14 of the Best Mystery & Thriller Titles

That You Haven't Read Yet

Are you an adrenaline junkie? A murder mystery fanatic? A student of crime? If you're always on the hunt for the next pulse-pounding thriller, you'll want to check out this list of lesser known releases from recent years. These fourteen titles have garnered a lot of praise and we think they're pretty buzz-worthy.

An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen 

Looking to earn some easy cash, Jessica Farris agrees to be a test subject in a psychological study about ethics and morality. But as the study progresses, the line between what is real and what is one of Dr. Shields's experiments blurs. Dr. Shields seems to know what Jess is thinking...and what she's hiding.

We Know You Remember by Tove Alsterdal

A missing girl, a hidden body, a decades-long cover-up, and old sins cast in new light. The past and present blend seamlessly in this rich, character-driven Swedish crime novel. With themes of guilt and memory, it's a relentlessly suspenseful read upending everything you think you know.

The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick

After escaping from a private sanitarium, Adelaide Blake arrives in Burning Cove, California, desperate to start over. Jake Truett is a recently widowed businessman in town for a therapeutic rest. But in Burning Cove, no one is who they seem. Adelaide and Jake are drawn into a murky world of duplicity and misdirection.

Save Me From Dangerous Men by S. A. Lelchuck

Nikki Griffin isn't your typical private investigator. In the office above her bookstore's shelves and stacks, she tracks men who hurt women. And Nikki likes to teach those men a lesson. Part Lisbeth Salander, part Jack Reacher, part Jessica Jones, this kickass character drives a gripping new series.

The Others by Sarah Blau

As soon as Sheila hears the news, she knows the police will be calling. Dina Kaminer—one of Israel's preeminent feminist scholars and Sheila's oldest friend—has been found murdered, the word "mother" carved into her forehead and a baby doll fixed to her hands. For Sheila, that word is a potent warning.

The Root of All Evil by Joylynn M. Jossel

Thirty-four-year-old single mom Klarke Taylor is desperate for a man who will solve her monetary problems. Reo Laroque is an eligible bachelor who only wants a virtuous woman to claim as his own. When Klarke gets him in her sights, he quickly becomes entangled in her twisted pursuit.

The Stowaway by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

After being outed as the lone juror who chose not to convict an accused serial killer, Maria Fontana and her family embark on a two-week cruise to get away from everything. When her fellow passengers start getting murdered in ways that eerily resemble that of the case, she faces a perilous ticking clock.

Bad Axe County by John Galligan

Dennis Lehane meets Megan Miranda in this series about Heidi Kick, the first woman sheriff in rural Bad Axe County. As she searches for a missing girl and battles local drug dealers, clues emerge about the death of her parents twenty years ago—all as a winter storm rages in her embattled community.

Kill All Your Darlings by David Bell

After years of struggling to write following the deaths of his wife and son, English professor Connor Nye publishes his first novel, a thriller about the murder of a young woman. There's just one problem: Connor didn't write the book. His missing student did. Oh what a tangled web we weave . . .

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones

Sisters Kate and Lauren meet for Sunday lunch every week without fail, especially after their father's death. But then a stranger appears with the results of a DNA test, claiming to be their half sister. As the fallout starts, it's clear that everyone has secrets, and it seems this family isn't as perfect as it appears.

Crisis by Felix Francis

Harrison Foster is a crisis manager for a London firm charged with looking into a stable fire that killed six very valuable horses. Adding to the mystery, human remains are also found in the ruins. All the stable staff are accounted for, so who is the mystery victim? Can Harry solve the riddle before he gets bumped off himself?

The Plotters by Kim Un-Su

This fantastical crime novel reads as if Haruki Murakami reimagined The Day of the Jackal. Set in an alternate Seoul, assassination guilds compete for dominance. In the shadows of every assassination, there is an anonymous mastermind—a plotter. But who are they? And more importantly, what do they want?

Hidden Sins by Selena Montgomery

Mara Reed has been running scams and living on the edge since she was eighteen. But now she's being hunted. Forensic anthropologist, Dr. Ethan Stuart is investigating a gruesome discovery. He needs Mara's help. She needs his protection. Together they could find forgiveness and salvation . . . if they survive.

The Other Americans by Laila Lalami

Late one spring night, Driss Guerraoui, a Moroccan immigrant living in California, is walking across a darkened intersection when he is killed by a speeding car. The repercussions of his death bring together a diverse cast of characters, each with a part to play in solving the murder.

The Drop by Dennis Lehane

Two days after Christmas, Bob Saginowski, a lonely bartender looking for a reason to live, rescues an abused pit bull puppy from a trash can and meets a damaged woman looking for something to believe in. As their relationship grows, they cross paths with a motley crue of desperate and dangerous characters.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon