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The Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller Books of 2019 (A Year-End List Aggregation)

“What are the best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller books released in 2019?” We looked at 199 of the top Mystery, Horror, and Thriller books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 20 books, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller” book lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 175+ titles, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.

Our other Best Of 2019 Articles:

Our Other Years: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015

Titles appearing on 2 or more lists have been added to a Bookshop list as well!

Happy Scrolling!



Top 20 Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller Books From 2019



20 .) Agent Running in the Field written by John le Carré

Lists It Appears On:

  • Guardian
  • Telegraph
  • NPR

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘Le Carré delivers a tale for our times . . . a demonstration of the British spy thriller at its unputdownable best’ Robert McCrum, Observer ________________________________ Nat, a 47 year-old veteran of Britain’s Secret Intelli



19 .) An Anonymous Girl written by Greer Hendricks

Lists It Appears On:

  • USA Today
  • Goodreads 2
  • JoelBooks

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed. When Jessica F



18 .) Disappearing Earth written by Julia Phillips

Lists It Appears On:

  • Dead Good
  • Goodreads 2
  • NPR

A stunning debut from an acclaimed travel writer, Disappearing Earth is about two sisters who go missing on the remote volcanic peninsula of Kamchatka. Clues to the crime lie in the lives – and stories of violence and loss – of twelve women in the girls’ r



17 .) The Border written by Don Winslow

Lists It Appears On:

  • Guardian
  • Telegraph
  • NPR

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR “A big, sprawling, ultimately stunning crime tableau.” – Janet Maslin, New York Times “You can’t ask for more emotionally moving entertainment.” – Stephen King “One of the best thriller writers on the planet.”



16 .) The Chestnut Man: A Novel written by Søren Sveistrup

Lists It Appears On:

  • Kirkus
  • Amazon
  • Library Journal

IF YOU FIND ONE, HE’S ALREADY FOUND YOU The heart-pounding debut from the creator of the hit Scandinavian television show The Killing. A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen. His calling card is a “chestnut man”—a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two



15 .) The Twisted Ones written by T. Kingfisher

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goodreads
  • Grit Daily
  • Library Journal 2

When a young woman clears out her deceased grandmother’s home in rural North Carolina, she finds long-hidden secrets about a strange colony of beings in the woods in this chilling novel that reads like The Blair Witch Project meets The Andy Griffith Show.



14 .) Your House Will Pay written by Steph Cha

Lists It Appears On:

  • Publishers Weekly 2
  • Kirkus
  • Library Journal

‘A touching portrait of two families bound together by a split-second decision that tore a hole through an entire city.’ Attica Locke ‘Steph Cha fearlessly explores the duality of LA’s promise and betrayal, its vision of new beginnings and the brutal divis



13 .) Growing Things and Other Stories written by Paul Tremblay

Lists It Appears On:

  • Grit Daily
  • Booklist 2
  • Goodreads
  • Library Journal 2

A chilling short story collection by the Bram Stoker Award-winner author, including stories set in the world of A Head Full of Ghosts and Disappearance at Devil’s Rock. A thrilling new collection from the award-winning author of A Head Full of Ghosts and T



12 .) Lady in the Lake written by Laura Lippman

Lists It Appears On:

  • BookPage
  • Publishers Weekly 2
  • Kirkus
  • NPR

‘Haunting… extraordinary.’ STEPHEN KING A stunning, multi-voiced, period piece – tackling race, gender politics, and the volatility of mid ’60s America – from the author of SUNBURN Cleo Sherwood disappeared eight months ago. Aside from her parents and th



11 .) Lock Every Door written by Riley Sager

Lists It Appears On:

  • SheReads
  • Story-eyed Reviews
  • Goodreads 2
  • Amazon

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Parade, “The Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2019 ” and “The Best Beach Reads of Summer 2019” Good Housekeeping, “Best New Books for Summer 2019” PureWow “The Best Beach Reads of Summer 2019” BookBub “Books That Will



10 .) The Family Upstairs written by Lisa Jewell

Lists It Appears On:

  • Guardian
  • SheReads
  • Dead Good
  • Goodreads 2

“Rich, dark, and intricately twisted, this enthralling whodunit mixes family saga with domestic noir to brilliantly chilling effect.” —Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author “A haunting, atmospheric, stay-up-way-too-late read.” —Megan Miranda, New Yo



9.) The Turn Of The Key written by Ruth Ware

Lists It Appears On:

  • Reader’s Digest
  • SheReads
  • Dead Good
  • Goodreads 2

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, and The Death of Mrs. Westaway comes Ruth Ware’s highly anticipated fifth novel. When she stumbles across the ad



8.) The Whisper Man written by Alex North

Lists It Appears On:

