10 Reviews: Best Psychological Thriller Books for Adults (Apr 2024)
Are you looking for any to-be-read recommendations? This article discusses the best psychological thriller for adults. Let's come closer!
by L. Ramadhani · updated on · price $7.98 - $26.00 · 199 views
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Comparison Table
Product Image |
1
Quercus Publishing
|
2
W. W. Norton & Company
|
3
Anchor
|
4
Orion
|
5
ECCO
|
6
William Morrow Paperbacks
|
7
Riverhead Books
|
8
Crown
|
9
Pamela Dorman Books
|
10
Gallery/Scout Press
|
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Product Name | The Rival | Strangers on a Train | My Sister, the Serial Killer | Him | Your House Will Pay | Shutter Island | Long Bright River | Sharp Objects | A Good Enough Mother | Lying in Wait |
Features | An Awesome Psychological Thriller Book | An Excellent Psychological Thriller Book | A Captivating Psychological Thriller Book | A Sophisticated Psychological Thriller Book | A Complex Psychological Thriller Book | A Modern-classic Psychological Thriller Book | A Wonderful Psychological Thriller Book | A Must-read Psychological Thriller Book | A Magnificent Psychological Thriller Book | An Awesome Psychological Thriller Book |
AUTHOR | Charlotte Duckworth | Craig Warner | Oyinkan Braithwaite | Clare Empson | Steph Cha | Dennis Lehane | Liz Moore | Gillian Flynn | Bev Thomas | Liz Nugent |
PAGE LENGTH | 352 pages | 288 pages | 240 pages | 400 pages | 320 pages | 400 pages | 496 pages | 254 pages | 352 pages | 320 pages |
PUBLISHER | Quercus Publishing | W. W. Norton & Company | Anchor | Orion | Ecco | William Morrow Paperbacks | Riverhead Books | Crown | Pamela Dorman Books | Gallery/Scout Press |
PUBLICATION DATE | January 7, 2020 | August 17, 2001 | July 30, 2019 | July 9, 2019 | July 28, 2020 | August 25, 2009 | December 1, 2020 | July 31, 2007 | April 30, 2019 | June 12, 2018 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches | 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.3 inches | 5.18 x 0.7 x 8 inches | 5 x 1 x 7.75 inches | 5.31 x 0.72 x 8 inches | 1 x 5.2 x 7.9 inches | 5.1 x 1.3 x 8 inches Next | 5.15 x 0.58 x 7.91 inches | 6.28 x 1.14 x 9.29 inches | 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches |
price | $20.24 | $7.98 | $9.63 | $13.75 | $17.72 | $12.89 | $14.99 | $10.22 | $8.29 | $26.00 |
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Stress can be a side effect of having a hectic schedule. However, you can always escape into a high-adrenaline psychological novel. A big part of the appeal of this subgenre is the unexpected turns and mind-blowing narratives that characterize it. As a bonus, you aren’t spending all your time in that area. However, several instances need your attention. Therefore, here are the best psychological thriller books for adults. Let’s dive right in if you’re seeking one!
Table of contents
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- 10 Best Psychological Thriller Books for Adults: Anchor, Crown, ECCO, Gallery/Scout Press, Orion, Pamela Dorman Books, Quercus Publishing, Riverhead Books, W. W. Norton & Company & William Morrow Paperbacks
- Comparison Table: Best Psychological Thriller Books for Adults
- Recommendation to read
- Conclusion
Product list
- Quercus Publishing The Rival: An Awesome Psychological Thriller Book
- W. W. Norton & Company Strangers on a Train : An Excellent Psychological Thriller Book
- Anchor My Sister, the Serial Killer: A Captivating Psychological Thriller Book
- Orion Him: A Sophisticated Psychological Thriller Book
- ECCO Your House Will Pay: A Complex Psychological Thriller Book
- William Morrow Paperbacks Shutter Island: A Modern-classic Psychological Thriller Book
- Riverhead Books Long Bright River: A Wonderful Psychological Thriller Book
- Crown Sharp Objects : A Must-read Psychological Thriller Book
- Pamela Dorman Books A Good Enough Mother: A Magnificent Psychological Thriller Book
- Gallery/Scout Press Lying in Wait: An Awesome Psychological Thriller Book
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
In case you do not know
What makes an excellent psychological book?
Psychological novels are concerned with some disturbing aspect of the human mind, whether it is insanity, an altered perception of reality, or simply an inner struggle with an element of control over the human mind. Writing an excellent psychological novel requires skill and an understanding of the desired effect.
What is a psychological suspense novel?
The psychological suspense genre’s storylines are layered, with frequent twists, surprises, and often unresolved endings. In addition, the stories are told slower, with mental activity driving them rather than the more intense physical activity in traditional suspense novels.
Is a psychological thriller a horror?
