If your ideal reading scenario involves disappearing into a story that pulls you in from page one and refuses to let go, then this year’s crop of crime and thriller releases delivers exactly that. Established heavyweights (John Grisham, Dan Brown) returned with fresh twists on their signature worlds, while newer names brought sharp, surprising mysteries that feel impossible to set aside.
From psychological tension to slick noir, from propulsive police work to clever cosy whodunnits, these books prove the genre is thriving as ever.
The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer
A rare sea bird egg found in 1926 reshapes a young girl’s future, then resurfaces a century later when Patrick Fort discovers his friend bound and robbed and the egg missing. This unique mystery is built to be devoured.
Bantam, £16.99
Clown Town by Mick Herron
The ninth Slough House novel is a terrific mix of satire, politics and page-turning pacing, as the past returns armed and ready to disrupt everything first desk Diana Taverner thinks she controls.
John Murray, £22
A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder by Louise Candlish
When an immaculate new neighbour moves in, retiree Gwen finds herself forming an unlikely friendship – only for it to unravel against a shocking crime that shakes the entire community. Candlish is an expert at taut, character-driven thrillers.
HQ, £16.99
The Day of the Roaring by Nina Bhadreshwar; Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon; Boleyn Traitor by Philippa GregoryThe Day of the Roaring by Nina Bhadreshwar
After a headteacher’s body is found in his abandoned school, Detective Inspector Diana Walker confronts a maze of secrets in Sheffield. This richly rewarding crime novel digs far deeper than the usual police procedural.
Hemlock Press, £16.99
Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon
This Depression-era noir is a typically wild, genre-mashing ride from one of America’s greatest literary minds. It follows private eye Hicks McTaggart as he moves through swing halls, espionage and looming danger.
Jonathan Cape, £22
Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory
Gregory shifts the Tudor lens to Jane Boleyn, capturing the perilous dance of court politics, hushed alliances and the constant threat of a king whose affection can kill. Gregory remains the reigning queen of unputdownable historical fiction.
HarperCollins, £25
Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson; The Death of Us by Abigail Dean; All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah HarmanKill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson
This ingenious mystery told in reverse opens with a wife killing her husband, before taking the reader backwards through their history – deliciously dropping clues about the dangerous secret binding the couple. An adaptation starring Julia Roberts is already in the works.
Faber, £18.99
The Death of Us by Abigail Dean
In this layered and unsettling story, a couple’s world is turned upside on a catastrophic night when a stranger enters their home. The perfectly honed writing proves why Dean is revered by the likes of Stephen King.
Hemlock Press, £16.99
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman
When a schoolboy disappears, the life of our single mother narrator is complicated by the fact that not only does she dislike the missing child, but her own quiet son was the last to see him. A funny, addictive mystery already heading for the small screen.
Fourth Estate, £16.99
Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown; Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan; The Widow by John GrishamSecret of Secrets by Dan Brown
Robert Langdon’s return after eight years finds him racing through Prague’s occult corners to find a missing woman and expose a conspiracy of global consequence. A classic Brown crowd-pleaser both in pace and puzzle-driven action.
Bantam, £25
Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan
Khan reimagines Bond’s Q as a wry, engaging investigator in this fresh take backed by the Ian Fleming estate. The result is a charming crime novel with plenty of promise of the series to come.
Zaffre, £20
The Widow by John Grisham
When lawyer Simon’s wealthy new client ends up in hospital, her carefully crafted story begins to collapse. Grisham spins a typically twist-heavy tale of money, lies and the cost of believing the wrong person.
Hodder & Stoughton, £22
A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant
Long after she emigrated from Jamaica in the 60s, Miss Hortense has settled into a quiet, retired life in Birmingham. Until an unidentified man is found murdered, that is, and she steps into sleuthing mode.
Baskerville, £16.99
What the Night Brings by Mark Billingham
Detective Tom Thorne returns as he confronts the targeted killings of four fellow officers. Billingham delivers another tense, emotionally charged investigation that can also be read as a standalone.
Sphere, £22
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