Thrillers to Get You Out of a Reading Slump
There are few things more frustrating than a reading slump, especially when you’re using to reading as a daily habit. Thrillers are my favorite genre, and while I love that they can draw you in immediately, not all thrillers meet your expectations. They can get predictable, making you feel bored and unmotivated to pick up a new book. Below are some of my favorite thrillers that have gotten me out of reading slumps. Drawing me right away, I couldn’t put these down and they reignited my love for reading again.
thrillers to get you out of a reading slump
imaginary strangers by minka kent
5/5 stars
What an incredible psychological thriller. This hooked me from the beginning, and I could not put it down.
The plot explores a sociopathic mother who will do anything to protect her young kids. I appreciate how the author wrote about this in a believable yet respectful manner; you can tell the sociopathy angle was well-researched, and I learned more than I expected.
This was perfectly paced, and the author blew me away with how she crafted an atmosphere of unease and uncertainty throughout. I read a lot of thrillers, but this one definitely kept me guessing.
Check the TWs first, as some sections were difficult to read, but if you love psychological thrillers, you won’t want to skip this one.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
such quiet girls by noelle west ihliby
4/5 stars
This book gave me anxiety from the beginning and I couldn’t finish it fast enough; it draws you in from the beginning, not just from the kidnapping, but also from the questions surrounding the bus driver’s backstory. It’s loosely based on a true story (the 1976 Chowchilla bus kidnapping), but don’t brush up on the details of the real event before starting, since that gives a few details away.
That being said, there’s tension but it also felt anti-climactic by the end. As I read this, I didn’t know how the pieces would fit together or how things would turn out, but I also had an underlying idea that made the book feel pressured, but not high-stakes. Even still, it’s great if you’re in a slump because it’s fast paced and hard to put down.
The multi-POV is well done, especially since it includes the perspective of a 12-year-old child. I didn’t love the characters, but it didn’t keep me from enjoying the book, either.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the girl who lived by christopher greyson
5/5 stars
This is one of those thrillers that isn’t talked about as much as I think it should. The chapters are a little longer than you sometimes expect with thrillers, but the pacing is still quick and gripping without resorting to cheap cliffhangers.
There’s nothing worse than a thriller that relies on poor decision making to keep the plot moving. While the main character is frustrating at times, she’s still someone you root for. There’s also enough characters to keep you suspenseful of everyone without feeling like there are too many different characters to keep track of.
Sometimes thrillers that start out promising end with a cheap twist at the end, leaving you frustrated at the whole book. This is not that; without spoiling anything, I’ll say that I love how the ending made sense, yet was still shocking.
I absolutely loved this, finished it overnight, and wish it were a movie. The author’s storytelling is brilliant and vivid, and really engages the reader from start to finish.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
nightwatching by tracy sierra
4/5 stars
This is a really good, captivating thriller. It’s a story about a mother who realizes she and her two young children are victims of a home invasion in the middle of a blizzard. Anything that makes you question your sense of safety makes for a wild thriller, and this was no exception. It’s eerie and reminiscent of the movie “The Strangers” and perfect for a winter night in.
The tension is there from the very first page, and I was fully engrossed in the story right away. I could not read it fast enough; it almost felt slow in the middle, but that’s just because I impatiently wanted to get to the ending to see how everything played out.
This book is also well-written and crafted with a keen attention to detail. One aspect that you’ll love or hate is that the characters aren’t named in the book (only the intruder has a nickname). I didn’t notice this until I was trying to describe it to a friend, but there isn’t an overwhelming amount of characters, so it’s not going to confuse you.
Also, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there’s more than meets the eye with this book; it’s a gripping thriller, but there’s also subtle nods of social commentary included (without being preachy or annoying).
Read it here.
listen for the lie by amy tintera
5/5 stars
I’ve seen so many rave reviews about this book, and it definitely lives up to the hype (thankfully). It’s an entertaining, twisty thriller with a hint of comedic relief, but it doesn’t feel cheesy.
