Unmissable new thriller books of 2026, vouched for by the experts

Why read this: This new novel from bestselling author Alice Feeney is a dark, clever read built around the ultimate domestic deception. Artist Eden Fox returns to her new home, Spyglass, from a run, to find her key doesn’t fit, and a woman who looks eerily like her answering the door. Worse, her husband insists this stranger is his wife. . .

If you’re looking for: Marriage thriller, coastal setting, doppelgängers, obsession, dual timelines.

Great for fans of: None of this is True by Lisa Jewell, The Guilty Couple by C.L. Taylor, The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas.

What the experts think: ‘My Husband’s Wife is propulsive, compulsive, addictive and everything else you could possibly want a psychological thriller to be. I read it in under a day, breathlessly, with wide eyes’ – Lisa Jewell. ‘The best Feeney book yet!’ – Freida McFadden, author of The Housemaid.

Why read this: Following the success of The Lamplighters, Emma Stonex returns with a taut, emotionally charged thriller set in January 1989. Birdie has waited eighteen long years for this moment: the man who killed her sister is out of prison. With a gun in her bag and vengeance on her mind, she sets off for London. But as she closes in, secrets from the past begin to surface . . .

If you're looking for: 1980s thriller, historical crime, revenge plot, family secrets, emotionally charged, gripping, unreliable narrator, literary thriller.

Great for fans of: Emma Stonex’s The Lamplighters, Claire Fuller’s Unsettled Ground and Tana French’s The Hunter.

What the experts think: ‘A remarkable novel - heart-wrenching, unflinching and deeply compassionate . . . thrilling, and incredibly moving. If you loved The Lamplighters, I guarantee you’ll love The Sunshine Man too.’ ー Emylia Hall, author of The Shell House Detectives series

Why read this: Time travel becomes a luxury industry, and murder follows close behind. Ellery Lloyd combines speculative thriller, psychological suspense and sharp social satire in a story where the past can be bought – and weaponised. When filmmaker Phoebe Hunt documents a controversial tech billionaire’s commercial time-travel venture, a routine assignment turns catastrophic when travellers return bloodied, traumatised and missing one passenger. The missing woman has a personal connection to Phoebe, and the deeper she digs, the more timelines, motives and old grudges begin to collide. 

If you're looking for: Time travel, psychological suspense, alternate timelines, conspiracy.

Great for fans of: Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister.

What the experts say: ‘A brilliantly clever tale about time travel gone wrong’ – Clare Leslie Hall. ‘Absolutely thrilling. Mind bending and totally immersive’ – John Marrs

Why read this: This razor-sharp, creepy thriller will leave you constantly questioning what is real, as a woman discovers her life has been depicted in the pages of a bestselling novel. Ten years ago, ambitious and driven Hope landed a job with bohemian author Ambrose Glencourt, which ended in a fatal disaster. Hope has worked hard to keep the secret of those events ever since. But now, Ambrose has written a novel based on the story which paints a rather different version of events from what Hope remembers. Which one of them is the reliable narrator? This new novel from Araminta Hall is sure to be huge in 2026.

If you’re looking for: Books about books, feminist thriller, dark secrets, toxic relationships, revenge.

Great for fans of: Alice Feeney, Lisa Jewell.

What the experts think: 'Clever, sharp, and simmers with a perfectly contained rage' – Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal. ‘One of the most daring and intriguing writers working today’ – Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl.

Why read this: Instant Sunday Times bestseller Beautiful Ugly is a gripping and deliciously dark new thriller about marriage, and revenge. When Grady Green finds his wife’s car by a cliff edge, the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there . . . but she is nowhere to be seen. A year later, still in the depths of grief and on a trip to a remote island in search of a fresh start, he sees the impossible: a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife. Prepare for a tense, atmospheric read with a chilling twist.

If you’re looking for: A dark thriller, psychological suspense, revenge, unreliable narrator, atmospheric thriller, missing person mystery, remote setting suspense, identity thriller.

Great for fans of: Lisa Jewell's None of This Is True, C.L. Taylor's The Guilty Couple, Claire Douglas's The Wrong Sister.

What the experts think: 'I was consumed by this book, it's her best ever, a work of genius' – Lisa Jewell, author of None of This is True. ‘Her best book yet’ – Harlan Coben. 

