Fans pick 98 books like 12 Days

By Heidi Glick,

Here are 98 books that 12 Days fans have personally recommended if you like 12 Days. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of A Shadow on the Snow

Bettie Boswell Author Of Stolen Gift Exchange: A Christmas in Ohio Anthology Collection Story

From my list on mysteries with a touch of suspense.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I read many Nancy Drew books and loved how she solved the clues. During the last couple of years I have developed a deeper interest in mystery and romantic suspense books. I enjoy trying to figure out the clues in other's tales and creating my own. The challenge is like putting a puzzle together for me when I write in this genre. Recently I wrote two short cozy mysteries and a romantic suspense that were published for the Christian market. I have a couple of cozy mystery works in progress that will soon be ready to share with readers. My other books often have hints of mysteries.

Bettie's book list on mysteries with a touch of suspense

Bettie Boswell Why did Bettie love this book?

This is a well-crafted mystery with elements of suspense.

I sometimes read in children's and young adult genres and think this book would be a great choice for the Christian young adult market. Rae, the main character is independent due to questions about who her real parents are. She has discovered her father but now someone is making threats involving questions about who her mother was.

The story will leave the reader guessing about the threats and who is trying to make Rae scared. JPC Allen is a fairly new author and I hope to see more of her work.

By JPC Allen,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Shadow on the Snow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Nineteen-year-old Rae Riley can barely believe her gamble paid off. After spending seven months investigating the identity of her father and whether he tried to murder her mother, Rae has been accepted by her dad, Sheriff Walter "Mal" Malinowski IV, and his immediate family with open hearts. And for the fi rst time in her life, Rae is making friends, jamming with three cute cops who play outlaw country music.

But someone is leaving Rae threatening notes, reminding her of her late mother's notorious past when Bella Rydell wrecked homes and lives during the few years she lived in rural…


Book cover of The Hidden Gate

Bettie Boswell Author Of Stolen Gift Exchange: A Christmas in Ohio Anthology Collection Story

From my list on mysteries with a touch of suspense.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I read many Nancy Drew books and loved how she solved the clues. During the last couple of years I have developed a deeper interest in mystery and romantic suspense books. I enjoy trying to figure out the clues in other's tales and creating my own. The challenge is like putting a puzzle together for me when I write in this genre. Recently I wrote two short cozy mysteries and a romantic suspense that were published for the Christian market. I have a couple of cozy mystery works in progress that will soon be ready to share with readers. My other books often have hints of mysteries.

Bettie's book list on mysteries with a touch of suspense

Bettie Boswell Why did Bettie love this book?

The Hidden Gate is a sweet cozy that I found intriguing.

The story has both a contemporary setting and one from the past. The two meld together to leave the reader wondering what happened to a young girl who disappeared in the past and what her relationship to the present day characters might be.

I found myself cheering for those wronged in the past and mourning for the unfortunate child's demise. The lead characters where appealing and made great sleuths for solving the crime. 

By Marlene Chase,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Hidden Gate as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Savannah Secrets: The Hidden Gate by Marlene Chase.


Book cover of The Bark of Zorro

Bettie Boswell Author Of Stolen Gift Exchange: A Christmas in Ohio Anthology Collection Story

From my list on mysteries with a touch of suspense.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I read many Nancy Drew books and loved how she solved the clues. During the last couple of years I have developed a deeper interest in mystery and romantic suspense books. I enjoy trying to figure out the clues in other's tales and creating my own. The challenge is like putting a puzzle together for me when I write in this genre. Recently I wrote two short cozy mysteries and a romantic suspense that were published for the Christian market. I have a couple of cozy mystery works in progress that will soon be ready to share with readers. My other books often have hints of mysteries.

Bettie's book list on mysteries with a touch of suspense

Bettie Boswell Why did Bettie love this book?

This book initially appealed to me because of the title and the dog on the front cover.

As a child, I was a big fan of all things related to the television and movie versions of the character Zorro. He wasn't in this book, but there was someone who left their 'Z' around town, painted on runaway dogs. I enjoyed the developing romance between the local game warden and the determined animal rescue worker, who would eventually figure out the mystery.

