best fiction books thriller

100 of the best thriller novels of all time

The thriller genre hasn't always dominated the industry the way it does today. In previous eras, romance, literary fiction, and historical fiction have all taken turns staking claim to the title of readers' most-preferred type of book. So why the increase in interest in these heart-racing novels?

Psychology Today explains that it all comes down to the demands of today's world. With so many people feeling overwhelmed with professional and personal obligations—from meeting deadlines and raising children to maintaining an active social life and keeping up with social media—they're desperate for a break. Thriller novels are so involving and absorbing that readers often find themselves unable to think of anything else, so long as they are in the story. These thrillers provide a respite from day-to-day life that is so desperately needed.

To honor the genre, Stacker compiled a list of 100 of the best thriller novels of all time using bestseller lists, Amazon rankings, and Goodreads ratings. The novels are presented in no particular order.

The list contains thrillers of every type: crime stories, suspense novels, mysteries, legal thrillers, courtroom dramas, psychological and domestic dramas, the list goes on and on. From the original mystery novel, "The Woman in White," to more current hits like "The Shadows," there's sure to be a title or two on the list that will catch your eye.

- Author name: Gillian Flynn - Date published: 2012

After its release in 2012, this domestic thriller spent eight weeks in the #1 spot on The New York Times' bestseller list. Gillian Flynn's first big hit, "Gone Girl," follows the mysterious disappearance of it-girl Amy Dunne; her husband Nick's assumed involvement; and the lies, deceit, and secrets that exist between them. The nerve-fraying novel was so popular in the early ՚10s that it inspired a host of read-alike books.

- Author name: Stephen King - Date published: 2011

Though he's widely recognized as one of the best horror writers of all time, Stephen King carved out a spot for himself as one of the top thriller writers with the release of "11/22/63." King's 60th book, the novel follows Jake Epping, a 35-year-old English teacher, who discovers he can time travel. Epping undertakes a mission to halt the assassination of JFK, a mission that comes with horrible consequences that, left unresolved, threaten to alter the world.

The Silent Patient

- Author name: Alex Michaelides - Date published: 2019

A recent release, "The Silent Patient" is about a well-known painter, Alicia Berenson, who hasn't uttered a single word since murdering her husband in cold blood. When a new psychotherapist joins Alicia's care team, he's determined to get her to reveal the truth about what happened that night while harboring some secrets of his own. Raised in Cyprus, Alex Michaelides cites Greek myths and tragedies as the major inspiration behind his debut novel.

A Time to Kill

- Author name: John Grisham - Date published: 1989

One of the most established legal thriller writers working today, John Grisham has seen ongoing success with his first book, "A Time to Kill," which remains a favorite among his fans. After two racist men assault his daughter, Carl Lee takes matters of justice into his own hands and then seeks the help of his defense attorney friend Jake Brigance when the law attempts to hold him accountable. The book's critique of how race often plays a huge role in how justice is perceived is an important message for this moment in time.

And Then There Were None

- Author name: Agatha Christie - Date published: 1939

Dame Agatha Christie holds the title of bestselling fiction author of all time, having sold an estimated 2 billion copies of her 78 crime novels. One of the most thrilling books in the queen of crime's repertoire, and her bestselling title, is "And Then There Were None." In the 1939 mystery, 10 guests are invited to a secluded island and begin dying one by one. For the survivors, it becomes a race against time to uncover the killer among them and the identity of their mysterious millionaire host.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

- Author name: John le Carré - Date published: 1974

Released at a time when the real-life unveiling of Soviet double agents was still fresh in the minds of British citizens, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" played into that collective memory. Dubbed " the greatest spy novel ever written " by NPR, the book follows George Smiley, a former SIS official, as he tries to identify and eliminate a mole in that national security agency. Unfortunately for Smiley, he may have finally met his match in the fictional Moscow Center, aka KGB, agent.

Before I Go to Sleep

- Author name: S.J. Watson - Date published: 2011

S.J. Watson's debut novel, "Before I Go to Sleep" has been translated into 40 languages and was a top seller in five countries, including France and the United States. A psychological thriller, the book centers on Christine Lucas, a woman who suffers from anterograde amnesia and wakes up each day unsure of her identity. She begins to keep a journal in hopes that her memory will return, but before long this log reveals that there's more going on than meets the eye.

The Couple Next Door

- Author name: Shari Lapena - Date published: 2016

One of the bestselling novels of 2017, "The Couple Next Door" is a suspenseful domestic thriller. Shari Lapena's debut novel is about a young couple, Anne and Marco Conti, who seem to have it all, until one night, while they're at a dinner party next door, a horrible crime is committed. As the police try to untangle what happened, more and more secrets, including a host the couple have kept from each other, begin to trickle out, leaving one to wonder if another person can ever really be trusted.

The Talented Mr. Ripley

- Author name: Patricia Highsmith - Date published: 1955

Of the 22 books she wrote, Patricia Highsmith's psychological thrillers are perhaps her best known. In "The Talented Mr. Ripley," the first installment in the Ripley series, Highsmith introduces audiences to the charming, sinister, ruthless, and intelligent character, who isn't afraid of committing a little—or a lot—of violence in order to lay claim to the life he feels he deserves. Since the novel's 1955 release, several film adaptations of the same name have been made.

The Black Echo

- Author name: Michael Connelly - Date published: 1992

One of the foremost American crime authors, Michael Connelly is perhaps best known for his character Harry Bosch. "The Black Echo," which was Connelly's debut novel, introduces the Los Angeles police department homicide detective as he attempts to solve the murder of a fellow Vietnam veteran. The novel, which won an Edgar Award, is also the inspiration for the third season of the Amazon series "Bosch."

The Lincoln Lawyer

- Author name: Michael Connelly - Date published: 2005

In "The Lincoln Lawyer," Michael Connelly introduces readers to Mickey Haller, the half-brother of his famous character Harry Bosch. In the novel, Haller defends folks all around Los Angeles while working out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car. When he agrees to defend Louis Roulet, a wealthy realtor, against assault charges, things take a sudden turn, and Haller comes face-to-face with an evil he never thought existed.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

- Author name: Shirley Jackson - Date published: 1962

"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" is a mystery thriller by Shirley Jackson. Told by the fully unreliable narrator Mary Katherine Blackwood, the short book slowly uncovers the connection she shares with her sister Constance and the crime that has cut the girls off from the rest of their small Vermont town. The twisted tale was ranked the #2 book released in 1962 by Goodreads users.

Tell No One

- Author name: Harlan Coben - Date published: 2001

The first of Harlan Coben's novels to land a spot on The New York Times bestseller list, "Tell No One" is a fast-paced thriller about a man desperately searching for his missing wife. Dr. David Beck's wife disappeared eight years ago, but when he receives a message containing a phrase only the two of them shared, he becomes convinced she's still alive. Without telling anyone his plans, he begins a reckless search for the missing woman, unaware he's being hunted himself.

- Author name: Peter Benchley - Date published: 1974

Peter Benchley, a former journalist, penned a simple story about a beach town being terrorized by a great white shark in an attempt to salvage his floundering career in the early 1970s. Luckily for him, the book was a smashing success. Thanks to his editor Thomas Congdon's incredible marketing strategy, "Jaws" remained on The New York Times hardback bestseller list for 44 weeks and was turned into a movie directed by none other than Steven Spielberg.

In the Woods

- Author name: Tana French - Date published: 2007

The first novel in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series, "In the Woods" tells the story of a decades-old crime that seems to be repeating itself in modern-day Ireland. Rob Ryan, a detective, is the lone survivor of a mysterious incident he can't fully remember. When an eerily similar crime occurs in the same woods where Ryan lost his memory, he begins to investigate, hoping that solving the case will jog his memory about what happened to him when he was merely a child.

American Psycho

- Author name: Bret Easton Ellis - Date published: 1991

A genuinely horrifying book, Bret Easton Ellis' "American Psycho" was an instant classic. The suspenseful novel follows Patrick Bateman, a 26-year-old Wall Street investment banker who happens to be a psychopath. While his daily life seems to fit the ideal of the American dream, Bateman leads a whole different—and terrifying—life come nightfall.

Dark Matter

- Author name: Blake Crouch - Date published: 2016

In the opening pages of "Dark Matter," college physics professor Jason Dessen is knocked unconscious only to awake in some sort of alternate universe. In this new reality, Dessen is a celebrated genius, his wife is no longer his wife, and his son never existed. Desperately attempting to make it back to "reality," Dessen must confront a shadowy foe, true evil, and part of himself he's never been willing to confront.

- Author name: Chuck Palahniuk - Date published: 1996

Chuck Palahnuik's most widely read book, "Fight Club" is about an unnamed, insomniac narrator and the mysterious Tyler Durden, who helps him establish the eponymous fight club. Beyond knowing the first rule of fight club—"you don't talk about fight club"—this is a book you're better off knowing very little about before diving into it. Just trust the hundreds of thousands of reviewers on Goodreads, and read the novel first before indulging in the Brad Pitt movie version.

The Bone Collector

- Author name: Jeffery Deaver - Date published: 1997

Once one of the leading minds in the field of forensics, Lincoln Rhyme has all but retired from the police force after an accident left him a quadriplegic. Until, that is, a diabolical killer seemingly challenges him to a battle of wits. Jeffery Deaver's "The Bone Collector" was turned into a crime drama in early 2020, and the thrilling tale was brought to the small screen on NBC.

The Silence of the Lambs

- Author name: Thomas Harris - Date published: 1988

Popular from the jump, by 1999, more than a decade after it was published, Thomas Harris' disturbing psychological thriller "The Silence of the Lambs" had sold more than 10 million copies . The novel follows Clarice Starling, a young FBI agent who forms a relationship with an imprisoned cannibalistic serial killer, Hannibal Lecter, to catch another active killer, dubbed Buffalo Bill. To catch Buffalo Bill, Starling must dive into the dark mind of not one, but two, of the evilest criminals the world has ever seen.

- Author name: John Grisham - Date published: 1991

While "The Firm" wasn't John Grisham's first novel, it was his first hit. The success of "The Firm" eventually earned his first novel, "A Time to Kill," a wide release. After signing with the law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke in Memphis, Tennessee, newly minted lawyer Mitch McDeere begins to suspect there might be more to the company than meets the eye. When the FBI approaches him with its own concerns, McDeere realizes he will have to act fast if he wants to leave the company alive.

The Woman in White

- Author name: Wilkie Collins - Date published: 1859

Wilkie Collins' "The Woman in White" is widely considered to be one of the first mystery novels. Although it was written in 1859, the mistaken identity story still holds up today. Published serially in Charles Dickens' All the Year Round magazine, Collins' story was immensely popular in its own day, selling out of its first run in a single day.

The Moonstone

- Author name: Wilkie Collins - Date published: 1868

Wilkie Collins established another genre, the detective novel , with his 1968 work "The Moonstone." A tale of romance, theft, and murder centers around an enormous diamond's disappearance. While maybe not a put-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller, "The Moonstone" certainly earns its spot on the list, as it paved the way for every other detective novel ever written.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

- Author name: Ken Kesey - Date published: 1962

Set in a psychiatric hospital, Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is, at its core, about the thin line that separates sanity from madness. Featuring memorable characters like horrible Nurse Ratched and the antagonistic McMurphy, the novel was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film of the same name in 1975. Whether you're a thriller aficionado or just dipping your toes in the genre, this classic is a must-read.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

- Author name: Stieg Larsson - Date published: 2005

Stieg Larsson, the author of the international bestseller "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," died of a heart attack in 2004, a year before his novel's release, and never got to enjoy its incredible success. The mystery thriller is about Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander, two individuals hired to investigate the disappearance of a member of one of Sweden's wealthiest families, and the various evils and corruption they discover along the way. While it starts slowly, the novel picks up toward the end, becoming impossible to put down.

The Andromeda Strain

- Author name: Michael Crichton - Date published: 1969

Written by Michael Crichton while he was attending Harvard Medical School, "The Andromeda Strain" is a thrilling and imaginative tale about what would happen if extraterrestrial microbes were to make their way to Earth. When everyone in a small Arizona town begins to drop dead, a team of scientists is deployed to find out why and to stop the other-worldly pandemic before it wipes out the entire country. This medical thriller may not be Crichton's best-known novel, but it's certainly worth a read.

The Snowman

- Author name: Jo Nesbo - Date published: 2007

Jo Nesbo is a Norwegian crime author and the creator of the detective Harry Hole. In her 2007 release, "The Snowman," Hole is responsible for uncovering the identity of the country's first serial killer, an individual who preys on single mothers and whose signature is a larger-than-life snowman left at the scene. In 2017, a film version of the story was released, although, in a stark juxtaposition to the novel, it was widely panned by critics.

Along Came a Spider

- Author name: James Patterson - Date published: 1993

As of 2022, James Patterson's Alex Cross series is already at 30 books. "Along Came a Spider," released in 1993, was the start of it all. In this first book, homicide detective Alex Cross and Jezzie Flanagan, the first female head of the Secret Service, must work together to take down Gary Soneji, a psychopathic murderer and kidnapper who is hellbent on committing the crime of the century.

The Alienist

- Author name: Caleb Carr - Date published: 1994

A modern classic, "The Alienist" spent six full months on The New York Times bestseller list upon its release in 1994. Set in New York City in 1896, the novel follows a newspaper reporter and a psychologist as they attempt to solve a string of gruesome murders by establishing a psychological profile for the killer, a revolutionary tactic at the time. In 2018, a 10-part television series based on the book aired on TNT.

The Hot Zone

- Author name: Richard Preston - Date published: 1994

In 1992, Richard Preston wrote an article for the New Yorker titled "Crisis in the Hot Zone." This essay was the foundation for his 1994 nonfiction thriller "The Hot Zone," about an outbreak of the Reston virus in Washington D.C. among a group of imported monkeys in a lab. The book goes on to touch on similar viruses that are deadly to humans—think the Ebola virus, Sudan virus, Marburg virus, or Ravn virus—and how easily transmutable they are, how horrific the symptoms can be, and how quickly they can wipe out large portions of the population.

The Elephant Tree

- Author name: R.D. Ronald - Date published: 2010

R.D. Ronald's first novel "The Elephant Tree" focuses on three characters: Mark, a police detective; Scott, a small-time drug dealer; and Angela, a young career criminal. The trio's paths overlap in an unlikely way, and present realities mixed with revelations about the past that leave all of them uncertain about whom they can trust. A criminal thriller, it has plenty of twists, and presents a unique take on drug culture.

The Day of the Jackal

- Author name: Frederick Forsyth - Date published: 1971

In 1972, "The Day of the Jackal" won the Edgar Award for best novel. The story, by an English author named Frederick Forsyth, is about an assassin hired by the Organization of American States to kill the president of France, Charles de Gaulle. Complicating matters for those trying to protect de Gaulle, and for readers of this legendary spy thriller, no one knows Jackal's identity.

Little Fires Everywhere

- Author name: Celeste Ng - Date published: 2017

Celeste Ng's literary thriller "Little Fires Everywhere" might not be the high-stakes story that many of the other books on this list are, but it's still a nail-biting novel. Set in the planned suburb of Shaker Heights, it follows the members of the rule-following Richardson family and the free-spirited Mia Warren as their lives become more and more entwined, eventually changing the fate of their community forever. In early 2020, Hulu released a miniseries based on Ng's second novel.

- Author name: Stephen King - Date published: 1987

One of Stephen King's most suspenseful novels, "Misery" is about Paul Sheldon, a bestselling novelist, and victim of a horrible automobile accident. His biggest fan, Annie Wilkes, volunteers to be Sheldon's nurse, but unbeknownst to him, she's also psychotic. The book, which King had originally intended to publish under a pseudonym, won multiple awards the year after its release.

The Family Upstairs

- Author name: Lisa Jewell - Date published: 2019

In Lisa Jewell's "The Family Upstairs," 25-year-old Libby Jones inherits the London mansion that once belonged to her birth parents. Unbeknownst to Libby, she's not the only one who's been waiting on this inheritance, and as she digs deep into her family's past, which includes ties to a cult, things quickly take a darker turn. Jewell's book is about how secrets, even secrets that aren't our own, can shape our lives for better or worse.

The Girl on the Train

- Author name: Paula Hawkins - Date published: 2015

When British author Paula Hawkins released her novel "The Girl on the Train" in 2015, many critics hailed it as the next "Gone Girl." A domestic thriller, the novel is about a commuter who catches a glimpse of a shocking domestic event that eventually changes the course of the lives of all those involved. Extremely popular, the book held the top spot on The New York Times fiction bestsellers list for 13 consecutive weeks.

The Holdout

- Author name: Graham Moore - Date published: 2020

"The Holdout" is set 10 years after the close of a murder case that shocked the world with its lack of a criminal conviction. A true-crime docuseries has brought together the jurors of that infamous case to discuss their surprising original verdict, and things get even more twisted when one of their own turns up dead in the hotel room of another. Graham Moore, a New York Times bestselling novelist and Academy Award-winning screenwriter, wrote this legal thriller about how justice is perceived.

The Guest List

- Author name: Lucy Foley - Date published: 2020

A magazine publisher and her television star beau have just welcomed a select group of guests to a remote island off the coast of Ireland to celebrate their wedding when a murder occurs. Everyone on the island has a motive and a secret, and it's up to the reader to discover who did it before the police do. Lucy Foley's "The Guest List" is an exciting addition to the genre of isolated, closed-circle mysteries and is sure to keep you on your toes every step of the way.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

- Author name: Robert Louis Stevenson - Date published: 1886

While the twist of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous novella "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is well known, the original book is still well worth a read. It follows a London lawyer, John Gabriel Utterson, who is determined to investigate a possible connection between his close friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and Jekyll's unlikely new associate, the evil Edward Hyde. The book is made all the more chilling when we realize it is, at its core, about how easily the evil inside of us can take control of our lives if we don't keep it in check.

Miracle Creek

- Author name: Angie Kim - Date published: 2019

"Miracle Creek" is a courtroom drama, legal thriller, and Angie Kim's debut novel. After an explosion kills two people at a controversial medical treatment center, it quickly becomes clear that it wasn't simply an accident. When the case goes to court, everyone associated with the center finds themselves being tried for the crime. In 2020, the book won the Edgar Award for best first novel.

- Author name: Karin Slaughter - Date published: 2006

A warning: "Triptych" by Karin Slaughter is gruesomely graphic and won't be enjoyable for those without a stomach of steel. The murder mystery is about a horrific serial killer targeting women all over Atlanta and the cops, once lovers and now enemies, who are attempting to track him down. Things get even more convoluted when an ex-con accidentally stumbles upon the killer's trail, unwittingly becoming the key to the whole case.

Alias Grace

- Author name: Margaret Atwood - Date published: 1996

Based on a true story, Margaret Atwood's historical and psychological thriller "Alias Grace" is about a young servant girl, Grace Marks, who is accused of a murder she has no recollection of committing. When a young mental health expert attempts to unlock Marks' memories so that he might prove her innocence, he gets a lot more than he bargained for. The disturbing novel was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and was released as a miniseries on Netflix in 2017.

The Surgeon

- Author name: Tess Gerritsen - Date published: 2001

The first book in Tess Gerritsen's Rizzoli & Isles series, "The Surgeon" is part medical thriller, part romantic suspense, and totally absorbing. When a serial killer takes to the streets of Boston using his professional knowledge to torture and kill isolated women, detectives Thomas Moore and Jane Rizzoli set out to stop him. Things heat up when the duo realizes he's targeting a doctor named Catherine Cordell, a past victim who believes she shot and killed him years ago.

Lock Every Door

- Author name: Riley Sager - Date published: 2019

In "Lock Every Door," Jules Larsen, eager to start a new life, gladly accepts every condition that comes with her new job as an apartment sitter in the Bartholomew, one of New York City's most high-profile buildings. When Jules meets a fellow apartment sitter named Ingrid, who reminds her of her lost sister, things begin to change—especially after Ingrid reveals that the building is not all that it seems and is hiding a dark secret. After Ingrid disappears into thin air, Jules is determined to escape and uncover the building's past, regardless of the danger.

The Whisper Man

- Author name: Alex North - Date published: 2019

Alex North has concocted a truly terrifying tale in "The Whisper Man," his 2019 release. When Tom Kennedy and his son Jake move to a new town, they quickly learn about a former serial killer who terrorized the town years prior, whispering at the windows of his young victims to lure them to their deaths. When the whisperings begin again, the father-son duo finds themselves wrapped up in the middle of an investigation that looks as though it may come to a conclusion too late.

- Author name: Daphne du Maurier - Date published: 1938

When the unnamed narrator of "Rebecca" arrives at Manderly, her new husband's estate in Cornwall, she finds that the previous Mrs. de Winter still retains a firm hold over the estate, the help, and her widower husband. Seeking to uncover the mystery surrounding Rebecca's death, the new Mrs. de Winters worries that the evil pervading Manderly will end her own life and her marriage. Touted for its subversive allusions to same-sex relationships, Daphne du Maurier's chilling book has firmly established itself as a classic work.

