Best books of 2025: New thrillers and crime novels to read this year

It’s been an excellent year for crime fiction, with new thrillers from some of our favourite authors and exciting debuts from new talent to watch. But with so many bestselling titles and critically acclaimed books published this year, how do you know which to add to your reading pile? That’s where we step in. Below, we’ve rounded up the best crime and thriller books of 2025.

Whether you want to read the latest Jack Reacher book from Lee Child, a new psychological suspense from Lisa Jewell, or a twisty spy thriller from Tess Gerritsen, there is something for every crime fiction lover on our list below. 

15 of the best crime books of 2025

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell’s dark, twisty psychological thriller None of This is True was voted the Crime Novel of the Year in 2024. Her latest is just as gripping. Don’t Let Him In sees the lives of a widow, her daughter, and a frazzled mother-of-two collide as they are forced to question the men in their lives. This is a disturbing tale of deception that will have you questioning every character.

The New Neighbours by Claire Douglas

The Morgans seem to be a nice, retired couple. But their neighbour, Lena, is convinced she overheard them plotting a crime. Her friends and family think she must have misheard, but what if she’s right and they’re about to do something terrible? This is the latest claustrophobic thriller from Claire Douglas, the author of the 2024 runaway bestseller, The Wrong Sister.

Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz

Miriam Crace was a bestselling author until her untimely death 20 years ago. Her grandson Eliot believes she was poisoned, and he has hidden the identity of the alleged killer in his new novel. It’s down to literary editor Susan Ryeland to solve the case and work out its connection to a fictional mystery. But someone in the Crace family doesn’t want Eliot’s book to be published – and they’ll go to extreme lengths to protect their privacy.

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

The fifth instalment of the much-loved Thursday Murder Club series delivers warmth, wit and a cracking good mystery. In this latest adventure, the gang of retired sleuths find themselves caught up in a plot involving a wedding, a missing best man, an uncrackable code and a bitcoin fortune. It’s such a pleasure to spend time with Joyce, Elizabeth, Ibrahim and Ron again and Osman does a fantastic job of keeping the storylines fresh. We don’t want this series to ever end!

She Didn’t See It Coming by Shari Lapena

Sam is at work when he receives the call: his wife, Bryden, didn’t collect their daughter from nursery. When he arrives at their home, where his wife was working, he finds her car in the garage, her laptop on the table, and her phone and keys nearby. How can someone just vanish from inside their own home? This addictive novel is the latest from the author of Everyone Here is Lying.

Exit Strategy by Lee Child and Andrew Child

Exit Strategy sees the return of everyone’s favourite action hero, Jack Reacher. The former army general is in a café when a stranger slips him a note almost without detection, asking for help. Intrigued by the man’s method and message, Reacher makes it his mission to find out more… Exit Strategy is the 30th instalment of a series that continues to go from strength to strength.

It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara

A woman accidentally posts her neighbours’ secrets on the local WhatsApp group – and all hell breaks loose. She hopes the hysteria will die down, but then she receives a death threat. The next day, a woman is found murdered: a woman who shares her address, 26 Oakpark, but in another part of town. Did the killer get the wrong house? You’ll be racing to finish this domestic thriller that’s perfect for fans of Big Little Lies.

Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben

When Detective Sami Kierce was a teenager, he woke up covered in blood, holding a knife, next to the dead body of his girlfriend Anna. Twenty-two years later, he sees Anna, alive and well, in a crowd, and she runs away. Now, Sami must track her down and finally solve the mystery that has haunted his adult life. Harlan Coben’s latest heart-pounding thriller is a sequel to Fool Me Once (aka our 2024 TV obsession).

Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz

The latest instalment in the hugely popular Orphan X series sees the return of former government assassin Evan Smoak. Evan might have left the world of secret ops behind, but trouble continues to find him. This time, it’s in the shape of his oldest friend, Tommy, who has crossed a line. The pair clash, and the conflict gets bloody as Evan seeks revenge.

Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall

You know a crime novel is going to be good when it’s penned by the writer of Broadchurch. Chris Chibnall’s debut novel does not disappoint, and already counts Lee Child, Shari Lapena and Gillian McAllister among its fans. In Death at the White Hart, a local pub landlord is found dead on a deserted country road. Everyone in the village has something to hide, but only one of them is a killer.

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen

To the outside world, the Martini Club is a book club of retirees; in reality, it is a group of former spies. When a teenager goes missing in their small town, and a friend of the Club is the prime suspect, the retired spies conduct their own investigation. The Summer Guests is the follow-up to last year’s hugely popular espionage novel, The Spy Coast.

The Cleaner by Mary Watson

Nobody pays Esmie much attention in the gated neighbourhood of the Woodlands. She is a cleaner to the wealthy families who live there, but she has an ulterior motive: gathering intel on the people who destroyed her brother’s life, so she can take revenge. This is an immersive, atmospheric novel that’s perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Gillian McAllister.

The Inheritance by Trisha Sakhlecha

Business tycoon Raj Agarwal gathers his children on a private island off the coast of Scotland to announce how he will split the family empire. Tensions run high, and then there is a murder. Everyone is hiding something, but only one of them would kill to protect themselves. You don’t initially know who has been murdered, or why, in this whodunnit that feels like a cross between Succession and The White Lotus. We can see why this one’s being adapted for the small screen.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Camilla is at work when she learns there’s a hostage situation in London, and her husband is involved. But he’s not one of the hostages: he’s the man wielding the gun. How could her sweet-natured husband do such a thing? The answer could lie in the note he left behind that morning, a note nobody else knows about. This domestic thriller will blindside you with its plot twists, keeping you hooked until the end.

Murder for Busy People by Tony Parsons

Newly released from prison, where she served 16 years for armed robbery, Emma Moon has one thing on her mind: revenge. Her share of the money is gone, along with her unfaithful husband, and she’s willing to call in a few favours to get her own back. As the bodies pile up, Detective Max Wolfe is on the case, tracking down the very same woman he arrested all those years ago.

What has been your favourite book of 2025? Let us know in the comments below…