The Most Disturbing Thriller Books, According To Readers

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There are two kinds of seasoned thriller readers. Some seek quick thrills and adrenaline, and then there are those who crave psychological mind games. If you love the genre, you'll know that not every thriller is disturbing in the same exact way. While some rely on graphic violence and shocking twists to get a reaction, some burrow much deeper. These are stories that give chills and raise the hair on the back of your neck, not through startling gimmicks, but through lingering dread and a ton of psychological tension. 

If you prefer the latter subgenre, you know the most disturbing and chilling thrillers aren't ever the loudest ones. They're the stories that keep you guessing, make you question what you're reading, and leave you feeling uneasy long after you've closed the book. With such a vast array of titles, it can be overwhelming and difficult to know which books truly deliver that kind of lasting psychological impact to really give you that reader's high.

That's where we come in! We've done the hard part for you: the research. From countless Reddit threads, #BookTok recommendations, and beyond, we've gone through it all and compiled a list of the best, most notorious thriller books. From a story about a religious man stuck with an impossible task to a postpartum first-time mother grappling with deeply unsettling instincts about her child, these are the most disturbing thrillers, according to reader reviews.

The 2024 winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, "The Reformatory" by Tananarive Due, is a harrowing psychological thriller mixed with historical fiction, that many readers insist is as emotionally devastating as it is disturbing. The "King of Horror," Stephen King said, "You're in for a treat ... one of those books you can't put down ... Due hit it out of the park." 

When you're living as an African-American teenager in the Jim Crow South, whatever you do, you're wrong — and you will be punished for it. In "The Reformatory," that scary reality takes shape when a young boy is sent to a notorious reform school, where there is no such thing as kindness, justice, or safety. Drawing from the real-life events of her great-uncle, Due tells the story with an unflinching honesty that makes the novel's horrors feel all the more painful. 

A 5-star Goodreads reviewer described the book as 'an incredible ride,' adding, "I had forgotten how evil the old South could be. My heart just broke with the way they treated Robert ... I had to put this book down several times to catch my breath and calm the anger that was consuming me. I do not see how anyone can read this book without torn feelings." Another reviewer urged readers to remember one thing above all else, writing, "Yes, it's a ghost story, but the horror really came from Jim Crow South being portrayed so explicitly. WE CANNOT FORGET THIS HAPPENED IN THE UNITED STATES." 

Karin Slaughter's "Pretty Girls" made our list of thrilling mystery books Kindle readers can't get enough of, and it's resurfaced here as a truly disturbing thriller, according to reader reviews. Readers loved the book for its fast-paced storytelling and unpredictability. It's also one of our writer's top thriller reads and she said it was difficult to put down as she kept wondering where the story was headed next. 

"Pretty Girls" follows sisters who are estranged after their other sister's disappearance. Now, they're violently pulled back together when a shocking crime forces them to confront what might have happened to their sister all those years ago. After reading the book, author of "The Surgeon," Tess Gerritsen described Slaughter as "One of the boldest thriller writers working today." Many readers claim this book exceeds expectations when it comes to a chillingly good psychological thriller. An Amazon reviewer said the book 'engages the [reader's] mind, twists it, and stirs not so gently." 

Our writer said Slaughter makes you feel as though you're inside the mind of a psychopath. As the story slowly unfolds, you'll gradually learn how and why they operate the way they do. Another Amazon reviewer gave the book five stars and highlighted that the book was absolutely nothing like they expected, praising how well it effectively depicts 'the horrors of psychopaths that some people experience in real life.'

While it was one of the beloved book-to-movie adaptations that blew up in everyone's faces, the original 1930s novel, "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier, is worth the read if you're drawn to slow-burning psychological tension. This is a disturbing thriller that builds its unease through paranoia and the haunting presence of its title character, Rebecca. Rather than shocking moments, it's the kind of book that gives a quiet, creeping sense of dread. 

"Rebecca" follows a young woman whose life is completely turned around when she marries a very wealthy widower. She begins her new life in a grand estate, and while things seem perfect at first, the narrator becomes more unsettled as she realizes his first wife's presence lingers in every corner of her new home. 