A Simple Favor

- Author name: Darcey Bell - Date published: 2017

In 2018, Darcey Bell's hit novel "A Simple Favor" was adapted into a film starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick. The book tells the story of two friends, widowed mommy-blogger Stephanie and Emily, a high-powered PR executive. When Emily mysteriously disappears one day, Stephanie, sure Emily would never just walk away from her life, begins to investigate, uncovering more secrets along the way than she'd ever anticipated.

Clear and Present Danger

- Author name: Tom Clancy - Date published: 1989

After the head of the FBI seizes a large sum of money from a drug cartel in the opening pages of "Clear and Present Danger," the criminal group responds by assassinating him. Jack Ryan, a senior official in the CIA, is tasked with finding an appropriate response, but soon begins to suspect duplicity from some of his own men. Ryan must act quickly to ensure justice is upheld before more lives are lost.

We Need to Talk About Kevin

- Author name: Lionel Shriver - Date published: 2003

In "We Need to Talk About Kevin," Eva Khatchadourian, the mother of a 15-year-old school shooter named Kevin, attempts to come to terms with her son's horrific actions. Told through a series of letters written to her estranged husband Franklin, Eva relates the entire story of Kevin's life and shocking secrets of her own. Gritty and powerful, this is a must-read for those trying to understand the balance of nature vs. nurture or a parent's responsibility for a child's actions.

The Last Mrs. Parrish

- Author name: Liv Constantine - Date published: 2017

The psychological suspense novel "The Last Mrs. Parrish" is about Amber Patterson, a jealous, lonely woman who seeks to enmesh herself with the glamorous Parrish family to make her life more exciting. When skeletons from her closet begin to pop up, Amber's plan looks as though it may fall apart, rendering all her social climbing useless. Many readers have reported gobbling up this addictive thriller in a single sitting.

The Woman in Cabin 10

- Author name: Ruth Ware - Date published: 2016

Described as compulsively readable, Ruth Ware's psychological thriller "The Woman in Cabin 10" is set on an ultra-exclusive cruise ship sailing in the North Sea. One night, a travel journalist onboard witnesses a woman being thrown overboard, but things become increasingly twisted when every passenger is accounted for the following morning. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie's work, this is a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery.

Behind Closed Doors

- Author name: B.A. Paris - Date published: 2016

In "Behind Closed Doors," Jack and Grace have a picture-perfect marriage—at least from the outside. What's happening when no one else is looking is an entirely different story. This all-too-realistic suspenseful thriller has hundreds of thousands of ratings on Goodreads.

The Zombie Room

- Author name: R.D. Ronald - Date published: 2012

Mangle, Decker, and Tazeem, the main characters in "The Zombie Room," meet while serving time in prison and work together to run a lucrative scam upon their release. When they stumble upon a sex-trafficking operation, the trio worries they may finally be in over their heads. Still, they must muster up the courage to save a young girl named Tatiana before it's too late.

The Chestnut Man

- Author name: Søren Sveistrup - Date published: 2018

A handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts is the calling card of the Chestnut Man, a psychopath who is terrorizing Copenhagen. When the fingerprint of a long-missing girl is found on one of these dolls, two detectives drop everything to sort out the riddle and finally unmask this mysterious killer. "The Chestnut Man" is the thrilling debut of Søren Sveistrup, creator of the hit TV show "The Killing."

Big Little Lies

- Author name: Liane Moriarty - Date published: 2014

In 2015, "Big Little Lies" won Liane Moriarty the Davitt Award, which is given to an outstanding work of Australian crime fiction each year. Moriarty's adrenaline-pumping book starts with a death and works backward, attempting to unravel whether that death was merely an accident or, more sinisterly, murder. In 2017, HBO turned the novel into a miniseries starring Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.

The Last Flight

- Author name: Julie Clark - Date published: 2020

Julie Clark's "The Last Flight" was dubbed an instantaneous classic. The book is about two women, desperate to escape their lives, who switch places. When one dies, the other, suddenly granted the freedom to start over completely, assumes her identity. But with the new life comes old secrets, and this golden opportunity may not be as desirable as it once seemed.

Fierce Kingdom

- Author name: Gin Phillips - Date published: 2017

When terror breaks out in a zoo moments before closing time, Joan must use her intimate knowledge of the park to keep her son and herself safe. As they run and hide, trying to stay one step ahead of danger, the boundary between animal instinct and human duty is tested over and over again for Joan. At its core, "Fierce Kingdom" struggles with the question—for whom should a mother risk her life?

- Author name: Taylor Adams - Date published: 2017

Taylor Adams' "No Exit" is an edgy thriller set in the middle of a blizzard. When a snowstorm traps Darby Thorne on her way to see her mother, she seeks shelter in a remote highway rest stop with four other strangers. In the back of one of their vans, Darby discovers a kidnapped young girl locked in an animal cage and must uncover which of her fellow individuals is a psychopathic kidnapper.

The Shadows

- Author name: Alex North - Date published: 2020

Alex North's second novel, "The Shadows," starts with Paul Adams returning to his hometown to care for his ailing mother. When a string of murders takes place, copying one his childhood friend Charlie Crabtree committed years ago, Paul gets sucked in, and his mental state begins to unravel. After all, some things are better left in the shadows.

A Good Marriage

- Author name: Kimberly McCreight - Date published: 2020

In Kimberly McCreight's "A Good Marriage," Amanda Grayson, the wife of her old friend Zach Grayson, is found murdered, and Lizzie Kitsakis jumps in to defend her old pal. While working to establish his innocence, Lizzie stumbles upon a trove of secrets being kept by Amanda, Zach, and the entire community—secrets that threaten to tear Lizzie's own life apart.

Our Man in Havana

- Author name: Graham Greene - Date published: 1958

Graham Greene's spy novel "Our Man in Havana" has been adapted into a movie, an opera, and a stage production. A satirical story, it follows an MI6 man, a former vacuum cleaner salesman turned secret agent, who dislikes his job and files bogus reports out of spite. When the stories he makes up begin coming true, he must scramble to make things right or risk losing his income and reputation.

- Author name: Ottessa Moshfegh - Date published: 2015

A literary thriller, Ottessa Moshfegh's "Eileen" is darkly comedic in the same vein as much of Shirley Jackson's work. It follows the titular character Eileen, a deeply disturbed secretary at a boy's prison who cares for her alcoholic father. When a new counselor, Rebecca Saint John, shows up at the prison, a fiery passion is unearthed in Elieen, a passion that eventually leads to a grisly crime.

Helter Skelter

- Author name: Vincent Bugliosi, Curt Gentry - Date published: 1974

Vincent Bugliosi was the prosecuting attorney in Charles Manson's 1970 trial. Bugliosi is able to give a unique and in-depth take on the terrifying way the cult leader was able to attract victims, exert his power over young women, and convince them to commit some of the goriest murders in recent history. "Helter Skelter" dives deep into every aspect of the case and Manson's psyche.

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

- Author name: John le Carré - Date published: 1963

A former secret agent, John le Carré crafts thrilling spy novels thanks to his unique insider knowledge. In "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold," le Carré focuses on the shadowy practices of international espionage. The story is about a British intelligence agent desperate to leave the profession but must undertake one final, risky assignment involving East Germany before being granted his freedom.

The Broken Girls

- Author name: Simone St. James - Date published: 2018

Simone St. James' "The Broken Girls" centers around Idlewood Hall, a fictional boarding school for troubled girls. Told in a dual timeline manner, the tale bounces back and forth between a group of students living there in the 1950s and a journalist investigating the mysterious disappearance of one of these girls in 2014. When the journalist makes a shocking discovery, secrets that were never meant to come to light begin to surface, and a host of voices too long silenced are finally heard.

The Postman Always Rings Twice

- Author name: James M. Cain - Date published: 1934

When "The Postman Always Rings Twice" was first published in 1934, it was instantly banned in Boston for being salacious and violent. The novel is about a drifter who takes up work at a California diner, falls in love with the owner's wife, begins a racy affair, and gets caught up in a murder scheme. James M. Cain's book has widely been considered one of the most important crime novels of the 20th century.

- Author name: Herman Koch - Date published: 2009

Dutch author Herman Koch penned this darkly suspenseful thriller about an extended family that has come together to decide their teenage sons' fates over a single meal. The sons were both involved in a horrific, life-changing crime, and the book explores the lengths parents are willing to go to for their beloved children and the dark side of genteel society. 

- Author name: Emma Donoghue - Date published: 2010

Inspired by the real-life case of Elisabeth Fritzl, a young woman who was kidnapped and held hostage by her own father in the cellar of his house for 24 years, "Room" is a bone-chilling crime novel. The tale is narrated by a 5-year-old boy named Jack, the son of a kidnapped woman, and follows the duo as they attempt to escape their small world for a much larger one. In 2015, a movie starring Brie Larson was released based on the award-winning book.

Murder on the Orient Express

- Author name: Agatha Christie - Date published: 1934

"Murder on the Orient Express" features Agatha Christie's most famous character, Hercule Poirot. After a murder takes place on the transcontinental train carrying Poirot and a host of other passengers, the Belgian detective must discover who, on the snow-trapped train, is responsible for the death. An isolated, closed-circle mystery, this novel will keep you guessing all the way to its shocking ending.

The Bourne Identity

- Author name: Robert Ludlum - Date published: 1980

The basis for a series of films starring Matt Damon, "The Bourne Identity" novels are spy thrillers written by Robert Ludlum in the 1980s. This first installment in the saga opens with a man floating in the middle of the Mediterranean sea who can remember nothing about who he is, where he came from, or why he's being pursued by a group of assassins attempting to take his life. Assisted by Marie St. Jaques, the man sets out to reverse his amnesia and uncover his life's truth before it's too late.

The Odessa File

- Author name: Frederick Forsyth - Date published: 1972

When a young German reporter is instructed to cover the suicide of a Jewish Holocaust survivor in "The Odessa File," he uncovers a much bigger story than he imagined. There's a secret, Mafia-like organization; surviving Saal-Schutz agents; and a plot to carry out Hitler's "final solution." The spy thriller was turned into an equally absorbing movie starring Jon Voight and Maximilian Schell in 1974.

- Author name: Martin Cruz Smith - Date published: 1981

Set in the Soviet Union during the Cold War, "Gorky Park" is about Arkady Renko, a homicide investigator who's assigned to the case of three murders that took place in Gorky Park, one of Moscow's biggest public parks. As he attempts to unwind the mystery, things get increasingly dangerous for Renko, especially when the KGB, FBI, and NYPD become involved.

A is for Alibi

- Author name: Sue Grafton - Date published: 1982

The first installment in Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone series, "A is for Alibi" follows the former cop turned private investigator as she attempts to help an accused murderess clear her name. Grafton continued the story of Kinsey Millhone through 24 letters of the alphabet, leaving only the letter Z unfinished at the time of her death in 2017.

Never Let Me Go

- Author name: Kazuo Ishiguro - Date published: 2005

Part dystopian sci-fi tale, part mystery thriller, Booker Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro's sixth novel "Never Let Me Go" critically examines collective morals and how society chooses to treat the vulnerable. His gripping story follows three friends—Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth—as they grow up at a boarding school called Hailsham, step into the real world, and discover the truth about the reasons for their existence. In 2019, The Guardian included the book on its " 100 Best Books of the 21st Century " list.

A Madness of Sunshine

- Author name: Nalini Singh - Date published: 2019

Nalini Singh is best known for her paranormal romance series, but her standalone novel "A Madness of Sunshine" is one of the best thrillers to come out in recent years. Set on the rugged coast of New Zealand, the story is about a string of murders that terrorize a small, close-knit town. When yet another young woman disappears without a trace, residents begin to wonder if they really know each other as well as they think.

The Sun Down Motel

- Author name: Simone St. James - Date published: 2020

Something sinister is happening at the Sun Down Motel in Upstate New York. At least that's what Carly Kirk believes when she sets out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her aunt from the roadside inn. Simone St. James' second offering, "The Sun Down Motel," was an instant bestseller, equal parts compelling and creepy.

The Great Influenza

- Author name: John M. Barry - Date published: 2004

The horrors of "The Great Influenza" are certainly compounded by the shared experience of the coronavirus pandemic, but even if the world wasn't working its way out of a global pandemic, this nonfiction historical thriller would still be capable of sending chills down your spine. Written in 2004, the book dives into the terrifying reality of the last global pandemic: the 1918 flu, or the Spanish flu. The novel was so influential it inspired President George W. Bush to create a comprehensive pandemic plan in 2005 .

The Shadow of the Wind

- Author name: Carlos Ruiz Zafón - Date published: 2001

A story within a story, "The Shadow of the Wind" is believed to have sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. Set in Barcelona in 1945, the book is about a young boy named Daniel Sempere who's obsessed with a book by an author named Julian Carax. Realizing that his copy of the book may be one of the only Carax novels in existence, Sempere sets out to uncover the truth behind the author's life and disappearance, as well as the systematic destruction of the wordsmith's work.

Killing Floor

- Author name: Lee Child - Date published: 1997

Lee Child's debut novel, and the first book to feature Jack Reacher, "Killing Floor" is one of the best thrillers to come out of the past few decades. In the book, Reacher, an ex-military policeman, is accused of a murder he didn't commit. While attempting to clear his name, he stumbles upon some heavy criminal activity that he takes it upon himself to stop. Heavy on violence, the book reads like an '80s action movie in the best way possible.

- Author name: Josh Malerman - Date published: 2014

A horror-thriller, "Bird Box" is set in a post-apocalyptic universe where mysterious beings rule the Earth, driving anyone who lays eyes on them to deadly madness. Malorie, a single mother to a girl and boy, sets out to bring her children to safety, attempting to make a 20-mile downriver journey in a rowboat blindfolded, all while being pursued by "something." In 2018, the novel was turned into a movie starring Sandra Bullock.

Angels & Demons

- Author name: Dan Brown - Date published: 2000

The first Dan Brown book to feature his symbologist character Robert Langdon, "Angels & Demons" finds the sleuth diving deep into the world of the Illuminati. After the murder of a Swiss researcher, Langdon uncovers a plot to blow up the Vatican, and, accompanied by a scientist named Vittoria Vetra, must traipse through some of the most forgotten parts of the holy city-state in order to stop the destruction from happening. While the novel received heavy criticism for its scientific and religious inaccuracies, fans still loved the thriller, begging Brown to release more.

The Da Vinci Code

- Author name: Dan Brown - Date published: 2003

After a midnight murder takes place in the Louvre, symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu begin to sift through bizarre riddles and clues left in Leonardo da Vinci's works, looking for an answer to the mysterious death. On the way, these two sleuths uncover secret societies and find themselves being hunted by a sinister operative who will stop at nothing to keep them from bringing the truth to light. Six short years after its release Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" had sold a whopping 80 million copies .

- Author name: Dean Koontz - Date published: 1987

Dean Koontz's novel "Intensity" is a perfect mix of horror, thriller, and suspense. After a sociopathic serial killer breaks into the house where she's staying, killing everyone but her, college student Chyna Shepard follows him, intent on putting an end to his violent reign of terror and assisting his next intended victim. More than any other book on this list, "Intensity" is sure to leave you sweating bullets and racing through every page just to see how it all ends.

Sharp Objects

- Author name: Gillian Flynn - Date published: 2006

While "Gone Girl" is far and away Gillian Flynn's best-known book, it wasn't her first. Instead, that honor lies with "Sharp Objects," a dark family tale about a reporter who returns to her hometown to cover the deaths of two preteen girls. A psychological puzzle, the story gets more compounded and confusing with the turn of every page, but the ending comes together in an incredibly satisfying way.

Eye of the Needle

- Author name: Ken Follett - Date published: 1978

Ken Follett is best known for his historical fiction work, but "Eye of the Needle" isn't your ordinary way-back-when tale. Instead, it's about a German agent who uncovers a secret that could lead to a sure victory for the Axis powers. While the best agents the Allied powers have to offer are attempting to track "the needle" down, a lonely woman living on a secluded island finds the outcome of the war lies solely in her hands.

The Hound of the Baskervilles

- Author name: Arthur Conan Doyle - Date published: 1901

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles" brought his most famous character, Sherlock Holmes, back to life after his apparent death in "The Final Problem." In this full-length book, Holmes investigates the phantom hellhound, or possible murderer in disguise, that has haunted Baskerville hall for generations and has seemingly set its sights on the newest heir. A classic detective chiller, this is a must-read for all thriller fans.

The Silent Wife

- Author name: A.S.A. Harrison - Date published: 2013

A.S.A. Harrison's first and final novel, "The Silent Wife," is about the disintegration of a marriage and a wife who becomes a killer. While neither character is particularly likable, the cold, frightening portrayal of a relationship on its last legs will surely keep you on the edge of your seat.

Shutter Island

- Author name: Dennis Lehane - Date published: 2003

Set on Shutter Island, home to Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, Dennis Lehane's novel is a mind trip to the utmost degree. "Shutter Island" starts with U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his partner Chuck Aule being sent to the island to investigate the disappearance of a dangerous inmate, Rachel Solando. It doesn't take long, however, before things begin to unravel, and it turns out that very little on the island may be as simple as it appears.

- Author name: Clifford Irving - Date published: 1990

Texas lawyer Warren Blackburn is defending two accused murderers in two separate cases at the beginning of "Trial." Several chapters of Clifford Irving's legal thriller later, the two cases merge, becoming one convoluted crime, and things go off the rails. A gripping book, the Library Journal claimed "most readers will want to read this at one sitting."

The Woman in the Window

- Author name: A.J. Finn - Date published: 2018

A.J. Finn is a pen name used by Daniel Mallory, a former editor who was called out in 2019 for the web of lies he'd spun about his origins and family history. By that point, his debut novel, "The Woman in the Window," was a bestseller and had been optioned for a movie, which was released in 2020. The book is about a recluse in New York City, who sees something she shouldn't while watching the neighbors out her window and gets caught up in the drama that follows.

Anatomy of a Murder

- Author name: Robert Traver - Date published: 1958

The basis for the classic Otto Preminger film of the same name, "Anatomy of a Murder" was written by a Michigan Supreme Court Justice under the pen name Robert Traver. In a thrilling courtroom drama, the novel is about a lawyer, Paul Biegler, defending Frederick Manion, a man accused of murdering an innkeeper, against what seems like an insurmountable pile of evidence. The 1958 release is a true classic.

The Wife Between Us

- Author name: Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen - Date published: 2018

A slower-paced thriller, "The Wife Between Us" is, at its core, about a love triangle. It may sound like a simple premise, a jealous ex-wife obsessed with her replacement, but in actuality, it's anything but. Steven Spielberg's production company, Amblin Partners, bought the movie rights to the co-authored mystery in 2017.

Jurassic Park

- Author name: Michael Crichton - Date published: 1990

Before it was a hit film directed by Steven Spielberg, "Jurassic Park" was a novel by Michael Crichton. While the story of a remote island filled with cloned dinosaurs will be familiar to most readers, there's still something new, fresh, and fun to be uncovered by reading the original book.

Murder Must Advertise

- Author name: Dorothy L. Sayers - Date published: 1933

Dorothy L. Sayers, a contemporary of Agatha Christie, was also a major player in the golden age of detective fiction. One of her best works, "Murder Must Advertise," sees Sayers' detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, investigating an advertising firm with links to multiple murders and possible ties to more nefarious business. While the novel may not be as heart-pounding as other books on this list, Sayers' work still deserves recognition, as it paved the way for modern-day thrillers.

Into the Water

- Author name: Paula Hawkins - Date published: 2017

Paula Hawkins, the author of "The Girl on the Train," returns to thriller writing with "Into the Water." Told from the viewpoint of 11 different characters, the novel unravels the mysterious and seemingly connected deaths of two women found drowned at the bottom of the same river. Playing on the deceptiveness of memory, this book will leave you unsure if you can trust yourself, let alone anyone else.

In Cold Blood

- Author name: Truman Capote - Date published: 1966

"In Cold Blood" started as a series of articles published in The New Yorker before being fleshed out and turned into a book by Random House. The true-crime thriller looks at the murder of the Clutter family, as well as the investigation, trial, and conviction of their killers. It's important to mention there are assertions the book isn't entirely factual, as author Truman Capote transcribed all of his work from memory without the assistance of notes or recordings, adding extra little flairs where he saw fit.

- Author name: James Patterson - Date published: 2013

A standalone thriller by James Patterson, "The Mistress" is about a man named Ben Casper who suffers from a mental illness that presents itself as an obsession with various things, including a woman named Diana Hotchkiss. When Diana is found dead outside her apartment, Ben is convinced it was murder and begins a massive hunt to find Diana's killer, uncovering the woman's twisted double life along the way. As he rushes to solve the case, he begins to worry that the killer is also coming after him.

The Pelican Brief

- Author name: John Grisham - Date published: 1992

After two Supreme Court justices are assassinated, law student Darby Shaw writes a legal brief guessing the real reason these two men were targeted. When an attack is made on her life, she joins forces with a hungry young reporter named Gray Grantham to uncover the truth about what's really going on in Washington D.C. John Grisham's third novel "The Pelican Brief" is a twisting, turning thrill ride, and is darker than many of his other works. 

