It’s time to check out the “best of 2025” lists! What books were included on the Barnes and Noble Best Mystery Thrillers of 2025? Did we miss anything? Do we agree with their picks? Let’s talk about it!
Barnes and Noble Best Mystery Thrillers of 2025
I always like to try to find out the methodology for making the lists, but Barnes and Noble doesn’t really say. Chat GPT made something up when I asked. So we will have to leave that a mystery haha!
It’s an interesting list, with some more niche books, a cozy, a highly rated political thriller, and the usual suspects (John Grisham, Dan Brown, Richard Osman and Freida McFadden).
What I’ve read on the list: The Widow by John Grisham, Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben, Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent, King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby, Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson, The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman, The Intruder by Freida McFadden, With a Vengeance by Riley Sager, The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers
The Persian by David McCloskey
I don’t read many policical thrillers, but this is highly rated!
Secret of Secrets (Robert Langdon #6) by Dan Brown
I have read DaVinci Code and watched the movie and that’s it for me!
The Widow by John Grisham
I tried this and thought it was pretty good. I know others found it slow, but I thought it was an interesting character study with some good courtroom maneuvering.
Clown Town (Slow Horses #9) by Mick Herron
I have not read this series, but just finished season 5 of the adaptation on Apple TV. Should I read it?
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben
For me, this was a typical Harlan Coben: enjoyable but on the wacky side. We’re having quite the discussion about it on my Readers Guide so swing by!
Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent
I love words and etymology and really enjoyed this one. But I recommended it to a friend and they thought it was too slow.
How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin
I know these are popular but something about them just doesn’t work for me. But I can see why this made the list, as a lot of people liked it!
King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
I am not a huge fan of violent books, but I make an exception for this author. He uses violence to make a point about American culture and history and I think he’s such a talented storyteller.
Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage
I wasn’t including cozies in my monthly list until this past summer, so this slipped under my radar. Instant library hold. I remember my mom watching The Golden Girls and I love the trend of senior detectives, so I’m excited to try this one!
Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
I’ve been a Holly Jackson fan from way back and I was excited to read her adult debut. I thought it read a lot like a young adult book, but I still really enjoyed it!
Picket Line by Elmore Leonard
This is a novella, so I object! I’m not a fan of them. But if you read this, let us know what you think!
Strange Pictures by Uketsu
I have never heard of this author or book, but I guess it’s a YouTube thing?
My library only has this in Spanish (???) and my Spanish is rusty, so if you’ve read this, let me know. It’s part of the recent puzzle book trend.
The Black Wolf (Inspector Gamache 20) by Louise Penny
My goal for 2026 is to try this series!
The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman
I’m a huge fan of this series!
The Intruder by Freida McFadden
I have enjoyed some Freida McFadden books, but I was really disappointed by this one!
The Living and the Dead by Christoffer Carlsson
I am happy to see a December 2025 release on here, as those books often get overlooked. And I love Nordic Noir fiction – check out my comprehensive list of Nordic Noir streaming shows!
I’m going to be reading this, and will let you know what I think!
The Man Who Died Seven Times by Yasuhiko Nishizawa
This one is also new to me. It’s a bit of a genre mix: a little bit sci fi and a little bit cozy. It sounds interesting and I might take a look!
With a Vengeance by Riley Sager
While The Only One Left was a HUGE favorite of mine, I didn’t love this one at all.
The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers
I really love 2010s suspense, books like The Girl on the Train and Sometimes I Lie. This one had a slower pace but the end was really good!
Have you read any of these? Tell me what you thought of them and/or the list overall!