Thrillers are typically my go-to reads outside of books for the podcast. They’re fast, and it’s always fun trying to figure out the twist. I didn’t predict any of the twists and turns on this top 5 list of chilling books. I have read multiple books by all of these authors listed, but these were my top picks. So, get your tea, pick out a warm sweater, and get cozy with these thrillers.
5 Chilling Reads for Winter 2024
1. The House Across The Lake by Riley Sager
I have read all of Sager’s work (minus his latest, The Only One Left) and the environments he creates are second to none. I read half of this while eating brunch in a coffee shop because it had me gripped so quickly. Giving Rear Window vibes, this follows recently disgraced actress and widow Casey Fletcher retreating to her family’s lake house. A power couple moves in across the lake and Casey saves the wife from drowning. But then the wife goes missing. Lots of gasps and surprises in this one. Classic Sager.
2. Recursion by Blake Crouch
It’s hard to explain this book, but Crouch didn’t disappoint. Much like Dark Matter, this book feels like science fiction but reads as a thriller. A New York City cop is investigating a phenomenon called False Memory Syndrome. People are getting confused with memories of lives they haven’t lived, and it pushes them to the brink. A neuroscientist is studying what is unfolding but in a way to preserve memories forever and allow people to relive them. But who can tell which are the real memories or the false ones? This one seriously messed with my mind in the best possible way.
3. The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
Is it supernatural? Is it not? Love books like this where you just can’t tell. Five women go to the remote mansion of a very famous author. The goal is to write a novel while there and the best one will get published. Except, people start to die. I don’t want to give much more away, but I definitely recommend this one if you are a writer.
4. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
After reading The Guest List and The Hunting Party, I knew I had to pre-order this book. Foley does an amazing job of weaving the different character viewpoints, so you never know who to trust. Jess heads to Paris to stay with her brother after she loses her job and her boyfriend. Ben, however, isn’t there when she arrives. With a wild mix of neighbours, Jess tries to figure out what happened to her brother. The “semi-locked room” setting of an apartment building creates very spooky vibes since your home is meant to be safe. This building is far from it though.
5. The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
The opening immediately sucks you in with the mention of Blockbuster and Y2K, or maybe that’s just someone in my age demographic. Either way, this story flips between the brutal murders of three teens in 1999 and an eerily similar attack 15 years later. The only survivor of the original attack works with the brother of the original suspect and an FBI agent trying to figure out what happened in both situations. This one had me constantly guessing and thinking I fingered the killer. I did not! Can you?
Cozy Up and Prepare to be Scared
Lock your doors. Don’t talk to strangers. Trust no one. Probably the best way to survive these reads. I love the feeling of not being able to turn the page fast enough and then being truly surprised at what happens. How these authors bang out so many thrillers with unimaginable twists and turns is beyond me. I can’t wait for their next chilling read!
Let us know your all-time favourite thrillers in the comments below, and maybe one on your TBR list for winter 2024.
