The 30 Best Thriller Books to Read Next

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Though spooky season is still months away, it’s never too early to indulge in an eerie thriller. From iconic titles like Misery and Jurassic Park to more contemporary offerings like Gone Girl and Big Little Lies, there’s something here for everyone. Here are the 30 best thriller books to add to your reading list.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

If you’ve seen the movie but haven’t gotten around to reading the book, now’s your chance. When a suburban housewife Amy Dunne suddenly goes missing, her shady and evasive husband Nick becomes the first suspect in her suspected murder.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

This one hardly needs an introduction. Big Little Lies follows a group of women as they deal with abusive husbands, family secrets, school scandals, and tragic murders.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Forty years after Harriet Vanger’s disappearance, a journalist and computer hacker team up to investigate (what they believe to be) her murder.

The Shining by Stephen King

Over the course of his career, Stephen King has brought us killer clowns, murderous fans, and, of course, haunted hotels. When Jack Torrance takes a job as the off-season caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, he becomes possessed by the building’s supernatural forces.

Misery by Stephen King

Speaking of Stephen King, Misery is another essential read. When Paul gets into a near-fatal car accident, he’s rescued by his “number one fan” Annie. She then becomes his captor and keeps him imprisoned for weeks in her secluded home.

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry

The infamous Charles Manson murders are front and center in Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders. And this one gives an insider account—one of the book’s authors, Vincent Bugliosi, was the prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Widely regarded as one of the first non-fiction novels ever written, In Cold Blood tells the story of four members of a family who were murdered in 1950s Kansas.

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

Before her untimely death in 2016, Michelle McNamara became enamored with a man whom she dubbed “the Golden State Killer.” I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is the result of her search for the enigmatic predator.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Dr. John Hammond creates a theme park where genetically cloned dinosaurs roam. When he invites his family and fellow scientists to tour the facility, things quickly go awry.

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

An Italian crime family—headed by the patriarch Vito Corleone—fights to stay on top in the years following World War II. As a bonus, the 50th-anniversary edition includes an introduction by the film’s director Francis Ford Coppola.

Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi

Get to know the real-life story behind the gangsters in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family tracks the life of Henry Hill, a Mafia associate who later turns into an informant.

Psycho by Robert Bloch

Psycho follows Norman Bates while he works as a caretaker of an isolated motel and deals with the tumultuous and strange relationship that he has with his mother.

Zodiac: The Shocking True Story of the Hunt for the Nation's Most Elusive Serial Killer by Robert Graysmith

If you’ve seen the film directed by David Fincher, then you’ll love the book, which features exclusive content like the unreleased letters that the Zodiac Killer left behind.

The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber

Known as “The Angel of Death,” registered nurse Charlie Cullen was responsible for the death of hundreds of his patients. The Good Nurse includes wiretap recordings, interviews with informants, and never-before-seen police records. After reading the book, check out the Netflix film adaptation starring Jessica Chastain.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

When the scientist Victor Frankenstein conducts an experiment to create a sentient being, the creature he makes ends up being more grotesque and sinister than he could have imagined.

Zone One by Colson Whitehead

Though Colson Whitehead is mostly known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Underground Railroad, he’s also dabbled in other genres. After a plague takes over lower Manhattan, a man named Mark and two other civilians are tasked with clearing Chinatown of remaining zombies.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

In this classic novella, legal practitioner Gabriel Utterson investigates a series of unusual incidents between his old friend Dr. Jekyll and a killer criminal Mr. Hyde. However, he soon realizes that Jekyll and Hyde are one and the same.

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Tom Ripley meets a wealthy man who hires him to bring his son Dickie back from Italy. But while on assignment, Tom soon becomes obsessed.

Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

An FBI trainee named Clarice Starling enlists the help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in order to track down an infamous serial killer.

The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort

In his memoir, the former stockbroker Jordan Belfort takes you behind the scenes of his time as a sleazy entrepreneur. Be prepared for a story filled with greed, capitalism, drugs, and power.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

In this psychological thriller by Paula Hawkins, a woman named Rachel sees something suspicious while on her daily train ride. But when she goes to the police, they suspect that she may be even more unreliable than they originally thought.

Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane

Inspired by the gothic genre, Shutter Island tells the story of a U.S. Marshal who travels to a hospital for the criminally insane in order to look into the disappearance of a former patient.

Bones & All by Camille DeAngelis

A young woman named Maren Yearly—who also happens to be a cannibal—finds friendship and love as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Speaking of cannibalism, sink your teeth into Tender is the Flesh. When it’s first reported that a virus has made all animal meat poisonous, the government begins transitioning to human flesh, making cannibalism completely legal.

Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker

Lost Girls investigates the disappearance of several escorts in their early 20s. Award-winning investigative reporter Robert Kolker attempts to solve this mystery and track down the serial killer who’s responsible for the lost lives of young women.

Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin

In Rosemary’s Baby, Rosemary Woodhouse is pregnant with the spawn of Satan. What follows is debilitating pain, extreme weight loss, and an intense craving for raw meat. Read (and watch the film) at your own risk.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

When four people, including an occult scholar and a poltergeist specialist, travel to the haunted Hill House, they begin to experience bizarre paranormal activities.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Noemí visits the Mexican countryside to visit her newly-married cousin and soon discovers that the house she’s staying in may be haunted. Secrets, lies, and violence are what you’ll find in this modern classic.

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

Though The Exorcist could be considered horror, it’s just as thrilling too. When a demonic spirit possesses an 11-year-old girl, Catholic priests are called to her home to perform an exorcism.

Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth

If you’ve already seen the film adaptation directed by Spike Lee, give the book a try. In Black Klansman, a Black detective goes undercover in order to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan.

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