I frequently go through phases: disposable cameras, Spotify audio dramas, and black coffee, to name a few. In 2020, I spent a few months reading almost exclusively mysteries and psychological thrillers. Though I consume the genre less frequently now, it remains a favorite.
Today, I’m expanding beyond my four Goodreads friends to bring you a review of five of my favorite thrillers I read during that phase, ranging from middle-school YA to NYT bestsellers, as well as two I didn’t love.
- Gone Girl — Gillian Flynn
The definitive plot-twist novel of the decade.
Gillian Flynn’s breakout hit renders in gritty detail the deterioration of a marriage alongside the escalation of a murder investigation. The two situations are eventually revealed to be inextricably connected, albeit in a way entirely different from anything the reader anticipates.
Set against a restless post-recession America, the story is centered around the disappearance of the titular Amy Dunne and her marriage to Nick Dunne, opening on the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary.
Masterfully plotted, the novel’s impact lies in Flynn’s ability to deftly manipulate the reader. The unreliable narration is an especially potent source of tension: on one side is Nick, whose secrets and repressed anger make him difficult to trust, and on the other Amy, initially accessible to the reader only through bubbly diary entries that have all the makings of a perfect victim but hint at subsurface shadows.
The arrival of the pivotal plot twist is devastating, upending everything we believe to be true and launching a propulsive second half. Flynn never shies away from the brutal; the story is made real by vivid, sometimes viscerally so, details, from a bankrupt Midwestern mall to bruised skin in a roadside motel to the misogynistic litany Nick’s father expels as his memory wanes.
To me, this is a near-perfect thriller that grounds the breathtaking suspense of its story in unflinchingly realistic themes. You’ll find yourself reeling from the plot twist and thinking about this haunting portrait of marriage and the lies people live long after closing the book.
2. Sharp Objects — Gillian Flynn
Can you tell I’m a Gillian Flynn fan? Sharp Objects is Flynn’s debut novel, and what I believe to be her tightest storytelling. It doesn’t have the same sprawl and unbelievable twists of Gone Girl, and it may well be better for it: this book is at its core a character study, one executed beautifully. Her writing here is (excuse the pun) razor-sharp.
The story follows reporter Camille Preaker, assigned to return to her small, insular hometown to cover the recent murder of two girls; beyond that mystery, an even greater source of tension lies in Camille’s strained relationship with her hypochondriac mother and eerie half-sister. This is a quietly sinister story, with an unsettling, immersive atmosphere.
The story explores themes of motherhood, femininity, and mental health, lending them a complex, darker touch. The characters are twisted and compelling and the protagonist is far from a heroine; at one point, Camille ruminates: “I just think some women aren’t made to be mothers. And some women aren’t made to be daughters.” Sharp Objects is well worth your time.
3. The One — John Marrs
Great execution of a cool concept. The One poses a hypothetical — what if soulmates existed, and a DNA test was all it took to be matched? — and pushes it to its breaking point, exploring the unforeseen consequences of being “matched” through five stories.
It’s loaded with tension, well-paced, and features vivid, at times twisted characters. Minor spoiler ahead: if your first thought upon hearing the premise was wondering what having a serial killer as a soulmate would be like, this is the book for you. If it wasn’t, it’s still worth reading; the stories carry a clever subversion of many of the tropes the idea of soulmates might originally carry. It’s fast-paced, clever, and riveting.
4. The Guest List — Lucy Foley
The Guest List leans more toward a mystery, but the story’s claustrophobic atmosphere ensures that there’s no shortage of suspense and thrill. The setup is reminiscent of a murder mystery movie or a Christie novel: told through five alternating perspectives, The story follows what happens when someone turns up dead at a wedding on a remote island. From the groom to the best man to the bride’s sister, everyone is keeping secrets; the thriller aspect lies in the resentments and underlying tensions that start to bubble to the surface.
The Guest List is an especially fun read because of how it weaves together storylines from the past and present, slowly leading to the truth. The twists are surprising, the character dynamics have an intriguing drama to them, and the ultimate reveal is unique. A great rainy-day read.
