The Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller Books of 2021 (A Year-End List Aggregation)
“What are the best Horror, Thriller, and Mystery books released in 2021?” We looked at 260 of the top Horror, Thriller, and Mystery books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 64 books, all appearing on 2 or more “Best Horror, Thriller, and Mystery” book lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 175+ titles, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
Our other Best Of 2021 Articles:
- The Best Art, Photography, And Coffee Table Books
- The Best AudioBooks
- The Best Biography And Memoir Books
- The Best Graphic Novels And Comics
- The Best Cookbooks
- The Best Fiction Books
- The Best Books (All Catergories)
- The Best History Books
- The Best Kids, Children, and Youth Books
- The Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller Books
- The Best Nonfiction Books
- The Best Poetry Books
- The Best Science And Nature Books
- The Best Science Fiction And Fantasy Books
- The Best Young Adult Books
Previous Years: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015
Happy Scrolling!
Top 64 Best Horror, Thriller, and Mystery Books From 2021
64.) A Dowry of Blood written by S.T. Gibson
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads
- Lit Reactor
A lyrical and dreamy reimagining of Dracula’s brides, A Dowry of Blood is a story of desire, obsession, and emancipation. Saved from the brink of deat…
63.) A Lonely Man written by Chris Power
Lists It Appears On:
- Kirkus
- The Washington Post
The author of Mothers delivers an existential mystery that explores the uncertain intersection between fiction and reality, and the disastrous consequ…
62.) All Her Little Secrets written by Wanda M. Morris
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads 2
- NY Public Library
“All Her Little Secrets is a brilliantly nuanced but powerhouse exploration of race, the legal system, and the crushing pressure of keeping secrets. M…
61.) Come With Me written by Ronald Malfi
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads
- Lit Reactor
A masterful, heart-palpitating novel of small-town horror and psychological dread from a Bram Stoker nominee. Malfi is a modern-day Algernon Blackwood…
60.) Dial A for Aunties written by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- NPR
Sutanto brilliantly infuses comedy and culture into the unpredictable rom-com/murder mystery mashup as Meddy navigates familial duty, possible arrest …
59.) Dream Girl written by Laura Lippman
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- The Washington Post
With this tip of the hat to Stephen King’s Misery, Dream Girl is funny and suspenseful, with a dread-worthy final twist. –People”My dream novel. I de…
58.) Falling written by T. J. Newman
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Waterstones
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * “T. J. Newman has written the perfect thriller! A must-read.” –Gillian Flynn “Stunning and relentless. This is Jaws at 35,0…
57.) Hostage written by Clare Mackintosh
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- NY Public Library
Feels like a blockbuster movie.–Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was GoneMackintosh is a pro…the final scene in the bo…
56.) Later written by Stephen King
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads
- Lit Reactor
“Part detective tale, part thriller…touching and genuine.” –The New York Times #1 bestselling author Stephen King returns with a brand-new novel ab…
55.) Mirrorland written by Carole Johnstone
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- NY Public Library
Told with startling twists and haunting power, Mirrorland is a thrilling psychological suspense novel about twin sisters, the man they both love, the …
54.) Never Have I Ever written by Isabel Yap
Lists It Appears On:
- Lit Reactor
- NY Public Library
