As the nights draw in and it becomes clear that summer’s over, curling up with a good book starts to sound pretty good. For that, there’s nothing better than a gripping thriller that you just can’t put down. This list covers everything from murder-mystery to courtroom drama, with twists and turns on every page. Read on to discover your next page turner.

The Must-Read Thriller Books Of 2020

Our Dark Secret by Jenny Quintana

When a body is uncovered, secrets of 20 years earlier come flooding back for protagonist Elizabeth in this gripping and intelligent thriller from Jenny Quintana. Flashbacks to the early ‘70s explore Elizabeth’s school years and how this bullied girl formed a strong friendship that becomes the backbone of the novel’s mystery. A compelling read about the dark side of friendship.

 Pretty As A Picture by Elizabeth Little

This claustrophobic thriller follows an unemployed movie editor to a remote island as she chases the job of her dreams, working with a famed and famously tyrannical movie director. When the murders start, the daughters of two members of the production team turn their hand to the detective work. This is a page-turning thriller, smartly self-aware of its genre, that will leave you wanting more.

If I Can’t Have You by Charlotte Levin

The title hints at this book’s ominous themes as loneliness, obsession and desperation prove overpowering in this hellish tale. When Constance Little, a receptionist, falls for the GP she works for, she’s sure he’s the man for her. Samuel, the GP in question, isn’t persuaded. From this traditional set-up Levin draws an intense psychodrama exploring the lengths that love can drive us to.

Find Them Dead by Peter James

James has won a host of awards for his intricate crime thrillers over the years and his latest offering is in keeping with his excellent form. Detective Roy Grace – soon to be portrayed on-screen by John Simm in an upcoming TV adaptation of the series – returns to investigate the seedy criminal underworld of Brighton.

The Darkest Evening by Ann Cleeves

Detective Vera Stanhope returns in Ann Cleeves new novel in this acclaimed crime series. This novel turns the traditional setting of a rural murder in a mysterious country house on its head as the mysteries pile up. First Stanhope discovers an abandoned child in the snow, and then a body. Will Stanhope unravel this mystery?

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones

When a stranger turns up in the lives of two sisters claiming to be a member of the family, everything Lauren and Kate believed about their adored father is turned upside-down. Is this half-sister telling the truth, and if so what are the consequences for their faith in their father? As every page reveals new depth to the mystery, you’ll be compelled to keep turning them over…

The Last Trial by Scott Turow

Turow presents a gripping and intricate legal thriller as our protagonist Sandy Stern is persuaded to defend their old friend against charges of fraud and murder. As work and friendship become mixed in the courtroom’s murky waters, Stern is forced to reassess everything they know about their friend and ultimately their faith in justice meets the ultimate test.

The Coyotes of Carthage by Steven Wright

Wright presents The Coyotes Of Carthage as a debut novel but this masterful work shows no sign of the amateur. It’s a gripping political thriller whose multiple threads weave together to create a rich world of intrigue, powered by greed and a hunger for power. The rural Carolina setting is a fascinating backdrop for the drama to unfold.

One Good Deed by David Baldacci

Baldacci’s latest novel sets itself in the gripping climate of a criminal underworld and as our protagonist Aloysius Archer desperately tries to go straight this world seems to be conspiring against him. This is a world that twists with murder and vengeance, and this is a book will keep you engrossed until the last page.

These gripping page-turners cover the gamut from courtroom drama to crime-world thriller, but one thing is consistent – dark secrets are uncovered on every page. Lose yourself in the intensely rich worlds conjured up by these thrillers.

Katherine Rundell is a book blogger at Book Report Writing Service and UKWritings services. She’s an avid reader and can be found most Sundays with her nose in a gripping thriller. Her further writing can be found at the Boomessays blog.