There’s something about reading a good mystery when it’s pouring rain outside. Especially when the characters in the book are dealing with weather even worse than yours.

I’m talking about rain that doesn’t seem to stop, storms that leave people stranded, and those long nights when you wouldn’t want to step outside for anything.

I’ve rounded up 13 books featuring everything from flooded streets and gloomy old houses to violent hurricanes and murder mysteries on isolated islands. Some are creepy, some are suspenseful, and a few might make you appreciate being safe and dry at home.

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Rainy Nights, Flooded Streets, and Gloomy Places

Not every storm comes with hurricane-force winds. Sometimes it’s the steady rain, rising water, or the thought of being somewhere alone after dark that makes a story unsettling.

The Rain Watcher by Tatiana de Rosnay

The Malegarde family gathers in Paris for a birthday celebration, but their plans quickly fall apart when the family’s father suffers a stroke.

Meanwhile, it won’t stop raining.

As the Seine rises and parts of Paris begin to flood, the family finds themselves dealing with more than just the weather. Old secrets and complicated relationships start coming to the surface.

This one is more family drama than thriller, but the relentless rain and flooded city give it a wonderfully gloomy setting.

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Young solicitor Arthur Kipps travels to a lonely house on the English coast to settle the affairs of a recently deceased woman.

Eel Marsh House is surrounded by marshland, and the causeway leading to it can become impassable. Between the damp weather, thick mist, and mysterious woman who keeps appearing, Arthur’s assignment becomes increasingly disturbing.

It’s a classic ghost story with an isolated old house, a gloomy landscape, and plenty of reasons to be nervous after dark.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

In 1982, Viv Delaney takes a job working the overnight shift at the Sun Down Motel in upstate New York.

The motel is lonely, strange things happen after dark, and then Viv disappears.

Decades later, her niece Carly arrives in town to find out what happened.

The story moves between the two timelines, gradually uncovering the motel’s disturbing history. There are rainy nights, unsettling guests, and some very good reasons not to volunteer for the night shift.

Stormy Islands and Nowhere to Escape

There’s something particularly unpleasant about being stranded somewhere with a group of strangers, especially when one of them might be a murderer.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

A wedding on a remote island off the Irish coast sounds romantic enough. But the guests arrive carrying secrets, grudges, and plenty of reasons to dislike one another.

Then the storm arrives.

With the weather worsening and the island cut off, the celebration takes a deadly turn.

The story follows several characters, each revealing a different piece of what happened. And with everyone stranded together, things get uncomfortable pretty quickly.

Death on the Island by Eliza Reid

Nine people gather for a diplomatic dinner in a small Icelandic village.

The guests have different backgrounds, different motives, and more than a few secrets. Outside, a howling storm has left them cut off from the rest of the world.

By the end of the evening, one of them will be dead.

The ambassador’s wife, Jane, becomes involved in figuring out what happened. It’s a modern locked-room mystery with a stormy Icelandic setting.

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Ten strangers are invited to an isolated island by a mysterious host.

When they arrive, their host is nowhere to be found. Before long, the guests begin dying, and it becomes clear that someone knows a great deal about their pasts.

As a storm cuts off the island, escaping becomes impossible.

This is one of Christie’s best-known mysteries, and the setup is still wonderfully unsettling. Imagine realizing you’re trapped with a killer and having absolutely nowhere to go.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Travel journalist Lo Blacklock has been invited aboard a luxury cruise ship traveling through the North Sea.

The accommodations are beautiful, the guests are enjoying themselves, and everything seems to be going well.

Then, during the night, Lo believes she witnesses a woman being thrown overboard.

There’s just one problem: everyone on the ship is accounted for.

As cold winds sweep across the North Sea and the skies turn gray, Lo realizes she may be trapped aboard a ship with a murderer. And she has no idea whom she can trust.

Hurricanes, Murder, and Dangerous Secrets

These books take bad weather to another level. Hurricanes threaten homes, strand people together, and sometimes provide the perfect opportunity for someone to get away with murder.

