A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Updated Aug. 18, 2024
The best thriller books ratchet up the suspense, add a dose of intrigue and deliver some of the greatest twists in literature. Here are the edge-of-your-seat thrillers you don't want to miss.
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It isn’t easy narrowing down the vast genre of thrillers. From pulse-pounding mysteries that turn the tension up to 10 to psychological suspense stories packed with cliffhanger chapters, the best thriller books can heighten our feelings of excitement and suspense.
We set out to collect the thriller books guaranteed to keep you turning the page. This list contains exciting new books from writers of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, as well as all-time classics within the thriller genre. Some picks are thoroughly modern, while others are compelling novels of historical fiction.
We made our choices by considering both critical reviews of the best books flying off shelves today and reader reviews of lesser-known titles. Then we asked bookish folks—from librarians to authors to book influencers—for their all-time favorites. We even chose books that Reader’s Digest editors have personally loved.
Read on for our comprehensive list of the best thriller books to add to your TBR shelf. Then prepare to spend every quiet evening perched on the edge of your seat.
Join the free Reader’s Digest Book Club for great reads, monthly discussions, author Q&As and a community of book lovers.
For fans of: The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda and One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner
Evie Porter has a seemingly perfect life: Great house. Great guy. Even a nice little friend group. The only problem? Evie Porter doesn’t exist. But for the woman pretending to be her, she’s real—she has to be. In this line of work, mistakes mean death. Except now that she’s on the job, she’s thinking about a fresh start for the first time in years. After all, Ryan may be her target, but he’s also a pretty great boyfriend. Everything changes when a woman comes to town, introduces herself by Evie’s real name and threatens the very life Evie has worked so hard to protect.
First Lie Wins comes highly recommended by Tracey Neithercott, Reader’s Digest Books Editor, who selected Ashley Elston’s 2024 adult debut as a Reader’s Digest Book Club pick. “I’ll read a few chapters before tackling the laundry, I thought, before devouring this entire book in a single day,” she says. “The cleverly crafted plot and whip-smart protagonist mean you won’t know who to trust in this edge-of-your-seat thriller.”
For fans of: The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer and The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
On the outside, Alicia Berenson seems to have the perfect life. The famous painter is married to a much sought-after photographer with a sprawling home overlooking a posh London neighborhood. But when her husband returns from a late-night photo shoot, she shoots him point-blank in the face five times. After the murder, Alicia refuses to speak a word. Criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber is resolved to break through Alicia’s silence by working with her to uncover what led to this tragic moment.
“The Silent Patient digs deep into Theo’s and Alicia’s complicated lives and their respective delicate mental health challenges,” says Lisa Lewis, a teacher and librarian at an elementary school in Toronto, Canada. “From feelings of emptiness and abandonment to anger and resolve, The Silent Patient keeps the reader alert and, at times, in the dark. I loved the intricacy of Michaelides’s story as he spins a fragile web of Theo’s and Alicia’s inner voices and mental states. It’s witty, sharp and fast-paced. The writing is honest and smart, and after a few pages, you are in the story and rooting for Alicia. Of course, this book is for lovers of mysteries, but I would encourage people who do not read thrillers or mysteries to read this novel.”
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For fans of: The Wife Between Us by
After witnessing her nanny fall to her death, 9-year-old Rose Barclay has stopped speaking. Enter Stella Hudson, a best-interest attorney for children in custody cases. Usually, she’d turn down this case. Childhood trauma of her own has her shying away from such young kids. But as a favor to the judge who’s both her mentor and father figure, Stella agrees to advocate for Rose. Yet the closer she gets to the seemingly perfect Barclay family, the more cracks appear.
“Unsettling in the best way possible, Sarah Pekkanen’s 2024 novel, House of Glass, is a slow-burn thriller that’s suspenseful straight out of the gate,” says Neithercott. “Part psychological study, part meditation on the nature of evil, the novel skillfully made me question who and what to believe. If you love creepy-kid horror but don’t want a scare—or appreciate stories that keep you guessing till the end—this is the book for you.”
