Into the Water by Paula Hawkins & 16 More Popular Thriller Books

The Woman in the Window: A Novel by AJ Finn

If you love old movies, you will adore this book. It is a spin on Hitchcock’s Rear Window and features an agoraphobic narrator who is often unreliable.

Anna Fox lives alone in her house. She is agoraphobic and cannot leave, so she sits at her window and watches everyone in the neighborhood. 

When she sees something across the street, she is sure there has been a crime but, what is real and what is imagined? Amy Adams stars in the Netflix adaptation of this unreliable narrator book.

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

I could not put this story down when I first read it. It takes place in a suburban suburb of Philly and explores the vicious habits of the old money elite.

There are so many big reveals in this book but beware – there is a trigger-inducing rape scene in the story that is difficult to read. The author drew from her own experience when writing it so proceed with caution if that’s a trigger for you. The Netflix book adaptation stars Mila Kunis and was produced by Reese Witherspoon.

The Dinner by Herman Koch

Two couples, one family out for dinner- what can happen? The family has come together because they must help their children after a horrific act.  What follows is anything other than a fun family meal.

Did popular thriller book was recently adapted into a movie starring Richard Gere and Laura Linney.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

The OG psychological thriller, Rebecca is a book set in Cornwall that will leave you checking behind you when you walk down a dark hallway. As unreliable narrator books go, this one is a must-read.

The new Mrs. de Winter is haunted by her husband’s first wife, Rebecca.  The deceit will have you second-guessing everything you read while you yell at the pages.

One of the most acclaimed psychological thriller authors, this novel is Daphne Du Maurier at her best. It is a chilling novel about a naive second wife discovering the truth behind the wife who came before her.

The Netflix book adaptation stars Lily James – and it reignited this popular thriller book’s success. If you have not read this book, it is a perfect book for fall. We also needed to include it in our list of best mystery novels.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Everything that you think you know in this book is just an assumption. You can assume that you are wrong. I cannot say much about this book because I do not want to spoil anything but, it is such a perfect domestic thriller.

Warning: do not start it if you don’t have time to finish it. Nellie is so excited about her upcoming wedding that is just days away. She cannot shake the feeling that someone is following her. This unreliable narrator book will have you on the edge of your seat. This is one of our favorite popular thriller books!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

This popular thriller book has been a best seller on all the major book charts recently, so I was really excited to dive in when my library hold came through.

The premise sucked me in immediately – a woman murders her husband and then doesn’t say a word for 10 years.

Convinced he can help, a psychologist transfers to the facility where she is staying to try to get the real story behind the fateful night of the murder. When it comes to unreliable narrator books, this one is not to be missed and is one of the best mystery books of all time. But we also had to include this one in our list of best thriller books, it is heart-thumping.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Shortly after being burglarized, a travel journalist boards a small luxury cruise liner to cover its inaugural voyage. When she thinks she sees a passenger thrown overboard – but everyone is still accounted for – she has to decide if what she saw was real or only in her head.

This isolation book wasn’t as creepy as some of Ware’s others, but it still kept me on the edge of my seat. This unreliable narrator book is a perfect sailing novel as well. You just might want to wait until you are off the boat! If you love thriller novels, this books is a must-read.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

I love Lisa Jewell. As I read her books I find each one creepier than the last. This book starts with Libby’s 25th birthday when she inherits a multi-million dollar home. She knows that she was adopted at 10 months old but, she doesn’t know the truth about what happened to her family. She is shocked to find that the story that she was told is not what happened to her family.

25+ years ago Henry, his sister, and his parents are living a very privileged life. When he is 12 years old, things change when David moves into the house with his wife and kids with no plans to leave. He is charismatic and alluring to everyone except Henry. The story moves between past and present until the two stories come together and you finally understand what happened in the house all those years ago. I love listening to full cast audiobooks and this popular thriller book was no exception. If you love Lisa Jewell, check out our post: The Best Lisa Jewell Books Ranked: Complete List

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh 

This domestic thriller grabbed me, shook me, and then gently put me down.  I was given a ride and wasn’t sure what hit me.  This book had a few things that I was not expecting and I absolutely loved it. 

I should say that “the incident” is almost immediate.  This was important to me so that it would not be heart-wrenching.  I loved this British mystery book.

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

I did not see this ending coming. I was so freaked out that I finished this thriller in 2 days, maybe because I visited my own overnight camp while reading this summer camp book.

I just needed to know how it ended! Other people have told me they were shocked at the twists and turns too. It’s a truly excellent popular thriller and a perfect pick for lake books.

You can also find it on our list of books set at camp. And if you love to read Riley Sager, check out our post The Best Riley Sager Books Ranked by Super Fans.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

June 2020 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Real talk. I’ve just read THE thriller of summer 2020 and it’s soooooo good.⁣ A murder at a wedding. On an isolated island. In the middle of a power outage.⁣ Yaaaaaaaaas. ⁣This is an unputdownable thriller that is perfect for a list of books like People We Meet on Vacation.

The murder sets the scene and then we get the story in flashbacks without knowing who is murdered until the end. ⁣I’ve become very picky about thrillers recently and this one is hands down my favorite of the year so far.⁣ It also made our Best of 2020 list! If locked room mysteries are your thing, this is perfect for you as well.

Can you guess who is the killer in this pick from our list of the best British mystery books?

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman

June 2018 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Another former Reese Book Club pick, this thriller was a slow build with an explosive finish. When two newlyweds find something in the water on their honeymoon, the story picks up the pace and I couldn’t put it down.

I really loved how the heroine changes over the course of the book. It felt very realistic based on the circumstances.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

May 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

I raved about this book when I read it earlier this month! Well-chosen, Reese! The story of a stepmother and her daughter as they try to find the girl’s father after his abrupt departure. This is a powerful book about motherhood.

This mystery has so much heart as you see Hannah bond with and try to protect her new stepdaughter, Bailey. I did not see the ending of this book coming, but absolutely adored it. This is one of the mystery books that will keep you turning the page.

The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

December 2017 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

I read this popular thriller book because it was a Reese Witherspoon pick AND because I heard wonderful things about it. Unfortunately, I read The Wife Between Us back in January so I completely predicted what was going to happen in this book.

As with all thrillers, especially domestic thrillers, when the element of surprise is missing, it’s not as good a read. Still, I found this stalker book to be enjoyable if only because of the plotting of Amber Patterson. I adored being the head of the villian.