Thriller novels are my absolute favourite genre of book.
OK, except Harry Potter. Which I know isn’t a genre, but it is an exception.
The only thing I don’t like about a good thriller is that if I’m reading it in my regular life (you know, when work, chores, cooking, blogging etc. get in the way) it’s a stop-start experience, and sometimes I’m left hanging for days at a pivotal moment, which I’m certain is a kind of torture.
So there’s just nothing better than having a long-haul flight ahead of you, followed by days by the pool when you can dedicate a chunk of time to tearing through a thriller, without the distress of having to put it down.
If you’re looking for a gripping thriller novel to read on your next holiday, check out my favourites, which are all suspenseful, page-turning and, of course, thrilling.
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
I know I’ve recommended this one before but it’s always surprising to me how few people have actually read it.
Gillian Flynn’s second novel is one of my favourite books of all time – I can’t remember how many times I’ve read it, because every time I pick up my Kindle to read something new I see this title staring at me and I can’t help but start it again.
It’s beautifully written, with descriptions that pop off the page, like this one that always impresses me:
“Her red hair was shot with white, wiry threads, and she was unattractively thin, all bumps and points, like she’d swallowed a shelf’s worth of hardware: hammers and mothballs and a few old bottles.”
There’s mystery aplenty in Dark Places. I’m a difficult reader to fool and I was kept guessing right until the very end. You won’t fall in love with the characters, but you’re not meant to, either. What you will love is the suspense and the constant twists and turns that’ll trick you into believing you’ve got the plot all worked out.
Note: there’s a film version of Dark Places starring Charlize Theron but it’s a terrible adaptation and I really don’t recommend it.
You’ll love this if you liked these thriller novels: Gone Girl, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson
Another book I’ve talked about previously, Before I Go To Sleep is a proper psychological thriller that’ll have your skin crawling in no time.
It’s about a woman with amnesia, which is the perfect creepy set-up thanks to the vulnerability the main character Christine is faced with every morning when she wakes up.
As Christine works out how to remember more and more about her life and the accident that led to her memory loss, you’ll suspect everyone and question everything about the characters that S J Watson created in his debut novel.
Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth star in the film adaptation of Before I Go To Sleep, and although it’s not as good as the book (when is the film ever as good as the book?!), it’s well worth a watch – but maybe not just before you go to sleep…
You’ll love this if you liked these thriller novels: The Girl on the Train, Room
Nathan’s Run by John Gilstrap
This was one of the first thriller novels I ever read, which is part of the reason why I have such a soft spot for it.
But the other reason is much more compelling. Although I haven’t read Nathan’s Run in years, it’s a story that has stuck with me since I first picked it up as a kid, and every now and again I still find myself thinking about the story or characters. Considering I read it almost twenty years ago, that’s pretty impressive.
Nathan’s Run follows 12-year-old Nathan Bailey, who has escaped from a Juvenile Detention Centre and is now on the run from the law – and a hitman who’s out to get him.
One of the things that makes this book so compelling is that you can’t help but get behind the character of Nathan, even when you don’t know just how dangerous he might be.
You’ll love this if you liked these thriller novels: The Lovely Bones, To Kill a Mockingbird
The Missing by Jane Casey
I just turned the last page in this book, which I absolutely had to include in this list after I devoured it within a day.
The Missing is about Sarah Finch, and we hear her story from her point of view at two different times: as a child, when her older brother Charlie goes missing, and then again as a twenty-something woman who happens to stumble upon the body of a missing young girl.
You know from the start that the two stories must be related, but right until the end you’re drip-fed clues at the same time as the police discover more about the case of the missing girl.
It’s suspenseful, and although it can be a little unbelievable at times it’s a fun read with a few good twists to keep you guessing.
You’ll love this if you liked these thriller novels: Between You and Me, Tell No One
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
This one was a bit of a slow burner, in that I found it a little frustrating while I was reading it thanks to a fairly slow pace, but once I’d put it down I realised just how much I’d enjoyed it.
The Husband’s Secret centres around the stories of three women. The first discovers a note from her husband in the attic that was only meant to be read if he had died. The second is dealing with a cheating husband and the third is a grandmother whose daughter had died many years ago.
Unsurprisingly, all three stories intersect after a slow but suspenseful build-up, and we finally learn The Husband’s Secret, which leads to many more questions.
As far as thriller novels go, this one is slightly more on the chick-lit end of the scale, but Liane Moriarty’s mystery is an easy and enjoyable poolside read that’ll keep you guessing along the way.
You’ll love this if you liked these thriller novels: The Widow, Apple Tree Yard
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I love thrillers! I need some good reads for upcoming travels, so I’ll have to check these out!
Ah, yay! Always a pleasure to meet a fellow thriller fan. Let me know what you think of these. And do pass on any recommendations of your own, I’d love to hear your faves!