For fans of: The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf and The Stillwater Girls by Minka Kent
Love the unsettling child in ‘s House of Glass? Pick up the 2019 thriller book The Perfect Child. You’ll meet Christopher and Hannah, a happily married couple who have everything they want—except a child. And then, as if an answer to their prayers, 6-year-old Janie appears at the hospital where they both work. Christopher forms an immediate bond with the girl and convinces Hannah that bringing her home with them is the perfect idea. At first, everything seems great. But soon Hannah finds herself the target of Janie’s disturbing rage. Christopher doesn’t see this side of the child, leading Hannah to feel alone and trapped with a kid whose background is one big blank.
This best-of-BookTok pick comes highly recommended by Stephy George, who pens the Creative Muggle book blog. “When I read The Perfect Child, I was completely immersed in the story of Janie and the challenges her new family faces,” says George. “The psychological tension and raw emotions made it hard to put down. If you are looking for a powerful psychological thriller that explores family conflicts and dark secrets, this book is a must-read.”
For fans of: Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica and A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
Deep in debt and living out of her Toyota Corolla in a secluded park in Seattle, Lee Gulliver isn’t exactly living the high life. But things could be worse, as she learns one night when she sees a crying woman in the ocean. Lee rushes to save her life, but Hazel, the drowning woman, is outraged. Trapped in an abusive marriage, Hazel saw death as her only escape. The women go their separate ways, but when Hazel returns and asks for Lee’s help in disappearing forever, an unlikely friendship blooms. Except the more time they spend together, the more Lee suspects Hazel is not who she seems.
Sloane Bernard, a lawyer by day and voracious reader by night, calls 2023’s The Drowning Woman a fast-paced psychological thriller that doesn’t shy away from the social issues often left to the footnotes in society. “I held this book white-knuckled as I compulsively gobbled up its pages,” she says, noting that the book held her in a vice-like grip from start to finish. “A read with more than one killer twist—for fans of Paula Hawkins or Gillian Flynn—[The Drowning Woman by] Robyn Harding provides the same current of all is not how it seems. This intricately plotted book was great.”
For fans of: Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Do you prefer your thrills with a side of scares? Pick up Mexican Gothic, the critically acclaimed 2020 bestseller from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, a Latinx author whose books belong on every reader’s shelves. This supernatural tale features an unlikely heroine in Noemí Taboada. A fashionable debutante, she is beckoned to the Mexican countryside by her recently married cousin, who begs her to save her from a terrible fate. Her cousin’s new husband is horrid, and his father is all too fascinated by Noemí. And something about the house is not quite right.
If you think this sounds more like a horror novel than a thriller, you’re not entirely wrong. Mexican Gothic falls firmly in the Gothic horror genre. But it’s packed with thrills a minute and will appeal to readers who gobble up thriller books but want something that feels completely fresh.
“What is going on is something you’ll never be prepared to read,” says Alexandra Plante, a librarian in Kingston, New York. “One part Edgar Allan Poe, one part Shirley Jackson and one part Alfred Hitchcock, Garcia-Moreno’s Mexican Gothic instantly transports you into 1950s Mexico and into the bizarre family of the Doyles.”
For fans of: Here to Stay by Mark Edwards and What You Did by Claire McGowan
If thriller movies make you jump out of your seat, prepare for goosebumps as you read this 2020 novel. Maggie and Nina live together and have dinner every other night. After they finish eating, Nina takes Maggie back to the attic, where she lives—and where she’s restrained by heavy chains. Nina feels justified in her actions because Maggie has done horrible things to her. But Nina doesn’t know some important truths, and Maggie intends to keep it that way.
“This powerful read really gets under your skin,” says George. “What Lies Between Us gave me chills with its dark and twisted story. This was the very first book I read from John Marrs, and it made me an immediate fan. The relationship between Nina and Maggie is so complex that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I remember sharing this book with my husband, who is a thriller fan, and we ended up having a long discussion about the ending and the characters’ motivations.”
For fans of: Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
A teenage girl wanders out of the woods, filthy and with blood on her clothes. When two hikers ask her if she’s OK and what her name is, she struggles to remember. Then, she utters the name Elizabeth Black—the name of a girl who disappeared two years ago. Detective Chelsey Calhoun had been assigned to Elizabeth’s case, and the reappearance of the missing girl turns her world upside down. Following what little clues she has, Chelsey suspects another young girl was left behind and is determined to find her before she suffers a worse fate than Elizabeth.