  • Guardian
  • SheReads
  • Goodreads 2
  • Amazon

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘THE BEST CRIME NOVEL OF THE DECADE’ Steve Cavanagh, bestselling author of Twisted If you leave a door half-open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken . . . Still devastated after the loss of his wife, Tom Kennedy and his young



7.) American Spy written by Lauren Wilkinson

Lists It Appears On:

  • Guardian
  • SheReads
  • Telegraph
  • Amazon
  • NPR

“American Spy updates the espionage thriller with blazing originality.”—Entertainment Weekly “Gutsy . . . challenging boundaries is what brave fiction does.”—The New York Times “So much fun . . . Like the best of John le Carré, it’s extremely tough to put



6.) Conviction written by Denise Mina

Lists It Appears On:

  • BookPage
  • Publishers Weekly 2
  • Telegraph
  • NPR
  • Observer

A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK A true-crime podcast sets a trophy wife’s present life on a collision course with her secret past in this thriller from Denise Mina. The day Anna McDonald’s quiet, respectable life exploded started off li



5.) Heaven, My Home written by Attica Locke

Lists It Appears On:

  • BookPage
  • Guardian
  • Readings
  • Kirkus
  • NPR

Nine-year-old Levi King knew he should have left for home sooner; instead he found himself all alone, adrift on the vastness of Caddo Lake. A sudden noise – and all goes dark. Ranger Darren Matthews is trying to emerge from another kind of darkness; his ca



4.) The Chain written by Adrian McKinty

Lists It Appears On:

  • Amazon
  • Guardian
  • Goodreads 2
  • Kirkus
  • Observer

YOUR PHONE RINGS A STRANGER HAS KIDNAPPED YOUR CHILD TO FREE THEM YOU MUST ABDUCT SOMEONE ELSE’S YOUR CHILD WILL BE RELEASED WHEN YOUR VICTIM’S PARENTS KIDNAP ANOTHER IF ANY OF THESE THINGS DON’T HAPPEN: YOUR CHILD WILL BE KILLED. YOU ARE NOW PART OF THE C



3.) The Institute written by Stephen King

Lists It Appears On:

  • Publishers Weekly
  • USA Today
  • Goodreads
  • Grit Daily
  • Amazon

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King, the most riveting and unforgettable story of kids confronting evil since It—publishing just as the second part of It, the movie, lands in theaters. In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet st



2.) The Lost Man written by Jane Harper

Lists It Appears On:

  • BookPage
  • Dead Good
  • Goodreads 2
  • Kirkus
  • Observer
  • Five Books 2
  • Library Journal

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Two brothers meet in the remote Australian outback when the third brother is found dead, in this stunning new standalone novel from Jane Harper Brothers Nathan and Bub Bright meet for the first time in months at the remote



1.) The Silent Patient written by Alex Michaelides

Lists It Appears On:

  • Amazon
  • Publishers Weekly 2
  • SheReads
  • USA Today
  • Dead Good
  • Goodreads 2
  • JoelBooks

Read the No.1 New York Times bestselling, record-breaking 2019 thriller that everyone is talking about – soon to be a major film. ‘Terrific’ – THE TIMES Crime Book of the Month ‘Smart, sophisticated suspense’ – LEE CHILD ‘Absolutely brilliant’ – STEPHEN FR




The 175+ Additional Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller Books Released In 2019



