Nothing beats the pure rush of adrenaline that a good thriller book evokes. The mystery, the dramatic twists, and that constant feeling of wanting to know what happens next, makes it difficult to put down the book. Thriller, as a genre, is incredibly appealing and intriguing, which is why so many movie adaptations are actually thrillers! For all you bibliophiles out there who love the genre, or even those who want to give it a try, we have curated a list of some of the best thriller novels for you to enjoy.
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Best Thriller Novels Of All Time
The best thriller books keep the readers in suspense and leave them shocked with unexpected twists. Check out our list of some of the best thriller novels of all time.
The Silent Patient
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a gripping psychological thriller, narrating the tussle to find the truth about a gruesome murder. Painter Alicia Berenson led a simple happy life until she unloaded five bullets straight in her husband Gabriel’s face. Following the incident, she doesn’t utter a single word capturing the curiosity of many about her motives including a criminal psychotherapist, Theo Faber.
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The Woman In Cabin 10
Written by Ruth Ware, this is one of the best thriller novels of all time! Lo Blacklock, a journalist who is enjoying her luxury cruise, hears a splash and sees a woman’s body being engulfed by the waves. However, upon investigation, it’s found that everyone on the ship is accounted for, making Lo question her own sanity while trying to get someone to believe her.
The Firm
Easy to get into and difficult to put down, that’s how most people describe this John Grisham’s legal thriller. Follow Mitch McDeere, a brilliant Harvard Law graduate, who along with his wife starts living a life too good to be true after signing for a firm. When the FBI starts investigating his firm and needs his help, Mitch must decide what’s best for him and his family. With plenty of twists and turns, this is one of the best thriller books that makes for a compelling read.
Best Thriller Novels By Indian Authors
When it comes to Indian authors, most people have only read books of the romance genre by Chetan Bhagat and Durjoy Dutta. Thriller novels by Indian authors are rare, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Below are some of the best thriller novels by Indian authors that you should give a try!
No Trespassing
This book by Brinda S Narayan undoubtedly deserves a spot on the list of best thriller novels by Indian authors. It follows Vedika and her family, who move to a high-end gated society. She starts noticing something is off with her 5-year-old son. Before she can take him to a doctor, he dies in an accident. Vedika realizes that it might not have been an accident and as she investigates his death, she is faced with secrets from her past.
A Useful Death
This crime thriller by Sriram Chellapilla is about an aspiring actress Priya, who is found dead. It is said to be a suicide, and according to rumours, the son of a politician and former Telugu superstar drove her to it. Is there more to it than meets the eye? This book sheds light on the dark side of politics, the film industry’s power equations, and more.
More Bodies Will Fall
A girl from northeast India is murdered in Delhi, and while her boyfriend is the main suspect, there’s not enough evidence to prove his involvement. Arjun Arora takes on this case rather reluctantly, and the investigation leads him to the northeast, where he is confronted with an old enemy. This pacy thriller by Ankush Saikia is the third book in the Arjun Arora mystery series.
Best Thriller Novels For Beginners
The best part about thriller novels is that they are fast-paced, and you find yourself engrossed in the plot of the book after reading just a few pages. This is also what makes thriller novels some of the best books for people who wish to inculcate the habit of reading. Here are our top picks of best thriller novels for beginners for all those who wish to begin their reading journey.
Gone Girl
No thriller book list is ever complete without this one. Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl follows the story of Amy Dune who goes missing on her and her husband Nick’s fifth anniversary. Nick becomes the prime suspect in Amy’s disappearance, and suspense follows as you’ll be left wondering whether Nick was involved in Amy’s disappearance or not. This is one of the best thriller novels for beginners.
He Will Be My Ruin
This romantic thriller by K.A Tucker follows Maggie Sparkes, whose lifelong best friend Celine dies by suicide. However, Maggie discovers something that makes her question whether Celine was murdered. She begins interrogating, asking questions about this man that Celine fell in love with, and hadn’t told anyone about.
