Best Thriller Books May 2025

Dead Water

Ann Cleeves delivers another gripping Shetland mystery in “Dead Water.” When a journalist is found dead in a traditional Shetland boat, Detective Jimmy Perez is drawn back from grief to investigate. As he unravels the victim’s past, he discovers a web of secrets and lies that reaches far beyond the isolated islands. Cleeves’ vivid prose brings the windswept landscape to life, while her nuanced characters and intricate plot keep readers guessing until the very end. A masterful addition to the series that’ll have you longing for a cozy sweater and a dram of whisky.

Blue Lightning

Detective Jimmy Perez returns to his childhood home on Fair Isle, seeking solace and a fresh start. But when a brutal murder rocks the tight-knit community, he’s thrust into a complex investigation. As a fierce storm isolates the island, Perez must unravel long-buried secrets and confront his own past. Cleeves masterfully weaves atmospheric tension with rich character development, creating a gripping tale that’ll keep you guessing until the very end. A perfect read for those dark, stormy nights.

Red Bones

Detective Jimmy Perez returns to his Shetland roots in this gripping mystery. When an elderly woman is shot on her land, Jimmy must unravel a web of secrets stretching back to World War II. As he digs deeper, he uncovers long-buried tensions and rivalries in the close-knit island community. Cleeves masterfully evokes the stark beauty and isolation of the Shetlands, weaving a tale that’s as much about the land and its people as it is about murder. I found myself completely absorbed in the atmospheric setting and complex characters.

Raven Black

Raven Black, the first in Ann Cleeves’ Shetland series, is a haunting mystery that seeps into your bones like the chill of a Scottish winter. Set against the stark beauty of the Shetland Islands, Cleeves weaves a tale of suspicion and secrets that kept me guessing until the very end. Her vivid descriptions transported me to this remote community, where I could almost taste the salt air and hear the cry of seabirds. A masterful blend of atmospheric writing and intricate plotting, this book left me eager to explore more of Cleeves’ work.

White Nights

In this gripping Shetland mystery, Detective Jimmy Perez faces a perplexing case when an English artist is found hanging in a local gallery. As midsummer approaches, bringing endless daylight to the islands, Perez delves into the victim’s past, uncovering secrets that challenge his perceptions. Cleeves masterfully weaves the stark beauty of the Shetland landscape with complex characters, creating a atmospheric thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. A must-read for fans of Nordic noir.

Orfeo

Orfeo is a mesmerizing journey through music, science, and the human spirit. Peter Els, a retired composer with an obsession for biochemistry, finds himself on the run after a misunderstanding with Homeland Security. As he flees, he reflects on his life’s passions and the haunting melodies that have shaped him. Powers weaves a symphony of ideas, blending the beauty of music with the complexity of genetics, creating a thought-provoking exploration of art’s power to transcend time and touch the eternal.

The Echo Maker

Haunting and lyrical, “The Echo Maker” delves into the fragile nature of memory and identity. When Mark Schluter suffers a mysterious accident, he awakens with a rare neurological disorder, believing his sister to be an imposter. As his family grapples with this bewildering condition, a renowned cognitive neurologist arrives, drawn by the case’s complexity. Powers weaves a tapestry of science, emotion, and philosophical inquiry, challenging readers to ponder the very essence of what makes us who we are. A profound exploration of the human mind’s intricacies and the bonds that tie us together.

Future Home of the Living God

In this haunting dystopian tale, Erdrich weaves a chilling narrative of a world unraveling. Cedar Hawk Songmaker, four months pregnant, navigates a society gripped by evolutionary panic. As nature seemingly reverses course, she seeks answers about her own origins and the future of her unborn child. Erdrich’s prose is both lyrical and urgent, painting a vivid picture of a collapsing civilization and one woman’s desperate fight for survival. A thought-provoking exploration of motherhood, identity, and the fragile threads that bind us to our world.

The Intuitionist

Lila Mae Watson, the first black female elevator inspector in a bustling metropolis, finds herself at the center of a heated debate between two factions of elevator theory. As she navigates the complex world of vertical transportation, Lila Mae’s unique intuitive approach to inspections becomes both her strength and her vulnerability. Whitehead’s debut novel is a masterful blend of noir mystery and social commentary, exploring themes of race, power, and progress through the unlikely lens of elevator maintenance. With prose that soars and plummets like the very machines it describes, “The Intuitionist” will leave you questioning the ground beneath your feet.

Zone One

In this haunting post-apocalyptic tale, Colson Whitehead takes us on a journey through a devastated New York City. Mark Spitz, our reluctant hero, navigates the eerie remnants of civilization as part of a team clearing the undead from Manhattan’s Zone One. Whitehead’s prose is both lyrical and unsettling, weaving together past and present as Spitz grapples with memories of a lost world and the harsh realities of survival. A gripping exploration of human resilience in the face of unimaginable horror.