7 New Thriller Books To Read This Fall—Twists, Secrets and Scares Await!
From Patricia Cornwell to Louise Penny, these will keep you turning pages all night long!
Few genres deliver edge-of-your-seat entertainment like a really good thriller—and we’d argue that spooky season is the perfect time to sink your teeth into this genre. Thrillers, which can range from stories of suspense to psychological whodunits, are also extremely popular on BookTok right now with millions of views a day. Packed with a gripping mixture of mounting tension, long-buried secrets and jaw-dropping twists, these books are keeping readers more engaged than ever before.
But what really makes thrillers so irresistible? According to bestselling author Ruth Ware (The Woman in Cabin 10, In a Dark, Dark Wood), the genre’s enduring appeal lies in its layered storytelling. “One of the reasons I love psychological thrillers is because they combine the best of both worlds,” she tells Woman’s World. “They’re a challenging puzzle and a thrilling emotional journey. In other words, I get to have my cake and eat it.”
If you’re in the market for a new thriller to curl up with this fall, you’re in luck! We gathered up 7 new must-read options from acclaimed authors like Patricia Cornwell, Louise Penny and more! And we have something for everyone: supernatural thrillers (Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan) cozy thrillers, domestic thrillers and much more. Keep scrolling for all of our riveting must-reads.
‘No Rest for the Wicked’ by Rachel Louise Adams
Looking to get into the Halloween spirit? Rachel Louise Adams’ No Rest for the Wicked offers a twisty, edge-of-your-seat mystery. Forensic pathologist Dolores Hawthorne left Little Horton, Wisconsin, nearly 20 years ago. Famous for its Halloween events, the town also has a scary history of deaths linked to the holiday. So when she gets a call that her father is missing, she must face her past and unravel a web of lies—before it’s too late.
What readers are saying: “If there’s one thriller you need to read this Halloween season, it’s Rachel Louise Adams’ debut thriller, No Rest for The Wicked. I chose to stick with the audiobook route and I am so happy I did because it’s a 5 out of 5 narration! I listened to it at record speed and I am not a speed audiobook listener as it usually takes me time to pay attention. This book hooked me right from the beginning. The mystery is very unique and it gave me adult Halloweentown vibes without the magic.”
‘Sharp Force’ by Patricia Cornwell
Patricia Cornwell has sold more than 120 million books and is beloved for her bestselling novels featuring medical examiner Kay Scarpetta. This month, fans are in for a treat because Cornwell’s just-released novel, Sharp Force, reunites them with Dr. Kay Scarpetta. When Dr. Scarpetta receives word that the Phantom Slasher has struck again in Northern Virigina, she’s even more shocked to hear one of the victims survived. What follows is a truly chilling and atmospheric thriller.
What readers are saying: “This fiction book gave me the chills! It’s in the mystery and thriller genre. I haven’t read a book by this author before, but have heard a lot about her books! Now I understand the hype. This one explores the darkness behind advanced technology—it’s equal parts emotional, scary, sad and full of fear and paranoia!”
‘The Wives of Hawthorne Lane’ by Stephanie DeCarolis
Stephanie DeCarolis, author of The Guilty Husband and Deadly Little Lies, is back with The Wives of Hawthorne Lane. Told from multiple points of view, this domestic thriller is set in an idyllic town during its annual Fall Festival. But this year, a shocking murder rattles residents—especially Georgina, Audrey, Libby and Hannah, who all have dark secrets of their own. As the investigation zeroes in, who is to blame?
What readers are saying: “This fall thriller is about an interesting neighborhood…where the outside of the houses are much more perfect than the inside behind closed doors. There is something for everyone in this suspenseful neighborhood thriller. I was excited to get this book—it was packed with twists and unbelievable reveals.”
‘Remain’ by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan
What happens when the author of The Notebook and the writer-director of The Sixth Sense collaborate on a novel? A uniquely thrilling story combining romance and the paranormal unfolds! Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan follows architect Tate Donovan, who arrives in Cape Cod to design his friend’s summer home and start over after a loss. Here, he meets the mysterious Wren, who unearths revelations about love and life that make him question everything.
What readers are saying: “The moment I heard that M. Night Shyamalan, the mastermind behind The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Split was teaming up with Nicholas Sparks, the king of emotional romance and the author of The Notebook, my jaw hit the floor. I’m giving it a glowing 3.5 stars rounded up to 4—it’s a spooky-sweet supernatural thriller romance that lingers long after the last page.”
‘The Black Wolf’ by Louise Penny
Bestselling author Louise Penny is beloved for her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series set in the quaint fictional village of Three Pines, Quebec. And her latest installment, The Black Wolf, follows Gamache and team again. After stopping a terrorist attack in Montréal, they arrest a man called Black Wolf. But relief turns to horror when Gamache realizes the attack is far from over. In a thrilling game of cat and mouse, he races to solve the case.
What readers are saying: “The twists and turns just kept coming—I genuinely didn’t know which way it was going to go. This is a continuation of The Grey Wolf, so I’d definitely recommend reading that first. Even better to start at the beginning of the series and become well entrenched in the Three Pines community before reaching these books, which play at a much larger scale. If you’re into well-written thrillers with a literary twist—and especially if you’ve enjoyed Penny’s books before—this one’s well worth picking up.”
‘One Death at a Time’ by Abbi Waxman
Delightful characters, funny moments and quirky cozy thrills combine in Abbi Waxman’s newest page-turner. Ex-actress Julia Mann runs into sobriety sponsor Natasha Mason at an AA meeting after a bad day. How bad? Well, Julia just found a dead body and the cops are blaming her. Now, Natasha wants to help clear Julia’s name and keep her sober. Hijinks ensue as they travel from Hollywood to Palm Springs to find the real culprit.
What readers are saying: “This fast-paced read by Abbi Waxman is what I like to call a cozy thriller. It packs all the suspense and energy of a thriller with a humorous, fun and cozy feel throughout. I highly recommend this adventure to anyone looking for high-stakes without the scary!”
‘The Vanishing Place’ by Zoë Rankin
Zoe Rankin’s debut thriller, The Vanishing Place, is brimming with dark family secrets and deeply haunting moments. Effie and her siblings always thought their parents raised them in the remote New Zealand bush because they loved nature. But after seeing a terrifying episode of violence, she escapes and builds a new life across the globe. But when Effie learns the only witness to a murder is a little girl who eerily resembles her, she’s pulled back to where it all began. Now, she must uncover long-buried truths and face the darkness she thought she left behind.
What readers are saying: “Dark, twisted and truly disturbing, The Vanishing Place took me into the depths of the New Zealand bush and made me shiver with fear. From the toxic family dynamics to the sinister vibe toward the end, I couldn’t put the book down and flew through the pages in under 24 hours. You see, about 75% of the way through, there was a big, giant shift in the plot that took me out at the knees.”
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