2021 is flying by, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss any of the year’s best thrillers.
As summer comes to a close, we’re taking a quick trip back through twenty of the very best books that have come out so far, from some of the biggest names in publishing. Whether you’re looking for hard-hitting action or mind-bending psychological suspense, this list has it all and then some. Check out each title below, then be sure to leave us a comment (or tag us on social media) and let us know which one’s your favorite.
Happy reading!
UPDATE 10/19/2021:
The response to this article was so great, we added five more bonus picks to the mix. Scroll all the way to the bottom to see those new selections, and standby for even more book recommendations in the coming weeks!
Black Ice by Brad Thor
#1 New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brad Thor is back with his most intense thriller yet.
Scot Harvath is having his best summer ever. With a cottage on the fjord, a boat, and his beautiful girlfriend Sølvi, he’s got everything he could possibly want. But out of vacation days and long overdue back home, America’s top spy has a decision to make—return, or submit his resignation.
When his deadly past comes calling, though, he’ll be left with no choice at all.
Leaving his favorite Oslo café, Harvath watches as a ghost climbs out of a taxi—a man he killed years ago, halfway around the world. How is he still alive? And what is he doing in Norway?
In a race against time that will take him high above the Arctic Circle, Harvath is tested in ways he has never imagined and pushed to a limit few human beings could ever endure.
If he succeeds, he’ll walk away with everything. If he fails, the United States and its allies will be at the mercy of one of the world’s most dangerous actors.
Why you should read it: Without giving anything away, Thor’s unmatched ability to beat real-life headlines is again on display here, with recent news cycles highlighting various plot points of his latest book, even if readers don’t realize it yet . . . Masterfully plotted, blazing-fast, and filled with the kind red-hot action his fans have come to expect, Black Ice is another instant classic from Brad Thor, who continues to push the envelope in ways that few before him have ever dared.
From Daniel Silva, the internationally acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author, comes a timely and explosive new thriller featuring art restorer and legendary spy Gabriel Allon.
Viktor Orlov had a longstanding appointment with death. Once Russia’s richest man, he now resides in splendid exile in London, where he has waged a tireless crusade against the authoritarian kleptocrats who have seized control of the Kremlin. His mansion in Chelsea’s exclusive Cheyne Walk is one of the most heavily protected private dwellings in London. Yet somehow, on a rainy summer evening, in the midst of a global pandemic, Russia’s vengeful president finally manages to cross Orlov’s name off his kill list.
Before him was the receiver from his landline telephone, a half-drunk glass of red wine, and a stack of documents.…
The documents are contaminated with a deadly nerve agent. The Metropolitan Police determine that they were delivered to Orlov’s home by one of his employees, a prominent investigative reporter from the anti-Kremlin Moskovskaya Gazeta. And when the reporter slips from London hours after the killing, MI6 concludes she is a Moscow Center assassin who has cunningly penetrated Orlov’s formidable defenses.
But Gabriel Allon, who owes his very life to Viktor Orlov, believes his friends in British intelligence are dangerously mistaken. His desperate search for the truth will take him from London to Amsterdam and eventually to Geneva, where a private intelligence service controlled by a childhood friend of the Russian president is using KGB-style “active measures” to undermine the West from within. Known as the Haydn Group, the unit is plotting an unspeakable act of violence that will plunge an already divided America into chaos and leave Russia unchallenged. Only Gabriel Allon, with the help of a brilliant young woman employed by the world’s dirtiest bank, can stop it.
Elegant and sophisticated, provocative and daring, The Cellist explores one of the preeminent threats facing the West today—the corrupting influence of dirty money wielded by a revanchist and reckless Russia. It is at once a novel of hope and a stark warning about the fragile state of democracy. And it proves once again why Daniel Silva is regarded as his generation’s finest writer of suspense and international intrigue.
Why you should read it: Silva continues to challenge the late John le Carre as the greatest spy novelist of all time, and his latest, which sees Allon once again race around the globe against a ticking clock, features a shock ending that blurs the line between fiction and reality. A true master of his craft, Silva continues to fire on all cylinders here.
Enemy at the Gates by Kyle Mills
Picking up where the “tour de force” (The Providence Journal) Total Power left off, the next thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling Mitch Rapp series follows the CIA’s top operative as he searches for a high-level mole with the power to rewrite the world order.
Mitch Rapp has worked for a number of presidents over his career, but Anthony Cook is unlike any he’s encountered before. Cunning and autocratic, he feels no loyalty to America’s institutions and is distrustful of the influence Rapp and CIA director Irene Kennedy have in Washington.
