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.
When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

What type of new thrillers book?

Loading...

Book cover of I Will Ruin You

Marion Scherer Author Of The Cage: A Human Trafficking Thriller

From my list on psychological books mysterious worlds and twists.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love the thrill of the chase and have always been passionate about the dramatic. In school, I was always the evil sorceress in plays. Later, as a professional actress, I sought dramatic roles or outrageously funny characters. Psychological thrillers fulfill the need to make my world more dramatic than it actually is. I call good thrillers “fudge reading.”  Because having them in my life is like pigging out on the best fudge you can find, now, as a writer of psychological thrillers, I try and give my readers a roller coaster ride on daring topics just the way these five writers have inspired me to do.

Marion's book list on psychological books mysterious worlds and twists

Marion Scherer Why did Marion love this book?

I love the way this author puts ordinary people into extraordinary circumstances. I read the book in gulps, and as I neared the end, I slowed down to savor the mind-blowing story as it was unfolding. I became fully absorbed in the lives of people I now knew well and liked. I rooted for the good people and knew the bad would finally meet their end. This was an utterly unpredictable story that kept me guessing and surprised me all the way through.

By Linwood Barclay,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

'A page-turner... you'll get your money's worth out of this one' Stephen King 'Linwood Barclay is a flat-out master of the modern thriller, and I Will Ruin You is impossible to put down. You need this book in your life.' David Koepp

WHEN IT'S LIFE OR DEATH, WHO CAN YOU TRUST?

Teacher Richard Boyle certainly never thought he would find himself talking down a former student intent on harming others, but when Mark LeDrew shows up at school with a bomb strapped to his chest, Richard immediately jumps into action. Thanks to his quick thinking, Richard averts a major tragedy…


Book cover of What Happened to Nina?

Teena Raffa-Mulligan Author Of The UFO Effect

From Teena's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Wordweaver Reader Sea-gazer Sun-dreamer Optimist

Teena's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Teena Raffa-Mulligan Why did Teena love this book?

This is crime writing at its best, a gripping suspense novel that kept me turning the pages to find out whether justice would prevail over wealth and privilege. Dervla McTiernan has crafted a compelling read that I feel is her best novel yet.

Book cover of Exiles

Robert Craven Author Of Malign Intent

From Robert's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Humourous Curious Adaptable Traveller Learner

Robert's 3 favorite reads in 2024

Robert Craven Why did Robert love this book?

The third Aaron Faulk investigation sees him arriving in the the Outback town of Marralee for a christening - a town that a year earlier suffered the disappearance of a local woman, Kim.

Harper's skill is how she teases out the plot and Falk's character's subtle style of dealing with two puzzles rather than just the disappearance. The handing of the characters and the undertow of coercive behaviour is both sympathetic and nuanced

Harper is the real deal. I love her books.

By Jane Harper,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

'Addictive storytelling' - Ann Cleeves
'An avalanche of suspense' - David Baldacci

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from acclaimed international sensation Jane Harper.

A mother disappears from a busy festival on a warm spring night.

Her baby lies alone in the pram, her mother's possessions surrounding her, waiting for a return which never comes.

A year later, Kim Gillespie's absence still casts a long shadow as her friends and loved ones gather to welcome a new addition to the family.

Joining the celebrations on a rare break from work is federal investigator Aaron Falk, who begins to suspect that all is…


Book cover of The Devil's Playground

Graham Smith Author Of The Flood

From Graham's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Father Hotelier Author Sportsfan Joiner

Graham's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Graham Smith Why did Graham love this book?

Like the other two authors on this list, Russell’s novels have been a priority for me since I first discovered them.

While The Devil’s Playground is more of a cozy read than I’m used to, I’ve read enough of Russell’s novels to trust him and he always delivers. Intricately researched, The Devil’s Playground is set in Golden Age Hollywood and thanks to Russell’s skill as a wordsmith is rich in detail as the narrative hurtles the reader.