“Am I dead?” Mebuyen sighs. She was hoping the girl would not ask. Spells and stories, urban legends and immigrant tales: the magic in Isabel Yap’s de…
53.) Never Saw Me Coming: A Novel written by Vera Kurian
Lists It Appears On:
- NY Public Library
- NY Times
“I devoured this riveting book through a day of travel…My desire to rush to the end clashed with my desire to savor every word. Who would be the las…
52.) Pickard County Atlas written by Chris Harding Thornton
Lists It Appears On:
- Masterpiece 50
- MBTB
An atmospheric, slow-burning beauty of a book, rich with raw-edged lyricism and achingly real characters. –Tana French, author of The Searcher Small-…
51.) Reprieve written by James Han Mattson
Lists It Appears On:
- Library Journal
- Waterstones 2
Like Whitehead’s The Intuitionist, Alyssa Cole’s When No One Is Watching or Zakiya Dalila Harris’ The Other Black Girl, Reprieve straddles genres in t…
50.) Revelator: A Novel written by Daryl Gregory
Lists It Appears On:
- Kirkus 2
- NY Public Library
The dark, gripping tale of a 1930’s family in the remote hills of the Smoky Mountains, their secret religion, and the daughter who turns her back on t…
49.) Riccardino written by Andrea Camilleri
Lists It Appears On:
- The Guardian
- Waterstones
The long-awaited last novel in the transporting and beloved New York Times bestselling Inspector Montalbano series At eighty, I foresaw Montalbano’s d…
48.) Ruby Red Herring: An Avery Ayers Antique Mystery written by Tracy Gardner
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- NY Public Library
In this Avery Ayers Antique Mystery series debut, perfect for fans of Ellery Adams and Jane K. Cleland, an antiques appraiser hunts a missing gem whil…
47.) The Dangers of Smoking in Bed written by Mariana Enriquez
Lists It Appears On:
- Kirkus 2
- NY Public Library
SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE – “The lauded Argentine author of What We Lost in the Fire returns with enthralling stories conjured fr…
46.) The Death of Jane Lawrence: A Novel written by Caitlin Starling
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- NY Public Library
***AN BESTSELLER!*** From the Bram Stoker-nominated author of The Luminous Dead comes a gothic fantasy horror–The Death of Jane Lawrence. “A deliciou…
45.) The Drowning Kind written by Jennifer McMahon
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads
- NY Times
In this “blisteringly suspenseful tale that will keep you up at night” (Wendy Webb, author of Daughters of the Lake), a woman returns to the old famil…
44.) The First Day of Spring written by Nancy Tucker
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- The Guardian
“Tense, addictive and powered by an unforgettable narrative voice.” – PAULA HAWKINS A stunning debut…Suspenseful? You bet. Heart-rending? From begin…
43.) The Good Sister written by Sally Hepworth
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Goodreads 2
THE A stunningly clever thriller made doubly suspenseful by not one, but two unreliable narrators. — People Sally Hepworth, the author of The Mother…
42.) The Haunting Season written by Bridget Collins
Lists It Appears On:
- Higgypop
- Waterstones 2
Eight bestselling, award-winning writers return to the time-honored tradition of the seasonal ghost story in this spellbinding collection of new and o…
41.) The Heron’s Cry written by Ann Cleeves
Lists It Appears On:
- Barnes & Noble
- Waterstones
Ann Cleeves returns with The Heron’s Cry, the extraordinary follow-up to The Long Call, soon to be a major TV series, alongside her two hit TV shows …
40.) The Jigsaw Man written by Nadine Matheson
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- NY Public Library
“A heart-pounding roller coaster ride.”–Tami Hoag, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boy *A Crime Reads Most Anticipated Book of 2021* A se…
39.) The Other Black Girl written by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Lists It Appears On:
- Kirkus
- NPR