In a Dark, Dark Wood

- Author name: Ruth Ware - Date published: 2015

Ruth Ware's "In a Dark, Dark Wood" opens at the close of a bachelorette party with a young woman lying in a hospital bed, unable to remember anything from the past few days, an unsolved murder, and a childhood friendship built on more than a few secrets. The novel jumps between timelines as a crime writer tries to piece together exactly what happened that fateful weekend. The thrilling tale is just light enough to make a great beach read.

- Author name: Caroline Kepnes - Date published: 2014

The basis for the Netflix hit "You," this Caroline Kepnes book is truly chilling. Keeping in line with the show's first season, the book follows Joe, an East Village bookseller, as he becomes obsessed with Guinevere Beck, an aspiring writer, and goes from stalker to boyfriend and back to stalker. A creepy read from page one, Goodreads called the novel "a terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation."

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We’re still a few months out—at least—from being able to get our thrills at amusement parks, sporting events, and escape rooms, but adrenaline junkies still have one place to turn to get their fix: the bookshelf. For fans of heart-pounding stories of crime and suspense, nothing makes for a better escape from reality than a good thriller novel. Fortunately for such people, we’ve kept track of the very best. Read on for a list of our top 16 thrillers from the 21st century and beyond.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

There’s a reason Gillian Flynn is a household name: She is the queen of the 21st-century suspense novel, her prose compulsively readable, her troubled heroines—and villainesses—cultural icons in themselves. Whichever of her books is your favorite, there’s no denying that Gone Girl , the zeitgeist-shaping story of a missing woman and the husband under suspicion for her disappearance, is a post-recession classic.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

If Gillian Flynn is the queen of modern suspense, Ruth Ware is the knight presiding over the Round Table. Oft likened to a modern-day Agatha Christie, Ware excels at thrillers set within the confines of close spaces—such as  The Woman in Cabin 10 ,  set aboard a cruise ship where a travel journalist witnesses a murder. When she can find no evidence that the victim was ever aboard, writer Lo begins to question her own sanity.

Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

Relative newcomer Lucy Foley has honed her unique brand of reverse-whodunit suspense down to a science—and thank goodness for that. As in The Hunting Party , Foley’s breakout thriller from 2018, The Guest List —set at a ritzy wedding-gone-wrong on a remote Scottish isle—starts with a murder, and then plays a game of keep-away with the victim’s identity until the very last pages.

You, Volume 1 by Caroline Kepnes

We all owe Caroline Kepnes a debt for penning the source material that gave us Penn Badgley’s terrifying performance as Joe Goldberg on the hit Netflix serial-killer show You— but the original book is nothing to sneeze at either. The first in a series (Books 3 and 4 are on the way, according to Kepnes), this pitch-perfect thriller bucks genre conventions by taking us inside the mind of the killer himself.

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

God is a woman, but make it “the original master of the psychological thriller.” Though Patricia Highsmith may be best known today as the author of the classic lesbian romance Carol , she actually made a name for herself in the mid-20th century as the author of gripping suspense novels like Strangers on a Train (yes, as in the Hitchcock film) and Deep Water . Not to mention, she is the pen behind the fantastic  Ripliad series, which traces the footsteps of a brilliant—and dangerous—con artist.

Black Water Rising by Attica Locke

You already know Attica Locke’s work, whether or not you realize it: The author is also an accomplished screenwriter who counts Empire, When They See Us, and  Little Fires Everywhere among her TV credits. But it’s her acclaimed debut novel, set in 1980s Texas and following a down-on-his-luck lawyer who gets in over his head after saving a woman from drowning, that you should know now.

An Untamed State by Roxane Gay

Bad Feminist , this is not. Released the same year as her breakout essay collection, Roxane Gay’s debut novel tells the story of a Haitian-American woman who is kidnapped and subjected to brutal torture when her wealthy Haitian developer father refuses to pay her ransom.

The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani

Remember The Nanny Diaries ? Well, this is like if someone brushed the pages of that book with arsenic. Inspired by a real-life event that took place on the Upper West Side in 2012, Leïla Slimani’s first book to be published in the United States starts with the unthinkable: A nanny murders the two children in her charge, then attempts to kill herself. The story then jumps back in time several months, inviting readers to try and figure out how—and why—this terrible thing happened.

They All Fall Down by Rachel Howzell Hall

Who doesn’t love a good “strangers united by a horrifying secret” thriller? In one-time James Patterson collaborator Rachel Howzell Hall’s heart-pumping standalone novel, seven people are invited to travel to a remote private island, only to find that they have been summoned there under false pretenses—and their mysterious host has a deadly agenda.

Misery by Stephen King

When it comes to books that thrill and terrify, Stephen King is the GOAT. Newcomers to his work could do worse than to start with Misery , which follows popular writer Paul Sheldon as he gets rescued from a snowy car accident by superfan and former nurse Annie Wilkes—only to discover that he is now in even greater danger.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Part domestic thriller, part Kafka-esque allegory, Han Kang’s Man Booker International Prize–winning three-part novel centers on a woman who decides to become a vegetarian after waking from an awful, blood-drenched nightmare. Sounds innocuous, right? It’s not: The Vegetarian is brutal and unrelenting, following its main character through sexual assault, eating disorders, and psychological torment.

The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong

Ah, the unreliable narrator—a staple trope of the suspense genre. When 25-year-old Yu-jin wakes to the discovery of his mother’s dead body at the bottom of the stairs of their sleek apartment, he realizes that he has no recollection of the night before other than the vague memory of his mom calling his name. As he desperately searches for the truth of what happened that night, Yu-jin unearths some family secrets that can’t be reburied.

Those Bones Are Not My Child by Toni Cade Bambara

Toni Cade Bambara’s These Bones Are Not My Child  isn’t just a gripping thriller; it’s a masterwork of American literature. (Just ask Toni Morrison—she was Bambara’s editor and longtime friend.) Published posthumously and set against the backdrop of the Atlanta child murders of 1979-1981, Bambara’s last novel follows a mother whose worst nightmare is realized when her teenage son goes missing.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Released in Stieg Larsson’s native Swedish in 2005 and in English in 2008, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo introduced the world to hacker-vigilante Lisbeth Salander—and became a near-instant literary phenomenon in the process. The first novel of Larsson’s posthumously published Millennium  series sets Lisbeth and her co-protagonist Mikael Blomkvist on the trail of a woman from a wealthy family who mysteriously disappeared 40 years prior.

You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott

Megan Abbott’s name may not be as widely known as that of Gillian Flynn, but she is equally as essential a writer for fans of suspense and thriller fiction, and You Will Know Me showcases the author at her best. Abbott’s novel follows Katie and Eric Knox, the intense stage parents of a 15-year-old gymnastics star, as news of a violent death disrupts the community of Olympic gymnastics hopefuls to which the Knoxes belong.

Keely Weiss is a writer and filmmaker. She has lived in Los Angeles, New York, and Virginia and has a cat named after Perry Mason.

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The 31 spookiest thriller books to read this Halloween

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• Thriller books are naturally enticing, fast-paced fiction reads with notorious plot twists.
• The best thrillers offer plenty of suspense and mystery throughout the novel.
• This list has a wide variety of popular books, including crime and psychological thrillers.

Thrillers have taken the book industry by storm over the last several years for one clear reason: They make reading really fun. In a world where so many things compete for our attention, thrillers stand out as gripping stories full of shocking twists and turns. They build up fast and tightly hold our interest as we navigate shadowy hallways and unsolved murders, eliciting an adrenaline rush just from turning the page — making them especially perfect reads for the spooky Halloween season .

I've read the vast majority of the books on this list and added the rest based on the rave reviews from fellow thriller nerds. Whether it's a deeply psychological thriller narrative, a fast-paced YA mystery novel, or a crime thriller too scary to read at night, there's a book on this list for every thriller lover.

The 31 best thriller books:

Best psychological thrillers

Best crime thrillers

Best mystery and suspense thrillers

Best YA thrillers

Best horror thrillers

Psychological thrillers

A psychological thriller with an electrifying twist.

"Before She Knew Him" by Peter Swanson, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Speaking of throwing books against a wall, this was the first book I ever chucked when the plot twist was revealed — one that I didn't even know was a possibility until I reached the climax. Henrietta has finally found some stability between her bipolar medication and her new home with her husband. When they go to the neighbor's house for dinner, Henrietta notices a unique trophy that definitely belonged to someone who was killed two years ago. Torn between the comfort of her new life and her weakness to find the answer to this unsolved case, Henrietta quickly unravels far more than she bargained for.  

Thrill factor: A plot twist that will have you rethinking the entire book.

A thriller with multiple truths

"The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides, available at Amazon and Bookshop

There are four stories here: The one the jury decided, his, hers, and — completely separate — the truth. I love books with "solved" murders that push us to read on to uncover the real truth. One night, Alicia's husband returns home late from his job. She shoots him five times in the face and never speaks again. Confined to a psychiatric ward, Theo — a criminal psychotherapist — is determined to get Alicia to talk and uncover why she murdered her husband. Digging into Alicia's past reveals that there are many things that can drive us to do the unthinkable.

Thrill factor: Being sure of the truth just before new information is revealed.

A thriller around a kidnapping

"Then She Was Gone" by Lisa Jewell, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This one was particularly enticing and dark, the secrets running far deeper and with more complexity than I expected. It's been 10 years since Laurel's then-15-year-old daughter, Ellie, disappeared — and Laurel has never given up hope of finding her. Laurel is swept up in a romance with her new boyfriend and finds herself meeting his nine-year-old daughter, who looks exactly like Ellie did at that age. This is a tightly wound ball of thriller chaos that is so much fun to unravel as you read. 

Thrill factor: A plot that catches you completely off guard.

A deeply psychological thriller

"Behind Her Eyes" by Sarah Pinborough, available at Amazon and Bookshop

On Monday morning, Louise discovers her (very married) boss is the same man with whom she shared an amazing kiss at a bar just days ago. Though assuring her it will never happen again, David can't keep his eyes off Louise. What ensues is a complex yet comprehensible web of manipulation and a twist that had me nearly yelling "WHAT?!" by the end.

Thrill factor: A baffling realization hiding in the final pages.

A chilling thriller all about the little details

"The Push" by Ashely Audrian, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Blythe is fully committed to being the warm, nurturing mother she never had, but she's convinced that something is wrong with her new baby — she doesn't behave as other children do. As her husband dismisses her fears, she begins to question her sanity. When her second child is born, the familial connections are undeniable...until a devastating event has Blythe (and the reader) questioning everything. Best described as a tour de force , this is an extremely fast-paced thriller that's easy to devour in a day. 

Thrill factor: A whiplash-y plot that launches you straight into the story.

An unsettling marital thriller

"Behind Closed Doors" by B. A. Paris, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Jack and Grace are the epitome of true love, radiating elegance, wealth, and charm, all while never being apart...ever. It's hard to get to know the mysterious Grace because she can't meet for coffee, she never answers her phone, and one of the bedroom windows seems to have bars on it. This is one that masterfully incites panic into a reader, worrying about the characters and desperately needing to know what happens. 

Thrill factor: The graphic descriptions in the already chilling scenes.

A psychological book with family intrigue

"The Next Wife" by Kaira Rouda, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This is a guilty pleasure of a thriller: fast, dramatic, and satisfying. Kate had a picture-perfect life with her husband and daughter — until her husband left for a woman half his age. Tish is gorgeous, luxurious, and only a little suspicious of her new husband's previous infidelity. She plans a romantic getaway to fend Kate off, but love and revenge are powerful weapons that tear plans apart. 

Thrill factor: The dark humor that ramps up the intensity.

A psychological thriller that will leave you speechless

"Sometimes I Lie" by Alice Feeney, available at Amazon and Bookshop

With an unreliable narrator and more lies than you can count, this thriller is perfectly constructed and the plot is a baffling rollercoaster. When Amber wakes up from a coma, she can't remember what happened, but she suspects her husband has something to do with it. This book alternates between the present, the week before her accident, and Amber's childhood diaries to help us piece together a brilliant psychological twist. 

Thrill factor: The subtle inflections the narrator assigns to each character.

Crime thrillers

A dark yet elegant crime thriller.

"Behind the Red Door" by Megan Collins, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Megan Collins became well-known for her debut thriller "The Winter Sister," but I'm here to proclaim that "Behind the Red Door" is the one that should really be in the spotlight. I have never read a thriller that featured characters with such complexity or one where I said "oh NO" out loud so many times. When Fern hears the news that a woman named Astrid has gone missing, she's sure she knows her. Fern's husband is sure that it must be from Astrid's infamous kidnapping 20 years prior, which happened just outside Fern's childhood town but of which she has no memory. When Astrid starts appearing in Fern's nightmares, Fern grapples to understand if it's a dream or a memory with the help of her psychologist father.

Thrill factor: The main character's unreliable memory.

A chilling stalker thriller

"You" by Caroline Kepnes, available at Amazon and Bookshop

If you have yet to be pulled into the Netflix adaptation, resist and pick up the book first! This is the creepiest yet most believable stalker thriller, packed with so many insane developments that you think it can't get any wilder…until it does. Told from Joe's perspective, the book depicts his rapidly growing obsession over a woman he meets in a bookstore, one that morphs and twists as Joe stops at nothing to make himself the center of her world. Joe is the most messed up fictional character I've ever encountered, making this book a fabulously creepy thriller to grab. 

Thrill factor: The chilling main character.

A terrifying serial killer story

"The Whisper Man" by Alex North, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This thriller gripped me so much that I read the second half all in one shot and finished at 3:30 a.m. It's about a serial killer and abductor who whispers to children to lure them away from safety. The Whisper Man has been locked away for 20 years, but the patterns of his crimes are emerging once again. The book also threw in a couple of mini-twists at the end that made reading until the very last page exciting. 

Thrill factor: Wanting so badly to protect the characters.

An alluring marital thriller

"My Lovely Wife" by Samantha Downing, available at Amazon and Bookshop

In this creepy thriller where we never learn the narrator's name, a married couple does everything married couples are "supposed" to do: Settle down, buy a house, have a kid, and grow horribly bored with their lives. With the thrills building up in nearly every scene, the secret ingredient that keeps their marriage alive is getting away with murder.

Thrill factor: The layers upon layers of secrets behind every character.

A thriller for the true-crime lovers

"The Night Swim" by Megan Goldin, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Rachel's true-crime podcast gained notoriety after it helped set an innocent man free. When a note begging for help is left on Rachel's windshield, it launches an investigation into the past and present, exploring a town disrupted by a rape trial and a drowning accident from 25 years ago. This is an especially perfect thriller for true crime lovers — it swirls you quickly into the center of this plot and keeps you strapped in for the ride. 

Thrill factor: The two separate (yet intertwined) mysteries 

A multi-POV thriller

"Every Last Fear" by Alex Finlay, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This heartbreaking story about familial tragedy is as deep as it is twisty. Matt returns home after a night of partying to be informed that nearly his entire family was killed by a gas leak in their hotel in Mexico. Though it seems like an accident, one FBI agent believes otherwise, but won't disclose why. The deaths make national headlines because this isn't the first time Matt's family has been thrust into the spotlight: his brother is currently in prison for the murder of his high school girlfriend — a murder the public believes he didn't commit. When Matt returns home to bury his family, the connections between his brother's case and his family's accident begin to emerge. 

Thrill factor: That "look over your shoulder" feeling.

A domestic legal thriller

"A Good Marriage" by Kimberly McCreight, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This domestic thriller is just as emotional and insightful as it is surprising and exhilarating. Lizzie spends long hours working at her law firm after her marriage slowly crumbled apart. When she gets a call from Zach, her old friend who's currently being held on suspicion of killing his wife, Lizzie knows she has to drop everything and help him. As she begins to piece together what happened to Zach's wife, she finds that maybe their idyllic marriage wasn't so great after all. 

Thrill Factor: The marital drama and endless secrets.

Mystery and suspense thrillers

A staple in the genre.

"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn, available at Amazon and Bookshop

An indisputable thriller staple, this is a great one to pick up if you're just getting into the genre because it will introduce you to some of the nuances of thrillers on which many others are based. In this book, Amy goes missing on her and Nick's fifth wedding anniversary. Dealing with the town breathing down his neck and haunting diary entries from his wife, Nick begins to spin a web of lies around his wife's disappearance. 

Thrill factor: Carefully sculpted plot twists.

A full-throttle, high suspenseful mystery thriller

"No Exit" by Taylor Adams, available at Amazon and Bookshop

I ignored my family during the holidays because of this book, and I'm not sorry about it! While driving home through Colorado, Darby is caught in a blizzard and forced to wait the storm out at a highway rest stop, stranded with four strangers. When she goes to her car to try and get a signal, she notices a child locked in a cage in the back of a van. Far from police help, Darby must figure out which person is the kidnapper and get the child and herself to safety. This was the tensest I have ever felt reading a book.

Thrill factor: The high-speed action scenes.

A thriller of multiple marriages (and multiple truths)

"Too Good To Be True" by Carola Lovering, available at Amazon and Bookshop

With three points of view (and none of them entirely reliable), "Too Good To Be True" is a thriller about two marriages and the secrets that can uproot well-laid plans. Skye is overjoyed to be engaged to Burke, her seemingly perfect boyfriend who, in a series of letters to his therapist, reveals that he's married and deviously manipulating Skye. The third perspective is of Heather, Burke's ex from 30 years ago. It's a twist-filled read that will leave you wondering how well you know those closest to you. 

Thrill factor: The feeling of an emotional car crash waiting to happen.

A book with a jaw-dropping reveal

"The Wife Between Us" by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This is a thriller that thrives on your assumptions. It lets you assume that you're reading the story of a jealous woman, obsessed with her ex-husband's new wife, just to turn everything on its head halfway through this impeccably constructed book. Even when you know something is coming, the twists in this tangled love triangle are utterly shocking. 

Thrill factor: Questioning our own assumptions.

A thriller almost too wild to believe

"When No One Is Watching" by Alyssa Cole, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Sydney is tired of the gentrification of her Brooklyn neighborhood, the homes changing and her neighbors moving faster than she can keep up. She decides to start a deep-dive into the neighborhood's history with her neighbor Theo, but what they uncover instills paranoia and fear as what they once thought were conspiracies are slowly revealed to hold hidden truths. This one is a wild ride with a pile of twists that happen all at once. 

Thrill factor: The conspiracy theories that might actually be true.

A binge-worthy book

"Verity" by Colleen Hoover, available at Amazon and Bookshop

When you open this book, make sure you have no plans for the rest of the day — the first 20 pages or so ease you into the story and the rest of the book is a dead sprint to the end. Little-known writer Lowen has been hired to finish Verity's well-loved book series after a car accident left her in a waking coma. While looking for outlines or notes in Verity's office, Lowen discovers a horrifying autobiographical manuscript that depicts Verity's darkest secrets, kept from her husband and children. This thriller is one gripping scene of action after another, barrelling towards an ending that will have you shoving this book into your friends' hands so they can experience the wild ride for themselves. 

Thrill factor: The inability to choose which lie to believe.

The story of a murderous fashionista

"#FashionVictim" by Amina Akhtar, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This book is unassumingly murderous, exciting, and fun. Anya is a fashion editor with an envious wardrobe, a flawless social media presence, a soaring career, and a stack of bodies of those who almost got in her way. When Anya's desire to be friends with Sarah, her coworker, turns into an obsession, the intrigue may turn fatal. There is an unreasonably large amount of murder in this story, which is exactly what kept me interested. 

Thrill factor: Anya's conniving ability to get away with murder.

A suspenseful mystery of a missing woman

"I Am Watching You" by Teresa Driscoll, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Ella nearly intervenes when she sees two recently released convicts flirting with two young women, Anna and Sarah. After Ella decides to mind her business, Anna goes missing — and Ella is still riddled with guilt one year later. But now someone is sending Ella threatening letters, and the gaps in Sarah's account of that night grow wider as Ella realizes someone knows where Anna might be. This is one where the intense plot twist threw so many readers for a loop and settled with a satisfying resolution.

Thrill factor: The psychological distress of the protagonist.

YA thrillers

A heartbreaking ya thriller novel.

"See All The Stars" by Kit Frick, available at Amazon and Bookshop

I was not in the least surprised to learn that Kit Frick is also a poet. This book is teenage heartbreak mixed in a swirl of emotional prose and confounding thrills. Told between then and now, Ellory returns to her senior year of high school riddled with guilt, anxiety, and loss. As you read, you'll sort through the lies to find the truth to Ellory's pain. The whole book leads up to discovering the event that tore apart the main character's world, so you always have the feeling that something is coming… but you never know what might be around the corner. 

Thrill factor: A potentially unreliable narrator.