Why read this: Her earpiece has been hacked. She’s live on air in the middle of the interview. They tell her they have kidnapped her family. In Deadline, the new debut thriller from award-winning broadcaster and journalist Steph McGovern, a high-stakes, nightmare scenario turns a TV reporter's dream opportunity into a terrifying hostage situation. This must-read thriller masterfully builds suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat.

If you’re looking for: A high-concept thriller, real-time suspense, psychological duress, forced choices.

Great for fans of: Harlan Coben's I Will Find You, Kill For Me Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh.

What the experts think: ‘A pacy, witty, engaging thriller, entertaining and delightfully authentic, but hard-hitting and thought-provoking too. I can't wait for you all to read it.’ ー Ann Cleeves, author of the bestselling Vera Stanhope and Shetland crime series

Why read this: A dead judge. A defendant who refuses to speak. And a case that may be unwinnable by design. When junior barrister Leila Reynolds is thrust into a high-profile murder trial, she is chosen by the accused for reasons she does not understand. As the courtroom battle intensifies, Leila must persuade a jury without testimony, evidence that won’t cooperate, and while concealing secrets of her own. Every argument cuts both ways, and the truth threatens to dismantle everything she is trying to protect.

If you're looking for: Courtroom drama, unreliable narratives, legal strategy, hidden pasts, psychological tension, British crime.

Great for fans of: Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce, The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, Apple Tree Yard.

What the experts say: 'So gripping, so clever, so good. This brilliant book had me hooked from the beginning' – Alice Feeney, author of Beautiful Ugly.

Why read this: The Cut Throat Trial is the first legal thriller from the million-copy bestselling Secret Barrister, writing as S. J. Fleet. From an author with incomparable insider’s knowledge, this page-turner follows a trial billed as the ‘biggest of the year’, as three seventeen-year-old boys are accused of the brutal murder of an elderly teacher on New Year's Eve. Each boy denies it. Each points the finger at the other two. But they can’t all be innocent.

If you're looking for: Twists you won’t see coming, legal thriller, courtroom drama.

Great for fans of: The Secret Barrister, Mick Herron’s The Secret Hours, Sarah Vaughan’s Anatomy of a Scandal, C. J. Tudor’s The Chalk Man.

What the experts think: 'Astute, empathetic, and satisfyingly twisty' ー Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal and Reputation

Why read this: Retirement is supposed to slow Detective Inspector Roberta Steel down. Instead, it drops her into one last descent through Aberdeen’s chaos, corruption and violence. Stuart MacBride returns with a darkly comic procedural packed with brutality, political tension and razor-edged humour. As Steel prepares to leave the force behind, a body discovered in a wheelie bin pulls her into a spiralling investigation involving extremist politics, government interference and old loyalties that refuse to stay buried. 

If you're looking for: Police corruption, dark humour, Scottish crime, political unrest.

Great for fans of: Ian Rankin, Val McDermid.

Why read this: A remote island. Buried remains. A detective forced back towards the past he tried to escape. Lin Anderson launches a new Tartan-noir series with an atmospheric police procedural rooted in family history and island tension. When the bodies of a young mother and child are uncovered during construction work on Orkney’s Isle of Hoy, DI Erling Flett returns to the community he once abandoned. As he investigates long-hidden violence and bitter local feuds, the case becomes inseparable from his own history.

If you're looking for: Police procedural, island communities, Scottish crime, atmospheric mystery.

Great for fans of: Val McDermid and Elly Griffiths.

What the experts say: 'The sense of place is strong and the plot is as intriguing as ever . . . Lin Anderson has worked her particular magic once more' – Alexander McCall Smith, author of the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series

Why read this: A storm exposes a body. The past refuses to stay buried. When a childhood friend is found murdered with a Neolithic stone, Detective Jimmy Perez is forced into a case that cuts close to home. Now living in Orkney, Perez must navigate a tight-knit island community where history, myth and loyalty blur into suspicion. As secrets surface, the investigation threatens not only to uncover a killer, but to fracture the fragile life Perez has rebuilt.

If you're looking for: Island crime, detective fiction, atmospheric setting, buried secrets, community tension, archaeology and myth

Great for fans of: Val McDermid, Peter May's Lewis Trilogy.

What the experts think: 'Ann Cleeves’ restless love of landscape and story brings us a bold and dramatic high stakes return for Jimmy Perez.' – Val McDermid, bestselling author of Past Lying.