Called “magnetic” by Stephen King, The Return of Ellie Black is a tightly written thriller from Elizabeth’s perspective. “From the opening chapter, as Elizabeth appears in the woods, I was hooked,” says author and journalist Jennifer Chen. “Not only is this a compelling novel, but it also explores who is worth finding and who is worth losing. It’s a feminist take on the missing girl; fans of Jessica Knoll will want to read this debut thriller by Emiko Jean.”
For fans of: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Bound to be your next buddy read with Mom, Kimberly McCreight’s 2024 thriller explores mother-daughter relationships through New York University student Cleo and her estranged mother, Kat. When her mom is a no-show for dinner and she finds a bloody shoe under the sofa, Cleo suspects the worse. Like Mother, Like Daughter ratchets up the tension as it follows both Cleo (in her search) and Kat (in the days before her disappearance), unraveling the mystery while keeping readers guessing.
For fans of: None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell and Zero Days by Ruth Ware
When it hit shelves in 2022, this twisty, genre-bending novel became an instant bestseller, one of the best thriller books of the year and a Reese’s Book Club pick. Wrong Place Wrong Time introduces readers to Jen, who’s peering out the window as she waits for her 18-year-old son to return home one evening. He has missed his curfew, but thankfully, she finally spies him outside. The next thing she sees is her beloved son stabbing a man to death. She doesn’t know who the stranger is or why her son killed him. All she knows is that her son is now in jail.
But when Jen next wakes, it’s the previous day, and the murder hasn’t happened yet. Each morning, Jen wakes on the day before, slowly traveling back in time. Only she can solve the mystery and stop her son from becoming a killer, but she might have to come to terms with a few things in her world first. This ingenious plot will keep readers on their toes.
For fans of: The Shining by Stephen King and This Is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter
It was supposed to be a nice family vacation to Australia. Newlyweds Heather and Tom were hoping the trip would help Tom’s children bond with their new stepmother, but an adventure to a remote island turns into a nightmare when Tom and Heather are separated—and it’s up to Heather to save herself and her stepkids. While navigating two children who don’t trust her at all, the unforgiving and dangerous bush, and the creepy island locals who want them all dead, Heather must find the strength she didn’t know she had to save her family. Full of tension and suspense, 2022’s The Island would make a fantastic beach read … but maybe not on an island beach!
For fans of: Camino Ghosts by John Grisham and City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman
Kate Gamble is an aspiring playwright who has been working on her would-be masterpiece for years. There’s just one problem: Most of the source material is based on her adoring father, the CEO of a private data integration company. Kate knows her play about the dark side of big data would break her father’s heart, but she still needs to investigate the family business—as well as her mother’s mysterious suicide. Then her father’s right-hand man is kidnapped, and the ransom demand is the company’s new technology, Code 6. Kate doesn’t know who to trust as she uncovers secrets and conspiracies within the tech industry and its dangerous manipulation of data. Bestselling author James Grippando wants us to consider the price of giving up our privacy, and Code 6, published in 2023, will certainly make you reconsider using the same password for all your accounts.
For fans of: In My Dreams I Hold A Knife by Ashley Winstead and If I Disappear by Eliza Jane Brazier
How well do you really know your children? Amber Garza is back with another unsettling take on twisted relationships. A Mother Would Know follows Valerie, whose memory isn’t as good as it used to be. She lives alone in her large Victorian house until she invites her adult son to move back in with her for company. But it’s not as enjoyable as she might have hoped; he’s moody, keeps strange hours and doesn’t talk much. When a woman is murdered just a block away, the neighbors immediately suspect her son, and Valerie is having trouble defending him. This thriller will have you second- and triple-guessing yourself right to the very last page.
For fans of: The Summer House by James Patterson and Brendan DeBois and Tell No One by Harlan Coben
Ex-soldier Travis Devine takes the 6:20 a.m. commuter train into Manhattan every day to his entry-level analyst job at the most prestigious investment firm in the city. That is, until the NYPD comes to question him about the apparent suicide of his ex-girlfriend slash colleague, Sara. Worse, he’s being blackmailed with secrets of his military past to investigate his firm. A dazzling thriller journeying into the highest echelons and darkest corners of power and the finance world, The 6:20 Man by master storyteller David Baldacci will have you gasping at the final twist.
