12 Best Winter Thrillers to Read During a Snow Storm

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Snow in the forecast? Be sure to get yourself prepared with some snow day reading! Today, I am sharing my 12 favorite winter thrillers to read during a snow storm. I love to read winter novels with a blizzard or snow storm setting when I am hibernating in my house during a rare Arkansas snow!

We don’t get snow all that Arkansas. It’s usually ice we get. But either way – no one has to tell me twice to enjoy a snow day! As soon as the weather folks tell me there’s a chance, I’m ready! A few cozy blankets, some mugs of hot chocolate, fresh baked cookies, a pot of chili, a stack of winter thrillers to read…and I am good for a week-long hibernation!

This year, we got five snow days! Five! In a row! I mean all the snow dances came out for a 6th day, but I guess I can’t complain about five. Read on to see which winter thrillers I stayed busy with and some others I recommend.

woman holds up An Unwanted Guest novel by Shari Lapena for best winter thrillers to read during a snow storm

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Our Favorite Winter Thrillers to Cozy Up With This Winter

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena – This is the only snow themed novel I had on hand at the time of our snow storm. It’s a great one to pass along during this time of year! Shari Lapena is one of my favorite authors. I will admit this one wasn’t my absolute favorite of hers, but it is still a good winter blizzard novel that can easily be devoured!
The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf – A woman staying alone in an isolated farmhouse in a heavy blizzard…what could go wrong?
Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards – This winter read features a group of strangers bound together along the slippery roads of a blizzard – with lots of secrets and surprises along the way.
Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates – Those who love thrillers will enjoy this murder mystery set in a cabin in the woods during the…you guessed it…dead of winter!
No Exit by Taylor Adams – Set in the blizzard-hit roads of Colorado, this story unravels a mystery involving a young child, earning it an Amazon’s Editor’s Pick.
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse – This story focuses on…you guessed it…a sanatorium which has now been turned into a luxe hotel. One of the characters disappears during a major snow storm, and the mystery begins.
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney – Olympic level twists is how some describe this New York Times bestseller! The story, flipping between the past and the present as the characters travel on a getaway to Scotland, will make you forget about your own snow storm outside!
The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley – Another winter thriller set in the Scottish Highlands, Foley sets a story of a group of long-time friends whose friendship strains become as heavy as the blizzard moving in. While I wasn’t a fan of Foley’s other popular novel, The Guest List, I find that this story moves faster and carries more intrigue. (Fun fact: The Guest List is one of the only novels I did not finish in recent years).
One by One by Ruth Ware – You might wish you were snowed in at the French Alps rather than in your home. But a little ways into One by One, you’ll feel satisfied you are mingling with the characters at their work retreat – destined for gloom!
The Shuddering by Ana Ahlborn – This one ranks as more of a horror thriller than a psychological thriller – full of all the gore and twists as you might expect from a darker novel. Twin siblings and a group of friends wish for one last hang out at an old family cabin. But what evil lurks outside this remote cabin in the Colorado during a wintery storm?
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo: This detective hunts serial-killer style thriller is book #7 of Nesbo’s detective series. Set against winter’s first snow, this is one to cozy up with during your own snow storm!
The Wrong Family by Tarryn Fisher: Okay, so this one may not give vibes of a true snow storm. However, it is definitely a cold and dreary winter setting in many areas of this book. And this book – which almost entirely focuses inside the home of a family – kept me hooked from the beginning!