A Good Morning America, Esquire, and Read with Marie Claire Book Club Pick and a People Best Book of Summer Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2021 by …
38.) The Postscript Murders written by Elly Griffiths
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- NPR
“This droll romp is a latter-day Miss Marple.” –Washington Post Murder leaps off the page when crime novelists begin to turn up dead in this intricat…
37.) The Push written by Ashley Audrain
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads 2
- Publishers Weekly
A Good Morning America Book Club Pick A ! “Utterly addictive.” –Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train “Hooks you from the very first page an…
36.) These Toxic Things written by Rachel Howzell Hall
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- Publishers Weekly
A dead woman’s cherished trinkets become pieces to a terrifying puzzle.Mickie Lambert creates “digital scrapbooks” for clients, ensuring that precious…
35.) Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke written by
Lists It Appears On:
- Chloe’s Not Scared
- Library Journal
Sadomasochism. Obsession. Death. A whirlpool of darkness churns at the heart of a macabre ballet between two lonely young women in an internet chat ro…
34.) True Crime Story written by Joseph Knox
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- Waterstones
Ingenious… truly immersive: complex, disturbing, unexpectedly funny and very smart.–The GuardianTHE #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER!What happens to all…
33.) Velvet Was the Night written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Lists It Appears On:
- Bookpage
- NPR
NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE – GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK – From the bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a riveting noir about a daydream…
32.) We Begin at the End written by Chris Witaker
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Goodreads 2
Winner of the Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel from the Crime Writers’ Association (UK) Winner for Best International Crime Fiction from Australian Cr…
31.) White Smoke written by Tiffany D Jackson
Lists It Appears On:
- Higgypop
- Kirkus 2
The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York T…
30.) Who Is Maud Dixon? written by Alexandra Andrews
Lists It Appears On:
- NPR
- Publishers Weekly
“Dark comedy meets twisty thriller…Couldn’t be more fun.” –People Magazine Florence Darrow is a low-level publishing employee who believes that she…
29.) A Line to Kill written by Anthony Horowitz
Lists It Appears On:
- NY Times
- The Washington Post
- Waterstones
The New York Times bestselling author of the brilliantly inventive The Word Is Murder and The Sentence Is Death returns with his third literary whodun…
28.) A Slow Fire Burning written by Paula Hawkins
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads 2
- NPR
- Waterstones
The scorching new thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Girl on the Train. “A Slow Fire Burning twists and turns like a grea…
27.) Apples Never Fall written by Liane Moriarty
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Goodreads 2
- Waterstones
#1 From Liane Moriarty, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, comes Apples Never Fall, a novel that…
26.) Arsenic and Adobo written by Mia P. Manansala
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Goodreads 2
- Masterpiece 50
One of BuzzFeed’s Highly Anticipated Mystery Novels of 2021! The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes–o…
25.) False Witness: A Novel written by Karin Slaughter
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kirkus
There’s deception, sabotage, violence, family secrets . . . all the stuff you could want from a fictional page-turner.– theSkimm Recommended by Washi…
24.) Girl A written by Abigail Dean
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- Masterpiece 50
