The most recommended new thrillers books

Who picked these books? Meet our 162 experts.

162 authors created a book list connected to new thrillers, and here are their favorite new thrillers books.
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Book cover of The Only One Left

Gerri Bauer Author Of At Home in Persimmon Hollow: Persimmon Hollow Legacy Series Book 1

From Gerri's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Sewing nerd Domestic history fan

Gerri's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Gerri Bauer Why did Gerri love this book?

The Only One Left has a lot of twists and turns that kept me reading. I had checked out several reader reviews before picking up the book, and I was on high alert to look for clues as the story unfolded. I only guessed a few ā€” a very few ā€” and enjoyed every page and the surprises along the way. This is Gothic Suspense at its best. And it also shows you donā€™t need to include explicit sex or graphic violence to spice up a book. A great story wins every time. This one is a page-turner.

By Riley Sager,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Only One Left as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE BRAND NEW HEART-POUNDING GOTHIC THRILLER FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Everyone believes that Lenora Hope is a mass murderer.

When the Hope family was massacred decades ago, she was the only one left after that tragic night.

Mute, paralysed and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora has never been able to tell her side of the story.

Until her new live-in caregiver Kit brings her a typewriter.

And with one working finger Lenora begins to type:

I want to tell you everything.

Book cover of A Village Fete Murder

Vickie Carroll Author Of It's Only Murder

From my list on cozy mysteries about women at work.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a cozy-style mystery writer, I get to live in a world where I know that everything will work out as it should in the end. I look for this in the books that I read and recommend. Do they give the reader something interesting to ponder as they go along with the sleuth (amateur or ā€œreal detective)? My father was a police captain, and I grew up looking at things through the eyes of ā€œthe lawā€, I admit. Most people find comfort reading about a small town where nothing will go too wrong. The bad stuff and the bad people are kept at armā€™s length, and all is well.

Vickie's book list on cozy mysteries about women at work

Vickie Carroll Why did Vickie love this book?

Written in the style of M.C. Beaton, this book is a perfect English murder mystery.

The idea of a village fete itself has always been alluring to me. I put myself in the story and Iā€™m right at home in the village and celebration at Berrywick House. I blame my British DNA. As in any good cozy, the most irritating member of the community ends up dead, and no exception here.

The main character, Julia, is not only concerned with a murderā€”or two, but sheā€™s also afraid their peaceful village will be forever ruined. Like all great amateur sleuths, she gets involved. Bird paints a picture of a perfect English village. Add a dog, her Labrador, Jake, and well, sign me up.

By Katie Gayle,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Village Fete Murder as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Julia Bird canā€™t wait to attend the annual village party at the local stately home, with its tea tents, cake stalls, andā€¦ dead body in the maze?

The annual village celebration at Berrywick House is underway, complete with over-decorated cake stalls, fiercely contested flower competitions, and even a maze for the disappointed losers to hide in. Julia Bird, now a well-known ā€“ even notorious ā€“ member of the community, with her trusty Labrador Jake, has thrown herself headlong into the festivities. But her reputation for adding drama to any event stands up yet again when she discovers a dead bodyā€¦


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Book cover of Bottled Secrets of Rosewood

Bottled Secrets of Rosewood by Mary Kendall,

Miranda falls in love with her dream house but soon discovers it's an affair with complications. A lot of them. Rosewood is a centuries old, tumble-down, gambrel roofed charmer located in an isolated, coastal corner of Virginia referred to as "strange". Known for long-standing and antiquated customs, an almost indecipherableā€¦

Book cover of Dirty Thirty

Fiona Forsyth Author Of Poetic Justice

From Fiona's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Rome nerd Teacher Notebook hoarder Thwarted thespian

Fiona's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Fiona Forsyth Why did Fiona love this book?

The humour and pace make this series so easy to read and always lift me up. Itā€™s a real escapism read but so well done.

By Janet Evanovich,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dirty Thirty as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The latest title in #1 New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovichā€™s popular Stephanie Plum series.


Book cover of The Goldilocks Genome: A Medical Thriller

Douglas Slakey Author Of The Process Manifesto

From Douglas' 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Douglas' 3 favorite reads in 2024

Douglas Slakey Why did Douglas love this book?

I enjoyed the inteseciton of personalized medicine, genetics and murder! A fast-paced thriller.

By Elizabeth Reed Aden,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Goldilocks Genome as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When San Francisco-based FDA epidemiologist Dr. Carrie Hediger uncovers a rash of unexplained deaths while investigating the suspiciously convenient death of her best friend, she becomes determined to find answers-even if it leads her to a murderer, and even if confronting authority, using her wiles, and bending the rules to get justice risks her future in the FDA.

