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.

Caught in a Web, One of the Year’s Best Conspiracy Thrillers

By

The Bottom Line: This important, nail-biting crime thriller about MS-13 sets the bar very high. One of the year’s best thrillers. When Milwaukee Detective Jamie Graff’s phone rings, he can tell by the early hour that he’s about to receive bad news. His hunch is right, as he hears that yet another kid has been found dead from an overdose of heroin and fentanyl. The […]

Caught in a Web, One of the Year’s Best Conspiracy Thrillers READ MORE >

It Ends With Her, a Satisfying Serial Killer Thriller by Brianna Labuskes

By

The Bottom Line: Redheaded readers may be looking for a dye job after finishing Brianna Labuskes’ new thriller. Troubled FBI special agent Clarke Sinclair knows that serial killer Simon Cross preys on redheads. She also knows that Cross likes to play mind games. The one he’s playing right now has taken Sinclair all over the United States. Sadly, no good deed goes unpunished. The moment Sinclair

It Ends With Her, a Satisfying Serial Killer Thriller by Brianna Labuskes READ MORE >

The Escape Artist, a Truly Magical Crime Thriller by D.B. Cooper

By

The Bottom Line: Hands down, Brad Meltzer’s best novel. Whether in his novels or in his short-lived TV show, Decoded, Brad Meltzer has always favored using historical events as the basis for implausible but entertaining conspiracy thrillers. In The Escape Artist, Meltzer demonstrates that he can also invent a truly magnificent character that, in virtually all ways, is better than the real-life characters he often

The Escape Artist, a Truly Magical Crime Thriller by D.B. Cooper READ MORE >

DEADSPEAK, a Standout Serial Killer Novel by Ruth Bainbridge

By

The Bottom Line: A standout serial killer novel tailor-made for fans of Alice Sebold and Tana French. The aptly-named DEADSPEAK begins with testimony from 13-year-old Griff Lindon: “I don’t even know where or what I am anymore. I just sit in this perpetual darkness, wondering if I’ll ever be me again.” Griff’s questions are soon answered, as the murdered teenager witnesses the discovery of her

DEADSPEAK, a Standout Serial Killer Novel by Ruth Bainbridge READ MORE >

Longreave, a Mesmerizing Horror Novel by Daniel Barnett

By

The Bottom Line: Horror fans will find a treasure trove of supernatural surprises in Daniel Barnett’s Longreave. Set in a hotel called Longreave, situated in the fictional Atlantic seaboard town of Manxfield, author Daniel Barnett delivers plenty of creepy ambiance, especially when he introduces Mark Currier, a man who is picking up the pieces after a failed marriage. Mark isn’t unfamiliar with the hotel. His

Longreave, a Mesmerizing Horror Novel by Daniel Barnett READ MORE >

Restitution, One of the Year’s Best Thrillers

By

The Bottom Line: One of the year’s best thrillers. Rose Edmunds proves that her Crazy Amy series is only getting better with each installment. Has a long-lost Picasso really resurfaced in Prague? That’s the hope of 84-year-old London resident George Smithies, whose father, a gallery owner, was allegedly tortured and killed by the Nazis in 1939. Having avoided his homeland since his escape to England

Restitution, One of the Year’s Best Thrillers READ MORE >

Force of Impact, an Addictive Crime Thriller by Bryan Cassiday

By

The Bottom Line: A potent shot of contemporary LA Noir that will have readers hooked from page one. Fans of Dennis Lehane and James Ellroy will love Force of Impact. When LA horror novelist Bart Dillinger’s girlfriend doesn’t return home to the condo they share, he calls one of her friends to see if she’s seen her. The awkward call doesn’t produce any leads, so

Force of Impact, an Addictive Crime Thriller by Bryan Cassiday READ MORE >

The Big Guy, a Superb Prison Thriller by Jason Palmer

By

The Bottom Line: This gritty, masterfully crafted thriller about one man’s quest to survive incarceration is a worthy addition to the canon of great prison novels. Seamax prison inmate Percy Croft has kept his nose clean while serving nearly four years of a five-year sentence. He’s got a cushy job in the prison’s furniture factory, and he’s a massive, hulking figure that commands respect from

The Big Guy, a Superb Prison Thriller by Jason Palmer READ MORE >

A Different Kind of Fire & Fury: Revenge, by Julie Reichwein

By

The Bottom Line: A timely, high-octane revenge thriller for the #metoo era. Julie Reichwein’s new thriller is a raw revenge fantasy where fiction meets the real-world fight to stop sexual assault. The story begins as Detective Michelle Velasquez is assigned to two cases, the first of which is the rape of financial company intern Maria Acevedo. The second is a 30-year-old murder case involving her

A Different Kind of Fire & Fury: Revenge, by Julie Reichwein READ MORE >

The Greatest Good, an Explosive Police Procedural by Craig Hooper

By

The Bottom Line: An explosive police procedural with an endearing hero at its core. Readers will be longing for another Craig Hooper novel. Shamed federal agent Garrison Chase is dealing with some first day on the job jitters. After facing legal issues because of his somewhat unorthodox collection of assault weapons, Chase just landed a new gig as the governor’s son’s bodyguard. Things escalate quickly,

The Greatest Good, an Explosive Police Procedural by Craig Hooper READ MORE >

Scroll to Top