Even when they are labeled as “psychological horror,” as in the case of films like Black Swan or Gerald’s Game, there are scares in these films, but the main plot is the character’s struggle to maintain mental stability.
What's the difference between a thriller and a psychological thriller?
The psychological thriller is a subgenre that combines thriller and psychological fiction. The psychological horror genre is closely related to and sometimes overlaps with the horror genre, with the latter generally involving more horror and terror elements and themes and more disturbing or frightening scenarios.
10 Reviews: Best Psychological Thriller Books for Adults (Apr 2024)
1.
Quercus Publishing
The Rival
An Awesome Psychological Thriller Book
This unsettling and compelling book explores career women and motherhood. It’s a dual narrative, dual timeline story that opens with Helena, an ambitious businesswoman without a job, and a mother without a child. Before Helena’s pregnancy, she employs Ashley, a young, ambitious lady eager to prove herself to Helena and the company. So naturally, Helena wants Ashley to be her protégé, but Ashley has other plans.
"... I recommend this novel to fans of mystery novels. It was well-written and interesting novel"
AUTHOR | Charlotte Duckworth |
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PAGE LENGTH | 352 pages |
PUBLISHER | Quercus Publishing |
PUBLICATION DATE | January 7, 2020 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches |
2.
W. W. Norton & Company
Strangers on a Train
An Excellent Psychological Thriller Book
Strangers on a Train is a classic psychological thriller. Two guys meet on a train in Highsmith’s debut novel. Guy, says he’s divorcing his hateful wife; Bruno, a psychopath, wishes his father were dead and planned “the perfect murder.” Guy will assassinate Bruno’s father, and no one will know because the men are strangers. Guy declines, but when his wife dies, it’s evident Bruno will carry out the murder exchange whether Guy likes it. In this taut, stunning story, Highsmith wonders how much darkness lies dormant within us and how little a nudge it takes to bring out the worst inclinations.
"Excellent read. Even better than the Hitchcock adaptation which is a classic. The story speeds along intensely and doesn't let up. Highly recommended"
by PASE
AUTHOR | Craig Warner |
---|---|
PAGE LENGTH | 288 pages |
PUBLISHER | W. W. Norton & Company |
PUBLICATION DATE | August 17, 2001 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.3 inches |
3.
Anchor
My Sister, the Serial Killer
A Captivating Psychological Thriller Book
Are you tired of rescuing your siblings? Glad you’re not Korede. In this disturbing story set in Lagos, Nigeria, you meet two sisters: serial killer Ayoola and her enabler Korede. Korede appears with bleach and rubber gloves whenever Ayoola kills a boyfriend. However, Ayoola’s interest in Korede’s longstanding crush Tade changes everything. After playing second place to her beautiful, murderous sister, Korede must stop Ayoola’s murder rampage to save the man she loves. Braithwaite creates a psychologically profound difference between these two sisters.
"I absolutely loved this book. Oyinkan knows how to write a captivating story plot and keep you on the edge of your seat."
by Melanin
AUTHOR | Oyinkan Braithwaite |
---|---|
PAGE LENGTH | 240 pages |
PUBLISHER | Anchor |
PUBLICATION DATE | July 30, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.18 x 0.7 x 8 inches |
4.
Orion
Him
A Sophisticated Psychological Thriller Book
After witnessing something horrific, the protagonist Catherine is mute and being treated in a mental health facility when the story opens with the reader meeting her for the first time. Then, a sixteen-year mystery of friendship, love, and heartbreak unfolds. The story of Catherine and Lucian, two university students who fell in love and then lost touch for nearly a decade, is told in the novel Him. It’s a heartbreaking tale of the circumstances that left Catherine mute and unable to communicate.
"I read this in one sitting - total binge read. Sophisticated clever writing. Intelligent page turner."
AUTHOR | Clare Empson |
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PAGE LENGTH | 400 pages |
PUBLISHER | Orion |
PUBLICATION DATE | July 9, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5 x 1 x 7.75 inches |
5.
ECCO
Your House Will Pay
A Complex Psychological Thriller Book
In the wake of the mere police shooting of a black teenager, two families in Los Angeles are forced to confront the decades-old crime that links them. When a convenience store owner shot and killed a black teenager in the early 1990s, the shop owner’s daughter and the teen’s brother were now on a collision course, which had grave consequences for both families. A noirish thriller complete with twists and turns is delivered by Cha in this multilayered drama about racism, the flawed legal system, and revenge.
"A complex study of two families, two ways of thinking, and how two acts impact each other. Well-written and a must read."
AUTHOR | Steph Cha |
---|---|
PAGE LENGTH | 320 pages |
PUBLISHER | Ecco |
PUBLICATION DATE | July 28, 2020 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.31 x 0.72 x 8 inches |
6.