- The Guardian
AN “A stunning debut.” –Washington Post “Haunting and] powerful.” –The New York Times “A modern-day classic.” –Jeffery Deaver, New York Times best…
23.) Harlem Shuffle written by Colson Whitehead
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads 2
- Kirkus
- NPR
From the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, a gloriously entertaining novel of heists, shakedowns…
22.) Rock Paper Scissors written by Alice Feeney
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- Goodreads 2
- NY Public Library
“Feeney lives up to her reputation as the “queen of the twist”…This page-turner will keep you guessing.” –Real Simple Think you know the person yo…
21.) Summer Sons written by Lee Mandelo
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads
- Lit Reactor
- NPR
Lee Mandelo’s debut Summer Sons is a sweltering, queer Southern Gothic that crosses Appalachian street racing with academic intrigue, all haunted by a…
20.) The Anomaly written by Hervé Le Tellier; trans. Adriana Hunter
Lists It Appears On:
- MBTB
- NY Times
- Publishers Weekly
NAMED A BEST MYSTERY/THRILLER OF THE YEAR BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, A BEST MYSTERY/THRILLER OF THE MONTH BY POPSUGAR, AND A MOST ANTICIPATED READ OF THE Y…
19.) The Burning Girls written by C.J. Tudor
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- Lit Reactor
- NY Public Library
An unconventional vicar must exorcise the dark past of a remote village haunted by death and disappearances in this explosive and unsettling thriller …
18.) The Dark Hours written by Michael Connelly
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Booktopia
- Waterstones
“A masterpiece”–LAPD detective Renée Ballard must join forces with Harry Bosch to find justice in a city scarred by fear and social unrest after a me…
17.) The Last Thing He Told Me written by Laura Dave
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Booktopia
- Goodreads 2
…
16.) The Madness of Crowds written by Louise Penny
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Bookpage
#1 AARP The Magazine – Recommended Summer Reading CNN – A Most Anticipated Book of August Bustle – A Most Anticipated Book of August Chief Inspector …
15.) 56 Days written by Catherine Ryan Howard
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- NY Public Library
- NY Times
- The Washington Post
No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead.56 DAYS AGOCiara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the sa…
14.) Billy Summers written by Stephen King
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Goodreads 2
- Kirkus
- Waterstones
#1 From legendary storyteller Stephen King, whose “restless imagination is a power that cannot be contained” (The New York Times Book Review), comes …
13.) Chasing the Boogeyman written by Richard Chizmar
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Chloe’s Not Scared
- Goodreads
- Lit Reactor
The acclaimed New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling novel of small-town evil that “is genuinely chilling and something brand-new and exciting” (Ste…
12.) Silverview written by John le Carré
Lists It Appears On:
- Barnes & Noble
- Bookpage
- The Guardian
- The Washington Post
An ! In his last completed novel, John le Carré turns his focus to the world that occupied his writing for the past sixty years–the secret world itse…
11.) The Last House on Needless Street written by Catriona Ward
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Goodreads
- Library Journal
- Lit Reactor
The buzz…is real. I’ve read it and was blown away. It’s a true nerve-shredder that keeps its mind-blowing secrets to the very end. –Stephen King An…
10.) The Maidens written by Alex Michaelides
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Goodreads 2
- Waterstones
**THE ** Alex Michaelides’s long-awaited next novel, ‘The Maidens, ‘ is finally here…the premise is enticing and the elements irresistible. –The Ne…
9.) This Thing Between Us: A Novel written by Gus Moreno
