Who says romance has to be all sweet and cuddly? Mystery and suspense romance books force the protagonists to wade through personal trials, physical dangers, and all manner of other terrors to earn their happily ever after—and we wouldn't have it any other way!
If you're a fan of Gone Girl, you've come to the right place. We've gathered a list of pause-resistant listens where the romance is exciting and the suspense is intimate. Each of these suspenseful romances make for the perfect escape whenever and wherever your life needs a little extra spice. Or gift them to a friend or loved one who you know will appreciate every delicious, spine-tingling moment.
Travel back to Misted Pines with The Girl in the Woods, the latest from prolific New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley. Listeners of The Girl in the Mist, the first title in the series, know that this sleepy Pacific Northwest town is anything but sleepy. When the Crystal Killer’s latest victim is discovered in Misted Pines, FBI agent Zachariah “Rus” Lazarus is determined to successfully solve his final case. Aided by Lucinda “Cin” Bonner, the victim’s employer, and fueled by their undeniable connection, Rus and Cin discover what lengths they are willing to go in order to learn the truth. With unexpected twists and a slow-burn romance, Ashley delivers another gripping whodunnit that is equal parts thrilling and heartfelt.
Like many great mystery novels, Hither, Page takes place in an idyllic English village that has been rocked by a murder. Leo Page, a jaded intelligence agent, is sent to cover up the crime for reasons he does not entirely understand. His mission is further complicated by the town's doctor, James Sommers, a World War II veteran who wants nothing to do with the excitement the murder has dredged up. As Leo begins to uncover the town's dark secrets and lies, he is unexpectedly drawn to the reserved and reticent James. Might the attraction be mutual? And does the doctor know more about the murder than he's willing to say? The author of queer historical romance, Cat Sebastian delivers the perfect cozy listen to curl up with on a chilly night—the first in a series.
A Murder to Remember follows an American Jane Austen fan who meets her very own Mr. Darcy during a tour of his English manor. After a drunken night together, they wake up in his bed convinced that they witnessed a murder. But the body has vanished and no one believes them—except for the killer, who’s stalking them with an intent to kill again. Brynn Kelly’s latest romantic romp is full of exciting twists and turns, paired with dual narration from Brittany Pressley and Max Roll, that leave listeners on the edge of their seat.
The always elegant January LaVoy returns to narrate another novel by Selena Montgomery (Stacey Abrams' nom de plume). Rules of Engagement follows two top-secret intelligence agents as they get assigned to infiltrate a terrorist group that has stolen lethal environmental technology. As intense desire builds between Dr. Raleigh Foster and Adam Grayson, they find that the most dangerous risk of all is falling in love.
Lowen Ashleigh is employed by Jeremy Crawford to ghostwrite the remaining books in a popular series his wife, Verity, is unable to finish due to an unfortunate injury. Nothing prepares Lowen for what she accidentally stumbles upon one day: Verity’s autobiography, filled with bone-chilling admissions about her life and marriage—which Lowen keeps from Jeremy. But as her feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she's left asking herself if a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving Verity?
Golden Cove, New Zealand, was once as harmonious and welcoming as its name implies—until the tragic summer when several bodies vanished and neighbors turned distrustful and guarded. Eight years later, heartbroken hometown girl Anahera returns to the sad, shattered place she left behind--just as a young woman goes missing. Can Anahera and handsome police officer Will solve the mystery and bring peace to both Golden Cove and their own hearts? From best-selling thriller author Nalini Singh, A Madness of Sunshine is a nail-biting listen, powerfully performed by New Zealander Saskia Maarleveld.
A second-grade teacher and her brother show up at their Cape Cod rental and find a corpse—not exactly the way Taylor or Jude wanted to start their summer vacation. When brash bounty hunter Miles arrives on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer, true crime podcast–obsessed Taylor decides to insert herself into the investigation and help a very reluctant and grumpy Miles solve the case. Written by Tessa Bailey (author of It Happened One Summer), My Killer Vacation brings us a steamy, murder-solving listen that has the perfect combination of thrills and enemy-to-lovers romance.
Jane has her sights set on just one man: her boss, Steven Hepsworth. She caters to his every whim, sleeps with him, and makes herself an indispensable part of his personal and professional lives. A happy romance? Hardly. Jane is hiding an entire secret life, one full of grief and pain—pain caused by none other than Steven Hepsworth. And now, whether Steven knows it or not, Jane is in command, and she is going to use her power to get the revenge she has craved for so long. Jane Doe will keep listeners guessing (and anticipating sweet vengeance) until the very end.
It's been years since Yolanda cared about anything but her own success. This cold-blooded attitude made it easy to betray her corrupt bosses at a prestigious New York law firm when the heat was on, and agree to work undercover for the FBI. She's sent back to her California college town and assigned to spy on a group of Black activists working to expose a biotech giant's pattern of exploiting the vulnerable and its ties to the Pentagon. But the deeper she goes, the more she falls in love with someone she really shouldn't—and the more she realizes that her FBI bosses may be misguided, or worse. Written and narrated by Aya de Leon, A Spy in the Struggle is a tense story about a woman forced to question her priorities, her principles, and her heart.
