Abi Rambler: Thriller Book Reviews & Reading Orders

Rock Paper Scissors is Alice Feeney's psychological thriller about a married couple, Adam and Amelia Wright, who win a weekend away in the Scottish Highlands that might save their marriage, or end it. This is a spoiler-free review: the setup, what worked for me, the content warnings and who might want to skip it. My rating: 5/5 . Jump to: My verdict (5/5) · Content warnings · Who might want to skip it · Who should read it · Where to buy My sketch inspired by Rock Paper Scissors. Quick verdict Book: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney Genre: Psychological thriller, marriage thriller My rating: 5/5 Best for: Readers who love a slow build-up and secrets that leave you staring at the wall Content warnings: Infidelity, infertility and miscarriage, murder, stalking and gaslighting and more ( full list below ) Who might want to skip it: Anyone who'd rather avoid the topics above ( details below ) In one line: The waiting was so good, and whe...

Diwali falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026 , and a good thriller is one of the easiest gifts to get right: it's personal, it travels well in a gift bag, and it gives someone a reason to curl up on the quieter days after the celebrations. This spoiler-free gift guide groups 11 thrillers by the kind of reader you're buying for, from twist lovers and Agatha Christie fans to someone picking up their first thriller. Two are books I've reviewed on this blog (with my own ratings); the rest are trending titles and reader favourites I haven't reviewed yet, so for those I've stuck to the facts. Jump to: Twist lover · Binge reader · Agatha Christie fan · New to thrillers · Slow-burn crime reader · Indian thriller picks · Small add-on gift · Journal add-on · Where to buy Quick picks by recipient Gift for Books The twist lover Verity , The Only One Left The binge reader who loves short chapters The Witch , Not Quite Dead Yet The...

The Silent Patient is Alex Michaelides' debut psychological thriller about a famous painter who shoots her husband and then never speaks another word, and the psychotherapist determined to get her to talk. This is a spoiler-free review: the setup, what worked for me, the content warnings (this one is dark and written for adults), and who might want to skip it. My rating: 4.2/5 . Jump to: My verdict (4.2/5) · Content warnings · Who might want to skip it · Who should read it · Where to buy My sketch notes for The Silent Patient. Quick verdict Book: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Genre: Psychological thriller My rating: 4.2/5 Best for: Readers who love psychological thrillers Content warnings: Murder and gun violence, self-harm and suicide attempts, mental illness, violence and more ( full list below ) Who might want to skip it: Anyone who'd rather avoid the topics above, or who wants twists they can't see coming ( details below )...

Riley Sager has written ten thrillers, and every one of them is a standalone. If you've ever stood in front of a bookshelf wondering where to begin with the author of Final Girls , this guide lays out all ten in publication order, from Final Girls (2017) to The Unknown (2026), with a quick note on who each one suits. This is the complete list of Riley Sager's thrillers (10 novels, as of October 2026), not a curated selection. It leaves out the Kat Campbell mysteries that Todd Ritter wrote under his own name, and Things Half in Shadow (2014), which he wrote as Alan Finn. Everything below is spoiler-free, and prices on Amazon India change often, so check the current price before you buy. Riley Sager books in order: quick reference table Here is every Riley Sager thriller at a glance. Swipe sideways on a phone to see the whole table. Reading order Book Year Series or standalone Main setting Standalone #1 Final Girls 2017 Standalone Three women known as the "Fin...

Death Row is Freida McFadden's short thriller from Amazon Original Stories (2025), about a woman on death row, a murder conviction and the days ticking away towards an execution. This is a spoiler-free review: the setup, what worked for me, the content warnings, and who might want to skip it. My rating: 4.2/5 . My sketch notes for Death Row. Quick verdict Book: Death Row by Freida McFadden Genre: Psychological thriller / short story My rating: 4.2/5 Best for: Beginners, and readers who want a short, fast, twisty thriller In one line: Short, simple and fast paced, with multiple twists I never saw coming. Disclosure: Some links in this post are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Check price on Amazon → · US readers: Amazon.com Prefer listening? Death Row is on Audible. Try Audible free for 30 days and use your free credit on it. New members only; the membership renews automatically un...

As a thriller reader, I wanted a better way to keep track of the books I read, the twists I never saw coming, and the suspects I kept changing my mind about. That inspired me to create the Thriller Reader's Journal and Tracker—tools designed to make the reading experience more organised, memorable, and fun for fellow thriller lovers. You probably know the problem: three months after finishing a book, you can't remember whether it was the one with the unreliable narrator or the one with the twist you guessed on page 60. A simple reading log fixes that, and a good one does more than list titles. It helps you spot what you actually enjoy, pick your next read faster and write spoiler-free recommendations for friends. This guide covers how to track your thriller reading , step by step, with free tips you can use in any notebook or spreadsheet. At the end I also share the two tools I made for this: The Thriller Reader's Journal by Abi Rambler , a printable thriller reading jour...

The Locked Door is Freida McFadden's 2021 psychological thriller about a successful surgeon who has spent decades hiding who her father really was. This is a spoiler-free review: the setup, what worked for me, the content warnings, and who it suits. My rating: 4.5/5 . Quick verdict Book: The Locked Door by Freida McFadden Genre: Psychological thriller My rating: 4.5/5 Best for: Thriller lovers, home-based (domestic) thrillers and family-suspects stories In one line: It kept me on the verge, I suspected everyone from the start, and the twist was a total surprise. Check price on Amazon → Prefer listening? The Locked Door is on Audible, narrated by Leslie Howard. Try Audible free for 30 days and use your free credit on it. New members only; the membership renews automatically unless you cancel. My sketch inspired by The Locked Door. The Locked Door at a glance Author Freida McFadden First published 1 June 2021 (Hollywood Upstairs Press); reissued in paperba...