To unravel the puzzle, Carrie assembles a team: some talented post-doctoral fellows, a quirky pharmacologist, an unctuous chemist, and a skeptical FBI agent that she can't help her attraction for. Together, they follow the data through the twists and turns, eventually uncoveringā€¦


Book cover of You'd Look Better as a Ghost

Rebecca Frost Author Of The Ripper Inside Us: What Interpretations of Jack Reveal About Ourselves

From Rebecca's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author True crime buff Knitter

Rebecca's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Rebecca Frost Why did Rebecca love this book?

For fans of dark humor - you'll keep turning pages to figure out if she gets away with it ... even if you're not entirely sure you want her to.

By Joanna Wallace,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked You'd Look Better as a Ghost as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'An absolute roller-coaster of a read' - DAILY MAIL
'The most fun you're ever likely to have with a hammer-wielding maniac' - DAILY EXPRESS
'Refreshingly original and laugh-out-loud funny' - CLARE MACKINTOSH

I have a gift. I see people as ghosts before they die.
Of course, it helps that I'm the one killing them.

The night after her father's funeral, Claire meets Lucas in a bar. Lucas doesn't know it, but it's not a chance meeting. One thoughtless mistyped email has put him in the crosshairs of an extremely put-out serial killer. But even before they make eye contact, beforeā€¦


Book cover of You Can Run

Frances Quinn Author Of That Bonesetter Woman

From my list on quirky heroines.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a shameless people-watcher. There's nothing I like better than sitting in a cafe, or an airport, or on a bus, and observing the people I see (and yes, I admit, eavesdropping on their conversations). What are they wearing and what does it say about them? Who are they with, and what's their relationship? What are they saying to each other - and what are they not saying? So it's not surprising the most important element of a book for me is the characters, and my favourite characters are women who are a little bit different, who don't fit the mould - because you just never know what they'll do.

Frances' book list on quirky heroines

Frances Quinn Why did Frances love this book?

I love a good page-turning thriller, but to keep my interest, there has to be more than thrills and spills ā€“ I want characters I care about too.

The heroine here, unusually, is a teenage girl, whoā€™s funny, smart, and stroppy, but at the same time vulnerable and scared. She teams up with a nosy elderly lady who proves to have hidden depths and as they find themselves in a terrifying situation and tackle some seriously bad villains, I was rooting for them all the way.  

By Trevor Wood,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked You Can Run as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'FAST PACED AND GRIPPING BUT WITH A HEART OF PURE GOLD' HARRIET TYCE
'BEGINS AT THE SPEED OF A RUNAWAY TRAIN ... PROPULSIVE PAGE-TURNER' VASEEM KHAN
'GO RUBY! WHAT A HERO!' FIONA ERSKINE

It takes a village to save a child in this pulse-pounding standalone thriller from the acclaimed author of The Man on the Street.

It wasn't her dad they were after.
It was her.

Ruby Winter is surprised when her reclusive father invites a stranger into their house. She eavesdrops on their conversation and is alarmed when she hears a fight break out. She dashes into the kitchenā€¦


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Book cover of Deep Roots

Deep Roots by Sung J. Woo,

After solving her first case, private eye Siobhan Oā€™Brien is hired by Phillip Ahn, an octogenarian billionaire with his own personal island in the Pacific Northwest. Ahn, a genius in artificial intelligence, swears that Duke, his youngest child and only son, is an impostor. Is Ahn crazy, or is Dukeā€¦

Book cover of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels

Lisa Black Author Of Not Who We Expected

From Lisa's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Nice (translation: boring) Reluctant exerciser Travel junkie Secretive

Lisa's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Lisa Black Why did Lisa love this book?

This is an epistolary novel, told in emails, texts, transcripts and newspaper articles, mostly from the point of view of an acerbic, hardworking true crime writer. I loved the plot and its twists and turns. The audiobook got me through a stressful 13 hour drive and with the narrator having to read ā€˜laughing face emoji, crying laughing face emoji, throwing-up face emojiā€™ just made it funnier to me.

By Janice Hallett,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*** THE SMASH HIT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ***
*** THE GENRE-BUSTING RICHARD & JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK ***
*** A TELEGRAPH BEST SUMMER BOOK 2023 ***
*** THE NEW MYSTERY PHENOMENON FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE APPEAL ***

'Her best so far' - MARIAN KEYES
'The queen of tricksy crime' - SUNDAY TIMES
'Another resounding success' - DAILY EXPRESS

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL...
True-crime author Amanda Bailey knows all about the notorious Alperton Angels cult. There have been dozens of books and films about the Angels, ever since the night nearly two decades ago, when they attemptedā€¦


Book cover of The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder

Kate Hilton Author Of Bury the Lead

From my list on amateur detective novels that keep you laughing while they keep you guessing.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve loved murder mysteries since childhood, and during the pandemicā€“when reading became a challengeā€“I returned to my first literary love, binging on one mystery series after another. Eventually, I decided to write one with my friend Elizabeth Renzetti. Itā€™s been the most enjoyable writing experience either of us has had. Iā€™ve written three other published novels, and I have a day job as a therapist (I like to think this helps with realistic characterization, but it also pays the bills). I write humor because I like to have fun at work, and I appreciate a good laugh when Iā€™m reading.

