Thriller books have a reputation for being fast-paced and twisty, but some of the greatest additions to the genre are actually slow-burn stories with great payoff. While fast-paced, suspenseful thrillers make for engaging reads, slower storytelling lends itself to better setup. It often lays the groundwork for a book’s ending twist, allowing the author to build out the world with clues and red herrings that contribute to the big revelation. And effective endings can take thriller books from good to great, so establishing them well in advance is important.

Slow-burn thrillers also boast other strengths that aren’t present in every addition to the genre. Taking time with the narrative means authors can better develop their characters, allowing their books to pack a greater emotional punch. As many literary thrillers are on the slow side, they often have more lyrical writing as well. There’s a lot to love about this type of thriller, and done right, this storytelling can pay off in satisfying ways.

10

The God Of The Woods (2024)

By Liz Moore

One of the best thriller books of 2024, The God of the Woods is a slower mystery thriller with multiple timelines that gradually build towards the book’s big revelations. The novel revolves around two separate disappearances at an Adirondack summer camp: Barbara Van Laar’s in 1975 and her older brother’s, 14 years prior. It takes its time establishing its characters and its setting, and it introduces many possible solutions to the mysteries at hand. All this setup takes time, making The God of the Woods a slower read than many other thrillers.

Liz Moore’s book is worth the commitment, though, as it delivers great twists and tackles serious subjects in the process. The family drama makes it an engaging and emotional read, and its cast of characters adds to the story’s complexity. Despite the novel not moving as quickly, readers won’t find themselves wanting to put it down. It’s gripping regardless, proving that slow-burn narratives work when carefully crafted.

9

The Quiet Tenant (2023)

By Clémence Michallon

The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon is one of the best thriller books to emerge in recent years, and readers won’t regret picking it up — even if its narrative unravels more steadily than other books. The story is told from multiple perspectives, and it takes some time to get into. This is especially true given its dark premise. The Quiet Tenant revolves around a kidnapper named Aidan, grappling with the effects his actions have on three separate women. And the book is far more interested in the psychology of what’s happening than delivering shock after shock.

Those looking for a unique concept and a story that delivers when it comes to complexity will find it in Michallon’s 2023 thriller.

That’s not to say that The Quiet Tenant doesn’t feature some great twists, but it takes its time getting there. It’s worthwhile when it does, and the book is worth reading for its character work alone. It’s not for the faint of heart; in fact, it’s fairly disturbing. But those looking for a unique concept and a story that delivers when it comes to complexity will find it in Michallon’s 2023 thriller.

8

The It Girl (2022)

By Ruth Ware

Ruth Ware is no stranger to fast-paced thrillers, but The It Girl is not the author’s usual fare — and that helps it stand out among her other works. The It Girl revolves around the murder of Hannah Jones’ roommate at Oxford, chronicling the tragedy as it happens and revisiting it when Hannah is an adult. The It Girl does a masterful job of introducing red herrings and presenting a mystery that feels difficult to solve, even as you get further into it. Such build-up requires a slower progression, but it makes The It Girl‘s reveals more satisfying at the end.

The slow-burn nature of The It Girl allows Ware to create an atmospheric novel, with the Oxford storyline giving off great dark academia vibes. And as readers get to spend more time focused on the characters, the twists and turns are more emotional when they do finally happen. Needless to say, The It Girl is well worth digging into.

7

In The Woods (2007)

By Tana French

Tana French writes a lot of slow-burn thrillers, and the author’s debut novel, In the Woods, is a must-read. The first book in the Dublin Murder Squad series, In the Woods takes full advantage of its small-town setting, taking its time to fully establish the story’s atmospheric backdrop and characters. In the Woods centers on the disappearance of children in 1984 and a murder that takes place 20 years later. While there are secrets to uncover throughout the book, it exposes them so gradually — and it places a large focus on the characters’ reactions to the tragedies at hand.

This makes In the Woods a more emotional read, and it might not be quite as effective if it moved faster. Like many thrillers that unfold more slowly, In the Woods also benefits from impressively written prose, meant to immerse readers rather than push them along at a breakneck pace. Those looking for more slow-burn thrillers can check out French’s backlist, too, as there are plenty of similar stories to enjoy.

6

Middle Of The Night (2024)

By Riley Sager

Middle of the Night is a slower thriller than Riley Sager’s other books, but the gradual build-up works well in his 2024 novel. As the story follows Ethan, a man returning to the childhood home where his best friend disappeared 30 years earlier, it’s to its benefit that it takes its time. This allows readers to understand the trauma Ethan endured because of his friend’s disappearance, and it enables the book to flesh out their connection more thoroughly. As a result, Middle of the Night feels like it has higher emotional stakes than many of Sager’s previous releases.