Lists It Appears On:
- Chloe’s Not Scared
- Goodreads
- NPR
- NY Public Library
“As original as it is affecting . . . left me genuinely creeped out, unsettled, and shaken. An existentially frightening book.” –Paul Tremblay, autho…
8.) Clark and Division written by Naomi Hirahara
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Bookpage
- NY Public Library
- The Washington Post
Set in 1944 Chicago, Edgar Award-winner Naomi Hirahara’s eye-opening and poignant new mystery, the story of a young woman searching for the truth abou…
7.) My Heart Is a Chainsaw written by Stephen Graham Jones
Lists It Appears On:
- Chloe’s Not Scared
- Goodreads
- Library Journal
- NPR
- Waterstones 2
In her quickly gentrifying rural lake town Jade sees recent events only her encyclopedic knowledge of horror films could have prepared her for in this…
6.) Northern Spy written by Flynn Berry
Lists It Appears On:
- Cup of tea with that book please
- Kirkus
- NY Public Library
- NY Times
- The Washington Post
REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK “If you love a mystery, then you’ll devour [Northern Spy] . . . I loved this thrill ride of a book.”–Reese Witherspoon “A chi…
5.) The Book of Accidents written by Chuck Wendig
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads
- Kirkus 2
- Library Journal
- Lit Reactor
- NY Public Library
A family returns to their hometown–and to the dark past that haunts them still–in this masterpiece of literary horror by the New York Times bestsell…
4.) The Final Girl Support Group written by Grady Hendrix
Lists It Appears On:
- Goodreads
- Kirkus 2
- Library Journal
- NPR
- Waterstones 2
THE A Good Morning America Buzz Pick “The horror master…puts his unique spin on slasher movie tropes.”-USA Today A can’t-miss summer read, selected…
3.) The Man Who Died Twice written by Richard Osman
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Bookpage
- Booktopia
- Kirkus
- Waterstones
An ! The second gripping novel in the New York Times bestselling Thursday Murder Club series, soon to be a major motion picture from Steven Spielberg …
2.) The Plot written by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Goodreads 2
- MBTB
- NY Times
- Publishers Weekly
- The Washington Post
** ! ** The Tonight Show Summer Reads Pick ** Insanely readable. –Stephen King Hailed as breathtakingly suspenseful, Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot i…
1.) Razorblade Tears written by S.A. Cosby
Lists It Appears On:
- Amazon
- Bookpage
- Goodreads 2
- Kirkus
- Masterpiece 50
- NPR
- NY Public Library
- The Washington Post
** “Provocative, violent — beautiful and moving, too.” –Washington Post “Superb…Cuts right to the heart of the most important questions of our tim…
The 175+ Additional Best Horror, Thriller, and Mystery Books Released In 2021
65) 1979 – Val McDermid List: Waterstones
66) A Haunting at Holkham – Anne Glenconner List: Waterstones
67) A Narrow Door – Joanne Harris List: Waterstones
68) A Peculiar Combination – Ashley Weaver List: Cup of tea with that book please
69) A Three Dog Problem – SJ Bennett List: Waterstones
70) A Town Called Solace – Mary Lawson List: NPR
71) Alejandro’s Lie – Bob Van Laerhoven List: Best Thrillers
72) All that is Secret – Patricia Raybon List: Masterpiece 50
73) All’s Well – Mona Awad List: Goodreads
74) Bad Moon Rising – List: Bookpage
75) Before You Knew My Name – Jacqueline Bublitz List: Booktopia
76) Better Off Dead – Lee Child, Andrew Child List: Waterstones
77) BIG DARK HOLE – Jeffrey Ford List: Kirkus 2
78) Black Ice – Carin Gerhardsen List: Publishers Weekly
79) Bloodline – List: Goodreads
80) Blue Madagascar – Andrew Kaplan List: The Book Decoder
81) Body Shocks – List: Library Journal
82) Bryant & May: Oranges and Lemons – List: MBTB
83) Build Your House Around My Body – Violet Kupersmith List: NPR
84) Bullet Train: A Novel – Kōtarō Isaka List: NY Public Library
85) Cackle – List: Goodreads
