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The Best Fiction Books » Thrillers (Books)

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Thrillers (Books)

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Thrillers (Books)

Last updated: January 08, 2025

We have a lot of interviews with bestselling authors of thrillers recommending their own favourite books (not by them). Many are thrillers that have been turned into blockbuster movies or Netflix series, but the book is normally (always?) better.

Psychological Thrillers | Spy Books

 

    The Best Spy Novels of 2024, recommended by Shane Whaley

  • Read
    The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - Karla's Choice by Nick Harkaway

    1

    Karla's Choice
    by Nick Harkaway

  • Read
    The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - Gabriel's Moon by William Boyd

    2

    Gabriel's Moon
    by William Boyd

  • Read
    The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - Honour Among Spies by Merle Nygate

    3

    Honour Among Spies
    by Merle Nygate

  • Read
    The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - Midnight in Vienna by Jane Thynne

    4

    Midnight in Vienna
    by Jane Thynne

  • Read
    The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - The Seventh Floor by David McCloskey

    5

    The Seventh Floor
    by David McCloskey

  • From a novel about the murder of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba to the latest John le Carré novel, from a Mossad agent in London to the hunt for a traitor at CIA HQ in Virginia, Shane Whaley, host of Spybrary—the podcast for lovers of spy books—talks us through his best spy novels of 2024.

  • The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - Karla's Choice by Nick Harkaway
  • The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - Gabriel's Moon by William Boyd
  • The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - Honour Among Spies by Merle Nygate
  • The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - Midnight in Vienna by Jane Thynne
  • The Best Spy Novels of 2024 - The Seventh Floor by David McCloskey

The Best Spy Novels of 2024, recommended by Shane Whaley

From a novel about the murder of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba to the latest John le Carré novel, from a Mossad agent in London to the hunt for a traitor at CIA HQ in Virginia, Shane Whaley, host of Spybrary—the podcast for lovers of spy books—talks us through his best spy novels of 2024.

The Best Spy Novels of 2024, recommended by Shane Whaley

    Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024, recommended by Sophie Roell

  • Read
    Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - Flags on the Bayou by James Lee Burke

    1

    Flags on the Bayou
    by James Lee Burke

  • Read
    Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

    2

    All the Sinners Bleed
    by S.A. Cosby

  • Read
    Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - Tell Me What I Am by Una Mannion

    3

    Tell Me What I Am
    by Una Mannion

  • Read
    Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper

    4

    Everybody Knows
    by Jordan Harper

  • Read
    Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry

    5

    The Peacock and the Sparrow
    by I.S. Berry

  • Crime novels are one of the most popular fiction genres, catering to a wide range of tastes and interests. Our editor, Sophie Roell, takes us through the books that won prestigious US and UK awards this year, from a historical novel set during the American Civil War to a spy thriller that raises interesting questions about Western policy in the Middle East.

  • Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - Flags on the Bayou by James Lee Burke
  • Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
  • Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - Tell Me What I Am by Una Mannion
  • Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper
  • Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024 - The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry

Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024, recommended by Sophie Roell

Crime novels are one of the most popular fiction genres, catering to a wide range of tastes and interests. Our editor, Sophie Roell, takes us through the books that won prestigious US and UK awards this year, from a historical novel set during the American Civil War to a spy thriller that raises interesting questions about Western policy in the Middle East.

Award-Winning Crime Novels of 2024, recommended by Sophie Roell

    The Best Psychological Thrillers, recommended by J.S. Monroe

  • Read
    The Best Psychological Thrillers - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

    1

    I Let You Go
    by Clare Mackintosh

  • Read
    The Best Psychological Thrillers - The Magus by John Fowles

    2

    The Magus
    by John Fowles

  • Read
    The Best Psychological Thrillers - Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton

    3

    Three Hours
    by Rosamund Lupton

  • Read
    The Best Psychological Thrillers - The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

    4

    The Talented Mr Ripley
    by Patricia Highsmith

  • Read
    The Best Psychological Thrillers - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

    5

    Gone Girl
    by Gillian Flynn

  • The best psychological thrillers are books that draw you into the lives of seemingly ordinary people, keep you turning the pages and then (often) floor you with an unexpected twist. British thriller writer JS Monroe, author of No Place to Hide, recommends some of the best ones out there, including the 1955 book that inspired the modern genre.

