A good crime or psychological thriller will keep the heart rate up, the pages turning and the reader engaged, meaning they can get some well-earned respite from the real world outside.
However, with this being one of the most sought-after genres, that does mean that the finding the perfect book or two can be difficult, particularly if you’re not clued up on specific authors. So, with that in mind, we've curated some of the best thrillers from some of the world's most renowned authors to buy online from Amazon and eBay.
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of thriller books available and understand how our ranking was determined.
Image | ![]() Gillian Flynn | ![]() Truman Capote | ![]() Justin Cronin | ![]() Stephen King | ![]() Brendan I. Koerner | ![]() Darby Kane | ![]() Fredrick Forsyth | ![]() Sheri Fink | ![]() William R Forstchen | ![]() Simone St James |
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Name | Gone Girl | In Cold Blood | The Passage | The Institute | The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking | Pretty Little Wife: A Novel | The Day of the Jackal: The Legendary Assassination Thriller | Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital | One Second After | The Sun Down Motel |
Features | A Great Place to Start From the Wonder Writer of Modern Thrillers | Full of Suspense and a Must-Read for True Crime Devotees | A Huge Book Toted as the Original Post-Apocolyptic Virus Thriller | A Recent Spooky Thriller From One of the World's Best-Selling Authors | A Fast-Flying Look Into the Plane Hijacking Events of the 60s | An Exceptional Debut for Fans of Nuanced Characters and Twists a-Plenty | A Classic Cat-and-Mouse Page Turner | A Thrilling Investigation Into Hurricane Katrina From a Pulitzer Prize Winner | A Novel That Takes a Very Real Look at Life Without Technology | Another Fine Release From an Author in a Rich Vein of Form |
Price | £5.99 | £8.19 | £7.89 | £7.37 | £7.70 | £9.34 | £7.37 | £16.86 | £7.76 | £11.36 |
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction | Non-fiction | Fiction | Fiction | Non-fiction | Fiction | Fiction | Non-fiction | Fiction | Fiction |
Sub-Genre | Psychological thriller | True crime | Epic, supernatural thriller | Supernatural thriller | True crime, biography | Psychological thriller | Epic thriller | True crime | Epic thriller | Supernatural thriller |
First Published | 2012 | 1966 | 2010 | 2019 | 2013 | 2020 | 1971 | 2009 | 2009 | 2020 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, audio CD, eBook | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook | Paperback, hardback, MP3 CD, eBook | Paperback, audiobook, audio CD, eBook | Paperback, hardcover, audiobook, eBook | Paperback, hardback, audio CD, eBook | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook |
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The first factor to consider is whether you’re looking to go for fiction or non-fiction. Luckily, both are just as enthralling, exciting and interesting. When it comes to this genre, it would be fair to say that fiction usually contains higher-stake outcomes and you’re much more likely to have things tied up at the end for you. The characters are also made to be empathised with and understood. After all, this is what keeps us engaged.
When it comes to non-fiction, none of this rings true. You’ll likely find books to have characters that you can’t understand or connect with. There’s also not always a solution, and the setting, while still enthralling, is generally on a much smaller scale – think local town murder rather than apocalyptic-espionage.
Another point worth mentioning is that non-fiction thrillers often cross genres, so they can be considered both investigative and true crime by different outlets. However, we believe as long as they read as fast-paced as your average thriller, then they belong in this genre too.
If you enjoy non-fiction thrillers, you'll like the titles from our true crime books!
The most popular sub-genre is easily psychological thrillers. The distinct features of this style are that the plot is usually more personal, or even more intimate. Furthermore, the hero is often considered a regular Joe, and the speed of the book reflects this – it begins by moving slowly as they get to grips with the event, then speeds up towards the end.
As with all thrillers, twists are key. But the focus of the story is more on the creepy and spooky, rather than the horrifying and sensational. For example, you can expect dread to arrive in subtle looks from characters, as opposed to multiple explosions or shoot-outs.
Epic thrillers (sometimes known as apocalyptic thrillers) are a different beast altogether. These novels will usually contain a threat or catastrophe that will affect whole cities, countries or even the planet. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean a total loss of human existence – something like the assassination of a leader is enough to shake things up.
More often than not, the antagonist will range from terrorist or diabolical businessmen to your ordinary person with an oversized grudge and a desire to cause hell. As for the protagonist, they’re usually a person who possesses particular skills to overcome this, such as a soldier, a spy, or a civilian with a unique skill set.
The supernatural sub-genre is somewhat an amalgamation of the two previously mentioned. What we mean by this is that the villain, either spiritual or psychological, poses an overwhelming threat to large populations in the long term, but during the novel, they’re focused on one or a few characters initially.
This thriller style can contain multiple different genres, from fantasy and horror to crime and psychological suspense. That said, one thing that runs through all of them is that the outcome will be a spooky, weird and often an unnerving read.
If you're still not sure where to start with thrillers, take a look at our favourite Halloween books
Another tough decision to be made is whether you should opt for a tried-and-true classic or something more modern. The former will have gained a well-respected reputation and is rightly less of a gamble. However, sometimes the language and content can feel a bit dated, especially to younger readers.
If you’re someone who likes to venture pastures new and keep your finger on the literary pulse, then you could look to sample a new author, maybe even a debut novel of a young writer. Of course, there is more risk here, but it's more likely that the characters, settings and themes will seem more relatable, often reflecting current events and culture.
Luckily, in our ranking, you’ll find thrillers that were published as early as the 60s alongside ones that were only released in the last year or two, so the choice is yours!
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
£5.99
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | Psychological thriller |
First Published | 2012 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook |
£8.19
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | True crime |
First Published | 1966 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, audio CD, eBook |
£7.89
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | Epic, supernatural thriller |
First Published | 2010 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook |
£7.37
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | Supernatural thriller |
First Published | 2019 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook |
£7.70
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | True crime, biography |
First Published | 2013 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, MP3 CD, eBook |
£9.34
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | Psychological thriller |
First Published | 2020 |
Formats | Paperback, audiobook, audio CD, eBook |
£7.37
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | Epic thriller |
First Published | 1971 |
Formats | Paperback, hardcover, audiobook, eBook |
£16.86
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Non-fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | True crime |
First Published | 2009 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, audio CD, eBook |
£7.76
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | Epic thriller |
First Published | 2009 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook |
£11.36
Fiction/Non-Fiction | Fiction |
---|---|
Sub-Genre | Supernatural thriller |
First Published | 2020 |
Formats | Paperback, hardback, audiobook, eBook |
Written and researched by Lewis Clark
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