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Genres
11genres
312books sorted
Have a favorite genre you like to read? Every book I've reviewed in it is consolidated here, grouped by the rating I gave it — so you can start with the five-star shelf and work down, rather than scrolling a whole year to find the thrillers.
Mystery and Thriller
111 reviewed · 4.0 avg rating★★★★★Five stars
36 books
Book
Rating
Genre
All the Sinners Bleed
S.A. CosbyBEST OF2023#1 of 2023
★★★★★BEST OF2023#1 of 2023
Another tightly crafted Southern Noir novel from Cosby packed with social commentary and memorable characters. Possibly his best yet.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Blacktop Wasteland
S.A. CosbyBEST OF2020#1 of 2020
★★★★★BEST OF2020#1 of 2020
A “one last job” crime caper that ends up with a lot more depth and character development than expected. It's outstanding.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Lost Man's Lane
Scott CarsonBEST OF2024#1 of 2024
★★★★★BEST OF2024#1 of 2024
Set in 1999, a coming-of-age story about a high schooler who finds himself embroiled in a supernatural missing persons investigation.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Thistlefoot
Gennarose NethercottBEST OF2022#1 of 2022
★★★★★BEST OF2022#1 of 2022
The reunion of 2 siblings around a mysterious house is the backdrop for this lyrical beauty of a novel, my favorite of 2022.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
The Mountains Wild
Sarah Stewart TaylorBEST OF2020#2 of 2020
★★★★★BEST OF2020#2 of 2020
Years after her cousin's disappearance, detective Maggie D'Arcy is asked to consult an a case with eerie similarities.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Yesteryear
Caro Claire Burke#2 of 2026
★★★★★#2 of 2026
A "tradwife" and Instagram influencer has cultivated a seemingly idyllic life for herself and family, but it's all upended when she wakes up one day in 1855.
★★★★★
Literature & Fiction Science Fiction Mystery and Thriller
All the Colors of the Dark
Chris WhitakerBEST OF2024#3 of 2024
★★★★★BEST OF2024#3 of 2024
Whitaker delivers another masterpiece of character development while tackling several tough topics -- a challenging but uplifting read
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
Broken Country
Clare Leslie HallBEST OF2025#3 of 2025Audiobook
★★★★★BEST OF2025#3 of 2025Audiobook
A small town, a love triangle, a murder, and a trial form the foundation of this twisty, emotional novel set in mid-1900s England.
★★★★★
Literature & Fiction Mystery and Thriller Romance
Five
Ilona Bannister#3 of 2026
★★★★★#3 of 2026
Jaw-dropping dialogue and moral judgement set the tone for this dark exploration of five neurodiverse characters, one of which we're told will die by the end of the book.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
Razorblade Tears
S.A. CosbyBEST OF2021#4 of 2021
★★★★★BEST OF2021#4 of 2021
When two young gay men are murdered, their fathers join forces to take solving the murders into their own hands.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Small Mercies
Dennis LehaneBEST OF2023#4 of 2023
★★★★★BEST OF2023#4 of 2023
A masterful book, Lehane's best since Mystic River, set against the racial tensions of Boston school busing during the summer of '74.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
The Mayor of Maxwell Street
Avery CunninghamBEST OF2024#4 of 2024
★★★★★BEST OF2024#4 of 2024
Skillful dialogue and prose adorn this debut that combines a love story with the search for a mysterious gangster in 1920s Chicago.
★★★★★
Literature & Fiction Mystery and Thriller
Firekeeper's Daughter
Angeline BoulleyBEST OF2022#5 of 2022
★★★★★BEST OF2022#5 of 2022
A high school girl is thrust into an FBI investigation to try to uncover a drug ring that is terrorizing Native American tribes
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
King of Ashes
S.A. CosbyBEST OF2025#6 of 2025
★★★★★BEST OF2025#6 of 2025
Edgy, violent, and dark, Cosby's latest sees a successful money manager sucked into working for a sadistic gang in order to save his brother.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
Seventeen: Last Man Standing
John BrownlowBEST OF2022#6 of 2022
★★★★★BEST OF2022#6 of 2022
The greatest assassin in the world, Seventeen, must take on his predecessor, against a backdrop of a threat against global security.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Things in Jars
Jess KiddBEST OF2020#6 of 2020
★★★★★BEST OF2020#6 of 2020
A private investigator in 1860s London looks into the disappearance of a young girl who may have special (and dangerous) powers.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Fantasy
We Are All Guilty Here
Karin Slaughter#6 of 2026
★★★★★#6 of 2026
Two teenage girls are abducted in a small Georgia town in this mystery filled with twists and family dynamics that will keep readers guessing.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Dead Money
Jakob KerrBEST OF2025#7 of 2025
★★★★★BEST OF2025#7 of 2025
Kerr's mature and tightly-plotted debut follows the murder investigation of the founder of a fictitious tech company in San Francisco.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Push
Ashley AudrainBEST OF2021#7 of 2021
★★★★★BEST OF2021#7 of 2021
What happens when a mom can't connect with her child, and she starts to wonder if her child isn’t just different, but maybe truly a bad kid?
