Thrillers are indeed the ultimate page-turners, gripping us with suspense and leaving us gasping for breath when a shocking twist is revealed. No matter if you’re an experienced thriller reader or a newbie seeking an unforgettable experience, these 21 Best thriller books with the best twists will keep you on the edge of your seat. Get ready for mind games, betrayals, and surprises you won’t soon forget. Find out what thrillers redefine what a twist can do.
When you’re reading a thriller books or novels in bed at 10 PM, do you ever promise yourself you’ll get to sleep in five minutes, but a truly devastating twist occurs and suddenly it’s two in the morning and you’re screaming, crying, and waking your fiancé up to tell him or her? Are you sure? Am I the only one? OK, then. I think it’s high time to take a look at some of the books that left me with the deepest mental scars, whether you agree or disagree. The success of novels such as Girl on the Train, The Woman in the Window, and Gone Girl has generated a great deal of interest.
21. Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
Louise is a single mom who works as a secretary and is stuck in a modern-day rut. She meets a man in a bar on a rare night out. She sparks with him. The fact that he left after they kiss makes her happy, but she is still glad she finally connected with someone.
Louise meets David on Monday as she arrives at work. Across the street from the bar was a man. This very married man from the bar is still unable to keep his eyes off Louise despite claiming that the kiss was a terrible mistake.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: A love triangle turns into a dark, supernatural mystery.
- Expect This Twist: An ending so shocking it became a cultural phenomenon.
- Who Will Love It: Readers who enjoy jaw-dropping, surreal conclusions.
20. My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
It is based on a simple love story. Where men meet with beautiful women. Both of them fall in love and had kids. We moved to the suburbs. Our biggest dreams and darkest secrets were shared between us. It got boring after that. The two of us look like any other couple. You keep meaning to get together with us for dinner; we’re your neighbours, your kid’s friend’s parents, your acquaintances.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Married couple spice up their relationship by committing murder.
- Expect This Twist: Chilling betrayal.
- Who Will Love It: Those who love morally ambiguous characters.
19. The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
At 11:00 p.m., Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered. During these eight days, you will be surrounded by eight witnesses. After you reveal the killer’s name, we will allow you to escape.
Understood? Then let’s begin…
The death of Evelyn Hardcastle is inevitable. It will continue until Aiden Bishop identifies her killer and breaks the cycle. Each morning, Aiden awakes in a different guest’s body. His hosts vary in their helpfulness.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Groundhog Day meets Agatha Christie in this mind-bending thriller.
- Expect This Twist: Multilayered, reality-altering finale.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of complex, intellectually challenging mysteries.
18. The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
The ad surprises her because she’s looking for something entirely else. An opportunity like this doesn’t come around often: a live-in nanny post, with a ludicrously generous salary. A picture-perfect family, a luxurious, “smart” house, and a gorgeous Scottish Highland setting charm Rowan Caine when she arrives at Heatherbrae House.
The girl doesn’t realize she’s stepping into a nightmare that will end with a child’s death and her incarceration.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Nanny’s job in a smart home spirals into terror.
- Expect This Twist: Final twist that’s as satisfying as it is shocking.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of gothic suspense with modern twists.
17. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Farris decides to participate in a psychological experiment about ethics and morality at the request of her employer. She is looking for an easy way to earn money. Nevertheless, as the study moves from the exam room to the real world, it becomes difficult to distinguish what is real and what is Dr. Shields’s experiment.
Jess’s thoughts and hidden feelings are known to Dr. Shields. Not only will Jessica’s behaviour be monitored, but it will also be manipulated. Jess quickly discovers that some obsessions can be deadly as she is caught in a web of deceit, jealousy, and attraction.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: A psychological study turns sinister as the protagonist gets entangled in her subject’s mind games.
- Expect This Twist: A power play that keeps you second-guessing.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of psychological thrillers with ethical dilemmas.
16. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
When she was seven years old, Libby Day delivered evidence that placed her fifteen-year-old brother behind bars.
