2025 Staff Picks: Suspense and ThrillersLike this list

9 items

• The El

  Van Alst, Theodore C., 1965-

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  Marketing for this book has tended to emphasize how it follows the plot of "The Warriors," the cult action movie released the same year (1979) Van Alst’s novel takes place. I found it a lot closer to "The Outsiders," teenage boys for whom being in a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Compound

  a Novel

  Rawle, Aisling, 1998-

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  I'm fascinated by the social structures of reality TV, and I can tell Irish author Aisling Rawle is, too. On NPR she said her research for this novel was "watching Love Island during [COVID-19] lockdown," and it comes through in her claustrophobic,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Julie Chan Is Dead

  a Novel

  Zhang, Liann,

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  This book was such a wild ride from start to finish! Twins separated in childhood, one becoming a famous influencer using her impoverished sister for likes, and then an unexpected death, and Julie slipping into her famous sister's chaotic, not so…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• King of Ashes

  a Novel

  Cosby, S. A.,

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  A crematorium owner's three children each walk their own path of darkness in S.A. Cosby's latest neo-noir. Survival means accepting the logic of a world where human life is cheap, but has a cost. As usual, the author wears his influences--rom "The…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Family Inside

  Garner, Katie,

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  Katie Garner would probably be a good magician. Why? Because this modern-day gothic thriller shows that she can fool an audience. Forget plausibility and just enjoy the twisty ride as she reveals why it’s not a great idea to move in with a man you…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Ink Ribbon Red

  a Novel

  Pavesi, Alex,

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  This modern-day English country house mystery reads as if the author wrote several versions of his story and then randomly arranged the chapters into a kaleidoscope of differing times and viewpoints mixing “truth” and “fiction.” Often frustrated and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Kills Well With Others

  Raybourn, Deanna,

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  I had a blast being reunited with Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie in a follow up to "Killers of a Certain Age." This book is equally fun, hilarious, and completely delivers on a high-octane escapist adventure. I love how the past and present…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Havoc

  a Novel

  Bollen, Christopher, 1975-

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  An elderly woman living in an Egyptian hotel finds her settled life overturned when a precocious young boy moves in. What could be the premise for a cozy adventure is anything but in this tale of underhanded schemes and steeply escalating revenge.…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Rabbit Club

  a Novel

  Yates, Christopher J.,

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  In my endless quest for intelligent thrillers, I know I can rely on Christopher Yates. Set in Oxford, this story of a college year gone terribly wrong combines a twisty plot of academic intrigue with abundant literary allusions and sharp wit.…Read moreRead more of this annotation