Are you looking for that just-right book to gift your loved one this Christmas? Look no further. This comprehensive book list contains books for every kind of reader in your life! The popular fiction reader, the thriller fan, the history buff, the nonfiction-lover… we’ve got you covered!
This list contains some new titles, and some backlist titles as well. All these books are among my favorites – all rated either 4 or 5 stars.
I hope that you find the perfect gift for everyone on your list! Merry Christmas!
This post may contain affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you purchase something – at no additional cost to you! See the Disclosures page for more information.
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For the mystery/suspense lover
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Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger
Selena Murphy’s world is falling apart. First she catches her husband having an affair with their nanny, Geneva. Then Geneva disappears without a trace, leaving the local police department asking too many questions for comfort. What happened to her? As Selena tries to work this out she begins to get strange texts from a woman she met on the train; a woman to whom she bared her troubles to. Who is this woman? Why does she keep reaching out? And most importantly, is there a connection between this woman and Geneva’s disappearance?
The Break Down by BA Paris
On a dark and rainy night, on a deserted road, Cass spots a stranded car with a woman in it. Instead of stopping to see if she could help, Cass continued on her way, justifying to herself that the woman probably called 911 and help was on the way. But the next day, Cass learned that the same woman was found murdered in her car.
Overcome with guilt, Cass can’t cope with the enormity of what happened. She begins to isolate herself, even to the point of quitting her teaching job. Her husband tries to be understanding, but Cass’ behaviors get more and more bizarre. She begins to forget things. She makes big mistakes. She becomes paranoid that someone is watching her. Is someone out to get Cass? Or is it something more sinister than that?
Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin
Tessa Cartwright is the well-known survivor of the serial killer who placed Black-eyed Susans around his victims. Tessa thought he was now in jail for life, but when she finds a patch of flowers outside her bedroom window, she begins to fear for her life. Is she safe? Or is the killer at large again?
What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan:
Rachel Jenner’s 8-year-old son disappears as they are walking in the park. Her whole life is turned upside down as she frantically tries to find her son. Is she looking in the right places? Or is the answer closer to home?
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
James Dessen has a nice, ordinary life. He is a college physics professor, living with his wife and son in the Chicago suburbs. He is happy in his normal life, until one evening on his way home, he is abducted by a masked man. This man seems to know him and his routines. He asks him very specific questions about his life. Then he strips him of his clothes, injects him with an unknown substance, and when he wakes up, he is on a gurney surrounded by men in lab coats welcoming him back to a world different than his own. Who are these men? Where is he? And where is his family? This book had me gasping at all the twists and turns.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
Kate, an up and coming lawyer, receives a phone call to come and pick her daughter up from her private school. She was caught cheating. Kate is furious. But when she reaches the school, she realizes her daughter jumped off the building and is gone. Reeling with guilt, Kate wonders why her daughter wants to end her life. But then she receives an anonymous text: “She didn’t jump.” What really happened to Amelia? Kate won’t quit until she finds the horrible truth.
In the Woods by Tana French
The first of the Dublin Murder Squad series, Det. Rob Ryan is called to investigate the murder of a twelve-year-old girl. She was found in the same woods where, twenty years before, three of his best friends were murdered. Now Ryan must solve this mystery while reliving the horror of his past. Will he find answers to his unresolved questions?
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
Editor Susan Ryeland is given author Alan Conway’s newest mystery. But as she reads, she begins to wonder if this is just another Conway mystery or if it describes something more real going on. This book is two books in one. The first part is Conway’s mystery and the second is where the editor becomes a detective in her own right.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
This twisty, mind-bending novel will keep you guessing all the way through. It is the story of Vanessa, previously married to Richard, a highly successful hedge fund lawyer. Nellie is the young woman to whom Richard is now engaged. Vanessa is obsessed with Nellie in an almost stalker-like way. Does she simply want to warn Nellie about Richard? Or is she pathologically jealous?
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For readers that like to get scared
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I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
In this terrifying Icelandic Tale, three friends go to a remote location to renovate a rental house. They soon realize they are not alone. Meanwhile, in a nearby town, a detective is investigating a strange suicide. These two stories connect in an unbelievable way! Based on a true story. This book was also made into a movie and is currently on Netflix.
