Looking for a unputdownable thriller that is a fast and fun read? Need a read in one day thriller? Want a book that you can’t stop reading? These thriller books are fast paced and to the point for those who who like their books gripping and hard to stop reading. Check out my list of Best Quick and Fun Thrillers to Read in One Sitting!
Hello! If you got here directly, you might also want to check out my quiz on What Kind of a Mystery Thriller Reader Are You?
And then explore my Master Post on the Different Types of Thriller Novels
But if you are just here for the Popcorn Thrillers, let’s go!
What is a Quick and Fun Thriller?
- It’s a fun, easy-to-read thriller that is plot-driven. These quick and fun thrillers get going right away, are easy to follow, and make the best thriller audiobooks to listen to.
- By definition, a quick and fun thriller can’t be 500 pages (sorry!) I feel like 300-375 pages is the sweet spot for these books, but let’s investigate!
- I find a “quick and fun” thriller the perfect books to read on planes. Someone on Goodreads once insulted a book as an “airplane thriller” as if that was a bad thing! If I’m fretting about turbulence, my book isn’t doing its job!
Some people call these books popcorn thrillers because they are that addictive. Are you in?
The Best Quick and Fun Thrillers to Read
This subgenre tends to be author-specific and these are the Unputdownable Thriller Authors I see mentioned over and over on social media.
If you don’t usually read books like this, try one!
Julie Clark
My favorite Julie Clark book: The Last Flight (320 pages)
I LOVE an identity switch book and I really enjoyed The Last Flight by Julie Clark, about two desperate women who meet by chance at an airport and decide to swap plane tickets.
Join the Spoiler Discussion for The Last Flight as there is a LOT to talk about in this book!
I also put The Last Flight on my list of Travel Thrillers Set on Airplanes Boats Cars and Trains
Already read Julie Clark? Try:
The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia
The Business Trip is a 2025 suspense/thriller that is VERY similar in premise to The Last Flight, in that two women meet on a plane.
But things play out rather differently. Check out my review with spoilers for The Business Trip!
Harlan Coben
Harlan Coben has written so many books that it’s hard to know where to start. Some people love his series; I am more a fan of his standalones.
His two top-rated books on Goodreads are The Match and I Will Find You (352 pages and 329 pages)
Luckily for you, I have a Spoiler Discussion for The Match. Trust me, you will need it!
And yes, I also have a Spoiler Discussion for I Will Find You, which I have a preference for because it reminded me of one of my fave movies, The Fugitive.
The Spoiler Discussion for I Will Find You is here!
Liv Constantine
My Favorite Liv Constantine Book: The Wife Stalker (320 pages)
Constantine’s highest rated book is The Last Mrs. Parrish, which I haven’t read.
But my favorite book by Liv Constantine is The Wife Stalker, which had a twist I really did not see coming. Read it and join our Spoiler Discussion.
Jennifer Hillier
My Favorite Jennifer Hillier: Little Secrets! (352 pages)
Full disclosure: this book has a child abduction plot, and I know that some readers want to avoid those topics.
But Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier is fun, twisty and addictive. Four main characters, all with cross-cutting interests and a lot of secrets.
Join the Spoiler Discussion for Little Secrets!
Colleen Hoover
My Favorite Colleen Hoover: Verity (336 pages)
You may know “CoHo” for writing angsty romances that TikTok loves, but she also wrote a Gothic thriller that is insanely diabolical and hard to put down.
There is SOOOO much to talk about in this book. Multiple theories, crazy speculations. It’s a lot, so join my Spoiler Discussion for Verity!
Freida McFadden
My Favorite Freida McFadden is The Wife Upstairs (419 pages)
In the quick read thriller lane, Freida McFadden is one the most highly recommended authors around. I’m in the minority, but my favorite of her books is The Wife Upstairs. It’s a modern Gothic with very similar vibes to Verity by Colleen Hoover.
Most people prefer The Housemaid, which did have a good twist and is her highest rated book, so check that one out too.
T.J. Newman
Confession: I am such a nervous flyer that I am unable to read T.J. Newman. I mean, who could read these books while ON a plane?
But Newman’s name is at the top of most people’s lists when it comes to Fast and Unputdownable Thrillers.
T.J. Newman’s books:
Falling (2021) 304 pages
You just boarded a flight to New York. There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.
What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped. For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.
Drowning (2023) 304 pages
A plane crashes into the Pacific Ocean and sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside.
More than two hundred feet below the surface, Will Kent and his daughter are fighting for their lives. Their only chance at survival is an elite rescue team on the surface led by professional diver Chris Kent—Shannon’s mother and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife.
I put these on my my list of Travel Thrillers Set on Airplanes Boats Cars and Trains!
Riley Sager
Riley Sager has been a hit-or-miss author for me, but he has written some BIG winners! HIs highest rated books on Goodreads are Home Before Dark, The Only One Left, and The Last Time I Lied.
My favorite Riley Sagers: Final Girls (352 pages) and The Only One Left (385 pages)
Final Girls is a play on all the horror movies I used to watch back in the day. Loved it and my Spoiler Discussion for Final Girls is here!
The Only One Left is a fun Gothic suspense. I really enjoyed it, and it’s Sager’s highest rated book on Goodreads. It’s a complicated story, (hence the longer page count) so you might need my character list and plot summary on my The Only One Left Spoiler Post!
Peter Swanson
My Favorite Peter Swanson: The Kind Worth Killing (320 pages)
The Kind Worth Killing is a twisty, back-stabby kind of book and it was a fast and fun read.
I have a Spoiler Discussion Post for The Kind Worth Killing AND a Review of the sequel, The Kind Worth Saving. I recommend them both!
I may continue to add to this post so I want to know what YOU think are the most Unputdownable, Best Thrillers to Read in One Sitting. Please tell me about all the books you could NOT put down in comments! I need to know!
THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides
was also one of the very fast paced and unputdownable thriller book. Really good, completed it in one day.
I agree with you. I loved that book. Some people actually found it slow-paced because it did have some set up, but I also couldn’t put it down and that twist was awesome. I’m going to edit this post after I get some feedback and will add it!
Excellent list, Jen. I’ve read a few and have a few are on my tbr list. I heartily agree about your use of the “airplane book” and “popcorn thriller” tags. I read A LOT of these, primarily listening to them whilst getting dressed, cleaning, etc. The plots are easy to follow. But…sometimes I, too, need a break: I just started reading “It Ends at Midnight” a book most definitely not in this category: 500 pages and florid writing that I have to pay attention to! It’s lovely so far.
I love to mix it up! Sometimes I want a book with a bit more atmosphere and depth, but I LOVE a good fast-paced thriller too.
Rachel Hawkins is my go to for popcorn thrillers! The premise of her books is always interesting and they read super fast.
I agree – her books are so readable! I slot her more into the suspense lane but some books are definitely a combination of both!