Whether you’re looking to fill your weekend, pass the time on a long day of travel, or just fancy a thrilling escape, psychological thrillers are for you. Psychological thrillers are extremely popular in the literary world right now.His captivating genre is related to crime novels – and is aimed at a similar audience. Bestsellers like The maid by Freida McFadden are going viral on BookTok – with more than 22 million posts and counting – thanks to their twisted plots and shocking endings. But why are these books so addictive? According to Lisa Jewell, No. 1 New York Times Bestselling author of None of this is true And The night of her disappearanceThrillers are popular because they are mysterious and satisfying: “Is there anything more exciting than not knowing something? And the prospect of finding out? That’s why I love crime novels, because you get carried away when the revelation comes at the perfect time,” she tells us. Here we’ve rounded up some of the best psychological thrillers that are guaranteed to keep you hooked!
Do you want to find out why residents of a Brooklyn neighborhood keep disappearing without a trace? When no one is watching by Alyssa Cole. If you prefer a backpacking trip that leads to scary situations, immerse yourself in We were never here by Andrea Bartz.
Scroll down for all our crime novel recommendations – there’s something for everyone!
Freida McFadden is known for her gripping, nerve-wracking psychological thrillers and has sold 2 million copies of her bestseller. maid series and has a record-breaking half a billion readers on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription. In the first book in the series, Millie is hired as the Winchesters’ maid. Every day she cleans, cooks, picks up her daughter from school, and dreams of living a life like hers, but she can’t shake the feeling that something is very wrong with Mrs. Winchester. Then one day, Mrs. Winchester discovers Millie has been trying on one of her dresses… so she locks Millie in her attic bedroom. What follows is a surprising series of events with a stunning twist.
What readers say: “Get ready, because The maid is a novel that will grip you from start to finish, constantly challenging everything you think you know. Just when you think you’ve unraveled the convoluted narrative, author Freida McFadden pulls the rug out from under you, leaving you breathless and wanting more. This book is a true masterpiece of psychological suspense that must be devoured in one uninterrupted sitting.”
Bestselling author Lisa Jewell is revered for her gripping, eerie novels, and her latest is a chilling psychological thriller. When popular true crime podcaster Alix Summer runs into Josie Fair one night, Josie’s strange story piques Alix’s interest. Josie sneaks into her life, but disappears as quickly as she came. Soon, Alix uncovers Josie’s dark and terrifyingly twisted secrets that threaten Alix’s entire world.
What readers say: “I am completely blown away by this novel. It was so good. I listened to it on audio whenever I was driving or otherwise busy. The audiobook is great. The story builds so much suspense and got me thinking. Absolutely five stars. If I could, I would give 10 stars.”
Part psychological thriller, part detective case, this imaginative story by Alex Michaelides amazes and terrifies. From the outside, Alicia and her husband seem to have it all: she’s a famous painter, married to a fashion photographer, and she lives in a beautiful house with windows overlooking a London park. But one night, her husband Gabriel comes home late from a fashion shoot and Alicia shoots him five times. After that, she doesn’t speak another word. She is committed to a psychiatric hospital until criminal therapist Theo Faber arrives to try to solve the mysterious murder… that threatens to consume him.
What readers say: “For me, it wouldn’t be a great thriller without a crazy twist at the end of the book,” says Courtney Shapiro, FIRST Digital Assistant Editor. “And this story shocked me so much! I didn’t expect Michaelides to go down this path. I highly recommend it.” The mute patient if you want to captivate.”
This game is full of exciting twists, New York Times Shari Lapena’s bestselling novel captivates readers from the very beginning. Anne and Marco Conti are married and have just had a baby. But one evening, a terrible crime occurs at a dinner party. Suspicion falls on Anne and Marco, but the truth is much more complicated – and much darker.
What readers say: “I have never read a plot with so many twists and turns… probably never!”, says Tara Hans, Editor-in-Chief of FIRST. “This book completely entertained me and I was turning the pages at lightning speed because I just had to know what would happen next.”
