Now that we’ve gone through the best horror books and movies, why don’t we check what’s thrilling in the thriller department this fall? Today, we’ve prepared a list of the ten best thriller books that are worth your note. You have a wide range of options to choose from, including a secluded cabin in the woods, a murder on a luxury cruise across the Atlantic, a claustrophobic interaction with a potential house buyer, a serial killer thriller set in Madrid, and so much more. So, join us as we unravel the secrets hidden within these chilling narratives.

The House in the Pines 
by Ana Reyes

The book tells the story of Maya, who witnessed her best friend Aubrey’s sudden, mysterious death during their high school years. She has since tried to forget it all and has built a new life in Boston with her boyfriend. However, her past resurfaces when she comes across a YouTube video showing a woman kneeling and dying in a diner in front of Frank—an enigmatic man she dated in her teenage years—just like it happened to Aubrey (without any cause ever determined). This prompts Maya to return to her hometown, where she aims to revisit the summer when Aubrey died and finally understand what happened and why. But all things get back to Frank… If you’ve been looking for something captivating, The House in the Pines won’t disappoint you. In the end, you’ll probably have your own answer to whether one can ever confront their past and find their way back home.

The Mother-in-Law
by Sally Hepworth

“A mesmerizing domestic mystery,” according to Kirkus Reviews, The Mother-in-Law is a story of one woman’s relationship with her mother-in-law that ends in murder. In this novel, Lucy’s complex relationship with her mother-in-law, Diana, turns sinister when the latter is found dead. While it appears to be a suicide due to cancer, the autopsy reveals a different story—poison and suffocation. Lucy’s secrets deepen as the mystery unfolds, and the family’s dynamics become increasingly complex. Who could want Diana dead? Why was she the way she was: polite and friendly, devoted to her volunteer work with refugees, yet rarely sensitive and tender to her kids? Sally Hepworth’s latest book offers a thrilling exploration of family, secrets, and hidden motives and is likely to be called one of the best psychological thriller books.

Danger on the Atlantic
by Erica Ruth Neubauer

Danger on the Atlantic is a thriller of the “prewar romantic intrigue subgenre,” according to Kirkus Reviews. In 1926, young American widow Jane Wunderly embarks on a transatlantic journey from Southampton to New York. She travels with a charismatic partner, Mr. Redvers, a man who might just change her perspective on romance. They’re tasked with identifying a rumored German spy among the passengers. Having decided to go undercover as a fashionable couple, they have to improvise, as their voyage takes an unexpected and deadly turn: they now have to find out where the husband of Vanessa FitzSimmons, Miles Van de Meter, got mysteriously missing. This couple has just married in Monte Carlo, and plenty of things about it seem fishy… If you remember Dr. House’s favorite line, “Everybody lies,” you’ll like the book and will be eager to follow Jane in her investigation.

Greenwich Park
by Katherine Faulkner

“This tension-filled novel will keep you guessing through its final revelations,” promises Kirkus Reviews when it describes Greenwich Park. Helen’s good life, filled with a handsome architect husband, a beautiful Victorian house, and the much-anticipated arrival of a long-awaited baby, takes a dramatic turn when she meets Rachel, an unconventional single mother-to-be, during a prenatal class. Rachel is sometimes unusual in her behavior, but Helen finds comfort and distraction in their friendship. However, Rachel’s actions become increasingly unsettling, raising suspicions among Helen’s family. There’s definitely something in their shared history. When Rachel threatens to reveal a long-buried secret that could destroy all their lives, it becomes clear that hidden truths and mysteries lie beneath the surface of Greenwich Park. Hardly one of the best thriller books of all time, but it’s a pretty tension-filled novel if you’re looking for this kind of read.

A Novel Obsession
by Caitlin Barasch

Kirkus Reviews states, “this dread-laden psychological thriller is smart, jarring, and funny.” In A Novel Obsession, Naomi, a New York bookseller with aspirations of becoming a writer, finds her perfect subject—love—when she starts dating Caleb, a charming Welsh expatriate. However, her world is turned upside down when she runs into his ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, who is also in New York. Naomi becomes obsessed with their connection and befriends Rosemary under false pretenses. She manipulates everyone around her to pursue her craft, blurring the lines between fact and fiction. As Naomi’s lies spiral out of control, readers are left wondering how it will all end. While we can’t say whether A Novel Obsession can become one of the best new thriller books, we can definitely say that it’s a great read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of storytelling and self-identity.