Kate's book list on amateur detective novels that keep you laughing while they keep you guessing

Kate Hilton Why did Kate love this book?

Freya Lockwood is one relatable sleuthā€“middle-aged, divorced, empty-nesting, and wondering how her dreams for herself have vanished after passing through the meat grinder of adulthood.

I love the themes of estrangement from oneself and others in this debut cozy mystery, as well as the deep dive into the shadowy world of antiques trading from an author with significant personal experience in the field. 

By C. L. Miller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A bold, bright and delightful jaunt back to the golden age of detective fiction' Janice Hallett

'A delicious read - who could resist a treasure hunt with murder at its core?' SJ Bennett

'It's a delight!' Katie Fforde

What antique would you kill for?
Freya, it's down to you to finish what I started . . .

Freya Lockwood has avoided the quaint English village in which she grew up for the last 20 years. That is until news arrives that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and Freya's estranged mentor, has died . . . and the circumstances seem suspicious.

Youā€¦


Book cover of Murder by Degrees: A Mystery

Audrey Lee Author Of The Mechanics of Memory

From my list on AAPI women with self-saving female protagonists.

Why am I passionate about this?

I used to get in trouble (nightly) for eating with my book propped against my plate. Yet with all the books I devoured, there was never one about a kid that looked like me with a family like mine. The single anomaly was Blubber, which absolutely thrilled me to see a supporting character named Tracy Wu. And while the YA world has thankfully become more diverse, BIPOC authors and protagonists are still the exception in adult literature. Iā€™m excited to share this list of badass female AAPI authors who write equally strong protagonists because, though weā€™ve come a long way since Tracy Wu, we still have further to go.

Audrey's book list on AAPI women with self-saving female protagonists

Audrey Lee Why did Audrey love this book?

Iā€™m a sucker for any book that dangles codes for me to solve, so thatā€™s what immediately drew me into this novel. In it, the clues are in poetry form, taken from the diary of a murdered patient of the protagonist, Dr. Lydia Weston. But beyond the tantalizing codes, I appreciated that this novel stayed true to the style and attitudes of the late 1800s, something that doesnā€™t always happen with historical fiction.

Ritu Mukerji is also adept at bringing a sophisticated nuance to her exploration of racism, classism, and sexism. An added bonus is that rather than merely playing one on TV, Mukerji is also an actual physician and clearly knows her medicine without overwhelming a layperson like me. 

By Ritu Mukerji,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Murder by Degrees as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An Edgar Award Finalist for Best First Novel

For fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Charles Todd, Murder by Degrees is a historical mystery set in 19th-century Philadelphia, following a pioneering woman doctor as she investigates the disappearance of a young patient who is presumed dead.

Philadelphia, 1875: It is the start of term at Womanā€™s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Dr. Lydia Weston, professor and anatomist, is immersed in teaching her students in the lecture hall and hospital. When the body of a patient, Anna Ward, is dredged out of the Schuylkill River, the young chambermaidā€™s death is deemed a suicide.ā€¦


Book cover of What Lies in the Woods

Steph Nelson Author Of The Final Scene: A Thriller

From my list on unputdownable horror thrillers with badass female protagonists.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love feeling scared in a controlled situationā€”like on my couch with a soft blanket and a bookā€”so horror thrillers are my jam. I absolutely love it when a female protagonist is so smart and courageous that I genuinely donā€™t know what I would do differently. This gives me someone to truly root for. Over time, Iā€™ve discovered all the ways scary books help me manage my anxiety. Reading about all my worst fears but knowing I can set the book down if I need to is empowering. (Spoiler alert: I never set the book down.)

Steph's book list on unputdownable horror thrillers with badass female protagonists

Steph Nelson Why did Steph love this book?

I listened to this book on a too-short road trip and had to immediately buy the e-book so I could finish it ASAP.

Naomi is one of the most sympathetic but badass characters Iā€™ve read. I love the small-town secrets trope, and this book had me guessing so much that, at one point, I truly had no idea what would happen. I was creeped out the entire time.

By Kate Alice Marshall,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What Lies in the Woods as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Twenty-two years ago, Naomi Shaw believed in magic. She and her two best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, spent that summer roaming the woods, imagining a world of ceremony and wonder - the Goddess Game. The summer ended suddenly when Naomi was attacked. Miraculously, she survived her seventeen stab wounds and lived to identify the man who had hurt her. The girls' testimony put away a serial killer, wanted for murdering six women. They were heroes.

And they were liars.

The day she learns that Alan Michael Stahl has died in prison, Naomi gets a call from Olivia. For decades, theā€¦


Book cover of The Only One Left
Book cover of A Village Fete Murder
Book cover of Dirty Thirty

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