My Favorite Mystery, Thriller, & Horror Books of 2020

[@theresaemig2328]

Did you include the link to your interview with Grady Hendrix? You said you would but I don’t see it. Maybe I’m just missing it. I love him & would love to watch the interview.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Ah, sorry about that! Here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4Paaamtdsp8p80

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

The Pale Horse sounds intriguing, Agatha Christie always manages to "pull the wool over my eyes"...happy new year 2021.

[@idklmao9981]

I personally didn't enjoy it as much as her other works..but it's definitely worth a read!

[@northernclime73]

I am overjoyed to see another Agatha Christie fan. I enjoy her books and was quite dismayed to see some recent tv adaptations departing too far from the books eg. The Pale Horse and By the Pricking of my thumbs. On another note, I love your makeup today. Very beautiful lipstick. Happy New Year from Canada 🇨🇦 I look forward to seeing more of your videos in 2021. Thank you 😊

[@KristynRene.]

COMPLETELY agree about One By One! It was also my first Ruth Ware and I loved the heck out of it. I read it in one sitting after a four month long slump.

[@lavernehodge3320]

Really enjoyed this video. Although I read all kinds of books, these are my favorite genres. Added several to my TBR. Just picked up The Man In the Brown Suit for a great price on Amazon. I listened to the audio of The Southern Book Club on audio and thought it was so good. I lived in Charleston for a while so I could picture a lot of it. I have N or M but haven't read it yet.

[@suzannemiller993]

Anthony Horowitz adapted a lot of the Cristie stories for the Poirot series. Now, he writes really fun mystery novels himself, including some where he is the contemporary "Hastings".

[@mayagopalak]

Hi, I reread all the Tommy and Tuppence this year as well and had fun. Cheers.

[@MsSusyque]

I'm early!! First off, Happy New Year's Eve! Goodbye to 2020. Enough said. Loved hearing about your top mystery/thrillers for this year. I will have to venture into Tommy and Tuppence territory. I did not care for the old movies (but I will recommend watching "39 Steps"). I have the Southern Guide on my TBR so I'll get to it soon. Same for Ruth Ware. My favs? "The Sundown Motel" and "Wilder Girls". Happy reading!**How could I forget, "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle"!!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I very much relate to what you said at the beginning. While horror and thrillers are some of my favourite genres, I have very specific tastes which can make it tricky to find those hidden gems among everything that gets published under those labels

[@PokhrajRoy.]

“Is it a g-g-ghost?!” WOW! Love that reference 😂

[@billyjustus8639]

"Southern Book Club" was a very pleasant surprise this year! I didn't expect the humor. I picked up "The Eighth Detective" at your req, and it was definitely solid. Glad you're going to do more Ruth Ware. She's my contemporary favorite mystery/thriller writer.

[@CestKevvie]

I love that Pale Horse and Man in the Brown Suit were two of your last read Agatha Christie novels, when they were two of my first! Also read them both in 2020

[@sallyschapero4734]

Just discovered Annie Haynes who wrote at same time and in a manner similar to Agatha Christie, who is my favorite author.

[@alexandraslibrary]

You always add books to my TBR list, and I always love them. You are excellent at describing stories without giving away the entire plot. 📖💙

[@bookslikewhoa]

Oh thank you!

[@CestKevvie]

So glad you finally got to read Tommy & Tuppence! I really enjoy the two of them, especially as they get older

[@MLLatUtube]

Great list - I want to reread those Agatha Christies again now - I have the Eighth Detective on my want to read list

[@emilyboivin613]

I agree, The Eighth Detective was the best of the year. I would love more books like this. Happy New Year!

[@TheGoofy1932]

Just started The Eighth Detective and I'm loving it so far. But I definitely lean toward mystery as opposed to thrillers. Other favorite mysteries this year include Cards On the Table by Agatha Christie, Lord Edgware Dies by Agatha Christie and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie. Yes, I've completed all of the Poirot series. 2021 I think will be the year of Marple.

[@MarilynMayaMendoza]

Hi Mara and Happy New Year. I read all of Agatha Christie, or most of her in my twenties. I plan to reread a lot of her books on my channel this year. When you went into them it brought back memories of the basic theme of the books like The Pale Horse and the Man in the brown suit. I'm like you in that I prefer the mystery who done it better than the thrillers mostly but the title girl in it. I have my eye on the 8th Detective. I'm not a fan of Horror. I guess too much of a baby. Speaking of Agatha Christie's scariest novel oh, I picked and then there were none. I thought that Ruth where was ripping off Agatha Christie's book but the way you describe it sounds like its own thing. Ruth Ware is not my favorite Thriller writer oh, but she seems to be getting better with her endings. I truly hated her first book that everyone raved about the woman in Cabin something. Her writing is excellent so it's quite a shame that she hasn't got her tropes together yet. I wonder how I will feel about reading Christie at age 70 compared to 22. I also read for the pure pleasure of a mystery, but in thrillers oh, I think an ending is more important. I don't know why that is for me. One Thriller writer I won't read it again is Lisa Jewell. She also writes well but her plots are so convoluted and disturbing sometimes. Thank you 4 including my favorite genre in your favorites. I want to get into Romance but maybe I'm a little jaded LOL Aloha