Bright Young Women
by Jessica Knoll

Freshly from print, Bright Young Women has all the chances to become one of the best crime thriller books. Kirkus Reviews calls it a “stunning, engaging subversion of the Bundy myth.” In January 1978, a serial killer was terrorizing the Pacific Northwest; however, the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee knew nothing about it. Pamela, the sorority president, decided not to go partying with her sisters and narrowly escaped tragedy, discovering a terrible scene when she woke up at 3 a.m. The chapters about Pamela are mixed with the story of Ruth Wachowsky, who went missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight in 1974. She’s considered one of the killer’s earlier victims. Her friend, Tina Cannon, thinks so… Inspired by a true crime, this novel delves into her terrifying journey to uncover the killer’s identity. Here is a riveting tale of two women uniting to seek justice, twin threads of mystery, and a notorious serial killer. Are you ready?

The House Hunt
by C. M. Ewan

The House Hunt is a thriller novel by C. M. Ewan, published in August 2023. It tells the story of Lucy, a woman trapped in her own home by a mysterious stranger who claims to know a shocking secret about her. If you liked C. M. Ewan’s Inverview and want to read something similarly fast-paced and suspenseful, this book is for you. At some point, when you feel that you’ve worked out what’s happening, you’ll face a sudden turn that will make you reconsider everything. The House Hunt is a great read if you like thrillers that will barely let you catch your breath.

Red Queen
by Juan Gómez-Jurado

Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado is a gripping thriller novel that introduces Antonia Scott, a brilliant forensic analyst who can solve the most complex crimes. Antonia has isolated herself from the world after a personal tragedy, but she is forced to come out of her shell when a mysterious man named Jon Gutierrez offers her a chance to work on a gruesome and ritualistic murder case involving a wealthy teenager devoid of a single drop of blood. Yet, this murder is just the tip of the iceberg in a chilling series of events. Red Queen is the first book in a trilogy and has been translated into more than 20 languages and sold over two million copies in Spain alone—for a reason. If you want to give a go to this “Fast-moving and quirky fiction from Madrid“—as Kirkus Reviews describes the book—don’t think twice. We suppose it can become one of the best new thriller books you’ve read.

The Woman Inside
by M. T. Edvardsson

The Woman Inside blends mystery and thriller in one. It follows the lives of four characters connected by a double murder in a wealthy neighborhood. Bill Olsson, a loving father going through a tough time after losing his spouse, decides to open up their home to Karla, a law student working as a housekeeper to make ends meet. Karla’s clients, the Rytters, are a wealthy couple who keep to themselves. The wife is sick and keeps to the house, while the husband looks pretty controlling. As the story unfolds, you may wonder whether something fishy is going on. And when the Rytters are found dead, Karla finds herself being questioned by the police… The Woman Inside is written from multiple perspectives and includes excerpts of interrogations, newspaper articles, and crime scene reports that aim to increase tension and intrigue and can become one of the best mystery thriller books. So, are you ready for a web of hidden secrets?

Abandon
by Blake Crouch

“Whether it’s 1893 or 2009, the town of Abandon, Colo., is a very nasty place to be,” writes Kirkus Reviews about Abandon. It’s an intriguing start for a review, so we suppose the book is promising. It follows the story of a history professor and his journalist daughter who decide to visit the mysterious mining town that was abandoned on Christmas Day in 1893, leaving no trace of its inhabitants. Accompanied by two guides they hired to get to the place, they head straight to Abandon to learn what happened. They soon discover that the town is not as deserted as it seems and that they are in grave danger from both natural and human threats: a dead guy, a crazy preacher, a sheriff who’s not exactly reliable, and whatnot. Get ready for a journey through time to uncover all the secrets one by one.