# Books Authors Lists
21 A Better Man (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #15)
Goodreads 2
Amazon
22 A Friend Is a Gift You Give Yourself William Boyle Telegraph
NPR
23 A People’s Future of the United States Edited by Victor LaValle and John Joseph Adams
Publishers Weekly
Booklist 2
24 Bad Axe County John Galligan BookPage
Kirkus
25 Big Sky Guardian
Telegraph
26 Blood and Sugar Guardian
Telegraph
27 Full Throttle Goodreads
Amazon
28 Good Girl, Bad Girl Michael Robotham
Publishers Weekly 2
Kirkus
29 Imaginary Friend Stephen Chbosky
Story-eyed Reviews
Goodreads
30 Magic for Liars Sarah Gailey Booklist 2
NPR
31 Metropolis Philip Kerr Readings
Telegraph
32 Miracle Creek Angie Kim SheReads
Goodreads 2
33 My Lovely Wife Samantha Downing SheReads
Goodreads 2
34 My Sister, the Serial Killer Oyinkan Braithwaite
Goodreads 2
Five Books 2
35 Ninth House Leigh Bardugo
Story-eyed Reviews
Amazon
36 Rules for Vanishing Kate Alice Marshall
Story-eyed Reviews
Written Word Worlds
37 Run Away USA Today
Goodreads 2
38 Scrublands Guardian
Observer
39 Someone We Know USA Today
Dead Good
40 The Bone Fire S.D. Sykes BookPage
Publishers Weekly 2
41 The Invited Jennifer McMahon Goodreads
Library Journal 2
42 The Light Brigade Kameron Hurley Booklist 2
Publishers Weekly
43 The Long Call Dead Good
Library Journal
44 The Luminous Dead Caitlin Starling
Publishers Weekly
Goodreads
45 The Need Amazon
Goodreads
46 The Night Fire (A Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch Novel (22)) Amazon
Goodreads 2
47 This Poison Will Remain Fred Vargas
Publishers Weekly 2
Readings
48 Violet Scott Thomas Goodreads
Library Journal 2
49 Wakenhyrst Goodreads
Observer
50 Wanderers Chuck Wendig
Publishers Weekly
Library Journal 2
51 Worst Case Scenario Guardian
Telegraph
52 A Beautiful Corpse Christi Daugherty
Reader’s Digest
53 A Cosmology of Monsters Goodreads
54 A Dangerous Man Robert Crais
Reader’s Digest
55 A Dark Matter Doug Johnstone
Five Books 2
56 A Deadly Divide.
Library Journal
57 A Deadly Turn Claire Booth
Reader’s Digest
58 A Head Full of Ghosts Paul Tremblay
Story-eyed Reviews
59 A Long Night in Paris Telegraph
60 A Lush and Seething Hell: Two Tales of Cosmic Horror John Horner Jacobs
Library Journal 2
61 A Stranger in My Grave Guardian
62 Alias Grace Margaret Atwood
Story-eyed Reviews
63 Alice’s Island Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, trans. from the Spanish by the author
Publishers Weekly 2
64 America Can’t Afford Unaffordable Housing
Reader’s Digest
65 American by Day Derek B Miller
Five Books 2
66 Any Old Diamonds KJ Charles NPR
67 Aurora Rising. Booklist
68 Baby Teeth Zoje Stage
Story-eyed Reviews
69 Be Not Far From Me Mindy McGinnis
Story-eyed Reviews
70 Black Souls Gioacchino Criaco NPR
71 Blue Moon: A Jack Reacher Novel Amazon
72 Bunny Goodreads
73 Cari Mora Telegraph
74 Charlie Hernández and the League of Shadows. Booklist
75 City of Ghosts Victoria Schwab
Story-eyed Reviews
76 Coyote Songs Gabino Iglesias
Library Journal 2
77 Critical Incidents Telegraph
78 Cruel Acts Guardian
79 Death in the East Telegraph
80 DECEPTION COVE Owen Laukkanen Kirkus
81 Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead: A Novel Olga Tokarczuk NPR
82 Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories
83 Fall; or, Dodge in Hell Booklist 2
84 Five Days Gone: The Mystery Of My Mother’s Disappearance As A Child Laura Cumming NPR
85 Fog Island Guardian
86 Game of Snipers Stephen Hunter
Publishers Weekly 2
87 Graveyard Shift in Ghost Town
Written Word Worlds
88 Highway Bodies
Written Word Worlds
89 I’ll Never Tell
Goodreads 2
90 In the Cut Guardian
91 Inspection Josh Malerman Grit Daily
92 Jar of Hearts Jennifer Hillier Five Books
93 Joe Country Dead Good
94 KNIFE Jo Nesbø Kirkus
95 Lalani of the Distant Sea. Booklist
96 Land of Wolves: A Longmire Mystery Amazon
97 Layover David Bell
Reader’s Digest
98 Little Darlings Melanie Golding
Story-eyed Reviews
99 Middlegame Seanan McGuire
Publishers Weekly
100 Never Be Broken Guardian
101 No Exit Taylor Adams
Story-eyed Reviews
102 No One’s Home Goodreads
103 Norco ’80: The True Story Of The Most Spectacular Bank Robbery In American History Peter Houlahan NPR
104 Nothing More Dangerous.
Library Journal
105 November Road: A Novel Lou Berney Five Books
106 On My Life Dead Good
