6 Queer Thrillers to Enjoy This Springtime
Torn between her girlfriend, Magdu, and her best friend, Daphne, Finn is looking forward to a day of rock climbing and bonding for the three women on the soaring cliffs near their Australian town. But nothing goes as she planned, and in a horrific accident, Magdu falls to her death.
Rocked by grief, Finn tries to pinpoint where it all went wrong. Did Magdu die because of Finn’s friendship with overbearing Daphne, who has never wanted Finn to change or leave her? When the police suspect foul play, Finn begins to search for the shocking truth about her relationships and what has been in front of her all along.
As springtime arrives and with it new warmth and new growth, why not pick up something thrilling to enjoy while you soak in the first rays of the year? Not that there’s any bad time for a thriller, but there’s something so special about curling up with your first poolside mystery of the year or lounging in a grassy park with a thriller clutched tightly in hand. Maybe it’s the juxtaposition of the beautiful day around you or maybe it’s the way the thrillers make you take a second look at those nearby, giving a new perspective to the day, but regardless, it’s so fun! Pair it with a sweet snack or a drippy ice cream cone, and you’ve got yourself perfection.
And what’s more thrilling and more fun than digging into a thriller you’ve never read before? Whether you like detective-esque main characters, family secrets, or dark academia, this list has something perfect for you! And, double fun, all of the books on this list feature queer characters and storylines along with their hidden scares and buried bodies.
So, for your next read, check out one of these queer thrillers. Whether it’s for a springtime afternoon or any other time of the year, they’re sure to excite!
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Devon and Chimaka are the only Black students at the prestigious Niveus Private Academy, and they both have secrets that got them there. When an anonymous person starts texting them with threats to reveal everything, they must work together to find out who has put a target on their back and how to stop them. And if they were willing to fight tooth and nail to get into Niveus, they’d fight even harder to stay.
The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass
Jake Livingston wants to be a boring high schooler more than anything, but the ghosts he sees won’t let him. Add that to the microaggressions he deals with as the only Black kid at St. Clair Prep school and his secret crush on another boy, and Jake’s life is the opposite of boring. Then, the ghost of a teenage school shooter targets and torments Jake to try to get his powers, and what little control Jake has left is threatened to be taken away forever.
Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy
Sister Holiday’s background isn’t exactly what you’d expect of a nun, but that’s all behind her now. Or so she thought. When fires start igniting at Saint Sebastian’s School, her not-so-perfect past seems to turn suspicion in her direction. Now she must use her skills to prove everyone wrong and find out who’s really starting the fires before she takes the blame.
Vicious Creatures by Ashton Noone
After discovering a body as a teenager, Ava leaves her hometown without a backward glance. But after her marriage crumbles, she finds herself back in her parent’s house with her daughter in tow. Back in her hometown, though, the memories of the violence that took place there resurge, especially as her daughter becomes interested in the forest where it happened. With her daughter getting more invested in the forest and the threat of violence at her door, Ava is back to where she was years ago, only this time with more on the line.
The Verifiers by Jane Pek
As the youngest child to a Chinese American mother living in New York City, Claudia lived in the shadow of her siblings her whole life. But when she gets an offer to work at a company that investigates people on dating sites, she ditches her corporate job to start something that feels almost like being a detective. The catch? She can’t tell anyone she works there, not even her family. When one of her clients disappears, she’s thrust into real detective work as she tries to find out what happened.
Real Bad Things by Kelly J. Ford
Twenty-five years ago, Jane confessed to the murder of her abusive stepfather. But, without a body to prove it, the police let her go. Leaving her small town for Boston was a new beginning for her. Then the body surfaces, and Jane must return to her hometown to face what happened all those years ago.
I hope one of these queer thrillers caught your eye! If you’re in the mood for more thrillers, check out these new mysteries and thrillers or these thrillers about marriage!
