Collider has put together a list of 10 thriller novels that deserve far more attention than they get, and the selections range from a lesser-known debut to a classic by a children’s author. The collection mixes contemporary psychological thrillers with older whodunits.
Raabe’s Debut Makes a Big First Impression
The list opens with Melanie Raabe’s The Trap (2015), a German mystery thriller about Linda, a reclusive bestselling author who writes a new book to catch the man she believes murdered her sister twelve years earlier. The novel is described as tense, meta, and psychologically tight, with Linda’s agoraphobia and decade-long isolation making her narration unreliable.
“Tense, meta, and psychologically taut, it proves that there are still plenty of authors doing some really exciting thriller work in the modern day.”
Milne’s Whodunnit Stays Fresh
A. A. Milne, best-known for Winnie-the-Pooh, wrote only one mystery novel: The Red House Mystery (1922). It’s a classic country house murder where one guest becomes the amateur sleuth, but Milne’s distinct writing style makes the premise feel fresh. The book treats murder with a comedic, lighthearted tone and a Sherlock-and-Watson-like dynamic between its two main characters.
Ayatsuji’s Island Whodunnit
Yukito Ayatsuji’s The Decagon House Murders (1987) follows seven university mystery fiction club members who isolate themselves on a remote island, only to find signs they’ve been targeted for death. The novel borrows from Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, but does compellingly unique things with it. It sparked the New Authentic literary movement in Japan and remains scandalously underread.
Haynes on Domestic Abuse
Elizabeth Haynes’ Into the Darkest Corner (2007) is a crime psychological thriller about Catherine, a woman who falls for a charismatic man named Lee, whose behavior soon turns frightening. Haynes worked as a police intelligence analyst handling domestic violence cases, and that background shows in the book’s realism and emotional weight.
Yokomizo’s Post-War Detective Story
Seishi Yokomizo’s The Inugami Curse (1950) tells of a wealthy silk tycoon’s bizarre will that triggers a feud and a series of gruesome murders among his greedy heirs in post-World War II Japan. The detective is Kosuke Kindaichi, a scruffy figure with sharp observational skills, making him a strong Japanese response to Holmes or Poirot. The prose is atmospheric, and the pacing holds the puzzle together.
Hirano’s Underappreciated Hit
Keiichiro Hirano’s A Man (2018) was a critical and commercial success, yet it doesn’t receive nearly as much praise as it deserves eight years after its publication.
Strand’s Lesser-Known Novel
Jeff Strand’s Pressure rounds out the list as a lesser-known novel by a lesser-known author.
Essential Reading
Each entry is backed by a concrete reason to pick it up, whether it’s a debut’s boldness, a writer’s distinct style, or a fresh take on a familiar plot. The list doesn’t just name titles; it explains why they matter.
The list is a reminder that great thrillers don’t need to be famous to be gripping. Here’s how the books rank in order of appearance:
- Melanie Raabe’s The Trap (2015)
- A. A. Milne’s The Red House Mystery (1922)
- Yukito Ayatsuji’s The Decagon House Murders (1987)
- Elizabeth Haynes’ Into the Darkest Corner (2007)
- Seishi Yokomizo’s The Inugami Curse (1950)
- Keiichiro Hirano’s A Man (2018)
- Jeff Strand’s Pressure
Source material: “The 10 Greatest Thriller Books That You Haven't Read,” Collider.
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