Cover of Shutter Island

Thriller · Mystery

Shutter Island

4.1 out of 5, from 386 ratings from Hardcover readers

In 1954 a U.S. marshal and his partner travel to an island hospital for the criminally insane to find a patient who has vanished from a locked room. A hurricane cuts them off, and the staff are hiding something.

Facts last checked 2026-10-16

First published
2003
Pace
Fast
Length
Medium
Pages
400
Format
Standalone

Read this if you like a claustrophobic mystery with a storm, a gothic setting and an ending you will want to discuss.

Skip this if you would rather have a straightforward procedural with no twists.

The feel

Content warnings

  • Violence
  • Death
  • Mental illness

Also reported by Hardcover readers:

  • Child death
  • Racial slurs
  • Cursing
  • Sexual content

Quick answers about Shutter Island

What is Shutter Island about?
In 1954 a U.S. marshal and his partner travel to an island hospital for the criminally insane to find a patient who has vanished from a locked room. A hurricane cuts them off, and the staff are hiding something.
Who should read Shutter Island?
Read it if you like a claustrophobic mystery with a storm, a gothic setting and an ending you will want to discuss. Skip it if you would rather have a straightforward procedural with no twists.
How long and how fast is Shutter Island?
It is a fast-paced, medium read of about 400 pages, first published in 2003.
Does Shutter Island have content warnings?
Content we flag: Violence, Death, Mental illness.
Can I borrow Shutter Island for free?
Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Shutter Island; the borrow button above searches it for you.
What should I read after Shutter Island?
Readers who liked it often move on to The Silent Patient, Mystic River, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Where to get it

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