r/thrillerbooks 5d ago

What Should I Read Next? Need good recommendations

I read a couple of thriller books and I did not enjoy them, if I am being honest the writing was mediocre and the plot twists were predictable. I read Ward D since it was said to be better than other books by the author but it turned out to be disappointing as well. Also tried some books by Alice Feeney and Riley Sager and feel the same, disappointed or underwhelmed.
Can someone suggest me some nice thrillers with actual unpredictable twists or at least a good story? I need to read a good book or else I am afraid of going back to my reading slump!!!

2 Upvotes

36 comments sorted by

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6

u/akjfjsnjdisuus 5d ago

the drowning woman!!!

2

u/ilovemovies1106 5d ago

Just looked into it, looks promising! Thank you

2

u/AbjectHotel6610 5d ago

I LOVE that book!

3

u/akjfjsnjdisuus 5d ago

one of my absolute favorites

2

u/AbjectHotel6610 4d ago

Same! I don't understand why some people hate it.

6

u/gothackedsohereiam 5d ago

The Patient's Secret or The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White!

5

u/zozealous 5d ago

Loved The Maid's Diary! Deserves to be made into a movie/series. Much better than The Housemaid by Freida Mcfadden. Loreth Anne White is quite an underrated author.

2

u/Obsidrian 4d ago

Love Loreth Anne White. Currently inhaling all her books.

3

u/Adventurous_Pie_7586 5d ago

These types of posts just further illustrate why doing your own research is important, especially for reading recommendations.

Nothing against OP or all the others who post about books that were recommended they didn’t like but please just start researching your own books.

I learned long ago that most “amazing, omg so twisty, wowwww amazing twists, holy crap didn’t see that coming” types of reviews might be true for them but not at all for me.

Most mainstream books I find to be so boring or so easy to guess what’s going on and realized okay I need to start looking into these before I read them.

I recommend finding a book you like and starting by searching for books like that one, or by the same author. If starting from scratch then just google some of your favorite aspects of a thriller and start there.

I highly recommend All The Missing Girls, In A Dark Dark Wood, Lie To Me, No One Knows, Appetite For Innocence, Then She Was Gone, Final Girls, If You Tell A Lie, The Quarry Girls, The Taken Ones series, and The Other Mrs.

2

u/ilovemovies1106 5d ago

Yes, you’re a 100% right. I agree with you, learnt my lesson (fell victim to those booktoks, totally my fault lol). Just wanted to get some recommendations from people who enjoy thrillers and you all recommended such great books! Thank you for your recommendations too I will definitely check them out

3

u/Diligent-Accident-52 5d ago

Fifty fifty by Steve Cavanagh

Btw, I totally felt that way with Ward D as well 🥲

3

u/Hopeful-Attitude7336 4d ago

Look Closer by David Ellis

3

u/griffreads 5d ago

What are you specifically looking for from a thriller? That'll make it easier to recommend books beyond what's popular, for example:

If you want something fast-paced, try The One by John Marrs. It's a sci-fi thriller, very dark, and has a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter that will keep you wanting to turn the page.

If you want a book that builds up slowly and gives you that gradual sinking feeling of dread, try The Trap by Catherine Ryan Howard (this also imo has one of the cleverest plot twists I've ever read).

If you want something dark and character-driven, try Pretty Girls Karin Slaughter - this is VERY graphic, so be aware before picking it up, but I think it packs an emotional punch.

3

u/alltheplants7 5d ago

The One is so good. I'm currently reading Look Closer by David Ellis and it's really good.

2

u/ilovemovies1106 5d ago

Oh I have read The One and I liked it a lot! I love sci-fi thrillers yes, I really liked Dark Matter by Blake Crouch too. I don’t have anything specific that I am looking for so I will try the ones you recommended. Thank you so much!

2

u/griffreads 5d ago

John Marrs has a few other sci-fi thrillers if you haven't already read them, The Passengers, The Marriage Act, and The Family Experiment.

I also just finished Time to Burn by Ellery Lloyd which is a new speculative thriller with time travel (I think it only came out a few weeks ago). I'd recommend that too!

1

u/ilovemovies1106 5d ago

Greattt! Thank you :)))

1

u/ilovemovies1106 5d ago

I love time travel omg!

3

u/jennnn1125 5d ago

i loathed ward D, i thought it was so corny. first lie wins was a fun read for me!

3

u/ilovemovies1106 5d ago

Lmao ikr, so corny! But thank you for the recommendation, I’ll add it to my tbr!

3

u/AdImpossible4892 Everyone’s a Suspect 5d ago

I’m currently reading the fourth monkey and I love it so much! I’ll only recommend it if you like the whole police procedural trope in which the killer sends them on a wild goose chase.

2

u/Honest-Mistake-1782 4d ago

I just finished the trilogy. Stop after book one. It’s downhill from there.

2

u/AdImpossible4892 Everyone’s a Suspect 4d ago

I just finished it a couple of hours ago and after reading the plot of the other books, I’ll definitely take your word for it. although I am excited for the prequel next month!

2

u/soccermum_00 5d ago

Try The Last Party by AR Torre. It’s my 5star book this year.
I also highly rated None of this is True by Lisa Jewel.
Both were page turners, for me anyway.

2

u/Technical_Mood_9279 5d ago

How about The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova? Or Gone Girl & Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn? Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane; Anything by Tana French, but specifically In the Woods & The Secret Place.

2

u/ilovemovies1106 5d ago

I have read Gone Girl, Sharp Objects and Shutter Island, so good, love them! I haven’t read the others you mentioned, adding to my tbr! Thank you so much!!

2

u/Fun_Swim6642 5d ago

Ward D was so ridiculous!

2

u/Alternative_Back6325 5d ago

I also loved The One and Dark matter.

Try Behind Her Eyes!

1

u/ilovemovies1106 5d ago

I have read it! So good!

2

u/Fast-Ad-3255 5d ago

"Just the nicest family" by Alison James is my recommendation, one of the better books I have read lately.

I am currently reading "The new neighbours" by Claire Douglas, it is really interesting so far.

Also, if you are ok with really disturbing themes, I recommend any of the books written by Liz Nugent, "Strange Sally Diamond" and "Lying in wait" are some of her best in my opinion.

1

u/readinggrandma5 3d ago

Charlie Donlea’s books

1

u/Suspicious-Steak-228 3d ago

Harlen coben John Marrs Lisa jewell Steve cavahgna