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 Hollow Girl Lyn Yeowart
Set between the 1960s and 1970s, The Hollow Girl begins when a body is discovered at Harrowford Hall, a former home for unmarried mothers in rural Victoria. As the investigation unfolds, dark secrets and buried histories come to light in a suspenseful and beautifully written novel that lingers long after the final page. Perfect for readers who enjoy slow-burn mysteries with emotional depth and a haunting edge.
An Ill Wind Margaret Hickey
When a body is found hanging from a wind turbine above a small Victorian town, detectives uncover tensions that cut deep through the community. An Ill Wind is a taut, propulsive crime novel grounded in place and people, where nothing is quite as it seems. A must-read for fans of rural noir and small-town mysteries.
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.
We’re happy to share that an impressive twenty-five Penguin Random House titles made the list this year.
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