best crime thrillers novels

One of the best is 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson. It has a complex mystery with a unique female lead, Lisbeth Salander. Her character adds a lot of depth to the story as she is a hacker with a troubled past, and together with journalist Mikael Blomkvist, they solve a decades - old mystery.

I think many of these novels are great. 'Gone Girl' might be one of the most well - known in this list. It has a really engaging plot with lots of twists and turns that keep the readers on their toes.

One of the well - known ones could be 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn. It has a really intense plot full of twists and turns that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

I think 'In Cold Blood' is also very popular. It's a non - fictional crime thriller. Truman Capote's detailed account of a real - life murder case in Kansas is both chilling and engaging. He delved deep into the lives of the killers and the victims, creating a very immersive reading experience.

The element of surprise in many of these novels is a big highlight. They often have unexpected plot twists that shock the reader.

Another good one is 'The Big Sleep' by Raymond Chandler. It has a hard - boiled detective, Philip Marlowe, and a convoluted mystery involving blackmail and murder. The writing style is very engaging and gives a great feel of the noir genre.

Sure. 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' is a great one. It has a complex mystery and a very interesting protagonist. The plot keeps you on the edge of your seat as the journalist and the hacker girl dig into a decades - old disappearance case.

'The Woman in the Window' by A.J. Finn was quite popular in 2017. It was a psychological thriller about an agoraphobic woman who witnesses a crime from her window. The book was full of suspense and had a really interesting take on the unreliable narrator trope.

Well, 'The Big Sleep' by Raymond Chandler is a classic in crime thrillers. It features the hard - boiled detective Philip Marlowe. 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote is a non - fictional crime thriller that reads like a novel. And 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' by Patricia Highsmith, where the main character's actions keep you on edge. There are many more great ones in the top ten, but these are some of the most well - known.

I'd also recommend 'Big Little Lies' by Liane Moriarty. It's a crime - thriller that also delves into the lives of women. The mystery aspect gradually unfolds as you learn more about the characters and their relationships. It's not too complex for beginners and has elements that are relatable.