[@serenityreads2150]

I am so excited to get 8Th Detective from my library. I too have every single Agatha Christie, but I find it very intereting how different our preferences are within her oeuvre! Although I do really enjoy N or M I don't rate either Pale Horse or Man in the Brown Suit (although I loved it in my teens). I also adore closed circle mysteries and had heard a lot of negtive reviews about One by One, but your explanation makes me want to give it another shot. Thanks.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Good luck, hope you enjoy!

[@becky9194]

I enjoyed the Pale Horse this year too :) Have a great 2021 reading year.

[@randim7144]

I’m sooo glad to see One by One on your list! I’ve got it on my physical TBR but have been seeing a lot of mentions lately of how people didn’t like it. I’ve also read very little Christie, but I listened to The Man in the Brown Suit this fall and enjoyed it; I may have to start working through more Christie.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@MarinaJohan]

Hi Mara! I don't know if you remember me

[@booksandbrews8906]

I totally agree about One by One! I happened to read it after seeing your review for it, so i knew it was more mystery than thriller and it was such a good time

[@bookslikewhoa]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@tamsinrowbotham7695]

Happy New Year @bookslikewhoa. 🎈

[@rymhreads]

Happy New Year Mara! Thank you so much for your channel, it really helped me a lot this year during lockdown and helped spark me get back into reading in a big way ^_^ I think my favourite mysteries of this year were: The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo, a recently translated classic Japanese locked room mystery and An English Murder by Cyril Hare (which I thought was very poignant to read during Brexit times).

[@bookslikewhoa]

That's so lovely to hear -- happy new year!!

[@itsonpage4712]

That Alyssa Cole book sounds amazing! I’ll definitely be picking it up ASAP. I have a love hate relationship with Ruth Ware she does slow burn closed circle thing well most of the time. She’s hit or miss and not always memorable but I keep going back for more.

[@kathleenk2263]

I agree so hard on one by one!! Absolutely loved it!! Not as much of a fan of her back list so far as this has been the best one

[@WildeBookGarden]

ooh I am so intrigued by The Eighth Detective! maybe I'll read a few more mysteries before I get to it though so I can better appreciate the commentary I am just slowly getting into mysteries which has been fun, but I actually have 2 horror books on my favorites list this year, which is shocking since I don't generally read or enjoy that genre! they're both very popular so nothing new here, but I really loved Small Spaces by Katherine Arden and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

[@katiehoward4843]

I cannot recommend My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix highly enough! Thanks for such great videos this year 😊

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Happy New Year! Sending lots of love and best wishes!

[@bookslikewhoa]

Same to you!

[@msthornback7935]

Each time you mention your love of the trope of "friends trapped somewhere together and one of them is murdered so they have to figure out who did it" I kept thinking would Mara love the "Among us" computer game? Among us is literally that trope gamified.

[@bookslikewhoa]

LOL true!!!

[@KristensFamily]

You should read The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. That’s my favorite of hers. Great pacing and page turner for sure!

[@marymandengu2919]

Oh the ending made me go....oh shoot.... Really enjoyed it

[@eobrien1]

I love Alyssa Cole too! Also have never read a book from her I didn’t like. I completely agree about When No One is Watching being horror. I could be wrong, but I think that feeling of “What in the world is going on here?!” driving the book (more so than events) and us over and over having this feeling confirmed that something is creepy/not right is what really also separates horror from a thriller.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Yes, agreed, and IMO from a thriller, I expect a much faster pace, whereas in horror, it could be fast or slow paced

[@monicamerle1417]

Oh also THE WINTER PEOPLE & THE INVITED by Jennifer McMahon

[@ramonaruca]

She’s my favorite

[@reginalemoine5809]

Hi Mara, I’ve just started reading a novel that I think fits your isolated closed circle mystery theme. It’s Death in the Andamans by M.M. Kaye. She started writing this book in the 30’s, but didn’t publish until 1960. It takes place in the Andamans, a group of islands that housed a penal colony off the coast of India during the Raj.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Ooo thank you for the rec!

[@katenola9962]

I read The Eighth Detective because of your review and it was one of my favorite reads this entire year. The audio was also killer.

[@bookslikewhoa]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@cotemoraga3608]

Happy new year, I thought you read The Broken Girls this year or was it last year? I really liked that book, I added a few more to my tbr for this year, thanks for the recommendations

[@bookslikewhoa]

I actually read that one in 2018! Time flies :)

[@debralavoie9095]

I added 3 to my list, N or M being one of them. Hope you have a Happy New Year.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Thank you! You too!

