Looking for the best books to take on holiday this summer?
Whether you’re planning a beach escape, a city break or a long-haul adventure, the best holiday reads have one thing in common: they make you forget to check your phone.
From gripping thrillers and clever mysteries to immersive literary fiction and contemporary page-turners, these are the books we recommend packing for summer 2026. They’re the stories you’ll reach for on the plane, beside the pool and during those blissfully slow afternoons when all you need is a good book.
What should you read based on your holiday personality? Eden Falls or The Pinnacle .All In or Waist Deep . Island Calling or The Fisherman’s Gift .
Must-read thrillers
When newlywed Aisha’s husband vanishes in an airport lounge, leaving behind only a cryptic apology, she finds herself drawn into a race across America alongside the widow of his murdered best friend.
What follows is a high-stakes hunt through the worlds of artificial intelligence, tech billionaires and hidden agendas, where every answer raises a more dangerous question. Smart, timely and relentlessly paced, Eden Falls combines the momentum of a thriller with thought-provoking ideas about technology, power and trust.
Read if you like: globe-trotting thrillers, near-future suspense, Dan Brown-style mysteries and stories that ask big questions about technology.
Katie Cole is on trial for murdering four powerful men at an exclusive London club. But who is she really?
Through the eyes of a father, a friend, a lover, a barrister and a journalist, Nicci Cloke gradually reveals a woman who seems to be a different person to everyone she meets. Cleverly constructed and impossible to second-guess, this is a suspense novel about identity, power and the stories people tell about one another.
Read if you like: Lisa Jewell, courtroom dramas, true crime documentaries and morally complex psychological thrillers.
Leo and Viv’s Friday night begins like any other: a takeaway, a film and an early night. But when Leo wakes up, he’s no longer in London. Instead, he finds himself naked and alone in a hotel room on the other side of the world, with no idea how he got there. Then it happens again.
Blending a brilliantly original premise with relentless suspense, The Arrival is a high-concept thriller that asks what you’d do if you woke up somewhere impossible – and realised someone was trying to kill you.
Read if you like: Dark Matter Wrong Place, Wrong Time
At St Cordula’s, an ancient convent boarding school, a centuries-old legend warns that disaster will strike if the words GOD FORGIVE ME are ever allowed to fade from a chapel staircase. The last time they disappeared, a pupil died. Now, more than twenty years later, unexplained vertigo is sweeping through the school once again.
As Deputy Head Fiona Fox tries to protect the school’s future, a student begins uncovering long-buried secrets that connect the present-day crisis to a tragedy from the past. Chilling, atmospheric and full of twists, The Night Stairs is a gothic thriller you’ll race through on holiday.
Read if you like: dark academia, gothic mysteries, The Secret History
Exhausted new parents Elena and Stuart are desperate for help with their newborn daughter, Olive. Then they discover More You: a company offering clones designed to ease the burden of everyday life. Elena is hesitant, but Stuart can’t resist the promise of sleep and normality.
At first, Elena’s clone seems like the answer to everything. But as she begins copying Elena’s habits and mannerisms, both parents start to fear the stranger in their home. Chilling, intimate and unsettling, The Other You is a speculative domestic thriller about motherhood, identity and what happens when help becomes a threat.
Read if you like: speculative thrillers, domestic suspense, unsettling stories about motherhood, identity and technology.
When Bollywood superstar Sweety Sahota is found murdered in her penthouse apartment in Mumbai’s most exclusive skyscraper, suspicion falls immediately on her husband: washed-up Hollywood actor George Abercrombie. But as George tries to piece together the missing hours before her death, it becomes clear that everyone in the building has something to hide.
Set inside a glittering tower where unimaginable wealth sits alongside desperate ambition, The Pinnacle is a sharp, fast-paced thriller packed with twists, dark humour and unforgettable characters. Perfect for readers who like their murder mysteries with a satirical edge and a vividly realised sense of place.
Read if you like: Richard Osman, Lucy Foley, murder mysteries set in exclusive communities, multi-perspective thrillers and stories where every resident is hiding a secret.
Best read beach or poolside
Jo and Dave haven’t had a holiday in years, so when Dave’s wealthy brother Teddy offers to take the family to a luxury all-inclusive resort in the Med, they can hardly say no. But paradise soon becomes a pressure cooker: their marriage is already strained, the wider family dynamic is loaded, and a scorching weekend in the sun brings every awkward tension to the surface.