  • The Best Psychological Thrillers - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
  • The Best Psychological Thrillers - The Magus by John Fowles
  • The Best Psychological Thrillers - Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton
  • The Best Psychological Thrillers - The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
  • The Best Psychological Thrillers - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Best Psychological Thrillers, recommended by J.S. Monroe

The best psychological thrillers are books that draw you into the lives of seemingly ordinary people, keep you turning the pages and then (often) floor you with an unexpected twist. British thriller writer JS Monroe, author of No Place to Hide, recommends some of the best ones out there, including the 1955 book that inspired the modern genre.

The Best Psychological Thrillers, recommended by J.S. Monroe

    The Best World War II Thrillers, recommended by Graham Hurley

  • Read
    The Best World War II Thrillers - Bomber by Len Deighton

    1

    Bomber
    by Len Deighton

  • Read
    The Best World War II Thrillers - HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean

    2

    HMS Ulysses
    by Alistair MacLean

  • Read
    The Best World War II Thrillers - Piece of Cake by Derek Robinson

    3

    Piece of Cake
    by Derek Robinson

  • Read
    The Best World War II Thrillers - Fatherland by Robert Harris

    4

    Fatherland
    by Robert Harris

  • Read
    The Best World War II Thrillers - The Kindly Ones: A Novel by Jonathan Littell

    5

    The Kindly Ones: A Novel
    by Jonathan Littell

  • For all its horrors, World War II was a time when things happened to people and that, perhaps, is what makes it such an enduring source of fascination. Graham Hurley, author of the Spoils of War series, recommends five of the best World War II thrillers, including one that reads like nonfiction.

  • The Best World War II Thrillers - Bomber by Len Deighton
  • The Best World War II Thrillers - HMS Ulysses by Alistair MacLean
  • The Best World War II Thrillers - Piece of Cake by Derek Robinson
  • The Best World War II Thrillers - Fatherland by Robert Harris
  • The Best World War II Thrillers - The Kindly Ones: A Novel by Jonathan Littell

The Best World War II Thrillers, recommended by Graham Hurley

For all its horrors, World War II was a time when things happened to people and that, perhaps, is what makes it such an enduring source of fascination. Graham Hurley, author of the Spoils of War series, recommends five of the best World War II thrillers, including one that reads like nonfiction.

The Best World War II Thrillers, recommended by Graham Hurley

    The Best Literary Thrillers, recommended by Chris Power

  • Read
    The Best Literary Thrillers - Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me by Javier Marías, translated by Margaret Jull Costa

    1

    Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me
    by Javier Marías, translated by Margaret Jull Costa

  • Read
    The Best Literary Thrillers - 2666 by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Natasha Wimmer

    2

    2666
    by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Natasha Wimmer

  • Read
    The Best Literary Thrillers - Honeymoon by Patrick Modiano, translated by Barbara Wright

    3

    Honeymoon
    by Patrick Modiano, translated by Barbara Wright

  • Read
    The Best Literary Thrillers - Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughes

    4

    Hurricane Season
    by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughes

  • Read
    The Best Literary Thrillers - A Perfect Spy by John le Carré

    5

    A Perfect Spy
    by John le Carré

  • For those with a taste for fine literature, but who also enjoy their fiction with a bit of suspense and momentum, the acclaimed novelist Chris Power—author of A Lonely Man—has put together a recommended reading list of five 'literary thrillers', including work by Fernanda Melchor, Roberto Bolaño and the Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano.

  • The Best Literary Thrillers - Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me by Javier Marías, translated by Margaret Jull Costa
  • The Best Literary Thrillers - 2666 by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Natasha Wimmer
  • The Best Literary Thrillers - Honeymoon by Patrick Modiano, translated by Barbara Wright
  • The Best Literary Thrillers - Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor, translated by Sophie Hughes
  • The Best Literary Thrillers - A Perfect Spy by John le Carré

The Best Literary Thrillers, recommended by Chris Power

For those with a taste for fine literature, but who also enjoy their fiction with a bit of suspense and momentum, the acclaimed novelist Chris Power—author of A Lonely Man—has put together a recommended reading list of five ‘literary thrillers’, including work by Fernanda Melchor, Roberto Bolaño and the Nobel laureate Patrick Modiano.