5. Sadie – Courtney Summers
I believe Sadie actually falls into the category of YA; I read it around eighth grade, but it’s stayed with me. Propulsive and gritty to an almost uncomfortable extent, Sadie tells the story of its eponymous heroine, who disappears on a journey of revenge after her younger sister is killed, alongside the podcast of a radio personality who follows in her path months later to try and find her.
The framing of the story is really creative; there’s a compelling juxtaposition drawn between Sadie’s raw and desperate narration and the more composed, detached podcast transcripts, the format of which is recognizable to anyone familiar with the medium. I have mixed feelings about true crime; I think it can often feel exploitative or irreverent, and Sadie addresses those ideas, tackling trauma without sensationalizing. I do consider this a thriller; as Sadie’s road trip takes her into dangerous, ugly territory, she does what is necessary with a visceral determination that grows increasingly stressful to watch. Haunting, intense, and emotional, Sadie rounds out this list.
BONUS: Two thrillers I disliked
- The Silent Patient
A controversial take: The Silent Patient is a Goodreads darling, winning the 2019 Reader’s Choice award in the thriller/mystery category, and can be found at the top of several lists ranking thrillers from the 2010s. Its premise is solid: the narrator is a criminal psychotherapist hired to work with a famous painter who has refused to speak since killing her husband. Something about it, though, just did not click with me. I found the mystery convoluted and forced rather than complex, and the characters fell flat, failing to reach me in any interesting way. I know other people have read and loved this, but the ultimate reveal felt shaky to me; I might try revisiting it sometime in the future.
- Final Girls
I sort of have a bone to pick with Riley Sager. Take a look at his bibliography, and you’ll find a pattern: lurid neon covers and stories about women being threatened by anonymous killers (I’ll say that The Last Time I Lied was alright). Final Girls has an interesting enough concept, exploring the archetype of the “final girl” left standing after a horror-movie-esque massacre, but the actual book falls short. The pacing is awkward and especially slow for a majority of the book, the twists are predictable or disappointing, and the characters feel sort of one-dimensional; it feels in some ways like an extension of the very trope it wants to subvert.
I’ll always have a soft spot for thrillers; I love the genre’s potential to support complex, layered plots, characters that hide devastating secrets, and an immersive, adrenaline-filled reading experience. If you’re reading this, drop me any recommendations 🙂
¡Hola Ivy!
I loved your descriptions of the books you chose – you struck a perfectly poetic balance between description and introspection. I could easily see your reviews gracing the front page of NYT’s weekly book review 🙂
Though I’ve mostly been reading nonfiction lately (How did that happen? My fiction-obsessed middle school self would be disappointed.), I’m still a sucker for a good thriller.
In way of reccomendatoins, some of my favorites have been Dark Matter and Recursion by Blake Matter. Dark Matter explores the implications of alternate realities, while Recursion builds its narrative around a universe where memories can be transferred. Definitely more science-fiction leaning, but worthy thrillers nonetheless. On the topic of literary merit, I wouldn’t necessarily classify either of these reads as such; they’re books you’ll whip through in 3 a.m. fever dream kind of state. Then again, that’s the best kind of reading.
Of course, I’d be doing a disservice to the genre without mentioning Stephen King. The Shining is a classic, and I enjoyed one of his more recent works, The Institute (another science-fiction thriller – sensing a theme here…). Honestly, I’m impressed that after fifty years, Stephen King is still writing bangers. He is the gift that keeps on giving.
Hi Ivy! I really enjoyed reading your reviews of these thrillers! I have been meaning to get back into reading, and your post has made me very tempted to click the “purchase” button on my Kindle. Your reviews were extremely well written, captivating me like the book would! Gone Girl has been on my TBR list for a long time, and now I’m really considering just taking the jump and getting it. I also really like the concept of The One, so I’m going to check that one out as well! I went through a similar phase with books, but it was YA Fantasy over quarantine. I ended up finding that lots of books in this genre begin following the same pattern, and it becomes predictable and bland. In order to kick myself out of my book slump, I think I’ll start reading more thrillers! I have The Silent Patient sitting on my nightstand right now, but I haven’t gotten the chance to open it yet. I’ll keep your perspective in mind when reading it. It happened to catch my attention because of its Goodreads review and its high ratings, so I’m interested to see what opinion I will form of the book! Thank you for your insightful book recommendations!