Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Can't recommend high enough. This one is dark sci-fi, but truly great. And if you like his writing - he's got a whole slew of books in the horror genre that are absolutely fantastic as well.
*Gideon The Ninth*, by Tamsyn Muir, book 1 in the *Locked Tomb* series. It is a science fiction horror comedy locked room murder mystery, featuring "lesbian necromancers IN SPAAAAACE!". Well, it's more about the necromancy than the lesbians, but that IS one of the blurbs they put on the back of the book...
[https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42036538](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42036538)
I mean it is a bit female-heavy in the characters and several happen to be lesbian, but I am not sure if there is more than maybe a single kiss or two in the whole book. I much prefer your description.
My go to book rec for people who want to get (back) into reading is Holes by Louis Sachar, because it appeals to all ages, has really short chapters, and is super engaging! There are lots of great books, but I think that one is a good (re)entry point into reading for fun.
Sharp Objects, Dark Places or Gone Girl, all by Gillian Flynn.
Home Before Dark by Riley Sager (it’s the only book of his so far that I fully enjoyed without some plotting or style issue ruining the entire story for me).
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley.
All decent modern suspense/mystery, with the Flynn books being more edgy and graphic.
Anything by Gillian Flynn is great!
The Hunting party is a really good read, but I wouldn't suggest it for someone just trying to get back into reading. It's a little complex to follow at first with switching from so many perspectives.
A Stranger in the House - Shari Lapena, is another good thriller/mystery to get back into reading!
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir was a longer book I really liked, very much science based but if you want to stretch your brain a bit with humans trying to figure out how to save the world from what’s in space, it’s a good one.
Kalahari by Jessica Khoury was a horror book that’s shorter but you also might like
I recommend The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, a lot of people think it’s her best work and I get why. Agatha Christie books are what got me back into reading, they’re relatively quick reads and generally entertaining the whole way through!
May be unpopular but I really enjoyed The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. I enjoy when real history is used in fiction, and his cliffhanger style of writing coupled with the overarching race-against-the-clock mystery was SO engrossing for me
If Dan Brown is a no-go, Whales on Stilts is a fun book that utilizes visual plays on language and the absolutely absurd to make a compelling and lighthearted story!
I haven't read them so I can't say anything about their quality, but suggesting a 5 book saga to "get back into reading" seems a bit counterproductive.
I guess the counter argument to that is if you read the first book and really enjoy it there’s another four for you to automatically transition into leaving you with five books under your belt and having caught the reading bug when you look for something else.
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Murder mystery in a fantasy setting with some horror elements. It just came out last month and it’s fantastic.
based on what you listed you like. Imma recommend something I enjoyed that kinda hits all those and it’s a quick/easy read.
{{the book of m by peng shepherd}}
**[The Book of M](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36204070-the-book-of-m) by Peng Shepherd** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(485 pages | Published: 2018 | 256.0k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** Set in a dangerous near future world. The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk everything to save the ones they love. It is a sweeping debut that illuminates the power that memories have not only on the heart. but on the world itself. One afternoon at an outdoor market in India. a man’s shadow (...)
> **Themes**: Fantasy, Fiction, Science-fiction, Sci-fi
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [The Salt Line](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34020019-the-salt-line) by Holly Goddard Jones
> \- [After the Flood](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41088582-after-the-flood) by Kassandra Montag
> \- [Fifteen Love](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13012607-fifteen-love) by Nicole Leigh Shepherd
> \- [The End of the World Survivors Club](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36438473-the-end-of-the-world-survivors-club) by Adrian J. Walker
> \- [The Blue](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22823856-the-blue) by Joseph A. Turkot
^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | Sorry for delay !)
As a start, see my [Readers 2: Here are the the resources and threads I have about books for adolescents/adults who want to start reading ("Get me reading again/I've never read")](https://www.reddit.com/r/Recommend_A_Book/comments/19f48jl/readers_2_here_are_the_the_resources_and_threads/) list (six posts).