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Long Bright River
Liz MooreBEST OF2020#8 of 2020
★★★★★BEST OF2020#8 of 2020
When sex workers start to turn up murdered, a Philly cop investigates, hoping to stop the trend before her sister becomes a victim.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Starling House
Alix E. HarrowBEST OF2023#8 of 2023
★★★★★BEST OF2023#8 of 2023
Harrow returns to top form with a genre-blending story of a young woman trying to scrape by in a town haunted by its past and secrets.
★★★★★
Fantasy Literature & Fiction Mystery and Thriller
The God of the Woods
Liz MooreBEST OF2024#8 of 2024
★★★★★BEST OF2024#8 of 2024
Set in 1975, the search for a missing child acts as the foundation for Moore's tactful exploration of societal themes of the time.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Exiles
Jane HarperBEST OF2023#9 of 2023
★★★★★BEST OF2023#9 of 2023
A stellar offering from author Harper about a missing woman and a history of complicated relationships among friends in a small town.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Listen for the Lie
Amy TinteraBEST OF2024#10 of 2024
★★★★★BEST OF2024#10 of 2024
A woman returns to the small town where she grew up, despite being the prime suspect in the 5-year-old murder of her best friend.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Mad Mabel
Sally Hepworth#10 of 2026
★★★★★#10 of 2026
A funny, heartwarming character study of a sardonic 81-year-old former convict whose quiet life unravels when a neighbor turns up dead.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Ordinary Grace
William Kent Krueger#11 of 2023
★★★★★#11 of 2023
A 1961 coming-of-age story about a boy in rural Minnesota, who is forced to deal with tragedy as he navigates his path to manhood.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
This Story Might Save Your Life
Tiffany Crum#11 of 2026
★★★★★#11 of 2026
One half of a famous podcasting duo goes missing in this unique debut that artfully blends mystery with a will-they-or-won't-they romance.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Romance
Only If You're Lucky
Stacy Willingham#12 of 2023
★★★★★#12 of 2023
A story of a four tight knit girls at a small college turns dark when it seems they might have been involved with a frat boy's death.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Year of the Locust
Terry HayesBEST OF2024#12 of 2024
★★★★★BEST OF2024#12 of 2024
Another great spy thriller from Hayes after 10 long years. Despite some questionable supernatural plot choices, it's still a winner.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Pony Confidential
Christina LynchBEST OF2024#13 of 2024Audiobook
★★★★★BEST OF2024#13 of 2024Audiobook
Part mystery, part odyssey, the story follows a sardonic pony as he seeks to reunite with his human, on trial for a 25-year-old murder
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
First Lie Wins
Ashley Elston#14 of 2024
★★★★★#14 of 2024
A twisty plot-driven novel about a woman who manufactures a relationship, only to find she might be the one being played.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Night Objects
Eli Raphael#14 of 2026
★★★★★#14 of 2026
A coming-of-age novel set at an elite boarding that focuses as much on class, race, and outsider status as it does on the central murder mystery.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Mad Honey
Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan#15 of 2023
★★★★★#15 of 2023
It's a love story and a legal thriller, but its authors' deft handling of many tough subjects is what elevates this novel even more.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Gillian McAllister#16 of 2023
★★★★★#16 of 2023
A mother sees her son commit a murder, and must find out why while stuck in a backwards time loop. Sounds weird, but it works well!