Middle of the Night also has a small-town setting that benefits from its slower pacing, as it feels like nothing really happens in Ethan’s hometown — and that drives home the shocking nature of the tragedies that do occur. The twists may not be the most surprising Sager has to offer, but Middle of the Night proves an engaging read regardless. It’s a testament to its characters and themes that it doesn’t need fast pacing or a twisty narrative to deliver a compelling story.

5

The Maid (2022)

By Nita Prose

The Maid is a mystery thriller that’s meant to be more lighthearted and cozy, and its slower pacing is part of that. While the mystery at the book’s core moves right along, the story prioritizes its main character, Molly, and her response to the incident over delivering constant twists and turns. The Maid sees Molly discovering a body at the H๏τel where she works, and it thrusts her into the investigation, forcing her to prove her own innocence. It takes her on a journey where she must confront her grief, grapple with interpersonal relationships, and recognize her own strengths.

The character-centric storytelling works really well in The Maid, but it makes it feel less like a fast-paced, standard thriller. And even when The Maid makes it clear who the story’s killer is, the revelation is less about the reveal and more about Molly’s role in the whole thing. None of this makes The Maid any less satisfying — it’s entertaining from beginning to end — but it gives it a unique spin that places more importance on its heroine than the mystery she’s embroiled in.

4

Stillhouse Lake (2017)

By Rachel Caine

Much of Rachel Caine’s Stillhouse Lake is slow, but the book does eventually pick up in a satisfying way. The novel follows a woman named Gina Royal, who is forced to reinvent herself as Gwen Proctor after discovering that her husband is a serial killer. Even with him going to prison, Gwen moves to Stillhouse Lake, where she thinks she’ll find peace. However, the appearance of a body and threatening messages upend any hopes of that. There’s plenty of tension early in the story, and the setting is well-crafted — but the book takes a while to truly get moving.

Fortunately, while a good chunk of Stillhouse Lake unfolds more gradually, the book does open in a way that immediately draws readers into the story. This makes it easier to get invested, despite it slowing down for a while, and promises big things to come. And when the novel finally does pick up, the tension breaks in really satisfying ways. There’s a reason this book is so highly recommended, and it’s definitely worth committing to.

3

A Sea Of Unspoken Things (2025)

By Adrienne Young

Like so many other slow-burn thrillers, Adrienne Young’s A Sea of Unspoken Things boasts an atmospheric backdrop, great prose, and intriguing characters. The novel follows a woman named James as she investigates the death of her twin brother, bringing her own past bubbling back up to the surface. The book does an impressive job of fleshing out James and its other characters, and that focus does make it slower than many other thrillers — but it also makes it more compelling.

Despite a slower setup, A Sea of Unspoken Things presents an intriguing mystery with characters readers will want to keep unpacking. And when the book finally gets to its big reveals, it picks up and delivers satisfying answers. It’s bound to be one of the most talked-about thrillers of 2025, proving slow-burn stories can be just as memorable as twisty, fast-paced ones.

2

All The Colors Of The Dark (2024)

By Chris Whitaker

All the Colors of the Dark is a literary thriller with a heavy character focus, and it certainly qualifies as a slow-burn addition to the genre. The story spans decades, grappling with disappearances, murders, and even a bit of romance — and it tackles a lot of subjects and subplots outside its main mystery. All the Colors of the Dark benefits from stunning prose, and it explores the aftermath of the tragedies that take place in a really poignant way.

All the Colors of the Dark‘s narrative can feel meandering at times, but it still proves incredibly engrossing.

All the Colors of the Dark‘s narrative can feel meandering at times, but it still proves incredibly engrossing. For those who enjoy thrillers that blend genres and explore more than just the central mystery, it’s a must-read. This ambitious novel is one of the genre’s best 2024 offerings, underscoring how much it pays off to read it.

1

Wild Dark Shore (2025)

By Charlotte McConaghy

Another literary thriller and slow burn, Wild Dark Shore is the newest book on this list, and it’s already getting a lot of attention after its March 2025 release. The novel is set on an island called Shearwater, where a woman washes up and is found by Dominic Salt and his kids, all of whom care for the island’s seed bank. Rowan’s appearance initially makes them wary of her, but they eventually come to care for her — at least until the Salts and Rowan realize that they’re all keeping secrets from each other.

These secrets keep up the suspense and mystery of Wild Dark Shore throughout its run, but the book places a heavy emphasis on the characters and their connections to one another, and it overshadows the twists and thrills. Because of that, the book unravels more slowly than thrillers typically do, but that just makes it more tense and memorable in the end.