Hank Phillippi Ryan Recommends 5 Best Thrillers for October: ‘This Is One of the Scariest Books I’ve Ever Read’ (Exclusive)

There’s a saying in the literary world: Write what you know. Well, bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan does just that. Known for her twisty psychological thrillers and domestic mysteries, the Boston-based author has written 17 books—including the award-winning bestseller All This Can Be Yours and the recent Mother Daughter Sister Stranger—but she initially launched her career as an investigative reporter. “Being a reporter is the best possible training for writing crime fiction,” Phillippi Ryan tells Woman’s World. 

“I learned to tell an irresistible story about an important character with a devastating problem that needs to be solved, and in the end, the good guys win and the bad guys get what’s coming to them—you get some justice and get to change the world a little bit. As a journalist, justice and truth are my life and in crime fiction it’s exactly the same.” 

In recent years, thrillers and crime fiction have skyrocketed in popularity and October’s spooky season is especially fitting for diving into the genre. For Phillippi Ryan, part of the appeal is the thrill of trying to solve the mystery alongside the author. “A thriller combines the rush and adrenaline of a propulsive captivating story with the irresistible possibility that you could figure out whodunit…before the author tells you,” she says. 

“I will confess I am unable to resist trying to figure out the endings—and I am always delighted when I fail!” And now, she’s sharing 5 must-read new thrillers to cozy up with this fall. Her hand-picked list for Woman’s World includes a searing debut thriller, an Agatha Christie-style locked-room whodunit and more! 

‘The Enigma Challenge’ by S.C. Godfrey

What it’s about: This immersive, fast-paced thriller follows academic Zoe Wilder. Zoe lives a simple, solitary life studying codes in literature at a California university. When her impressive research takes her to a cryptology conference in Madrid, she somehow sets off the Enigma Challenge—an infamous competition with very high stakes. If you win? You’ll get $12 million and professional triumph. If you lose? Your identity is wiped forever. Soon, she joins forces with Dane Seaver, a mysterious yet charming hacker, and they must solve five puzzles in three countries over the course of six days. 

Why Phillippi Ryan loves it: “Talk about a total immersion thriller, this book is Romancing the Stone meets The DaVinci Code! An international chase to solve a super-secret and seemingly impossible cipher for incredibly high stakes—but combined with a high-tension Tracy and Hepburn romance. And for puzzle fans, this one is irresistible.”

‘Mother Dearest’ by Clare Bird

 

What it’s about: Clare Bird’s Mother Dearest is a can’t-look-away debut thriller about an unhinged mother-daughter connection. Told through a series of shocking letters, the uniquely formatted plot follows daughter Imogene’s letters to Mother. As Imogene attempts to reconnect to her estranged mother through these notes, she reveals she’s preparing to marry the perfect man—but this man is already married with children. 

Why Phillippi Ryan loves it: “A debut thriller that will grab you by the throat and not let you go. Truly, you all. This is one of the scariest books I’ve ever read. Exquisitely suspenseful, it is a series of letters from a young woman to her mother. And as the story evolves, your jaw will hit the floor and your brain will fry and you will not believe how terrifying words on a page can be.”

 

‘Laws of Solomon’ by Eriq La Salle

What it’s about: You may know him from his award-winning role as Dr. Peter Benton on ER, but Eriq La Salle has also established himself as a compelling crime-fiction author! His latest story is the fourth installment of the acclaimed Martyr Maker series. After escaping a life of violence as a child mercenary and assassin, Solomon retreats to California where he begins working as a gardener. Far from the criminal underbelly of his youth, he tries to move forward with his life. But when he discovers a young boy named Gaby in grave danger, Solomon steps in to protect him at all costs.

Why Phillippi Ryan loves it: “Yes, that Eriq LaSalle! You’ll recognize him from playing Dr. Benton on ER, but it turns out he is also a brilliant and talented writer. Laws of Solomon is dark and noir and thought-provoking, perfect for a fall read. An underworld hitman has left his violent world to find peace and tranquility—but discovers a besieged child is depending on him for protection. Heartbreaking and touching, and even profound. A story of found family and redemption.”