Meanwhile, when Kennedy discovers evidence of a mole scouring the Agency’s database for sensitive information on Nicholas Ward, the world’s first trillionaire, she convinces Rapp to take a job protecting him. In doing so, he finds himself walking an impossible tightrope: Keep the man alive, but also use him as bait to uncover a traitor who has seemingly unlimited access to government secrets.
As the attacks on Ward become increasingly dire, Rapp and Kennedy are dragged into a world where the lines between governments, multinational corporations, and the hyper-wealthy fade. An environment in which liberty, nationality, and loyalty are meaningless. Only the pursuit of power remains.
As “one of the best thriller writers on the planet” (The Real Book Spy), Kyle Mills has created another nail-biter that not only echoes the America of today, but also offers a glimpse into its possible future.
Why you should read it: Not since Consent to Kill has Mitch Rapp had such a personal, gut-wrenching experience with someone close to him. No spoilers here, but Mills goes all-out with this one, delivering a jaw-dropping ending that’ll shake longtime fans to their core.
The fourth thriller in the “so powerful, so pulse-pounding, so well-written” (Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author) Terminal List series follows former Navy SEAL James Reece as he is entrusted with a top-secret CIA mission of retribution twenty years in the making.
It’s been twenty years since 9/11, two decades since the United States was attacked on home soil and set out to make the guilty pay with their lives. In the shadows, the enemy has been patient—learning, and adapting. And the enemy is ready to strike again.
A new president offers hope to a country weary of conflict. He’s a young, popular, self-made visionary…but he’s also a man with a secret.
Halfway across the globe a regional superpower struggles with sanctions imposed by the United States and her European allies, a country whose ancient religion spawned a group of ruthless assassins. Faced with internal dissent and extrajudicial targeted killings by the United States and Israel, the Supreme Leader puts a plan in motion to defeat the most powerful nation on earth.
Meanwhile, a young PhD student has gained access to a bioweapon thought to be confined to a classified military laboratory known only to a select number of officials. A second-generation agent, he has been assigned a mission that will bring his adopted homeland to its knees.
With Jack Carr’s signature “absolutely intense” (Chuck Norris) writing and “gripping authenticity” (The Real Book Spy), The Devil’s Hand is a riveting and timely thriller that will leave you gasping for breath.
Why you should read it: Carr continues to assert his dominance on the genre as a whole, churning out yet another wild, action-packed adventure that hits almost too close to home for comfort. What have our enemies learned about us since 9/11? Carr tackles that question, and as always, James Reece goes to work—kicking ass and taking names in the process.
BONUS: See the cover for Carr’s next thriller, In The Blood, as well as an exclusive statement from the author here!
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“T. J. Newman has written the perfect thriller! A must-read.” —Gillian Flynn
“Stunning and relentless. This is Jaws at 35,000 feet.” —Don Winslow
“Falling is the best kind of thriller…Nonstop, totally authentic suspense.” —James Patterson
“Amazing…Intense suspense, shocks, and scares…Chilling.” —Lee Child
You just boarded a flight to New York.
There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.
What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.
For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.
The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.
Enjoy the flight!
Why you should read it: Never in my years as a Book Spy have a seen a debut more hyped than this one. Newman’s first novels exploded onto the scene, landing on the New York Times list and dominating everyone’s “best of” lists this summer. Pick up a copy and see why everyone is talking about this one, you won’t regret it.
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
*INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*
“Provocative, violent ― beautiful and moving, too.” ―Washington Post
“Superb…Cuts right to the heart of the most important questions of our times.” ―Michael Connelly
“A tour de force – poignant, action-packed, and profound.” ―Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A Black father. A white father. Two murdered sons. A quest for vengeance.
Ike Randolph has been out of jail for fifteen years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a Black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid.
The last thing he expects to hear is that his son Isiah has been murdered, along with Isiah’s white husband, Derek. Ike had never fully accepted his son but is devastated by his loss.
Derek’s father Buddy Lee was almost as ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed of his father’s criminal record. Buddy Lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy.
Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death than they did in life, hardened men Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices about their sons and each other, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys.
Provocative and fast-paced, S. A. Cosby’s Razorblade Tears is a story of bloody retribution, heartfelt change – and maybe even redemption.
“A visceral full-body experience, a sharp jolt to the heart, and a treat for the senses…Cosby’s moody southern thriller marries the skillful action and plotting of Lee Child with the atmosphere and insight of Attica Locke.” ―NPR
Why you should read it: A bonafide wordsmith, Cosby flashes incredible talent yet again with his latest release, which might just be the best-written novel of the year—period. Highly entertaining as well as thought-provoking and emotional, Cosby hits all the right notes, treating his readers to a beautiful experience that’s not to be missed.
“Alafair Burke’s latest propulsive thrill-ride is a suspenseful, twisty mystery about memory, friendship and secrets. A page-turner of the highest order.” -Laura Dave, author of The Last Thing He Told Me
The disappearance of a young woman leaves her best friend reeling and an NYPD homicide detective digging into her own past in this twisty mystery about the power of female friendships. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Better Sister and The Wife.
Some pasts won’t stay forgotten . . .
She calls herself Hope Miller, but she has no idea who she actually is. Fifteen years ago, she was found in a small New Jersey town thrown from an overturned vehicle, with no clue to her identity. Doctors assumed her amnesia was a temporary side effect of her injuries, but she never regained her memory. Hope eventually started a new life with a new name in a new town that welcomed her, yet always wondered what she may have left behind—or been running from. Now, she’s leaving New Jersey to start over once again.
Manhattan defense lawyer Lindsay Kelly, Hope’s best friend and the one who found her after the accident, understands why Hope wants a new beginning. But she worries how her friend will fare in her new East Hampton home, far away from everything familiar. Lindsay’s worst fears are confirmed when she discovers Hope has vanished without a trace—the only lead a drop of blood found where she was last seen. Even more ominously, the blood matches a DNA sample with a connection to a notorious Kansas murderer.
With nowhere else to turn, Lindsay calls NYPD homicide detective Ellie Hatcher, the daughter of the cop who dedicated his life to hunting the Kansas killer. Ellie has always believed there was more to the story of her father’s death twenty years earlier—and she now fears that Hope’s recent disappearance could be related.
In pursuit of answers, three women search for the truth beneath long-buried secrets. And when their searches converge, what they find will upend everything they’ve ever known.
Why you should read it: Fans still looking for a worthy successor to Gone Girl should pick up Burke’s latest, which twists and turns its way to a stunning conclusion that her readers won’t soon forget.
American Traitor by Brad Taylor
“Few authors write about espionage, terrorism, and clandestine hit squads as well as Taylor does.”—Houston Press
Pike Logan is on the desperate hunt for a man who is about to betray his country—and ignite a horrific new world war—in this pulse-pounding thriller from New York Times bestselling author and former special forces officer Brad Taylor
Pike Logan and Jennifer Cahill are enjoying a sunny vacation down under when they get disturbing news: their friend and colleague Clifford Delmonty is in serious trouble. While working as a contractor at an Australian F-35 facility, the former Taskforce member—callsign Dunkin—saw something he shouldn’t have, and now he’s on the run from Chinese agents.
Pike and Jennifer soon discover that Dunkin’s attackers are a dangerous link to a much larger scheme that could launch a full-on conflict between China and Taiwan. In its quest for dominance, China is determined to reclaim Taiwan—a pivotal ally the United States has sworn to protect. Pike learns that the Chinese have a devious plan to bait the island nation into all-out war by destabilizing the government and manipulating an artificial intelligence defense system.
As the threat reaches a boiling point, Pike alone realizes that what they’re seeing isn’t actually real. A soldier who has always been trained to fight and win, Pike must now track down and neutralize the missing man who holds the key. With the help of Jennifer, the Taskforce team, and a brave Taiwanese intelligence agent, he races to prevent a catastrophic conflict from consuming a whole region of the world.
Why you should read it: Taylor’s been-there-done-that authenticity continues to be unmatched by anyone else writing today, and his latest proves yet again why he’s far and away the most prolific military thriller author on the planet right now. American Traitor has is all–heart-thumping action and a masterfully plotted story that once again feels ripped straight from next week’s headlines.
The Gray Man’s search for missing intelligence agents plunges him deep into a maelstrom of trouble in the latest entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
The first agent disappearance was a puzzle.
The second was a mystery.
The third was a conspiracy.
Intelligence operatives around the world are disappearing. When a missing American agent re-appears in Venezuela, Court Gentry, the Gray Man, is dispatched to bring him in, but a team of assassins has other ideas. Court escapes with his life and a vital piece of intelligence.
Meanwhile, CIA agent Zoya Zakharova is in Berlin. Her mission: to infiltrate a private intelligence firm with some alarming connections. The closer she gets to answers, the less likely she is to get out alive.
Court and Zoya are just two pieces on this international chessboard, and they’re about to discover one undeniable truth—sometimes capturing a king requires sacrificing some pawns.
