26 Most Rated Thriller Books on Goodreads

If you’re looking for the highest-rated thrillers that everyone in the book community is talking about, you’ve come to the right place. This post is all about the most highly-rated thrillers on Goodreads.

I absolutely love reading a good thriller that keeps me glued to the page from start to finish. I’ve read quite a few thrillers over the years, but I always find myself searching for the top-rated mystery and psychological thrillers. So, if you’re like me and want to dive into some exciting thriller books loved by many, you’ll enjoy this list.

Also check out: Most Rated Beach Reads on Goodreads & Most rated Fantasy on Goodreads

My Three Must-Reads from the Top Thrillers

• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
• Verity by Colleen Hoover
• The Teacher by Freida McFadden

26 Highest Rated Thrillers On Goodreads

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Average rating: – 4.18

Alicia Berenson seems to have a perfect life with her famous husband in London. But one night, she shoots him and then stops speaking. This turns her into a mystery and makes her famous. She’s sent to a mental hospital where Theo Faber, a therapist, wants to uncover why she did it. As he tries to solve the mystery, he also faces his own inner struggles. That’s the story of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. This is one of my favorite psychological thrillers from the list, so it’s no wonder it’s one of Goodreads’ best psychological thrillers. I seriously think it’s the best one there.

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….

The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

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Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

Average rating: – 4.12

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine tells the gripping story of Gina Royal, who transforms into Gwen Proctor after discovering her husband’s chilling secret life as a serial killer. Forced to reinvent herself as a fierce protector for her children, Gwen faces the constant threat of stalkers and online harassment. Settling in a secluded town, Stillhouse Lake, Gwen hopes for peace, but her newfound tranquility is shattered when a body is discovered in the lake and ominous messages arrive from her past. Determined to safeguard her family, Gwen must navigate a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a relentless adversary. As the tension escalates, Gwen’s resilience is tested, revealing her strength as she battles against evil forces.

Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.

With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.

But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

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Verity by Colleen Hoover

Average rating: 4.32

Verity by Colleen Hoover is a standalone romantic thriller following Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer hired to complete bestselling author Verity Crawford’s unfinished books. While sorting through Verity’s notes, Lowen discovers a chilling autobiography revealing dark secrets about Verity’s past, including the truth behind her daughter’s death. As Lowen’s feelings for Verity’s husband, Jeremy, deepen, she must decide whether to expose the shocking truths or protect Jeremy from the devastating revelations. With twists and suspense, there are so many reasons why Verity tops the list of psychological thrillers. For me, it was the creepy twists and the steamy romance.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

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Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Average rating: 4.39

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a captivating novel set in Barkley Cove, where rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunt the quiet fishing village. Kya Clark, deemed unfit for society, becomes the prime suspect when popular Chase Andrews is found dead in 1969. But Kya, a naturalist learning life’s lessons from the land, yearns for connection despite her solitude. Drawn to two young men, she opens herself to a new world until tragedy strikes. Owens weaves a beautiful ode to nature with a poignant coming-of-age story and haunting mystery, exploring themes of isolation, belonging, and the secrets of the wild. I know a lot of people think this book is a romance, but I really loved the mystery in it. So it’s not surprising for me that it’s one of the top thrillers on Goodreads.

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village. Kya Clark is barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when the popular Chase Andrews is found dead, locals immediately suspect her.

But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life’s lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.

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Career of Evil  by Robert Galbraith

Average rating: 4.22

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith follows private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott as they investigate a gruesome mystery involving a severed leg sent to Robin. With four suspects from Strike’s past, they delve into dark and twisted worlds to uncover the truth. As they race against time, they confront personal and professional challenges. “Career of Evil” is a gripping addition to the series, blending mystery with the complex dynamics between Strike and Robin.

Cormoran Strike is back, with his assistant Robin Ellacott, in a mystery based around soldiers returning from war.

When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg.

Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible – and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them…

Career of Evil is the third in the series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A mystery and also a story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.

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Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Average rating: 4.02

Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano follows Finlay Donovan, a stressed-out single mom and struggling novelist. Mistaken for a contract killer, Finlay inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband, plunging her into a real-life murder investigation. With fast-paced action and witty humor, the novel authentically portrays the ups and downs of motherhood. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It marks the beginning of an exciting new series, blending suspense with the challenges of everyday life.

Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moment, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano.