For fans of: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware
This gorgeously written crime novel is about a neighborhood serial killer. But more than anything, it’s a story of female empowerment and social change. Five women—a dancer, a mother, a police officer, an artist and a wife—are, like far too many women today and throughout history, forced to live their lives following countless unspoken rules, none of which they were allowed to have a hand in making. They do this to stay alive, but two recent murders are bringing their facade of safety to its knees. Proving that you actually can sometimes judge a book by its cover, These Women is an evocative read for fans of both thrillers and women’s fiction.
For fans of: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
Beginning with the 2013 YA novel The Diviners, this book series paints a haunting picture of 1920s America, from the explosive growth of New York City to the horrors of the eugenics movement. It has so many parallels to today’s politics and societal struggles that you’ll cringe, but you’ll also fall in love with the diverse characters and sly humor. This is a must-read series for teens, historical fiction at its best and a novel laced with the best of the thriller genre. At its heart, though, The Diviners is a thrilling tale of reckoning with a flawed nation’s bloody past as it hurtles toward a bright future still being dreamed up.
For fans of: You by Caroline Kepnes and
The New York Times says My Sister, the Serial Killer is less a murder mystery and more a study in the strange complexity of sibling bonds, adding that as far as the best thriller books go, it’s a bombshell of a read—sharp, explosive and also hilarious. Braithwaite employs short, rhythmic chapters to march you along, as if a drumbeat is propelling your page-turning, all while inching you closer to the edge of your seat as this stunning story reveals itself and you discover if blood is truly thicker than water. If your sister is also your bestie, you’ll also love these books about friendship.
For fans of: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
In this provocative debut and one of Amazon’s best thriller books of 2021, you will be confronted with not only horrors but also moral dilemmas as you reckon with the true underbelly of America’s dark past. This is because, in crafting a thrilling fictional tale, Giddings pulls from real-life nightmares, namely the experimentation on and exploitation of Black bodies in the name of science. (New to that history? You’ll also want to pick up Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.)
You’ll likely read Lakewood quickly, be enthralled and come away with book club questions that need answering. And if that’s the case, this glorious work of psychological fiction has done its job.
For fans of: Down the River Unto the Sea by Walter Mosley
Attica Locke (a former writer and producer on Empire) has said the first book in her Highway 59 series is “a love letter to Black Texans.” This noir novel is a thriller set in East Texas that marinates in America’s troubled past and still-precarious present, using the unique locale, as well as the modern struggles of race, to deliver a fictional take on a man who doesn’t belong and whose world is crumbling around his feet. If you love thriller books, you’ve probably already read some novels by Attica Locke, whose titles are among the best books by Black authors.
For fans of: The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn and The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Don’t Turn Around is a controversial thriller that explores the Me Too movement, cancel culture, reproductive rights and white male extremism. Without a doubt, this book is very much of the moment and cuts close to the bone for anyone who has suffered through years of gaslighting, misogyny and “boys will be boys” excuse-making for horrendous behavior perpetrated against them. This suspenseful novel unfurls on a desolate road in New Mexico as two women are hunted by an unknown killer. In the process, secrets are revealed, and a delicate trust must be forged by women who have had their confidence abused in the past. Just like the best thriller books with a feminist spin, this heart-pounding adventure will leave you breathless.
For fans of: Run, Rose, Run by James Patterson and Dolly Parton and All the President’s Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
Don’t miss any of Daniel Silva’s 24 novels featuring Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and former Israeli spy—they’re among the most unputdownable thriller books on the market today. And while the series is long, you’ll make quick work of these novels, which will go a long way toward helping you reach your goal of reading more books this year.
Of particular note: the 2022 entry to the series, Portrait of an Unknown Woman. It follows Gabriel after he’s finally broken away from Israeli intelligence, having settled in Venice with his wife and children. The plot kicks into gear when a London art dealer asks him to investigate a newly rediscovered painting that might just be a fake. Gabriel is soon drawn into a tricky game of cat and mouse in a wild journey through the dark side of the art world.