One Redditor in a thread discussing the book described it perfectly: "The best ghost story without a ghost." Many readers describe it as a hauntingly beautiful story, and its lasting impact is clear. The novel still ranks as the number one best-selling book in 20th-century literary criticism on Amazon. Of the thousands of 5-star Amazon reviews, one stood out in particular: "There is no doubt that ['Rebecca'] is a masterpiece. Daphne du Maurier's writing caresses the tongue as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony caresses one's ears. Its chilling plot, vivid characters, and superb descriptions draw you into Manderley's immense halls, and you feel as though you are by the second Mrs. de Winter's side as she uncovers the secrets of Manderley..."

If you're in search of a disturbing psychological thriller that's short and sweet but packs a serious punch, Steven L. Peck's "A Short Stay in Hell" comes up again and again in reader discussions. In fact, in a Reddit thread in which an avid reader wanted something more than a bloody and gory read, the most upvoted comment with more than 100 upvotes suggested Peck's 108-page novella as one of the most unsettling psychological experiences they'd ever had. The Redditor said the book gave them 'crippling existential dread' but was also 'one of the best books [they] have ever read.'

Many readers were convinced by the recommendation and review, replying to the comment to share that they had also read the book and that it left them speechless. One of the Redditors who ended up picking it up noted, "I also read ['I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream'], and ['The Jaunt'] ... they were all horrifying in the same way, but ['A Short Stay in Hell'] was by far the most detrimental."

Peck writes of a religious man's journey who dies and ends up in hell. His ticket out is to find the book that tells the story of his life, but the only problem is that there's an infinite number of books to search through. With no sight of blood or gore, the book keeps readers unsettled through its exploration of the meaning of eternity and the psychological toll of an impossible task.

"The Push" by Ashley Audrain was one of our picks of the best psychological thriller books from the 2020s, and without a doubt, it also made this list. A countless number of Reddit threads discussing chilling thriller books mention this title. In the r/suggestmeabook subreddit, a user asked for recommendations of thriller books that would truly hook them. The most upvoted reply recommended "The Push." A response to the comment said, "I read more thrillers than I ought to, because they are love or hate for me with little in between. Much of my psychological thriller reading these days is trying to replicate the crack high that is ['The Push']."

It's easy to see why it's recommended so often as a disturbing thriller. The premise hinges on deeply uncomfortable questions about motherhood, postpartum, and a woman's intuition rather than relying so heavily on shocking twists or extreme violence. It's a book that forces you to sit with doubt and unease as a first-time mother's fears and concerns are repeatedly dismissed by those around her. 

Over 25,000 Amazon reviewers gave Audrain's book five stars. A reviewer wrote, "If you're in the mood for a deeply disturbing psychological drama about a motherhood experience gone awry, this is your book ... The novel is gripping from page one, not only for the story it tells but for the way most of the story is told. The author, Ashley Audrain, uses a startling second-person voice, so the reader becomes Blythe, and the 'you' addressed is Fox." 

When it came to compiling a list of the most disturbing thriller books according to reviews, the first thing we knew we didn't want were books that relied too heavily on graphic violence or shock value. Instead, we focused on titles that readers consistently described as being psychologically disturbing — the kinds of books that leave an emotional impact on the reader that lingers in the reader's mind long after closing the book. 

We started our search by gathering titles that were repeatedly mentioned on Reddit threads and #BookTok. "Chilling," "disturbing," and "unsettling" were keywords we looked for in reviews of thriller books. Once we had a substantial list, we evaluated each title individually by reviewing its synopsis (if we hadn't already read it), detailed reviews on blogs or TikTok, and discussions on Reddit forums. 

For instance, Steven L. Peck's "A Short Stay in Hell" was a must-include due to the sheer volume of readers praising it as an emotionally devastating book, despite its short length and lack of graphic content. Our writer was eager to feature "Pretty Girls" by Karin Slaughter, noting that so many readers, just like her, found the book difficult to shake.