The mixed media format (podcast transcripts) makes it a breezy, fast-paced read and while the plot doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it’s executed well and is one of the more polished Kindle Unlimited reads.
The main character, Lucy, is flawed and sassy, but also bold and strong; she’s too much for some people (including those that will read this book), but she really makes the story feel fresh and engaging.
You can maybe guess the ending, and I definitely tried to, but this is one of those books where it’s better to just enjoy things as they unfold. Perfect for a day at the beach or a cozy weekend, I see the popularity of this book continuing to grow, and rightfully so.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
no exit by taylor adams
5/5 stars
While this leans closer to young-adult territory as the main character is a college student, it’s well worth the read. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. The tension is palpable, and builds from start to finish. That being said, some scenes are pretty gruesome and violent, so check the TWs if you are sensitive to that sort of stuff.
This is fast-paced with lots of twists and turns, some of which you saw coming but that doesn’t cheapen the suspense or payoff. I thought this was good through the last page, whereas some books fall short or end up disappointing when they start off so good.
This book was adapted into a movie for Hulu; I’m not sure if it’s any good, but the book did remind me of movies like House of Wax or Wrong Turn that I watched growing up and I thought it would make a good movie as I was reading it. If you finish this book and break out of your reading slump, you can watch the movie as a little reward :)
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the drowning woman by robyn harding
2/5 stars
Yes, this was not my favorite book, but it broke me out of my own reading slump so I wanted to include it. Tons of people rave about it, and it has high reviews on both Amazon and GoodReads, so I’m probably an outlier in my dislike for it.
The first third of the book completely hooks you and draws you in. The story itself is fresh, alluring, and unfamiliar, a sharp contrast to the thrillers that seem overdone with a tendency to follow certain themes (ex: cheating husband, suspenseful next-door neighbors, etc.). It mentions the COVID-19 pandemic, yet doesn’t feel dated.
I think because this broke me out of a reading slump and so many people hyped it up, I wanted to love it, but ended up feeling disappointed by the ending. Don’t let my “blah” feelings dissuade you, though - it really is worth at least trying to get into.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the last move by mary burton
4.5/5 stars
I wanted to include one series option, so that you have your next book set up for you as you break out of your reading slump, although this series is more of an anthology than continuation (different characters, plot, etc.).
This reads like a Criminal Minds episode, all the way down to a quote introducing each chapter. It’s one of the more engaging police/ FBI procedurals, and the cases mentioned are definitely dark and gruesome (check the TWs first).
The intricate plot is easy to follow, and everything flows together nicely (even with an unlabeled multi-POV). If you hate thrillers with ambiguous endings, you’ll enjoy this one, since every question gets answered.
I didn’t love the way the author described the main character at times; it just felt a little gratuitous at times, especially from a female writer trying to write a strong female lead, but if you can get past that, you’ll enjoy this thriller.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
PS: other thriller series I loved: The Girl in Cabin 13 (fast-paced, engaging, dark, hard to put down - haven’t finished this series yet), My Sister’s Grave (old-school police procedural that still grabs your attention with polished writing, especially for Kindle Unlimited).
the inmate by frieda mcfadden
4/5 stars
Truth be told, I hesitated to add a Frieda McFadden book to this list, but I know so many are fans of her books that I wanted to include something, especially since she does a great job of drawing you in right away. Everyone talks about The Housemaid (which is definitely a thriller I’d suggest!) but I wanted to share another option in case you’ve already read it.
The more of her books you read, the more formulaic they can seem. I’ve read nearly all of them, and she’s a love-hate author for me. That being said, The Inmate is one of her best books. It’s twisty, makes you second-guess everything, and the ending is genuinely shocking.
All Frieda McFadden books have short chapters, which adds to the page-turning suspense. They’re long enough to make you feel invested without dragging on, and make for a great weekend (or Friday night) read.
Other Frieda McFadden books that I would recommend:
On the other hand, I’d skip these Frieda McFadden books:
The Teacher (lots of people like this one, but I couldn’t get past the inappropriateness of the teacher-student relationship and how it was written)
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
