Read or Dead

Our Book Recommendations for the 2025 Read Harder Challenge


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Katie McLain Horner and Kendra Winchester recommend mystery and thriller books to fulfill prompts for the 2025 Read Harder Challenge.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter!

A new year means a new Read Harder Challenge! Join us as we make our way through 24 tasks meant to expand our reading horizons. To get recommendations for each task, sign up for the Read Harder newsletter. All Access subscribers get even more recommendations plus community features, where you can connect with like-minded readers in a cozy and supportive corner of the internet. You can become an All Access member starting at $6 per month or $60 per year to get unlimited access to all members-only content in 20+ newsletters, community features, and the warm fuzzies of knowing you are supporting independent media. To join, visit bookriot.com/readharder.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.


News

Tom Holland is producing and starring in an adaptation of The Partner by John Grisham.

Everything you need to know about Osgood Perkins’ adaptation of The Monkey, based on the short story by Stephen King.

Books Discussed

Read Harder 2025

  • Theme Music - T. Marie Vandelly
  • The Dark Maestro - Brendan Slocumb
  • Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers - Jessie Q. Sutanto
  • A Sea of Unspoken Things - Adrienne Young
  • Our Winter Monster - Dennis Mahoney
  • Tell Me What You Did - Carter Wilson

    If you want to send an email with feedback or show suggestions, you can reach us at [email protected].

    Otherwise you can:

    Find Katie on Twitter @kt_librarylady

    Find Kendra on Instagram and BlueSky @kdwinchester and on TikTok @kendrawinchester

    And we will talk to you all next tim

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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    Read or DeadBy Book Riot

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