29 Thriller Novels So Twisty And Intriguing That People Read Them In One Sitting

"It's about a haunted Ikea-type store and some scenes are INTENSE. I desperately want a sequel or a TV show — something!"

—floofle

Description from Bookshop: "Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking. To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they'll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination."

"My boyfriend's mother gave it to me to read one morning and I finished it before dinner time. You just get sucked into the story and can’t put it down until the end!"

—laurenl4b8ddcb1f

Description from Bookshop: "Amber Patterson is fed up. She's tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more — a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted. To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne, a socialite and philanthropist, and her real estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale. Amber's envy could eat her alive...if she didn't have a plan. Amber uses Daphne's compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family's life — the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne's closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked toward, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces."

"I'm usually really good at figuring out twists in thrillers, but this one definitely got me."

—emmamaireaddavis

Description from Bookshop: "Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to — a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls: Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout's knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them and, with that, one another. Despite the media's attempts, they never meet. Now, Quincy is doing well — maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won't even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past. That is until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit; and Sam, the second Final Girl, appears on Quincy's doorstep. Blowing through Quincy's life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa's death come to light, Quincy's life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam's truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started 10 years ago is finished."

"Hoo boy, from the very first line I was in deep. I don't even like suspense/mystery novels much, but this one I could not put down!"

—beckstickles

Description from Bookshop: "When Myriam decides to return to work as a lawyer after having children, she and her husband look for the perfect nanny for their son and daughter. They never dreamed they would find Louise: a quiet, polite, devoted woman who sings to the children, cleans the family's chic Paris apartment, stays late without complaint, and hosts enviable kiddie parties. But as the couple and the nanny become more dependent on one another, jealousy, resentment, and suspicions mount, shattering the idyllic tableau."

"This was this author's first novel, and I just happened across it by one of the book accounts I follow on Instagram. Amazing mystery/thriller! I had no clue what was coming around the next page, and it was so well written! I kept thinking I had figured the mystery out, but something new would pop up that would make me think it was someone else. When we finally uncovered the true murderer, I was shocked! I would 100% recommend this book to anyone looking for something new and interesting!"

—txpros01

Description from the publisher: "In the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains, a freezing snowdrift blankets the June Lake Loop. For months, aspiring novelist Gallagher Finch has not written a single word. To pass the time awaiting inspiration, Gal satiates his boredom with Adderall, Evan Williams, and one call girl too many. On the eve of his 26th birthday, he indulges in all three… And when he awakens, he discovers a bloody secret tangled in his bedsheets. Still grieving from a tragic murder in the family 13 years earlier, Gal wonders if old enemies are drawing near once again. He begins to process his nightmares, anxiety, and fear the only way he knows how — he writes. Quickly realizing his own story could be the best seller he has been dying to publish, Gal weaves together the truth of who killed Daphne Castro, but in the process, he discovers the story that could launch his career may very well be his own deadly ending. Family becomes foe, dark secrets resurface, and blood can be found on more than one pair of hands."

"It’s a pretty short read. It’s a gothic Victorian ghost story about a pregnant widow ostracized by the villagers. She finds a locked room with a wooden figure (silent companion) that looks like her. The haunting revolves around the history of the silent companion."

—doctordonnasp

Description from Bookshop: "When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But pregnant and widowed just weeks after their wedding, with her new servants resentful and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her late husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure — a silent companion — that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of the estate are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition — that is, until she notices the figure's eyes following her."

"Four people are stranded at a rest stop during a blizzard, and the main character discovers a little girl locked in a dog cage in the back of a van. Then they have to figure out whose car it is, who to trust, and how to save the girl with no cell service or allies. Takes place over 12 hours. So. Damn. Good."

—lgbtaylor93

Description from Bookshop: "On her way to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets caught in a fierce blizzard in the mountains of Colorado. With the roads impassable, she's forced to wait out the storm at a remote highway rest stop. Inside are some vending machines, a coffee maker, and four complete strangers. Desperate to find a signal to call home, Darby goes back out into the storm and makes a horrifying discovery. In the back of the van parked next to her car, a little girl is locked in an animal crate. There is no cellphone reception, no telephone, and no way out. One of her fellow travelers is a kidnapper. Trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation, with a child's life and her own on the line, Darby must find a way to break the girl out of the van and escape. But who can she trust?"