By Craig Russell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Devil's Playground as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

FROM THE WINNER OF THE 2021 McILVANNEY AWARD COMES ANOTHER GRIPPING, COMPLEX MASTERPIECE . . .

'Superb! The Devil's Playground is imagination on steroids... breathtaking!' Jeffery Deaver

'A terrifying tale of the true power in Hollywood... (Russell's) precise, gorgeous prose shines' New York Times

'Addictive. . . the most sheerly entertaining novel I've raced through in at least a year. . . fresh, forceful, elegant but wild' A.J. Finn

'The Devil's Playground is definitely on the shortlist for best mystery of the year' Bookpage.com

'When it comes to Gothic crime, Craig Russell is peerless. Absolutely stunning' M W Craven

FROM…


Book cover of All the Dead Lie Down

Katie Marie Author Of A Man in Winter

From Katie's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Horror fanatic Writer Obsessive PhD student Disability advocate

Katie's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Katie Marie Why did Katie love this book?

I picked up this book when my partner and I went to visit the British Library in London as part of our 10-year anniversary long weekend.

We went back to the hotel after the visit and I decided while we were relaxing before heading out to dinner and the theatre (something I was very much looking forward to) to pick up the book and read a few pages. Well, next thing I know is he’s shaking my shoulder telling me I might want to start getting ready as we were supposed to be leaving in a few minutes. 

I disappeared into this book, the atmosphere is captivating, the cozy gothic is always a favorite of mine and this ticked all my boxes. Wonderful characters, a well-crafted setting, a great atmosphere, and of course an enchanting plot.

By Kyrie McCauley,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked All the Dead Lie Down as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

The Haunting of Bly Manor meets House of Salt and Sorrows in award-winning author Kyrie McCauley’s contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family lineage, the ghosts of grief, and the lines we’ll cross for love.

The Sleeping House was very much awake . . .

Days after a tragedy leaves Marin Blythe alone in the world, she receives a surprising invitation from Alice Lovelace—an acclaimed horror writer and childhood friend of Marin’s mother. Alice offers her a nanny position at Lovelace House, the family’s coastal Maine estate.

Marin accepts and soon finds herself minding Alice’s peculiar girls. Thea buries…


Book cover of Someone Is Always Watching

Mads Rafferty Author Of Deadly Occupants

From my list on spooky books for the season.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been fascinated with the paranormal since I was a little girl and used to talk to the old lady on the edge of my bed. That old lady turned out to be my grandma, who had passed when I was in my mother’s womb. My entire family is touched by the curiosity and love that comes with the paranormal, so much so my mother is a working psychic medium. For years, I have spent every birthday attending haunted houses with a paranormal team to “investigate.” For some strange reason, I love to be terrified, and I fear I will never stop chasing the thrill. 

Mads' book list on spooky books for the season

Mads Rafferty Why did Mads love this book?

I felt like I was on the Truman Show reading this book. With every page turned I knew something was wrong, that something odd was happening but I couldn’t have ever thought in my wildest dreams that what was occurring was the plot twist.

As I found out what was happening along with the main characters, I was shocked.

This book truly made me feel like I was reading a YA version of Don’t Worry Darling, the movie. 

By Kelley Armstrong,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Someone Is Always Watching as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Their lives are a lie. Their memories may not be real. A new young adult psychological thriller by #1 NYT bestselling author, Kelley Armstrong.

Blythe and her friends — Gabrielle, and brother and sister Tucker and Tanya — have always been a tight friend group, attending a local high school and falling in and out of love with each other. But an act of violence has caused a rift between Blythe and Tucker . . . and unexpected bursts of aggression and disturbing nightmares have started to become more frequent in their lives. 

The strange happenings culminate in a shocking…


Book cover of Before We Were Innocent

Maggie Auffarth Author Of Burn It All

From my list on complex female friendships.

Why am I passionate about this?