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One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Average rating: 4.05

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich introduces Stephanie Plum, a sassy bounty hunter from the blue-collar pocket of Trenton, New Jersey. Out of work and desperate, Stephanie blackmails her cousin Vinnie into giving her a shot as an apprehension agent, despite knowing little about the job. With the help of experienced bounty hunter Ranger, Stephanie sets out to catch her first target, Joe Morelli, a former vice cop wanted for murder. Sparks fly between Stephanie and Morelli as they embark on a dangerous and thrilling chase. Evanovich’s debut novel is a witty and action-packed adventure filled with humor and romance.

Meet Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter with attitude. In Stephanie’s opinion, toxic waste, rabid drivers, armed schizophrenics, and August heat, humidity, and hydrocarbons are all part of the great adventure of living in Jersey.

She’s a product of the “burg,” a blue-collar pocket of Trenton where houses are attached and narrow, cars are American, windows are clean, and (God forbid you should be late) dinner is served at six.

Out of work and out of money, Stephanie blackmails her bail-bondsman cousin Vinnie into giving her a try as an apprehension agent. Stephanie knows zilch about the job requirements, but she figures her new pal, el-primo bounty hunter Ranger, can teach her what it takes to catch a crook. Her first nail Joe Morelli, a former vice cop on the run from a charge of murder one. Morelli’s the inamorato who charmed Stephanie out of her virginity at age sixteen. There’s still powerful chemistry between them, so the chase should be interesting…and could also be extremely dangerous.

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Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Average rating: 4.06

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell is a gripping tale that unfolds in two timelines. Fifteen-year-old Ellie, once her mother’s golden girl, disappears suddenly, leaving her family devastated. Ten years later, Laurel, Ellie’s mother, still holds onto hope of finding her daughter. When Laurel meets Floyd, a charming stranger with a nine-year-old daughter named Poppy who bears a striking resemblance to Ellie, unsettling questions resurface. As Laurel delves deeper into the mystery surrounding Ellie’s disappearance, she uncovers long-buried secrets and realizes that someone close to her may hold the key to the truth.

THEN
She was fifteen, her mother’s golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone. 

NOW 
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet. 

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter. 

Poppy is precocious and pretty – and meeting her completely takes Laurel’s breath away. 

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back. 

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go? 

Who still has secrets to hide?

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A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Average rating: 4.33

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is a riveting mystery surrounding the murder of schoolgirl Andie Bell, believed to have been committed by Sal Singh. Despite the case being closed and the town convinced of Sal’s guilt, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t convinced. For her final year project, Pippa decides to investigate the case, uncovering hidden secrets that someone is determined to keep buried. As Pippa delves deeper, she realizes the real killer may still be at large and willing to go to extreme lengths to prevent the truth from coming to light. Jackson’s novel is a gripping exploration of deception, secrets, and the quest for justice.

Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can’t shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn’t want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

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The Push by Ashley Audrain

Average rating: 4.06

The Push by Ashley Audrain is a gripping psychological drama about Blythe Connor, who struggles with motherhood when her daughter Violet doesn’t behave like other children. Blythe’s concerns are dismissed by her husband, leading her to question her sanity. When their son Sam is born, Blythe finally feels a connection, but a devastating event forces her to confront the truth about her family. Audrain’s novel challenges perceptions of motherhood and the complexities of belief and trust.

A tense, page-turning psychological drama about the making and breaking of a family–and a woman whose experience of motherhood is nothing at all what she hoped for–and everything she feared.

Blythe Connor is determined that she will be the warm, comforting mother to her new baby Violet that she herself never had.

But in the thick of motherhood’s exhausting early days, Blythe becomes convinced that something is wrong with her daughter–she doesn’t behave like most children do.

Or is it all in Blythe’s head? Her husband, Fox, says she’s imagining things. The more Fox dismisses her fears, the more Blythe begins to question her own sanity, and the more we begin to question what Blythe is telling us about her life as well.

Then their son Sam is born–and with him, Blythe has the blissful connection she’d always imagined with her child. Even Violet seems to love her little brother. But when life as they know it is changed in an instant, the devastating fall-out forces Blythe to face the truth.

The Push is a tour de force you will read in a sitting, an utterly immersive novel that will challenge everything you think you know about motherhood, about what we owe our children, and what it feels like when women are not believed.