Why you should read it: Greaney turns in what might be his first true spy thriller, and the end result is an unputdownable tale of espionage that’ll hit home for fans of all-time greats such as John le Carre and Daniel Silva. Trust me, don’t miss this one.
Dark Intercept by Andrews & Wilson
When dark forces rise, are faith and firepower enough?
On the eve of his medical retirement, Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson receives a frantic call from his estranged childhood best friend David Yarnell. David’s daughter has been kidnapped off the streets of Nashville in broad daylight. The police have no suspects and no leads. The only clue: the body of a dead priest left behind at the scene. With the clock ticking, David is growing desperate, as is his wife, Rachel . . . Jed’s first love.
Despite his painful history with David and Rachel, Jed agrees to help. But he’s spent his career as a door-kicking Navy SEAL, not an investigator. His presence immediately draws unwanted attention, creates friction with the local police, and triggers a mysterious attempt on his life. Just when he thinks things can’t get worse, it starts to happen again―the voices in his head, the nightmares, the visions. Dark memories and strange abilities, things he believed he’d left behind when he fled Nashville for the Navy at eighteen, begin to resurface.
Jed realizes that to save the missing girl, he must take a leap of faith and embrace the gifts he’s denied for all these years. To foil this dark intercept, he’ll need more than just his years as a SEAL operator, because he has no choice now but to take up arms and join the battle in the unseen spiritual warfare raging all around him. And there is far more at stake than just a missing girl: the world is not the place he thought it was―and he is not alone.
Follow the military heroes of The Shepherds series as they bring the power of light into the dark mystery of Sara Beth’s abduction.
Why you should read it: Mixing their same brand of nonstop action with faith-based fantasy-like elements, Andrews & Wilson hit another home run that’s sure to be a crowd-pleasure for their legion of loyal fans. They might be best known for their Tier One franchise, but I have to say . . . I think this is my favorite of all their series yet. There just isn’t anything quite like it on the market today. I’m ready for book 2!
Dark Sky by C.J. Box
Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett must accompany a Silicon Valley CEO on a hunting trip–but soon learns that he himself may be the hunted–in the thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box.
When the governor of Wyoming gives Joe Pickett the thankless task of taking a tech baron on an elk hunting trip, Joe reluctantly treks into the wilderness with his high-profile charge. But as they venture into the woods, a man-hunter is hot on their heels, driven by a desire for revenge. Finding himself without a weapon, a horse, or a way to communicate, Joe must rely on his wits and his knowledge of the outdoors to protect himself and his companion.
Meanwhile, Joe’s closest friend, Nate Romanowski, and his own daughter Sheridan learn of the threat to Joe’s life and follow him into the woods. In a stunning final showdown, the three of them come up against the worst that nature–and man–have to offer.
Why you should read it: You won’t find a better series in print today, regardless of genre, than Box’s Joe Pickett franchise. Widely regarded as one of the greatest storytellers alive, Box continues to deliver hit after hit, and his latest, Dark Sky, in many ways takes Joe back to his roots—on the run in the cold with no backup, and nowhere to turn. Riveting and impossible to put down, this is my pick for best book of the year.
The Hike by Landon Beach
“Buckle up. It’s Breaking Bad meets The Godfather…and the battle for Detroit is about to begin. Intense!” – Ryan Steck, The Real Book Spy
Brad Cranston is having a normal Friday afternoon in Shelter Harbor, Michigan when he receives a desperate call from his brother, who disappeared six years ago. Conrad’s message is clear: head south, bring a boat, do not involve the police, and there is a load of money involved—click.
After enlisting the service of rookie Private Investigator Allison Shannon—a retired master diver who is haunted by her own demons—the two start to realize that Conrad Cranston has become much more than a lost hiker.
Meanwhile, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bruno has just been relocated to the Motor City to help bring down the Detroit Mafia, better known as “The Association.” What Patrick does not know, however, is that Detroit’s young new Godfather, Don Ciro Russo, has been targeted for assassination—an event that would turn the criminal organization upside down. And, a long-time confidential informant may be orchestrating the transfer of power.
As Patrick attempts to learn the truth, his path crosses with an unlikely pair: Brad Cranston and Allison Shannon. The search narrows, and the answers may lie on a small island in Lake Erie nicknamed “the Key West of the north.” However, unimaginable terror could await them on the island and in the depths offshore.
For they are about to learn that justice and discovery still come at a price.
If you are a fan of Don Winslow, Lee Child, Breaking Bad, or The Godfather, you’ve come to the right place.