For fans of: After the End by Clare Mackintosh and Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
This suspenseful thriller, tailor-made for 21st-century readers, centers on a mommy influencer with millions of fans who makes a mint monetizing family life—and who is now facing a threat to her actual life by one madman. This thoroughly modern novel explores the darker side of influencer culture, the IRL dangers of exposing too much of yourself and your kids online, and our desperate need to be seen, validated and appreciated. If you’ve ever wanted to be a celebrity, this debut psychological thriller from the husband-and-wife team of Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos (aka Ellery Lloyd) will probably end that fantasy.
For fans of: The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer
If your idea of a good fiction book is one that brings the setting to life, Jane Harper’s 2018 novel is a must-read. The Lost Man uses place as a living, breathing character. The arid, atmospheric Australian Outback plays a big role, though the Bright brothers ultimately get top billing. When one turns up dead, a series of family secrets becomes the heart of this masterfully written literary thriller.
For fans of: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
In this suspenseful novel, Tom Kennedy moves himself and his son to a new town after the death of his wife. Unbeknownst to the pair, a serial killer ravaged this same town 20 years earlier. He was called the Whisper Man because kids would tell their parents of a person creepily whispering to them outside their window, and soon after, they’d go missing. Although the killer is still locked up, another child has gone missing, Tom’s son is hearing whispers and the old case is reopened with fears that there was an accomplice to the original killings. This haunting thriller, with a father and son navigating their grief at its core, uses a variety of perspectives to paint a terrifying picture that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
For fans of: The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
A female vicar and her daughter are sent, without their desire or request, to a small English town full of horrific secrets in C.J. Tudor’s thriller The Burning Girls. Hundreds of years earlier, this town burned eight of its own people at the stake. Then, 30 years ago, two local girls went missing, and just before the mother-daughter pair arrived, the church’s vicar hung himself. In this roller coaster of unexpected twists, you will be shocked over and over again as the mysterious town and its suspicious people reveal themselves in ways you’ll never see coming. This is no cozy mystery with comforting vibes; expect a chilling read.
For fans of: The Gathering by C.J. Tudor and Trust No One by Gregg Hurwitz
Following in the tradition of some of the best Scandinavian thriller books, The Darkness is an atmospheric novel that brings readers into the Icelandic cold to tell the tale of a detective inspector forced into early retirement. Hulda Hermannsdóttir is allowed just two final weeks on the force and her choice of any cold case to investigate. She selects the murder of a Russian immigrant only to find a deeper and even more mysterious layer to the original case. As she attempts to solve why another woman went missing around the same time, the detective finds herself battling her peers and racing against the clock, which inches closer to her deadline. If you like the first in the Hulda series, look for the sequels.
For fans of: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and Since We Fell by Dennis Lehane
Set in the City of Brotherly Love, this novel from Philadelphia resident Liz Moore aims its literary lens on a pair of sisters and the bond, connectivity and eternal love within that delicate relationship. Mickey is a single mom and a cop who patrols a neighborhood decimated by the opioid crisis. When Mickey’s sister, who struggled with addiction and life on the streets, goes missing, the narrative deftly shuttles between scenes from the sisters’ childhood and the present-day mystery at hand. A critically lauded New York Times bestseller—and one of Barack Obama’s favorite books—Long Bright River is as compassionate as it is thrilling. It’s a true work of beautiful, heartbreaking art.
For fans of: 1984 by George Orwell
This is a 21st-century, edge-of-your-seat thriller that’ll make you think about where we are as a society and where we could be headed in the future. Set inside the biggest social media company on Earth, this novel pits the idealism of a single person against the ambitions of a corrupt system. When you’ve finished it, you’ll likely start asking more questions about privacy, democracy and corporate and political transparency—and maybe even delete your social media accounts. There’s a sequel, The Every, and a movie adaptation starring Emma Watson and Tom Hanks too.
If you’re a parent whose kids are on social media, consider a buddy read; this is a good book for older teens and adults alike. Once you’ve finished The Circle, you and your teen can discuss the merits and pitfalls of social media together.