A compulsively readable YA thriller

"Lies You Never Told Me" by Jennifer Donaldson, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This is another book that I finished in one sitting, the two seemingly unrelated storylines leading to a climax so shocking, I'm not sure I even blinked until I finished the book. It follows Gabe and Elyse, complete strangers with similar secrets. They each fall for the wrong person and make one bad choice that spins their lives out of control. When you have no clue what you're looking for, a thriller's twist can hit you like a brick wall (in a good way!) and that's exactly what this book did to me. 

Thrill factor: Two different tales with unsettling similarities.

A twisted teenage tale

"The Cheerleaders" by Kara Thomas, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Fans of "Riverdale" and high school thriller will undoubtedly devour this YA novel. The cheer squad at Sunnybrook High was disbanded after the death of five cheerleaders, all unrelated but close together. Five years after the deaths, the community is finally ready to move forward — except for Monica, who just discovered letters and an old cell phone in her stepdad's desk. I accidentally read most of it in one sitting just because the story flows so smoothly.

Thrill factor: The flashback snippets providing little clues.

An investigative YA thriller

"A Good Girl's Guide To Murder" by Holly Jackson, available at Amazon and Bookshop

In this YA thriller favorite, the case is already closed. Sal Singh murdered Andie Bell five years ago. Everyone knows he did it — except Pippa, who chooses to investigate the murder for her senior year project. As she begins to uncover long-buried secrets, there might be some who need the truth to stay buried lurking in the shadows. If you love true crime, murder mysteries, and unstoppable young women, this is the perfect easy-read thriller to grab. 

Thrill factor: The feeling of investigating alongside the protagonist.

A thriller version of "The Breakfast Club"

"One of Us is Lying" by Karen M. McManus, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This YA thriller uses spectacular character development and dramatic, unreliable rumors to create a whodunnit thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end. On Monday's detention, five students walk in and one never walks out. Simon, now dead, planned to post high-profile secrets about the others the next day, making the other four students murder suspects in the ensuing investigation. There's a lot of depth to this book besides the thrill ride, which makes it even more satisfying to read.   

Thrill factor: The equal probability of every suspect's guilt.

Horror thrillers

A paranormal thriller novel.

"Home Before Dark" by Riley Sager, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Riley Sager has published four great thrillers so far but this one's my favorite. In this spooky and paranormal haunted house thriller, Maggie returns to restore the recently inherited home that made her family famous. Her father wrote a non-fiction bestseller based on their family's three-week stay in the home before they were forced to flee in the night. Not only was Maggie too young to remember what happened; she doesn't believe any of it is true. I genuinely had a great time reading this thriller — it was so much fun to feel the fear and expose the truths of this house alongside Maggie.

Thrill factor: Skepticism and doubt mixed with a foggy memory.

A haunted "smart" house

"The Turn of the Key" by Ruth Ware, available at Amazon and Bookshop

Ruth Ware is another notorious thriller writer and this is my favorite of her books so far — and was actually too scared to read it alone at night. It takes place in a technologically advanced home in the Scottish Highlands, where Rowan is hired as a live-in nanny and earns an outrageous salary. Told in the form of a letter from Rowan to her lawyer, she recounts the events from her arrival at the home to the death of one of the children. This story is so immersive and scary that I had to remind myself more than once that it's just a book.

Thrill factor: Technology's role in generating unease.

The tale of a spooky motel

"The Sun Down Motel" by Simone St. James, available at Amazon and Bookshop

This book is filled with so many vivid and borderline violent scenes that build tension throughout the story. Viv works at a 1982 roadside motel to pay for her move to New York City. As the secrets of the motel and its guests begin to reveal themselves, the nights seem to grow darker and darker. Once I finished this book, I felt like I could exhale for the first time in days — I was so satisfied with the resolution. 

Thrill factor: Realizing that the deeper the shadows, the more secrets that can hide within.

• Main content

The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time

With a panel of celebrated authors—Megan Abbott, Harlan Coben, S.A. Cosby, Gillian Flynn, Tana French, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Sujata Massey—TIME presents the most gripping, twist-filled, satisfying, and influential mystery and thriller books, in chronological order beginning in the 1800s

Why Mystery Books Are So Satisfying

By tana french.

The Woman in White

By wilkie collins.

Crime and Punishment

By fyodor dostoevsky.

The Leavenworth Case

By anna katharine green.

The Turn of the Screw

By henry james.

The Hound of the Baskervilles

By arthur conan doyle.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

By agatha christie.

The Crime at Black Dudley

By margery allingham.

The Patient in Room 18

By mignon g. eberhart.

The Maltese Falcon

By dashiell hammett.

The Conjure-Man Dies

By rudolph fisher.

A Man Lay Dead

By ngaio marsh.

Gaudy Night

By dorothy l. sayers.

The Three Coffins

By john dickson carr.

by Daphne du Maurier

A Coffin for Dimitrios

By eric ambler, the rich, underappreciated history of mystery writers of color, by rachel howzell hall.

Double Indemnity

By james m. cain.

If He Hollers Let Him Go

By chester b. himes.

In a Lonely Place

By dorothy b. hughes.

The Daughter of Time

By josephine tey.

Beat Not the Bones

By charlotte jay.

Casino Royale

By ian fleming.

A Kiss Before Dying

By ira levin.

The Long Goodbye

By raymond chandler.

Beast in View

By margaret millar.

The Quiet American

By graham greene.

The Talented Mr. Ripley

By patricia highsmith.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

By shirley jackson.

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

By john le carré.

The Honjin Murders

By seishi yokomizo.

Where Are the Children?

By mary higgins clark.

The Shining

By stephen king.

The Last Good Kiss

By james crumley.

The Name of the Rose

By umberto eco.

The Hunt for Red October

By tom clancy.

A Dark-Adapted Eye

By barbara vine.

The Decagon House Murders

By yukito ayatsuji.

The Silence of the Lambs

By thomas harris.

Devil in a Blue Dress

By walter mosley.

Mean Spirit

By linda hogan.

by Patricia Daniels Cornwell

Faceless Killers

By henning mankell.

by Eleanor Taylor Bland

The Secret History

By donna tartt.

Smilla’s Sense of Snow

By peter høeg.

When Death Comes Stealing

By valerie wilson wesley.

by Harlan Coben

Killing Floor

By lee child.

by Kaoru Takamura

by Yasmina Khadra

by Natsuo Kirino

Inner City Blues

By paula l. woods.

A Place of Execution

By val mcdermid.

Those Bones Are Not My Child

By toni cade bambara.

Blanche Passes Go

By barbara neely.

Death of a Red Heroine

By qiu xiaolong.

The Redbreast

By jo nesbø.

Mystic River

By dennis lehane.

The Shadow of the Wind

By carlos ruiz zafón.

The Surgeon

By tess gerritsen.

The Emperor of Ocean Park

By stephen l. carter.

Fingersmith

By sarah waters.

The Ice Princess

By camilla läckberg.

by Roberto Bolaño

Case Histories

By kate atkinson.

The Devotion of Suspect X

By keigo higashino.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

By stieg larsson.

The Lincoln Lawyer

By michael connelly.

Snakeskin Shamisen

By naomi hirahara.

by Megan Abbott

What the Dead Know

By laura lippman.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union

By michael chabon.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

By olga tokarczuk.

Wife of the Gods

By kwei quartey.

Bury Your Dead

By louise penny.

Faithful Place

The Plotters

By un-su kim.

The Sound of Things Falling

By juan gabriel vásquez.

by Gillian Flynn

The Round House

By louise erdrich.

by Hideo Yokoyama

Ordinary Grace

By william kent krueger.

Big Little Lies

By liane moriarty.

Everything I Never Told You

By celeste ng.

Land of Shadows

The Sympathizer

By viet thanh nguyen.

Bluebird, Bluebird

By attica locke.

Hollywood Homicide

By kellye garrett.

My Sister, the Serial Killer

By oyinkan braithwaite.

The Widows of Malabar Hill

By sujata massey.

Miracle Creek

By angie kim.

by Helen Phillips

The Other Americans

By laila lalami.

The Turn of the Key

By ruth ware.

Your House Will Pay

By steph cha.

Blacktop Wasteland

By s.a. cosby.

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

By deepa anappara.

Mexican Gothic

By silvia moreno-garcia.

When No One Is Watching

By alyssa cole.

Winter Counts

By david heska wanbli weiden.

Survivor’s Guilt

By robyn gigl.

This project is led by Lucy Feldman, Annabel Gutterman, Megan McCluskey, and Meg Zukin, with writing, reporting, and additional editing by Eliza Berman, Tessa Berenson Rogers, Kelly Conniff, Leslie Dickstein, Eliana Dockterman, Mahita Gajanan, Cady Lang, Lily Rothman, Rachel Sonis, Armani Syed, Karl Vick, Elijah Wolfson, Lucas Wittmann, and Laura Zornosa; photography editing by Whitney Matewe; art direction by Katie Kalupson and Victor Williams; video by Brian Braganza, Andrew Johnson, Jeannie Kopstein, and Sam McPeak; production by  Nadia Suleman ; illustrations by Michelle Urra for TIME.

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The Best Thrillers of 2023

They include an espionage caper, the tale of a murderous librarian and a high-stakes adventure that takes place inside the various stomachs of a whale.

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By Sarah Lyall

This year’s best thrillers come in various shades of suspense, dread and wonder. But each leads the reader down a twisty path toward an unknown destination.

Let’s begin with Daniel Kraus’s wholly original, almost obscenely entertaining WHALEFALL (MTV Books, 336 pp., $27.99) , which concerns the efforts of a hapless 17-year-old named Jay Gardiner to escape from a most improbable prison.

Jay’s father, Mitt, a legendary diver and mean drunk, recently drowned himself off the coast of Monterey, Calif., suffering from terminal cancer. But when Jay tries to help his grieving family by recovering his father’s remains, he is slurped up by a passing whale, becoming an unexpected side dish to the whale’s main meal of giant squid.

As he fights his way out, Jay has in his arsenal an hour’s worth of oxygen and a lifetime of lessons, on whales as well as humans, imparted to him by his dad. Kraus, the author of numerous science fiction and fantasy novels — and, with Guillermo del Toro, of the novel version of the film “The Shape of Water” — infuses his prose with a scientist’s rigor and a poet’s sensibility.

You won’t meet a more tortured or resourceful hero this year. And you won’t meet a nobler or more surprising whale, either.

Everyone needs a good legal thriller for Christmas. This year, it’s Martin Clark’s excellent THE PLINKO BOUNCE (Rare Bird Books, 270 pp., $28) , set in rural Virginia and starring a straight-shooting public defender named Andy Hughes. As the book begins, Andy is gearing up to take on a final case before starting a fancy new job at a big law firm.

His client, a violent ex-con accused of murdering a woman in a drug-fueled frenzy, is obviously guilty. But Andy is too conscientious to provide anything other than a top-notch defense, and he finds major holes in the prosecution’s case. The courtroom scenes are authoritative — Clark, the author of several previous novels, is a retired Virginia circuit court judge — and compelling in a pleasingly unflashy way. Readers will feel they’re in good hands.

They might also think they know what’s coming, but they don’t. As Clark explains, a “Plinko bounce” refers to the unpredictable behavior of the plastic disks dropped into a giant vertical peg board in a game on “The Price Is Right.” But this is not a game, and when the bounce happens, it’s truly shocking.

Many of us have been unnerved to find out how ubiquitous facial-recognition technology is at places like airports. If one thing is clear from reading Anthony McCarten’s high-octane GOING ZERO (Harper, 295 pp., $30) , it’s that we have no clue how much of our private lives we’ve already given up.

The book begins when a megalomaniacal tech bazillionaire named Cy Baxter, an evil amalgam of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, recruits 10 people to test the Fusion Initiative, a state-of-the-art surveillance system he’s devised with the U.S. government.

The volunteers are competing to evade the system for an entire month; anyone who remains un-found gets $3 million. But one by one, they go down, puny adversaries for the formidable arsenal of drones, cameras, virtual-reality devices, satellites, A.I.-enhanced research techniques and other technologies brought to bear against them.

But a lone volunteer, a Boston librarian — “single, childless, nearsighted” — manages to elude the system. And then the book cranks into a new gear, as we learn who this remarkable woman is, what she really wants and the lengths she is prepared to go to get it. “Privacy is passé,” Baxter says. That’s his opinion.

As you begin Sally Hepworth’s sly psychological puzzle THE SOULMATE (St. Martin’s, 327 pp., $28.99) , please understand that what you’re seeing in the first few chapters is only part of the story, a sleight of hand perpetrated by the author. The book opens simply enough, with Pippa Gerard watching her husband, Gabe, try to talk a woman out of throwing herself over the cliff outside their house, a notorious spot for suicides.

But why does Gabe seem to be reaching toward the distressed woman — something he had been instructed never to do — as she teeters on the edge, then falls? And why, if Pippa loves her husband as much as she claims, did she once take an online survey called “Is Your Partner a Sociopath?” Hepworth metes out her information slowly and expertly, adding new ingredients to the pot so that instead of the simple broth with which we started we end up with a five-course dinner.

The dead woman, Amanda, narrates some of the chapters from beyond the grave. She wants to make something clear. “Unlike the scores of people who have come to this spot before me,” she says, “I did not come here to die.”

Watching two diabolical women try to outsmart each other while maintaining their placid facades in the library where they work is only one of the many pleasures of Laura Sims’s deliciously unsettling HOW CAN I HELP YOU (Putnam, 240 pp., $27 ). The book begins with Margo, an outwardly cheerful librarian with a big secret: In her previous job, she was a nurse with a knack for murdering her patients.

With her fake name and new identity, she seems to have gotten away with it. But she can’t escape her insatiable hunger for killing. And with the arrival of a new research librarian, a failed novelist named Patricia who suspects that Margo is hiding something and that it might make a great subject for her next book, Margo’s tenuous grip on sanity begins to slip away.

It’s no coincidence that both women admire Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” with its subversive belief that even murderous psychopaths deserve our sympathy, or at least our understanding. But is there room in the library — or, for that matter, in the world in general — for both Margo and Patricia? Probably not.

Anyone who has yet to discover the particular genius of Mick Herron, author of the darkly hilarious “Slow Horses” espionage novels, is in for a serious treat. His latest book, THE SECRET HOURS (Soho Crime, 384 pp., $27.95) , isn’t part of the series but exists in its larger universe — featuring some familiar characters and providing a jaw-dropping back story for one of them.

The book begins with a bravura action sequence set in the English countryside. Who knew that a rotting badger carcass could be such a useful weapon? It’s unclear how this harrowing chase through a bunch of fields and back roads fits in with the rest of the story, but tuck it away in your mind, because Herron will return to it later.

We then switch to London, where an unnamed former prime minister of dubious morals — hello, Boris Johnson! — has spitefully set up a far-reaching inquiry into historical wrongdoing at MI5, Britain’s domestic security service. It’s a deadly dull exercise until suddenly one of its members receives a classified case file about a botched operation and subsequent cover-up dating back to 1994 Berlin, and everything changes.

As always, Herron is at his best when he’s laying bare the amusing petty rivalries and elaborate machinations of bureaucrats and spies. It’s not necessary to read any of his other books before reading this one, but once you start, you’ll want to read them all.

Sarah Lyall is a writer at large, working for a variety of desks including Sports, Culture, Media and International. Previously she was a correspondent in the London bureau, and a reporter for the Culture and Metro desks. More about Sarah Lyall

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The complicated, generous life  of Paul Auster, who died on April 30 , yielded a body of work of staggering scope and variety .

“Real Americans,” a new novel by Rachel Khong , follows three generations of Chinese Americans as they all fight for self-determination in their own way .

“The Chocolate War,” published 50 years ago, became one of the most challenged books in the United States. Its author, Robert Cormier, spent years fighting attempts to ban it .

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The 12 best thrillers of 2023

Spy novels and serial killers, suburban drama and domestic upheaval, puzzles and plot twists — this year was a great one for thrillers

Spy novels and serial killers, suburban drama and domestic upheaval, puzzles and plot twists — there’s something for everyone in this year’s top 12 thrillers.

‘All the Sinners Bleed,’ by S.A. Cosby

Simmering racial tension in a Southern town erupts after a school shooting that leaves one White teacher dead and a young Black man shot by two White police officers. Titus Crown, the county’s first Black sheriff, is tested throughout this riveting murder mystery, which also delivers a nuanced portrayal of racism, politics and small-town life. As Crown tries to make sense of the shooting, he uncovers horrors of torture, sexual abuse and murder, and realizes that a serial killer is living in their midst.

Review: 'All the Sinners Bleed,' by S.A. Cosby

‘Bright Young Women,’ by Jessica Knoll

After her success with books such as “Luckiest Girl Alive” (now a movie starring Mila Kunis) and “The Favorite Sister,” Knoll turns to history in her latest novel, specifically Ted Bundy. “Bright Young Women” opens with a powerful — and gory — scene evoking Bundy’s rampage at a sorority house in the late 1970s, which left two young women dead and another two maimed. Rather than sensationalize violence against women, however, Knoll’s provocative novel focuses on the stories of those affected by the killer’s rampages.

Review: 'Bright Young Women,' by Jessica Knoll

‘City Under One Roof,’ by Iris Yamashita

Alaska’s natural beauty plays a central role in this taut suspense novel set in the state’s remote corners. When a teen out kayaking with friends discovers a severed “green and almost translucent” human hand and a disembodied foot still stuck in a boot, the search begins for answers to the mysterious body parts. Replete with plot twists, “City Under One Roof” lures readers into this wild and alarmingly isolated small-town environs.

Review, 'City Under One Roof,' by Iris Yamashita

‘The Detective Up Late,’ by Adrian McKinty

Tough but charming detective Sean Duffy is back in the seventh novel in McKinty’s series, set amid the Irish Troubles. Those familiar with the series will relish Duffy’s (supposedly) final act before retiring from full-time work so that he, his wife and his toddler can move to Scotland to escape bombs, riots and soldiers on the streets. Those new to the series (the books need not be read in order) will appreciate Duffy’s dogged persistence as he investigates a missing-persons case that gets progressively more alarming as the details unfold.

‘The Eden Test,’ by Adam Sternbergh

Fans of Laura Dave (“The Last Thing He Told Me”) will enjoy this domestic thriller, in which a wife, Daisy, surprises her husband, Craig, with “The Eden Test,” a pricey and mysterious week-long retreat that promises to revitalize relationships, leaving participants “forever changed.” Both Daisy and Craig come to the getaway armed with their secrets; neither is prepared for what the week will bring in this engrossing drama.

More book reviews and recommendations

‘Exiles,’ by Jane Harper

The last book in Harper’s Falk trilogy begins ominously: An infant is found tucked inside her stroller, abandoned at a festival in South Australian wine country. Her mother, Kim Gillespie, is nowhere to be found. One year later, Gillespie is still missing, and federal agent Aaron Falk is called upon to look into her disappearance. Harper’s rich use of Australia’s landscape and her thoughtful portrayal of social issues enhance the story.

Review: 'Exiles,' by Jane Harper

‘Happiness Falls,’ by Angie Kim

Twenty-year-old narrator Mia Parkson is so deeply entrenched in the details of her own life, it is hours before she realizes that her 14-year-old nonspeaking brother, who lives with a rare genetic disorder called Angelman syndrome, has returned home from his daily hike without their father. What Mia calls “The Day Dad Disappeared” fuels this thrilling yet endearing mystery, as the family attempts to unravel what happened in the woods that day.

Review: 'Happiness Falls,' by Angie Kim

‘The Helsinki Affair,’ by Anna Pitoniak

Even those who don’t traditionally reach for spy novels will find something to love about “The Helsinki Affair,” a thriller featuring a young CIA officer, Amanda Cole, who has followed her father’s path into the agency and is eager to prove her worth. When she is assigned to investigate the assassination of a U.S. senator, her father’s past and her present converge, and she finds herself descending deeper and deeper into a web of blackmail and corruption.

Review: 'The Helsinki Affair,' by Anna Pitoniak

‘Hot Springs Drive,’ by Lindsay Hunter

Hunter dishes about the realities of motherhood with a side of “Gone Girl” and “Desperate Housewives” in this gripping psychological thriller. The novel opens with the murder of suburban mom Theresa Linden. Hunter then leads us back in time through the plot turns and betrayals that result in Theresa’s death, with a focus on her best friend, Jackie, who covets Theresa’s life — and husband.

Review: 'Hot Springs Drive,' by Lindsay Hunter

‘Pet,’ by Catherine Chidgey

Chidgey, a mystery powerhouse in her native New Zealand, tackles manipulative relationships among girls and women in this quirky, offbeat thriller. Preying on young girls when they are at their most vulnerable — in the throes of puberty — Mrs. Price, a teacher at a small Catholic school, forms bonds with her students only to exploit and control them. Her mind games put a new spin on preteen horror stories.

‘The Puzzle Master,’ by Danielle Trussoni

Cruciverbalists, Dan Brown lovers and code aficionados alike will be taken with protagonist Mike Brink, a handsome ex-football player who, after a traumatic brain injury in high school, develops a preternatural gift for creating and solving puzzles. When a prison psychologist calls on Brink to help her understand an inmate who will engage with the world only through Brink and his professional puzzle work, we are propelled into the world of an ancient mystery.