Why you should read it: One of the freshest voices on the thriller scene, Beach is also one of the most underrated talents in the game today. His Great Lakes saga pops with realism and features some fantastic adventures, but he’s outdone himself with his latest—which, as my blurb says above, really is Breaking Bad meets The Godfather. Do yourself a favor and give this author a try, I promise you won’t regret it.
The Beirut Protocol by Joel C. Rosenberg
From New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg!
A game-changing peace treaty between Israel and the Saudis is nearly done. The secretary of state is headed to the region to seal the deal. And Special Agent Marcus Ryker is leading an advance trip along the Israel-Lebanon border, ahead of the secretary’s arrival.
But when Ryker and his team are ambushed by Hezbollah forces, a nightmare scenario begins to unfold. The last thing the White House can afford is a new war in the Mideast that could derail the treaty and set the region ablaze. U.S. and Israeli forces are mobilizing to find the hostages and get them home, but Ryker knows the clock is ticking.
When Hezbollah realizes who they’ve captured, no amount of ransom will save them―they’ll be transferred to Beirut and then to Tehran to be executed on live television.
In the fourth installment of Rosenberg’s gripping new series, Marcus Ryker finds himself in the most dangerous situation he has ever faced―captured, brutalized, and dragged deep behind enemy lines.
Should he wait to be rescued? Or try to escape? How? And what if his colleagues are too wounded to run?
This is the CIA’s most valuable operative as you have never seen him before.
Why you should read it: Curious what the world might look like in a couple of years? Tons of authors try to predict headlines, but only one carries the nickname of a “modern-day Nostradamus,” and sometimes it’s almost like media outlets around the world don’t know what stories to follow until Rosenberg writes them into existence.
Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger
The author of the instant New York Times bestseller This Tender Land returns with a powerful prequel to his acclaimed Cork O’Connor series—a book about fathers and sons, long-simmering conflicts in a small Minnesota town, and the events that echo through youth and shape our lives forever.
Aurora is a small town nestled in the ancient forest alongside the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake. In the summer of 1963, it is the whole world to twelve-year-old Cork O’Connor, its rhythms as familiar as his own heartbeat. But when Cork stumbles upon the body of a man he revered hanging from a tree in an abandoned logging camp, it is the first in a series of events that will cause him to question everything he took for granted about his hometown, his family, and himself.
Cork’s father, Liam O’Connor, is Aurora’s sheriff and it is his job to confirm that the man’s death was the result of suicide, as all the evidence suggests. In the shadow of his father’s official investigation, Cork begins to look for answers on his own. Together, father and son face the ultimate test of choosing between what their heads tell them is true and what their hearts know is right.
In this masterful story of a young man and a town on the cusp of change, beloved novelist William Kent Krueger shows that some mysteries can be solved even as others surpass our understanding.
Why you should read it: It can be intimidating to take on a new series that’s already 17 books long, but in this case, Krueger is going back to the beginning with a stunning prequel novel to his bestselling series. Whether you’re new to Cork’s world or a longtime fan of the series, this one is a must.
Tom Clancy Target Acquired by Don Bentley
Jack Ryan, Jr., will do anything for a friend, but this favor will be paid for in blood in the latest electric entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
Jack Ryan, Jr. would do anything for Ding Chavez. That’s why Jack is currently sitting in an open-air market in Israel, helping a CIA team with a simple job. The man running the mission, Peter Beltz, is an old friend from Ding’s Army days. Ding hadn’t seen his friend since Peter’s transfer to the CIA eighteen months prior, and intended to use the assignment to reconnect. Unfortunately, Ding had to cancel at the last minute and asked Jack to take his place. It’s a cushy assignment–a trip to Israel in exchange for a couple hours of easy work, but Jack could use the downtime after his last operation.
Jack is here merely as an observer, but when he hastens to help a woman and her young son, he finds himself the target of trained killers. Alone and outgunned, Jack will have to use all his skills to protect the life of the child.
Why you should read it: With big shoes to fill following the departure of Mike Maden, who had guided the Jack Junior series to consecutive top-3 bestselling status four years in a row, Don Bentley offers up his take on Clancy’s iconic universe and delivers a fun, exciting, action-packed story that proves he’s absolutely the man for the job. Make sure you check out his Matt Drake series too, as Bentley remains red-hot and a name to watch.
Forced into retirement, Evan Smoak gets an urgent request for help from someone he didn’t even suspect existed―in Prodigal Son, the next New York Times bestselling Orphan X book from Gregg Hurwitz.