For fans of: Wild by Cheryl Strayed
A classic autobiographical thriller from journalist and mountaineer Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air is the riveting true story of 24 hours on Everest that claimed the lives of eight people, almost including his own. Published in 1997, the book is harrowing, insightful, brilliant and an essential work of literature for thriller fans. We recommend reading it on a beach in full sun, although the descriptions are so vivid you’ll probably still feel the Himalayan frost on your toes.
“This recounting of an ill-fated trek to the top of Mt. Everest will have you on the edge of your seat,” says Reader’s Digest Deputy Editor Anne Fritz. “Thanks to Krakauer’s writing, you can experience what a climb on the world’s most famous mountain is like, with none of the frostbite or altitude sickness. I came away with an appreciation for the Nepalese sherpa and everything they must endure.”
For fans of: The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Passage by Justin Cronin
Stephen King’s postapocalyptic thriller, The Stand, is an undisputed classic. And because it focuses on a strand of a virus that can wipe out 99% of the world’s population, it’s more eerily familiar now than when it was originally published in 1978, when the master of horror released an “uncut” version in 1990 or when the paperback incarnation arrived in the summer of 2012. Though the 2020 television adaptation got a poor reception (can you blame viewers?), it doesn’t reflect the masterful storytelling in this must-read Stephen King book.
For fans of: Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane and All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
A stand-alone mystery thriller, Down the River Unto the Sea follows Joe King Oliver, a brand-new character from a legendary author who has brought to life a number of favorites over the years, including Easy Rawlins and Leonid McGill. Oliver is a Black man who served on the NYPD until his coworkers framed him for a crime. When we meet him, he’s out of Rikers Island prison and running a private detective agency with the help of his teenage daughter. Now tasked with solving a case about a Black journalist accused of killing a pair of corrupt cops, Oliver must also reckon with his own case and the dirty cops responsible for breaking him so many years ago—as well as keep his daughter and himself safe.
For fans of: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré and Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett
John le Carré is the quintessential espionage writer and author of some of the absolute best thriller books of the 20th (and 21st) centuries. Set in East Germany, behind the just-built Berlin Wall during the Cold War, this rich tale, originally published in 1963, still captivates with its spellbinding portrayal of the world of secret agents and spies. It features a desperate man using himself as bait to catch and kill for revenge.
For fans of: A Perfect Spy by John le Carré and The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
Ian Fleming started it all with James Bond and his arsenal of clever gadgets, some of which are not so far-fetched anymore. Sure, plenty of modern novels pack their pages with cool tech. But as you seek out the best new thriller books, it’s essential that you also read classics like early James Bond titles (this is the fifth of the original 14 James Bond books) to see how a master of the genre crafted a story that would go on to become a famous franchise. From Russia with Love involves a sexy Russian spy, the Orient Express, deadly assassins and, of course, the dapper 007, so it’s no wonder it’s an all-time favorite.
For fans of: The Facts of Life by Graham Joyce and the Tamara Hayle Mysteries series by Valerie Wilson Wesley
In The Good House, a fascinatingly modern and thoroughly topical take on the classic haunted house story, Angela Touissant is a Haitian American woman who battles a mysterious evil that’s driving people to violence and suicide. At the same time, she must face, answer and overcome her own questions and struggles with identity and belonging, making this not only a must-read psychological thriller but also a universally relatable tale for our time.
For fans of: Girl Left Behind by C.J. Cross
If you get your adrenaline rush from mind games rather than chase scenes, psychological suspense is for you. For sheer creepiness and terror, nothing beats Thomas Harris’s The Silence of the Lambs. It’s every bit as thrilling as the Anthony Hopkins–led movie that once kept you up all night in fear. If you’re reading this scary novel for the first time, pro tip: Don’t read it alone or at night!
For fans of: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
In The Ghost Bride—also a Netflix original series—Li Lan, a young woman living in colonial Malaya, is offered the chance to be a “ghost bride” for a wealthy family whose only son died unexpectedly. Soon, she finds herself entwined in terrifying and intriguing forces of the afterlife while confronting feelings for the family’s living heir. A celebrated author of Asia-focused fiction, Yangsze Choo is launched her career with this stunning book.
