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There is literally nothing as thrilling as the entire concept of time travel.
No really – just imagine being able to go back or forward in time at will.
I know for sure there are a few things I’d love to do in the past – like make an investment that would set me and my grandchildren’s grandchildren up for life.
But since that’s impossible, thankfully we have fiction to turn to.
In the books featured in this post, time travel is taken to a whole new level, because now we’ve got a good mystery baked right in.
I’ve compiled the very best time travel thriller and mystery books that kept me up all night.
Now, I’m a binge reader, and I can easily dedicate 12 to 15 hours to finish a book. But most times I’m juggling several at once.
With every book on this list though, I was completely glued. I couldn’t stop reading. That’s just how good they are.
So take a look through, and let me know in the comments which ones you’re adding to your TBR.
I can’t wait to hear what you think about these books.
The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez
Nia Imani travels through space, aging slowly while the rest of the universe races ahead.
She’s lonely, stuck in the same rhythm of work, until a quiet, mysterious boy falls from the sky and into her life.
He doesn’t talk, but plays the most haunting music on a wooden flute.
They slowly become each other’s family, and they heal old wounds and build something real together.
But of course, peace doesn’t last – someone from the past wants the boy back, and their quiet life is ripped apart.
I loved how the bond between them grows so slowly but feels so powerful.
It’s tender, yet full of suspense, and it’ll tug at your soul while keeping you on edge.
TimeRiders by Alex Scarrow
Imagine dying and then, right before it happens, someone grabs your hand and says Come with me.
That’s what happens to Liam, Maddy, and Sal. But they don’t get a second chance at life for free.
Instead, they’re now part of a secret agency that protects history from being changed.
Time travel is real, and people are messing with the past in dangerous ways.
Their mission? Fix time before the world unravels.
It’s fast-paced, exciting, and honestly gave me goosebumps.
If you’ve ever wanted a twisty ride where history goes sideways, this is it.
Somewhere in Time by Richard Matheson
This one is so romantic and beautiful that I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
A modern-day man falls in love with a woman from the 1800s – yes, a woman he’s never met.
But he feels like he knows her. So what does he do? He travels back in time to find her.
The setting – a luxurious hotel in 1896 – is magical, and their love story is full of longing and emotion.
It’s slow, emotional, and bittersweet in the best way.
Not your usual time-travel thriller, but it absolutely pulls you in with heart and mystery.
I adored every quiet, intense moment.
The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch
Shannon Moss is an investigator in a top-secret time-travel program.
She’s working on a brutal murder case, but things get complicated fast when she learns the suspect had been on a mission into Deep Time.
To solve it, she has to jump into different versions of the future.
What she finds there is horrifying – a vision of humanity’s end called the Terminus.
The tension builds with every page, and I couldn’t look away.
It’s dark, gritty, and full of mind-bending twists.
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
This book follows Holly Sykes, who starts out as a runaway teen and becomes part of something much, much bigger.
She’s not just a regular girl – there are strange voices, mystical powers, and a war between two secret groups that stretches across centuries.
Each chapter jumps to a new decade, and we see how her life touches others in ways she can’t imagine.
It felt like a giant puzzle with pieces slowly snapping into place.
There’s mystery, time travel, and even magic-like twists.
It’s a bit surreal, but so rewarding once it all comes together.
Recursion by Blake Crouch
This one blew my mind.
People are suddenly remembering entire lives they never lived – kids, spouses, careers.
NYPD cop Barry Sutton is on the case, but the more he investigates, the more reality starts to fall apart.
Meanwhile, scientist Helena Smith is working on a memory-saving machine.
Together, they realize memories are messing with time itself and reality is shifting right under their feet.
It’s fast, it’s smart, and it made me question everything. What if your worst memories could rewrite the world?
The story jumps through time and keeps your heart pounding. I didn’t want it to end.
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
A killer from the past finds a house that lets him travel through time.
He uses it to target bright, talented women, who he calls his shining girls.
But he makes one big mistake: Kirby survives. Now she’s hunting him.
Working at a newspaper with a tough reporter, she starts piecing together the truth.
And what she finds is terrifying – a killer who shouldn’t exist, hopping through decades.
I loved Kirby’s determination and how the mystery slowly unraveled.
It’s creepy, clever, and full of unexpected turns.
If you like twisty thrillers with a touch of the impossible, this one delivers.
Time and Again by Jack Finney
This one feels like stepping into a dream.
Si Morley is picked for a secret project that sends him back to 1880s New York.
And it’s not some sci-fi machine – they do it by believing they’re there.
He falls in love with a girl from the past, but solving a present-day mystery means staying focused.
Still, the past is calling, and Si has to choose where he really belongs.
The way it describes old New York is so vivid – I felt like I was walking down snowy streets with him.
It’s calm, cozy, but with just enough mystery to keep things moving.
The Rich and the Dead by Liv Spector
Lila Day is a detective who couldn’t solve a massive murder case in 2015 – twelve rich people were killed, and the killer vanished.
Years later, she’s lost everything until a rich stranger offers her a crazy second chance: go back in time and stop the murders before they happen.
The only rule? She can’t save anyone, just find the killer.
But that’s easier said than done, especially when she starts caring about the soon-to-be victims.
This one had me hooked.
It’s emotional, suspenseful, and full of action.
I kept wondering: would I be able to let people die if it meant justice?
Paradox Bound by Peter Clines
Eli meets a woman in old-fashioned clothes, driving a strange car, carrying a flintlock rifle, and saying things that don’t make sense – until she vanishes in a blast of bullets and smoke.
Years later, he sees her again and jumps at the chance to find out the truth.
What follows is a wild chase across centuries, through hidden roads and time portals.
They’re being hunted by creepy faceless men, and the very future of America is at stake.
It’s weird, fun, and feels like an action movie mixed with history class in the best way.
So, tell me – which of these time travel thriller books are you planning to get your hands on? Let me know all about it in the comments.