She has drifted ever since. After being contacted by a group that believes Ben is innocent, Libby begins to ask questions she never imagined asking. Did she hear her brother’s voice? Ben was a misfit in their small town, but could he kill? Does Libby want her brother back, or is she deluding herself about the hidden secrets at the family farm?
Suddenly, she realizes that everyone in her family was hiding something, particularly Ben. It will be even more difficult to find the truth now that twenty-four years have passed.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Woman revisits her family’s massacre, uncovering horrifying truths.
- Expect This Twist: Chilling revelation about the night of the murders.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of dark, gothic suspense.
15. The Chain by Adrian McKinty
Parents drop their children at the bus stop each morning and head off to work. When Rachel receives a phone call from an unknown number, it is a woman who tells her that Kylie is bound and gagged in her car’s back seat and that her only chance of seeing her again is paying a ransom, and finding another child to abduct. Unlike other kidnappings, this one involves a mother whose son has been abducted, and if Rachel refuses her orders, the boy will die.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: A parent’s nightmare—kidnap a stranger’s child to save your own.
- Expect This Twist: The chain is darker and more complex than you might think.
- Who Will Love It: Readers who enjoy adrenaline-pumping thrillers with moral dilemmas.
14. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
No visitors. I have not spent any nights away from my apartment. You must not disturb the other residents, who are all rich, famous, or both. The Bartholomew is one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings, and Jules Larsen’s new job entails keeping to these rules. After experiencing heartbreak and being broken, Jules accepts the terms of the agreement, ready to leave behind her past life.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: The plot revolves around a creepy apartment building and a too-good-to-be-true job offer.
- Expect This Twist: Horrifying truth about the building’s residents.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of claustrophobic and eerie mysteries.
13. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
Recluse living alone in New York City with no outside contact, Anna Fox lives alone in her home. It appears that she spends her day drinking wine (perhaps too much), watching old movies, reminiscing about the good old days, and spying on her neighbours.
Later on, the Russell family moves into the house across the street: a father, mother, and teenage son. Family perfect. After seeing something she shouldn’t have, Anna’s world begins to crumble, and its shocking secrets come to light one night.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: A creepy apartment building and a too-good-to-be-true job offer set the stage for terror.
- Expect This Twist: A horrifying truth about the building’s residents.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of claustrophobic and eerie mysteries.
12. Verity by Colleen Hoover
A struggling writer, Lowen Ashleigh is on the verge of bankruptcy when she accepts a job offer that changes her life forever. Verity Crawford’s husband, Jeremy Crawford, has given Lowen the job of finishing the remaining books in their successful series while his wife recovers from injury.
The Crawfords welcome Lowen to their house, so that she can start sorting through Verity’s notes and outlines. Verity never intended anyone to read her unfinished autobiography, which Lowen discovers in the chaos of her office. The horrific admissions continue, including Verity’s recollections of the day her daughter died.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Ghostwriter discovers terrifying secrets in an author’s unfinished manuscript.
- Expect This Twist: Jaw-dropping ending that leaves you questioning reality.
- Who Will Love It: Those who enjoy morally ambiguous characters and spine-chilling reveals.
11. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
This is a psychological suspense tale of sex, deception, and murder occurring as a result of an accident. Taking inspiration from Patricia Highsmith’s classic Strangers on a Train, Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train meets sister novel The Girl with a Clock in the Heart in this modern retelling. Washington Post says this is the best crime fiction novel of 2014.
Severson’s encounter with Lily Kintner happens while flying from London to Boston at night. After drinking a couple of martinis, the strangers begin playing a truth game, revealing very personal information about one another. The subject of Ted’s marriage is going stale and he is convinced that Miranda is cheating on him. He was a wealthy businessman, while she was an artistic free spirit, a contrast that once inflamed their passion, but now seems cliche.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Chance meetings lead to murder pacts. What could go wrong?
- Expect This Twist: Double-crosses galore.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of dark humor and devious characters.
10. Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris
People are familiar with couples like Jack and Grace. She is charming and elegant; he has wealth and looks. She is an excellent homemaker, a master gardener and cook, and doted on her younger sister, who is disabled. It seems like they have it all, even though they are still young and newlyweds. It’s hard not to like them, but you do. Your heart is completely captured by their graciousness, their ease and comfort in their home. It would be nice to know Grace a bit better.
Nevertheless, it’s difficult, since you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Seemingly perfect couple hides a dark and horrifying secret.
- Expect This Twist: Battle of wits leading to an explosive conclusion.
- Who Will Love It: Those who crave intense psychological warfare in thrillers.
9. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
All happened so quickly, it was a tragic accident. It couldn’t have been prevented, could it?
It takes just a split second for Jenna Gray’s world to deteriorate. The only way she can begin anew is by walking away from everything she knows. The horror of that November night haunts Jenna, who moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast in an attempt to escape. Eventually, Jenna begins to see her future as one filled with happiness. It is too late for her to escape her past, and the consequences will be devastating
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Hit-and-run accident leaves a mother grieving. But nothing is as it seems.
- Expect This Twist: Mid-book revelation that redefines the entire story.
- Who Will Love It: Readers who appreciate heart-wrenching twists.
8. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
You never know what’s happening on the other side of the wall. According to your neighbour, she doesn’t want your six-month-old daughter at the dinner party. No personal reasons, she just couldn’t stand the crying. Your husband said it would be fine. After all, you only live next door. You’ll have the baby monitor and take turns going back every half hour.
During your last visit to your daughter, she was sleeping. Now, as you run up the stairs in your deathly quiet home, you realize your worst fears. It’s over. It’s the first time you’ve had to call the police. You don’t know what they will find when they enter your house.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Baby goes missing while the parents are at a dinner party. Secrets unravel fast.
- Expect This Twist: Final twist proves that trust is fragile.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of domestic thrillers with fast-paced storytelling.
7. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
It’s time for a new book about the small lies we tell ourselves in order to survive from the author of Truly Madly Guilty and The Husband’s Secret. Are there murders, tragic accidents, or just unruly parents? The fact that someone is dead is undeniable.
It is impossible to ignore Madeline’s strength. She never forgets anything and never forgives anyone. The illusion of Celeste’s perfection comes with a price, as she is paying for looking perfect. When Jane, who has just moved to town, first appears in the neighbourhood, another mother misidentifies her as a nanny. She carries a mysterious past and the sadness of a young woman. All three women end up in the same shocking place, despite being at different crossroads.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: School scandal snowballs into murder. This book is as witty as it is suspenseful.
- Expect This Twist: An unexpected killer and motive that changes everything.
- Who Will Love It: Those who enjoy character-driven dramas with suspenseful undercurrents.
6. Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
The year is 1954. U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule arrive on Shutter Island, home to Ashecliffe Hospital for Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. This remote island is home to multiple murderers Rachel Solando, who escaped from a locked cell under constant surveillance despite being kept in a locked cell. During a fierce hurricane, an intriguing case takes on ever darker, sinister shades, with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgery, and lethal countermoves. It doesn’t matter how you look at Ashecliffe Hospital, you won’t escape Shutter Island unharmed. Teddy Daniels is not either, however.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Two U.S. Marshals investigate a patient’s disappearance at a mental institution. The truth is stranger than fiction.
- Expect This Twist: Mind-bending psychological bombshell.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of atmospheric thrillers with unreliable narrators.
5. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
After spending a few weeks in a psychiatric hospital, she returns home to cover the murder of a preteen girl and the disappearance of another. It’s been years since Camille has spoken to her neurotic, hypochondriac mother or her half-sister: a beautiful thirteen-year-old with a terrifying grip on the town. The young victims seem to have become too close to Camille now that she is residing in the old bedroom of her family’s Victorian mansion. When she returns home, her demons hound her, forcing her to unravel the psychological puzzle of her past.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Flynn’s debut explores family dysfunction and murder in a small town. The tension is palpable.
