25 Best Mystery Books That Will Keep You Guessing

Beginning with Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl is only fair, as it still is the most memorable mystery thriller ever written. Flynn has truly crafted a master tale, where stereotypes are subverted, expectations are thrashed with each page, and the complexities of human relationships are put forth. Without giving any spoilers, the book entails a captivating story of a couple, and their changing relationship, where no stones are left unturned to get revenge. It is a story of manipulation, narcissism, and ugly love. This book was turned into a movie, and surprisingly, the screenplay, direction, and acting were very true to the book, and even won the Critics Choice Movie Best Adapataion, and we always love us some Ben Affleck.

Author: Gillian Flynn

Published In: 2012

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5

Why We Love It: Tones of grey morality highlighted in a thrilling plot. 

LBB Tip: When you've had enough time to recover from the journey that is this book, we recommend you pick up Sharp Objects as well.

Agatha Christie is always an unskippable mention when it comes to the genre of mystery. Her books are honestly the perfect travel books and have given us two of the most popular detective figures in the genre of detective and mystery fiction, i.e. Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. All of her books are great mystery reads, with special mention to The Orient Express. But And Then There Were None takes the crown because of how it deals with complex issues of humanity and morality, where the meaning of justice and fairness change with each chapter. The story revolves around nine people who are killed one after the other, and before it's all over, they have to band together and find out who is behind all of it. The historical context of the book is World War ll and a very fine critique of the moralities of that time.

Author: Agatha Christie

Published In: 1939

Goodreads Rating: 4.2/5

Why We Love It: The narration is third person and gives an omniscient view of the plot. 

Lisa Jewell is an upcoming name in the thriller verse. Her writing takes the cake for being crisp, to the point but also not compromising on the thriller factor. This book is a recent release by Lisa and follows a very interesting plot. Imagine meeting someone who was born on the same day as you, in the same hospital at the same time! If this coincidence is not chilly enough, Lisa thickens the plot with a podcast where both of the women share their life story but one of them is lying and slowly alters the life of the other. We thought we saw it coming but no, we were not ready for the twist in the end, that quite literally changes the meaning of the entire novel in the last line. Don't be discouraged by the number of pages, the story is so good you will be gorging it page to page in one sitting. 

Author: Lisa Jewell 

Published In: 2023

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5

Why We Love It: Fast paced, written from dual perspectives. 

LBB Tip: If you are looking for a gore thriller, pick up her book The Family Upstairs and you will not be disappointed! 

Considered to be among the finest American fiction ever written, James M Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice is a crime novel in its truest fashion. The plot covers the saga of a wife and her lover as they plan to kill her husband to escape their socioeconomic difficulties, but things get all the more interesting when their clear attempt fails. The judiciary and the advocacy of the state get involved, revealing a layer of lies, false confessions, blackmailing, and a murder.

Author: James M Cain

Published In: 1934

Goodreads Rating: 3.7/5

Why We Love It: We love ourselves some murky morality with murder, duh. 

Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is such a pleasurable read, totally worth the backaches you get after sitting in the wrong positions for long hours (cc: personal experience). The whole book goes so quickly, with excellent characters, nuanced themes, and a whole lot of myth and history unravelled. The plot revolves around the murder in the Louvre museum and Robert Langdon attempting to solve the mystery around it. If you love folklore, symbolism, and history, with a well-knitted plot, this one is highly highly recommended.

Author: Dan Brown

Published In: 2003

Goodreads Rating: 3.9/5

Why We Love It: Mythology mixed with that secret society vibe? Yes. 

A travel van. Eight hours. Six friends. One sniper on the prowl to crack a secret that one of the friends' is hiding. This book had me break out a sweat and count the beats of my heart with every chapter. There are multiple twists sprinkled across the book and the writer is so generous with the descriptions, you would almost feel like you are in the RV with the characters with a sniper gun pointed at you. Quite underrated, this book by Holly Jackson is a must read if you want a thriller that deals with relationships, deceit, friendship and the kind of love that would take a bullet for you (quite literally here). 

Author: Holly Jackson

Published In: 2022

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Why We Love It: Thriller that made us sob. 

LBB Tip: If she sounds familiar, she is the bestelling author of A Good Girls' Guide To Murder and we know it is adapted to screens, but read her masterful writing by grapping a copy of this thriller trilogy. 