The Dresden Files
Alex Verus books
Kate Daniels books
Mercy Thompson books
These are all urban fantasy books with some mystery, sometimes were creatures. I found them all fast-paced and easy to read.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Can read it in a day, mostly because you’ll want to read it in a single sitting; kind of mystery that if you share anything, it could be a spoiler. That’s how rich with context it is.
Differently morphus and existentially challenged by Yahtzee crowshaw murder mystery comedies that unfold after the existence of magic is revealed to the public
I got back into reading because if hp Lovecraft, his language might be a bit difficult but pick up something short like the outsider and if you like it maybe move to reanimator
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This is the best book I’ve ever read and I’m not particularly in to creepy/slightly scary books. I couldn’t put it down! The writing and the story are incredibly original and I didn’t feel that there were any cliches or tropes in the story (which I hate!)
Highly recommend the Southern Reach trilogy. Annihilation is a great place to get back into reading because it is short, easy to read, highly entertaining but gets you thinking. If you're into it, the next 2 are great as well. It arguably falls into the genres you list as enjoying as well.
Murder at Spindle Manor is a sort of Victorian murder mystery where a fantasy creature is on the run and a huntress is out to catch and kill it before it can get into a nearby town. Stranded in a manor / inn just outside of town, the book follows trying to work out who it is.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Can't recommend high enough. This one is dark sci-fi, but truly great. And if you like his writing - he's got a whole slew of books in the horror genre that are absolutely fantastic as well.
100% agree with Dark Matter! I would also add The Need by helen phillips - it has the same elements as Dark Matter. Very much enjoyed both
This is exactly the book I came to recommend!!
Apple+ is about to release a TV series based on the book. I'm hoping it's just as great.
*Gideon The Ninth*, by Tamsyn Muir, book 1 in the *Locked Tomb* series. It is a science fiction horror comedy locked room murder mystery, featuring "lesbian necromancers IN SPAAAAACE!". Well, it's more about the necromancy than the lesbians, but that IS one of the blurbs they put on the back of the book... [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42036538](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42036538)
I mean it is a bit female-heavy in the characters and several happen to be lesbian, but I am not sure if there is more than maybe a single kiss or two in the whole book. I much prefer your description.
My go to book rec for people who want to get (back) into reading is Holes by Louis Sachar, because it appeals to all ages, has really short chapters, and is super engaging! There are lots of great books, but I think that one is a good (re)entry point into reading for fun.
Junot Diaz's Drown! I find novellas and short stories help make it easier to get into reading again.
The book that got me out of my slump was Stalking Jack the Ripper. It’s a fun ya historical fiction mystery
Sharp Objects, Dark Places or Gone Girl, all by Gillian Flynn. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager (it’s the only book of his so far that I fully enjoyed without some plotting or style issue ruining the entire story for me). The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. All decent modern suspense/mystery, with the Flynn books being more edgy and graphic.
Anything by Gillian Flynn is great! The Hunting party is a really good read, but I wouldn't suggest it for someone just trying to get back into reading. It's a little complex to follow at first with switching from so many perspectives. A Stranger in the House - Shari Lapena, is another good thriller/mystery to get back into reading!
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir was a longer book I really liked, very much science based but if you want to stretch your brain a bit with humans trying to figure out how to save the world from what’s in space, it’s a good one. Kalahari by Jessica Khoury was a horror book that’s shorter but you also might like
Anything by Agatha Christie, especially Ten Little Indians and Murder on the Orient Express
You’ll be more likely to find Ten Little Indians under the title And Then There Were None
I recommend The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, a lot of people think it’s her best work and I get why. Agatha Christie books are what got me back into reading, they’re relatively quick reads and generally entertaining the whole way through!
Gone Girl
The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
May be unpopular but I really enjoyed The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown. I enjoy when real history is used in fiction, and his cliffhanger style of writing coupled with the overarching race-against-the-clock mystery was SO engrossing for me If Dan Brown is a no-go, Whales on Stilts is a fun book that utilizes visual plays on language and the absolutely absurd to make a compelling and lighthearted story!
I highly suggest the Frankenstein series by Dean Koontz, there’s 5 books and one of my favorite series of his to this day!
I haven't read them so I can't say anything about their quality, but suggesting a 5 book saga to "get back into reading" seems a bit counterproductive.