86) Certain Dark Things – Silvia Moreno-Garcia List: Waterstones 2
87) Chaos on CatNet – Naomi Kritzer List: NPR
88) Chasing Ghosts – Marc Hartzman List: Higgypop
89) Children of Chicago – List: Library Journal
90) Children of the Fox: A Thieves of Shadow Novel – Kevin Sands List: NPR
91) Cold Justice – Ant Middleton List: Waterstones
92) Comfort Me With Apples – List: Goodreads
93) Cover Your Tracks – Daco Auffenorde List: Best Thrillers
94) Creatures of Passage – Morowa Yejidé List: Kirkus 2
95) Cursed Bunny – Bora Chung, Anotn Hur (translator) List: Chloe’s Not Scared
96) Dead Dead Girls – Nekesa Afia List: Bookpage
97) Dead Relatives – Lucie McKnight Hardy List: Waterstones 2
98) Death and Croissants – Ian Moore List: Waterstones
99) Deliverance – Jason Bray List: Higgypop
100) Destroy All Monsters: A Reckless Book – Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips List: NPR
101) Empire of the Vampire – Jay Kristoff List: Waterstones 2
102) Every Last Secret – List: Goodreads 2
103) Exit – List: MBTB
104) Finlay Donovan Is Killing It: A Mystery – Elle Cosimano List: NY Public Library
105) Firekeeper’s Daughter – Angeline Boulley List: NPR
106) Five Decembers – James Kestrel List: Publishers Weekly
107) Flowers for the Sea – Zin E. Rocklyn List: NY Public Library
108) Ghosts Of Cannock Chase – Lee Brickley List: Higgypop
109) Goddess of Filth – List: Library Journal
110) Hard Road: Deadly Horizon – Bradley West List: The Book Decoder
111) Have You Seen Me? – Alexandrea Weis List: Best Thrillers
112) Heatwave – Victor Jestin List: Waterstones
113) Horseman – Christina Henry List: Waterstones 2
114) House of Hollow – Krystal Sutherland List: Kirkus 2
115) How Lucky: A Novel – Will Leitch List: Amazon
116) How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House – Cherie Jones List: NPR
117) Hummingbird Salamander – Jeff Vandermeer List: NPR
118) Hyde: A Novel – Craig Russell List: Masterpiece 50
119) I AM NOT WHO YOU THINK I AM – List: NY Times
120) In the Company of Killers – List: MBTB
121) INFINITE – Brian Freeman List: Kirkus
122) JK’s Code – Ronald S. Barak List: Best Thrillers
123) JUDAS 62 – Charles Cumming List: Waterstones
124) Kill a Spy – Samantha Lee Howe List: The Book Decoder
125) LADY JOKER, VOLUME 1 – Kaoru Takamura List: Kirkus
126) Life With Paranormal Encounters – Connor Biddle List: Higgypop
127) Lightning Strike: A Novel (18) (Cork O’Connor Mystery Series) – William Kent Krueger List: Amazon
128) Local Woman Missing – List: Goodreads 2
129) Madam – Phoebe Wynne List: Cup of tea with that book please
130) Magpie – Elizabeth Day List: Waterstones
131) Mango, Mambo, and Murder – List: Bookpage
132) Midnight, Water City – Chris McKinney List: Publishers Weekly
133) Mrs. March – Virginia Feito List: Barnes & Noble
134) My Sweet Girl: A Novel – Amanda Jayatissa List: NPR
135) Near the Bone – Christina Henry List: Goodreads
136) Never – Ken Follett List: Waterstones
137) Newark Minutemen – Leslie K. Barry List: Best Thrillers
138) Not a Happy Family – List: Goodreads 2
139) Nothing But Blackened Teeth – Cassandra Khaw List: Higgypop
140) OUR LAST ECHOES – Kate Alice Marshall List: Kirkus 2
141) Our Woman in Moscow – Beatriz Williams List: NPR
142) Over My Dead Body – Jeffrey Archer List: Waterstones
143) Paranormal Playtime – Penny Griffiths-Morgan List: Higgypop
144) Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir List: MBTB
145) Quantum Alibi – Liam Fialkov List: Best Thrillers
146) Quantum Paranormal – Patrick Jackson List: Higgypop
147) Queen of Teeth – List: Library Journal
148) Quiet in Her Bones – Nalini Singh List: NPR
149) Rabbits – Terry Miles List: Kirkus 2
150) Red X: A Novel – David Demchuk List: NY Public Library
151) Rizzio – Denise Mina List: Waterstones
152) She Never Left – C.M. Harris List: The Book Decoder
153) Shiver – Allie Reynolds List: Cup of tea with that book please
154) Sixteen Horses – Greg Buchanan List: Waterstones