The Best Literary Thrillers, recommended by Chris Power

    The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023, recommended by Shane Whaley

  • Read
    The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry

    1

    The Peacock and the Sparrow
    by I.S. Berry

  • Read
    The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - A Spy Alone by Charles Beaumont

    2

    A Spy Alone
    by Charles Beaumont

  • Read
    The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - Moscow X by David McCloskey

    3

    Moscow X
    by David McCloskey

  • Read
    The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - Kennedy 35 by Charles Cumming

    4

    Kennedy 35
    by Charles Cumming

  • Read
    The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - Beirut Station by Paul Vidich

    5

    Beirut Station
    by Paul Vidich

  • 2023 was a fabulous year for spy thrillers, with some fans saying there hasn't been a year like it since the 1970s, says Shane Whaley, host of the Spybrary podcast. He picks out five of his favourites from the year, all works of fiction that nonetheless give a sense of what it's like to work as a spy.

  • The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry
  • The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - A Spy Alone by Charles Beaumont
  • The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - Moscow X by David McCloskey
  • The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - Kennedy 35 by Charles Cumming
  • The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023 - Beirut Station by Paul Vidich

The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023, recommended by Shane Whaley

2023 was a fabulous year for spy thrillers, with some fans saying there hasn’t been a year like it since the 1970s, says Shane Whaley, host of the Spybrary podcast. He picks out five of his favourites from the year, all works of fiction that nonetheless give a sense of what it’s like to work as a spy.

The Best Spy Thrillers of 2023, recommended by Shane Whaley

    The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations, recommended by Rachel Wolf

  • Read
    The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Chalet by Catherine Cooper

    1

    The Chalet
    by Catherine Cooper

  • Read
    The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

    2

    The Sanatorium
    by Sarah Pearse

  • Read
    The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Invitation by Lucy Foley

    3

    The Invitation
    by Lucy Foley

  • Read
    The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Club by Ellery Lloyd

    4

    The Club
    by Ellery Lloyd

  • Read
    The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Yacht by Sarah Goodwin

    5

    The Yacht
    by Sarah Goodwin

  • It can be a lot of fun reading a pacy thriller set in a glamorous, unattainable world — filled with characters you love to hate. Rachel Wolf, author of Five Nights, recommends five thrillers set in luxury locations where immense wealth and a beautiful setting mix with dark secrets and horrendous crimes.

  • The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Chalet by Catherine Cooper
  • The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
  • The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Invitation by Lucy Foley
  • The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Club by Ellery Lloyd
  • The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations - The Yacht by Sarah Goodwin

The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations, recommended by Rachel Wolf

It can be a lot of fun reading a pacy thriller set in a glamorous, unattainable world — filled with characters you love to hate. Rachel Wolf, author of Five Nights, recommends five thrillers set in luxury locations where immense wealth and a beautiful setting mix with dark secrets and horrendous crimes.

The Best Thrillers Set in Luxury Locations, recommended by Rachel Wolf

    The Best Eco-Thriller Books, recommended by Manda Scott

  • Read
    The Best Eco-Thriller Books - Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North

    1

    Notes from the Burning Age
    by Claire North

  • Read
    The Best Eco-Thriller Books - Venomous Lumpsucker: A Novel by Ned Beauman

    2

    Venomous Lumpsucker: A Novel
    by Ned Beauman

  • Read
    The Best Eco-Thriller Books - The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner

    3

    The Moon of Gomrath
    by Alan Garner

  • Read
    The Best Eco-Thriller Books - The Half Life of Valery K by Natasha Pulley

    4

    The Half Life of Valery K
    by Natasha Pulley

  • Read
    The Best Eco-Thriller Books - The Ministry for the Future: A Novel by Kim Stanley Robinson

    5

    The Ministry for the Future: A Novel
    by Kim Stanley Robinson

  • 'Eco-thrillers' are books that combine suspenseful plotting with environmental themes. Here, the bestselling novelist and chart-topping podcaster Manda Scott selects five thrilling novels that explore the climate emergency and other ecological crises through fiction, with an emphasis on books that envisage a route forward.