"Each chapter swaps between current day and the past. You have to map together the pieces trying to figure out what happened. Excellent book."

—hayles06

Description from Bookshop: "As a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, Ani FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now, with a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé, she's this close to living the perfect life she's worked so hard to achieve. But Ani has a secret. There's something else buried in her past that still haunts her, something private and painful that threatens to bubble to the surface and destroy everything."

"I stayed up until three in the morning to finish it. I just had to know exactly what the main character was going through as well as why!"

—mjjk31314

Description from Bookshop: "Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He's a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You're hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You'd like to get to know Grace better. But it's difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable. Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn't work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows."

"I was so engrossed in the story after the first sentence. I finished it in a day and have let three people borrow it, and they’ve all finished it within 24 hours. I recommend it to everyone I come across!"

—kelseyf4924b84ec

Description from Bookshop: "Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin. When Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, asks Lowen to complete the remaining books in a contract his permanently injured wife is unable to fulfill, Lowen has no choice but to accept. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home with the intention of only staying one or two nights — long enough to sort through Verity's chaotic home office to collect all the notes and outlines she'll need to start writing the first novel. But the more time Lowen spends with Jeremy Crawford, the less of a hurry she is in to leave. While there, Lowen uncovers a hidden manuscript. An autobiography containing chilling admissions Verity planned to take to her grave, including the truth behind the events that turned their lives upside down. A truth that, if revealed to Jeremy, would further devastate the already grieving father. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript a secret, allowing Jeremy to continue to believe Verity is merely an innocent, unfortunate victim of circumstance. But as Lowen's feelings for the devoted father and husband deepen, she wonders if keeping Jeremy in the dark is in her own best interest. After all, if Jeremy were to read his wife's autobiography, the disturbing truth would make it impossible for him to continue to love her."

"So dark, so gothic, so good! It is set in Ireland, and as a psychological horror buff, it is one of the best books of the genre I’ve ever read. It just keeps getting more twisted and twisted. I missed out on the entirety of a family holiday, because I literally could not put the book down and stayed up all night to finish it."

—germancanadian

Description from Bookshop: "On the surface, Lydia Fitzsimons has the perfect life: married to a respected judge, mother of a beloved son, living in the beautiful house where she was raised. That beautiful house, however, holds a secret. And when Lydia's son, Laurence, discovers its secret, wheels are set in motion that lead to an increasingly claustrophobic and devastatingly dark climax."

"It’s a thick book so it took me a few days, but I jumped on every free second I had to read it. The story almost has a supernatural feel to it but the ending was not what I expected. Shortly after finishing, I had to read it again to pick up on the details I missed the first time!"

—courtv

Description from Bookshop: "On a damp October night, beautiful young Ashley Cordova is found dead in an abandoned warehouse in lower Manhattan. Though her death is ruled a suicide, veteran investigative journalist Scott McGrath suspects otherwise. As he probes the strange circumstances surrounding Ashley's life and death, McGrath comes face-to-face with the legacy of her father: the legendary, reclusive cult-horror-film director Stanislas Cordova — a man who hasn't been seen in public for more than 30 years. For McGrath, another death connected to this seemingly cursed family dynasty seems more than just a coincidence. Though much has been written about Cordova's dark and unsettling films, very little is known about the man himself. Driven by revenge, curiosity, and a need for the truth, McGrath, with the aid of two strangers, is drawn deeper and deeper into Cordova's eerie, hypnotic world. The last time he got close to exposing the director, McGrath lost his marriage and his career. This time he might lose even more."

"It wasn’t a high-strung suspense so it didn’t make me anxious, but I couldn’t put it down. My best friend and I read it at the same time, and the plot twist is just amazing. I recommend it to anyone looking for something to read!"

