Best Noir Fiction Books December 2024

The Lincoln Lawyer

Mickey Haller, a cynical defense attorney, operates his practice from the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car. When he lands a high-profile case defending a wealthy playboy accused of murder, Haller senses something’s off. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a web of lies that threatens not just his client, but his own life. Connelly’s razor-sharp prose and intricate plot twists keep readers on edge, while Haller’s wit and moral ambiguity make him an unforgettable protagonist in this gripping legal thriller.

Believe Me

Claire Wright, a struggling British actress in New York, takes on a new role: entrapping married men for suspicious wives. It’s just acting, until she’s hired to seduce Patrick Fogler, a charming psychologist suspected of murdering his wife. As Claire delves deeper into Patrick’s world, the line between reality and performance blurs. With each twist, she questions who’s manipulating whom. A gripping psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the final curtain call.

Before I Go to Sleep

Christine wakes each morning with no memory, her mind wiped clean by a mysterious accident. Guided by a journal she keeps, she pieces together her life daily, uncovering unsettling truths about her husband and past. As fragments of memory return, Christine realizes she’s caught in a web of lies and must unravel the truth before it’s too late. This gripping psychological thriller explores identity, trust, and the fragility of memory, keeping readers on edge until the shocking finale.

Sharp Objects

Camille Preaker, a troubled journalist, returns to her hometown to cover a disturbing story. As she unravels the mystery of two missing girls, she’s forced to confront her own demons and toxic family dynamics. Flynn’s razor-sharp prose cuts deep, exposing the dark underbelly of small-town America. With its haunting atmosphere and complex characters, this psychological thriller will keep you on edge, questioning everything until the very last page.

The Woman in the Window

Anna Fox lives alone, a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her days drinking wine, watching old movies, and spying on her neighbors. Then the Russells move in across the street: a picture-perfect family. But when Anna sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble. What is real? What is imagined? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems. Twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end, leaving me breathless.

The Silent Patient

Alicia Berenson’s life seems perfect. A famous painter married to a fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house overlooking a park in London. One evening, her husband Gabriel returns home late, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face. Then she never speaks another word. Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, is determined to unravel the mystery of Alicia’s silence. As he delves deeper into her past, he becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth. But his search leads him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him.