5 Of The Best Mystery & Thriller Books Of 2025, According To Reviews

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The end of the year is the perfect time to take a step back and reflect on everything good that came out of the last 12 months. And, for book lovers, that may also include standout books that were released this year. Of course, with all of the yearly releases to choose from, breaking it down genre by genre is a great way to spotlight the best of the best. That's why this time around, we're turning our attention to the mystery & thriller genre. A genre so popular that even Reese's Book Club's picks tend to be mysteries and thrillers.

It was quite the standout year for the mystery and thriller genre. From the return of bestselling authors and their iconic writing to delivering chilling twists and edge-of-your-seat suspense to debut authors making strong first impressions with unique storytelling, 2025 was one heck of a year. There were plenty of compelling titles that had readers eager to stay up late and kept them guessing until the very last page. 

From the nail-biting whodunnits to intense mind game thrillers, 2025 offered something for every and any type of suspense lover. Whether you've been a longtime dedicated fan of the genre or you've been wanting to dip your toes into something new and suspenseful, we've put together a list of the best mystery & thrillers of 2025 according to real reader reviews. So, make sure you have your Kindle or TBR list ready.

Not only was Noelle West Ihli's "Such Quiet Girls" one of the five best psychological thriller books on Kindle Unlimited for most of 2025, but it also boasts an average rating of over 4 stars, made even more impressive with over 25,000 Amazon reviews. Readers raved about Ihli's chilling abduction-themed thriller, released in April 2025, noting the title as a "pulse-pounding" mind game masterpiece. An Amazon reviewer gave it five stars, saying, "I've read hundreds of these types of books if not [thousands] and this is in my top ten of all [time]. It balanced the fear, the gore and the joy in ways that felt like I was there. It took me less than a day to read and the ending was perfect. Well done for sure." 

Ihli's story follows multiple characters whose lives are brought together by a disturbing disappearance in a quiet suburban town. As each chapter passes, secrets begin to surface, and it just may be that not everyone is as innocent as they seem. People found it chilling and were brought to tears by the fact that the book was inspired by real-life events. Readers in a Facebook group for book lovers were inspired to look into the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, on which the book was based, and many were stunned to discover how closely the author channeled the terror and psychological complexity of the actual event. 

What would the mystery and thriller genre of the 21st century be without John Grisham? Often coined as the master of legal thrillers, Grisham released his very first murder mystery, "The Widow," in October 2025. Sharing in an interview with "The View," the author wanted to add a "pure old-fashioned whodunnit" element to his usual "small town lawyers" stories, giving dedicated fans a completely new, fresh twist on his signature style of storytelling. 

The book already has more than 13,000 Amazon reviews, a 4.5-star average rating, and as of the last week of November, it stands as the third most sold book on Amazon charts.  A reviewer mentioned, "It effectively draws [readers] in and makes us appreciate the humanity, diversity, and struggles of his often damaged and exhausted heroes-usually attorneys," and deemed it a "very good read!" 

The story follows small-town lawyer, Simon Latch, who thinks he's in for easy money when wealthy widow Eleanor Barnett walks into his office. What begins as a routine case spirals into Simon finding himself caught in a complex web of dark and deadly secrets and unexpected twists. As danger looms, he must survive a dangerous game of lies and deceit. A reviewer put it perfectly, describing Grisham's very first whodunnit as a "tense legal drama with moral complexity ... elevated by exceptionally nuanced character development."

If you thought the number of reviews for John Grisham's "The Widow" was impressive, Freida McFadden's "The Intruder" takes it to another level. Released only two weeks before Grisham's newest thriller, "The Intruder" has more than 60,000 Amazon reviews and almost 170,000 Goodreads ratings. Despite a 3.9-star average rating on Goodreads, the book was given at least 4 stars by nearly 70% of readers. 

A Goodreads reviewer kept it short and simple, declaring, "Read it in one sitting. Miss Freida got me once again! Loved every second of it!!!" While some readers have expressed they felt this wasn't one of McFadden's best works, others have said they were glad they took a chance on it. In the Psychological Thriller Readers Facebook group, a reader noted, "Okay, there were so many mixed reviews of The Intruder, but when I say OMG, I'm so glad I just took the chance to read it. This is my 6th back to back from her and I am NOT disappointed."

Most people think a hurricane is the worst of their problems. But for Casey, who's riding out the storm in her remote cabin, the hurricane is the least of her worries as she catches a young girl with a knife outside of the cabin, drenched in blood. McFadden delivers another impossible-to-put-down thriller, and by the time morning comes, no one, not even Casey, will know who to trust.

"The Impossible Fortune" is the fifth and final book of "The Thursday Murder Club Mystery" series by English TV personality Richard Osman. That's right, "The Thursday Murder Club" as in the Netflix film that stars Helen Mirren and Celia Imrie, famous for hilarious one-liners like, "I'd welcome a burglar, be nice to have a visitor." The movie was adapted from Osman's bestselling 2020 debut novel, and now the beloved series has come to an end with a wonderful finale.

The best part? According to readers, you don't really even have to read the previous books. One reviewer (via Amazon) pointed out, "I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it highly. Whether or not a reader knows the members of "The Thursday Murder Club" already, they will delight in spending time with Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron, and Ibrahim." Another reviewer gave the book four stars and shared, "This is the fifth in the series, but it can be read on its own. If you like warm-hearted cozy stories, this is for you." Despite the book being a murder mystery, "warm-hearted" and "cozy" are the words readers keep using to describe Osman's signature writing style. 

Just when the Thursday Murder Club thinks they've come to a more peaceful chapter in their lives, a missing wedding guest drags them back into their amateur sleuthing ways. Danger isn't far behind, and the secrets keep piling up. Will they uncover the truth before it's too late? 

Author of "A Good Girl's Guide To Murder," Holly Jackson returned in the summer of 2025 with a chilling new whodunnit, "Not Quite Dead Yet," which also landed a spot on our edge-of-your-seat mystery & thriller books to add to your fall TBR. Solving a murder is hard enough, but solving your own? That's a whole other story. Jet Mason wakes up and finds herself at the center of her very own murder investigation. She'll have to chase clue after clue and try to outwit a ruthless murderer before it's too late. 

Despite fans being floored with the impressive plot, we noticed a surprising number of 3-star ratings, which had us scratching our heads. But it quickly became evident that these were less about the book itself and more about comparisons to Jackson's earlier works. A Goodreads reviewer who gave the book three stars explained, "3.95! Holly Jackson, the way your mind works amazes me. I am so conflicted on what to rate it because this could have been a four-star with the way it was set and how it was written, but also it just was not as good as her other books." 

Not only did the book become an instant bestseller, but it was also a GMA Book Club pick. A Redditor on the r/thrillerbooks subreddit dedicated a post to the book mid-read and said, "I'm only 66% in and I just know this is gonna be a 5 star. Maybe even my most favorite thriller of the year, it's sooooo good!" recommending it to anyone who loves clever twists and classic page-turners.