It’s the job of any good thriller book to keep readers guessing, but not every addition to the genre manages this successfully. Some thrillers are frustratingly predictable, leaving little doubt about who’s behind their inciting incidents. Other thriller books boast off-the-rails endings that no one sees coming, but they don’t necessarily mislead readers or drop red herrings ahead of their big twists.

And presenting many possibilities for how things could turn out makes the experience of reading this genre more enticing, fully immersing readers in the mystery at hand. It’s infinitely fun to try to solve a book’s mystery while reading, and it’s even more impressive if the author weaves in multiple possibilities and still manages to surprise readers in the end. Those looking for that sort of experience can find it in these 10 thriller books, which keep the questions and twists coming until the very end.

10

Gone Girl (2012)

By Gillian Flynn

Thanks to its 2014 film adaptation, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is among the best-known thriller books out there. But even if everyone has heard of Gone Girl, those going into the book for the first time can expect a wild ride from start to finish. A cleverly crafted combination of unreliable narration and red herrings makes it nearly impossible to guess the twists of Flynn’s 2012 novel. Readers may think they know what’s coming, but they’ll likely be surprised at how things actually play out.

Gone Girl‘s ability to keep readers guessing is even more impressive given its premise is pretty standard for a domestic thriller.

Gone Girl‘s ability to keep readers guessing is even more impressive given its premise is pretty standard for a domestic thriller: it revolves around the disappearance of a woman named Amy Dunne and her husband Nick’s efforts to find her. Flynn is a master of drawing readers in with twists and turns, ensuring readers won’t be able to put this book down until they know what happened to Amy. For those who have somehow avoided Gone Girl this long, it’s a must-read.

9

Listen For The Lie (2024)

By Amy Tintera

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera is one of the best thriller books of 2024 — even receiving high praise from Stephen King — and its success at least partially stems from its ability to keep readers guessing throughout its 300+ page run. The mystery in Listen for the Lie centers on a woman named Lucy, who loses her best friend, Savvy, years before the book’s main story. Lucy has no recollection of what happened when Savvy died, but she wound up covered in the other girl’s blood, prompting inevitable suspicions that she had something to do with it.

As Lucy doesn’t even know the truth about that night, readers are forced to piece things together alongside her. This keeps them on edge, jumping from one possible scenario to the next, all while Lucy returns to her hometown to solve the mystery once and for all. The case is also being explored for a podcast, which gives the novel its тιтle, adding another intriguing layer to the mystery — one that proves relevant in surprising ways.

8

The It Girl (2022)

By Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware’s The It Girl is a slower-paced thriller book, but that doesn’t make it any less capable when it comes to misleading readers. Ware’s 2022 novel masterfully weaves a number of red herrings into its narrative, giving readers good reasons to suspect multiple characters. They’ll be as confused as The It Girl‘s heroine, at least up until she realizes who’s really behind her college roommate’s murder. Given their тιԍнт-knit friend group and the fact that multiple suspects can access their on-campus lodgings, the culprit really could be anyone.

Hannah’s investigation of April’s death, years after the fact, is also made complicated by the fact that a man had already been convicted and sent to prison for the crime. He dies there at the beginning of the novel, but Hannah must grapple with whether he was really behind the tragedy that defined her young adulthood. It’s all very confusing for her, and as a result, it will keep readers perplexed as Hannah jumps from one possible suspect to the next.

7

Everyone Here Is Lying (2023)

By Shari Lapena

With a тιтle like Everyone Here Is Lying, it should come as no surprise that Shari Lapena’s 2023 thriller isn’t a straightforward read. With a cast of characters lying and keeping secrets, readers will be left to speculate on who can truly be trusted until the very end. It’s totally inconsistent with the book’s setting, which is supposed to be a safe and trustworthy neighborhood. But that’s precisely the point: Lapena unpacks the darkness hidden within Stanhope in a way that should surprise readers and its fictional residents.

Everyone Here Is Lying lives up to its тιтle in that regard, making it a solid thriller all the way through.

Everyone Here Is Lying opens with the disappearance of nine-year-old Avery Wheeler, last seen by her father — who, it turns out, is hiding a few dark secrets. He isn’t the only one who can’t be trusted, either, and even the statements given by supposed witnesses are potentially unreliable. This elicits feelings of unease among those living in Stanhope, but it will also result in readers being uncertain about the truth right up until the big reveal. Everyone Here Is Lying lives up to its тιтle in that regard, making it a solid thriller all the way through.