The story was well-written and had some great twists and red herrings to enjoy. This book is part of a series and I look forward to checking the other books featuring cozy mysteries involving dogs.

By Kathleen Y'Barbo,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Bark of Zorro as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Who Is Spray Painting the Dogs in Brenham, Texas?
 
Cozy up with your favorite pooch and unwind with a small-town mystery in book 4 of the Gone to the Dogs series.
 
Strange happenings are afoot in Brenham, Texas, as dogs start showing up at the Lone Star Veterinary Clinic with a Z spray painted on them. The cops blame pranksters, while pet owners are blaming each other. Receptionist Cassidy Carter uses her social media expertise to try to get the culprit caught on camera, but Texas game warden, Jason Cameron, thinks online media attention is the last thing this case…


Book cover of Home Away From Home

Bettie Boswell Author Of Stolen Gift Exchange: A Christmas in Ohio Anthology Collection Story

From my list on mysteries with a touch of suspense.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I read many Nancy Drew books and loved how she solved the clues. During the last couple of years I have developed a deeper interest in mystery and romantic suspense books. I enjoy trying to figure out the clues in other's tales and creating my own. The challenge is like putting a puzzle together for me when I write in this genre. Recently I wrote two short cozy mysteries and a romantic suspense that were published for the Christian market. I have a couple of cozy mystery works in progress that will soon be ready to share with readers. My other books often have hints of mysteries.

Bettie's book list on mysteries with a touch of suspense

Bettie Boswell Why did Bettie love this book?

Home Away from Home is a cozy mystery woven in with a romance for an older couple.

Marigold has searched for her father for years. Her mother died in a terrible accident. Her obsession with finding her father since then has interfered with relationships and interest in marriage. In this delightful tale, she will finally unravel the mystery of what happened to her father and will discover things about herself and a family she never knew about.

She will finally be open to accepting love from a dear and faithful friend. I found this book to be an enjoyable and relaxing read. It is part of a series that I highly recommend.

By Penny Frost McGinness,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Home Away From Home as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Will Marigold and Johnny embrace love late in life?

The day before Marigold Hayes turned fourteen, her mother died in a car accident and her father went missing. Her memory of standing on the porch and waving goodbye haunts her. After forty years of digging for clues to her dad's whereabouts and ignoring her personal life, the hope she might find him fades. Through the years, she has made friends, but no one significant until Johnny Papadakis. He has stood by her for nine years and helped search records of people alive and dead. For the last six months. he…


Book cover of Her Secret Amish Match

Molly Jebber Author Of Rachael's Decision

From my list on escaping into a world of inspirational Amish romance and suspense.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve visited Amish communities for years as a tourist. An agent suggested I write it because of my faith in God. The Amish base their lifestyle and traditions on their faith in God, and she felt the books would be more authentic if the author felt the same. I’ve never been Amish, but the topic is fun to research, and some of the Amish are forthcoming in helping me. I love the fried chicken, homemade butterscotch pie, corn pudding, and beautiful quilts they have available when visiting the different Ohio and Indiana communities. They are not my typical audience.

Molly's book list on escaping into a world of inspirational Amish romance and suspense

Molly Jebber Why did Molly love this book?

This is a fun book with a matchmaker and nanny needing a job. Hannah is the main character, and she has been heartbroken by the man asking for her help. She takes the job and sets out to find his match, but while she’s looking, surprises happen!

By Cathy Liggett,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Her Secret Amish Match as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An Amish matchmaker in need of a job…

and a widower in need of a wife.

After Hannah Miller loses her dream job, becoming a nanny—and matchmaker—for widower Jake Burkholder is her only option. Finding Jake a wife is her hardest assignment yet. After all, he once broke Hannah’s heart when he married her best friend. But as long-held secrets are revealed, Hannah can’t help but wish she could be Jake’s perfect match…

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.