Not gonna lie, this book is NOT the preachy, self help vibe that its title gives. Freida McFadden's writing are known to be fast paced and whenever the reading slump gets to me, I lean on her novels to fish me out. This book in particular, made it to my 'best thriller' list so quick, hinging on its psychological plot, simple characters and a twist you wouldn't see coming even if you wanted to. Tricia and Ethan are newly married, after 6 months of dating (talk about speed) and are looking at houses to settle in. They come across a huge mansion isolated and cut off from the rest of society (your typical setting for a murder) but what really sets this apart is that the mansion belonged to a dead therapist who recorded her patients' sessions. Tricia starts listening to the tapes and presto, the clues to the dead therapist's murder are hidden in them. Does she find the killer? Or does the killer find her first? 

Author: Freida McFadden 

Published In: 2022

Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Why We Love It: Fast paced, brought me out of a reading slump.  

Penned by Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies is a New York Times Bestseller, and a recipient of the Davitt Award as well. It's a beautiful novel, encapsulating a number of themes such as lust, repressed love, childhood trauma, manipulation, domestic abuse, and the strength of female friendship. The beginning establishes a seemingly perfect world, but as you move from page to page, the images are broken down, the motives and traumas are relived, and there is an exceptional end, with a tense legal battle between a mother and wife. The book was also adapted to a show, produced by Reese Witherspoon, and stars Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep, and is a great watch as well.

Author: Liane Moriarty 

Published In: 2014

Goodreads Rating: 4.3/5

Why We Love It: Touches on topics of trauma, abuse and moving on, tied with the beauty of girlhood shouldering each other. 

LBB Tip: If you are looking for a travel thriller read set in an airplane, you should give her 'There One Moment' a try. 

This thriller is a world of its own. Torre takes us through the mind of the killer and psychoanalyses their motives, you would almost get out of this book understanding the psychology of crime. The story follows a suspected serial killer behind bars. Dr.Gwen Moore, a psychologist and Robert, a defense attorney believe that an innocent man is arrested and they join hands to find the real serial killer. We almost guessed the ending but if you are looking for a thriller that can also make you say 'Ah, couple goals,' then you are in for a surprise! 

Author: A. R. Torre

Published In: 2021

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5

Why We Love It: Helps you think like a killer, seriously. 

Another well-regarded novel that intersects the genres of mystery, drama, crime, and psychology, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo skilfully covers the disappearance of Harriet Vanger, and the truth behind it. The narrative weaves an extraordinary tale of deception, corruption, and unfathomable frauds and lies, that take the reader on an adrenaline journey. You won't be able to resist turning the page and finding out more, and the backdrop of the novel is truly exceptional, with each scene coming alive and playing itself in front of your eyes.

Author: Stieg Larsson

Published In: 2005

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5

Why We Love It: It is a well-woven tale that transports us so swiftly to rural Sweden. 

LBB Tip: This is the first book of the Millenium series by the same author. The other two include, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. 

I cannot stress enough about how many times I missed my station home because I was glued to this book. Alice Feeney is my holy grail when it comes to thrillers but this book is twisted in a way that makes you stare at the wall for hours after you finish it. The plot setup may not be unique- a couple (who wants to reignite the spark in their marriage) venture on a getaway that is ruined by a snow storm and they are stuck in a house without network. But that's where the predictability ends. Feeney mixes her plot with dual narration where you are introduced to events from both the past and present, twisting in a way that would make you want to shush the world and cage yourself until you finish the book, cover to cover. 

Author: Alice Feeney

Published In: 2021

Goodreads Rating: 3.9/5

Why We Love It: Best novel to get inducted to the world of thrillers.

Co-written by a duo, Amber and Danielle Brown, Someone Had To Do It is a fast-paced thriller that draws out a world that confers to the realist movement of literature. While being a spellbinding read, it also covers very pertinent themes of modern-day America, critically engaging with themes like racism, exploitation, and a world of lies and hypocrisy. The setting of the plot is the nitty-gritty of the fashion industry, bringing forth its dark side, and is perfectly-regarded by admirers as the 'ultimate popcorn read.'