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The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

Average rating: 4.16

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth is a compelling novel centered around Fern Castle, who leads a meticulously structured life due to her sensory sensitivities. Fern’s twin sister, Rose, discovers she is unable to conceive, prompting Fern to offer to have a baby for her sister. As Fern embarks on this unconventional journey, it unravels dark secrets from their past and challenges the very foundation of their relationship. Hepworth crafts a rich and shocking story about the complexities of family dynamics and the lengths one will go to for the ones they love.

Sally Hepworth, the author of The Mother-In-Law delivers a knock-out of a novel about the lies that bind two sisters in The Good Sister.

There’s only been one time that Rose couldn’t stop me from doing the wrong thing and that was a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Fern Castle works in her local library. She has dinner with her twin sister Rose three nights a week. And she avoids crowds, bright lights and loud noises as much as possible. Fern has a carefully structured life and disrupting her routine can be…dangerous.

When Rose discovers that she cannot get pregnant, Fern sees her chance to pay her sister back for everything Rose has done for her. Fern can have a baby for Rose. She just needs to find a father. Simple.

Fern’s mission will shake the foundations of the life she has carefully built for herself and stir up dark secrets from the past, in this quirky, rich and shocking story of what families keep hidden.

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Three to Get Deadly  by Janet Evanovich

Average rating: 4.15

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is on the case of a candy store owner turned fugitive in Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich. As she tracks down the elusive suspect, Stephanie finds herself tangled up in a dangerous game involving dead drug dealers and slippery fugitives. With the help of her eccentric friends and family, Stephanie races against time to ensure that this case doesn’t spell the end for her.

Stephanie Plum, the brassy babe in the powder blue Buick is back and she’s having a bad hair day — for the whole month of January. She’s been given the unpopular task of finding Mo Bedemier, Trenton’s most beloved citizen, arrested for carrying concealed, gone no-show for his court appearance.

And to make matters worse, she’s got Lula, a former hooker turned file clerk — now a wannabe bounty hunter — at her side, sticking like glue. Lula’s big and blonde and black and itching to get the chance to lock up a crook in the trunk of her car.

Morelli, the New Jersey vice cop with the slow-burning smile that undermines a girl’s strongest resolve is being polite. So what does this mean? Has he found a new love? Or is he manipulating Steph, using her in his police investigation, counting on her unmanageable curiosity and competitive Jersey attitude?

Once again, the entire One for the Money crew is in action, including Ranger and Grandma Mazur, searching for Mo, tripping down a trail littered with dead drug dealers, leading Stephanie to suspect Mo has traded his ice-cream scoop for a vigilante gun.

Cursed with a disastrous new hair color and an increasing sense that it’s really time to get a new job, Stephanie spirals and tumbles through Three to Get Deadly with all the wisecracks and pace her fans have come to expect.

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The Last Flight by Julie Clark

Average rating: 4.11

The Last Flight by Julie Clark tells the tale of Claire Cook, trapped in a seemingly perfect but oppressive marriage, who hatches a plan to disappear. A chance encounter leads her to switch identities with Eva, a woman with her own secrets. However, when Eva’s flight crashes, Claire is forced to fully embrace her new identity and confront the consequences. This gripping story explores themes of identity, escape, and the unexpected twists of fate.

Claire Cook has a perfect life. Married to the scion of a political dynasty, with a Manhattan townhouse and a staff of ten, her surroundings are elegant, her days flawlessly choreographed, and her future auspicious. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns as bright as his promising political career, and he’s not above using his staff to track Claire’s every move, making sure she’s living up to his impossible standards. But what he doesn’t know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish.

A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets — Claire taking Eva’s flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. They believe the swap will give each of them the head start they need to begin again somewhere far away. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it’s no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva’s identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.

The Last Flight is the story of two women — both alone, both scared — and one agonizing decision that will change the trajectory of both of their lives.

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The Likeness by Tana French

Average rating: 4.06

In this follow-up to Tana French’s runaway bestseller In the Woods, it’s six months later, and Cassie Maddox has transferred out of the Dublin Murder Squad with no plans to return—until an urgent call summons her to a grisly crime scene. The victim resembles Cassie and carries ID as Alexandra Madison, an alias Cassie once used as an undercover cop. Cassie must uncover not only the killer but also the true identity of this girl in “The Likeness” by Tana French.

