Crime Thriller Books

The best crime thriller book reviews. “Crime thriller” is a catch-all term for thriller subgenres that feature a struggle for dominance between criminals and law enforcement, such as mafia thriller, police procedural, detective fiction, true crime, serial killer fiction and others.

Sabotage, a Mesmerizing Crime Thriller by Dave McKeon

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The Bottom Line: A mesmerizing crime thriller that is alternatingly charming, savage and cinematic. Recommended for fans of C.J. Box and Craig Johnson.   When former Canadian commando Lou Gault and his wife inherited the charming fly-in sporting lodge Havre de Poisson, they took on more than just a speculator wilderness destination. They also inherited a legacy. The lodge and surrounding forty-five square miles was a gift […]

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Justice for Emerson, a Deeply Engrossing Murder Mystery by Karen E. Osborne

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The Bottom Line: Five stars for this deeply engrossing, serious-as-a-heart-attack murder mystery that has profound things to say about social justice, loyalty and the human condition.  Karen E. Osborne’s chilling new novel opens at the headquarters of a local not-for-profit organization 45 minutes North of New York City. If you’re the kind of reader who warns characters about the dangers of dark basements, prepare to get started

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The Crisis, an Endearing Action Comedy Thriller by T.O. Paine

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The Bottom Line: A clever action comedy that manages to be both quirky and endearing while packing a sneaky emotional punch. The Crisis opens on a Monday, as Florida Pay-N-Save convenience store workers Mattie and Calvin survive an armed robbery. But during the incident, Mattie notes that something seems off with the criminal couple – a muscled man and a young girl with a number tattooed on her leg. On their way

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Incident at Devil’s Finger, an Unmissable Crime Thriller by Larry Witham

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The Bottom Line: A wonderfully weird crime, spectacular landscapes and big-time character development make Incident at Devil’s Finger unmissable.  The third book in Larry Witham’s art-crime series opens in visually spectacular Sedona, Arizona. Having somehow secured a permit to perform a stunt among the iconic red rocks, performance artist Magnifica plans to jump from a helicopter and parachute through the Red Rock Pinnacle monuments – all in

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The Silk Road Affair, a Highly Recommended Heist Thriller by Larry Witham

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The Bottom Line: This high-stakes, meticulously researched international art heist caper is pure gold.  Larry Witham’s art crime expert Julian Peale is back on the case in an engrossing tale with significant geopolitical consequences. The novel opens in Vienna, as a Swiss art agent fronting a company called Silk Road Company purchases 26 paintings – including works by Degas and Monet – from a local

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The Tangled Mane, a Compelling Cozy Murder Mystery by Charlie Tyler

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The Bottom Line: Cozy murder intrigue at its finest. Charlie Tyler has a winner in series-worthy PI Cally Simmonds.  Set in an English suburb, we first meet 32-year-old private investigator Cally Simmonds as she’s trying to locate a missing crate of vintage champagne. Having been hired to work undercover at a local hotel to ascertain whether the staff have been stealing, she soon finds far more than she bargained

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The Haunted Artist, a Fascinating Art-Crime Mystery by Larry Witham

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The Bottom Line: The Haunted Artist is a taut, refreshing and fascinating work of detective fiction you can easily finish on a coast-to-coast flight.  The fourth installment of the Julian Peale Art-Crime Mystery series begins with a small town funeral for 28-year-old Sam Mason. Regarded as a rising young star in the art world, Sam had apparently sold enough paintings to pay off his mothers’ mortgage. His

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At the risk

At the Risk of Recovery, a Futuristic Psychological Thriller by Finn Adair Morgan

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The Bottom Line: A futuristic psychological thriller that will keep readers guessing and gripped until the very end. At the Risk of Recovery opens with a startling confession from a serial killer. The letter, written in the 24th century by Adrian Darrow, and addressed to his local police department, describes some of the names of the victims as well as grisly details about their death. In

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Treasure Coast, an Engrossing Crime Thriller by James Foley

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The Bottom Line: An engrossing, character-driven crime thriller that thoughtfully explores grief, atonement and post-loss romance alongside gritty police work. Recommended for Karin Slaughter fans.  Miami senior homicide investigator Lisa Owens became a police officer as a direct response to the unsolved shooting death of her fiance, Scott Diaz. Was Scott, a congressional aide, gunned down for political reasons? When a D.C. cop invites Lisa

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Dirty Deeds, a Clever Murder Mystery by Deborah Shlian and Linda Reid

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The Bottom Line: A cleverly-constructed murder mystery with a one-of-a-kind heroine at its core. The fourth book in the Sammy Greene series opens in New York City, as smug real estate tycoon Vince Garibaldi is lured into a midnight hour meeting. After handing over a thumb drive and denying accusations of being a snitch, he’s summarily bludgeoned to death, belted into his Porsche, and sunk

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