Author: Danielle and Amber Brown

Published In: 2022

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5

Why We Love It: Dual perspectives touching on topics of racism, entitlement, and murder.

An excellent mystery that questions and critically analyses the institution of society, the novel takes place inside a mental institution, where the mystery of an escaped patient lies. A U.S. Marshall, along with his partner is called to investigate, and the revelation in the end will have you jumping. It covers all the bases of mystery, where everything that's on the surface is a facade, and the duality of motives is truly haunting.

Author: Dennis Lehane

Published In: 2003

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5

Why We Love It: The plot is a journey that takes us through grief, trauma and the human mind. 

When I first picked this book up, I was skeptical. It is a high school story about six kids in a detention and one of them suspiciously dies, leaving the remaining five as suspects. Pretty easy to guess, right? Wrong. This novel made me revisit my high school days in the deepest way possible, making me analyse the student I was and the students I was surrounded by. 

If you, like us, believed that the basis of a good thriller is having enough twists that will keep you on your toes, you should allow this book to change that for you. It is not a traditional thriller of sorts but the story is so crisply written that you will fall in love with the author at the end of it. The story explores themes of friendship, romance, addiction and mental health issues: quite progressive for a thriller to spread its wings so wide but we love it! 

Author: Karen M. McManus

Published In: 2017

Goodreads Rating: 3.9/5

Why We Love It: Versatile themes covered apart from the mini twists here and there. 

Pro Tip: This book is first among four. The book has also been adapted to a series, but we sincerely hope you pick the book first. Not convinced? Here's a guide to booktok books that have been adapted to screens, so you can judge for yourself. 

If ever you have asked your significant other the question, "will you kill for me?," this book would be super relatable to you. The Call revolves around one phone call where the wife calls the husband late at night because she has accidentally killed someone. That's where begins a cycle of deceit, reconciliation and what some may say, gore scenes of blood splattering and buildings crackling to dust. Don't worry, we are going to let you take this journey of gore and thrill without spoilers. But yes, spoiler alert: it is so fast paced you will not be putting it down anytime soon. 

Author: P.D. Viner

Published In: 2022

Goodreads Rating: 3.5/5

Why We Love It: Fast paced, short and crisp, one-sitting read. 

LBB Tip: If you dig the 'kill your lover or kill for your lover' vibe, you would love his book The Choice. 

There are very few of us who don't have 'get a glow up and visit our school reunion' on our to-do list. This book follows the plot of Jessica Miller who returns to the school that has not so successfully moved on from the murder of her classmate. As the night unravels, we see the characters peel off layer after layer, and to be honest, I found myself mirrored in so many of them. As the twist reveals itself, you would think you would hate the villain but makes you realise that villains aren't all that bad. 

Author: Ashley Winstead

Published In: 2021

Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5

Why We Love It: The kind of dark academia we all secretly relate with. 

One thing you must do before you get into this book is keep an open mind. The book uses religion as its centre force and builds a plot around it. The plot is simple: it is based on the 1999 Columbine school shooting that has been hugely misinterpreted by the media and people around for their own selfish intentions. We love that this book is not just restricted to the shooting or religion but as the chapters go by, you would fall in love with the writer's way of expressing what each of the characters felt. If you are looking to get into some novel writing as well, this book alone will teach you how to sow emotions in your words. 

Author: Kody Keplinger

Published In: 2018

Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5

Why We Love It: One word answer? Chapter 6. Need more? The book is interspersed with letters written by the characters and has tones of romance and mystery. 

There are very few thriller books that I have come across in my reading spree that have touched me to my soul to the extent where I wish to erase my memory just to re-read the book. And this thriller tops that list. Keigo Higashino is a maestro when it comes to writing books that transport you to Japan and places you in a setting that reflects their culture. The plot, much like his writing, is simple: a single mother commits an accidental murder of her ex husband and her neighbour helps her cover it up. We love how the novel involves a lot of retracing and attention to detail that makes us sweat and plow through. The ending had us in tears but is so wholesome, you would be recommending it to everyone. 

Author: Keigo Higashino

Published In: 2005

Goodreads Rating: 4.2/5

Why We Love It: Simple writing that transports you to Japan and back. Also, good for learning how to hide bodies. 

Pro Tip: Talking of novels you would recommend to everyone, here are 26 you must not miss reading, across genres. 