Book cover of Anna's Amish Fears Revealed

Molly Jebber Author Of Rachael's Decision

From my list on escaping into a world of inspirational Amish romance and suspense.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve visited Amish communities for years as a tourist. An agent suggested I write it because of my faith in God. The Amish base their lifestyle and traditions on their faith in God, and she felt the books would be more authentic if the author felt the same. I’ve never been Amish, but the topic is fun to research, and some of the Amish are forthcoming in helping me. I love the fried chicken, homemade butterscotch pie, corn pudding, and beautiful quilts they have available when visiting the different Ohio and Indiana communities. They are not my typical audience.

Molly's book list on escaping into a world of inspirational Amish romance and suspense

Molly Jebber Why did Molly love this book?

Tracy shows the flaws and fears in her characters really well. She weaves in the romance just the right way. You’ll feel like you know the characters personally as you read the story. You’ll enjoy her stories as I do. She also helps you learn about the Amish lifestyles and traditions.

By Tracy Fredrychowski,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Anna's Amish Fears Revealed as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Her faith in the Lord has been tried beyond all measure. Can this fearful believer rest secure in God’s protective care for her life?

Anna Byler is paralyzed by fear and anxiety. While the young Amish woman is devastated after Simon Kauffman leaves the Amish community, she finds little comfort in her new relationship with Jesus to fill the void Simon left in her life.

Still wrestling with accepting God’s comforting peace, Anna sets out on a journey to uncover the truth behind Simon’s disappearance and then his untimely return to Willow Springs. But her discovery leads her to question…


Book cover of The Boys

Joanna Elm Author Of Fool Her Once

From my list on contemporary suspense with jaw-dropping twists.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write for a living. Have done it all my life—in daily newspapers, magazines, for TV news, as a law clerk to a NYS Supreme Court judge, and as a traditionally published author. I’ve also been an avid reader of page-turning thrillers for decades. It’s why I write in that genre, and why I’ve become familiar with the jaw-dropping twist that turns a story on its head just when you think you know where it’s heading. It’s what I aimed for in my latest thriller, Fool Her Once. It’s just a sheer delight when it’s done well—as it is in the five books I’ve chosen here.

Joanna's book list on contemporary suspense with jaw-dropping twists

Joanna Elm Why did Joanna love this book?

I’ve read many thrillers in my genre touted for their mind-blowing twists, but which have left me disappointed. The Boys lives up to its hype. Totally.  

Ethan is a husband who has an extreme fear of parenting. To help him overcome his fears, his wife Barb arranges for them to foster two brothers. Ethan takes to his parenting role so diligently that Barb has to take a breather from the marriage while Ethan takes the boys on a biking trip to Italy.  

It is here—a little more than halfway through the novel—that the reader learns the shocking truth about the boys. Nothing prepared me for this twist. At all. Or, for the revelations and resolution that followed—all of which made the twist totally plausible and comprehensible.  

By Katie Hafner,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Boys as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Hafner's taut and utterly delightful debut is a novel of multitudes.... What a wonder of storytelling." -Weike Wang, New York Times

New York Times Editors' Pick | Most Anticipated | GMA Summer Reads

A delicious summer read filled with humor and surprise for readers of Anne Tyler and Kevin Wilson.

When introverted Ethan Fawcett marries fun-loving Barb, so comfortable in the world, he has every reason to believe he will be delivered from a lifetime of solitude. She fills his world with a sense of adventure, expanding his horizons beyond his comfortable routine. To ease Ethan's fears of becoming a…


Book cover of Witch

Mary Kendall Author Of The Spinster's Fortune

From my list on vintage gothic suspense by iconic authors.

Why am I passionate about this?

Sometimes I have to take a trip back to my reading "roots": gothic mystery and suspense. This list is a deep dive into some of my very favorite vintage gothic authors and ones that I consider to be icons of the genre. These writers formed the foundation not only for my reading tastes but also for who I have become as a writer. The memories of my younger self come flooding back when I revisit these authors and their works as I have done with this list. Some of these novels are hard to come by now but, in my opinion, the older and more beat-up paperback, the better. 

