5 Short Mystery & Thriller Books You Can Read In One Day

Sometimes you get so caught up in life, you feel like you don't have time for the things you enjoy. But what if you just needed one day to do what you love from start to finish? If you're an avid reader who's obsessed with mysteries and thrillers, the good news is that you don't always need a week or more to experience a truly gripping story.

In fact, there are plenty of edge-of-your-seat mystery and thriller stories to add to your TBR that don't demand too much of your time. They deliver the most unexpected twists and turns within, or around, 300 pages, and sometimes it can even be as few as 60 pages. You don't always have to commit to an intimidating 500-page novel to feel accomplished or make progress towards your reading goal.

When you're feeling overwhelmed with a busy schedule, opting for shorter books is an easy way to read more books and maintain consistency. That's why we've rounded up some of the best short mystery and thriller books you can easily read in one day. From a roughly 60-page story about a fake psychic who ends up in a dangerous situation, to a thriller about three estranged siblings uncovering their family's darkest secret — these are the picks that prove not all good stories have to be super long.

Gillian Flynn, most well known for crime novel "Gone Girl," has also ventured into short stories. At just 64 pages (depending on edition), psychological thriller "The Grownup" proves that a good story doesn't always have to be lengthy.

Flynn's novella, which was a 2015 Edgar Winner, is packed with eerie tension and a punchy twist, and it can easily be read in one sitting. The story follows a fake psychic who gets by with telling people what they want to hear, until a woman asks her to visit her house that's supposedly haunted. While the fake psychic goes to the home expecting a quick payday, the visit will take a quick unsettling turn.

A Goodreads reviewer gave Flynn's novella five stars and wrote, "It takes some serious skill to write a story that is so layered and has such well-developed characters in only 65 pages. But leave it to Gillian Flynn to do it. I loved this modern take on the classic haunted house story." Another reviewer felt the book deserved five stars and noted, "Flynn uses classic horror tropes such as the haunted Victorian house, pedophobia (fear of children) and the conventions of ghost stories, and turns them upside down — thus providing clever twists and turns, which are nicely condensed in a very tight narrative."

"Elevation" might not be the Stephen King horror or thriller you're most familiar with. It's also a very different take from his usual books, as it tells the story of a man who begins mysteriously losing weight, yet nothing about his physical appearance changes. The unexplained phenomenon becomes a mystery for the town of Castle Rock. While the man tries his best to keep his condition under wraps, the strangeness of it all begins to complicate the already strained relationships around him. 

Many readers found it refreshing that King was branching out and crafting thrillers rooted in real-world social tensions, while still incorporating the eerie undertones that define his usual storytelling. An Amazon reviewer gave the book five stars and said, "One of my favorite authors, BUT wait ... This is something different. There are no pets that come back to life and kill everyone ... No homicidal clowns. 'Elevation' is an interesting and well thought-out essay on what is wrong with our modern society wrapped in a semi-science fiction story." 

Many readers also found the story unique and refreshing. Another reader simply loved the book for its unique characters and the way it could be devoured with little time investment. They gave it five stars and said, "Not a heavyweight, but definitely a single-sitting read! If only we could all rise to the moment, as did our HERO."

"Fast-paced" is one of the terms most frequently used to describe "Home Is Where the Bodies Are" by Jeneva Rose. A Goodreads reviewer gave the book four stars and shared that the audiobook was amazing. They added that the book is a "quick popcorn thriller you could easily read in a couple of sittings." Another reviewer gave the book five stars and said, "I will accept no slander on this one. If life didn't life I would have read in one sitting. Loved the POVs, unreliable characters and that every theory I formed was wrong."

The book builds off the idea that when you're family, you've got to remain loyal, no matter what happens. At least that's what three estranged siblings believe, until a chilling discovery after their mother's death forces them to question everything they thought they knew. 

Bestselling authors also love this one, with Ashley Flowers, author of "All Good People Here," saying, "It's an odd feeling to read something that feels so nostalgic and relatable, yet still surprises you at the turn of every page. 'Home Is Where the Bodies Are' is fast-paced and fresh, and will have you rushing to your parents' attic to unearth your own dark family secrets." 

Alice Feeney's "My Husband's Wife" is the only book on this list to slightly surpass the 300-page mark, but only by 10 pages. If you were one of the many viewers hooked on the Netflix original series adaptation of Feeney's "His & Hers," or loved "Rock Paper Scissors," which we introduced as one of the best domestic thrillers of the 2020s, there's a high chance you'll easily finish this twist-filled domestic thriller in a day. Freida McFadden called it "the best Feeney book yet," and Lisa Jewell described the book as, "Propulsive, compulsive and addictive." 

One Goodreads reviewer said, "Phenomenal. My brain feels like it's twisted into a million knots, this was SO GOOD. Absolutely my new favorite Alice Feeney book!" Many readers echoed this sentiment, calling it one of the best thrillers they've read, with so many unexpected twists and turns. Expect plenty of surprises along the way, as one reviewer noted, "So many parts had me pausing the audio to process. I found myself saying WHAT! WHATTTTTT!!! over and over like an idiot." 

The novel tells the story of Eden Fox, who goes for a run to blow off some steam, then when she returns, her life spirals into a waking nightmare. She finds another woman, who looks eerily similar to her, living in her home with her husband. To make matters worse, her husband claims the woman is his real wife. In another timeline, a woman named Birdy inherits the house Eden once called hers, and the connection between the two women begins to unravel. 

"The 7 She Saw" by Elle Gray is the very first of 33 books in the Blake Wilder FBI Mystery Thriller series. At 278 pages, it's one of the longer titles we're introducing you to today, but its fast-paced storytelling makes it easy to finish in a day. 

Seven years is all it takes for Briar Glen's murder-filled nightmare to begin again. When FBI agent Blake Wilder is sent to investigate the murder of three young women, it soon becomes clear that this isn't just any other homicide case. Perhaps solving it may lead Wilder to the answers to the violent mystery that has haunted her for years. 

Many readers described this book as a solid and quick mystery and thriller read, with the Amazon reviews noting it is a "quick read" with a "gripping" unexpected ending. Readers also praised the strong character development of Blake Wilder, with many reviewers noting she was well-rounded, independent, and interesting enough to carry a long-running series. The book maintains a 4.4-star average rating with nearly 60% of 20,000+ reviewers giving the book five stars on Amazon.

To put this list together, our focus was primarily length. There are an endless number of mystery and thriller titles, so narrowing the scope was essential. Short can also mean something different to every reader. While a fast reader may think 400 pages can easily be read in a day, others may prefer something closer to novella length. With that in mind, we made the decision to keep our search limited to books around, or less than, 300 pages. This would ensure each selection could realistically be finished in a single day. 

Once we had a list of 15 to 20 titles from multiple recommendation lists that met our criteria, we then evaluated them based on reader reviews and overall reception. Pacing was another factor, as shorter books also need momentum. Just because it's short, doesn't mean there's no need for it to be gripping and immersive.

Being able to introduce our readers to a variety was also important for us. From cozy mysteries to domestic thrillers, this genre is quite expansive, so we wanted to curate a list that spans different suspense styles.