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‘The Traitor,’ by Ava Glass

Glass delivers more of secret agent Emma Makepeace in her latest installment of the Alias Emma series. When an MI6 operative is found dead, naked and stuffed into a large suitcase, Makepeace and colleagues suspect he is the victim of a nerve agent, possibly administered by a group of Russian oligarchs. As Makepeace goes undercover to understand the root of the assassination, Glass delivers everything fans of spy fiction could want — an absorbing plot, complex characters and propulsive action.

Review: 'The Traitor,' by Ava Glass

Jill Pellettieri is a contributing editor at the Yale Review and a former editor at Slate.

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The Best (and Most Anticipated) Mystery and Thriller Books of 2024, So Far

From Clare Mackintosh, Kellye Garrett, Amy Tintera, and more, here’s where to get your fix.

Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

The books on this list vary their drops: Some are skydives, others are gentle bumps. But all offer a story that resonates in this peculiar era defining the mid-2020s. Ahead, I share our recommendations for the best (and most anticipated) mysteries and thrillers of 2024, from the months of January through April. As with ELLE’s other best-of book lists (including literary fiction , nonfiction , romance , and fantasy and sci-fi), this list gets updates throughout the year—so don’t fret if your crime writer of choice has yet to make an appearance. For now, we hope you find a new favorite and settle in for the ride.

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

A relentless cat-and-mouse thriller, Ashley Elston’s First Lie Wins follows a protagonist without an identity—or, at least, without one that exists anymore. “Evie Porter” is a pseudonym, and a con artist, and Ryan Sumner of Louisiana is her latest mark. But as her attraction to Ryan grows and her commitment to the con slips, her employer—the mysterious “Mr. Smith”—dangles the keys to Evie’s old, real identity, and sends it out to track her down. This is a classic twist-stuffed suspense for fans who plan to read late into the night.

Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody

An unorthodox tale for the true-crime obsessed, Rabbit Hole is less a conventional suspense and more a case study in mourning and obsession, refracted through the lens of a woman processing her father’s suicide and her sister’s disappearance. With a particular ire for (and understanding of) internet forums, Kate Brody takes readers through protagonist Teddy’s descent into the Reddit community devoted to her sister’s cold case—and one amateur detective whom Teddy can’t seem to resist.

California Bear by Duane Swierczynski

California Bear is a multiple-perspective crime novel about four unexpected collaborators working to unravel an infamous California cold case. This quartet—a hard-drinking former cop, the ex-con he released from prison, the ex-con’s teenage daughter, and a genealogist—ground Duane Swierczynski’s suspense in well-crafted relationships, making their ultimate mission (to catch a serial killer) not only hair-raising but emotionally resonant.

Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn

This is far from a traditional thriller. In fact, Dead in Long Beach, California , actively butts up against genre conventions, in spite of its thriller-invoking title and premise: A woman discovers her brother has died by suicide, and she begins impersonating him, answering his texts as if he were still alive. As our protagonist spirals further into grief—and continues posing as her brother—the fictional world of her hit science-fiction series begins to haunt her reality, further threatening both her sanity and her relationships. A true genre-bender that blends meditations on grief with sci-fi snippets, this not-quite thriller is nevertheless its own experimental mystery: Who do we become when we refuse to let the dead rest?

My Favorite Scar by Nicolás Ferraro

A visceral, violent crime noir—the book opens with the 15-year-old protagonist cleaning up her father’s latest gunshot wound— My Favorite Scar never shies away from blood, literal or figurative. Translated from Spanish by Mallory Craig-Kuhn, Nicolás Ferraro’s book follows father-daughter pair Víctor and Ámbar, who launch a cross-country revenge ride through Argentina on the hunt for a mercenary. But while the high-octane adventure will certainly entice action fans, it’s Ámbar’s conflicted coming-of-age tale that pierces deepest.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

The author of The Silent Patient is back this year with The Fury , in which he lures readers to a private Greek island with the promise of a murder mystery. But Alex Michaelides withholds the identity of both the murderer and the murdered as the main cast’s relationships unfurl against the sun-baked backdrop of Easter weekend. Twisty and elusive, Michaelides’ latest is a surprising take on a genre classic.

Ilium by Lea Carpenter

Every time I begin to fret that the spy genre has reached critical mass, a brilliant soul like Lea Carpenter comes along and reinvigorates the form with zeal and inspiration. Ilium , Carpenter’s latest, is just such a work: The story concerns an unnamed female narrator who marries a much older man named Marcus, who turns out not to be the businessman she’d believed him to be. From the moment he first saw her walking the streets of London, he’s been recruiting her for an espionage role in “Operation Ilium.” Her mission is to pose as an art critic visiting the French estate of a prominent Russian oligarch named Edouard, and aid in the ultimate plot to assassinate him. But after our protagonist endures an unexpected loss, she grows closer to Edouard’s family, and to Edouard himself, finding her morals and allegiances irrevocably tangled.

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

This delicious follow-up to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone is as winking as its title, perfect for mystery fans whose tastes lean more “cozy” than “frightening”—even if the subject itself remains murder. Australian author Ernest Cunningham boards the Ghan, a train taking a four-day trip from Darwin to Adelaide, as a guest of the Australian Mystery Writers’ Society ... only for one of the passengers to end up dead. Ernest and his fellow authors become immediate suspects, as well as amateur detectives, in this trope-targeting take on Murder on the Orient Express .

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

Here, a real treat for true-crime devotees who relish a puzzle. In The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels , Janice Hallett presents the audience with a task: Read the collection of transcriptions, texts, WhatsApp messages, emails, articles, and novel and screenplay excerpts that follow, and either take them to the police or ignore the package altogether. And so we enter the story of true-crime writer Amanda Bailey as she explores the Alperton Angels cult, including the teenage mother who escaped, and the baby—now 18 years old—that the cult members once deemed the Anti-Christ. Set aside time for this one; you’ll want to study it with the conviction of a subreddit.

Since She's Been Gone by Sagit Schwartz

Sagit Schwart’s thriller is a nuanced roller-coaster—high-stakes, high-energy, but with a sensitive approach to its subject matter. Protagonist Beatrice “Beans” Bennett lost her mother when she was only 15. Now decades older, she’s a clinical psychologist, one who uses her own experiences in eating-disorder recovery to better care for her patients. But when her latest patient informs Beans her mother is very much still alive—oh, and wrapped up in a Big Pharma scandal—Beans must reconcile her own mental health with her mother’s secret history. Told via dual timelines between Los Angeles and New York, this debut is a captivating feat.

Smoke Kings by Jahmal Mayfield

A debut novel boiling over with intensity and ingenuity, Smoke Kings never once lets its characters—or its readers—take the easy way through. Author Jahmal Mayfield presents an idea: What if, in pursuit of both justice and vengeance, a group of friends kidnapped the descendants of racists and demanded reparations from them? This group of vigilantes, called the Smoke Kings, take center stage in Mayfield’s novel, and soon they’ve invoked the wrath of a white supremacist leader—and the attention of a former cop. This sharp book balances nuance with exhilaration, and doubt with anger, warding off platitudes in its search for a deeper, knottier truth.

Ordinary Human Failings by Megan Nolan

Megan Nolan’s sophomore outing zeroes in on a ’90s crime scandal, in which a dead child is found on a London estate. Reporter Tom Hargreaves finds the scoop irresistible, but Carmel—daughter of the Greens, the family that owns the London estate—understands the truth can’t be captured in a tabloid headline.

Everyone Who Can Forgive Me Is Dead by Jenny Hollander

With strong echoes of Luckiest Girl Alive , Jenny Hollander’s first novel, Everyone Who Can Forgive Me is Dead , plants the mystery in that all-too-familiar crime scene: graduate school. Protagonist Charlie Colbert has reinvented herself after the events of the notorious “Scarlet Christmas”; she’s now a major media tastemaker engaged to a rich publishing heir. But the gaps in her memory of what really happened that bloody night in grad school threaten to derail her new life, particularly as a film based on the violent events launches pre-production. This is an enticing, lightning-quick debut.

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

Horror meets thriller in this pulse-pounding locked-room suspense, playing off the dread (and claustrophobia) of being trapped in your home with an intruder. In Tracy Sierra’s Nightwatching , a blizzard blows through town, leaving a mother with few options when she spots a shadowy figure standing in her hallway. Hiding with her children in a secret room in the aging house, she listens as the intruder attempts to lure them out of their hiding spot—only for her to realize she recognizes him. Sierra manages to integrate complex ideas about perception, trauma, guilt, and women’s autonomy...without once loosening her grip on the reader’s nerves.

The Split by Kit Frick

Dual narratives intertwine in Kit Frick’s The Split , which explores two outcomes of one fateful choice. Sisters Jane and Esme aren’t exactly close—at least, not since what happened when they were teenagers. But when Esme reveals she’s leaving her wealthy husband to come and stay with Jane, Jane has to choose whether she’ll embrace her little sister’s return, or leave Esme to fend for herself. At this juncture, the book cleaves in half: In one potential timeline, a secret bubbles up inside the sisters’ relationship, but they’re together; in the other, Esme goes missing entirely. Frick’s family drama uses its clever framing device to trace the very real mysteries imbedded in our oldest and most intimate relationships.

No One Dies Yet by Kobby Ben Ben

Kobby Ben Ben’s debut, No One Dies Yet , is fascinating, funny, surreal, and provocative, its genre-warping murder tale fusing queer autofiction with geopolitics and mystery with erotica. In the midst of it all are Elton, Vincent, and Scott, who land in Ghana in 2019 as part of the “ Year of Return ,” during which Black Americans were encouraged to return to their ancestral homeland. There, they meet Kobby (recognize that name?) and Nana, who serve as narrators and guides to two different sides of the city of Accra—all with a murder looming over their adventures.

A Step Past Darkness by Vera Kurian

With supernatural components that have drawn reader comparisons to Stranger Things, The Goonies, and It , Vera Kurian’s A Step Past Darkness threads genres and characters and twists into an intricate, absorbing web. Here, Kurian introduces us to the “Capstone Six,” a group of high-school students who come together in 1995 for their capstone project, in which they plan to study the abandoned mines of Wesley Falls. But those mines hold something horrible in store, and the crime they witness there will mark them forever. Two decades later, a former Capstone Six member calls the others back to Wesley Falls; one of their own has been murdered. Only together can they uncover why, and reveal the rot at the heart of their small town’s religious fervor.

Baby X by Kira Peikoff

An early headline mentioned in Kira Peikoff’s Baby X epitomizes the exhilarating sci-fi thriller in which it’s written: “Rogue Network Suspected in Black Market Scheme to Steal Celebrity Cells for Embryo Creation.” This startlingly prophetic tale takes place in a near-future America, where famous musician Trace Thorne has employed a bio-security guard to protect his DNA from unwanted progeny. (In this version of the future, any stray hair can be used to create an embryo, and Trace isn’t looking to father children with strangers.) But when a woman nevertheless shows up pregnant with his child, his bio-security guard must face not only her growing feelings for Trace, but what led each of them to this bizarre and frightening conjunction.

The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft

As bewildering and beckoning as its cover, Jennifer Croft’s locked-room mystery is something like Agatha Christie or Knives Out on mushrooms—ones not unlike those in the book itself. A group of eight translators from eight different countries travel to a Polish forest bordering Belarus, devoted as they are to the forest’s inhabitant, the author Irena Rey. They’ve come to translate her book, Grey Eminence , and they refer to Rey like a saint, as “Our Author.” But within days of their arrival she’s vanished. As they investigate her disappearance within the isolation of the forest, their behaviors and relationships become increasingly warped. As Croft’s narrator tells us: “We never meant her any harm. How could we have? All we wanted was to follow in her footsteps, making them our own.”

The Hunter by Tana French

Adored American-Irish crime author Tana French has landed with The Hunter , her second book exploring the trials of ex-Chicago PD officer Cal Hooper. (Fans can read its precursor The Searcher for more context, but The Hunter is meant as a stand-alone.) This crime mystery carries a deep sense of place, dropping the reader not only in the oppressive heat of a drought-plagued Ireland, but in the relationships that sustain readers through the book’s (very) slow-burn plot. At the core are Cal, Lena, and Trey, whose formerly absent father has suddenly reappeared with a scheme to strike gold. The gorgeous writing here is classic French, even as she leads her fans through a decidedly different sort of detective story.

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33 Brilliant Thrillers That’ll Keep You Turning the Page

Gripping is an understatement.

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If you're chasing that same shiver-up-your-spine terror that Netflix's You gives its audience, try the next book in Carolyn Kepnes’s addictive series. For a piece of juicy fiction that just recently got the small-screen treatment , check out Zakiya Delilah Harris's The Other Black Girl.

New to the genre ? Beginners might enjoy The Last Thing He Told Me, which is as captivating as it is page-turning. Or maybe you're looking for something more intense, like Gillian Flynn's chilling Sharp Objects . But no matter what, you won't regret spending a few afternoons with these thrilling books.

Stillhouse Lake, by Rachel Caine

An "average" housewife's life is changed forever when a car accident reveals that her husband is a serial killer. She quickly goes into hiding and assumes a new identity—but soon, as you can probably guess, a new threat finds her.

In a Dark, Dark Wood, by Ruth Ware

Reclusive writer Leonora attends what's supposed to be an exciting, care-free bachelorette weekend in the English countryside, but it soon turns into something sinister in this psychological thriller.

Behind Closed Doors, by B.A. Paris

Picture-perfect newlyweds Jack and Grace are the couple you love to hate. He has the money and perfect job, and she is a beautiful homemaker. But when you look closer, they're almost too flawless, and Grace is nearly unreachable and impossible to get to know—eerily so.

The Guest List, by Lucy Foley

Named a Reese's Book Club Pick , The Guest List is an Agatha Christie-esque mystery set over the course of a highly exclusive weekend wedding. The groom, the bride, and the other key players narrate their parts in this atmospheric thriller that takes place amid the drizzly vistas of Ireland.

The Cutting Season, by Attica Locke

Attica Locke, a TV writer turned novelist, writes her acclaimed thrillers with an expert sense of pacing. While The Cutting Season's plot is gripping, its historical and social insight will stick with you long after the ending. The Cutting Season interweaves two murder mysteries: one that takes place on a historic Louisiana landmark, and the disappearance of a slave, 100 years earlier.

The Disappearing Act, by Catherine Steadman

Author Catherine Steadman is an actress you may recognize from Downton Abbey. She uses her years in the biz to inform this glossy thriller set in Hollywood during pilot-casting season, when actors vie for parts in new shows. Mia Eliot is an English actress who, in her pursuit of a big break, ends up getting swept into big trouble when another actress disappears.

It Ends with Her, by Brianna Labuskes

FBI agent Clarke Sinclair has spent years trying to catch a serial killer named Simon Cross. He has a habit of targeting only redheads, but when he breaks his pattern, Clarke must figure out what he's up to.

The Last Thing He Told Me, by Laura Dave

When The Last Thing He Told Me starts, we know as much about Owen as Hannah Hall, his wife of one year, does. He appears to be a nice guy, a devoted dad, and a hard worker. Then he disappears, and Hannah has to reconstruct her understanding of her husband, all while caring for his 16-year-old daughter, who has never been her biggest fan. The Last Thing He Told Me will upend any expectations you formed while reading this paragraph, and is a gripping, surprisingly emotional ride. After reading this, you might want to relive the storyline and watch the Apple TV+ miniseries of the book, starring Jennifer Garner.

The Wife Between Us, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

All assumptions go out the window with this twisted story of a suffering ex-wife who's stalking her ex's new, younger fiancée. But a twist you won't see coming is what makes this story truly stand out.

Long Bright River, by Liz Moore

An O, The Oprah Magazine review of Long Bright River called Liz Moore's novel "equal parts literary and thrilling—a compassionate, multidimensional look at an epidemic that surrounds us. " A spin on the procedural, the novel follows a police officer who is consumed by looking for her missing sister, last seen struggling with a heroin addiction.

Lock Every Door, by Riley Sager

Jules Larson becomes an apartment sitter at Manhattan's elite and mysterious building the Bartholomew. She soon befriends another apartment sitter named Ingrid—but when she disappears, Jules must investigate and delve into the building's dark history.

The Maidens, by Alex Michaelides

The author of The Silent Patient delivers another book that relishes in both unexpected twists and references to classic mythology. In The Maidens , Mariana Andros is summoned back to her alma mater, Cambridge, after her niece's best friend is murdered. Originally there for emotional support, Mariana begins to build a case against the charismatic professor who seems to be at the center of the crime.

An Anonymous Girl, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

This hypnotic novel packs an unexpected twist as it follows a woman named Jessica Farris, who enters into a psychological study to earn extra money. The experiments are led by Dr. Shields, who soon takes the study beyond the lab, infiltrating Jessica's real life.

The Turn of the Key, by Ruth Ware

Rowan Caine seems to score herself a dream job as a live-in nanny at a luxurious smart home in the Scottish Highlands. But what seems too good to be true actually is, as Rowan eventually finds herself in prison and on trial for a murder she insists she didn't commit.

My Lovely Wife, by Samantha Downing

In this thriller that's been described as " Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith ," a seemingly everyday couple has gotten bored with their monotonous life...so they spice it up. With murder.

Falling, by T.J. Newman

T.J. Newman channeled years of working as a flight attendant to inform this airplane-set thriller. In the book, a pilot receives a shocking call: Kidnappers have taken his family hostage, and will harm them...unless he crashes the plane. One hundred forty-three passengers are on board. The flight is in the air. What's he going to do?

The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides

The standout 2019 thriller follows Alicia Berenson, a celebrated painter married to a famed fashion photographer. But one day, she shoots her husband in the face...five times...and never speaks again.

Nine Perfect Strangers, by Liane Moriarty

The author of Big Little Lies set this novel at a remote wellness center. Masha, Tranquillum House's charismatic owner (played by Nicole Kidman in the Hulu show), lures nine guests deeper and deeper into her spa's twisted philosophy. Read in preparation for the TV series' upcoming second season.

Before I Go to Sleep, by S.J. Watson

In this unnerving thriller, a woman with amnesia fights to discover who she is, despite her inability to recover her past or form new memories.

The Upstairs House, by Julia Fine

The Upstairs House is an intellectual, thought-provoking thriller. When her husband leaves for a business trip, Megan is left alone with her new daughter. But she's not exactly alone. It appears that Margaret Wise Brown, author of Goodnight Moon and subject of Megan's thesis, is living in the apartment upstairs. Never mind the fact that Brown is long dead—Megan sees her, and she's willing to watch Megan's daughter. Then, Margaret's ex-lover, a woman poet named Michael Strange, appears, and Megan finds herself in a ghostly tale of regret and revenge.

McKenzie Jean-Philippe is the editorial assistant at OprahMag.com covering pop culture, TV, movies, celebrity, and lifestyle. She loves a great Oprah viral moment and all things Netflix—but come summertime, Big Brother has her heart. On a day off you'll find her curled up with a new juicy romance novel.

Elena Nicolaou is the former culture editor at Oprah Daily. 

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The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

“It fascinates me that René Clément, the French film director, adapted this novel into a film called Plein Soleil (known as Purple Noon in the United States). In the story, Tom Ripley is sent from New York to Italy by the father of Dickie Greenleaf to bring Dickie back to the United States. As he ingratiates himself with his son, Tom Ripley adopts increasingly dangerous, amoral and murderous measures to reap the rewards of his lifestyle and finally, steal his inheritance. The novel starts in a gloomy Manhattan, where Ripley meets Dickie Greenleaf’s father. It’s not bright, it’s claustrophobic. And then we come to this Mediterranean world of plein soleil where in the movie everything is brightness—there’s a yacht, these lovely towns, and everybody is wearing lovely styles and costumes.” Peter Markham , Film Director

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

“If you want to be a crime writer it is one of the books that you absolutely have to read. It has been one of the most successful, if not the most successful, crime novel of the 20th century.” Peter James , Thriller and Crime Writer

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

“The main thing about Rebecca that I find completely compelling is the way that you, the reader, become complicit in a situation which, eventually, turns into a crime.” Lucy Atkins , Journalist

Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett

“John le Carré is very cerebral. There is an intellectual puzzle of trying to figure out who the characters are. Eye of the Needle was an out-and-out chase thriller.” Tess Gerritsen , Thriller and Crime Writer

Fatherland by Robert Harris

“ Fatherland’ s central conceit is that it takes place in Hitler’s Berlin in 1964. Hitler is 75. The 20th of April, the Fuhrer’s birthday, which is a big national celebration, is fast approaching. The novel is cast as a thriller, which is a very clever decision on Robert Harris’s part. It starts off with a body in the Havel, near a favoured island in Berlin called Schwanenwerder. It’s the body of a man called Josef Bühler. Another body is found—of Wilhelm Stuckart. The facts of these two deaths are investigated by a lone detective called Xavier March, who works for the Berlin Kriminalpolizei (Kripo). He identifies a possible third target, who’s still alive, a guy that Robert Harris has playfully named Martin Luther.” Graham Hurley , Thriller and Crime Writer

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Last updated: May 12, 2024

We have a lot of interviews with bestselling authors of thrillers recommending their own favourite books (not by them). Many are thrillers that have been turned into blockbuster movies or Netflix series, but the book is normally (always?) better.

