Sarah Pinborough was born in 1972 in Buckinghamshire, and now lives just a few miles away after a childhood travelling all over the world (her father, now retired, was a diplomat) . . . until, aged eight, she packed her trunk and left the Middle East for a ten-year stretch in boarding school. The memories provide her with much material for her horror and supernatural thrillers . .
A Lesson in Cruelty (2024) Harriet Tyce "A Lesson in Cruelty is a lesson in craftmanship. A dizzyingly satisfying page-turner and an exploration of redemption and damnation. Harriet Tyce at her best!"
The Gathering (2024) C J Tudor "A crime thriller with a vampiric twist. What a cracking read and such assured writing. She just gets better and better!"
A Better World (2024) Sarah Langan "A woman in a troubled marriage moves to a perfect town riddled with secrets, and starts to question everything. Part dystopian horror, part domestic thriller, with a core of wry social commentary, A Better World is gripping literary fiction at its finest."
The Rule of Three (2023) Sam Ripley "The Rule of Three absolutely blew me away. An incredibly intense and original creepy page-turner that made me keep turning the pages in a desperate need to finish it and find out the answers! Utterly paranoia-inducing and brilliant. I loved it. It came for me and now it will come for you!"
Killing Jericho (2023) (Killing Jericho, book 1) William Hussey "A thrilling helter-skelter of a gripping mystery introducing an exciting and unique new detective, Killing Jericho will have you on the edge of your seat. Strap yourself in, the ride is just starting . . ."
Daisy Darker (2022) Alice Feeney "Wow! Echoes of Christie's And Then There Were None but turned into something wonderfully original. This takes Feeney to the next level. LOVED IT!"
Truly, Darkly, Deeply (2022) Victoria Selman "A twisty psychological thriller that goes to the heart of how and who we love. Can't wait to see what Selman does next."
Jen Williams "Reminiscent of Sharp Objects, this chilling British serial killer thriller had me gripped. Filled with tension and twists, Jen Williams manages to deftly unravel the killer’s dark and deadly secrets to an ending that you won’t see coming."
Mirrorland (2021) Carole Johnstone "An intricate, brilliant puzzle of a novel where past and present, fantasy and reality, are all clues that one twin must decipher to uncover the fate of her missing sister and the secrets of their shared past. It's Gone Girl meets Rebecca...atmospheric, tightly plotted and utterly gripping, a must read for fans of Ruth Ware and Gillian Flynn."
Little Bones (2020) N V Peacock "An exciting new voice in thriller fiction. Little Bones is a gripping read!"
The Thursday Murder Club (2020) (Thursday Murder Club, book 1) Richard Osman "Utterly charming and very, very clever. Exactly what you'd expect from Richard Osman writing a crime novel."
Alex Pavesi "So, so clever. A twisty story and an education in the math of murder mysteries. Agatha Christie would take her hat off to this one. Bravo!"
The Perfect Couple (2020) Lisa Hall "The Perfect Couple is the perfect summer read. A classy thriller that’s stylish, twisty and full of suspense, Hall’s novel is garnished with echoes of the classics such as Rebecca and Gaslight, but is very much a delicious cocktail all of its own."
Hinton Hollow Death Trip (2020) (Detective Sergeant Pace, book 3) Will Carver "Stunningly original, breathtaking in its boldness...the finest literary crime novel you will read for years."
A Knock at the Door (2020) T W Ellis "Riveting, twisty as all hell, and very, very clever, A Knock at the Door is a rollercoaster ride of brilliance. TW Ellis is a superb thriller writer: breakneck speed action, tight plotting, characters to root for, Ellis has it all. Bravo!"
A Tidy Ending (2020) Joanna Cannon "I absolutely loved it.. A serial killer, a traumatised woman, the quirkiest of characters, such perfect observational writing - she's a superstar."
The Deep (2020) Alma Katsu "At once both tragic and chilling, The Deep perfectly blends psychological thriller and eerie gothic ghost story to create something truly haunting, drawing you down into its dark depths before finally letting you up for air. Set in the claustrophobic confines of two doomed ships in their final days, Katsu’s excellently researched new novel establishes her as a unique voice in historical fiction. I can’t wait to see what she does next."
