Top 10 Must-Read Thrillers

Is there any better time than the dark depths of winter to curl up indoors with a gripping thriller? Here are 10 must-reads to add to your winter TBR. 

The Turn of the Key - Ruth Ware

From Goodreads: "When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family. 

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder."

My thoughts: A fantastic example of what I like to call a 'nanny gone wrong' story, The Turn of the Key will have you torn between wanting to know more and being afraid of what lies on the next page. The remote Scottish setting is interwined with the plot to create an atmosphere dark enough to fill even the bravest reader with a sense of dread. Read my full review for this book here. 

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

The Perfect Nanny - Leila Silmani

From Goodreads: "When Myriam, a French-Moroccan lawyer, decides to return to work after having children, she and her husband look for the perfect nanny for their two young children. They never dreamed they would find Louise: a quiet, polite, devoted woman who sings to the children, cleans the family's chic apartment in Paris's upscale tenth arrondissement, stays late without complaint, and hosts enviable kiddie parties. But as the couple and the nanny become more dependent on one another, jealousy, resentment, and suspicions mount, shattering the idyllic tableau."

My thoughts: Another 'nanny gone wrong' story, this time beginning with the murder of two children.  Claustrophobic and engaging, The Perfect Nanny maintains its shroud of mystery despite beginning at the end. 

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

Snap - Belinda Bauer 

From Goodreads: "On a stifling summer's day, eleven-year-old Jack and his two sisters sit in their broken-down car, waiting for their mother to come back and rescue them. Jack's in charge, she said. I won't be long. But she doesn't come back. She never comes back. And life as the children know it is changed for ever. Three years later, mum-to-be Catherine wakes to find a knife beside her bed, and a note that says: I could have killed you. Meanwhile Jack is still in charge - of his sisters, of supporting them all, of making sure nobody knows they're alone in the house, and - quite suddenly - of finding out the truth about what happened to his mother."

My thoughts: Snap made it onto the Manbooker Longlist in 2018, rare for a crime novel. A dual narrative thriller loosely based on the unsolved murder of Marie Wilks in 1988, this book will put you through multiple twists and turns before the big reveal.

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

The Woman in the Window - A.J. Flynn

From Goodreads: "Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors. Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare."

My thoughts: Looking for a fast-paced thriller with an unreliable narrator and a plot twist you won't see coming? Look no further than The Woman in the Window. 

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

The Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware

From Goodreads: "Lo Blacklock, a journalist who writes for a travel magazine, has just been given the assignment of a lifetime: a week on a luxury cruise. At first, Lo's stay is nothing but pleasant: the cabins are plush, the dinner parties are sparkling, and the guests are elegant. But as the week wears on, frigid winds whip the deck, gray skies fall, and Lo witnesses  a woman being thrown overboard. The problem? All passengers remain accounted for and so, the ship sails on as if nothing has happened, despite Lo's desperate attempts to convey that something has gone terribly wrong."

My thoughts: A murder mystery set on a yacht? Yes please. Ruth Ware is the modern day Agatha Christie, using confined settings to make her thrillers all the more terrifying. 

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

Before I Go To Sleep - S.J. Watson

From Goodreads: "Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story."

My thoughts: Made up of a series of twists and turns throughout the book that'll keep you hooked until the very last page. Before I Go To Sleep will have you questioning the motives of those closest to you. The film adaptation is great too!

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

The Wife Between Us - Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

From Goodreads: "When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.Assume nothing."

My thoughts: Told through dual perspective, this dark and twisty story of a not-so perfect marriage highlights that there's always two sides to every story. 

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

The Couple Next Door - Shari Lapena

From Goodreads: "Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all--a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story. Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years."

My thoughts: If you're a fan of books based on the premise that appearances can be deceiving, this one's for you. 

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier

From Goodreads: "The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady's maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives--presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave."

My thoughts: A timeless classic, Rebecca serves to highlight the extent to which a paranoid mind can create the idea of a reality which doesn't exist. Du Maurier brings the gothic setting of Manderley to life with her stunning prose, intertwining the dark house with a host of strange characters that will set your heart racing. 

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

Stillhouse Lake - Rachel Caine 

From Goodreads: "An average Midwestern housewife's life is changed forever when a car accident reveals that her husband is a serial killer. Retreating to the secluded Stillhouse Lake, she hopes to find peace from the Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband's crimes. But when a body turns up in the lake, it's clear that a new threat has found her."

My thoughts: This unusual twist on the story of a serial killer plunges you straight into the anguished life of Gwen Proctor, exciting from beginning to end. 

Buy this book: Amazon | The Book Depository

So there you have it! The top 10 must-read thrillers to add to your TBR this winter. Have you read any of these books? Will you be adding any to your list? As always, let me know on Goodreads or Instagram!