Suspense, secrets, spooky surprises… this page-turner by Alyssa Cole has it all. Sydney Green, born and raised in Brooklyn, can’t help but notice when all the neighbors in her community start disappearing. She soon becomes suspicious and confides in her neighbor Theo. The two decide to dig into the history of their neighborhood, but will they be able to uncover the whole truth before She also disappear?
What readers say: “This is a fascinating thriller. The revelations in the third book were so shocking! The ending – just wow! It was overwhelming up to a point, but Alyssa Cole clears everything up! Honestly, I really hope this gets made into a movie!”
Filled with unforgettable characters and threatening twists, this heartbreaking bestseller by Samantha Downing will leave you satisfied any Thriller lovers. Millicent and her husband are a typical couple living in a Florida suburb raising two teenagers. But after years of marriage, they’re starting to get bored. To keep the spark alive, they turn to a very unexpected extracurricular activity: murder.
What readers say: “I read it from cover to cover in less than 24 hours – I literally couldn’t put it down. The chapters are all short and sweet, so for readers who don’t like stopping in the middle of a chapter, it’s easy to ‘add just one more chapter’ before putting it down. The story is fantastic and has lots of twists and turns! I will definitely be buying more books from this author.”
An intelligent, fast-paced saga unfolds from the first page in this New York Times Bestselling novel by Ashley Elston. At the beginning of the story, Evie Porter seems to have a perfect life – a great boyfriend named Ryan, an impressive home, and great friends. However, Evie Porter doesn’t really exist. She is a con artist working for Mr. Smith. Her job is to get information from Ryan, but she soon falls in love with him. When her lies catch up with her, the question is will she get out of it or is she in too deep?
What readers say: “I don’t usually read suspense novels, but I kept hearing people talk about this book! It didn’t disappoint – the cat-and-mouse story had me hooked. Thriller fans will devour this book!”
This deeply compelling thriller follows lifelong friends and travel companions Kristen and Emily. When Kristen kills an attacker in self-defense while on vacation in a foreign country, it seems the secret cover-up will bring the friends even closer together for life. But as the clues and facts emerge, everything they thought about the traumatic incident – and their friendship – is thrown into disarray. not as it seems.
What readers say: “I couldn’t stop reading this book – what an adrenaline rush from start to finish!” enthuses Lisa Maxbauer, FIRST Senior Nutrition Writer. “This twisted story was an invigorating journey and reminded me of a modern Thelma and Louise.”
Creepy, bloodcurdling suspense fills every page of bestselling author Riley Sagers The only one left. This gothic thriller is about a young caregiver who gets a job working for a woman accused of a gruesome massacre decades earlier. In 1929, the Hope family murders shocked all residents of coastal Maine. Most locals assumed that 17-year-old Lenora committed the gruesome act – but she always denied it, the police couldn’t prove her guilt, and she never spoke of the event again. Now it’s 1983 and home care worker Kit McDeere is assigned to Lenora, who is now in her seventies, confined to a wheelchair, and after a series of strokes, can only speak by typing on a typewriter. One night, Kit sees Lenora typing a message for her, and the message is terrifying: “I want to tell you everything.” When Kit tries to help Lenora write about the events leading up to the massacre, it is very It is obvious that there is much more to this story.
What readers say: “The only one left by Riley Sager is aptly described by some as a corkscrew… twist after twist, spiraling downwards, leading to an insane ending! What an emotional rollercoaster ride this was. Overall, I think this is one of Sager’s best (and most complex), masterfully crafted twists. I was blown away by how all of these puzzle pieces finally fit together!”
Jack and Grace seem to be the perfect couple: he is a lawyer and helps victims of domestic violence, she is a housewife and is very close to her disabled sister. But her friends wonder why Grace never answers the phone or leaves the house without Jack and why the bedroom windows are barred…
What readers say: “This book was a page-turner in every way,” says Patty Bontekoe, editor-in-chief of FIRST. “From the first page, it’s clear that something is very wrong, and I didn’t stop reading until I figured it out. Even after I finished, my heart was pounding for days!”
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