If you’re in a reading slump and want something to capture your attention, we’ve found the best thriller books that will have you hooked from the get-go.
With everything from red herrings and unreliable narrators to disappearances, blackmail, toxic relationships and plenty of twists, the thriller genre consistently dominates the charts. Plus, with subgenres including spy, crime, suspense and mystery, there truly is something for everyone.
Many thriller books have become classics, adapted for the big and small screens (Gone Girl and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo have become blockbuster movies). But there are plenty of releases that are lesser-known or a bit out of the ordinary but just as riveting (Wrong Place, Wrong Time, for example).
As someone who reads several thrillers a month and always keeps an eye out for the latest and greatest releases, I’ve compiled a list of the best of the best, highlighting authors who should definitely be on your radar.
How I tested
Taking into consideration a number of popular reads and emerging subgenres, I’ve curated this list based on the books that feature great storytelling, characters, twists and shocking moments, to find the ones that kept me gripped the whole way through. I assessed how the story flowed as a whole, along with the accessibility of the writing. Drawing up my final list of top titles meant whittling down the stories to those that have stuck with me for months (and on some occasions years).
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Ellis Cochrane is an avid reader who has thumbed her way through hundreds of thrillers over the years, so, she knows how to spot great storylines and compelling characters. She’s reviewed a wide range of literature for IndyBest, from the best romance novels to epic fantasy books, and will only recommend titles she believes are worth a spot on your bookcase.
The best thriller books for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, published by Orion Publishing: £10.99, Waterstones.com
- Best psychological thriller – None of This is True by Lisa Jewell, published by Penguin: £7.99, Whsmith.co.uk
- Best mystery thriller – Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister, published by Penguin: £8.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best suspense thriller – Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, published by Ebury: £12.99, Waterstones.com
- Best domestic thriller – Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben, published by Cornerstone: £11, Amazon.co.uk