Still traumatised by her brush with a psychopath, Detective Cassie Maddox transfers out of the Murder squad and starts a relationship with fellow detective Sam O’Neill. When he calls her to the scene of his new case, she is shocked to find that the murdered girl is her double. What’s more, her ID shows she is Lexie Madison – the identity Cassie used, years ago, as an undercover detective. With no leads, no suspects and no clues to Lexie’s real identity, Cassie’s old boss spots the opportunity of a lifetime: send Cassie undercover in her place, to tempt the killer out of hiding to finish the job.

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One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

Average rating: 3.94

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus is a gripping thriller that unfolds when five students enter detention at Bayview High, but only four leave alive. Each student—Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, Cooper, and Simon—has their own secrets and motives. Simon, the outcast and creator of a gossip app, dies during detention, and his death is soon revealed to be murder. Investigators suspect the remaining four students, as Simon had planned to expose their secrets the next day. As the investigation progresses, the question arises: Are the four suspects being framed, or are they hiding something darker?

Pay close attention and you might solve this.
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.

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Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

Average rating: 4.05

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter is a gripping thriller centered around Claire Scott, whose sister Julia vanished twenty years ago, tearing their family apart. When another girl goes missing with similarities to Julia’s case, Claire becomes convinced of a connection. As she delves into her sister’s disappearance, shocking truths emerge, changing everything Claire thought she knew. Slaughter’s novel is a riveting exploration of family secrets and the dark mysteries that can haunt for years.

Twenty years ago Claire Scott’s eldest sister, Julia, went missing. No one knew where she went – no note, no body. It was a mystery that was never solved and it tore her family apart.

Now another girl has disappeared, with chilling echoes of the past. And it seems that she might not be the only one.

Claire is convinced Julia’s disappearance is linked.

But when she begins to learn the truth about her sister, she is confronted with a shocking discovery, and nothing will ever be the same.

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The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

Average rating: 4.33

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden follows a woman who joins the wealthy Winchester family’s household, viewing it as her opportunity for a new beginning. However, she uncovers disturbing secrets within the family dynamics, such as Nina’s manipulative actions and Andrew’s evident distress. As she becomes more involved with the Winchesters, she realizes the dangers lurking beneath the surface. I think it’s not just on Goodreads; almost everybody on social media, including Facebook, is talking about Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid series. You should check it out and see why everyone is talking about it.

Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night.

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Billy Summers by Stephen King

Average rating: 4.21

Billy Summers by Stephen King follows the titular character, a skilled killer for hire, who wants out of the business after one final hit. Billy is a highly decorated sniper and Iraq war veteran known for his ability to disappear after completing jobs. However, as he prepares for his last assignment, everything begins to unravel, leading to unexpected complications and dangers. King’s novel is a gripping thriller that explores the consequences of a life lived on the edge of morality. Honestly, I’m so happy to see that Billy Summers is finally on the list of top thrillers. I think it’s one of the best mysteries out there. I haven’t read many Stephen King novels since I’m not a horror fan, but I absolutely loved this one.

Billy Summers is a man in a room with a gun. He’s a killer for hire and the best in the business. But he’ll do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. And now Billy wants out. But first there is one last hit. Billy is among the best snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong?

How about everything…

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We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker

Average rating: 4.16

We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker is a powerful novel that follows thirteen-year-old Duchess Day Radley, who sees herself as an outlaw, fiercely protecting her younger brother Robin and taking care of her mother, Star. Walk, the town’s chief of police, is still haunted by the past, especially his involvement in sending his best friend Vincent King to prison. Now, thirty years later, Vincent is being released, and Duchess and Walk must confront the challenges his return brings. Whitaker’s novel explores the complexities of family and redemption, both the ones we are born into and the ones we create.

Right. Wrong. Life is lived somewhere in between.

Duchess Day Radley is a thirteen-year-old self-proclaimed outlaw. Rules are for other people. She is the fierce protector of her five-year-old brother, Robin, and the parent to her mother, Star, a single mom incapable of taking care of herself, let alone her two kids.

Walk has never left the coastal California town where he and Star grew up. He may have become the chief of police, but he’s still trying to heal the old wound of having given the testimony that sent his best friend, Vincent King, to prison decades before. And he’s in overdrive protecting Duchess and her brother.