Why read this: Queen of Outback noir Jane Harper returns with a haunting, slow-burn mystery set in a dying Australian town. When Sam Crowley disappears on the night of his twenty-first birthday, the only clue is a set of footprints leading into – and out of – three abandoned houses. Five years later, his mother Ro comes back, determined to uncover the truth in a community hollowed out by suspicion and loss. With Harper’s signature atmospheric style and emotional depth, this is as much about grief and fractured lives as it is about solving the mystery.

If you’re looking for: Crime fiction, Outback noir, small-town mystery.

Great for fans of: The Dry by Jane Harper, Val McDermid, Ann Cleeves, Chris Whitaker.

What the experts say: ‘This is a slow-burn of a novel, claustrophobic and compelling’ – Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland series. ‘Jane Harper delivers unbearable tension every time.’ – Val McDermid, author of 1989.

Why read this: In the latest installment of the bestselling Grace series – now a major ITV show starring John Simm – DSI Roy Grace is back and unexpectedly visiting Buckingham Palace. . . A royal train derails. Minutes later, a trusted aide is killed by a sniper. Despite all the evidence, Roy Grace is not convinced The Queen was the intended target. But he finds himself alone in his suspicions. As pressure mounts from both the police and the Palace, Grace pursues a theory no one else believes, uncovering a conspiracy that risks public catastrophe and his own life.

If you're looking for: police procedural, Royal intrigue, detective thriller, suspenseful investigation, plot twists, major TV series.

What the experts think: 'What a fool I've been not to have read Peter James until The Hawk Is Dead!' – James Patterson.

Why read this: This is the follow up to Nash Falls, which introduced a new protagonist and series from internationally bestselling author David Baldacci. Revenge reshapes a man into something colder, sharper, and far more dangerous. Walter Nash has already lost everything; now he is closing in on the woman who destroyed his life. As an FBI informant targeting a global criminal empire, Nash must infiltrate the inner circle of Victoria Steers, the leader of a global criminal enterprise, who trusts almost no one. But proximity breeds complication, and what Nash uncovers forces a reckoning that could undo him entirely.

If you’re looking for: Undercover operations, revenge narrative, criminal organisations, revenge mission, transformation, high-stakes justice.

Great for fans of: Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, Michael Connelly.

What the experts think: ‘Baldacci is the master’ – Jeffrey Archer.

Why read this: Eighty-four miles of whitewater. No route back. Noelle W. Ihli delivers a survival thriller that traps its characters deep in the wilderness and refuses to loosen its grip. Kaia joins a remote rafting expedition shadowed by the infamous Camas Creek murders, where a guide slaughtered rafters seven years earlier. When supplies vanish, rafts overturn and panic spreads through the group, the similarities become impossible to ignore. Ihli uses the isolation of the river to create relentless pressure, blending action-thriller momentum with claustrophobic psychological suspense. Brutal, fast-moving and deeply atmospheric, this is wilderness noir at full speed.

If you're looking for: Survival, wilderness suspense, isolation, group paranoia.

What the experts say: 'A propulsive story that haunts and mesmerizes' – Karin Slaughter, author of Pretty Girls.

Why read this: Stephen Leather, the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Spider Shepherd series, raises the bar with a distinctive new protagonist: Andy ‘Deadman’ Bird, a former SAS hero now battling the harsh streets of London after a catastrophic mission stripped him of his hearing, career, and marriage. When Andy witnesses a chilling alleyway murder, he becomes the next target for trained killers and corrupt police alike. Desperate and cornered, Andy reaches out to his former brothers-in-arms, a team who owe him their lives. 

If you’re looking for: SAS skills, London underworld, organised crime, high-octane action.

Great for fans of: Lee Child and James Patterson.

Why read this: If you're looking for a suspenseful thriller with a clever twist, Famous by bestselling author Blake Crouch is a must-read. It tells the story of Lance, a man who has been mistaken for the Oscar-winning movie star, James Jansen, twenty-eight times. After losing his job, Lance decides to pursue his dream of becoming his famous lookalike. Part comedy, part human tragedy, and part suspense, the world through the eyes of Lancelot Blue Dunkquist is like none you’ve ever seen . . .

If you're looking for: psychological thriller, books about obsession, darkly funny, unique premise, slow burn.