[@hiigghhggg9150]

My friend lent me the pale horse so I need to get to it so I can get it back to her, but I’m scared I’ll hate it lol. I have no reason why, I’m just nervous I’ll dislike it. I’m glad you liked it. And Ariadne Oliver is such a delight and I know she’s in it, so I need to get to it soon. I plan on reading one by one soon, but I’m nervous because I don’t like present tense writing (don’t ask me why lol, cause even I don’t know). Not mystery related, but I wanted to thank you because I read all systems red on Christmas Day because you always talk about murderbot and I loved it and it made this strange, lonely Christmas a lot better so thank you 🙏

[@bookslikewhoa]

Yay, so glad you enjoyed our friend Murderbot!

[@katherinemerecki7106]

I love your hair.

[@rustiqjoy]

I need to give Tommy and Tuppence another try. They were not my favourite protagonists when i was younger. So i will try N or M. The Eight perfect murders sound interesting. I enjoyed One by One. I think it was a better constructed book than the Guest list although i enjoyed List more.

[@thoughtsofkatie5592]

Would you recommend starting with Alyssa Cole romance or thriller/horror? Do you think it matters? Thanks! I loved Eight Perfect Murders too :)

[@rustiqjoy]

All the Best for the New Year!

[@jhart1127]

Okay so my favourite author is Agatha Christie and I've read/listened to her whole catalogue. To the point where I was actually listening to Hugh Frasier narrate Poirot mysteries while I was in labour 😂☕ needed something else to concentrate on and it worked!!

[@00moon]

Just now I realized that Storygraph had recommended me the Eighth detective when I made the account, but the cover was different I think? That's why it took me so long to remember..

[@WomanVsBooks]

I have When No One is watching on my TBR for February 😊

[@bookslikewhoa]

Hope you enjoy it!!

[@missblondiee22]

Please please please read The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware. It's hands down her best!

[@shriyakarnic6387]

Hey! Have you read the new Poirot books by Sophie Hannah? I’ve heard mixed reviews of them... Loved the video and Happy New Year! :-)

[@bookslikewhoa]

Nope, I'm not sure I could fairly review them so I haven't sought them out

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Some recommendations for you After The Silence by Louise O’Neill Snow by John Banville

[@deirdrebeecher3508]

I thought the first 3/4's of Eight Detectives was five stars. I hated the ending, I mean I was angry with that ending, betrayed even. Nonetheless Pavesi is clearly a great talent and I look forward to reading more of their stuff.

[@BookishRealm]

Watching!!! ❤️

[@jenniec7715]

You may enjoy, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie. The author takes on the mystery of Agatha's disappearance.

[@neatodude3339]

The woman in cabin 10 was the only good book by ruth ware I've read.. and that might have been based on the setting alone.

[@danecobain]

Have you read all of Christie's books yet? I've officially finished all the ones she did under her own name and so I'm working on the Westmacotts :D

[@bookslikewhoa]

Nice! Yes, I finished them off last year, but I'm not going to do the Westmacotts... I tried one & noped right out of it :D :D

[@danecobain]

@@bookslikewhoa Muahaha, I have two down and I'm on my third, so I sort of win something! My uncle has read all the Christies but not the Westmacotts too :D

[@larzinthelibrary2530]

Really interesting how you mentioned Christie books that I both loved and disliked!

[@charismaticdaughter]

I wanted to like The Shadows. Most of the book was great but I felt like the ending was lazy and the killer choice didn't feel like it made sense. It could have been done much better

[@monicamerle1417]

Favorite thrillers I read this year: HOME BEFORE DARK & LOCK EVERY DOOR by Riley Sager, THE BROKEN GIRLS by Simone St James, HE STARTED IT by Samantha Downing. Favorite horror: THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUBS GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES & THE RETURN (Rachel Harrison) 😊

[@formerclarity8836]

OK, non-mystery reader here who picked up The Eighth Detective after seeing your review - and hated it. (Not judging -- these things happen.) But I don't know how to talk about my issues without spoiling it, so...... **SPOILERS** When we got to the reveal with the 'correct' versions of the stories, I felt like every single one was objectively worse than the first version I read. Maybe that's the exposure effect working on me, or maybe if I read more mysteries I would have found the 'incorrect' versions cliche, and so would have appreciated the 'real' ones, but I could not get past it. As the 'original' endings were being revealed, I felt like they just Kept. Getting. Worse. I generally like meta-fiction, but this may be one where you have to be deeper into the genre to fully appreciate it.

[@bookslikewhoa]

Fair enough, though I will gently push back on the phrase "objectively worse" -- I thought some were stronger, some were weaker, but it is a matter of opinion 😉

[@tammytmichelle5532]

I will not be the 666 like.... enjoyed your video

[@psychobunnyjones5247]

I was not a fan of #4