155) Sleep Well, My Lady – List: The Washington Post
156) SMALL TOWN MONSTERS – Diana Rodriguez Wallach List: Kirkus 2
157) Sorrowland – Rivers Solomon List: NY Public Library
158) Soul Seeker – Kaylin McFarren List: Best Thrillers
159) Standby Counsel – Alexi Venice List: Best Thrillers
160) State of Terror – Hillary Rodham Clinton, Louise Penny List: Waterstones
161) Steel Fear – Brandon Webb and John David Mann List: Publishers Weekly
162) Such Pretty Things – Lisa Heathfield List: Waterstones 2
163) The Achilles Gene – N.E. Miller List: Best Thrillers
164) The Anatomy of Desire – L.R. Dorn List: Publishers Weekly
165) The Apollo Murders – Chris Hadfield List: Waterstones
166) The Appeal – Janice Hallett List: Waterstones
167) The Bloodless Boy – Robert J. Lloyd List: Publishers Weekly
168) THE BURIED – Melissa Grey List: Kirkus 2
169) The Chase – List: Booktopia
170) The Collective – Alison Gaylin List: Book Riot
171) The Committed – Viet Thanh Nguyen List: NPR
172) THE CORPSE FLOWER – Anne Mette Hancock List: Kirkus
173) The Cottingley Cuckoo – A.J. Elwood List: Waterstones 2
174) The Dark Remains – Ian Rankin, William McIlvanney List: Waterstones
175) THE DEAD AND THE DARK – Courtney Gould List: Kirkus 2
176) The Deep – Alma Katsu List: Higgypop
177) The Devil’s Advocate – Steve Cavanagh List: Waterstones
178) The Dinner Guest – B.P. Walter List: The Book Decoder
179) The Downstairs Neighbor – Helen Cooper List: Cup of tea with that book please
180) The Echo Wife – Sarah Gailey List: NY Public Library
181) The Feminine Macabre – Amanda R. Woomer & Patti Negri List: Higgypop
182) The Ghost Hunter Chronicles: The House In The Woods – Yvette Fielding List: Higgypop
183) The Girl Who Died – Ragnar Jónasson List: Masterpiece 50
184) The Girls I’ve Been – Tess Sharpe List: Book Riot
185) The Good Neighbour – R.J. Parker List: The Book Decoder
186) The Great American Ghost Trip – Richard Estep List: Higgypop
187) The Guilt Trip – Sandie Jones List: Barnes & Noble
188) The Heights – Louise Candlish List: Waterstones
189) The Hiding Girl – Dorian Box List: Best Thrillers
190) The Hollows – List: Goodreads
191) The Housemate – List: Booktopia
192) The Jealousy Man – Jo Nesbo, Robert Ferguson List: Waterstones
193) The Judge’s List – John Grisham List: Waterstones
194) The Khan – Saima Mir List: Waterstones
195) The Labyrinth – Simon Stalenhag List: Waterstones 2
196) The Last Thing to Burn – Will Dean List: Cup of tea with that book please
197) The Lighthouse Witches: A Novel – C.J. Cooke List: NY Public Library
198) The Lost Village: A Novel – Camilla Sten, translated by Alexandra Fleming List: NPR
199) The Mary Shelley Club – Goldy Moldavsky List: Lit Reactor
200) The Midnight Hour – Elly Griffiths List: Waterstones
201) The Midnight Lock – Jeffery Deaver List: Waterstones
202) The Money – David Shawn Klein List: Best Thrillers
203) The Nameless Ones – John Connolly List: Waterstones
204) The Night She Disappeared – List: Goodreads 2
205) The Other Passenger – List: Bookpage
206) The Other Woman – Jane Adams List: The Book Decoder
207) The Paranormal: An Open-Minded Guide – Cameron Cutts List: Higgypop
208) The Penguin Book Of Exorcisms – Joseph P. Laycock List: Higgypop
209) The Perfect Neighbour – Susanna Beard List: The Book Decoder
210) The Photographer – Mary Dixie Carter List: Publishers Weekly
211) The President’s Daughter – President Bill Clinton, James Patterson List: Waterstones
212) The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book: A Greenglass House Story – Kate Milford, illustrated by Nicole Wong List: NPR
213) The Route of Ice & Salt – José Luis Zárate List: NY Public Library
214) The Royal Secret – Andrew Taylor List: Waterstones
215) The Sanatorium – Sarah Pearse List: Waterstones
216) THE SECRET TALKER – List: NY Times
217) The Silver Waterfall – Kevin Miller List: Best Thrillers
218) The Spirit Engineer – A. J. West List: Higgypop
219) The Stolen Hours – Allen Eskens List: Amazon
