Few things in life are as enjoyable as getting sucked into a great thriller. Those late nights spent
in the dark glued to my e-reader provide the kind of twisty, adventurous fun that keeps my
heart racing just enough. (My kind of thrill ends when I take off my glasses.) With a mix of well-
rounded, relatable characters, a dash of heroism, a few wild twists, and uniquely clever
elements, these are ten of my favorites over the last few years, in no particular order:
1) The One by John Marrs: A new DNA test allows people to be matched with their genetically determined soulmate.
A foundational example of how to integrate a sci-fi element into a roaring fast thriller,
switching between multiple timelines and leaving each short chapter on a cliffhanger. I
thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it served as inspiration for my new book BABY X with
its rotating characters and rapid-fire pacing. It also provokes food for thought on the
nature of love and relationships, how much biology actually matters (or not), and what
implications such technology might have in the real world.
2) Recursion by Blake Crouch: A puzzlebox of a story about time, identity, and memory, centered around a new phenomenon called False Memory Syndrome.
This book has stayed with me. Crouch is the master of the mind-boggling sci-fi thriller. In
his worlds, the science is an essential component of world-building, but it’s not the
whole story. He develops characters you can believe in, throws them into bizarre and
high-stakes situations, and forces them to persevere against the kinds of mind-bending
obstacles mere mortals have never dreamed of. The last sequence of Recursion is
especially harrowing and poignant, and the ending left me in tears – the kind that only a
phenomenal book can provoke.
3) The Guest List by Lucy Foley: An atmospheric thriller on a moody island where a wedding party becomes the scene of a murder and everyone is a suspect.
Five different perspectives can be tricky to pull off, with readers needing to keep
everyone straight, but Foley does it in this book. I loved the Agatha Christie-style
mystery, and the subtle clues thrown in throughout, as you come to realize how these
characters are connected and who has motives. A slow burn, fun read with enough
twists to satisfy any thriller lover.
4) Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen: A mother and a daughter think they know each other better than anyone, but when the daughter starts to investigate her mom’s past, all bets are off.
I’m a fan of all of Pekkanen’s thrillers and will read anything she writes. Like her other
work, this book is populated by everyday people going through unusual circumstances
and trying to find their way to the truth. What’s remarkable about this one is that both
the daughter and the mother act as protagonist and antagonist, the reader’s sympathy
switches between them throughout as more revelations come out. There are also a few
quieter scenes in this book that truly touched my heart. I highly recommend it.
5) The Farm – Joanne Ramos: A seemingly aspirational retreat in the Hudson Valley filled with organic meals, massages, etc. is where chosen surrogates, often immigrants, go to carry wealthy people’s babies – under strict monitoring.
This thought-provoking sci-fi story feels one minute away from reality and raises ethical
questions around class, race, and reproductive choices. My favorite kind of thriller is a
kind of social commentary on where we are headed, and whether we’re going in the
right direction. Sure, people can have intellectual debates about surrogacy – and in my
graduate studies program in Bioethics, it was a classroom topic – but nothing like fiction
can really hammer home its ramifications for the people who participate. This one is
worth a read.
6) The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris: A dynamic workplace thriller about two young Black women who bond at a mainly white publishing house, except their trust erodes when sinister manipulations begin.
I really enjoyed this book, which combines mystery/thriller with elements of horror and
contemporary office drama. As someone who worked in publishing early in my career, I
found myself nodding along to the often-funny details and the characterizations of
those in positions of power. The mystery element ramps up in the last half of the book,
which heads in a direction I did not see coming. Harris is a whip-smart observer of
interpersonal dynamics, and a talented and creative storyteller. I look forward to
reading more of her work.
7) Who Is Maud Dixon – Alexandra Andrews: An aspiring writer becomes the assistant to a reclusive and mysterious novelist, but the arrangement takes a shocking turn when the novelist dies in a car crash, and the writer steps in to use her pseudonym.
I loved the concept of this book, which ticked a lot of boxes for me: It’s a commentary
on the writing life, with themes about authenticity, greatness, and the costs of ambition.
Add in several unexpected twists, a sympathetic heroine, and an exotic location, and
this book is a slam dunk. I don’t want to say more for fear of spoiling anything. Just read
it. I guarantee you won’t regret it.
8) A Novel Obsession –Caitlin Barasch: A young bookseller and aspiring novelist is stuck looking for material for her book, and stalks/befriends her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend to write about her. But fact and fiction collide as the novelist’s own life spirals out of control, and she must figure out how the story ends.
I mentioned I love books about writers and writing, and this one is a unique spin on the
material. In this book, its own meta-fiction entwined with the story’s events in real time,
each one influencing the other. The recognition by the protagonist of needing to craft a
sympathetic narrator, establish a character arc, and reach a fitting climax, provided
amusing irony along the way. I imagine it was hard to pull off these synergies without
getting bogged down or losing the overall narrative tension, but Barasch does it
seamlessly.
9) Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six – Lisa Unger: A luxury cabin in the woods is the ultimate setting for a group getaway, but a looming storm and a dark family mystery turn their weekend away into a nightmare.
I enjoy whatever Unger writes, and this book is no exception. Unger is a master at
developing complex characters who feel like real people, and even her villains manage
to be sympathetic, complicated individuals. I loved the slow burn tension and the
remote setting in this story, which Unger brings to life vividly. The central mystery is one
that feels quite plausible, given advancements over the last decade that have connected
strangers in surprising ways. This was a thoughtful, and haunting story that wraps up in
a satisfying way.
10) Andrea Bartz — The Spare Room: A woman at a low point in her life moves in with a successful, attractive couple at the height of the Covid pandemic, which turns into an unexpected triple romance, until she discovers that the last woman they invited into their marriage went missing.
This domestic suspense thriller captivated me from the start, and its many twists and
turns kept me glued to the page. The isolation of the pandemic, so memorable for all of
us, naturally adds to the danger as it’s ratcheted up. I thought I had this one figured out
and I was dead wrong. Kudos to Bartz for the ingenious climax that ties up all the loose
threads. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KIRA PEIKOFF is the author of Mother Knows Best, Living Proof, No Time to Die, and Die Again
Tomorrow. She has a degree in journalism from New York University and a master's in bioethics
from Columbia University. Her reported articles have appeared in The New York Times,
Newsweek, Popular Mechanics and other outlets. She now works in biotech communications,
helping spread the word about transformative developments in the life sciences. Peikoff is a
proud member of The Authors Guild, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of
America. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two sons. Her latest thriller BABY X
releases March 2024.