Recommending their top five thrillers we have:  Jeffrey Archer , Tess Gerritsen , Sam Bourne , Simon Kernick,   Lucy Atkins , and James Twining . Peter James, author of Dead Simple , recommends his best crime fiction and Simon Brett the best whodunnits . Louise Bagshawe chooses the best chase stories .

Scott Turow, author of Presumed Innocent , recommends the best legal novels . Anders Roslund and Borge Hellstrom recommend the best Swedish crime writing .

On political thrillers, Peter Hitchens recommends an excellent collection of anti-communist thrillers and Jeremy Duns his best forgotten Cold War thrillers . Ben Macintyre and Charles Cummings both recommend spy thrillers.

Our interviewees have chosen a very wide range of books, but some thrillers come up multiple times, including The Silence of The Lambs by Thomas Harris, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan . Also recommended more than once are: The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth,  Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett and The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith.

Recurring authors include John Le Carré and John Grisham.

If you prefer to listen to books, we've picked out some of our favourite thrillers as audiobooks.

The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books , recommended by Mark Edlitz

Colonel sun by kingsley amis, high time to kill by raymond benson, silverfin by charlie higson, forever and a day by anthony horowitz, double or nothing by kim sherwood.

The British author Ian Fleming (1908-1964) wrote only 12 James Bond novels , but dozens more have been published since his death. Mark Edlitz , author of James Bond After Fleming, guides us through the 'continuation novels,' starting with Kingsley Amis in 1968.

The British author Ian Fleming (1908-1964) wrote only 12 James Bond novels , but dozens more have been published since his death. Mark Edlitz, author of James Bond After Fleming, guides us through the ‘continuation novels,’ starting with Kingsley Amis in 1968.

The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations , recommended by Rachel Wolf

The chalet by catherine cooper, the sanatorium by sarah pearse, the invitation by lucy foley, the club by ellery lloyd, the yacht by sarah goodwin.

It can be a lot of fun reading a pacy thriller set in a glamorous, unattainable world — filled with characters you love to hate. Rachel Wolf , author of Five Nights , recommends five thrillers set in luxury locations where immense wealth and a beautiful setting mix with dark secrets and horrendous crimes.

It can be a lot of fun reading a pacy thriller set in a glamorous, unattainable world — filled with characters you love to hate. Rachel Wolf, author of Five Nights , recommends five thrillers set in luxury locations where immense wealth and a beautiful setting mix with dark secrets and horrendous crimes.

The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 , recommended by Shane Whaley

The peacock and the sparrow by i.s. berry, a spy alone by charles beaumont, moscow x by david mccloskey, kennedy 35 by charles cumming, beirut station by paul vidich.

2023 was a fabulous year for spy thrillers, with some fans saying there hasn't been a year like it since the 1970s, says Shane Whaley , host of the Spybrary podcast. He picks out five of his favourites from the year, all works of fiction that nonetheless give a sense of what it's like to work as a spy.

2023 was a fabulous year for spy thrillers, with some fans saying there hasn’t been a year like it since the 1970s, says Shane Whaley, host of the Spybrary podcast. He picks out five of his favourites from the year, all works of fiction that nonetheless give a sense of what it’s like to work as a spy.

The Best Thrillers for Teens , recommended by Kathryn Foxfield

How to die famous by benjamin dean, the girls i've been by tess sharpe, a good girl's guide to murder by holly jackson, the agathas by kathleen glasgow & liz lawson, and then there were none by agatha christie.

Thrillers for teens have to be fast paced, exciting and entertaining, argues Kathryn Foxfield , author of YA thriller Good Girls Die First .  She recommends some of her favourite teen thrillers, from books published this year to classics of the genre.

Thrillers for teens have to be fast paced, exciting and entertaining, argues Kathryn Foxfield, author of YA thriller Good Girls Die First .  She recommends some of her favourite teen thrillers, from books published this year to classics of the genre.

The Best Psychological Thrillers , recommended by J.S. Monroe

I let you go by clare mackintosh, the magus by john fowles, three hours by rosamund lupton, gone girl by gillian flynn.

The best psychological thrillers are books that draw you into the lives of seemingly ordinary people, keep you turning the pages and then (often) floor you with an unexpected twist. British thriller writer JS Monroe, author of No Place to Hide , recommends some of the best ones out there, including the 1955 book that inspired the modern genre.

Crime Fiction and Social Justice , recommended by Karin Slaughter

Demon copperhead by barbara kingsolver, the fever by megan abbott, heaven, my home by attica locke, your house will pay: a novel by steph cha, all her little secrets: a novel by wanda morris.

Many of us enjoy thrillers because of the pacy story, but good crime fiction has always been about society, says American novelist Karin Slaughter . She recommends five crime novels that are not only great reads but "pry the scab off the human condition."

Many of us enjoy thrillers because of the pacy story, but good crime fiction has always been about society, says American novelist Karin Slaughter. She recommends five crime novels that are not only great reads but “pry the scab off the human condition.”

The Best Post-Soviet Spy Thrillers , recommended by Charles Cumming

Kolymsky heights by lionel davidson, remembrance day by henry porter, red sparrow by jason matthews, slow horses by mick herron, to the lions by holly watt.

With the end of the Soviet Union, many thought the spy novel was dead. Within a decade, it was back, with old antagonists back in different guises and a new raft of international flashpoints to keep both fictional and real-life spies busy. Here, British spy novelist Charles Cumming , author of more than ten books, recommends five key post-Soviet spy thrillers and explains how the genre has evolved since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

With the end of the Soviet Union, many thought the spy novel was dead. Within a decade, it was back, with old antagonists back in different guises and a new raft of international flashpoints to keep both fictional and real-life spies busy. Here, British spy novelist Charles Cumming, author of more than ten books, recommends five key post-Soviet spy thrillers and explains how the genre has evolved since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The Best Literary Thrillers , recommended by Chris Power

Tomorrow in the battle think on me by javier marías, translated by margaret jull costa, 2666 by roberto bolaño, translated by natasha wimmer, honeymoon by patrick modiano, translated by barbara wright, hurricane season by fernanda melchor, translated by sophie hughes, a perfect spy by john le carré.

For those with a taste for fine literature, but who also enjoy their fiction with a bit of suspense and momentum, the acclaimed novelist Chris Power —author of A Lonely Man —has put together a recommended reading list of five 'literary thrillers', including work by Fernanda Melchor, Roberto Bolaño and the Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano.

For those with a taste for fine literature, but who also enjoy their fiction with a bit of suspense and momentum, the acclaimed novelist Chris Power—author of A Lonely Man —has put together a recommended reading list of five ‘literary thrillers’, including work by Fernanda Melchor, Roberto Bolaño and the Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano.

The Best World War II Thrillers , recommended by Graham Hurley

Bomber by len deighton, hms ulysses by alistair maclean, piece of cake by derek robinson, the kindly ones: a novel by jonathan littell.

For all its horrors, World War II was a time when things happened to people and that, perhaps, is what makes it such an enduring source of fascination. Graham Hurley , author of the Spoils of War series, recommends five of the best World War II thrillers, including one that reads like nonfiction.

For all its horrors, World War II was a time when things happened to people and that, perhaps, is what makes it such an enduring source of fascination. Graham Hurley, author of the Spoils of War series, recommends five of the best World War II thrillers, including one that reads like nonfiction.

The Best Classic Thrillers , recommended by Lucy Atkins

We have always lived in the castle by shirley jackson, jane eyre by charlotte brontë, the woman in white by wilkie collins.

Every week, dozens of new thrillers appear in bookshops. But, often, the classic ones are the best of all. If you haven't read any of these five yet, you have a treat in store—recommended by British novelist Lucy Atkins , author of the brilliant Magpie Lane .

Every week, dozens of new thrillers appear in bookshops. But, often, the classic ones are the best of all. If you haven’t read any of these five yet, you have a treat in store—recommended by British novelist Lucy Atkins, author of the brilliant Magpie Lane .

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

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Best crime and thrillers of 2023

A splendidly tricksy locked-room mystery, a fortune teller in Georgian high society and Indian mobsters make this year’s list

G iven this year’s headlines, it’s unsurprising that our appetite for cosy crime continues unabated, with the latest title in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, The Last Devil to Die (Viking), topping the bestseller lists. Janice Hallett’s novels The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels , which also features a group of amateur crime-solvers, and The Christmas Appeal (both Viper) have proved phenomenally popular, too.

Hallett’s books, which are constructed as dossiers – transcripts, emails, WhatsApp messages and the like – are part of a growing trend of experimentation with form, ranging from Cara Hunter’s intricate Murder in the Family (HarperCollins), which is structured around the making of a cold case documentary, to Gareth Rubin’s tête-bêche The Turnglass (Simon & Schuster). Books that hark back to the golden age of crime, such as Tom Mead’s splendidly tricksy locked-room mystery Death and the Conjuror (Head of Zeus), are also on the rise. The late Christopher Fowler, author of the wonderful Bryant & May detective series, who often lamented the sacrifice of inventiveness and fun on the altar of realism, would surely have approved. Word Monkey (Doubleday), published posthumously , is his funny and moving memoir of a life spent writing popular fiction.

Notable debuts include Callum McSorley’s Glaswegian gangland thriller Squeaky Clean (Pushkin Vertigo); Jo Callaghan ’s In the Blink of an Eye (Simon & Schuster), a police procedural with an AI detective; Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy (Pushkin Vertigo), featuring queer punk nun investigator Sister Holiday; and the caustically funny Thirty Days of Darkness (Orenda) by Jenny Lund Madsen (translated from the Danish by Megan E Turney).

There have been welcome additions to series, including a third book, Case Sensitive (Zaffre), for AK Turner’s forensic investigator Cassie Raven, and a second, The Wheel of Doll (Pushkin Vertigo), for Jonathan Ames’s LA private eye Happy Doll, who is shaping up to be the perfect hardboiled 21st-century hero.

Other must-reads for fans of American crime fiction include Ozark Dogs (Headline) by Eli Cranor, a powerful story of feuding Arkansas families; SA Cosby’s Virginia-set police procedural All the Sinners Bleed ( Headline); Megan Abbott’s nightmarish Beware the Woman (Virago); and Rebecca Makkai’s foray into very dark academia, I Have Some Questions for You (Fleet). There are shades of James Ellroy in Jordan Harper’s Hollywood-set tour de force Everybody Knows (Faber), while Raymond Chandler’s hero Philip Marlowe gets a timely do-over from Scottish crime doyenne Denise Mina in The Second Murderer (Harvill Secker).

As Mick Herron observed in his Slow Horses origin novel, The Secret Hours (Baskerville), there’s a long list of spy novelists who have been pegged as the heir to John le Carré. Herron must be in pole position for principal legatee, but it’s been a good year for espionage generally: standout novels include Matthew Richardson’s The Scarlet Papers (Michael Joseph), John Lawton’s Moscow Exile (Grove Press) and Harriet Crawley’s The Translator (Bitter Lemon).

Historical crime has also been well served. Highlights include Emma Flint’s excellent Other Women (Picador), based on a real 1924 murder case; Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s story of a fortune teller’s quest for identity in Georgian high society, The Square of Sevens (Mantle); and SG MacLean’s tale of Restoration revenge and retribution, The Winter List (Quercus). There are echoes of Chester Himes in Viper’s Dream (No Exit) by Jake Lamar, which begins in 1930s Harlem, while Palace of Shadows (Mantle) by Ray Celestin, set in the late 19th century, takes the true story of American weapons heiress Sarah Winchester’s San Jose mansion and transports it to Yorkshire, with chillingly gothic results.

The latest novel in Vaseem Khan’s postcolonial India series, Death of a Lesser God (Hodder), is also well worth the read, as are Deepti Kapoor’s present-day organised crime saga Age of Vice (Fleet) and Parini Shroff’s darkly antic feminist revenge drama The Bandit Queens (Atlantic).

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While psychological thrillers are thinner on the ground than in previous years, the quality remains high, with Liz Nugent’s complex and heartbreaking tale of abuse, Strange Sally Diamond (Penguin Sandycove), and Sarah Hilary’s disturbing portrait of a family in freefall, Black Thorn (Macmillan), being two of the best.

Penguin Modern Classics has revived its crime series, complete with iconic green livery, with works by Georges Simenon, Dorothy B Hughes and Ross MacDonald. There have been reissues by other publishers, too – forgotten gems including Celia Fremlin’s 1959 holiday‑from-hell novel, Uncle Paul (Faber), and Richard Wright’s The Man Who Lived Underground (Vintage). Finished in 1942 but only now published in its entirety, the latter is an account of an innocent man who takes refuge from racist police officers in the sewers of Chicago – part allegorical, part brutally realistic and, unfortunately, wholly topical.

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The 50 best suspense books of all time.

Whether you need a beach read, an airplane read, or just something to peruse before bed (if you dare), there’s one category you can always count on: suspense books. These tales full of enigmatic intrigue and shocking twists have always enthralled readers, and they’ve become more popular than ever over the past few years.

Now, you might be wondering: what exactly are “suspense books”? Suspense isn’t a genre in and of itself, per se — it’s a category that encompasses mystery , thriller , and even some horror novels . The one thing that unites all suspense novels is, of course, the tantalizing buildup of suspense . Whether it’s about an unsolved murder or a cheating husband (or, as in many a modern domestic thriller, both), a suspense novel will have you on the edge of your seat, heart pounding, blood racing… all that adrenaline-y stuff.

And if you’re a fan of suspense novels, you know that once you start reading them, you can’t stop. Luckily, we’re here to feed your addiction. Here are the 50 best suspense books ever, from well-loved classics to exhilarating new titles.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great suspense books to read, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized thriller  recommendation  😉

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The World's Bestselling Mystery \'Ten . . .\' Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious \'U.N. Owen.\' \'Nine . . .\' At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead. \'Eight . . .\' Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one . . . one by one they begin to die. \'Seven . . .\' Who among them is the killer and will any of them survive?

1. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Perhaps the best-known murder mystery of all time, And Then There Were None absolutely epitomizes suspense. Ten strangers meet on an isolated British isle at the behest of their oddly absent hosts. But when they start dying off one by one — in disturbing parallels to a children’s nursery rhyme — they realize that this is no vacation, but a collective execution. Christie brilliantly immerses the reader in the fear and paranoia of the guests as they try to determine who among them is the killer… before their time runs out.

2. A Simple Favor: A Novel by Darcey Bell

If you’ve seen the trailers for the recent adaptation starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, you know that A Simple Favor smoothly combines 1950s-style noir and twenty-first-century drama. Stephanie is a widowed mommy vlogger whose life suddenly gets a lot more interesting when she meets Emily: a beautiful, mysterious woman who loves garnering others’ secrets, but seems dead-set against anyone else knowing hers. The big question at the heart of A Simple Favor is, who is Emily? And will Stephanie find out the truth about her before it’s too late?

3. Baby Teeth: A Novel by Zoje Stage

This 2018 novel follows a dysfunctional family with a terror of a daughter ( you might call her a bad seed ). Hanna is seven years old and has never spoken, but that’s the least of her mother’s worries; you’d probably feel the same if your little girl were trying to kill you. As Hanna’s mind games escalate and her father remains oblivious, Hanna’s mother must take matters into her own hands — because baby teeth might look sweet, but they can bite your head clean off.

4. Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watson

Every day, Christine Lucas forgets everything about herself, even her name. Suffering from anterograde amnesia, her only clues to her identity come from her journal… but how can she trust this record if she can’t even remember writing it? Needless to say, if you loved Memento , Watson’s mind-bending novel should be next on your reading list.

5. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

If all fiction is lies, Moriarty can still spin ‘em like no other — and her most prominent work, Big Little Lies , takes the concept to a whole new level. In this novel, an idyllic coastal town is sucked into sordid scandal involving a young mother’s traumatic past, another’s secret home life, and a kindergarten scuffle that gets way out of hand. Read the book first, and then watch the excellent Reese Witherspoon-produced HBO series to see the story truly spring to life.

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6. Bird Box by Josh Malerman

When the bizarre and terrifying phenomenon of “The Problem” begins to cause mass violence and suicide, one thing becomes clear: no one is safe. Malorie and her two children take refuge against the outside world, training themselves to live without sight, since looking at “The Problem” seems to drive people insane. But as the children grow older, Malorie must choose: venture outside and risk their horrific deaths, or remain trapped in the box forever?

7. The Couple Next Door: A Novel by Shari Lapena

Happy suburban couple Anne and Marco Conti seem to have a perfect life — but that illusion quickly shatters when their six-month-old daughter goes missing. With a detective hot on their heels and their neighbors’ suspicions increasing, Anne and Marco soon realize that they’re both hiding huge secrets… secrets that could mean the end of their marriage, or worse.

8. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

If you’ve gone this long without experiencing The Da Vinci Code , you’re in for a jam-packed thrill ride, made all the more affecting by its connection to real historical events. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is in town on standard business when he’s suddenly called to the Louvre to inspect a murder victim. This victim is none other than the museum’s curator, discovered in the pose of the Vetruvian Man , with strange symbols all over his body. Langdon must team up with cryptographer Sophie Neveu to figure out who did this and why — a mission that leads them down a spiraling path of religious legends and conspiracy theories come true.

9. Descent by Tim Johnston

Another deceptively happy family features in this heart-pounding thriller book. The Courtlands are vacationing in the Rocky Mountains right before their daughter Caitlin leaves for college. While the athletic children enjoy the fresh air and mountainous terrain, the parents try desperately to fix their marriage. But all that’s forgotten when Caitlin goes for a run one morning and doesn’t come back. Who — or what — could have taken her down? And what are the Courtlands keeping from each other?

10. The Dinner by Herman Koch

Told over the course of a single evening, The Dinner begins with couple Paul and Claire meeting to discuss their children’s future with Paul’s brother and his wife — who also happen to be prominent political figures. However, the nature of the discussion isn’t college admissions or career choices, but something much more sinister. This taut novel sheds light on European sensibilities, complex family dynamics, and how far people are willing to go for those they love.

11. The Dry by Jane Harper

The Dry is an evocative portrait of a small farming community, Kiewarra, plagued by drought… and a recent triple homicide that seems to seal its doomed fate. Detective Aaron Falk returns home to Kiewarra for the funerals and is convinced to stay by the perpetrator’s mother — who believes her son is innocent. Astutely intertwining environmental, economic, and moral degradation, this novel will leave you haunted by how our communities not only shape us, but can destroy us too.

12. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

From the author of Tipping the Velvet comes another gorgeously atmospheric Victorian story. Sue Trinder and Maud Lilly have been raised in opposite circumstances, and when Sue is hired as a maid to defraud the wealthy lady Maud, she thinks of it as a necessary evil. But this is complicated by Sue’s growing attraction to Maud… and thrown into chaos when Sue realizes Maud isn’t who she says she is.

13. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The suspense sensation of 2015, The Girl on the Train follows Rachel Watson, a woman who’s lost everything: her husband, her job, and arguably her mind. Rachel whiles away her days drinking on trains, romanticizing the lives of the picture-perfect suburbanites she passes — until one day she sees something shocking through her window. In that moment, Rachel becomes embroiled in something much bigger than herself… a scandal to which she has a closer connection than she even knows.

14. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

A dark, epic saga that’s spawned widespread acclaim and multiple adaptations, Larsson’s Millennium series begins with this book. Lisbeth Salander is a researcher and computer hacker with a troubled past and a taste for vengeance. Naturally, she’s happy use her skills to help invesitgate a young woman’s murder. But as she and journalist Mikael Blomkvist get closer to the truth, they start to receive their own threats — still, this won’t stop our heroine, who’s determined to bring as many violent misogynists to justice as she can.

15. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Did you really think we’d write a list of the best suspense novels ever and not include Gone Girl ? What starts off as a standard domestic thriller book about unhappy couple Nick and Amy escalates into an unputdownable tale of love, duplicity, and media distortion. However, the masterful prose and revolutionary plot twists of this zeitgeist-defining novel can really only be appreciated firsthand. If you haven’t read it, go read it right now; and if you have, go back and read it again. Trust us, it holds up.

16. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

What if your husband wrote you a letter containing his deepest, darkest secret, only to be opened in the event of his death… but you accidentally stumbled upon it long before then? When this predicament befalls Cecelia Pitzpatrick, a happily married mother of three, she must decide whether to open the letter and jeopardize her relationship and blissful life — or live in doubt and fear until her husband’s death. Another stunning work of suspense from Moriarty, The Husband’s Secret takes a relatively simple premise and turns it into something extraordinary.