My life has been defined by close relationships with other women. My school years were full of sleepovers, group chats, and debrief sessions. In my twenties, my female friends quickly became more important than any romantic relationship as we navigated early adulthood milestones. My friendships with other women have made me who I am. But relationships between women are rarely as simple as the ‘girl power’ or ‘catfight’ labels the media wants to apply. More often than not, they’re a tapestry woven from a thousand different threads, some beautiful and some ugly. I love books, especially thrillers, that aren’t afraid to explore the messiness of these relationships.

Maggie's book list on complex female friendships

Maggie Auffarth Why did Maggie love this book?

The past and the present constantly play against each other in this story about three adolescent best friends–only two of whom survive adulthood. I love Berman’s extremely honest portrayal of teenage girls who are as desperate to fit in as they are to stand out.

This is also an extremely well-rendered and lived-in portrayal of a trio of friends with a very different dynamic than a duo.

By Ella Berman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Before We Were Innocent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'This compulsive thriller reads like true crime and had me guessing until the very end.' Reese Witherspoon Three friends went on holiday. Only two came back. Ten years ago, after a sun-soaked summer in Greece, best friends Bess and Joni were cleared of any involvement in their friend Evangeline's death. Although they were found innocent, the case made them infamous and they've not seen each other since. Except now Joni wants a favour, and when she turns up at her old friend's doorstep in need of an alibi, Bess has no choice but to say yes. After all, she still…


Book cover of Darling Girls

Nicole Trope Author Of The Family Across the Street

From my list on helping you explore the darker side of suburbia.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been a writer for almost as long as I have been a reader, and I have always been attracted to the darker side of ordinary life. I write psychological suspense thrillers, always featuring a family in crisis. I am fascinated by what happens behind closed doors and what the headlines do not tell you about a situation. Most people love a good secret exposed, and I am no different. I look at those around me and wonder, ‘What are you hiding?’ because everyone is hiding something. And I want to know what it is.

Nicole's book list on helping you explore the darker side of suburbia

Nicole Trope Why did Nicole love this book?

This domestic suspense novel explores a less traditional family.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are foster children who end up together on an idyllic farming estate, but their lives are filled with manipulation, secrets, and lies. Their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, is a complicated and scary character, and her abuse of her young charges is difficult to read.

By Sally Hepworth,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER... Sally Hepworth’s new novel has it all.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three…


Book cover of Daughter of Mine

Lynn Slaughter Author Of Missing Mom

From my list on featuring missing mothers.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a mystery author, I’ve long been drawn to stories about missing persons, particularly novels featuring missing mothers. I suspect the special appeal of books about missing moms is because my own mother was M-I-A during my childhood. Whereas my older sisters lost our mother to mental illness at the tender ages of four and seven, in some ways, I was fortunate because I was an infant when our mom was institutionalized and, thus, had never fully bonded with her. And yet, the longing for my mother was ever-present. She left behind a large empty space in our family. 

Lynn's book list on featuring missing mothers

Lynn Slaughter Why did Lynn love this book?

Having grown up in a waterfront community, I couldn’t resist this atmospheric thriller featuring a young woman drawn back to a small Southern town built around a lake. Years ago, her mother had abandoned her, leaving her with her stepfather. Or so she’s always been told.

But as she peels away family secrets and lies, she discovers that her mother never intended to leave her, and she has no idea who hurt her mother or who may be trying to silence her. The plot twists and sense of ever-present dread kept me reading long into the night!

By Megan Miranda,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A USA TODAY BESTSELLER

Her father was the town detective. Her mother its most notorious criminal. Now the secrets of Mirror Lake are coming to the surface…and changing everything. "[A] stunning psychological thriller from one of the most insightful writers around” (CrimeReads), don’t miss the latest from Megan Miranda, the instant New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls, The Last to Vanish, and The Only Survivors.

“Miranda…exposes revelation after twisty revelation…Small-town claustrophobia and intimacies alike propel this twist-filled psychological thriller” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

When Hazel Sharp, daughter of Mirror Lake’s…


Book cover of I Will Ruin You
Book cover of What Happened to Nina?
Book cover of Exiles

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,847

readers submitted
so far, will you?