William Morrow Paperbacks
Shutter Island
A Modern-classic Psychological Thriller Book
Even if you’ve seen Scorsese’s Shutter Island, have you read the acclaimed novel on which it is based? Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshal sent to Shutter Island’s Ashcliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, is the novel’s focus, which takes place in 1954. While searching for an escaped murderer, Teddy and his partner get caught in a web of hidden rooms and secret codes that reveal that Ashcliffe Hospital isn’t what it appears to be. Lehane’s suspenseful, twisting-and-turning tale will have you guessing until the end.
"Wow, what a story. Had me guessing at every turn and I never knew what was coming. Very good read and an easy page turner."
AUTHOR | Dennis Lehane |
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PAGE LENGTH | 400 pages |
PUBLISHER | William Morrow Paperbacks |
PUBLICATION DATE | August 25, 2009 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 1 x 5.2 x 7.9 inches |
7.
Riverhead Books
Long Bright River
A Wonderful Psychological Thriller Book
This book combines police procedural intrigue with psychological thrillers. Long Bright River is set in a Philadelphia neighborhood plagued by poverty and addiction. He follows two estranged sisters: Mickey, a police officer who patrols the area, and Kacey, an addict who lives there. Mickey is determined to find her sister Kacey after a succession of killings. Long Bright River is a fantastic crime thriller and neighborhood-level look at the opioid problem.
"I really enjoyed this one. I think it shed some much-needed light on drug addiction and told the story in such a wonderful way that made me want to keep reading!"
by Paige
AUTHOR | Liz Moore |
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PAGE LENGTH | 496 pages |
PUBLISHER | Riverhead Books |
PUBLICATION DATE | December 1, 2020 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.1 x 1.3 x 8 inches Next |
8.
Crown
Sharp Objects
A Must-read Psychological Thriller Book
An ex-psychiatrist journalist, Camille Preaker, returns to her hometown in Missouri to look into an uptick in violent crimes against young women. Camille is reunited with her family for the first time in a long time: her neurotic mother, who haunted her childhood, and her troubled adolescent half-sister. But, as she digs further into the town’s dark secrets to find answers to the deaths and disappearances of her relatives, Camille’s psychological health deteriorates under the danger of her inner demons. Sharp Objects is a twisted and nasty film that will stay with you for some time.
"I love this book & the show as well. They went hand and hand. My favorite is when a show and book go together. Deff a must have book!"
AUTHOR | Gillian Flynn |
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PAGE LENGTH | 254 pages |
PUBLISHER | Crown |
PUBLICATION DATE | July 31, 2007 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 5.15 x 0.58 x 7.91 inches |
9.
Pamela Dorman Books
A Good Enough Mother
A Magnificent Psychological Thriller Book
A Good Enough Mother is another patient-therapist novel. Psychotherapist Ruth Hartland has years of expertise helping patients overcome trauma, but she’s also a mother of adult twins and mourns her lost son. When Dan, a new patient, looks and acts like Ruth’s son, the lines between therapist and patient blur as events spiral out of control for both. This novel is a psychological thriller with a ticking time bomb at its core.
"I liked the humanity expressed profoundly in the book. The story has many twists and turns to reach and touch every mother wherever she is."
by viki levy
AUTHOR | Bev Thomas |
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PAGE LENGTH | 352 pages |
PUBLISHER | Pamela Dorman Books |
PUBLICATION DATE | April 30, 2019 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6.28 x 1.14 x 9.29 inches |
10.
Gallery/Scout Press
Lying in Wait
An Awesome Psychological Thriller Book
This author has a remarkable knack for drawing in readers regarding beginning lines. Lydia, the wife of a well-respected judge, and her adolescent son Lawrence, who resides in a lovely house in Dublin, are immediately engrossing. Even though the story begins with a murder, it is not a mystery. The aftermath of the murder will keep you reading, not the murder itself. Lydia’s shortcomings as a mother and a human being, and her preoccupation with her kid, are the focus of this dark and distressing novel.
"I loved this book , best read in a long time. I love how at the top of pages they put the name of who is talking in that chapter. Awesome turn paging, hard to put down"
by Penny Rusko
AUTHOR | Liz Nugent |
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PAGE LENGTH | 320 pages |
PUBLISHER | Gallery/Scout Press |
PUBLICATION DATE | June 12, 2018 |
ITEM DIMENSIONS | 6 x 1.2 x 9 inches |
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Conclusion
To conclude
Some people prefer a sophisticated romantic story, while others prefer a simple one. Instead of settling on a beautiful plot, they want to use their brains to their advantage. The psychological thriller is a good choice for those who fit the bill. It’s a fascinating subgenre of literature, and there are a lot of examples. However, you must carefully consider your options before solving the storyline’s challenge. As a result, which of the best psychological thriller books for adults listed above will you buy?