6

First Lie Wins (2024)

By Ashley Elston

First Lie Wins doesn’t revolve around a murder, like so many thriller books in the genre. However, it takes readers on an adrenaline-fueled adventure that proves shocking from the very first chapter. And with little insight into what’s driving the book’s lead or the people around her, readers will be left guessing — just not in the way they normally are. That makes First Lie Wins even more memorable though, and its distinct premise explains why it’s one of the best thriller books of 2024.

Every one of the character’s motives are dubious, and it’s nearly impossible to guess the direction Elston takes First Lie Wins in.

That premise sees Evie Porter embarking on a mission for her boss, Mr. Smith, which involves posing as someone she isn’t and immersing herself in the life of a man named Ryan Summer. Every one of the character’s motives are dubious, and it’s nearly impossible to guess the direction Elston takes First Lie Wins in. This is a thriller book that benefits from readers going in with little knowledge of its premise, and the ride is definitely worthwhile.

5

Dark Matter (2016)

By Blake Crouch

Like First Lie Wins, Dark Matter is more of an action thriller than a traditional murder mystery — and its sci-fi elements make it even harder to predict where Blake Crouch’s story is headed. Those familiar with Apple TV+’s adaptation may have an idea, but otherwise, Dark Matter will keep readers on edge from beginning to end. The book follows Jason Dessen as he’s abducted and thrown into a life he doesn’t recognize.

those immersing themselves in this great sci-fi thriller will be left guessing what’s next for Jason as his story gets increasingly stranger.

It’s best to dive into this book knowing little more than that, as readers will be desperate to know whether Jason is reliable and to learn what’s really happening to him. Despite Dark Matter not having a traditional mystery, those immersing themselves in this great sci-fi thriller will be left guessing what’s next for Jason as his story gets increasingly stranger.

4

The Last Time I Lied (2018)

By Riley Sager

Riley Sager’s books are well-known in thriller spaces, and The Last Time I Lied is among the author’s most gripping works. The Last Time I Lied follows Emma Davis, who was the last person to see three campers at Camp Nightingale as a child before they disappeared. As an adult, circumstances bring Emma back to the camp, where she quickly realizes that there are dangerous truths there — ones that could explain the mysterious disappearances from years ago.

The setup of Sager’s 2018 novel is promising, and the author delivers when it comes to execution. Emma’s time at Camp Nightingale will have readers constantly questioning their instincts, even wondering if she’s fully trustworthy at times. And The Last Time I Lied culminates in a twist that doesn’t disappoint, making it a satisfying read all the way through.

3

Daisy Darker (2022)

By Alice Feeney

Alice Feeney is another thriller author known for delivering on premise and execution, and her talent for both is evident in 2022’s Daisy Darker. The novel sees the тιтle character’s family coming together to celebrate Nana’s 80th birthday — an affair that takes place on an island in the midst of a storm and ends with Nana ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. And once other family members start to follow, it becomes clear that someone on the island is picking them off. Perfect for thriller fans who enjoy family secrets and drama, Daisy Darker offers a locked-room mystery with no obvious answer.

The secrets that come out over the course of Daisy Darker will have readers looking suspiciously at just about every character. And their attention likely won’t be on the person who’s truly behind the tragic series of events, making it all the more satisfying when the big reveal finally occurs.

2

One Of Us Is Lying (2017)

By Karen M. McManus

One of Us Is Lying is aimed at a younger audience than most thriller books on this list, but Karen M. McManus’ 2017 hit boasts an ending that’s truly unpredictable. And part of the reason the conclusion is so surprising is that McManus lays the groundwork for multiple other characters to be behind the novel’s tragedy. Every student in detention with Simon could, realistically, be responsible for his untimely demise.

Those looking for a thriller that will leave their jaws on the floor at the end can’t pᴀss this one up.

By weaving a story where all the suspects have a motive and reasons to look suspicious, McManus ensures that One of Us Is Lying will leave readers second-guessing themselves over and over. This is even more impressive when you realize that most of them won’t predict the true circumstances behind Simon’s death, even with all the clues the author throws in. Those looking for a thriller that will leave their jaws on the floor at the end can’t pᴀss this one up.

1

A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder (2019)

By Holly Jackson

Another impressive YA thriller book, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder opens with a mystery that raises too many questions for readers to solve easily. This makes it all the more gripping as Pip investigates the murder of Andie Bell — a tragedy that’s seemingly already been explained, though the pieces don’t quite add up. Although Andie’s boyfriend, Sal, is believed to be the killer by everyone in town, Pip suspects there’s something more going on, especially as he also turns up ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

Years later, she acts on her suspicions, taking a deeper look at Andie’s disappearance for a school project. And as with any good thriller book, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder presents all sorts of possibilities as Pip unravels Andie’s secrets. With multiple suspects in play, readers won’t know where to look first — and that makes Pip’s investigation all the more suspenseful.