Great for fans of: Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

What the experts think: 'Blake Crouch has invented his own brand of page-turner – fearlessly genre-bending, consistently surprising, and determined to explode the boundaries of what a thriller can be' ー Karin Slaughter, author of Pretty Girls

Why read this: A compelling and terrifying road trip gone wrong. When a couple make a wrong turn and stop to help a stranded family on a deserted road, they quickly realize their mistake and find themselves in unimaginable danger. A masterclass in building tension and dread in a confined, isolated setting.

If you're looking for: unexpected danger, psychological tension, isolated setting.

What the experts think: 'One Wrong Turn had me gripped from the off. It’s the kind of thriller you can’t put down, full of deftly executed twists and turns and so satisfying. Highly recommended!' – Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

Why read this: A marriage lasts four hours. The consequences last twelve years. Rosie Walsh turns a lost-love mystery into a devastating thriller about obsession, betrayal and the danger of reopening the past. Carrie believed her first husband died after a violent abduction during their honeymoon in Thailand. More than a decade later, she discovers he is alive, living under a new identity and hiding secrets that could destroy the life she has rebuilt. As Carrie searches for answers, Walsh layers emotional fallout, domestic tension and mounting suspense into a story that moves between heartbreak and revelation with unsettling precision. Perfect for readers who want emotional depth alongside gasp-inducing twists.

If you're looking for: Emotional thrillers, grief, family secrets, psychological tension, edge-of-your-seat love stories.

Great for fans of: Alice Feeney, Lisa Jewell, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall.

What the experts say: ‘This love story is part thriller, part tearjerker - you'll never see the twists coming’ – Beth O’Leary, author of The Flatshare.

Why read this: Tense and atmospheric, if you love a thriller that carefully weaves multiple mysteries together, A Beautiful Family is a must-read. Ten-year-old Alix is left to her own devices during a summer holiday as her parents become unusually distracted. When she meets a new friend, they decide to investigate a local mystery: a girl who vanished two years earlier. But when their search soon uncovers secrets they wish they’d left alone.

If you're looking for: Family secrets, atmospheric, disappearance, mystery.

Great for fans of: Miranda Cowley Heller’s The Paper Palace, Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, and The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey.

What the experts think: 'I absolutely loved this page-turning family mystery and didn’t want it to end. The author so effortlessly transported me to another place and time, and every character leapt off the page. An extraordinary, exquisitely written debut.' ー Liane Moriarty, bestselling author of Nine Perfect Strangers and Big Little Lies.

Why read this: In this dark new dystopian thriller, as the world’s population is soaring and economic crisis unfolds, more and more people can no longer afford to start families. The story follows a reality TV series which offers people the chance to raise a virtual child from birth to the age of eighteen, in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child – or risk it all for the chance of a real baby . . .

If you're looking for: High-concept, speculative thriller, dystopian thriller, social commentary, reality TV suspense, speculative fiction, ethical dilemmas.

What the experts think: 'John Marrs is not to be missed' – Freida McFadden, bestselling author of The Housemaid. 'Few writers do domestic suspense meets dystopia better than John Marrs' – Lucy Foley, bestselling author of The Hunting Party.

Why read this: A compelling story of two toxic best friends, betrayal, and the echoes of the past. As Ruth cares for Murial while her health deteriorates, Murial makes the shocking announcement that she will die in exactly 72 hours. Over the days that follow, their shared history unravels, proving that even the closest bonds can hide dangerous secrets. Ideal for those who enjoy character-driven domestic thrillers with a focus on long-held secrets.

If you're looking for: friendship thriller, past secrets, character-driven suspense, hidden past.

Great for fans of: Joanna Cannon, Charlotte Levin and Jennie Godfrey.

What the experts think: ‘I couldn’t get enough of this beautifully written, dark, twisted and often funny novel about a toxic friendship. It’s quirky and different in the best possible way and I loved it!’ ー Charlotte Levin, author of If I Can't Have You

Why read this: Darling Girls is a compelling domestic thriller with darkly comic timing and cunning plot twists. Three foster sisters are forced to confront their traumatic past when a body is discovered under their childhood home, and questions arise as to whether they are innocent victims . . . or prime suspects. Sally Hepworth excels at unraveling family secrets and shifting loyalties, making this an unputdownable page-turner about trust and betrayal.

If you're looking for: domestic thriller, family secrets, foster family, murder mystery, dark humour.