—candyw4c1308f09

Description from Bookshop: "A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends, the Liars, whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth."

"It was a little slow to start, but then you can't help but want to know more. And then — BAM — plot twist! So very good!"

—meaganw4f17cbfa7

Description from Bookshop: "Alicia Berenson's life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London's most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face and then never speaks another word. Alicia's refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London. Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations — a search for the truth that threatens to consume him."

"It was the first time in a long time that I picked up a book and read it all in one sitting. I needed to know how it ended before I could go to bed, so I was exhausted the next day. I always recommend it to friends."

—alexandriag43ea2b521

Description from Bookshop: "When reclusive writer Leonora is invited to the English countryside for a weekend away, she reluctantly agrees to make the trip. But as the first night falls, revelations unfold among friends old and new, an unnerving memory shatters Leonora’s reserve, and a haunting realization creeps in: The party is not alone in the woods."

"This one thrilled me every moment I read it! It is about a man who is kidnapped and drugged and wakes up to find that the life he woke up in is not his own. Absolutely my new favorite thriller!"

—danielles49b117276

Description from Bookshop: "Are you happy with your life? Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before a man Jason's never met smiles down at him and says, 'Welcome back, my friend.' In this world he's woken up to, Jason's life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible. Is it this world or the other that's the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could've imagined — one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe."

"Oldie, but goody! I have just recently gotten into her novels but this was such a quick read that I couldn’t put down. I finished it in one sitting. I always thought I wouldn’t like her books because they are so old, but this one at least has stood the test of time and transports you to an island full of interesting characters and keeps you guessing til the very end!"

—chattyworm

Description from Bookshop: "Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast. At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead. Stranded by a violent storm and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one as one by one they begin to die."

"I read the whole thing in one afternoon. It’s full of twists, turns, romance, and drama."

—delbee

Description from Bookshop: On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app. Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn't an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he'd planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who's still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them."

"Oh gods it’s so good. The drama is absolutely incredible, the setting and characters so vivid and real you feel like you’re there with them. You are kept guessing the whole way through. You don’t know who dies or who did it, only that someone has died. You follow the main suspects' point of views until they all converge and the answers are revealed. Every character is flawed and awful in their own ways, so you really have no idea who it could be because every single person could’ve done it. When the answer is revealed, it’s shocking. It’s a fantastic book and so well done."

—ashleyp4a2a2147f

Description from Bookshop: "On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It's a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cellphone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed. But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well-wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride's oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast. And then someone turns up dead. Who didn't wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?"

"Heck, I've read every one of his books without stopping. I get them at midnight on my kindle and am always done by sunrise. I can't put them down."

—ariffraff

Description from Bookshop: "In ancient texts, there are stories about men who struck from the shadows, seemingly beyond the reach of death itself. These men were considered part angel, part demon. Their loyalty was to their families, their friends, and their kings. You crossed these men at your peril. And once crossed, there was no crossing back. They were fearless; men of honor who have been known throughout history by different names: Spartan, Viking, Samurai. Today, men like these still strike from the shadows. They are highly prized intelligence agents, military operatives, and assassins. One man is all three. Two days ago, that man was crossed. Now, far from home and surrounded by his enemy, Scot Harvath must battle his way out. With no support, no cavalry coming, and no one even aware of where he is, it will take everything he has ever learned to survive. But survival isn't enough. Harvath wants revenge."

"I can't stop forcing people to read it! The chapters are very short which makes it such an easy read. You always need to know what happens next!"

—tt1989

Description from Bookshop: "An emaciated young man is found wandering on a train track outside of the city. Thirteen years earlier, he and his sister went missing, presumed to be victims of notorious serial killer Jurek Walter. He is now serving a life sentence in a maximum security psychiatric hospital. The only way to save the boy's sister is to get Jurek to reveal his secrets. Now Detectives Joona Linna and Saga Bauer will have to go deep undercover and beat Jurek at his own game before it's too late."

"This was a really unsettling read. It’s about a mother struggling big time to parent her silent, creepy, manipulative young daughter. The whole time reading it, I had this nervous feeling as their relationship continues to deteriorate. You just know something’s gotta give and it’s not gonna end well."

