engaged and guessing “whodunnit” as I read along in the “dead” of winter. It remains a favorite, particularly on a snowy day, which sets the mood just right.

Related Posts: Ruth Ware Books in Order | Ruth Ware Books Ranked | One by One Summary


Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

  • Instant New York Times bestseller
  • Recommended For: unexpected plot twists
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†

Plot: In Rock Paper Scissors, work-obsessed screenwriter Adam and his wife Amelia retreat to the snowy Scottish highlands for a weekend retreat that they intend to either save or end their marriage. Adding strains on the marriage are Adam’s inability to recognize faces and his grief over the tragic death of his mother.

Amelia’s ten wedding anniversary letters to Adam are intermixed with the present storyline. They slowly reveal the past and threaten both their marriage and their lives in the present.

My Review: The twists (yes, that’s plural) are, indeed, twisted, and I don’t think anyone would be able to see them coming. Feeney is a master at crafting twists that are so precise and unfamiliar, and it shows particularly well in this novel. I also loved the haunting feeling of the ending. It makes you wonder if you can ever really know your spouse.

Alice Feeney Books Rankings


The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

  • Recommended For: atmospheric thrills
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†

Plot: The Sanatorium takes place at an isolated hotel (formerly a sanatorium) high in the snowy Swiss Alps. Elin has taken time off from her job as a detective and is still processing the death of her one brother many years ago when she visits with her estranged other brother and his new fiance to celebrate their engagement.

During a storm, Elin’s soon-to-be sister-in-law goes missing. As the storm closes off access to the hotel, panic ensues. A wild ride of twists, turns, more missing persons, and deaths unfold, thrusting Elin back into detective mode to uncover the truth about this hotel.

My Review: It’s a captivating, creepy thriller that constantly moves in different directions and tackles numerous mysteries in the most perfectly eerie setting for the season. This is one book that will keep you turning the pages on a cold night!


The Shining by Stephen King

  • #1 New York Times bestseller
  • One of Time’s 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time
  • Recommended For: snowbound horror
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
What are the trigger warnings for The Shining?

Potentially triggering content in The Shining by Stephen King includes mental illness, abuse (including child abuse), alcohol addiction, and graphic violence.

Plot: The Shining follows Jack Torrance, a struggling writer with a dark past who becomes the winter caretaker of the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado. He brings his wife, Wendy, and psychic young son, Danny. As the hotelโ€™s dark supernatural forces prey upon Jack, his mental state deteriorates, and only Danny can protect his family.

My Review: First, I want to note that this horror novel is for those brave enough to read triggering content and an unlikable main character. It’s a psychological horror novel, after all!

Here, King masterfully conveys how isolation can cause one to descend into pure madness. This is the first and only book that has ever made me feel the visceral terror caused by being snowbound. I also loved how an intimate object (the Overlook Hotel) felt like a living force of evil. It’s a classic!

Reading Tip: Pair it with the classic Stanley Kubrick movie adaptation starring Jack Nicholson. Here’s Johnny!


Still Life by Louise Penny

  • Winner of the New Blood Dagger, Arthur Ellis, Barry, Anthony, and Dilys awards
  • Recommended For: indulging in a cozy mystery series
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†

Plot: Still Life begins the bestselling “Inspector Gamache” series, in which murders are investigated in a small Canadian town called Three Pines.

It begins during Thanksgiving week and ends in the snowy winter. Centered on the suspicious death of a retired teacher and painter, it questions whether the cause was a hunting accident or murder.

My Review: This book (and the entire series) is unique in exploring the human psyche and what lies beneath the surface of a seemingly quaint, quiet town. Indeed, “Still Life” is the perfect title to begin the full series about familiar townspeople and their thoughtful investigator.

Reading Tip: Read Louise Penny’s books in order of publication if you don’t want to be spoiled by their plots!


Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

  • Shortlisted for the Edgar Award for first novel
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†

Plot: In Winter Counts, Virgil Wounded Horse is the “enforcer” on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. When heroin use rises in the reservation and affects the life of his nephew, he enlists his ex-girlfriend to track down the source of the drugs. Along the way, he realizes that being a modern Native American comes at a cost.

My Review: Winter Counts is a page-turning suspense novel that weaves into its thrills social commentary. It was so addictive and easy to read. It’s what I call a “thriller with a social conscience,” making you think long after turning the final page.

Reading Tip: I recommend the immersive audio version of this book.


The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

  • National bestseller
  • Recommended For: a supernatural ghost story
  • My Rating: โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†

Plot: The Winter People takes place in present-day Vermont. The town of West Hall has a history of mysterious disappearances and deaths, all the way back to Sara Harrison Shea, who was found dead in 1908, shortly after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie, in a snowstorm. In the same house, nineteen-year-old Ruthie’s mom disappears without a trace.

A partial copy of Sara’s diary begins to offer clues about” The Winter People,” as Ruthie learns she’s not the only one looking for someone lost. The race for the truth reveals the supernatural dangers that lurk in shadows and the power of familial love.

My Review: For fans of Stephen King books and Stranger Things, this book is great for those who want the spooky reading season to last beyond your fall thrillers. The suspense kept me engaged, and the twists surprised me. I recommend it even if you don’t think supernatural books are for you. McMahon writes them so well!

Recap of the Best Winter Thriller Books

SHOP THE TOP 3

Get started with the best books on this list overall:

book with coffee mug on top of it.

remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules

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