- Expect This Twist: Final revelation that will haunt you long after reading.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of dark, twisted family sagas.
4. Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
Our memories define who we are. How would you feel if you lost yours every night? Names, identities, pasts and even loved ones are forgotten overnight. Moreover, it is likely that the person you trust only tells you half the story.
Hello and welcome to Christine’s world.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Christine wakes up every day with no memory of the last two decades. The truth of her life is more horrifying than she imagines.
- Expect This Twist: A betrayal that will make your jaw drop.
- Who Will Love It: Those who love amnesia-driven mysteries with high emotional stakes.
3. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Life seems perfect for Alicia Berenson. One of London’s most desirable areas, she resides in a house with big windows overlooking a park, in the home of an in-demand fashion photographer. One evening, Alicia shoots her husband Gabriel five times in the face after he arrives home late after a fashion shoot. She never spoke a word after that.
Because Alicia refused to talk, or give any kind of explanation, a domestic tragedy became something much bigger, a mystery that captured the public’s imagination. During this time, her art skyrockets in price, and the silent patient is hidden from the tabloids and spotlights in the Grove, a forensic unit in north London.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: A woman murders her husband and never speaks another word. Her therapist is determined to uncover why.
- Expect This Twist: A shocking finale that makes you question the narrator’s intentions.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of psychological thrillers with deep emotional undercurrents.
2. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Commuter trains are Rachel’s daily commute. Each time it waits at the same signal, she overlooks a row of back gardens. Her feelings for the people who live in one of the houses have even begun to develop. She refers to them as “Jess and Jason.” The couple’s life is perfect, in her opinion. It would be wonderful if Rachel could be as happy as that. It was then that she saw something shocking.
Just a minute remains before the train moves on, but that’s enough time. Everything has changed now. She has the opportunity to get to know the people she has only watched from a distance. They will now see that she is much more than a train passenger.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Drunk narrator, fragmented memories, and an obsession with strangers make this a nail-biting read.
- Expect This Twist: Revelation that ties everything together with unnerving precision.
- Who Will Love It: Readers who enjoy layered storytelling and voyeuristic suspense.
1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Who are you? How did we treat each other?
Nick Dunne asks himself these questions on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary when he discovers his wife Amy is missing. It is suspected that Nick is involved. It was revealed that Amy feared him and kept secrets from him from her friends. It’s not true, he swears. It was discovered that his computer had been searched strangely by the police. It wasn’t him who made them. He also receives persistent phone calls.
- Why It’s a Must-Read: Flynn’s masterpiece redefines domestic thrillers. The story of Nick and Amy’s fractured marriage builds to one of the most jaw-dropping twists in literary history.
- Expect This Twist: Chilling manipulation that flips everything you thought you knew.
- Who Will Love It: Fans of psychological manipulation and unreliable narrators.
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Why These Thriller Books Outshine the Competition
Mix of classics and recent hits, all chosen for their memorable twists, are brought together on this list. We promise you will be left breathless by the suspense in each thriller book and the unique storytelling that will hold your attention. How about you? Have you read any of these books or found a twisty thriller that you enjoy? Let us know in the comments section below! Get unlimited Kindle books on Amazon.
Final Thoughts On Best Thriller Books
It’s like being on a literary rollercoaster that thrills, surprises, and leaves you breathless after reading a thriller books that takes you by surprise. List of 21 best thriller books offers some of the best twists in the genre. No matter what you’re looking for domestic dramas, psychological puzzles or spine-chilling mysteries. After you’ve finished the book. Every story will challenge you, keep you guessing until the end, and leave a lasting impression on you.
You’ll be blown away by these mind-bending reads, so grab a seat and brace yourself. I recommend you don’t forget, in the world of thrillers, nothing is ever as it seems! Happy reading!📚✨ Follow Quillreading.com
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