17. Intensity by Dean Koontz

This pressure-cooker of a novel takes place over a single weekend, closely tracking the movements of college student Chyna Shepherd as she attempts to outwit sociopathic murderer Edgler Vess. If she can stay one step ahead of him, his plans to kill again just might be thwarted — but all this hangs in the balance, as the two remain neck-and-neck the entire book. Seriously, if you want to be sweating bullets while you read, Intensity is for you.

If you want to read more of Koontz's most suspenseful works, check out this list of his 16 best books!

18. In the Woods by Tana French

In the Woods is the first book in French’s Dublin Murder Squad series (which is even darker than it sounds, if that’s possible). This installment revolves around Detective Rob Ryan: a survivor of a strange, inexplicable incident that claimed the lives of two children, and who finds himself facing an eerily similar case when a girl is found murdered in the nearby woods. Ryan must now delve back into his past to solve the mystery of the present… but will he be able to handle what he unearths?

19. Killing Floor by Lee Child

This one’s a little more action-packed than most of the psychological-leaning thriller books on our list — so if you love Mission Impossible and Die Hard , you’ll find your literary fix with Lee Child. Killing Floor kicks off Child’s stellar Jack Reacher series, beginning with the titular Reacher getting arrested for a murder he didn’t commit (though that’s not to say he’s never killed before). Now Reacher has to figure out who really did do the crime, so he himself doesn’t have to do the time. Needless to say, his approach to this is something of a five-fingered intervention .

20. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

Swanson’s second novel reimagines a classic Patricia Highsmith book as two strangers, Ted and Lily, meeting on an airplane rather than on a train, and one of them being a woman — which makes the “deal” they strike to co-murder Ted’s wife all the more interesting. Of course, Ted’s only joking… but what he doesn’t realize is that Lily may not be, especially given her past work in this particular field.

21. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere is domestic for sure, if not exactly a thriller. Rather, it’s a 350-page slow burn (no pun intended) following the intricacies of various relationships in Shaker Heights, Ohio in the nineties — the town and era during which the author grew up. Ng brings incisive authenticity to this gripping story of mothers and children struggling with identity and morality — a collective struggle that coalesces into incredible suspense in the final portion of the book.

22. Long Man by Amy Greene

In Long Man , another child goes missing, though this time under particularly dire circumstances: an impending flood. Young mother Annie Clyde Dodson has refused to evacuate her home in eastern Tennessee despite the threat of the Long Man river, in a desperate ploy to save her daughter’s eventual inheritance of their land. But in the middle of an argument with her husband — who wants them to leave and start over in Michigan — Gracie disappears. Will the Dodsons be able to recover her in time for all of them to make it out alive?

23. Memory Man by David Baldacci

David Baldacci has been writing thriller books for over two decades, but it’s his 2015 book Memory Man that takes the cake for dramatic suspense. This novel centers around Amos Decker, a football-player-turned-detective after a traumatic brain injury gave him hyperthymesia . When Decker’s family is murdered under mysterious circumstances, he renounces his career as a full-time investigator… but is pulled back into the game after a local school shooting, which might just have something to do with his family’s deaths.

24. Misery by Stephen King

“I’m your biggest fan” was a perfectly innocent compliment until Misery : a novel about an acclaimed author, Paul Sheldon, being held captive by a deranged fan, Annie Wilkes. Of course, in a story populated by just two people in a remote Colorado cabin, the suspense has to be pretty damn good. Luckily, King delivers. From Wilkes’ unpredictable outbursts and creative methods of torment, to Sheldon’s increasing desperation, you’ll find yourself simultaneously transfixed and terrified right up to the very last page.

25. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Another one of Christie’s most exalted murder mysteries , Murder on the Orient Express is essentially the reverse of And Then There Were None . Instead of one killer and multiple victims, the murder is an isolated incident — and everyone aboard the Orient Express is a suspect. Fortunately, esteemed inspector Hercule Poirot (and his equally esteemed mustache) are on the case. But when each new clue seems to lead him in a different direction, Poirot realizes he’ll have to dig a bit deeper than circumstantial evidence to uncover the true culprit.

26. Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain

For fans of Jodi Picoult who want something a bit more substantial, Diane Chamberlain is your solution — and you should start with Necessary Lies , a historical drama about a small town in 1960s North Carolina. Epilepsy-afflicted teenager Ivy Hart and social worker Jane Forrester become friends when Jane begins visiting Ivy’s home, where Ivy cares for her mentally ill sister and elderly grandmother all by herself. The more Jane gets to know the Hart family, however, the more she struggles with the assignment she’s been given by Grace County Hospital. At what point do her lies to the Harts stop being necessary, and start being monstrous?

27. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

A classic of sinister suspense, this novel by Daphne du Maurier is narrated by “the second Mrs. de Winter.” As you might expect, the story revolves around the first Mrs. de Winter, Rebecca, who has passed away… but who still haunts Manderley estate, where the narrator now lives with her new husband. As Mrs. de Winter #2 learns more about her predecessor, she can’t help but wonder what really happened to Rebecca, and whether the same fate will soon befall her.

28. Serena by Ron Rash

Serena is a remarkable woman: strong, capable, and single-minded. She proves all this to her husband George when they move to the mountains in 1929, ready to establish a timber empire together. But when Serena discovers that she is barren — and that George has fathered an illegitimate child who lives in their small mountain community — she flies into a rage. Suddenly that single-mindedness is a menace, as Serena goes after the child and George finds himself unable to stop her… or to keep her from coming after him next.

29. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

You’ve probably detected a common theme of familial dysfunction in these suspense books, but Sharp Objects takes it to the next level. Journalist Camille Preaker left behind her hometown of Wind Gap, Missouri long ago, but is forced to return when a young girl is murdered and Camille has to cover the story. This dredges up memories of her younger sister’s death — and before long, she begins to draw disturbing connections between the two. Adding color and intrigue to this story are Camille’s unstable mother, Adora, and her half-sister Amma, an adolescent master of manipulation and disguise.

30. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The year is 1945; the place, Barcelona. Eleven-year-old Daniel Sampere is introduced to The Shadow of the Wind , a mysterious and beautiful volume from his father’s enormous library. Daniel falls in love with the story; however, when he attempts to find more of the author’s work, he realizes it’s being systematically destroyed. Now Daniel’s quest isn’t just to find these books, but to save them… no matter what the cost. A somewhat nontraditional suspense novel, you’ll nevertheless be riveted by Daniel’s magical journey.

31. The Shining by Stephen King

An isolated, possibly haunted hotel in the dead of winter, a volatile alcoholic writer, and his young family — what could go wrong? If you haven’t yet read Joey Tribbiani’s favorite thriller book , just know that The Shining is not only one of the scariest horror novels of all time, but also one of the most suspenseful; as in Misery , King builds up to the climax with deliciously mesmerizing prose.

32. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

Hannibal Lecter may be a cannibalistic serial killer, but that doesn’t stop young FBI agent Clarice Starling from confiding in him… in exchange for crucial information about another serial killer, that is. This elegant work of horror relies heavily on tense, psychologically revealing scenes between Lecter and Starling, which would later be immortalized in the 1991 film .

33. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson is living the dream, working as a painter in London and happily married to her photographer husband. But even the most idyllic-looking life can be a tenuous illusion — as Alicia demonstrates the day she shoots her husband to death. Now she refuses to speak, even to defend herself. Can a brilliant forensic psychotherapist break her vow of silence — and what horrors will Alicia reveal if he does?

34. The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

A vicious murderer who uses snowmen as his calling cards: pretty chilling concept, no? It gets even more chilling in one of the most classic thriller books of all time. When Detective Harry Hole realizes that a recent murder in Oslo follows the same pattern as cold cases from twenty years earlier, he understands that only he can track down the killer before it happens again. And no one is outside Hole’s suspicions, not even his own partner.

35. Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton

The main characters of this novel come from completely different worlds: Louise works multiple jobs to pay her NYC rent, while Lavinia is a spoiled socialite partying her life away. Yet the pair forge an unlikely bond after fate brings them together. And once Louise gets a taste of the high life, she’s not about to let it slip away — no matter what it takes.

36. The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

Did you know that before Rizzoli & Isles was on TNT, it was a series of thriller books by Tess Garritsen? The Surgeon is the first in that series, about a murderer whose M.O. is torturing and killing women using seemingly medical knowledge — hence his nickname, “the Surgeon.” Detective Jane Rizzoli begins tracking him based on her knowledge of another, very similar case from several years before… the only thing is, the perpetrator in that case was killed. So who is this new Surgeon, and what’s provoking him to such horrific acts?

37. Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

When her husband turns out to be a serial killer, midwestern mom Gina Royal is forced to completely remake herself to escape the past. Now calling herself Gwen Proctor, and having moved to the remote Stillhouse Lake with her children, she thinks she can finally breathe easy. That is, until a corpse surfaces in the lake and “Gwen” knows it’s a message for her — not from her ex-husband, who’s in prison, but from a new source of evil entirely.

38. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Perhaps only Hitchcock can match Patricia Highsmith in her masterful invocation of classic psychological suspense. The Talented Mr. Ripley was originally published in 1955, and has become since shorthand for sociopathic duplicity: it follows a scam artist named Tom Ripley who kills a wealthy friend and adopts his identity, hoping to live out a life of leisure abroad. But his troubles are far from over, as more innocents are caught in his increasingly complex web of lies. Can Ripley’s talents really pull off this ultimate scam?

39. Tell No One by Harlan Coben

Eight years ago, Dr. David Beck lost his wife after tragedy struck during an anniversary celebration. David is told that she’s dead and it’s time for him to move on. But then a mysterious email arrives one day insinuating that Elizabeth is still very much alive, along with instructions to “tell no one.” And David knows he can’t rest until he tracks her down… even if that means disappearing himself.

40. Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Speaking of disappearing, Vanishing Girls is a 2015 YA thriller book from Lauren Oliver, the author of the much-praised Before I Fall . Our narrator is Nicole (“Nick”), and the titular girls are Dara and Madeline: the first, Nick’s sister, and the second a nine-year-old girl who vanishes shortly after Dara. Nick realizes that only she sees the link between these two cases, and must take matters into her own hands to figure out what happened to the girls — despite knowing she’ll be endangered in the process.

41. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

More young, endangered girls feature in The Virgin Suicides , but this time they’re a danger to themselves. The Lisbon family is thrown into disarray when the youngest daughter, Cecelia, inexplicably kills herself, and her sisters Lux, Bonnie, Mary, and Therese are put on suicide watch. But of course, their parents’ restrictions only make the girls more inclined to rebel — especially Lux ( played by the inimitable Kirsten Dunst in the movie ). The Virgin Suicides is another novel that wouldn’t normally be described as “suspense”; yet the tension between the girls and their parents, and the aura of mystery that surrounds them in the eyes of the neighborhood boys (who narrate the novel), make for a spellbinding read.

42. White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi

This modern work of cosmic horror from Helen Oyeyemi is another atypical suspense novel — not exactly thrilling, but penetratingly creepy. Miranda Silver has just lost her mother, and her habits are growing stranger and stranger: namely, eating mass quantities of chalk and attempting to communicate with the spirit world. When she disappears, her family knows she isn’t truly gone — they only have to look for her in the right place. But do they even want to find her, and what will happen when they do?

43. Where Are The Children? by Mary Higgins Clark

Imagine losing your husband, having your children brutally murdered, and then being accused of carrying out the massacre yourself. Imagine moving across the country to leave all that behind, marrying again, and starting a new family… only for the same pattern to start anew. This is the horror of Where Are the Children?, a deeply unsettling work of suspense that takes a mother’s worst nightmare and makes it real — not once, but twice.

44. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks

One of our best books of 2018 , this novel alternates between the POVs of two women, Vanessa and Nellie, who are opposites in every way but one: they’re in love with the same man. Both are battling for his attention and love — but only one can win, and only one does. It just won’t be in the way you might think. Hendricks and Pekkanen are undoubtedly masters of deception, and the twist in this book will give you a new gold standard for psychological thriller books.

45. Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle

Sean Phillips may live in a small apartment, but his “true world” is fantastical and infinitely expanding: he is the creator of Trace Italian, a wildly successful text-based roleplaying game. But when two of the Trace Italian’s players bring the game into the real world, the consequences are dire enough to make Phillips second-guess his career. His choose-your-own-adventure-style game provides a framework for Phillips to reimagine what life would’ve been like if he’d chosen different paths, and Wolf in White Van explores these paths in a brilliantly non-linear manner… such that the reader often can’t be sure what’s real and what’s not.

46. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

If you enjoyed The Girl on the Train (#13 up top, if you need a refresher!), The Woman in Cabin 10 is its nautical remix. Travel journalist Lo Blacklock has just been assigned to write about her weeklong stay on a luxury cruise ship. Which is a pretty sweet gig — until she sees a woman being thrown overboard. But when all the guests on the ship are accounted for, Lo thinks she must be imagining things… or is she?

47. The Woman in the Window by A. J Finn

Alternatively, if you’d like to get back to some good ol’-fashioned Rear Window -style snooping, check out The Woman in the Window . Anna Fox is a pill-popping, wine-swilling, former child psychologist whose main non-substance-related pastime is spying on her neighbors. One night, she witnesses something more disturbing than all of her past clients’ problems combined… yet this classic unreliable narrator can’t even trust herself, and is going to need to do some more detective work before she can be sure of what she may have seen. Of course, that’s assuming she won’t be too late.

48. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

The Woman in White was actually one of the very first mystery and suspense novels, with elements of melodrama that established the “sensation novels” subgenre. It also marks one of the first uses of the “doubles” trope in suspense fiction — the titular woman in white bears a striking resemblance to another character, and this becomes a major plot device in the novel. The full plot is a bit too complex to explain here, but it involves some very Dickensian drama , including a scheme to steal an inheritance, intense romantic rivals, and someone contracting typhus.

49. The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

Part love story, part meta-storytelling, and all nail-biting suspense, The Wrath and the Dawn eloquently retells One Thousand and One Nights for a modern audience. Sixteen-year-old Shahrzad becomes betrothed to the murderous Caliph of Khorasan, who’s killed every one of his past brides after a single day and night. But Shahrzad is determined to prove her worth and stay alive — which she does by telling the Caliph eloquently-woven stories every night, stories that evolve more and more imaginatively and urgently. Will he tire of her tricks and wrap a cord around her neck, or will Shahrzad and the Caliph succumb to the unique power they hold over each other?

50. You by Caroline Kepnes

As you can probably tell from having read this far, suspense books make for great adaptation material, and our final entry is no exception. Before You was a Netflix thriller series, it was a book about an aspiring writer, Beck, and her ever-so-slightly overbearing boyfriend Joe. And by ever-so-slightly, we mean a lot . But in a refreshing turn of events, Beck ends up being pretty twisted herself. We won’t give away any more, but suffice to say that You is an electrifying tale of obsession and destruction that will leave you reeling.

Hungry for more? Check out this ranking of every Stephen King novel , or this list of the best true crime books of all time . And don't forget to keep an eye out for new thriller & suspense books on Reedsy Discovery !

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16 best psychological thriller books that will keep you in suspense

N othing makes you turn the page faster than a bit of suspense, which is something psychological thrillers have in abundance. The best ones leave you off-kilter, wanting more and pondering the plot long beyond the final page.

Although not a recorded term until 1925, the themes of contemporary psychological thrillers have their roots in gothic Victorian fiction. Whether exploring the psychology of a sociopath, narrating a mystery or crime, or just dissolving the reader’s sense of reality, the genre offers a deep dive into human minds and behaviour.

Much of the genre’s popularity is down to how the books chime with our own reality. Whereas in horror fiction the enemy might be a supernatural figure, in psychological fiction the baddie is much more likely to be someone a bit closer to home.

This means the genre often explores domestic relationships, family ties, small communities or friendships, with most psychological thrillers having common themes of unreliable narrators, morality and multiple narratives or realities.

While giants of the genre Stephen King and Patricia Highsmith helped make psychological thrillers mainstream, the more recent international success of books such as Gone Girl (£9.99, Waterstones.com ) and The Girl On The Train (£8.95, Amazon.co.uk ) has only increased the popularity of psychological fiction.

How we tested the best psychological thriller books

We read these tomes while keeping the characteristics of psychological thrillers in mind – we looked for character development, satisfying twists and intriguing plots, as well as their ability to keep the reader guessing. From 20th-century classics to deliciously haunting debuts, these are some of the best psychological thrillers that will keep you in suspense.

The best psychological thrillers for 2024 are:

• Best psychological thriller overall – Misery by Stephen King: £10.99, Waterstones.com
• Best psychological thriller with a twist – Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk: From £3.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best domestic tragedy – We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver: £9.99, Waterstones.com
• Best classic thriller – The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith: £8.54, Bookshop.org
• Best mind-bender – Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane: From £4.99, Amazon.co.uk

‘Misery' by Stephen King, published by Hodder & Stoughton

Often cited as one of the greatest literary thrillers, lauded author Stephen King’s tome is the horror story of a writer’s imprisonment by a demented fan. After killing off his most famous protagonist, Misery, in his latest novel, author Paul Sheldon is involved in a horrible car crash.

When he wakes up in agony, he’s in the bed of Annie Wilkes who pulled him from the wreckage and brought him back to her isolated mountain home. Bedbound with broken legs, he soon discovers former nurse Annie is his number one fan and intends to hold him hostage until he writes Misery back into existence. Gruesome, terrifying and bleak, this is King at his darkest.

Buy now £10.99, Waterstones.com

‘Fight Club' by Chuck Palahniuk, published by Vintage

You may have seen the classic David Fincher 1999 movie, but have you read the book? If not, get ready for a cynical, darkly satirical and very confusing ride – all in a good way. Palahniuk’s novel follows the experience of an unnamed insomniac protagonist who finds relief from his own suffering by impersonating seriously ill people at support groups.

After meeting a mysterious man named Tyler Durden, he becomes involved in an underground fight club as a form of radical therapy for disaffected men. Whether you know that twist or not, the intrigue is in the way the novel gets there and its exploration of masculinity, dissatisfaction and isolation.

Buy now £8.78, Amazon.co.uk

‘We Need To Talk About Kevin' by Lionel Shriver, published by Serpent’s Tail classics

A modern classic that took home the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2010, Shriver’s dark thriller is a chilling and provocative narrative of a mother struggling to come to terms with her son’s murderous spree at his high school. Compelling and often devastating, it follows a woman trying to decide if she was in any way responsible for turning him into a monster, or if he was one all along.

Buy now £9.99, Waterstones.com

‘The Talented Mr Ripley' by Patricia Highsmith, published by Vintage

An all-time classic of the genre, Highsmith’s tome follows Tom Ripley – a well-versed scammer – during a trip to Italy to persuade a New York businessman’s prodigal son to return to the US. Once there, the two grow close, with Ripley becoming so infatuated with Dickie Greenleaf that he wants to become him. As tensions rise between the two men and Dickie’s girlfriend Marge, Ripley’s talent for murder and self-invention becomes all too clear.

Buy now £9.49, Bookshop.org

‘Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn, published by Orion Publishing Co

Flynn’s psychological thriller took the world by storm when it was published in 2012. It has since become a blockbuster film and spawned many similar novels. One of the best examples of an unreliable narrator in recent years, the novel is artful in sending the reader in the wrong direction. The story alternates between the past diary entries of Amy – a woman who inexplicably disappeared – and the present-day narrative of her husband, Nick, who becomes a prime suspect in the case.

‘The Girl On The Train' by Paula Hawkins, published by Doubleday

Hitting bestseller lists around the world, Hawkins’s thriller details three women’s respective problems with binge drinking. With a Gone Girl -esque use of unreliable narrators, we begin with commuter Rachel, who, from the window of a train, catches daily glimpses of a seemingly perfect couple.

Then, one day, Rachel witnesses something shocking and, after informing the police, she learns that a woman has gone missing. Hesitant to trust her own blurry memories, she begins her own investigation, while the police increasingly believe she’s a prime suspect.

Buy now £8.95, Amazon.co.uk

‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' By Stieg Larsson, published by MacLehose Press

The first book in an internationally bestselling trilogy, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo begins with the hiring of disgraced financial reporter Mikael Blomkvist by a wealthy Swedish industrialist to investigate the 40-year-old murder of his niece, Harriet, believing that she was killed by a member of his own family.

He soon teams up with private investigator and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, whose own past is just as mysterious. Together, they begin to uncover corruption, financial intrigue and a dark family history. The complex, gripping and fast-paced plot is matched by two intriguing main characters who keep the reader guessing.

Buy now £5.64, Amazon.co.uk

‘The Secret History' by Donna Tartt, published by Penguin Books

Part psychological thriller and part story of disaffected university students, Tartt’s tome follows a group of clever misfits at an elite New England college and the chain of events that led to the death of a classmate. Although from a lower-class family, newbie Richard is accepted into the clique of students who are all under the cult-like influence of their charismatic Greek classics professor.

When one member of the group threatens to reveal the group’s role in the murder, tensions rise and the second half of the novel explores the psychological consequences of hiding such a terrible secret.