—jasmine367958

Description from Bookshop: "Seven-year-old Hanna is a sweet-but-silent angel in the eyes of her adoring father Alex. He's the only person who understands her. But her mother Suzette stands in her way, and she'll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good. Suzette loves her daughter, but after years of expulsions and strained home schooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. She's also becoming increasingly frightened by Hanna's little games, while her husband Alex remains blind to the failing family dynamics. Soon, Suzette starts to fear that maybe their supposedly innocent baby girl may have a truly sinister agenda."

"I read a lot of thrillers, and this one had my jaw on the floor on several occasions. The twists are insane. It’s raw and emotional and you just can’t stop reading it."

—tamsinm45418687e

Description from Bookshop: "Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father — Pikeville's notorious defense attorney — devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night. Twenty-eight years later, Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself — the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again — and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized — Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly 30 years ago won't stay buried forever."

"It's my favorite book of all time. The story is told in reverse chronological order, which makes for an even more suspenseful thriller."

—shannonodowd

Description from Bookshop: "It's been 10 years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne's case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched. The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne's boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic's younger neighbor and the group's alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic's return, Annaleise goes missing. Told backward from the time Annaleise goes missing, Nic works to unravel the truth about her younger neighbor's disappearance, revealing shocking truths about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night 10 years ago."

"I sat down to start it and all of a sudden, I’m reading in the dark. I haven’t gotten up in six hours, and the book is over. Immediately, I gave it to my mom and then proceeded to bother her until she read it so I could have someone to talk to about WTF even happened!"

—acaciam4d34723d6

Description from Bookshop: "Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others."

"Two separate mysteries that may or may not be related. Plenty of red herrings. I was so desperate to find out what happened to Peter and Jamie. I know some people were disappointed with the ending, but I appreciated it. Sometimes in life we don't get the answers we are looking for and some mysteries remain unsolved."

—ladykeller

Description from Bookshop: "As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours. Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a 12-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox — his partner and closest friend — find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past."

“Oh man, this novel is so quickly paced (short chapters make quick work of reading), but you are strapped in for the ride and forced to ride along this nightmare. It’s beautiful, haunting, and hair-raising!"

—sarahkuisel

Description from Bookshop: "A recurrent, unidentifiable noise in her apartment. A memo to her boss that's replaced by obscene insults. Amanda, a successful architect in a happy marriage, finds her life going off-kilter by degrees. She starts smoking again, and one night for no reason, without even the knowledge that she's doing it, she burns her husband with a cigarette. At night she dreams of a beautiful woman with pointed teeth on the shore of a blood-red sea. The new voice in Amanda's head, the one that tells her to steal things and talk to strange men in bars, is strange and frightening, and Amanda struggles to wrest back control of her life. A book on demon possession suggests that the figure on the shore could be the demon Naamah, known to scholars of the Kabbalah as the second wife of Adam, who stole into his dreams and tricked him into fathering her child. Whatever the case, as the violence of her erratic behavior increases, Amanda knows that she must act to put her life right, or see it destroyed."

"It’s twisty and a quick read. It’s not very long to begin with, but I couldn’t put it down so it was a VERY quick read."

—bboynton52

Description from Bookshop: "In this deeply suspenseful and irresistibly unnerving debut novel, a man and his girlfriend are on their way to a secluded farm. When the two take an unexpected detour, she is left stranded in a deserted high school, wondering if there is any escape at all. What follows is a twisted unraveling that will haunt you long after the last page is turned."

"Yeah, it was made into a Netflix series, but I couldn’t put it down. The way Joe thinks is so descriptive. It really delves deep into his mindset — the way the series just couldn’t. Each character is so flawed, yet the way they’re written about is flawless. It’s explores so much more than the show. I couldn’t put it down even though I was creeped out with each chapter!"

—beckywarner

Description from Bookshop: "When a beautiful aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: He Googles the name on her credit card. There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: She is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight — the perfect place for a 'chance' meeting. As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way — even if it means murder."