Audra thought she had finally gotten over Dane—her first kiss and her ex-husband. She felt at peace in California, running her own flower shop and doing quite well. But that all changes when Dane, irresistible as ever, suddenly comes back into her life. Audra agrees to fly with him to Colorado to help right a past wrong—never imagining that their plane would crash, leaving them stranded in a snowy mountain wilderness. How will they survive? And which will prove more dangerous: the weather or their lingering passion for each other? An Audible Original by best-selling author Mia Sheridan, Dane's Storm is a pulse-pounding and sexy work of romance suspense.
The Edgar Allen Poe Award-winning debut thriller from best-selling romance author Alyssa Cole, When No One Is Watching is a fascinating tale of passion and paranoia. With her beloved Brooklyn becoming more gentrified by the minute, Sydney channels her frustration into organizing a walking tour of her vibrant, historic neighborhood. When her new neighbor Theo volunteers to help, Sydney is initially wary. While digging into the area's past and present, they come to a chilling conclusion: their neighbors might not have moved to the suburbs after all. Is someone willing to kill to revitalize the community? As her fear mounts, Sydney begins to wonder: Can she trust Theo?
No list of suspenseful romances would be complete without Rebecca, the 1938 Daphne du Maurier novel that inspired the Oscar-winning Hitchcock film. It tells the story of a new bride who moves into her husband's beautiful but haunting estate, Manderley. The specter of her husband's first wife, Rebecca, looms large over everything the new wife tries to accomplish and may even destroy her one chance at happiness. You'll be intrigued from the moment you start listening to this Audible exclusive release of the enduring classic, performed by award-winning actor Anna Massey.
Meeting in Delhi, Amartya and Erika are the only two people left on Earth after a deadly plague wipes out the rest of the population. Their romance seems inevitable. But with secrets and danger dogging their every footstep, the two begin to wonder if their budding relationship will survive—even if they might be destined to save the human race from total extinction. You'll be hanging onto every word of this Audible Original podcast, a bleakly humorous romantic saga voiced by Rasika Dugal and Sikandar Kher.
Set in 1986, American Spy is a romance suspense novel about Marie, a brilliant young Black woman working in an old boys' club: the FBI. When offered an undercover mission to overthrow an African revolutionary leader, she jumps at the chance to do something worthwhile and prove her worth to her colleagues. Willfully ignoring her conscience, Marie seduces the charismatic leader to win his trust. As she comes to truly believe in this man and his vision, Marie knows that, no matter how the mission turns out, she will pay a steep price for betraying her ideals and her heart. Celebrated narrator Bahni Turpin breathes life into this complex and riveting debut thriller from Lauren Wilkinson.
Assistant US Attorney Cameron is doing her job and minding her own business when she overhears a murder. This isn't just any murder: it involves a cheating senator whose encounter with his mistress turns deadly. Worse still, the FBI agent assigned to the case has held a grudge against Cameron since their last meeting three years ago. Now, the two must learn to work together if they want to solve the case. Along the way, they might finally learn how to get along—not to mention what to do about their lingering attraction. This tension-packed romance from lawyer-turned-author Julie James is the first in a series.
Sandra Brown is lauded as the queen of romantic suspense, and books like Chill Factor are the reason why. Lilly is at her mountain cabin when a dangerous storm hits, forcing her car off the road and right into a stranger named Ben. Having just ended a miserable marriage, Lilly is in no mood for a new relationship—especially as she begins to suspect that this moody stranger may be involved in the disappearance of several women. This Audie Award–nominated romance will keep listeners wondering right alongside Lilly as she tries to separate the facts from her suspicions about Ben and burgeoning romantic feelings.
After being celebrated and scarred during the Great War, all Will wants to do is lead a quiet life as a bookseller. His brief peace is shattered when mysterious men start badgering him for information he does not have, and the even more mysterious (and handsome) Kim gallantly offers his assistance. But Kim is not who he seems, and his secrets may end up costing Will more than just a promising romance. The first in a captivating series from KJ Charles, Slippery Creatures is skillfully read by Cornell Collins and will keep historical romance fans on the edge of their seats.
Jane—which may or may not be her real name—sees a chance for luxury and happiness when wealthy widower Eddie Rochester turns his eye to her. But the specter of Bea, Eddie's drowned first wife, haunts their relationship in more ways than one. Jane feels that she cannot compete with the glamorous Bea, and Bea's fate may not be as simple as Eddie made it out to be. For fans of Jane Eyre who have longed for the original Mrs. Rochester to have her say, Rachel Hawkins's The Wife Upstairs is a satisfying and suspenseful adventure. And it's brilliantly narrated by Emily Shaffer, Kirby Heyborne, and Lauren Fortgang.