 

‘How to Write a Murder’ by Jessica Brody

 

What it’s about: Danger, crime and chilling moments abound in Jessica Brody’s novel about a group of mystery authors who arrive at a prestigious mystery-writing conference. Before long, an uninvited guest shows up—a disgraced literary agent accused of stealing from a client. But all chaos really breaks loose when a few people turn up dead and a landslide traps everyone inside. Is there a killer among them? A nearly impossible case to crack among a cast of professional whodunit writers. 

Why Phillippi Ryan loves it: “Do you like Clue? Knives Out? Agatha Christie? Put those all together, and you have the supremely entertaining and supremely clever How to Write a Murder. Jessica is already a massive bestseller for her nonfiction ‘how to write a mystery’ guides. But here she takes her own advice and actually writes one! It’s multi-layered, witty, incredibly twisty, and, of course, a good solid locked room mystery.”

‘The Witch’ by Freida McFadden

What it’s about: From the bestselling author of The Housemaid and The Teacher comes an eerie story set on a 17th century estate. After Julia Barlow loses her job and her apartment, she returns to Pemberton, her family’s home, in remote Massachusetts. While here, she plans to take care of her grandmother and come up with a plan to reset her life. But every night at 3:41am, the clock stops, the lights flicker and a voice cries out for help. As she digs into the home’s history, she uncovers a story of a woman executed for witchcraft in 1692 and a web of horrifying family secrets. 

Why Phillippi Ryan loves it: “Freida is the queen of us all. She has perfected her signature storytelling style, and her skill with suspense absolutely refuses to let you go. Every one of her books will have you saying oh, just one more chapter, just one more chapter! My husband and I live in a home that’s almost 150 years old, and every time I go into our spooky basement, I think about what secrets it might hold, and what secrets our house contains. In The Witch, a solitary young woman moves into such a house, and what she uncovers is making me even more certain that our basement is off limits. A perfect book for spooky season!”

And don’t miss ‘Mother Daughter Sister Stranger’—out now!

Phillippi Ryan’s newest thriller, Mother Daughter Sister Stranger, out now, is a twisted tale about dark family secrets. The sole survivors of the plane crash that killed their parents, Eliza Ramsey and her sister Bea are as close as can be. But on the 11th anniversary of the tragedy, Bea never shows up to Eliza’s house to pick up her daughter. Eliza knows her sister would never leave her daughter behind, but where is she? As she investigates her sister’s disappearance, she discovers the true legacy of her family’s sinister history. Will she find her sister? Can she protect her niece? To find out, she has no choice but to risk it all.

When we asked about her writing process and whether she knows her novels’ endings ahead of time, Phillippi Ryan revealed that her stories always unfold as she writes them. “As a true crime reporter, I don’t know the end of my stories, right? I am tracking down clues and following leads and scouting locations and doing interviews and creating the puzzle pieces to solve a crime. I am always in search of the story and I don’t always know the ending,” she says.  “And that’s the same in my novels—but instead of doing research in real life, I am researching my own imagination, my own experiences, my own passions, my own fears and terrors and triumphs.”

A peek behind the her writing scene

Phillippi Ryan says she’s her most creative in the evening hours. “I write late at night. And I think that’s because of my years in television preparing for the 11pm news. My brain goes into high gear when the sun goes down,” she explains.

“So when readers say—as they often do—wow, you really surprised me! I have to respond yes, I agree, wasn’t that absolutely shocking? Talk about surprise endings, I surprise myself every day. Sue Grafton used to call that the magic of writing—that our writer brains are always at work. Every day when I get up from the computer, I think oh, I cannot wait to find out what happens next. And that’s what gets me to the computer every morning: I can’t wait to find out what happens, but the only way I can find out is to write it myself!”

Pick up your copy of Mother Daughter Sister Stranger here or wherever books are sold!