I’ve finally found the list of The New York Times Best Thrillers of 2025. Let’s take a look at the list and share our thoughts. I see a few gems, some new-to-me titles and a lot of examples of a new trend I’m not mad about!
New York Times Best Thrillers of 2025
I’ve been waiting for this list for a while. The New York Times has had a “Best of Thrillers (So Far)” list up since the spring, and I assumed they were doing a new list.
In 2024, The New York Times they divided their lists into “crime novels” and “thrillers” but it’s nearly mid-December, so maybe this interactive “Best Thriller” list (with a paywall) is it.
BUT most of the books on this list are NOT thrillers.
The list has historical mysteries, a cozy mystery, four procedural series books, a lot of literary mysteries (an increasingly popular subgenre I’m rather fond of), and possibly a couple of true thrillers.
On the positive side: it’s a taste-specific list with many books I haven’t heard of and a number of books I contemplated reading but did not. Plus a good amount of author (and publisher) diversity!
Let’s get into it!
The Beautiful Family by Jennifer Treyvelyan
I ALMOST read this one but decided it might lean more toward family drama than crime drama. In the story, a ten year old detective and her friend try to solve the mystery of a girl in their vacation community who was presumed to have drowned.
With a 4.0 Goodreads rating, this looks like a good pick for readers who like coming-of-age stories and literary mysteries!
The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward
With multiple awards but a low (3.4) Goodreads rating, this books seems to be a genre-spanning one. The author is a poet and reviewers have described this as a “psychedelic trip,” “meta fiction. It also seems to have an unusual writing style that includes sentence fragments and poetry.
The story is about twin sisters who were adopted by two different families after their mother abandoned them. One day, one of the sisters sees a woman who looks exactly like their mother, but has not aged.
This one sounds perfect for readers who want something really different and imaginative!
Dead in the Frame (Pentecost and Parker Book 5) by Stephen Spotswood
This is book five in a procedural series I have never heard of. The book, which features a female detective in the 1940s, has an extremely high (4.5) Goodreads ratings, but not a lot of reviews. I might need to take a look!
Perfect for fans of historical mysteries!
The Doorman by Chris Pavone
Finally! A book I read and enjoyed.
Again, this is more of a non-traditional and VERY slow burn thriller that gave me Bonfire of the Vanities vibes. Here’s my Readers Guide to The Doorman!
Perfect for fans of books set in New York City and those who don’t mind a slow burn!
The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natera
I have a post on books like White Lotus and I came SO close to reading this as a possible addition to the list. The book is set at a luxury resort in the Dominican Republic, and seems to focus more on the staff and their trials and tribulations. Like The Doorman, there does seem to be a mystery there, one that delves deeply into class and power.
Another pick for fans of the slow burn!
Heartwood by Amity Gaige
I read and enjoyed this one. To me, it’s even less of a mystery than God of the Woods, but like that book, it’s a story that offers a beautiful portrayal of natural world. There is suspense and even an amateur detective, but as a “mystery” it’s pretty non-conventional!
Perfect for fans of God of the Woods and Happiness Falls.
History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook
I also read this amateur detective story of a history professor trying to solve her colleague’s murder. It offers a lot of insight into academia, and especially issues of gender and class in a university setting.
Perfect for fans of shows like The Chair by Sandra Oh, and of mysteries with social justice themes!
The House on Buzzard’s Bay by Dwyer Murphy
This is another book I almost requested but didn’t. It’s a Friend Group Mystery, which I normally love, but something gave me pause. The book’s Goodreads rating is not great (3.2), with readers complaining about unanswered questions and an overall murky feel. This comment made me laugh: “No, I don’t think it’s a classic New England literary mystery. You need more than the Falmouth lighthouse to see what’s going on in this story.”
Yes, a literary mystery CAN be too literary. If you’ve read this, give me your take in the comments!
The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer
This is a historical mystery about … seabird eggs? Thanks Katherine Y for your review which clears this up: “There are two timelines in the book. The first one takes place in the 1930s and follows the real-life mystery of thirty valuable red guillemot eggs which disappeared and have never resurfaced in any collections. The other timeline is in the present two previous characters from one of Bauer’s books participate in the hunt for the Metland eggs.”
I’m dying to get someone’s take on this one!
Man Made of Smoke by Alex North
I read this psychological thriller! Here’s my Readers Guide to Man Made of Smoke. Deeply creepy, it is like all (most?) of Alex North’s books: you need a murder board with string and index cards to sort it all out.
Mockingbird Court (Shady Hollow 6) by Juneau Black
This is another book I have never heard of with a premise that is NOT the average thriller premise. It’s a mystery with animal detectives? I think? Like Animal Farm? Or Watershed Down? I don’t know….
I don’t think this is for me, but I’m telling you: the people who like this series REALLY like it!
Nightswimming (Jamie Palmieri 1)by Melanie Anagnos
This is another historical mystery, the first in a series set in 1979 New Jersey.
In my opinion, this cover does the book NO favors. But I love supporting a small press and the description sounds interesting. I might try it!
The Predicament (Gabriel Dax 2) by William Boyd
This historical thriller follows a travel writer turned spy in the 1960s. It actually sounds pretty fun and has high (4.2) Goodreads ratings.
Have you tried this series? It is too much of a political thriller for me, but you might like it!
What About the Bodies by Ken Jaworowsky
This sounds like the kind of book I could like. “Three lives collide in a dustbelt town” sounds like the opening of a movie trailer. A single mom, an autistic man, and an aspiring musician are living the three lives in question and these three intersect with (according to the blurb) “explosive twists, hair-raising chills, and boundless love.” Like the movie Crash?
I could be up for this. This is another small press book with high (4.2) Goodreads ratings. I may have to keep more of an eye on Grove Atlantic Press in 2026!