May 2026 brings a diverse lineup of mystery and thriller books for readers. Highlights include a spy thriller by Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung, cozy cat mysteries, and locked-room tales. The releases span YA, middle grade, and adult genres with settings from Toronto to Hong Kong.
Publishers have rolled out several new mysteries and thrillers this May, catering to fans of spy intrigue, cozy sleuthing, and family dramas. Louise Penny, known for the Chief Inspector Gamache series, co-authored 'The Last Mandarin' with journalist Mellissa Fung. The story follows food blogger Alice Li and her mother Vivien Li, a Chinese dissident, as they are summoned to the White House amid global alarms and news of a spy's death in Hong Kong harbor. Alice's friend had sent her a final message before dying there. The book appeals to spy thriller enthusiasts. Uzma Jalaluddin's 'Moonlight Murder,' the second in the Detective Aunty Investigates series, features Toronto resident Kausar Khan. Returning to help her daughter, who was a suspect in the first book, Khan investigates her granddaughter's missing friend case, which links to her son's unsolved hit-and-run death nearly two decades ago. Paul Rudnick's 'The Tuxedo Society' introduces Andrew Birnbaum, a young candle shop worker dreaming of entertainment. Invited to a dinner by his best friend, he discovers a group of socialites are covert operatives who recruit him for his improv skills. Other notable releases include Ande Pliego's locked-room thriller 'The Library After Dark,' where bookseller Aria Stokes and others get trapped in the Daedalus Library during a tour. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé's YA mystery 'The Heirs' centers on billionaire Leontes Button's adopted prodigies, suspects after his murder at an annual ball. Cozy fans can enjoy Kit Gray's 'The Black Cat Detectives,' with magician Mila MacAllister and her kittens solving her boyfriend's onstage death. Rachel Howzell Hall's 'Mist and Malice' follows PI Sonny Rush in Haven, California, tackling local crimes. Legal thriller 'Dissection of a Murder' by Jo Murray stars young lawyer Leila Reynolds defending a silent client in a judge's killing. Middle-grade 'The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy' by Angela Cervantes features soccer-loving Diez Espada in Miami.