107 Paper Ghosts: A Novel of Suspense Julia Heaberlin Five Books
108 Paper Son BookPage
109 Peace Garry Disher Readings
110 Petra’s Ghost Goodreads
111 Pieces of Her: A Novel Karin Slaughter Five Books
112 Recursion: A Novel Blake Crouch NPR
113 Red Metal Mark Greaney and H. Ripley Rawlings IV
Publishers Weekly 2
114 Sal & Gabi Break the Universe. Booklist
115 Sarah Jane.
Library Journal
116 SAVE ME FROM DANGEROUS MEN S.A. Lelchuk Kirkus
117 Say Nothing: A True Story Of Murder And Memory In Northern Ireland Patrick Radden Keefe NPR
118 Searching for Sylvie Lee
Goodreads 2
119 She Said Jodi Kantor & Megan Twohey Readings
120 Sinkhole: A Horror Story April A. Taylor Grit Daily
121 Slough House Telegraph
122 Small Spaces. Booklist
123 Something in the Water Dead Good
124 Song for the Unraveling of the World Goodreads
125 Swimming In Darkness Lucas Harari NPR
126 Take It Back Guardian
127 Tell Me Everything BookPage
128 Temper Booklist 2
129 The Accident JoelBooks
130 The Agony House. Booklist
131 The Bird King Booklist 2
132 THE BITTERROOTS C.J. Box Kirkus
133 The Bus on Thursday Dead Good
134 The Butterfly Girl JoelBooks
135 The Cabin at the End of the World: A Novel Paul Tremblay Five Books
136 The Dark Game Jonathan Janz
Library Journal 2
137 The Dead Girls Club Damien Angelica Walters Grit Daily
138 The Fifth Column Andrew Gross
Reader’s Digest
139 The Five Hallie Rubenhold Readings
140 THE FRAGILITY OF BODIES Sergio Olguín Kirkus
141 The Ghost Bride Yangsze Choo
Story-eyed Reviews
142 The Girl in Red Goodreads
143 The Girl with All the Gifts M.R. Carey
Story-eyed Reviews
144 The Glass Woman Dead Good
145 The Godmother Guardian
146 The Guardians: A Novel Amazon
147 The Guilty Party Guardian
148 The Hidden Things Dead Good
149 The Hunting Party Guardian
150 The July Girls Telegraph
151 The Last BookPage
152 The Last Good Guy Dead Good
153 The Last Last-Day-Of-Summer Lamar Giles NPR
154 The Last Widow (Will Trent, #9)
Goodreads 2
155 The Lesson Cadwell Turnbull
Publishers Weekly
156 The Line Between (The Line Between #1)
Goodreads 2
157 The Listening Walls Guardian
158 The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek Goodreads
159 The Lost Coast. Booklist
160 The Mastermind: Drugs. Empire. Murder. Betrayal. Evan Ratliff NPR
161 The Monster of Elendhaven Goodreads
162 The Mother-in-Law
Goodreads 2
163 The Nancys R.W.R. McDonald Readings
164 The New Girl: A Novel (Gabriel Allon) Amazon
165 The Night Olivia Fell Christina McDonald SheReads
166 The Other End Of The Line Andrea Camilleri NPR
167 The Puppet Show Dead Good
168 The Remaking Goodreads
169 The Right Sort of Man BookPage
170 The River Observer
171 The Scholar Dervla McTiernan Readings
172 The Second Sleep Telegraph
173 The Sentence Is Death: A Novel Anthony Horowitz NPR
174 The Silent Ones JoelBooks
175 THE STRANGER INSIDE Lisa Unger Kirkus
176 The Suspect Fiona Barton SheReads
177 The Toll Goodreads
178 The Weight of the Stars. Booklist
179 The Wicked King. Booklist
180 The Wife and the Widow Christian White Readings
181 The Wolf And The Watchman: A Novel Niklas Natt och Dag NPR
182 The Wolf Wants In.
Library Journal
183 The Wych Elm Guardian
184 These Witches Don’t Burn
Written Word Worlds
185 Thin Ice Paige Shelton
Reader’s Digest
186 Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach Booklist 2
187 This Is How You Lose the Time War Booklist 2
188 This Mortal Boy Fiona Kidman
Five Books 2
189 Throw Me to the Wolves Telegraph
190 Tinfoil Butterfly Rachel Eve Moulton
Library Journal 2
191 To the Lions Guardian
192 Too Close Dead Good
193 Trespassing JoelBooks
194 Tunnel of Bones
Written Word Worlds
195 Two Girls Down Louisa Luna Readings
196 Velocity Weapon Booklist 2
197 We Set the Dark on Fire. Booklist
198 Wherever She Goes Kelley Armstrong
Reader’s Digest
199 Wilder Girls
Written Word Worlds


26 Best Mystery, Horror, and Thriller Book Sources/Lists



Source
Amazon
Booklist
Booklist 2
BookPage
Dead Good
Five Books
Five Books 2
Goodreads
Goodreads 2
Grit Daily
Guardian
JoelBooks
Kirkus Reviews
Library Journal
Library Journal 2
NPR
Observer
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly 2
Reader’s Digest
Readings
SheReads
Story-eyed Reviews
Telegraph
USA Today
Written Word Worlds
A.M. Anderson

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