Now, thirty years later, Vincent is being released. And Duchess and Walk must face the trouble that comes with his return. We Begin at the End is an extraordinary novel about two kinds of families—the ones we are born into and the ones we create.

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The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea

Average rating: – 4.21

The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea tells the story of two high school seniors, Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald, who go missing during a beach party in Emerson Bay, North Carolina. While Megan escapes from a bunker a year later and becomes a celebrity after publishing her ordeal, Nicole remains missing. Nicole’s sister, Livia, a forensic pathology fellow, anticipates finding Nicole’s body someday. Instead, clues emerge from the discovery of another body linked to Nicole’s past. Livia connects with Megan, suspecting a connection between Nicole’s disappearance and other similar cases. As they delve deeper, Megan begins to recall more horrifying details than she previously revealed, uncovering a darker truth about their ordeal.

Two abducted girls—one who returns, one who doesn’t.
 
The night they go missing, high school seniors Nicole Cutty and Megan McDonald are at a beach party in their small town of Emerson Bay, North Carolina. Police launch a massive search, but hope is almost lost—until Megan escapes from a bunker deep in the woods. . . . A year later, the bestselling account of her ordeal has made Megan a celebrity. It’s a triumphant story, except for one inconvenient Nicole is still missing.
 
Nicole’s older sister, Livia, a fellow in forensic pathology, expects that one day soon Nicole’s body will be found and her sister’s fate determined. Instead, the first clue comes from another body—that of a young man connected to Nicole’s past. Livia reaches out to Megan to learn more about that fateful night. Other girls have disappeared, and she’s increasingly sure the cases are connected.
 
Megan knows more than she revealed in her book. Flashes of memory are pointing to something more monstrous than she described. And the deeper she and Livia dig, the more they realize that sometimes true terror lies in finding exactly what you’ve been looking for.

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The Teacher by Freida McFadden

Average rating: – 3.99

The Teacher by Freida McFadden follows Eve, a high school math teacher whose school was previously embroiled in a scandal involving a student-teacher affair with Addie at its center. Despite warnings about Addie’s untrustworthiness, Eve believes there’s more to the story. As secrets unravel, Addie’s true nature and the lengths she’ll go to keep her secrets hidden are revealed, leading to a chilling tale of revenge and deception. This is another great thriller from Freida McFadden. I really enjoyed the fast-paced story and the suspense. It’s definitely one of the top-rated thrillers you have to read.

Lesson #1: trust no one

Eve has a good life. She gets up each day, gets a kiss from her husband Nate, and heads off to teach math at the local high school. All is as it should be. Except…

Last year, Caseham High was rocked by a scandal involving a student-teacher affair, with one student, Addie, at its center. But Eve knows there is far more to these ugly rumors than meets the eye.

Addie can’t be trusted. She lies. She hurts people. She destroys lives. At least, that’s what everyone says. 

But nobody knows the real Addie. Nobody knows the secrets that could destroy her. And Addie will do anything to keep it quiet.

From the New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden comes a story of twisting secrets and long-awaited revenge.

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Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Average rating: – 4.18

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak offers a fresh take on the supernatural thriller genre. Mallory Quinn, recently out of rehab, takes on a nanny job for the Maxwell family, caring for their son, Teddy. Mallory finds solace in her new role and bonds with Teddy, until his innocent drawings take a dark turn. As Teddy’s sketches hint at sinister secrets, Mallory questions if they hold clues to an unsolved murder. Despite the seeming impossibility, Mallory delves into the mystery, determined to protect Teddy from whatever lurks behind his eerie artwork.

A wildly inventive spin on the supernatural thriller, about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets.

Mallory Quinn is fresh out of rehab when she takes a job as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.

Mallory immediately loves it. She has her own living space, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.

Then, Teddy’s artwork becomes increasingly sinister, and his stick figures quickly evolve into lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to wonder if these are glimpses of a long-unsolved murder, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force.

Knowing just how crazy it all sounds, Mallory nevertheless sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy before it’s too late.

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Keep It In The Family by John Marrs

Average rating: – 4.12

Keep It In The Family by John Marrs delves into the intricate dynamics of family ties. In this gripping narrative, Marrs explores the complexities and secrets that bind families together, unraveling a tale of suspense and intrigue. As relationships are tested and buried truths come to light, readers are drawn into a compelling story that explores the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones and the consequences of keeping secrets within the family.