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
I Have Some Questions For You
Rebecca Makkai#19 of 2025Audiobook
★★★★★#19 of 2025Audiobook
A woman returns to the elite boarding school she attended after 20+ years to search for answers about the murder of her roommate senior year.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Haven't Killed in Years
Amy K. Green#26 of 2025
★★★★★#26 of 2025
The daughter of a convicted serial killer has kept her identity a secret for 20 years, but someone has found out and is determined to expose her.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
★★★★★Four stars
47 books
Book
Rating
Genre
The Thursday Murder Club
Richard OsmanBEST OF2021#8 of 2021
★★★★★BEST OF2021#8 of 2021
What happens when 4 septuagenarians entertain a hobby of solving cold cases, only to have a body turn up at their retirement home?
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
A Distant Grave
Sarah Stewart TaylorBEST OF2021#9 of 2021
★★★★★BEST OF2021#9 of 2021
Maggie D'Arcy is back in a solid sequel to The Mountains Wild that confirms (for me) that Sarah Stewart Taylor is for real!
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Pay Dirt Road
Samantha Jayne AllenBEST OF2022#10 of 2022
★★★★★BEST OF2022#10 of 2022
A waitress in rural Texas gets thrust into a murder investigation, with enough nuance that it rises above garden variety mysteries.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Pretty Things
Janelle BrownBEST OF2020#10 of 2020
★★★★★BEST OF2020#10 of 2020
Two women with a tangled past -- one a con artist, the other a wealthy influencer -- are reunited in this well-crafted yarn.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Shadows
Alex NorthBEST OF2020#13 of 2020
★★★★★BEST OF2020#13 of 2020
25 years ago, a small town was rocked by the grisly murder of a teenage boy, the main suspect never caught. Now it's happening again.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Searcher
Tana FrenchBEST OF2020#14 of 2020
★★★★★BEST OF2020#14 of 2020
An American ex-cop settles in a small Irish town to try to make a fresh start, but a local kid needs his help finding his brother.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Frozen River
Ariel Lawhon#18 of 2024
★★★★★#18 of 2024
Inspired by historical events, a midwife in 1789 finds herself in the middle of both a murder and a rape investigation in her town.
★★★★★
Historical Fiction Mystery and Thriller
Devil's Kitchen
Candice Fox#19 of 2024
★★★★★#19 of 2024
Reminiscent of "The Shield", it's a split between a missing persons mystery and a dirty firefighting crew committing thefts in NYC.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Children
Melissa Albert#19 of 2026
★★★★★#19 of 2026
A haunting, dual-timeline tale of estranged siblings reckoning with a traumatic childhood serves up a unique blend of family drama and dark fairy tale.
★★★★★
Literature & Fiction Horror Fantasy Mystery and Thriller
A Violent Masterpiece
Jordan Harper#20 of 2026
★★★★★#20 of 2026
A grisly dive into the dark underbelly of Los Angeles that blends the hunt for a serial killer with commentary on the corrupt world of the ultra-wealthy.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Age of Vice
Deepti Kapoor#20 of 2023
★★★★★#20 of 2023
Thinking this is going to be the "Indian Godfather" is setting your expectations way too high, but it's an intriguing character study.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
Assassins Anonymous
Rob Hart#20 of 2024
★★★★★#20 of 2024
A fresh take on the assassin genre, balancing globetrotting action with a main character truly trying to change via a 12-step program.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Castaways
Lucy Clarke#21 of 2026
★★★★★#21 of 2026
After a flight to a remote island goes missing, a dual-timeline thriller follows two sisters—one who was on the flight and one who missed it.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Return of Ellie Black
Emiko Jean#21 of 2024Audiobook
★★★★★#21 of 2024Audiobook
A borderlined-5-star thriller that unveils what happened to Ellie Black, who went missing for more than two years but has now returned
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Hunter
Tana French#22 of 2024
★★★★★#22 of 2024
French's sequel to The Searcher again slowly builds up the plot -- and the tension -- until a murder mystery dominates the second half
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Killers of a Certain Age
Deanna Raybourn#24 of 2023
★★★★★#24 of 2023
A well-executed (pun intended) novel about 4 female assassins in their 60s who must unretire when they are targeted by their agency.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder
Kerryn Mayne#26 of 2024
★★★★★#26 of 2024