For fans of: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Featuring terrific characters, a deftly executed plot and fascinating legal insight, this is the definitive legal thriller. First published in 1986, Scott Turow’s debut novel still shines brightly today, thanks to its accurate depiction of the inner workings of the legal system, which we learn about when a prosecuting attorney (played by Harrison Ford in the 1990 film adaptation and by Jake Gyllenhaal in the recent Apple TV+ show) is assigned to the case of his murdered former colleague before becoming the lead suspect. Despite what some consider a weak final twist, Presumed Innocent is beloved by countless thriller readers.
For fans of: A Terrible Beauty by Tasha Alexander and the Lady Darby Mysteries series by Anna Lee Huber
If your favorite thriller books are a mashup of genres, it’s time to pick up Sherry Thomas’s A Study in Scarlet Women. Is it historical fiction? Definitely. Does it have a compelling romance? You bet. Is there a mystery to lead the plot along? But of course. Yet it’s also full of suspense and thrills. And as a bonus, it offers up a fresh take on Sherlock Holmes.
Sure, there are arguably too many Sherlock Holmes adaptations. This one, though, features a genius female “Sherlock” and was written by a woman of color. In the first of the Lady Sherlock Series, Charlotte takes up the mantle of Detective Sherlock Holmes when her sister and father are blamed for a trio of murders. Instead of Watson, she has help from a kindhearted widow, a police inspector and a man who loves her. As she defies societal expectations to solve the case, you’ll find yourself hungry for more. Thankfully, the series has reached Book 8, A Ruse of Shadows, published in June 2024.
For fans of: Mansions of the Moon by Shyam Selvadurai and The Stories You Tell by Kristen Lepionka
Henry Rios is an openly gay criminal defense lawyer in Michael Nava’s acclaimed series. Written in the 1980s by a gay Latino man, it was ahead of its time, centering characters too often ignored by the mainstream publishing industry.
Lay Your Sleeping Head, the 2019 revision of 1986’s The Little Death, is the first in the Henry Rios Mysteries series of eight LGBTQ+ books. In it, a perplexing new case draws Henry back into the fold: Hugh Paris comes to him insisting that his wealthy grandfather is plotting his murder—and then, shortly after, Hugh winds up dead. Though his death is ruled an overdose, Henry suspects foul play and dives into San Francisco’s network of wealthy elite families and their secrets.
For fans of: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Yes, real life can be stranger than fiction, and true-crime books prove it. Few thrill quite like Truman Capote’s pioneering In Cold Blood, the book that gave rise to the true-crime genre. The famed author spent months in the Midwest painstakingly retracing the steps of two young rural killers, and the result is this legendary narrative nonfiction book, which he published in 1965. Follow up your reading of this classic by watching Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Oscar-winning performance as Capote in the eponymous film.
For fans of: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer and Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Alive set the standard for heroic survival stories with its true tale of a rugby team from Uruguay whose plane crashes, resulting in an incredible 10-week physical and emotional ordeal. Piers Paul Read documented the thrilling story of the 1972 crash after interviewing many of the survivors, as well as the family members of the passengers. What you get is a harrowing story told without embellishment or exaggeration. Pick up this thrilling account of perseverance and sacrifice, and you’ll understand why Read had no need for fiction in this carefully told tale.
Additional reporting by Dawn Raffel and Chloë Nannestad.
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At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite books for over 100 years. We’ve worked with bestselling authors including Susan Orlean, Janet Evanovich and Alex Haley, whose Pulitzer Prize–winning Roots grew out of a project funded by and originally published in the magazine. Through Fiction Favorites (formerly Select Editions and Condensed Books), Reader’s Digesthas been publishing anthologies of abridged novels for decades. We’ve worked with some of the biggest names in fiction, including James Patterson, Ruth Ware, Kristin Hannah and more. The Reader’s Digest Book Club, helmed by Books Editor Tracey Neithercott, introduces readers to even more of today’s best fiction by upcoming, bestselling and award-winning authors. For this piece, Leandra Beabout tapped her experience as a longtime journalist who has written dozens of articles about books for Reader’s Digest to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing, and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
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Originally Published: March 14, 2024