‘Rebecca' by Daphne Du Maurier, published by Virago

A classic of the genre, Rebecca follows an unnamed young woman to the south of France, where she falls for the handsome widower Maxim de Winter. They soon marry and she moves into his grand home, prompting a profound change in her husband. Isolated and alone, the ghostly presence of Maxim’s first wife Rebecca begins to haunt the new Mrs de Winter.

When ship wreckage is discovered with Rebecca’s body inside, secrets unravel and suspense builds as the narrator becomes increasingly obsessed with her predecessor.

Buy now £8.99, Amazon.co.uk

‘Shutter Island' by Dennis Lehane, published by Bantam

Set in 1954, Lehane’s psychological thriller follows widower US Marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule to Shutter Island, home to a hospital for the clinically insane. Sent there to investigate the disappearance of a patient who was incarcerated for drowning her three children, a storm immediately traps them there for four days.

We soon learn of Teddy’s own mental state and the deep-seated trauma he has, following his wife’s death in an apartment fire. Throughout the novel, dream sequences reveal hidden truths that Teddy refuses to admit, while the reader is kept guessing about which narrative to believe.

Buy now £9.19, Amazon.co.uk

‘Magpie’ by Elizabeth Day, published by Fourth Estate

How to Fail podcast host Elizabeth Day is also an acclaimed author, and her latest novel Magpie might be her best yet. Exploring motherhood, infertility, greed and jealousy, the novel follows Marisa and Jake, a couple trying for a baby. Their happy relationship is tested by the arrival of new lodger Kate, a woman who has no personal boundries (she puts her toothbrush in the master bedroom) and develops an uneasy interest in Jake, as well as the baby they’re trying for.

With Jake oblivious to Marisa’s concerns, the domestic noir turns into a psychologically intense drama. Unpredictable and uncomfortable, with plenty of twists, Day’s stylish writing keeps you guessing until the very end.

Buy now £7.87, Amazon.co.uk

‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things' by Iain Reid, published by Text Publishing Company

This intriguing novel is as ambiguous as its title suggests. Despite the nameless narrator’s apparent doubts about her relationship, the story begins with her journeying alongside new boyfriend Jake to visit his parents at their remote farm. The creepy atmosphere is established from the off, with the couple arriving at a pitch-black house.

All seems well until after dinner, when both the parents and the boyfriend begin to act off kilter. Throughout, Reid signposts that something sinister is just round the corner, with the reader kept guessing until the novel’s crescendo. It’s also been made into a great film that’s available to stream on Netflix.

Buy now £8.99, Blackwells.co.uk

‘Bright Young Women’ by Jessica Knoll

A bestseller upon its release last year, Jessica Knoll’s Ted Bundy-inspired novel shifts the attention away from the serial killer and onto the victims (a breath of fresh air after that recent Netflix show). Based on Bundy’s heinous crimes, it follows two women who are searching for justice in the wake of a murder spree.

In Tallahassee in 1978, sorority president Pamela comes face to face with the serial killer on the night he murders two of her sorority sisters. Still haunted by the events 40 years later, she joins forces with Tina, a woman from Seattle who connects her best friend’s disappearence to the Tallahassee tragedy. Disturbing but thought provoking in its exploration of society’s obsession with serial killers, it puts a contemporary spin on the page-turning genre.

Buy now £4.99, Amazon.co.uk

‘The Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris, published by Arrow

A classic brought to life by Jodie Foster in the 1991 film, Harris’s novel follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling who is attempting to understand the mind of serial killer Buffalo Bill, in a bid to hunt him down before he abducts more women. To do so, she presents a questionnaire to forensic psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter, who is serving nine consecutive life sentences in a mental institution. The novel’s deep dive into the inner workings of a psychopath and the chain of events retold will haunt you beyond the final page.

‘Eileen' by Ottessa Moshfegh, published by Penguin

Reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith, Moshfegh’s novel follows a lonely and damaged woman whose dark fantasies and toxic behaviour culminate in a terrible crime. Eileen Dunlop works in a juvenile correctional facility for boys, and lives with her alcoholic father, filling her weekends shoplifting and stalking a handsome prison guard while filled with resentment.

When a charming new counsellor arrives at work, Eileen becomes infatuated with her and is ultimately pulled into complicity with the novel’s climactic crime. Although utterly repellent, nasty and mercilessly observant, Eileen is also somewhat sympathetic and often very funny.

‘The Silent Patient' by Alex Michaelides, published by Orion

An international bestseller in 2019, this thriller tells the story of Alicia Berenson, a famous painter who seemingly lived an idyllic life married to an in-demand fashion photographer. That is until she shot her husband in the head five times and, six years later, still hasn’t spoken a word since.

When the domestic tragedy captures the public’s imagination and Alice becomes famous, a criminal psychotherapist latches onto the case, becoming obsessed with discovering Alice’s motive.

Buy now £6.99, Amazon.co.uk

The verdict: Psychological thriller books

For a classic thriller that will terrify and grip you until the final page, pick up Stephen King’s Misery . King expertly narrates an author’s tormented psyche at the hands of his psychopathic captor, keeping the reader in suspense throughout. Delve deeper into the genre with 20th-century classics Rebecca and The Talented Mr Ripley , or explore contemporary thrillers such as Bright Young Women , Gone Girl and We Need To Talk About Kevin .

Unsure what to read next? Take inspiration from our round-up of the best new releases

From news to politics, travel to sport, culture to climate – The Independent has a host of free newsletters to suit your interests. To find the stories you want to read, and more, in your inbox, click here .

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10 New Books Coming Out This Week

New offerings from the world of crime, mystery, and thrillers..

A look at the week’s best new releases in crime fiction, nonfiction, mystery, and thrillers.

Emma Rosenblum, Very Bad Company (Flatiron)

“[Rosenblum] is fantastic at showing the subtle corruption of wealth and how those who have it justify both the having and the wanting more. A fun, decadent ride.” –Kirkus

Harlan Coben, Think Twice (Grand Central)

“Harlan Coben is one of our greatest living thriller writer.” –Bookpage

Carmella Lowkis, Spitting Gold (Atria/Emily Bestler)

“Lowkis’ twisty debut plays with the conventions of the gothic novel in a tale that pits two ambitious sisters against each other… A deliciously convoluted tale of layered deceptions.” –Kirkus Reviews

Ashley Weaver, Locked in Pursuit (Minotaur)

“With many well-deployed historical mystery tropes on offer, including a juicy love triangle and a host of elegant gowns, it’s an enjoyable, fast-paced lark. Fans of Susan Elia MacNeal and Rhys Bowen will have fun.” –Publishers Weekly

Elka Ray, A Friend Indeed (Blackstone)

“Readers who raced through books by Liane Moriarty, Celeste Ng, and Eleanor Barker-White will appreciate Ray’s compelling, well-paced, and plot-driven mystery. With twists and turns until the final pages, A Friend Indeed dives into the complexity of female friendships, shifting loyalties, and the allure of the unknown.” –Booklist

Kate Weston, You May Now Kill the Bride (Random House)

“I laughed, I gasped, and said ‘I do’ to this chilling romp sparkling with humor, Prosecco, and murder.” –Julia Seales

Nicola Solvinic, The Hunter’s Daughter (Berkley)

“This atmospheric and haunting mystery will keep the reader guessing to the very last page. A must-read for lovers of serial-killer thrillers and mysteries with a darker edge.” —Booklist

Steven Johnson, The Infernal Machine (Crown)

“Johnson’s vivid, eye-opening history chronicles epic labor-movement battles, terrorist bombings failed and tragic, backlash against immigrants, love affairs, undercover operations, courtroom dramas, and prison life in a fast-paced narrative rich in cinematic moments and resonance.” –Booklist

Craig Whitlock, Fat Leonard (Simon and Schuster)

“A vigorous investigation into the life of a con artist and swindler who had half the leadership of the U.S. Navy in his pocket….Maddening and astonishing in its revelations of a crime spree that cost taxpayers untold millions.” –Kirkus Reviews

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Two Dead Wives: A British Psychological Thriller Kindle Edition

• I Invited Her In
• Lies Lies Lies
• Just My Luck
• Woman Last Seen
• Print length 403 pages
• Language English
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• Publication date December 26, 2023
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BN475L24
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ MIRA (December 26, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 26, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 2328 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
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• Print length ‏ : ‎ 403 pages
• #551 in Women's Psychological Fiction
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Adele parks.

Adele Parks MBE is the author of twenty-three bestselling novels including the recent Sunday Times hit Just Between Us and the audible Number One sensation One Last Secret. Over 5 million English editions of her work have been sold and she is translated into 31 different languages.

Her number one bestsellers Lies Lies Lies and Just My Luck were both shortlisted for the British Book Awards and have been optioned for development for film & TV.

41,000+ 5 star reviews have kindly been written by her fans on Amazon :-)

She is an ambassador of the National Literacy Trust and the Reading Agency: two charities that promote literacy in the UK.

Adele was born in North Yorkshire and has lived in Botswana, Italy and London and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey.

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Connect with Adele Parks on Twitter @adeleparks, Instagram @adele_parks and Facebook @OfficialAdeleParks or visit her website for more information.

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22 best books to read on holiday: Top reads for 2023

The holiday books to add to your summer reading list .

Whether you’re heading on a sunshine holiday or a relaxing staycation, no suitcase would be complete without a great book to read. From gripping page-turners to TikTok viral romance novels, we've searched high and low for the very books to read on your next holiday - along with honest reviews from the HELLO! team.

If lighthearted reads are your holiday go-to, or you prefer a mysterious fantasy novel to escape into, scroll on to shop the best books to add to your reading list this summer...

How we chose the best holiday books

• Reviews: Some of these books have been honestly reviewed by myself or members of the HELLO! team, whilst those that haven't are either on my reading list or have received generally positive reviews from shoppers.
• Paperback/audible options: Who wants to carry around a hardback book on holiday? Certainly not me. If paperback isn't an option, Audible is available for those who prefer to listen to books rather than read them.
• Popularity:  Many of the books in the list have been a huge hit on TikTok, going viral for their popularity. So we know they're on plenty of people's wishlists, including ours.

TikTok trending books to read on holiday

Paper palace by mirander cowler heller .

£8.99 AT AMAZON

A top pick from Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club, the star described the novel as “A deeply emotional love story that follows one day in the life of Elle Bishop as she navigates the unravelling of secrets, lies and a very complex love triangle”.

Yellowface by Rebecca K. Kuang

£4.49 AT AMAZON 

Yellowface  has been dominating BookTok since its release in May, and the 'razor-sharp' read is being praised for its gripping plot and satirical humour. When successful author Athena White dies in a freak accident, failed writer June Hayward steals a manuscript and publishes it as her own, leading her to question how far she will go to keep the life she feels she deserves.

It Ends With Us  by Colleen Hoover

£5 AT AMAZON 

It Ends With Us  is a number one bestseller and is a viral sensation on Instagram and TikTok. The story revolves around Lily, a girl who hasn't always had it easy but she's determined to live the life she wants. When she meets Ryle Kincaid, he changes everything. But can her past life come back to haunt her? You'll have to read it to find out.

"When I asked my Instagram followers for holiday book recommendations, this one came up so many times. I immediately ordered and I'm so glad I did. It has been hyped up on Bookstagram and BookTok, but I now know why. It's genuinely one of the BEST books I've ever read! It's one of those books that you carry on reading through the night even though you know you've got to go to sleep, it's just an addictive read. I have now read the sequel (which is called It Starts With Us - you may as well buy both of them at the same time) and I cannot wait to see the movie which is currently being filmed in New Jersey. I resisted the urge to Google who was playing the lead stars, and now I know I can't help but think the casting doesn't match the book in the slightest. But regardless, this is a great holiday book. I will go and watch it though. It's an emotional rollercoaster - it made me laugh, it made me cry and I'm now officially in the Colleen Hoover fan club." Leanne Bayley, Director of Lifestyle & Commerce

How To Kill Your Family  by Bella Mackie

How To Kill Your Family has been a smash hit since its original release in 2022, and the Sunday Times Bestseller and debut novel from Bella Mackie is a fascinating antiheroine story described by critics as ‘addictive’. The witty, sharp novel follows Grace Bernard's dedicated mission for revenge against her family, with the protagonist's detached narration providing a unique, hilarious twist to the dark subject matter to keep you hooked throughout.

" How to Kill Your Family is unlike any other book I've read. It was so interesting to read about a dark subject matter in a desensitised way, and it had me hooked from the first few pages. I feel like this would be a great read for most people, regardless of what genres you usually reach for, as it's so unique and gripping," Sophie Bates, Commerce Writer. 

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

£7.50 AT AMAZON 

The debut novel of  Schitts Creek screenwriter Monica Heisey, Really Good, Actually is a sharp and hilarious read about the uncertainties of modern love, friendship and happiness. Described as, "wildly funny and almost alarmingly relatable", the raw, heartwarming novel has become an instant hit since its release. 

"I credit this book with getting me out of my reading slump. Hilarious and scarily relatable, I found it a smart, self-deprecating, delightful read that I couldn't put down on my recent holiday,"  Carla Challis, Commerce Partnerships Editor.

The Bullet That Missed  by Richard Osman 

£8 AT AMAZON

The third installment in Richard Osman's bestselling Thursday Murder Club book collection is The Bullet That Missed . The lighthearted, witty novel will make the perfect holiday read, and it's been described by the Sunday Express as: "Another witty, charming and hugely entertaining read ... his best yet." 

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow  by Gabrielle Zevin

£13.99 AT AMAZON

Everyone is talking about Gabrielle Zevin's novel Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow . It's the story of protagonists Sadie and Sam, who first meet one another in the hospital. Meeting again eight years later in a crowded train station, the spark between the pair is immediately reignited. Mail on Sunday described the book as "An immersive tale of friendship, creativity and life's messy wonders". 

Romantic comedy books to read on holiday 

Seven exes  by lucy vine.

£8.86 FROM AMAZON

Seven Exes is the witty romantic-comedy from Lucy Vine, which followers protagonist Esther's quest to reconnect with the seven exes from her past; The First Love, The Work Mistake, The Friend with Benefits, The Overlap, The Missed Chance, The Bastard and The Serious One. Warm and fast-paced, the book explores romance, friendship and nostalgia. 

My favourite type of read on holiday is a feel-good book that I can pick up and put down without losing momentum, and that's exactly what Seven Exes is. Lighthearted and funny, it was a delight to read on my sunlounger," Sophie Bates, Commerce Writer.

The Unhoneymooners   by Christina Lauren

£7.49 AT AMAZON 

Would you go on the holiday of your dreams even if it was with your nemesis? Olive's twin sister Ami is about to marry the man of her dreams, but after the entire wedding falls ill, except Olive and best man Ethan, the pair head on an all-expenses-paid honeymoon to Hawaii. Forced to play loving newlyweds, she and Ethan find themselves in closer proximity than they ever expected. Described as "a perfect feel-good romantic comedy," The Unhoneymooners will give you summer feels whether you're sat on the beach or on your sofa. 

You may also like

You and me on vacation by emily henry.

£5 AT AMAZON

Emily Henry has taken BookTok by storm with her bestselling novels Book Lovers and You and Me on Vacation - and her latest rom-com Happy Place  has proven to be just as much of a hit. Two exes take a holiday with their closest friends, though they are yet to share that they broke up six months ago. Described by Beth O'Leary as, "smart, sunny, sexy and also a gorgeous story of female friendship," it's a feel-good read perfect for enjoying in the sun.

The Italian Escape by Catherine Mangan

£8.27 AT AMAZON 

For a feel-good holiday read, we loved The Italian Escape by Catherine Mangan. After breaking up with her boyfriend and boss, Niamh agrees to a spontaneous trip to Italy with her sister Grace, bringing a joyful and romantic novel to escape in.

Thriller books to read on holiday

 rock, paper, scissors  by alice feeney.

£8.27 AT AMAZON

The story follows couple Adam and Amelia as they spend a weekend in the remote Scottish Highlands to celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary. After the romantic trip takes a dark turn, the pair begin to wonder whether they can trust one another. The compelling thriller is a New York Times bestseller and a TikTok sensation, full of twists and turns. 

"If you like Gone Girl and similar dark thrillers, you'll love Rock Paper Scissors. It had me hooked from start to finish and I loved all the twists along the way. It usually takes me a while to get through a book but I couldn't put this down," Sophie Bates, Commerce Writer.

The Vacation by John Marrs

Full of twists and turns, this thrilling novel from John Marrs is set in Los Angeles, where eight strangers meet at a hostel to discover there is more going on than just a holiday. 

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Colleen Hoover is one of the most talked about authors right now, and her thriller Verity is a must-read if you love gripping page-turners. A struggling author accepts a job offer of a lifetime from Jeremy Crawford, the husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford. Hired to complete the remaining books of Jeremy's injured wife, Lowen never expected to uncover Verity's unfinished autobiography that she never intended for anyone to read. Verity has been a hit across social media, and Holly Willoughby has raved about it , too. 

"I don't think I've ever read a book as quickly as I read Verity. I literally couldn't put it down. The suspense keeps you guessing the whole way through, and I had no idea how the story would end. If you need to get yourself out of a book rut, Colleen Hoover is the author to do it. Suspenseful, creepy and sexy, I wish I could read it with fresh eyes again." Sophie Bates, Commerce Writer.

One of the Girls  by Lucy Clarke

£14.74 AT AMAZON

Described as gripping and "utterly addictive", One of the Girls is a crime-thriller set in Greece bringing the perfect balance of escapism and mystery needed from a holiday read.

Young Adult books to read on holiday

We were liars  by e. lockhart.

£4.95 AT AMAZON 

 A YA suspense novel and TikTok phenomenon, We Were Liars is a gripping page-turner from New York Times bestselling author E. Lockhart. The suspenseful plot will keep readers on their toes throughout, and the unexpected twist makes it an unforgettable read.

One of Us is Back by Karen M. McManus  

£7.49 AT AMAZON

After the global success of One of Us is Lying and One of Us is Next , Karen M. McManus just released the highly-anticipated third and final installment in the Bayview High trilogy. Described as a "fantastic murder mystery, packed with cryptic clues and countless plot twists," the explosive final book perfectly rounds off the bestselling series. 

Non-fiction books to read on holiday

The invisible kingdom: reimagining chronic illness by meghan o’rourke.

£19.99 AT AMAZON 

Documenting years of research from doctors, patients and researchers as well as drawing on her own experiences, Meghan O’Rourke explores the complex struggle of chronic illness in America. It’s fascinating, complex and empathetic. 

The Unexpected Joy of Being Single: Locating Unattached Happiness by Catherine Grey

£6 AT AMAZON 

Described as “Brave, witty and brilliantly written”, Catherine Gray gives a refreshing take on what it means to be single - and it’s the perfect empowering read for your next girl's holiday. 

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

£11.95 AT AMAZON 

Though published in 2011, Thinking Fast and Slow has made a comeback online. For a factual read that will keep you interested with its complexities, this International Bestseller by psychologist Daniel Kahneman is a must. Exploring how we make decisions and offering a fresh take on how the human mind works, it’s an intriguing read that encourages new perspectives.

Fantasy books to read on holiday

The midnight library  by matt haig.

£13.29 AT AMAZON

One of Matt Haig's many must-read novels, The Midnight Library is a touching fantasy novel about life and death, which The Sunday Times labelled as: "A beguiling read, filled with warmth and humour, and a vibrant celebration of the power of books to change lives".

The City Inside  by Samit Basu

£17.94 AT AMAZON 

This dystopian sci-fi tells a story of a near-future reality, described by critics as "funny, relatable, supremely clever and deeply political". It will get you thinking about how far from our current reality the story really is. 

READ:  10 Best audiobooks to listen to on your sun lounger this summer

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Old Thot Next Door (Unabridged‪)‬

• 4.7 • 42 Ratings

Publisher Description

Old Thot Next Door is indeed a long-anticipated ratchet soap opera thriller by best-selling African American urban fiction author Quan Millz. Meet Vernita Ernestine Washington, a feisty 76-year-old woman who doesn’t care what you think about her ways, especially for a woman her age. Yeah, she might be a senior citizen, but she’d be the first to tell you age ain't nothing but a number! She’s convinced the honeycomb between her legs doesn’t taste a day older than 40. "Don’t let the gray hairs fool you now!" A retired employee of the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles, Mrs. Washington runs the mean, cold streets of Chi-town messing with all types of young thugs with multiple felonies. A widow for some time now, Vernita is determined to make up for her stale marriage. However, when a major health scare sets her back, she finds herself losing everything. Reality sets in that her time on Earth is about to come to a close. Now faced with a death sentence, Vernita seeks to live out her remaining days being the biggest old super freak. She gets her mojo back and begins living her life again. But a major, surprising twist will throw her life into more unpredictable chaos. Listen to more in Old Thot Next Door !

Customer Reviews

very moist. would take my fish oil pills

Fun and Crazy

Fun and crazy. Keeps you guessing.

This book here oh my goodness 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 had my ribs hurting and all

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