The 5 Best ‘GMA’ Book Club Picks for Mystery Lovers to Read This Summer: ‘So Many Twists and Turns’
From murderers' wives to podcasts, these GMA Book Club picks are perfect beach reads
Key Takeaways
- 'The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives' was GMA's March 2026 Book Club pick.
- 'Best Offer Wins' was GMA's December 2025 pick about a woman's obsessive house hunt.
- 'Listen for the Lie' earned praise from Stephen King as a "world-class whodunit."
Summer is the ideal time to lose yourself in a gripping whodunit, and Good Morning America’s (GMA) book club has curated some of the best page-turners around. Over the years, the beloved morning show has championed mystery novels that are perfect for lazy beach days and late-night reading sessions alike. Discover the must-read mysteries below.
The best ‘GMA’ mystery books to read this summer
From podcasts to murderers’ wives here are the best Good Morning America book club picks to read this summer.
‘The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives’ by Elizabeth Arnott
In this March 2026 GMA Book Club pick, three women are bound by an unthinkable connection: Beverley, Elsie and Margot are all former wives of convicted killers. During the summer of 1966, this unlikely trio forges a friendship while attempting to piece their shattered lives back together. Beverley is fiercely protective of her children, Elsie fights to prove herself in a male-dominated newsroom and glamorous Margot masks her pain behind flawlessly orchestrated parties. When a chilling series of murders plagues their California town, the three women take matters into their own hands. After all, who better to catch a killer than those who once loved one?
What Good Morning America says: “Real Housewives…but make it a murder-mystery. You’ll be dying to read our March #GMABookClub pick The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives by Elizabeth Arnott—a story as much about sisterhood and survival as it is about murder.”
What readers are saying: “This book hooked me fast and never let go. What I loved most is how it constantly made me question everything. I had theories, I had strong opinions and I was confidently wrong more than once. I loved all the red herrings and the revealed motivation behind the killings. I was genuinely shocked, and that is not easy to do since I read a lot of mysteries. When a book can still surprise me like that, it stands out.”
‘Best Offer Wins’ by Marisa Kashino
This mystery was chosen as a GMA Book Club pick in December 2025. The story centers on Margo Miyake, a 37-year-old publicist desperate to escape the cramped apartment she shares with her husband Ian. After enduring 11 crushing bidding wars, she receives an insider tip about her dream house—before it even hits the market. For Margo, this isn’t just an opportunity; it’s destiny. She’ll do whatever it takes to make it hers. But as her determination intensifies, the line between ambition and dangerous obsession begins to blur.
What Good Morning America says: “We feel right at home with our December #GMABookClub pick Best Offer Wins—just without the white picket fence. Marisa Kashino’s novel asks: ‘How far would you go for the house of your dreams?’”
What readers are saying: “Anyone who has ever been house hunting knows the emotional highs and lows and stress it induces, and Margo’s experience is one for the books! Reading about her misadventures, and the risks she takes for her dream home had me turning pages long into the night. And when things take a surprising turn, I was rapt,” says Woman’s World Executive Editor Patty Bontekoe.
‘Not Quite Dead Yet’ by Holly Jackson
Not Quite Dead Yet was an August 2025 GMA Book Club pick. It follows the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont, who gets attacked one night. Following the attack, she suffers a brain injury that doctors say will trigger a fatal aneurysm. She needs surgery to fix it, but she denies it and instead uses her borrowed time to reconnect with her family and friends. Little do they know that she has her own agenda: she wants to figure out who tried to kill her before they strike again.
What Good Morning America says: “We’re ‘Not Quite Dead Yet’ over this August #GMABookClub pick…but close. Holly Jackson’s twisty thriller Not Quite Dead Yet follows a young woman on a mission to solve her own murder.”
What readers are saying: “I absolutely loved this book! It had so many twists and turns, kept me guessing the entire time. It was hilarious and ripped my heart out at the same time.”
‘Listen for the Lie’ by Amy Tintera
This March 2024 GMA Book Club pick opens with a haunting image: Lucy covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood. Everyone believes she’s guilty of murder, but Lucy can’t remember a single detail from that horrific night. Years earlier, Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town—Savvy, the beloved social butterfly, and Lucy, living her picture-perfect life with her dream husband in her dream house. Now, Lucy has fled to LA, desperately trying to outrun her past. But when the hit true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie” begins investigating Savvy’s unsolved murder, its charismatic host Ben Owens drags Lucy back into the spotlight. As Ben digs deeper, long-buried secrets begin to surface. Will Lucy finally uncover the truth about what happened that night—or will the truth destroy her?
What Good Morning America says: “Listen For The Lie by Amy Tintera is this month’s #GMABookClub pick! Amy Tintera’s new murder mystery about a true crime podcaster determined to crack an unsolved case has been called a ‘world-class whodunit’ by Stephen King.”
What readers are saying: “Amy Tintera’s Listen for the Lie was an excellent addition to my recent reads, and it quickly became a favorite among my book club. The novel kicks off with a gripping mystery and maintains its suspense throughout, making it hard to put down.” (Editor’s note: The audiobook version of this mystery is a must-listen, with podcast episodes interspersed with Lucy and Savvy’s story.)
‘The Love of My Life’ by Rosie Walsh
This March 2022 GMA Book Club pick follows Emma, a wife and mother who’s lying to everyone—and she’s gotten away with it too. But when Emma comes down with a serious illness, her obituary-writing husband does what he does best: research and this time the person he’s researching is his own wife. Soon, secrets begin to emerge and Emma must do everything in her power to prove to her husband that she really is who she claims to be.
What Good Morning America says: “Walsh’s new book has so many twists and turns that it will keep you guessing until the very last page.”
What readers are saying: “I recently had the pleasure of delving into the captivating world of The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh, a gripping thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. This book is a true gem that I devoured in just three days, unable to tear myself away from its pages.”
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