Discover the best crime books to gift this Christmas. From chilling thrillers to clever mysteries, these six page-turners will keep readers hooked.
This Christmas, wrap up something they won’t want to put down. If you’re searching for the best crime books to gift this Christmas, these six novels promise tension, atmosphere and that page-turning pull that keeps lights burning late.
From psychological thrillers to haunting mysteries and rural noir, each story brings its own brand of suspense — perfect for fans who like their summer reading with a touch of danger.
Here’s your shortcut to six unmissable crime reads from Penguin Random House Australia.
6 crime books that make perfect Christmas gifts
Everyone In This Bank Is A Thief Benjamin Stevenson
A bank held hostage. Ten suspects. Ten heists. This sharp, darkly funny mystery from the million-copy bestselling Ernest Cunningham series is a masterclass in misdirection, with everyone hiding something . . . and nobody entirely innocent. A clever, high-stakes puzzle for fans of classic whodunits with a modern, cinematic twist.
Don’t Let Him In Lisa Jewell
Lisa Jewell returns with a pulse-pounding psychological thriller about love, control and the lies that bind us. Tense, emotional and impossible to look away from, it’s the kind of story that makes your heart race and your skin crawl in equal measure. For fans of dark domestic thrillers that keep you second-guessing every move.
Wild Dark Shore Charlotte McConaghy
On a remote island, a family’s isolation is shattered when a mysterious woman washes ashore. Part literary mystery, part psychological thriller, Wild Dark Shore explores the pull between trust and fear in an unforgiving landscape. Haunting and beautifully written, it’s one for readers drawn to slow-burn suspense and richly atmospheric settings.
The Bookshop Detectives 2: Tea and Cake and Death Gareth and Louise Ward
Another case to solve for the number-one bestselling Bookshop Detectives! In this rollicking new adventure, Garth and Eloise (and Stevie) must sniff out a prolific poisoner ahead of a vital fundraising event, the Battle of the Book Clubs. As time runs out and the body count rises, it seems the bad actors are circling closer to the people and places they care about.
When the Deep, Dark Bush Swallows You Whole Geoff Parkes
In 1980s New Zealand, a woman goes missing and a town full of suspects begins to unravel. This haunting debut captures the claustrophobia of a close community and the dangers that lie beneath the surface. Evocative and sharply observed, it’s perfect for readers of Chris Hammer, J P Pomare and Margaret Hickey.
The Impossible Fortune Richard Osman
Who's got time to think about murder when there's a wedding to plan? When Elizabeth meets a wedding guest who fears for their life, the thrill of the chase is ignited once again. A villain wants access to an uncrackable code and will stop at nothing to get it. Plunged back into their most explosive investigation yet, can the gang solve the puzzle and a murder in time?
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