If you count novels by Agatha Christie, Gillian Flynn, and John Grisham as favorites to read, you already know the power of a good thriller. Pulse-pounding action filled with psychological intrigue and suspense make mystery books irresistible page turners you don’t want to put down!
Bookstagrammer and avid reader Tilly (@TillyLovesBooks) loves reading to escape real life, and because it gives you a chance to put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a change. “Crime will always have a special place in my heart because it’s what I grew up reading, thanks to my mum and nan―we always used to share books!”
If you’re looking to add some new names to your reading list, Tilly put together a list of her favorite mystery, crime, and thriller novels. Let’s get solving!
Here are Tilly’s 10 top picks!
We Begin At The End by Chris Whitaker
“A vibrant, engrossing, unputdownable thriller that packs a serious emotional punch. One of those rare books that surprise you along the way and then linger in your mind long after you have finished it.” ―Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds
Tilly’s Review: My favorite crime novel of all time, PICK IT UP!
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
“Dazzling … Finally free from the book’s grip, now all I want to do is get others hooked.” —The Washington Post
Equal parts crime thriller and family saga, transporting readers from the dusty villages of Uttar Pradesh to the urban energy of New Delhi, Age of Vice is an intoxicating novel of gangsters and lovers, false friendships, forbidden romance, and the consequences of corruption.
Miss Austen Investigates by Jessica Bull
“Rich with historical details, Georgian atmosphere, and a winning cast of Austens, this was like a trip back in time and a conversation with Jane Austen all in one.” —Electric Literature
Featuring the same lively wit, insightful social commentary, and relatable characters that have made Jane Austen books into perennial classics, this first entry in the Miss Austen Investigates series is perfect for anyone who enjoyed The Dante Club by Matthew Pearl or other historical mystery books based on real people, as well as fans looking to add to their Jane Austen collection.
The Appeal by Janice Hallett
This international bestseller and “dazzlingly clever” (The Sunday Times, London) murder mystery follows a community rallying around a sick child. But when escalating lies lead to a dead body, everyone is a suspect.
Tilly’s Review: The only book to ever keep me up past midnight because I had to finish it in one sitting!
How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
“This debut…announces the arrival of a very bright new talent on the cosy crime scene. Perrin’s first mystery has wit, style and suspense as well as a feisty heroine. A delightfully refreshing story of the plots and allegiances that riddle the tiny Dorset village, where everyone has a skeleton or two in their closet. This has a Netflix series written all over it—it is that good.” —Daily Mail
For fans of Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club, this book is an enormously fun mystery about a woman who spends her entire life trying to prevent her foretold murder only to be proven right sixty years later, when she is found dead in her sprawling country estate. Now it’s up to her great-niece to catch the killer.
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
“It’s perfection, every word, every moment. A masterpiece . . . One of the best books I’ve ever read.” —Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Can you stop a murder after it’s already happened? New York Times bestselling author Gillian McAllister has created a thriller unlike any other in this endlessly clever, twisty story of a mother who must move backward through time to prevent tragedy from striking at the heart of her family.
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan
Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.
Tilly’s Review: This could come under many genres but there’s definitely mystery to it!
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
“This fast-paced read has everything you could want in a thriller: secret identities, a mysterious boss and a cat & mouse game that kept me guessing the whole way through.” —Reese Witherspoon
Evie Porter has everything a nice Southern girl could want: a doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence, a tight group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.
In The Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan
Kat Frank knows all about loss. A widowed single mother, Kat is a cop who trusts her intuition, honed through years of on-the-beat police work. Picked to lead a pilot program that has her paired with Lock, an AIDE (Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity). Kat’s gut reactions about people and motives come up against Lock’s statistical calculations and data analysis that can be devised in seconds. With lives on the line, can the pair work together to solve the mystery in time? In the Blink of an Eye asks us what we think it means to be human.
Tilly’s Review: Try Leave No Trace, too!
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
The Last House on Needless Street is a shocking and immersive read perfect for fans of Gone Girl and The Haunting of Hill House. “The buzz … is real. I’ve read it and was blown away. It’s a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end.” —Stephen King
Tilly’s Review: Edges on horror but SO GOOD.
What mysteries are going on your reading list?
Looking for more ideas? Tilly recommends a few more go-to authors, like Karin Slaughter, Karen Rose, Richard Osman, and David Baldacci to name a few!
Tilly is a bookseller and bookstagrammer from the Sussex Coast, UK, who could quite honestly talk about books all day long! She especially loves supporting debuts as she thinks there are so many exciting new voices to discover out there, but will read a bit of everything. You can find Tilly on Instagram as @TillyLovesBooks or TikTok as @tillylovesbooks1.
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