The Holdout (2020) Graham Moore "Quite the tour de force! Twelve Angry Men meets Chinatown and creates something of its own."
The Guest List (2020) Lucy Foley "A very modern Agatha Christie for the new roaring 20s . . . secrets and lies at every turn."
Eden (2020) Tim Lebbon "Smart, prescient and gripping, Tim Lebbon's Eden takes us, and his team of adventurers, into the dark, pulsing heart of nature, and we all get far more than we bargained for. This near future eco-thriller puts Lebbon at the top of the tree. Read it. And then recycle."
The Whisper Man (2019) Alex North "Beautifully crafted, heart-rending and spine-tinglingly chilling, the Whisper Man is a thrilling tour de force. Assured and compelling, I can't wait to see what Alex North does next."
My Lovely Wife (2019) Samantha Downing "An assured and deliciously engrossing debut. You'll surely devour My Lovely Wife, but it will linger long after you've reached the last page."
We Can See You (2018) Simon Kernick "An emotionally punchy domestic noir blended with the pace and action of a high-octane thriller, We Can See You will keep you breathlessly on the edge of your seat, wondering which character you can trust, if any at all, until the final brilliant twist! A #WTFthatending indeed!"
The Winters (2018) Lisa Gabriele "The Winters echoes the classic Rebecca but is a beautifully crafted, haunting thriller of its own that defies expectations at every turn. I read straight through, breathless to the killer final pages. A brilliant achievement."
Halcyon (2018) Rio Youers "A prescient exploration of domestic terrorism and the fears that currently grip ordinary people worldwide, Halcyon is a slick, page-turning thriller that establishes Rio Youers as an author with something to say. Ominous and yet somehow full of hope, Halcyon shows that Youers is a Koontz or King for a new generation."
The Anomaly (2018) (Anomaly Files, book 1) Michael Rutger "THE ANOMALY crackles with claustrophobic tension that had me holding my breath. Sharp dialogue, a dizzying central plot, and a real sense of dread throughout. I couldn't sleep until I'd finished reading, and then I couldn't sleep just thinking about it. I loved it. Michael Rutger is here to stay."
Snap (2018) Belinda Bauer "Snap is the best kind of crime novel - it gives you chills, it makes you think, and it touches your heart. I loved it!"
Stuart Turton "Darkly comic, mind-blowingly twisty, and with a cast of fantastically odd characters, this is a locked room mystery like no other."
Bloody January (2017) (Harry McCoy, book 1) Alan Parks "A blistering plot, unforgettable characters and writing so sharp it's like it's been written with a knife . . . Detective McCoy is a true noir antihero and the perfect guide through the vice and violence of Glasgow's underbelly. Bloody January firmly sets Alan Parks in the same league as Ian Rankin and Louise Welsh."
After the Fire (2017) Will Hill "Absorbing, gripping and darkly fascinating...it's a must-read novel!."
Exquisite (2017) Sarah Stovell "Exquisite is a powerful and assured debut thriller. Slickly claustrophobic and delicately wrought this arch story of obsessive forbidden love taken to the extreme will have you squirming in your seat even as you're driven to turn the next page. A must-read for 2017."
Ararat (2017) (Ben Walker, book 1) Christopher Golden "Christopher Golden’s Ararat blends modern politics and age-old superstitions into a claustrophobic snowstorm that will leave you terrified. Part psychological horror, part supernatural thriller, Ararat is a masterclass in supernatural suspense. Don't read it before bed!"
What You Don't Know (2017) JoAnn Chaney "A masterclass in character study, a beautifully woven story, and truly chilling at its core, this is a literary crime novel not to be missed!"
The Plea (2016) (Eddie Flynn, book 2) Steve Cavanagh "Steve Cavanagh is the John Grisham for a new generation."
Bird Box (2014) (Bird Box , book 1) Josh Malerman "Uniquely disturbing, exceptionally compelling and beautifully written, I defy anyone not to read it in one sitting."