  • The Best Eco-Thriller Books - Notes from the Burning Age by Claire North
  • The Best Eco-Thriller Books - Venomous Lumpsucker: A Novel by Ned Beauman
  • The Best Eco-Thriller Books - The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner
  • The Best Eco-Thriller Books - The Half Life of Valery K by Natasha Pulley
  • The Best Eco-Thriller Books - The Ministry for the Future: A Novel by Kim Stanley Robinson

The Best Eco-Thriller Books, recommended by Manda Scott

‘Eco-thrillers’ are books that combine suspenseful plotting with environmental themes. Here, the bestselling novelist and chart-topping podcaster Manda Scott selects five thrilling novels that explore the climate emergency and other ecological crises through fiction, with an emphasis on books that envisage a route forward.

The Best Eco-Thriller Books, recommended by Manda Scott

    The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books, recommended by Mark Edlitz

  • Read
    The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis

    1

    Colonel Sun
    by Kingsley Amis

  • Read
    The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - High Time to Kill by Raymond Benson

    2

    High Time to Kill
    by Raymond Benson

  • Read
    The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - SilverFin by Charlie Higson

    3

    SilverFin
    by Charlie Higson

  • Read
    The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz

    4

    Forever and a Day
    by Anthony Horowitz

  • Read
    The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - Double Or Nothing by Kim Sherwood

    5

    Double Or Nothing
    by Kim Sherwood

  • The British author Ian Fleming (1908-1964) wrote only 12 James Bond novels, but dozens more have been published since his death. Mark Edlitz, author of James Bond After Fleming, guides us through the 'continuation novels,' starting with Kingsley Amis in 1968.

  • The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - Colonel Sun by Kingsley Amis
  • The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - High Time to Kill by Raymond Benson
  • The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - SilverFin by Charlie Higson
  • The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz
  • The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books - Double Or Nothing by Kim Sherwood

The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books, recommended by Mark Edlitz

The British author Ian Fleming (1908-1964) wrote only 12 James Bond novels, but dozens more have been published since his death. Mark Edlitz, author of James Bond After Fleming, guides us through the ‘continuation novels,’ starting with Kingsley Amis in 1968.

The Best Post-Fleming James Bond Books, recommended by Mark Edlitz

    Five Classic European Spy Novels, recommended by Patrick Worrall

  • Read
    Five Classic European Spy Novels - Smiley's People by John le Carré

    1

    Smiley's People
    by John le Carré

  • Read
    Five Classic European Spy Novels - Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

    2

    Casino Royale
    by Ian Fleming

  • Read
    Five Classic European Spy Novels - The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth

    3

    The Day of the Jackal
    by Frederick Forsyth

  • Read
    Five Classic European Spy Novels - The Mask of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler

    4

    The Mask of Dimitrios
    by Eric Ambler

  • Read
    Five Classic European Spy Novels - The Third Man by Graham Greene

    5

    The Third Man
    by Graham Greene

  • From a noir novel by Eric Ambler set in 1930s Europe to some of the great spy thrillers of the post-World War II era, British novelist Patrick Worrall, author of The Exile, talks us through five of his favourite espionage novels.

  • Five Classic European Spy Novels - Smiley's People by John le Carré
  • Five Classic European Spy Novels - Casino Royale by Ian Fleming
  • Five Classic European Spy Novels - The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
  • Five Classic European Spy Novels - The Mask of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler
  • Five Classic European Spy Novels - The Third Man by Graham Greene

Five Classic European Spy Novels, recommended by Patrick Worrall

From a noir novel by Eric Ambler set in 1930s Europe to some of the great spy thrillers of the post-World War II era, British novelist Patrick Worrall, author of The Exile, talks us through five of his favourite espionage novels.

Five Classic European Spy Novels, recommended by Patrick Worrall
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