Lenny Marks lives a carefully crafted and ordered life for herself until her stepfather's parole sparks memories of childhood trauma.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The One Day You Were My Husband
Rosie Walsh#26 of 2026Audiobook
★★★★★#26 of 2026Audiobook
Years after her husband was captured by armed men on their wedding day, a woman discovers that he's alive. She's happily remarried, but compelled to seek him out.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Romance
All the Dangerous Things
Stacy Willingham#28 of 2023
★★★★★#28 of 2023
A distraught mother tries to solve the disappearance of her son a year later, only to realize the most likely suspect might be her.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Anatomy of an Alibi
Ashley Elston#28 of 2026
★★★★★#28 of 2026
A two-tiered whodunit focused on the murder of a prominent Baton Rouge lawyer and its potential connection to a hit-and-run from a decade prior.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The River We Remember
William Kent Krueger#30 of 2024
★★★★★#30 of 2024
While a murder mystery is at the heart of this novel, a cast of flawed characters enable the exploration of several weighty topics.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Spy Coast
Tess Gerritsen#30 of 2023
★★★★★#30 of 2023
Another story about retirement-age spies? You better believe it! It doesn't quite match up to Killers of a Certain Age, but it's close
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Ghostwriter
Julie Clark#32 of 2025
★★★★★#32 of 2025
A woman returns home to ghostwrite her estranged father's memoir while trying to unravel if he was responsible for the 50-year-old murder of his siblings.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Happiness Falls
Angie Kim#33 of 2023
★★★★★#33 of 2023
A father goes missing, and his son knows what happened but cannot tell anyone due to a disability. Mostly satisfying, but with flaws.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Jane and Dan at the End of the World
Colleen Oakley#33 of 2026Audiobook
★★★★★#33 of 2026Audiobook
A heist/hostage situation at an elite restaurant is the vehicle for this novel to explore marriage and parenting as much as the heist.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
What Kind of Paradise
Janelle Brown#33 of 2025
★★★★★#33 of 2025
A girl grows up in a remote cabin with just her father, whose distrust of technology and government snowballs with each passing year.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
Not Quite Dead Yet
Holly Jackson#34 of 2025
★★★★★#34 of 2025
A novel premise gives way to a well-structured mystery in which a young woman must solve her own murder before an aneurysm kills her.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Death at the White Hart
Chris Chibnall#36 of 2025
★★★★★#36 of 2025
A local publican is found dead with a crown of antlers on his head in this multi-layered mystery taking place in a small English town.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Last One Out
Jane Harper#37 of 2026
★★★★★#37 of 2026
Set in a dying Australian mining town, Harper's latest centers around a couple trying to solve the mystery of their son's disappearance five years prior.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Intruder
Freida McFadden#37 of 2025Audiobook
★★★★★#37 of 2025Audiobook
As a major storm approaches, a woman living alone in the woods finds a girl hiding in her toolshed, covered in blood and clutching a knife.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
We Solve Murders
Richard Osman#37 of 2024
★★★★★#37 of 2024
A new setting and cast of characters, but the same humor, heart, and layered mystery that readers have come to expect from Osman.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
All That Is Mine I Carry With Me
William Landay#38 of 2023
★★★★★#38 of 2023
11 long years after Defending Jacob, Landay returns with another family-based mystery focused on the disappearance of a woman in 1975.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Kills Well With Others
Deanna Raybourn#38 of 2025
★★★★★#38 of 2025
Author Raybourn runs it back with everyone's favorite female assassins in their 60s in a sequel that's just as good as the original.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Carolina Moonset
Matt Goldman#39 of 2023
★★★★★#39 of 2023
When a prominent businessman is murdered, all clues point to the father of the story's protagonist, who has to prove his innocence.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Again and Again
Jonathan Evison#41 of 2023
★★★★★#41 of 2023
A 105-year-old man shares seemingly true stories of his multiple reincarnations and past lives. But is he making everything up?