The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown’s books are page-turners, keeping you engaged with the gripping plot until the very end. This is what makes it one of the best thriller novels for beginners. The Da Vinci Code is a mystery thriller by Dan Brown which follows symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu as they investigate a mysterious killing at the Louvre Museum in Paris. It leads them to discover riddles that lead them to clues hidden in the works of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Best Thriller Novels For Adults
Owing to their plot lines and themes, most thriller novels- especially crime thrillers- are not suitable for kids or for younger audiences. However, it makes for perfect reading material for adults who love a whodunnit, pulse-pounding suspense, that keeps them hooked to the book for hours on end. Looking for some of the best thriller novels for adults? Check out a few of them below.
The Wife Between Us
Written by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, The Wife Between Us portrays the story of a woman named Vanessa, who is watching and is obsessed with her ex-husband Richard’s new fiancée. However, after finishing the first half of the book, you will realize that the assumptions you made are not what they seem.
Before I Go To Sleep
This thriller by S.J Watson revolves around a woman named Christine, who wakes up each morning in an unfamiliar bed with an unfamiliar man, who explains every morning that he is her husband. Christine suffers from anterograde amnesia and she tries to reconstruct her past memories through a journal that she keeps. On her journey to discover who she really is, she realizes that the truth may not be what it seems.
Best Psychological Thriller Novels
The best psychological thrillers take you inside the mind of the character- whether it’s the twisted murderer or the girl-next-door. While things look normal on the surface, psychological thrillers offer the intrigue of some deep, dark secret lurking underneath. We have listed down some of the best psychological thriller novels that may be unsettling, twisted, but utterly gripping!
You
If you haven’t watched ‘You’ on Netflix yet, we recommend you hold off until you have read the book first. This is among the best psychological thriller books, that will leave you glued to each page. This chilling stalker thriller revolves around Joe, who becomes obsessed with a woman named Beck, after meeting her at a bookstore. Joe’s character is pretty messed up, and the writer takes you inside his psychotic thoughts that might, at times, leave you creeped out and make your eyes widen in disbelief.
Then She Was Gone
This dark thriller by Lisa Jewell revolves around Laurel, whose daughter Ellie disappeared 10 years ago, when she was 15 years old. It has been 10 years since, yet Laurel hasn’t given up on finding her daughter. She meets a charming man and is taken aback when she meets his 9-year-old daughter, who looks exactly like Ellie did. The more you read this book, the more invested you are likely to become.
The Woman In The Window
This bestselling thriller by A.J. Finn is about Anna Fox, a reclusive, alcoholic woman who lives alone in New York. She suffers from agoraphobia and spends her day watching old movies, looking out the window, and spying on her neighbours. After her neighbours move into the house across, she sees something she shouldn’t have. Shocking secrets surface, and her world turns upside down. This is one of the best psychological thriller books, and is now a major film on Netflix!
Best Crime Thriller Novels
As the name suggests, crime thrillers primarily revolve around crimes that have taken place and criminals who must be apprehended, making for a fast-paced read. One can’t simply leave a crime thriller mid-way as the readers have to know whodunnit and why. Looking for the best crime thriller novels? Here are a few!
The Whisper Man
The Whisper Man by Alex North is about a serial killer called ‘The Whisper Man’ who has been behind the bars for many years now. However, another boy goes missing, and the pattern of The Whisper Man’s crimes emerge once again. This is one of the best thriller books that include several twists, leaving you eager to find out what happens next.
My Lovely Wife
Samantha Downing’s dark and twisted crime thriller novel revolves around a married couple, who on the surface, appear to be an extremely normal couple. However, what no one knows is that they both find excitement in their marriage by murdering people. While this is one of the best crime thriller books out there, it isn’t for everyone!
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Now that you have a list of the best thriller books of all time, go ahead, pick one, and get ready to dive into the world of thrillers!
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