A psychological thriller, this one is a 'seemingly simple but not at all simple' novel, Alex Michaelides's debut. The plot of the story is fairly primitive as it covers interactions between a woman and a therapist after the woman killed her husband. There are major revelations that greatly challenge the conventional notions about health, and will definitely keep you over the edge, with a great 'never saw it coming' plot twist.

Author: Alex Michaelides

Published In: 2019

Goodreads Rating: 4.2/5

Why We Love It: Fast paced, so twisty you will spend nights rethinking the ending. 

If you have always wanted a science fiction novel that makes your mind race with a concept you wish you would have thought of, then this book must be on your TBR. Dark Matter is a novel where Jason, a physicist is abducted to an alternate universe and he has to get back to his family from the original universe before his alternate self takes over. This book follows the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics and will keep you reeling till the end. If you are hesitant and feel the book would throw concepts beyond grasp, rest assured as the writer has woven the universe in a simple way that also explains the concept and leaves you with an aftertaste. 

Author: Blake Crouch

Published In: 2016

Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5

Why We Love It: Science and fiction interspersed into one tightly knit plot. 

This book came to us via TikTok, and we are so glad that it did. A story about loss, love, yearning, coming of age, and a murder, but its true enchantment lies in the court scene that is so well done, and we can surely bet on your gasps. The narrative is about a 'Marsh girl' who is excluded from the village but things start changing when she gets involved with a star player, who is found dead one day. As the author is a zoologist herself, the science bit of the plants, animals, and atmosphere in tangent to the metaphors of Kya's life are just too perfect to describe, making it a truly joyous read.

Author: Delia Owens

Published In: 2018

Goodreads Rating: 4.3/5

Why We Love It: Transports us to Kya's marsh and keeps us enchanted there. 

We will be very honest, the twist was kind of predictable but if you are just getting started into thrillers (and don't obsessively chart out each character as you read), then the twist will definitely keep you entertained. The story follows Nora who attends a bachelorette party in, obviously, a dark, dark wood. Things escalate and the writer's shift between the past and present keeps you glued. The twist might feel underwhelming but we thoroughly enjoyed the read.  Also, the underlying themes of despair and grief are knit in appropriate amounts to deliver a gasp or two as you read. 

Author: Ruth Ware

Published In: 2015

Goodreads Rating: 3.7/5

Why We Love It: The past and present coalesce well in the author's narration. 

This book will get you saying, "wow, gross" but also keep you thoroughly hooked. The plot is unhinged- imagine your kid is kidnapped and the only way to get them back is you kidnap someone else's kid and keep the chain going! The story takes a gross turn chapter after chapter and you are left clutching your heart as the book climaxes. Also, we absolutely adore the tangible insights the book gives and the aftertaste of guilt, horror and dilemma it leaves us with. Are you on team kidnap or team don't kidnap? You will find out. 

Author: Adrian Mckinty

Published In: 2019

Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5

Why We Love It: Real insights to kidnap anyone without getting caught. 

The Maid is a recent popular YA novel that takes the cake for being one of those rare thrillers that also makes you chuckle. The narration is so wittily done, no wonder people keep recommending this in every corner. It is a feel good thriller that can easily take you out of a reading slump with its quirky lines and short chapters. Molly, a maid, walks in on a rich man's dead body in his room and because of her quirky behaviour, she quickly becomes the prime suspect. But Molly knows more than she is letting on and the climax is so nicely done, you would not be fishing for holes to prove it wrong. 

Author: Nita Prose

Published In: 2022

Goodreads Rating: 3.8/5

Why We Love It: Simple writing for anyone looking to begin their thriller reading journey. 

If you are one of those who has lived in with roommates or have always wanted to experience that world, this book will easily discourage you from doing it. The story follows four roommates, all battling their own baggage, completely different from one another until one of them goes missing. Whether you are finishing university or just want to recall those days, this book is a read you will happily recommend for being a thriller that makes it easy to reminisce. The plot is neatly done and the twist is super good and will keep you guessing. 

Author: Rachel Sargeant

Published In: 2019

Goodreads Rating: 3.2/5

Why We Love It: Writing out four different people with four different lives, the author ensures you get to live all four of their universes.