220) The Survivors – Jane Harper List: Goodreads 2
221) The Taking of Jake Livingston – Ryan Douglass List: Higgypop
222) The Tale of the Tailor and the Three Dead Kings – Dan Jones List: Waterstones 2
223) THE TEMPLE HOUSE VANISHING – List: NY Times
224) The Third Pole: Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest – Mark Synnott List: NPR
225) The Three Lives of Richie O’Malley – William Lobb List: Best Thrillers
226) The Trees – Percival Everett List: NPR
227) The Turnout – Megan Abbott List: NPR
228) The Vixen – Francine Prose List: NPR
229) The Way it is Now – List: Booktopia
230) The Weekend Escape – Rakie Bennett List: The Book Decoder
231) The Whispering Dead (Gravekeeper, #1) – List: Goodreads
232) The Wife Upstairs – List: Goodreads 2
233) The Windsor Knot – List: MBTB
234) The Woman in the Purple Skirt: A Novel – Natsuko Imamura, translated by Lucy North List: NPR
235) The Wonder Test – List: MBTB
236) Tidal Rage – David Evans List: The Book Decoder
237) Tokyo Zangyo – Michael Pronko List: Best Thrillers
238) Too Bright to See – Kyle Lukoff List: NPR
239) Treason Flight – T.R. Matson List: Best Thrillers
240) Treasure and Dirt – List: Booktopia
241) Under the Whispering Door – T.J Klune List: Higgypop
242) Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy – Hailey Piper List: NY Public Library
243) Unsolved Case Files: Escape at 10,000 Feet: D.B. Cooper and the Missing Money – Tom Sullivan List: NPR
244) UNTHINKABLE – Brad Parks List: Kirkus
245) UNTRACEABLE – Sergei Lebedev List: Kirkus
246) Using Equipment: Guidance Notes for Investigators of Apparitions, Hauntings, Poltergeists & Similar Phenomena – Steven Parsons List: Higgypop
247) We Are Watching Eliza Bright: A Novel – A.E. Osworth List: NPR
248) We Run the Tides: A Novel – Vendela Vida List: NPR
249) We Were Never Here – Andrea Bartz List: NPR
250) When All The Girls Are Sleeping – Emily Arsenault List: Higgypop
251) When Ghosts Come Home: A Novel – Wiley Cash List: Amazon
252) When the Reckoning Comes – List: Goodreads
253) When Things Get Dark: Stories inspired by Shirley Jackson – Ellen Datlow List: NY Public Library
254) When You Are Mine – List: Booktopia
255) Where They Wait – List: Goodreads
256) While Justice Sleeps – Stacey Abrams List: Barnes & Noble
257) Widespread Panic: A Novel – James Ellroy List: NPR
258) Wild Place – List: Booktopia
259) Winter Counts – List: The Guardian
260) Yearn to Fear – Chas Murrell List: Best Thrillers
26 Best Horror, Thriller, and Mystery Book Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| Amazon | Best mysteries and thrillers of 2021 |
| Barnes & Noble | Barnes & Noble’s Best Mysteries & Thrillers of 2021 |
| Best Thrillers | The Best Thriller Books of 2021 |
| Bookpage | Best Mystery & Suspense of 2021 |
| The Book Decoder | Best Books of 2021: Thrillers |
| Book Riot | Best Books of 2021 |
| Booktopia | The Best Books of 2021: Crime & Thriller |
| Chloe’s Not Scared | The Best Horror Books & Movies of 2021 |
| Cup of tea with that book please | Cup of Tea’s Best Books of 2021: Mystery and Thrillers |
| Goodreads | Best Horror |
| Goodreads 2 | Best Mystery & Thriller |
| The Guardian | Five of the best crime and thrillers of 2021 |
| Higgypop | 20 Must-Read Paranormal & Supernatural Books Of 2021 |
| Kirkus | Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2021 |
| Kirkus 2 | 13 Scariest Books of 2021 |
| Library Journal | Best Horror of 2021 |
| Lit Reactor | The 10 Scariest Horror Books of 2021 — Ranked! |
| MBTB | MBTB’s Best Books of 2021 (updated 11/30/21) |
| NY Public Library | Best Books for Adults 2021 |
| NY Times | The Best Thrillers of 2021 |
| NPR | Books We Love |
| Masterpiece 50 | Best Mystery Books of 2021: Recommended by Bestselling Authors |
| Publishers Weekly | Best Mystery |
| The Washington Post | Best thriller and mystery books of 2021 |
| Waterstones | The Best Books of 2021: Crime & Thriller |
| Waterstones 2 | Chilling Chapters: The Best Horror Fiction of 2021 |