As a boy, Evan Smoak was pulled out of a foster home and trained in an off-the-books operation known as the Orphan Program. He was a government assassin, perhaps the best, known to a few insiders as Orphan X. He eventually broke with the Program and adopted a new name―The Nowhere Man―and a new mission, helping the most desperate in their times of trouble. But the highest power in the country has made him a tempting offer―in exchange for an unofficial pardon, he must stop his clandestine activities as The Nowhere Man. Now Evan has to do the one thing he’s least equipped to do―live a normal life.
But then he gets a call for help from the one person he never expected. A woman claiming to have given him up for adoption, a woman he never knew―his mother. Her unlikely request: help Andrew Duran―a man whose life has gone off the rails, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, bringing him to the deadly attention of very powerful figures. Now a brutal brother & sister assassination team are after him and with no one to turn to, and no safe place to hide, Evan is Duran’s only option. But when the hidden cabal catches on to what Evan is doing, everything he’s fought for is on the line―including his own life.
Why you should read it: For years Hurwitz has made a liar out of me when I proclaim there’s no way he’ll top himself moving forward. I’ve learned my lesson, and still, the man finds ways to leave me stunned. Both satisfied and subsequently dying for more, the next Orphan book is perhaps my most anticipated thriller of 2022. Why? You’ll have to read this one to find out.
Subversive Addiction by Christopher Rosow
Trying to read just one chapter is like trying to eat just one chip . . . Best-selling author James Patterson raves, “All right, you probably missed out on the GameStop frenzy but don’t miss Subversive Addiction. This is an extremely fast-paced thriller with a seriously memorable lead character, FBI Special Agent Ben Porter. Christopher Rosow is the real deal.”
In Book Three of The Ben Porter Series: FBI Special Agent Ben Porter creates a formidable, off-the-books team tasked to hunt down and capture America’s most-wanted terror suspect. Venturing far beyond the borders of the United States in search of his target, Ben uncovers clues that lead him not only toward his prey, but also deep inside an insidious, international plot-one that targets every person who is connected online. . . including you.
“Strap in for another Rosow ride around hairpin curves at breakneck speed. Like False Assurances and Threat Bias, this fast-moving gem sucks you in early and never lets you go.”
– John Macleod, author of Justice Hill
The Ben Porter Series has been optioned for film by Spyglass Media Group. Book One, False Assurances, is “a gripping suspense thriller with fast-paced storytelling and dynamic characters . . . Ben Porter is a whole new brand of ‘hero’ that will take audiences on a captivating ride.”
– Peter Oillataguerre, President of Production, Spyglass Media Group
Why you should read it: Another author who is criminally underrated, Rosow’s growing fanbase knows what a talent he is, and how fun his stories are. This one, which brings back his loveable, unassuming FBI Agent Ben Porter, is so quick that it almost begs to be read in a single setting. Now three books strong, this might be the most binge-worthy series on the list!
Sleeping Bear by Connor Sullivan
“Sleeping Bear is one of the very best thrillers you’ll read this year. It’s one of those rare novels that keeps getting better and better and better. Remember the author’s name—Connor Sullivan.” —James Patterson
Perfect for fans of Brad Thor and Vince Flynn, this white-knuckled debut thriller follows a former Army veteran seeking solitude in the Alaskan wilderness after her husband’s death—only to find herself a pawn in a deadly game with Russia.
After her young husband’s untimely death, Army veteran Cassie Gale decides to take a few days of solitude in the Alaska wilderness before she starts her new job. But when she fails to show up on her first day and her dog is discovered injured at her wrecked campsite, her father knows that this is much more than a camping trip gone awry.
As it turns out, Cassie’s not the first person to disappear without a trace in Alaska’s northern interior. Bears. Wolves. Avalanches. Frostbite. Starvation. There are many ways to die in here. But not all disappearances can be explained. Cassie’s is one of them, along with a number of other outdoor enthusiasts who have vanished in recent years.
Regaining consciousness in a Russian prison, Cassie finds herself trapped in a system designed to ensure that no one ever escapes alive. It will require all her grit and skills to survive. Meanwhile, her father rushes to outrun the clock, scouring thousands of acres, only to realize she’s been taken by a far more nefarious adversary—one with the power of the Eastern Bloc behind it. Ties to his past life, one full of secrets, threaten to surface. He knows there’s a price to be paid, but he’s determined it won’t be his daughter.
Why you should read it: My favorite debut of the year, Sleeping Bear introduces readers to an incredible story, and more importantly, an exciting new voice in the genre. Sullivan can really write, and he puts his talents on full display here, churning out an up-all-night reading experience that’ll stay with you for some time after closing the final page.