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Ending Writes Itself
Evelyn Clarke#41 of 2026Audiobook
★★★★★#41 of 2026Audiobook
Six authors compete on a remote Scottish island to finish a dead writer's final novel in this middling Clue-like send-up of the publishing industry.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Assassin Eighteen
John Brownlow#42 of 2024
★★★★★#42 of 2024
In this action-packed and entertaining sequel, the world's greatest assassin must emerge from self-exile to stop a global terrorist.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Book of Doors
Gareth Brown#43 of 2024
★★★★★#43 of 2024
An inventive concept suffers a bit when the inevitable potential plot holes that come with time travel emerge. Entertaining but flawed
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Fantasy
Crooks
Lou Berney#45 of 2026Audiobook
★★★★★#45 of 2026Audiobook
A short story collection masquerading as a novel, it follows the exploits of a family who consistently find themselves on the fringe of honest society.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
The Night We Lost Him
Laura Dave#46 of 2024
★★★★★#46 of 2024
When a man falls from the cliffs adjacent to his seaside home, his son and daughter collaborate to uncover the truth behind his death.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Bright Young Women
Jessica Knoll#47 of 2024
★★★★★#47 of 2024
A reimagining of the events leading up to and surrounding the crimes of Ted Bundy, with a focus on the victims rather than the killer.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
Proof
Jon Cowan#47 of 2025
★★★★★#47 of 2025
When a lawyer starts to dig into the murder of his best friend, all signs seem to point to conspiracies involving his own law firm.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Society of Lies
Lauren Ling Brown#50 of 2025
★★★★★#50 of 2025
A woman who was part of a secret society while at Princeton investigates her sister's death, who was also part of the same society.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Boyfriend
Freida McFadden#51 of 2024Audiobook
★★★★★#51 of 2024Audiobook
A quick bubblegum thriller from the queen of the twist which will keep you guessing even when you know the misdirection is coming.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Murder at Gulls Nest
Jess Kidd#54 of 2025
★★★★★#54 of 2025
A nun leaves her convent to investigate the disappearance of her friend, only to encounter multiple murders at her boarding house.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Medusa Protocol
Rob Hart#56 of 2025
★★★★★#56 of 2025
Our assassins hell-bent on *not* killing return in a sequel to Assassins Anonymous that is satisfying but falls short of the original.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Famous Last Words
Gillian McAllister#61 of 2025
★★★★★#61 of 2025
When her husband goes off the rails, taking three people hostage, his wife tries to save him while unraveling the why behind his act.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
★★★★★Three stars
20 books
Book
Rating
Genre
City of Dreams
Don Winslow#42 of 2023
★★★★★#42 of 2023
The 2nd book in the Danny Ryan Trilogy fails to live up to the 1st, but it's a quick read if you want more time with the Dogtown crew.
★★★★★
Literature & Fiction Mystery and Thriller
Strange Sally Diamond
Liz Nugent#43 of 2023
★★★★★#43 of 2023
Strange is an understated descriptor for the protagonist of this novel, which follows a woman as she tries to find her way to normalcy
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Mother-Daughter Murder Night
Nina Simon#46 of 2023
★★★★★#46 of 2023
A so-so debut that follows the exploits of a grandmother, mother, and daughter as they work to solve a mystery on the California coast
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Drowning Sea
Sarah Stewart Taylor#48 of 2023
★★★★★#48 of 2023
Book 3 in the Maggie D'Arcy mystery series fizzles compared to prior books; fully set in Ireland, the story feels muddled and forced.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Warrior Girl Unearthed
Angeline Boulley#49 of 2023
★★★★★#49 of 2023
A rushed sophomore slump of a novel that fails to live up to Boulley's first book, Firekeeper's Daughter, in almost every way.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
The Whispers
Ashley Audrain#53 of 2023
★★★★★#53 of 2023
Audrain once again examines the trials of parenting, but this time fails to balance character flaws with anything remotely redeemable.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction
Whisper Creek
Allison Brennan#53 of 2026
★★★★★#53 of 2026
A Texas farm family faces a massive storm, corporate threats, and a string of burglaries in this multi-layered, yet muddled, thriller.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Angel Maker
Alex North#54 of 2023
★★★★★#54 of 2023
Another thriller from Alex North, whose previous novels I enjoyed. This one was decent, but ultimately missed the mark a bit for me.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Night Hunter
Natalie Moss#54 of 2026
★★★★★#54 of 2026
A stranded group faces predators—both animal and human—in a South African game reserve in this twisty thriller that falls short on execution.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Abandon
Blake Crouch#55 of 2023
★★★★★#55 of 2023
Perhaps it was inflated expectations, but this novel about a town whose residents mysteriously disappeared missed the mark for me.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Don't Let the Devil Ride
Ace Atkins#55 of 2024
★★★★★#55 of 2024
A slightly-better-than-average southern noir thriller about a wife's search for her missing husband, who might not be who she thought.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Last One at the Wedding
Jason Rekulak#56 of 2024
★★★★★#56 of 2024
An unfortunately average mystery about a father and his growing concerns that his daughter's fiancé could have a dark and sordid past.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
City in Ruins
Don Winslow#60 of 2024
★★★★★#60 of 2024
The Danny Ryan trilogy coasts to a conclusion, wrapping up open plot points but mostly just checking the box in this mailed-in effort.