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Set in the 1940s, the Ayres family is still living on a once prosperous estate, Hundreds Hall. But finances are strained and they are having to make do the best they can. Roderick returning home from war with injuries makes keeping up even harder. And when strange things begin to happen, the family wonders if Rod’s PTSD is finally besting him or if something more sinister is at play. The movie release of this book was in August 2018.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
This book reminded me of Hill House when I read it. Maggie Holt and her parents left Baneberry Hall when Maggie was only a little girl. But that House of Horrors plagued her ever since thanks to the best-selling book her father wrote about their supernatural experiences there. None of which Maggie remembers or believes ever happened. When Maggie’s father dies and leaves her the house, she decides to go there once and for all to find out what really happened. Almost immediately, Maggie begins to see that maybe her father didn’t make things up after all!
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
When 14-year-old Marjorie Barrett’s schizophrenia became more than her family could handle, they called on their local priest to perform an exorcism. To help pay the bills, they also called a TV crew and the exorcism became a hit reality TV show. 15 years later, Merry, her younger sister, recounts the terrifying tale.
The Chestnut Man by Soren Sveistrop
This was probably the best book I read this year. A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen, killing women and leaving little “chestnut men,” handmade dolls made of chestnuts, at the crime scene. Police Detectives Naia Thulan and Mark Hess are on the job trying to track the killer down. When they discover a link between the murders and the abduction of a government official’s teenage daughter, the case takes on an even bigger intrigue. How is Minister Rosa Hartung connected to the killer? And will they find the killer before another life is taken? This book was written by the author of the Netflix series, The Killing. If you like dark and creepy, this book is for you!
The Whisper Man by Alex North
Tom Kennedy and his son Jake, move to Featherbank after his wife dies so the two can make a fresh start. However, Featherbank isn’t the idyllic town he was hoping for. Twenty years ago, Frank Carter, AKA The Whisper Man, was arrested for luring young boys out of their homes at night and murdering them. Soon after Tom and Jake move in, another boy goes missing, eerily similar to the Whisper Man’s M.O. And then Jake begins to hear whispers, too….
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
The first of the Bill Hodges trilogy, this book begins when a terrorist mows down a group of civilians waiting in line at a job fair. Retired detective Bill Hodges is called to help track down this killer before he can strike again. This book has been made into a TV series on Hulu.
The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
Nate and Helen move from urban Connecticut to rural Vermont to enjoy a simpler kind of life. They quit their jobs, moved into a small trailer on a big piece of land, and began to build their dream house together. But their idyllic property has a tragic past and when unexplained events start happening, Helen relies on her history teacher research skills to get to the bottom of it. She learns all about Hattie Breckenridge, a woman who lived and died on her property in somewhat horrific circumstances. Is Hattie haunting Helen and Nate? And can they figure out why before it’s too late? This book had me sleeping with the light on. It’s one of the best ghost stories I’ve read in awhile!
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
This was the first vampire book I ever read and it hooked me right from the beginning. The narrator in this book reads letters written by her father, a historian obsessed with Vlad the Impaler. Will his daughter catch this obsession? Warning: This book is over 700 pages! But well worth the read if you like books about vampires.
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For historical fiction fans
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A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
In 1922, the Bolsheviks imprison Count Rostov in a luxury hotel because he was deemed an “unrepentant aristocrat.” Rostov, a highly intelligent and sensitive man, lives out his life within those walls, meeting people and making connections. This is a wonderful book about the importance of human relationships.
The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
85-year-old Addie Baum describes her life as a daughter of Jewish immigrants, to her granddaughter who had asked her, “How did you become the woman you are today?” Addie’s tale of growing up at the turn of the century is full of her adventures and learning what it takes to make it in the new world.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
Leni’s father comes home from the Vietnam War a changed man. His paranoia leads him and his family to the wild solitude of Alaska. Leni’s mom, desperate to do what she can to keep her family together tries to make the best of a bad situation, but things get worse as winter draws near. Will the family survive the wilds of the frontier and the growing mania of a sick man?
The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
In 1859 Lib Wright, an English nurse, is called to Ireland to watch over a local phenomenon – an 11-year-old girl whose family swears she hasn’t eaten for months. Is the girl a true miracle? Or is something else going on?
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
In 1996, a rare book expert begins to restore the Sarajevo Haggadah, a rare and very old Jewish book. In it, she finds artifacts that tell the story of the book itself and its journey through time. This book was inspired by a true story. It’s an older book, published in 2008, but one of my favorite reads. I couldn’t have a historical fiction section without including it!
