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.

Best psychological thriller of 2022 - ashes in venice

Ashes in Venice, The Year’s Best Psychological Thriller

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The Bottom Line: Unpredictable, brilliantly crafted and deliriously unhinged, we can’t get enough of Ashes in Venice, and you won’t either. Gojan Nikolich’s Ashes in Venice is many things, among them revenge thriller, police procedural and darkly comic commentary on the state of criminal justice. The novel begins with a murder scene strongly reminiscent of Dexter. Based on the precision with which he dispenses his […]

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Our Book of the Year is Girl Missing by Kate Gable

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The Bottom Line: Kate Gable’s ingeniously crafted Girl Missing is the BestThrillers.com Book of the Year and deserves a spot at the very top of your reading list. When her 13-year-old sister vanishes on her way back from a friend’s house, Detective Kaitlyn Carr must confront demons from her own past in order to bring her sister home. The small mountain town of Big Bear Lake

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The Ambulance Chaser, The Year’s Best Legal Thriller

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The Bottom Line: The year’s best legal thriller (Winner, The BestThrillers.com Book Awards). A must-read legal thriller about murder, memory and personal consequences. Highly recommended. In personal injury attorney Jason Feldman, author Brian Cuban has created one of the more compelling characters to grace the legal thriller genre in recent memory. In a frenetic first chapter that hooks readers for good, Feldman is hit with a

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Blaze In, Blaze Out – The Year’s Best Crime Thriller

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The Bottom Line: The year’s best crime thriller (Winner, The BestThrillers.com Book Awards). A superb crime drama simmering with suspense and deep character studies en route to an explosive finale. Joseph Lewis’ latest novel tells the story of two lawmen who find themselves hunted by killers loyal to an Ukranian kingpin. The book opens in Chicago’s Cook County Criminal Court, as a jury finds Dmitry Andruko

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Trust, a Delicious New Whodunnit by Lee Chappel

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The Bottom Line: A delicious whodunnit that establishes Lee Chappel’s style as both instantly recognizable and irresistible. You might have guessed that the title of Lee Chappel’s second thriller, Trust, is ironic. But only the most clever readers will guess who the killer is before Chappel’s detective, Ben Keeler, figures it out.  Trust tells the story of Beth Sullivan, who engages in what can only

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The Other Side, a Charming and Absorbing Mystery by A.J. McCarthy

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The Bottom Line: A murder mystery that is as charming as it is absorbing. Perfect for fans of Nancy Atherton and Patricia Cornwall. Thirty-eight-year-old Canadian pub owner Charlie – who inherited the pub she worked in as a teenager – is feeling the need for change. A catalyst for change comes in the form of loyal customer Craig Reeve, arrives in the pub after a

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Knot of Fear, a Highly Recommended Psychological Thriller by Bryan Cassiday

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The Bottom Line: This psychological thriller about organized crime in the metaverse is a smashing success. Highly recommended for both new and longtime Scott Brody fans.   “Being married to the boss can have side effects,” says Ivy Kingston, whose husband owns a metaverse platform called Rabbit World. The “side effects” Ivy speaks of include getting violently assaulted and raped in the virtual world, where her

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Bad Fortune, a Triumphant New Malcolm Winters Mystery

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The Bottom Line: A slow-burn, cerebral mystery that methodically builds stakes and suspense en route to a shocking climax.  Thomas J. Thorson’s highly anticipated fourth Malcolm Winters Mystery (the first, Heirs Apparent, was one our 2020 Best of the Year picks) continues the story of Malcolm Winters, who is now living as an English professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. As he did in

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High Crimes, a Fast-Paced Comedic Thriller by Montana Kane

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The Bottom Line: A fast-paced comedic thriller that is both big-hearted and easy to love. Thanks to Montana Kane’s highly memorable voice and vision, Boomville, Colorado may be the new Fargo, Minnesota.  After being wounded in the line of duty, Detective Brandy Martini leaves crime-ridden Chicago for Colorado. But her dream to earn a comfortable living as a private investigator in a peaceful mountain town

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The Fragment Murder, a Sexy Conspiracy Thriller by Andrew Bonar

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The Bottom Line: A sexy conspiracy thriller with jaw-dropping twists that will have readers anxiously awaiting the next series installment.  The sequel to Andrew Bonar’s Back Bay Murders continues the story of amorous crimefighting duo Drew Law and Ashley Tinder, as well as “the Organization.” As the book opens, Drew has just been the focus of a 60 Minutes segment, making him the country’s most

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