Suspense Novels Set by the Sea

Before it made it to the big screen, Jaws was a page-turner that left its readers afraid of their own bathtubs, let alone the ocean. When a series of shark attacks afflict a seaside town in Long Island, investigations find that the culprit isn’t any old shark. The police chief, Martin Brody, with the help of professional shark hunter Captain Quint, and oceanographer Matt Hooper, set aboard Quint’s boat, the Orca to end the attacks once and for all. Between the tension on the boat and the terror beneath it, these three men may have bitten off more than they can chew.

There wasn’t much excitement in Viridiana’s life — every day, she’d watch sharks wash ashore on a Baja California beach and brood over her life’s limited options. She can only be two things — a wife and a mother. But when she meets three American tourists, she begins to have hope that she could become so much more. Suddenly, Viridiana is living lavishly as a writer’s assistant — but it’s all just too good to be true. When one of her new friends dies, the remaining two are the last people Viridiana would suspect. But when secrets come to light, and Viridiana sees these people for who they really are, she realizes that she may have jumped the shark with this new venture.

When Susan invites two neighborhood couples to join her and her husband for a weekend at their glass beach house, relaxation becomes impossible when everyone’s marital problems are exposed. Every couple goes to bed angry that night, only to wake up to the news that one of the women was found on the beach — dead. Everyone’s a suspect after that tense night, and Detective Gabby Watkins definitely has her work cut out for her. Secrets come spilling out all over again, and like the glass house, everyone can see through the others’ facades.

More of a lakeside mystery than seaside, the shocking death of Lydia Lee is one that shows a familial love as deep as the ocean. When Marilyn and James Lee wake to find their eldest daughter missing from her room, they’re unsure whether she was kidnapped or if she ran away. Among the numerous scenarios, they never expected her body to be pulled from a nearby lake the next day. Lydia’s death wreaks havoc on the entire Lee family — her siblings struggle to be the ones left behind, and her parent’s marriage is on thin ice. But how did Lydia end up in the water that night? They may never know — she took those details with her all the way down to the bottom.

For her Mediterranean bachelorette weekend, Lexi invites her five bridesmaids to Greece to soak up the sun, swim in the ocean, and forget their troubles back home. But the vacation comes to an abrupt end when one of the girls is murdered — though we don’t know who. What were the events leading up to this mysterious death? Despite their vast differences, each of these women holds one thing in common — a disastrous secret. A weekend abroad with booze and the bride is just the way for these secrets to come flooding out. Between their ocean swims and cocktail hour, did one of them have time to plan a murder?

When the newly married de Winters return to Manderley manor after their whirlwind wedding, the new Mrs. de Winter expects the honeymoon phase to continue. But soon after their arrival, the warm and loving husband she knew turns cold, and rumors swirl around the estate regarding the previous Mrs. de Winter — Rebecca. Even in death, Rebecca’s beloved memory lives on, fiercely preserved by the servants and Mr. de Winter. But when the remains of Rebecca’s sunken boat and body are discovered, and fingers point to Mr. de Winter, his new wife must decide if blood is thicker than water — or if hers is the next to spill.

If a whole novel is too much for you, pace yourself with this horrifying and aquatic collection of short stories. From characters boarding deadly cruises, becoming trapped in caves, and exploring an artificial island for a body — just be glad you’re only living vicariously through them. While each narrative is associated with the fearful and isolating aspects of water, what Suzuki’s horror stories highlight are not the fear of what’s out there, but the fear of those around us. Storylines of domestic abuse, child neglect, and other violence become far more terrifying than anything that swims beneath the surface.

Tom Ripley is a con artist, thief, and murderer and he’s also on his way to Greece to persuade Dickie Greenleaf to return to the U.S. and join his father’s family business. After living within his means for years, Ripley is easily swooned by the extravagant lifestyle Dickie leads and not only wants to live like him, but as him. When Dickie gets wind of Ripley’s ulterior motives, he pulls away, but push comes to shove when a boat ride turns deadly. The sea becomes Ripley’s partner in crime as he assumes Dickie’s identity, and pulls every trick in the book to get himself out of hot water.

Sometimes the biggest thrills come from real life. In this memoir, Marine biologist Edith Widder recounts the first time she ventured into the deep dark blue, determined to answer one question — what could cause the bright lights that appeared at eight hundred feet below? Through this quest, we see Widder narrowly escape life-or-death situations just as likely to keep you on the edge of your seat as these other works of fiction. Through these situations, we see just how dangerous these scientific breakthroughs can be and the risks we must take to discover the unknown.