“Starts with a bang and never slows down—a very superior high-stakes thriller.”
—Lee Child
#1 New York Times bestselling author
When a bombing at 10 Downing Street wounds the Prime Minister and tests Great Britain's resolve, American ex-cop Adam
The Best Thriller Novels of All Time
Whether you're into suspense or thrills, you're likely to have heard of at least one of the best thriller novels of all time. From a lurid murder mystery to a psychological horror film, there are plenty of choices to keep you entertained. But how do you decide which novels are best?
The Girl With the
dragon tattoo
If you've read the book, you know the basic story of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". The movie is a retelling of the original novel, which was published in Sweden in 2005. It is a thriller.
Stieg Larsson, the author of the books, lived in Sweden. His partner wanted to get the rights to his work. He complied and was able to get a publisher. After publishing his books, Larsson was a leading expert on Nazi organizations and antidemocratic right-wing extremists.
L.A. Confidential
LA Confidential is a neo-noir thriller set in Los Angeles in the 1950s. It tells the story of three police officers investigating murders in Hollywood. This film is based on the novel of the same name by James Ellroy.
The plot focuses on a group of corrupt police officers in Los Angeles. The main characters are detectives Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), Bud White (Russell Crowe), and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey).
In LA Confidential, the three detectives team up against a syndicate that controls the Hollywood heroin business. They investigate the "Bloody Christmas" incident in 1951. It was the first time in the history of the LAPD that a police officer was convicted of committing an act of violence.
The Virgin Suicides
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides is a novel about five sisters who kill themselves over the course of one year. It's a tale of unfulfilled love and unresolved grief.
Unlike many thrillers, it's also a story about family dysfunction and mental illness. What's more, it's a novel about the limits of male gaze.
One of the best things about this novel is its evocative writing. It's written in a tangentiary style that evokes emotions of youth, paired with dark humor.
The Second
Mrs. de Winter
There are a lot of good thriller novels out there, but The Second Mrs. is one of the best. This Gothic romance is full of mystery, romance, and suspense.
Its title comes from the name of the second wife of Maxim de Winter, a slick and recently widowed millionaire. She was a tad more than just an attractive face.
The novel was adapted into a film version, with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine in the lead. They each did an admirable job, although Olivier's fiery rage is sometimes over the top.
The wife Between us
Luckily, the best thriller novels don't need to be swashbuckling epics. The Wife Between Us is one of those.
The book isn't exactly light on content, but it is a lot of fun to read. It is a surprisingly good marriage of romance, suspense, and comedy. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a better family in a novel.
This is one of the best thrillers I've ever read. The characters have it all. They've got a house, an adorable son, and a great relationship. Yet, they're suspected in a very scary crime next door.
Robert Langdon's
Race against Time
One of the most highly anticipated thriller novels of all time is Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. It is the latest bestseller in the Robert Langdon series. This novel features an intricate quest through history and a race against time.
In this book, Dan Brown introduces a fictional character called Robert Langdon, who is an erudite Harvard symbologist. He is also a cryptologist and a world-renowned expert in religious symbolism.
Langdon is tasked with finding out the meaning of an apocalyptic time-bomb planted by an ancient secret society. As he and a female companion are on the run from the law, he must stay one step ahead of Captain Bezu Fache's lawmen.
Misery
Misery is a novel about a famed author named Paul Sheldon. While there is a lot of booze and debauchery involved, it is actually a pretty good read. It is one of the most intriguing crime thrillers to hit the shelves in recent memory. In fact, it is so good that it was a major contender in the Manhunter awards. Despite a less than stellar movie adaptation, the book stands as a worthy addition to the bibliophile's shelves.
Lisbeth Salander
One of the greatest protagonists of modern fiction is Lisbeth Salander. Throughout her career, she has appeared in several films and been the star of countless novels. However, it is her debut novel, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which has launched her to global fame. Read on for a brief introduction to this remarkable heroine.
Lisbeth Salander is the central character in the Millennium series, written by Swedish author Stieg Larsson. She has gone on to become a pop culture icon. After a successful debut, Larsson wrote several more sequels that continued the adventure of Lisbeth Salander. These books have sold tens of millions of copies around the world.