In this chilling novel from bestselling author John Marrs, a young couple’s house hides terrible secrets—and not all of them are confined to the past.

Mia and Finn are busy turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia unexpectedly falls pregnant. But just when they think the house is ready, Mia discovers a chilling message scored into a skirting board: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue up into the eaves, the couple make a gruesome discovery: their dream home was once a house of horrors.

In the wake of their traumatic discovery, the baby arrives and Mia can’t shake her fixation with the monstrous crimes that happened right above them. Haunted by the terrible things she saw and desperate to find answers, her obsession pulls her ever further from her husband.

Secrecy shrouds the mystery of the attic, but when shards of a dark truth start to emerge, Mia realises the danger is terrifyingly present. She is prepared to do anything to protect her family—but is it already too late?

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Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier

Average rating: – 4.12

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier unveils the gripping saga of three childhood friends: one murdered, one imprisoned, and one haunted by the truth. Angela Wong’s disappearance at sixteen baffled everyone, including her best friend, Geo Shaw, and Kaiser Brody, their close friend. Fourteen years later, Angela’s remains are found, revealing she was a victim of Calvin James, Geo’s first love. Geo kept Angela’s fate hidden, leading to her imprisonment. Now, as new bodies surface, the truth unravels, exposing dark secrets and chilling revelations.

This is the story of three best friends: one who was murdered, one who went to prison, and one who’s been searching for the truth all these years . . .

When she was sixteen years old, Angela Wong—one of the most popular girls in school—disappeared without a trace. Nobody ever suspected that her best friend, Georgina Shaw, now an executive and rising star at her Seattle pharmaceutical company, was involved in any way. Certainly not Kaiser Brody, who was close with both girls back in high school.

But fourteen years later, Angela Wong’s remains are discovered in the woods near Geo’s childhood home. And Kaiser—now a detective with Seattle PD—finally learns the truth: Angela was a victim of Calvin James. The same Calvin James who murdered at least three other women.

To the authorities, Calvin is a serial killer. But to Geo, he’s something else entirely. Back in high school, Calvin was Geo’s first love. Turbulent and often volatile, their relationship bordered on obsession from the moment they met right up until the night Angela was killed.

For fourteen years, Geo knew what happened to Angela and told no one. For fourteen years, she carried the secret of Angela’s death until Geo was arrested and sent to prison.

While everyone thinks they finally know the truth, there are dark secrets buried deep. And what happened that fateful night is more complex and more chilling than anyone really knows. Now the obsessive past catches up with the deadly present when new bodies begin to turn up, killed in the exact same manner as Angela Wong.

How far will someone go to bury her secrets and hide her grief? How long can you get away with a lie? How long can you live with it?

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All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

Average rating: – 4.08

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham unravels the chilling tale of Isabelle Drake, whose world crumbles when her toddler son, Mason, vanishes from his crib. A year of relentless anguish and sleepless nights drives Isabelle to agree to an interview with a true-crime podcaster, hoping for answers. Yet, as she relives Mason’s disappearance, buried memories resurface, casting doubt on her sanity and past. Isabelle’s quest uncovers long-buried secrets, leading her into a perilous maze of deception and betrayal. Willing to risk everything, she navigates a treacherous path to uncover the truth and find her son. In this suspenseful narrative, readers are gripped until the shocking climax.

One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.

Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.

Isabelle’s entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle’s past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust… including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.

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Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli

Average rating: – 4.12

James Carson has murdered three women and has yet to face justice. He lured his victims online, pretending to be a charming bachelor, only to end their lives on their first dates. Unbeknownst to him, his victims, Brecia, Meghan, and Skye, have connected in the afterlife and are determined to prevent him from harming others. The hunt for justice is on in this chilling novel by Noelle W. Ihli.

Meghan, Brecia, and Skye have just one thing in common.

They were all murdered by the same man.

He hunted them online, masquerading as an eligible bachelor. Then he played the perfect gentleman, a thick layer of charm and a thousand-watt smile hiding the fact that his first dates end in shallow graves.

He’s gotten away with murder three times now.

The only thing that might keep him from killing again? The women he murdered.

Meghan, Brecia, and Skye might be dead, but they’re not gone. They’ve found each other. And they won’t rest until they find a way to stop him.

The haunt is on.

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Conclusion:

There you have the list of most rated thrillers on Goodreads. I am curious to know what are your favorites from the list.

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