Great for fans of: Liane Moriarty, Laura Dave, Celeste Ng and Mary Kubica.

What the experts think: 'Completely compulsive.' ー Jane Harper, author of Exiles

Why read this: Some of Us Are Liars is the latest thriller from bestselling author and award-winning former journalist, Fiona Cummins. When a devastating tragedy strikes at a glamorous beachside wedding party, Jen Miller's world is shattered. With her family in pieces, she must confront an unthinkable question: can she ever forgive? A brilliant but tormented young detective, Saul Anguish, is brought in to investigate, but what he uncovers is a shocking secret that a close-knit family has tried to keep buried for years. 

If you're looking for: Gripping domestic thriller, family secrets & lies.

Great for fans of: The Heights by Louise Candlish.

What the experts think: ‘Gets under your skin and goes where other writers do not dare’ – Helen Fields, author of Perfect Remains

Why read this: The Spies of Hartlake Hall delivers a tense, twisty mystery with an intriguing premise. In London, 1917, when a body is found in a locked room in a secretive Admiralty organization, intelligence agent Patrick Gallagher must investigate. To avoid raising further suspicion, Gallagher invites those involved to his family’s home at Hartlake Hall for questioning, but over the coming days, the body count escalates as a ruthless killer continues to pull the strings from the shadows.

If you're looking for: high-stakes mystery, historical crime novel, whodunnit, locked-room mystery, spy story, WW1 thriller.

Great for fans of: Agatha Christie, Tom Hindle's The Murder Game and Murder on Lake Garda.

Why read this: a twisty historical thriller that will transport you to London, 1749, The Art of a Lie follows Hannah Cole's as her world is shattered following her husband’s brutal murder. With her confectionary shop teetering on the brink of ruin, Hannah uncovers a fortune her husband was hiding, but soon finds herself entangled in a new nightmare . . . 

If you're looking for: Historical thriller, Georgian period setting, dark secrets, twists.

Great for fans of: Mrs England by Stacey Halls, The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal.

What the experts think: ‘Astonishing. A rare and wonderful story’ – Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colours of the Dark. ‘Fiendishly clever and completely gripping’ – Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things.

Why read this: Crimefighting cat Conrad and his retired detective owner Lulu are back for another charming cosy crime adventure. When the pair stumble across a chilling news report about a trail of bodies found across the city that echo a string of cold case murders from Lulu’s past in London, the duo must use their unique skills to solve the mystery. Ideal for those who enjoy lighter, character-driven mysteries with a unique, witty premise.

If you're looking for: Cosy crime, talking animals, murder mysteries, retired detective, unique premise.

Great for fans of: Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club and S. J. Bennett.

What the experts think: 'Conrad is a delight' ー S. J. Bennett, author of The Queen Who Came in from the Cold. 'Charming and original' ー Anthony Horowitz, author of Close to Death.

Why read this:  This whip-smart and hilarious new novel will transport you to the gorgeous Amalfi Coast, as a mystery novelist becomes the real-life chief investigator during her book tour when her ex-boyfriend is murdered. With a cast of suspects including literary rivals, a crazed stalker, and another ex-flame, this cosy thriller is a must-read for anyone who loves a clever "whodunnit."

If you're looking for: Cosy murder mystery, funny thriller, escapism, holiday setting, unexpected twist, amateur sleuth.

Great for fans of: The White Lotus.

What the experts think: ‘With her snappy dialogue and hilarious footnotes, novelist Eleanor Dash is the perfect imperfect heroine to guide you on this madcap Italian odyssey, an Aperol Spritz in hand. I felt like I was on holiday. But with murder. I couldn't stop reading’ ー Jessa Maxwell, author of The Golden Spoon.

Why read this: The second in the series, The Antique Hunter's: Death on the Red Sea is a new cosy crime read, perfect for fans of the Antiques Roadshow. When a painting vanishes and a body is found, antique hunters Freya and her Aunt Carole investigate. Their search leads them aboard a glamorous cruise, but in chasing a murderer with a stolen painting, they may have found something more sinister than they could’ve imagined . . .

If you're looking for: Cosy crime, amateur sleuth.

Great for fans of: Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club, Ian Moore’s Death and Croissants

What the experts think: ‘The perfect modern cosy. Great characters, great story and you're always eager for the next one.’ ー Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants.