Rita Reads: September 2025 Roundup📚✨

👋 Hi friends,

I hope you enjoyed last month’s newsletter and maybe even found a new favorite book! As we head into fall (and spooky season 🎃), I thought it would be fun to lean into the mystery and thriller genres with a few books that are perfect for October reading. From suspenseful sequels to historical mysteries, this month’s picks are all about intrigue, secrets, and a few twists you won’t see coming.

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Happy reading,

Mystery / Thriller

Ruth Ware grew up on the South Coast of England and graduated from Manchester University. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a waitress, bookseller, English teacher, and press officer. She’s now a New York Times bestselling author of over 10 novels. Her breakout hit, The Woman in Cabin 10, became a bestseller in 2016 and is being released as a Netflix film in October 2025. Ruth lives with her family in Sussex, England.

Ruth Ware is one of my all-time favorite authors, and I’ve read every single one of her books. If I had to pick my top three, they would be The Turn of the Key, The Death of Mrs. Westaway, and The It Girl. She has such a talent for pulling you into a story with tension and just the right amount of twists.

So you can imagine my surprise when I heard she was writing a sequel. Ruth rarely writes them, but after ten years of fans asking what happened to Lo and Carrie from The Woman in Cabin 10, she finally gave in. Personally, I love that she revisited these characters, even though you could still read Suite 11 as a standalone. That said, I’d recommend refreshing your memory of Cabin 10 first because it makes the story more fun when you catch the connections.

In Suite 11, we meet Lo ten years later, living in the U.S. with her husband and two young sons. She’s written a bestselling book about her terrifying experience aboard the Aurora cruise ship, but now that her kids are older, she’s eager to return to journalism. When she receives an invitation to a luxury hotel opening in Switzerland, she reluctantly accepts, hoping it might give her career the jumpstart she craves.

I’ll admit, Lo can still be a little too naive and trusting for my taste (and I found myself shaking my head at some of her choices), but that’s part of what makes her believable. And just like in all Ruth Ware novels, the twists and turns kept me hooked. A mysterious note, an invitation to the elusive Suite 11, and an encounter with someone from her past all set the stage for another suspenseful ride.

While this isn’t my favorite of Ware’s books, I found it to be a fast, entertaining read, especially for fall. It’s the kind of book you can cozy up with on a rainy weekend, knowing you’ll get just enough of that classic Ruth Ware plot to keep you turning pages late into the night.

Historical Fiction / Mystery

Fiona Davis was born in Canada in 1966 and grew up in New Jersey, Utah, and Texas. She studied at The College of William & Mary and later trained as an actress before earning a master’s in journalism from Columbia University. A New York Times bestselling author, she’s known for historical fiction set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Lions of Fifth Avenue (New York Public Library), The Spectacular (Radio City Music Hall), and The Magnolia Palace (Frick Mansion). For Stolen Queen, she traveled to Egypt, interviewed Egyptologists, and drew inspiration from The Empress of the Nile.

I’ve read three of Fiona Davis’s novels so far, and I’ve enjoyed every single one. Growing up in New Jersey and working in New York City throughout my adult life, I loved visiting many of the iconic buildings she so often brings to life in her stories. One of the things I admire most about her writing is how she blends rich architectural history with compelling fictional plots. In The Stolen Queen, she takes us behind the scenes of one of the most famous institutions in the world, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and layers it with history, mystery, and adventure.

This novel follows a dual timeline, alternating between 1936 and 1978. I know not every reader is a fan of this style, but in my opinion, it worked really well here and was very easy to follow. The story starts off a little slowly, but once it finds its rhythm, it develops into an intriguing plot anchored by strong female characters. I particularly enjoyed how Davis wove in Egyptian history and artifacts. I learned quite a bit, and it added so much depth to the mystery.

The book has all the hallmarks of a good historical mystery: ambition, betrayal, lost artifacts, and the shadow of a curse that keeps you wondering how it will all play out. Charlotte, the archaeologist at the heart of the 1936 storyline, is determined and resilient, and I loved following her journey even as she faced scandal and setbacks. In the 1978 thread, Annie brings a fresh perspective as a young woman working for Diana Vreeland during the glamorous planning of the Met Gala. When their worlds intersect, the story really takes off, especially once a priceless Egyptian artifact goes missing.

For me, The Stolen Queen was an engaging blend of history, mystery, and adventure. It kept me guessing until the very end, and I especially appreciated the author’s note, which gives insight into the real figures and events that inspired the novel. If you enjoy strong women at the center of historical fiction with a touch of suspense, this is a great pick.

Mystery / Thriller

Lisa Gardner is a New York Times bestselling thriller novelist whose work has been published in over 30 countries. Known for her meticulous research into police procedures and criminal psychology, she’s the author of numerous acclaimed series. Her novel, The Neighbor, won Best Hardcover Novel from the International Thriller Writers. She lives with her family in New England.

This is the fourth book in Lisa Gardner’s Frankie Elkin series, and while it can absolutely be read as a standalone, I’d recommend starting with Before She Disappeared if you want to really understand Frankie’s character and motivations. Frankie is one of my favorite series protagonists. She’s scrappy, gutsy, and deeply compassionate, and the kind of character who dedicates her life to finding missing people long after the police have given up. She isn’t a licensed professional investigator, but that’s part of what makes her so compelling: she’s a woman determined to bring closure to families who feel forgotten.

That said, I found Kiss Her Goodbye a little different from Gardner’s other books in this series. The plot felt a bit less grounded and at times somewhat unrealistic, and I didn’t experience the same level of nail-biting suspense that I’ve come to expect. Still, Frankie’s persistence kept me turning the pages, and the last quarter of the book picked up speed with plenty of mystery and a few emotional twists.

One element that really stood out to me was the dual narrative. The present-day storyline follows Frankie’s search for Sabera Ahmadi, an Afghan refugee who has gone missing in Tucson, Arizona. Interwoven with that are Sabera’s own journal entries from her childhood in Kabul and her time in refugee camps. These passages were heartbreaking and painted a vivid, painful picture of displacement, resilience, and loss. I thought they were some of the strongest parts of the book, adding real weight to the mystery.

While this wasn’t my favorite Frankie Elkin novel, I still appreciated how Gardner wove in such a timely and human story. The inclusion of Sabera’s background gave the mystery a deeper emotional layer, reminding me that behind every disappearance is a real person with a history and loved ones left searching. Gardner’s author’s note at the end adds context about her inspiration, which I found meaningful and worth reflecting on.

This month, I also picked up a few standout reads beyond my top three. From a sweeping historical tale to atmospheric mysteries and a contemporary family drama, these stories kept me turning the pages for very different reasons. Each offered strong characters, compelling themes, and just the right mix of heart and suspense.

Next month, I’m diving into stories of women who played extraordinary roles in wartime. These books will highlight courage, resilience, and strength at the heart of history.

Plus, you can follow me on Goodreads to keep up with my latest ratings.

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Thanks for spending a little of your time with me. I hope these stories, recommendations, and little literary detours brought a smile to your day or even inspired your next great read. Keep turning those pages and sharing the joy of books with someone you love. Until next time!