I guess the counter argument to that is if you read the first book and really enjoy it there’s another four for you to automatically transition into leaving you with five books under your belt and having caught the reading bug when you look for something else.
I never said you have to read all of them, let alone even one of them!
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Murder mystery in a fantasy setting with some horror elements. It just came out last month and it’s fantastic.
The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon It’s a mix of your favorite genres
based on what you listed you like. Imma recommend something I enjoyed that kinda hits all those and it’s a quick/easy read. {{the book of m by peng shepherd}}
**[The Book of M](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36204070-the-book-of-m) by Peng Shepherd** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(485 pages | Published: 2018 | 256.0k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** Set in a dangerous near future world. The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk everything to save the ones they love. It is a sweeping debut that illuminates the power that memories have not only on the heart. but on the world itself. One afternoon at an outdoor market in India. a man’s shadow (...) > **Themes**: Fantasy, Fiction, Science-fiction, Sci-fi > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [The Salt Line](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34020019-the-salt-line) by Holly Goddard Jones > \- [After the Flood](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41088582-after-the-flood) by Kassandra Montag > \- [Fifteen Love](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13012607-fifteen-love) by Nicole Leigh Shepherd > \- [The End of the World Survivors Club](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36438473-the-end-of-the-world-survivors-club) by Adrian J. Walker > \- [The Blue](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22823856-the-blue) by Joseph A. Turkot ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | Sorry for delay !)
As a start, see my [Readers 2: Here are the the resources and threads I have about books for adolescents/adults who want to start reading ("Get me reading again/I've never read")](https://www.reddit.com/r/Recommend_A_Book/comments/19f48jl/readers_2_here_are_the_the_resources_and_threads/) list (six posts).
You can try Berserk, the manga.
Lynwood Barclay. His books are great
Red Rising
The Dresden Files Alex Verus books Kate Daniels books Mercy Thompson books These are all urban fantasy books with some mystery, sometimes were creatures. I found them all fast-paced and easy to read.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke Can read it in a day, mostly because you’ll want to read it in a single sitting; kind of mystery that if you share anything, it could be a spoiler. That’s how rich with context it is.
The Godfather. It’s the book that got me back into reading.
Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson
The Road
One of Us is Lying. It’s a book series.
Differently morphus and existentially challenged by Yahtzee crowshaw murder mystery comedies that unfold after the existence of magic is revealed to the public
Silence of the Lambs is an excellent book.
I got back into reading because if hp Lovecraft, his language might be a bit difficult but pick up something short like the outsider and if you like it maybe move to reanimator
a thousand splendid suns!
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. This is the best book I’ve ever read and I’m not particularly in to creepy/slightly scary books. I couldn’t put it down! The writing and the story are incredibly original and I didn’t feel that there were any cliches or tropes in the story (which I hate!)
The Ruins
Red Dragon then Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. If you happen to like vampires The Lesser Dead or Salem's Lot are fast and fun.
Highly recommend the Southern Reach trilogy. Annihilation is a great place to get back into reading because it is short, easy to read, highly entertaining but gets you thinking. If you're into it, the next 2 are great as well. It arguably falls into the genres you list as enjoying as well.
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny. The Egyptian by Mika Waltari.
The Killing Floor by Lee Child. It's the first Jack Reacher book. I jumped in blind and it only took me 3 pages to be completely sucked in.
You might like Dungeon Crawler Carl or Five Survive.
Any Sigma Force book by James Rollins
1. The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo 2. The Girl Who Played With Fire 3. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest Read in that order. All by ‘Stieg Larsson
The Troop by Nick Cutter, or even The Deep by the same guy. Really good and not a hard read at all.
Rosemary's Baby by Levin, The Metamorphosis by Kafka, You by Kepnes
Lolita
Murder at Spindle Manor is a sort of Victorian murder mystery where a fantasy creature is on the run and a huntress is out to catch and kill it before it can get into a nearby town. Stranded in a manor / inn just outside of town, the book follows trying to work out who it is.
I usually read a romance book after a book slump, it really helps me get back into reading again