Mary's book list on vintage gothic suspense by iconic authors

Mary Kendall Why did Mary love this book?

I spent so many summer afternoons as a teenager reading Barbara Michaels’ novels.

She is another writer who managed to set in stone my love and fascination for tales gothic and truly inspired and informed my own writing.

This one with a copyright of 1973 has it all. Isolated, rural setting with a historic stone cottage, creepy, almost folk horror-esque townspeople, a twisted villain, and a supernatural edge.

But it also has something that Michael’s specialized in: dialogue that captures relationships in a very approachable and identifiable way despite the vintage year.

Witch captures her mastery of the gothic and ticks all the boxes of a great read in the genre.

By Barbara Michaels,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Witch as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A wonderful Gothic suspense story filled with clever twists and turns, Witch by Barbara Michaels will have you on the edge of your seat.

It was more than her dream house. For divorcee Ellen March, buying the secluded old house nestled in the pine woods marked the start of a new life. Now she could put her failed marriage behind her, enjoy the quiet solitude of small town life in Virginia, and get to know her new neighbour, the handsome Norman McKay.

But strange visions began to cloud her mind - the shadowy figure of a woman, a ghostly white…


Book cover of The Stone Carnation

Mary Kendall Author Of The Spinster's Fortune

From my list on vintage gothic suspense by iconic authors.

Why am I passionate about this?

Sometimes I have to take a trip back to my reading "roots": gothic mystery and suspense. This list is a deep dive into some of my very favorite vintage gothic authors and ones that I consider to be icons of the genre. These writers formed the foundation not only for my reading tastes but also for who I have become as a writer. The memories of my younger self come flooding back when I revisit these authors and their works as I have done with this list. Some of these novels are hard to come by now but, in my opinion, the older and more beat-up paperback, the better. 

Mary's book list on vintage gothic suspense by iconic authors

Mary Kendall Why did Mary love this book?

This novel put a pin on what became a life-long fascination with gothic fiction for me.

I first read it over forty years ago and it is hands-down the most memorable novel ever from my early reading diet.

Why is it so memorable? It hits all the high notes necessary for gripping suspense/mystery/romance in this genre and is laden with all the gothicky feels.

It includes a bit of the supernatural, mystery of an old gravestone, mood setting in the Virginia hills, and a heroine in a dangerous pickle.

Originally published in 1971, it is out of print now but find a copy if you can. You won’t regret it.

By Naomi A. Hintze,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Stone Carnation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Clean pages. Creases on corner of cover.


Book cover of Shiver

Kel O'Connor Author Of Broken Bits

From my list on romantic suspense with forced proximity as a trope.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been a fan of romantic suspense since I was a teen (many decades ago) and started writing my DAG Team Series in 2016. I adore everything about this genre – the puzzles, the intrigue and how they affect the budding relationship between the main characters. Dating is difficult when you are trying to catch a killer or on the run! Despite the central mystery, the focus is on the romance between the couple. The issues serve to add a layer of non-sexual tension. 

Kel's book list on romantic suspense with forced proximity as a trope

Kel O'Connor Why did Kel love this book?

Kidnap victim takes a repo agent and her child hostage in order to discover who blew his cover and is trying to kill him.She finds him locked in the trunk of a car she is repossessing. Daniel needs to find his kidnappers and find out how they found him in protective custody.  I liked how Samantha worked hard to provide for her family and her courage in this odd situation. Again, features forced proximity!

By Karen Robards,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Shiver as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When she swore off love, he was the last man she imagined would steal her heart.

If driving a tow truck through the seediest part of town with a gun beside her means putting a roof over her son's head, then single mother Samantha is going to be the best repossession woman on the books. But when she hooks her truck up to a flashy BMW, the last thing she expects is to find a beaten, bloody man in the trunk - or to be catapulted into a terrifying fight to survive.

Daniel knows the drug runners who kidnapped him…


Book cover of A Shadow on the Snow
Book cover of The Hidden Gate
Book cover of The Bark of Zorro

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