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For the popular fiction fan
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The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
I was so excited to read this. Finally, a book that tells Mary’s story! I always thought that Mary got short-changed in the original and that there was more to her than just a crabby and unlikable spinster – this book confirms that. This book gives us Mary’s perspective on the Bennet adventures. She, as the least attractive sister, was always overlooked and mostly unliked by her mother. So Mary did the best she could to entertain herself and come to her own conclusions. In the book, her father dies and Mary is forced to look for another home as Longbourne goes to Mr. Collins. Through her travels from house to house, Mary learns a lot about herself and about life and love. Don’t count her out!
White Ivy by Susie Yang
Ivy, a Chinese immigrant, wants more than her family’s expectations for her, and she will do anything to get what she wants. Even as a little girl, Ivy learned to lie and steal and hide who she is from her family and friends. When Ivy is in middle school, she meets Gideon, a kind and handsome boy who befriends her. Ivy falls in love and is determined to make him hers. Years later, when they are both adults, she runs into him again and is back on track to get him to propose. When an old flame appears, Ivy will do anything to keep him from ruining her chances with Gideon.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor’s difficult past has made it hard for her to relate to others, that is until she meets Raymond, the IT guy from work, who draws her in. Raymond teaches her that it is okay to open up to others and shows her that she doesn’t have to live her isolated, “safe” life.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
Newlyweds Celestial and Roy have everything going for them when the unthinkable happens; he is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. How can this American Marriage survive? This book explores the inequalities of the American justice system and how that injustice affects lives.
Behold the Dreamer by Imbolo Mbue
Jende Jonge, a Cameroonian immigrant, moves to New York City with his family looking for the American dream. He is soon employed by a high-level executive living the dream, but is it really all it’s cracked up to be? This book is a great look at two extremes of social status.
A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza
This book chronicles the lives of Muslim Indian immigrants living in California. Rafiq brings his family to America to live the dream, but as his children grow up American, they also grow away from the traditions and culture that Rafiq treasures, especially his son Amar who is constantly getting into trouble. This is the story of a family torn apart when cultures collide.
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
Korean immigrants Pak and Young own a hyberbaric chamber which they run to help families cure a range of conditions from autism to infertility. When a terrible explosion happens, a child ends up dying in the chamber. Was it an accident? Or was the explosion planned? This book is a fascinating look into the lives of people, each dealing with their own set of troubles and each, in his or her own way, contributing to the death of an innocent child.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Ng’s first novel, and one of my favorites, this book is about the Lee family. Lydia, the favorite daughter, is her parents pride and joy. The one they hang their hat on to achieve everything they want for her. One day, they find Lydia’s body floating in a local lake. What happened to her? Did she take her own life? These are the questions her parents must grapple with as they try to make sense of their daughter’s death.
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
In part 1 of this book, Isra is an 18 year old Palestinian immigrant that moved to New York City with her new husband, Adam, to start their married life together. It’s not at all what she thought it was going to be. Her mother-in-law is ruthless and treats her with contempt as Isra provides only female children. Adam, also plagued by his mother’s constant demands, begins drinking and then becomes abusive towards Isra. Isra spirals into a depression that she cannot pull herself out of.
Part 2 of the book begins with Deya, Isra’s oldest daughter and depicts how she, American born, sees her future differently than her mother. Her grandmother, however, does not think things have changed. Will Deya’s fate mirror her mother’s?
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For the history buff
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No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Written by the author of Team of Rivals, No Ordinary Time tells the tale of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt in the time before and during the second world war. This book goes into the personal lives of the president and first lady, and how their leadership impacted the country.
Manhunt: The Twelve Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James Swanson
This is an hour by hour telling of the twelve days following Lincoln’s assassination. It tells the accounts of both the hunted, John Wilkes Booth and the hunters, the US Cavalry charged with capturing him. This is a great narrative nonfiction book and an engaging read.
John Adams by David McCullough
I am a big McCullough fan and have read a number of his books, but this one on John Adams is one of my favorites. It is a biography that reads like a novel and depicts such an important time for our country. I finished the book with a greater respect for the man and his immense passion as he helped to start a new nation.
Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson
Isaacson does a great job describing the amazing man, politician, inventor, diplomat, writer, and businessman that Ben Franklin was. He does so in an honest way, that makes us forgive his indiscretions and enjoy his wit and intelligence. A great read about a great man.
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For the popular nonfiction fan
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I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara
This book is about Michelle McNamara’s search for a man who raped and killed over 50 women in the late 1970s-80s. This man was never found, and McNamara an investigative reporter, was determined that he should be brought to justice. She put in countless hours of research, interviewing police and victims, visiting crime scenes and poring over old documents. She began to piece together vital evidence that was crucial to the case. And then, tragically, Michelle died right in the middle of this project. She was only 46 years old.
Only a few months after this book was released, an arrest was finally made. 72 year old James DeAngelo was put into custody due to DNA evidence and is currently in jail awaiting trial. Michelle never got to see this, unfortunately, but her work was instrumental in detailing the atrocities this man who preyed on and victimized unsuspecting women inflicted.
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King
He really was as nice as he seemed.
I thought about just leaving it at that:) But I learned so much about Mr. Rogers from listening to this book. First of all, he grew up wealthy, which I never would have guessed. His grandparents were very well off and spoiled him with whatever he wanted. Being an only child for a long time, his mother also spoiled him. But still he grew up kind and caring. Rogers was also very talented. He wrote studied music in school and even wrote full operas. He also wrote all of the music on his show. Fred was dedicated to children and really started the first social emotional curriculum on TV. Where Sesame Street dealt with academics, Mr. Rogers Neighborhood let kids know that their feelings were okay and helped them figure out how to navigate them.
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance
This is a memoir of the Vance family and shows the harsh realities of growing up poor in the American Rust Belt. JD was able to break free of the legacy of poverty that his family faced. Read this book to find out how. Very moving story.
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan
When I first read this book, I was shocked that something like this could happen. Susannah led a normal life until one day she woke up strapped to a bed in the mental ward of a hospital. While her family stood by her, Susannah kept spiraling until one doctor took an interest in her case and ultimately saved her life.
The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore
This amazing story is of two people with the same name that grew up in the same neighborhood – one became a Rhodes scholar and the other is now serving a life sentence in prison for murder. What separated the two men’s fates?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
This is the story of a poor tobacco farmer, who unbeknownst to her or her family, was used as a medical study for years. When Henrietta was diagnosed with cancer, doctors took her cells to study and replicated those cells over and over again. They were still using her cells 60 years after her death! This is an interesting story about medical ethics.
The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
I loved this book as I am always looking for a little more hygge in my life. Hygge is the Danish word for coziness and this book will give you a myriad of ways to find more of it in your life! A great winter read!
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For the self help junkie
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Quiet by Susan Cain
In this book, Susan Cain maintains that ⅓ of people are introverts, yet in this country we overvalue extroverts. I am an introvert, so this book really resonated with me. I loved all the examples of successful introverts and their contributions to society.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
This book talks about the power of one’s mindset – how a person with a “fixed” mindset (one who believes you are born with talent and it can’t be improved) are less likely to achieve than a person who believes in a “growth” mindset (one who believes that you can get better at things through practice).
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Want to lose weight? Exercise more? Learn a new language? You can by simply changing your habits. It’s all about identifying cues and rewards that drive your current behavior and then finding substitutes that support the same feelings. This book is chock full of examples of how this principle works.
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
Daring Greatly is all about vulnerability. It’s not bad to feel vulnerable. In fact, it’s necessary to achieve greatness. We have to put ourselves out there in order to achieve our dreams. This is Brene’s message to us in this book.
The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
One of my first self-help books, I read this 15 years ago and still come back to it once in a while. The precepts aren’t new or groundbreaking. Rather, they are common sense that sometimes we just forget to put into action. This is a good audiobook listen, too.
Option B by Sheryl Sandberg
This is the incredibly moving story of Sheryl Sandberg’s time after her husband’s tragic and sudden death. She was devastated and couldn’t imagine a life without him, but since life with him was no longer an option, she realized she would have to make do with Option B. This is a great read about resiliency.
The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes
This memoir centers around the year when Shonda decided not to let opportunities go because she was nervous about it or thought that she couldn’t do it. She would say “Yes” to all new and exciting things that came her way. This book is inspirational and I read it when I need a push to try something new.
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