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

The Rosalie Inn has stood along the Alabama Gulf Coast for more than a century, surviving hurricane after hurricane.

But the town is also remembered for a notorious murder case.

Back in 1984, Lo Bailey was accused of killing her lover during Hurricane Marie. She was acquitted, but the rumors never went away.

Decades later, Lo returns with a writer who wants to tell her story. As another dangerous hurricane approaches, old secrets begin resurfacing.

The Guests by Margot Hunt

As a Category 5 hurricane approaches Florida, a family prepares to ride out the storm in their waterfront home.

When three strangers arrive looking for shelter, the family decides to let them inside.

That turns out to be a decision they may regret.

With the hurricane raging outside and tensions growing indoors, the people they’ve welcomed into their home become a danger of their own.

The Bone Cay by Eliza Nellums

Magda Trudell is the caretaker of an old mansion in Key West, a house once belonging to a famous poet.

When a hurricane approaches, she refuses to evacuate, determined to protect the property.

The storm causes extensive damage, but it also reveals something that has been hidden for years: human remains.

As Magda begins investigating, she uncovers secrets connected to the house and its former occupants.

Storm Warning by David Bell

Jake Powell is on a Florida barrier island when a powerful hurricane approaches.

Most people have already evacuated, but Jake discovers that a friend has been murdered.

With the storm closing in, he finds himself trapped in a nearly empty apartment building, unsure whether the killer is still there.

Camino Winds by John Grisham

A hurricane strikes Camino Island, Florida, causing widespread destruction.

In the aftermath, a local writer is discovered dead. At first, his death appears to be another tragedy caused by the storm.

But bookstore owner Bruce Cable suspects the writer’s death wasn’t an accident and decides to investigate.

This is the second book in Grisham’s Camino Island series, so readers may want to start with Camino Island.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

In 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels arrives at Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a patient from a psychiatric hospital.

The island is isolated, the hospital is unsettling, and the circumstances surrounding the missing woman don’t make much sense.

Then a hurricane approaches, threatening to cut the island off completely.

As Teddy continues his investigation, he begins questioning what is really happening around him.

It’s a psychological thriller with plenty of secrets and an increasingly claustrophobic setting.

A Few Extras for Your Next Rainy Reading Night

Once you’ve picked out a book, here are a few things to make those rainy evenings a little more comfortable.

The Vedas Book of Tea — Herbal Tea Gift Set

A warm cup of tea and a good book make a pretty good combination, especially when it’s raining outside.

This book-shaped gift box includes 48 tea bags in 12 different herbal blends, giving you plenty of flavors to try while settling in with your next read. The packaging is a nice touch for book lovers, too.

The Book Seat Book Holder

If you like reading while curled up on the couch or relaxing in bed, a book holder can make things a little easier.

The Book Seat is designed to support a book at a comfortable angle, so you don’t have to hold it open the entire time.

It’s also handy for readers who like having a cup of tea or coffee nearby.

Soft Sherpa Throw Blanket

Sometimes the best part of a rainy evening is being warm and comfortable while the weather outside is miserable.

A soft throw blanket is a simple addition to a favorite reading spot, particularly during those chilly autumn and winter nights.

Reading Book Pillow Cover

For someone who already has a favorite reading chair or corner of the couch, a book-themed pillow cover is a fun little accessory.

It adds a bit of personality without taking up much room, and it’s an easy way to make a reading space feel more inviting.

More Books for Dark and Gloomy Evenings

If you enjoy isolated houses, unsettling secrets, and things that go bump in the night, take a look at my Terrifying Haunted House Books to Keep You Up All Night.

There are plenty more creepy places to visit without ever leaving your reading chair.

What Would You Read on a Stormy Night?

There’s something rather satisfying about reading a book where the characters are having a much worse night than you are.

Maybe they’re stranded on an island, trapped in a house with strangers, or trying to solve a murder while a hurricane is approaching.

Meanwhile, you’re safe at home with a blanket, something warm to drink, and absolutely no intention of going outside.

Sounds like a pretty good evening to me.

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