CIA operative Dewey Andreas is America’s last line of defense when terrorists take over Manhattan, targeting the U.N. and the President himself in The Island, the latest in this New York Times bestselling series by Ben Coes.
America is about to face the deadliest terrorist attack on it’s soil since 9/11. Iran has been planning a revenge attack for years, with three goals in mind. Bring America to its knees. Assassinate the popular U.S. President J. P. Dellenbaugh. And neutralize their most successful agent, Dewey Andreas.
The first pre-emptive attack against Dewey Andreas fails but it worries the head of the CIA enough that he sends Dewey out of town and off the grid. But as intelligence analysts work as fast as they can to unravel the chatter on terrorist networks, Muhammed el-Shakib, head of Iran’s military and intelligence agency, launches a bold strike. When the President arrives in New York to address the U.N., embedded terrorist assets blow up the bridges and tunnels that connect Manhattan to the mainland. Taking control of the island with it’s hidden forces, they race to the U.N. in search of Dellenbaugh and to launch an even deadlier attack that will wreak unimaginable destruction on the country itself.
While a shocked country struggles to mount a counter-attack, a hopeless, outmanned and outgunned Dewey Andreas sneaks onto the island of Manhattan to fight a seemingly impossible battle.
Why you should read it: The world just feels right when Dewey Andreas is back in bookstores. After an extended absence, Coes brings his hero back for his most daring, action-packed thriller to date. I can’t get enough of this series, which is a perfect fit for fans of Vince Flynn and Brad Thor.
The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone comes another riveting work of psychological suspense about a beautiful young couple’s disappearance on a gorgeous summer night, and the mother who will never give up trying to find them…
On a beautiful summer night in a charming English suburb, a young woman and her boyfriend disappear after partying at the massive country estate of a new college friend.
One year later, a writer moves into a cottage on the edge of the woods that border the same estate. Known locally as the Dark Place, the dense forest is the writer’s favorite area for long walks and it’s on one such walk that she stumbles upon a mysterious note that simply reads, “DIG HERE.”
Could this be a clue towards what has happened to the missing young couple? And what exactly is buried in this haunted ground?
With her signature “rich, dark, and intricately twisted” (Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Lisa Jewell has crafted a dazzling work of suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page.
Why you should read it: Jewel Dazzles again with another page-turner that’ll keep you up way past your bedtime as you try to figure out how this one will end. I absolutely love her work!
***BONUS PICKS***
Savage Road by Chris Hauty
AMERICA IS THREATENED BY CYBER ATTACKS
ONLY ONE WOMAN CAN PUT A STOP TO THEM
Running a double agent from inside the White House to spy on the Russians is not easy, but Hayley Chill has never backed down from a challenge.
Then suddenly her whole operation is at risk as a series of cyber-attacks are launched on Washington, D.C. Tasked by the covert organisation she works for to solve the situation, her hunt for the hacker takes her straight to the heart of the intelligence community.
SAVAGE ROAD – address
The location of Fort Meade, headquarters for the NSA and Cyber Command.
Hayley must stop the hacker quickly, before global politics is disrupted and World War III breaks out. But when she uncovers dark truths about her own past, her characteristic calm is threatened…
Nothing is as it seems.
Nobody can be trusted.
Hayley Chill is on her own.
Savage Road is a political thriller of our time, perfect for fans of Gregg Hurwitz and Terry Hayes and series like The Bodyguard and Designated Survivor.
Why you should read it: Hauty’s ability to land never-see-it-coming twists and turns is unmatched in the genre right now, and though readers might expect the unexpected after the jaw-dropping ending to Deep State last year, trust me, you’re in for another surprise. One of my very favorite authors on the scene today!
The Breaker by Nick Petrie
“Nonstop action at a machine gun pace. If you aren’t reading Nick Petrie, now is the time to start.”–C.J. Box
Peter Ash tangles with dangerous enemies and terrifying technology in the newest thriller from bestselling author Nick Petrie.
A man wanted by two governments, Peter Ash has found a simple, low-profile life in Milwaukee, living with his girlfriend June and renovating old buildings with his friend Lewis. Staying out of trouble is the key to preserving this fragile peace . . . but when Peter spots a suspicious armed man walking into a crowded market, he knows he can’t stand by and do nothing.
Peter does interrupt a crime, but it wasn’t at all what he’d expected. The young gunman appeared to have one target and one mission–but when he escapes, and his victim vanishes before police arrive, it seems there is more to the encounter than meets the eye. Peter’s hunch is proven correct when a powerful associate from his past appears with an interest in the crime, and an irresistible offer: if he and June solve this mystery, Peter’s record will be scrubbed clean.
