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.

Don’t Fear, My Darling is Impossible to Put Down

By

The Bottom Line: A wonderfully claustrophobic murder mystery with a razor-sharp amateur sleuth. As long as there have been artists, there have been long-suffering personal assistants. But author Laura Stewart Schmidt, author of the deftly-written Until Proven Innocent, manages to deliver plenty of surprises in Don’t Fear, My Darling. In 1987, twenty-two-year-old Louisa Berry is desperate for a job, leading her to apply for a […]

Don’t Fear, My Darling is Impossible to Put Down READ MORE >

The Bedwetter: Journal of a Budding Psychopath, a Highly Recommended Thriller by Lee Allen Howard

By

The Bottom Line: Original, audacious and raw. A truly dark treat for fans of the serial killer genre.  Russell Pisarek, the budding killer at the heart of The Bedwetter, is truly in a class of his own. Should Lee Allen Howard’s The Bedwetter be adapted for TV, the money line in the series trailer will surely be, “I could care less about skinning this cat. That’s kid

The Bedwetter: Journal of a Budding Psychopath, a Highly Recommended Thriller by Lee Allen Howard READ MORE >

Desperate Paths, a First-Rate Crime Thriller by E.C. Diskin

By

The Bottom Line: A masterfully crafted murder mystery that spins a small town’s dark secrets about family, faith and racial tensions into pure gold. Within a week of returning to her hometown to care for her father, struggling actress Brooklyn Anderson finds herself at the epicenter of two brutal crimes. Just hours before her arrival, an unknown assailant shoots A-list actor and Eden native Darius

Desperate Paths, a First-Rate Crime Thriller by E.C. Diskin READ MORE >

The Madhouse, One of the Year’s Best Thrillers, by Lawrence Matrick M.D.

By

The Bottom Line: A gritty tour-de-force medical thriller that showcases both the wonders and horror of 20th-century medicine. One of the year’s best thrillers. The Madhouse is the story of New Orleans native Alex Gage, who struggles out of poverty to become not only a respected psychiatrist, but also an aspiring reformist. The story begins in the deep south as Alex is born with a

The Madhouse, One of the Year’s Best Thrillers, by Lawrence Matrick M.D. READ MORE >

Neon Prey, a Page-Turner by John Sandford

By

The Bottom Line: While short on mystery, Neon Prey nevertheless delivers an edge-of-your-seat manhunt for a serial killer that should be compelling enough for most fans. Neon Prey is John Sandford’s 29th novel featuring longtime detective Lucas Davenport, he of blue eyes, permanent tan and Democratic-leaning politics. Clayton Deese looks like a small-time criminal, muscle for hire when his loan shark boss needs to teach someone a

Neon Prey, a Page-Turner by John Sandford READ MORE >

The Tale Teller, a Gripping Crime Thriller by Anne Hillerman

By

The Bottom Line: An exemplary and emotionally resonant police procedural set in Navajo country. We couldn’t put it down. With her latest book, Anne Hillerman weaves a riveting tale of crime, superstition and tradition. Retired Navajo police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn finds himself knee-deep in a perplexing case involving a priceless artifact—a reminder of a dark time in Navajo history. Joe’s been hired to find a

The Tale Teller, a Gripping Crime Thriller by Anne Hillerman READ MORE >

A Fox in the Fold, a Fun-Loving Crime Thriller by T.K. Ambers

By

The Bottom Line: T.K. Ambers is a fresh, fun voice in the mystery genre, and her sophomore effort is a must-read for fans of the Runway Dreams series. Count us among fans hoping that T.K. Ambers would return the cast of her addictive mystery Runway Dreams for a sequel, and we’re delighted to find that our wish has been granted. Picking up right where Runway Dreams left off, siblings Bernie, Alex, Bell

A Fox in the Fold, a Fun-Loving Crime Thriller by T.K. Ambers READ MORE >

Cold Betrayal, an Explosive Crime Thriller by A.J. McCarthy

By

The Bottom Line: A simmering crime thriller with an explosive payoff. As Cold Betrayal opens on a wintry day in the Quebec wilderness, 29-year-old Florida native Tori Anderson finds herself at death’s door. After surviving a car crash, a dog attack and a plunge into an icy lake, she is rescued by a seemingly benevolent ice fisherman named Ben. While it’s quickly apparent that she

Cold Betrayal, an Explosive Crime Thriller by A.J. McCarthy READ MORE >

The Coroner, a Near-Perfect Beach Read by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

By

The Bottom Line: First-time novelist Jennifer Graeser Dornbush is one of the most exciting new voices in the crime thriller genre. Emily Hartford wasn’t exactly your typical small-town teenager. In high school, she not only hung out with her Dad a lot, but she did so in the morgue, where he worked as a medical examiner. The experience was the genesis of her surgical career,

The Coroner, a Near-Perfect Beach Read by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush READ MORE >

Hometown Boys, a White-Knuckled Thriller by Mary Maddox

By

The Bottom Line: Don’t miss this white-knuckled thriller from the dark princess of suspense. After the grisly murder of her aunt and uncle, 40-year-old Kelly Durrell returns to her hometown in rural Illinois. Soon, her grief is compounded by another shock – local authorities have arrested Kelly’s ex-boyfriend, a local junkie named Troy, and accepted his confession. His stated motive? Revenge. Kelly broke his heart

Hometown Boys, a White-Knuckled Thriller by Mary Maddox READ MORE >

Scroll to Top