Funny, bittersweet and sharply observed, All In is a compulsive summer read about marriage, family and what happens when real life follows you on holiday.
Read if you like: The White Lotus , The Wedding People
Paris, 1957. Piano prodigy Max Kitson is at the height of his fame, with his devoted twin sister Natasha managing every aspect of his life. But when Max begins making mistakes on stage for the first time in his career, the pair retreat to the lavish home of a wealthy French count in search of answers.
As old resentments surface and loyalties begin to shift, the twins find themselves drawn into a tense rivalry, both competing for the attention of the enigmatic Henri. Set against a backdrop of glittering galleries, concert halls and long Parisian summers, this is a seductive novel of ambition, obsession and sibling rivalry that builds towards a devastating crescendo.
Read if you like: Daisy Jones & The Six
Paris, 1957. Piano prodigy Max Kitson is at the height of his fame, with his devoted twin sister Natasha managing every aspect of his life. But when Max begins making mistakes on stage for the first time in his career, the pair retreat to the lavish home of a wealthy French count in search of answers.
As old resentments surface and loyalties begin to shift, the twins find themselves drawn into a tense rivalry, both competing for the attention of the enigmatic Henri. Set against a backdrop of glittering galleries, concert halls and long Parisian summers, this is a seductive novel of ambition, obsession and sibling rivalry that builds towards a devastating crescendo.
Read if you like: Daisy Jones & The Six
Daisy and Maya are brilliant, funny and tired of the chaos of modern dating. After Daisy has a regrettable one-night stand with her annoying friend James, she starts to wonder why so many smart women are stuck with such hopeless romantic prospects. The answer? The Project: a radical reinvention of dating, with James as the raw material.
Sharp, sexy and full of heart, The Project is a delicious modern romcom about friendship, desire and what happens when the person you’re trying to improve becomes the person you might actually want.
Read if you like: modern romcoms, London-set love stories, Sex and the City , Girls , sharp female friendship and funny novels about finding something real.
Marisa has the job, the routine and the carefully constructed adult life she thought she wanted. The problem? She’s miserable. Trapped in an endless cycle of office politics, awkward social obligations and low-level existential dread, she begins to wonder if there’s another way to live.
Darkly funny and sharply observed, Discontent is a witty novel about burnout, modern work and the quiet rebellion of refusing to settle for a life that doesn’t fit. A smart, addictive read for anyone who has ever stared at their inbox and questioned everything.
Stories that will transport you
When London GP Charlotte Walker arrives on the remote island of Tuga, she expects a temporary posting. Instead, she finds herself drawn into a close-knit community full of eccentric characters, unexpected friendships and long-buried secrets. As island life begins to work its magic, Charlotte must decide what she’s willing to leave behind – and what she’s finally found.
Warm, witty and wonderfully escapist, Island Calling is the charming sequel to Welcome to Glorious Tuga
Read if you like: Welcome to Glorious Tuga
On a remote Scottish island, a fierce storm washes a young boy ashore, changing the lives of everyone who finds him. For Dorothy, who has never truly felt at home on Skerry, his arrival stirs memories of a devastating loss and a love she has spent years trying to forget.
Atmospheric, emotional and steeped in island folklore, The Fisherman’s Gift is a moving story about grief, hope and the unexpected ways people find their way back to one another. Perfect for readers looking for an immersive escape with plenty of heart.
Read if you like: historical fiction with a strong sense of place, coastal settings, emotional family stories, The Lamplighters
Henry and Clare’s love story begins long before they officially meet. Thanks to a rare condition that causes Henry to travel unpredictably through time, their relationship unfolds out of sequence, bringing moments of joy, heartbreak and longing as they struggle to build a life together.
Original, deeply romantic and utterly unforgettable, The Time Traveller’s Wife is a modern classic that combines an ingenious premise with an extraordinary love story. Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or revisiting an old favourite, it’s the perfect book to lose yourself in on holiday.
Read if you like: One Day
Frequently asked questions What are the best holiday reads for summer 2026? What are the best books to read on a plane? What are the best beach reads for adults?