While Peter and Lewis trace the gunman, reporter June digs into the victim of the incident, a man whose face rings a bell in her memory. As their parallel investigations draw together, they’re thrust into the path of a ruthless tech thief, an eerily cheerful assassin, a brilliant and troubled inventor, and a revolutionary technology that could wreak devastation in the wrong hands. But for Peter, even more is at stake: this investigation is his only path to a life free from the threat of prosecution or prison. Before the end, he’ll have to fight harder than ever before to ensure that freedom doesn’t come at too high a cost. . . .
Why you should read it: The comparisons to Lee Child have long been discussed, but over the last two books espeically, Petrie continues to carve out a name for himself—delivering book after book that are impossible to set down. The Breaker, for my money, is maybe his best work to date . . . and bonus, at only six books in length so far, this series is totally binge-worthy as those cold months begin to approach.
Spy Devils by Joe Goldberg
A deadly case. An international operative. When a mission turns personal, who will make it out alive? Trowbridge ‘Bridger’ Hall was raised to be a spy. Leading a highly trained team of covert agents, he’s loyal to his squad and his country. But when his infamous CIA controller and mother assigns his crew an unusual off-books operation, his finely tuned senses scream danger. Hunting a stolen briefcase across the world, his instincts proven lethally correct when one of his men ends up dead. And with potentially ruthless maternal betrayal and treacherous enemies closing in, it’s play or be played in a vicious game of death… Can he crack the conspiracy before it costs his life? The Spy Devils is the high-octane first tale in The Spy Devils thriller series. If you like pulse-pounding espionage, explosive action, and insidious double-crosses, then you’ll love the page-turning story of Bridger and the Spy Devils.
Why you should read it: Goldberg, one of the truest old school spy novelists working today, doesn’t get nearly enough recognition for his smart, suspensful, le Carre-like thrillers. A big fan of his stuff, I was hooked from the opening pages of The Spy Devils, and cannot wait to see what he writes next.
Smoke by Joe Ide
Isaiah Quintabe—an unlicensed detective for all seasons—and his best friend and masterful sidekick, Juanell Dodson, are at a crossroads in this latest installment of the “aggressively entertaining” IQ series (New York Times). This time, their lives may never be the same.
Isaiah Quintabe is no longer IQ, the genius of East Long Beach; instead, he’s a man on the road and on the run, hiding in a small Northern California town when his room is broken into by a desperate young man on the trail of the state’s most prolific serial killer.
His old partner, Juanell Dodson, must go straight or lose his wife and child. His devil’s bargain? An internship at an LA advertising agency, where it turns out the rules of the street have simply been dressed in business casual, but where the aging company’s fortunes may well rest on their ability to attract a younger demographic. Dodson—”the hustler’s hustler”—just may be the right man for the job.
Ide is the crime writer’s crime writer, and he’s filled his best novel yet with desperate souls, courageous outcasts, an ex-stripper who’ll do anything to protect her son, and wild half-brothers who may be the very incarnation of evil.
With deft plotting, lacerating humor, and a keen eye for the ways in which characters rise or fall based on their ties to one another, Smoke is Joe Ide’s crowning achievement.
Why you should read it: IQ, one of the most underrated lead characters in the mystery/thriller scene today, is a brilliant take on a familiar character. Think an urban Sherlock Holmes series, and you’ve got Ide’s franchise, which continues to get better with each new offering.
Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner
HE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a propulsive thriller featuring an ordinary woman who will stop at nothing to find the missing people that the rest of the world has forgotten
Frankie Elkin is an average middle-aged woman, a recovering alcoholic with more regrets than belongings. But she spends her life doing what no one else will–searching for missing people the world has stopped looking for. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never paid attention, Frankie starts looking.
A new case brings her to Mattapan, a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. She is searching for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school months earlier. Resistance from the Boston PD and the victim’s wary family tells Frankie she’s on her own–and she soon learns she’s asking questions someone doesn’t want answered. But Frankie will stop at nothing to discover the truth, even if it means the next person to go missing could be her.
Why you should read it: One of the best to ever do it, Gardner continues her red-hot streak of must-read bestsellers with Before She Disappeared, and up-all-night thrillers that twists and turns its way to a stunning conclusion.
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and pens a monthly thriller column for CrimeReads. Additionally, he co-hosts ThrillerTalk, a new podcast with K.J. Howe. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He currently lives in Southwest Michigan with his wife and their six children.