★★★★★
Literature & Fiction Mystery and Thriller
The Warbler
Sarah Beth Durst#65 of 2025
★★★★★#65 of 2025
A woman tries to break a curse which causes the women in her family to transform into a tree forever if they stay in a place too long.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller Literature & Fiction Fantasy
Deadly Animals
Marie Tierney#66 of 2025
★★★★★#66 of 2025
Set in 1981, a 14-year-old girl—whose hobbies happen to include studying roadkill—helps police investigate several murders in England.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Night Watcher
Daphne Woolsoncroft#67 of 2025
★★★★★#67 of 2025
A serial killer returns to Portland after almost twenty years to terrorize a local radio host, targeting the one person who saw him and lived.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Forget Me Not
Stacy Willingham#68 of 2025Audiobook
★★★★★#68 of 2025Audiobook
A woman returns to her hometown in South Carolina, only to be confronted with clues that help her unravel her sister's disappearance twenty years prior.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Secret of Secrets
Dan Brown#69 of 2025
★★★★★#69 of 2025
Robert Langdon is back for another romp through an international city—this time, Prague—and a secret about human consciousness that could rock the world.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Departure 37
Scott Carson#72 of 2025
★★★★★#72 of 2025
A B-52 bomber that has been missing for over 60 years suddenly returns to U.S. airspace in 2025...and it's carrying a nuclear bomb.
★★★★★
Science Fiction Mystery and Thriller
This Book Will Bury Me
Ashley Winstead#74 of 2025
★★★★★#74 of 2025
A novel about true-crime aficionados that uses the recent University of Idaho murders as its source material, an ill-conceived choice.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
★★★★★Two stars
7 books
Book
Rating
Genre
The List of Suspicious Things
Jennie Godfrey#58 of 2026Audiobook
★★★★★#58 of 2026Audiobook
Two young girls try to catch the Yorkshire Ripper in 1979, but their "list of suspicious things" is just a vehicle to clumsily comment on prejudice.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Hunted
Abir Mukherjee#62 of 2024
★★★★★#62 of 2024
A frustrating thriller, packed with unlikable characters and plot holes I could drive a truck through. Significantly disappointing.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
The Fury
Alex Michaelides#64 of 2024
★★★★★#64 of 2024
A whodunit about a murder on a private Greek island, recounted by a conversational narrator who had me wishing for a second murder.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Butter
Asako Yuzuki#79 of 2025
★★★★★#79 of 2025
Mostly character study plus social commentary, it follows a fictional female journalist in Japan as she interviews a convicted serial killer.
★★★★★
Literature & Fiction Mystery and Thriller
Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
Kylie Lee Baker#80 of 2025Audiobook
★★★★★#80 of 2025Audiobook
A serial killer targeting Asian women during the pandemic combines with a ghost story to form one of the more racist books I've read.
★★★★★
Horror Mystery and Thriller
The Oligarch's Daughter
Joseph Finder#81 of 2025
★★★★★#81 of 2025
Part international espionage, part man on the run, a novel that suffers from plot holes big enough to drive a Russian tank through.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
Ruth Run
Elizabeth Kaufman#84 of 2025
★★★★★#84 of 2025
A cyber thief is forced to flee from Homeland Security when her crimes finally come to light in this poorly-plotted mess of a book.
★★★★★
Mystery and Thriller
★★★★★One star
1 book
Why this page isn't a single ranking
Each book's rank is its position within the year I read it. That makes it directional, not absolute: the best book of a thin year and the fifth-best of a strong one can't be stacked against each other honestly. So these are grouped by the rating I gave them, which is comparable across years, and ordered within each group by how they placed in their own year. Where I have ranked an author's books against each other, that list says so and shows the numbers.
Want more like these?
One email on the first of every month with a summary and rating of each book reviewed over the past 30 days, and a look at where the year's ranking stands.