Top 10 psychological thriller books of all time
Few literary subgenres have the same ability to both enthrall and frighten readers as the psychological thriller. These compelling stories of psychological suspense take us on terrifying adventures into the deepest corners of the human psyche, where the distinction between sanity and madness blurs, and the unexpected turns leave us breathless. Psychological thrillers expose us to the mysterious and frequently evil workings of the human psyche, where the real monsters may not be hiding in the shadows but rather are found within the complexity of our own thoughts.
In this article, we set out on a spooky tour through the top ten psychological thriller novels of all time, each one a masterpiece in its own right. Join us as we explore the depths of obsession, paranoia, and deception, where nothing is as it seems and every page yields a shocking new revelation. The ten psychological thrillers on this list will grasp you from the inside out, make you reevaluate how you see the world, and have you wondering what it means to be human. So buckle up and get ready for a literary journey into the depths of evil as we go through the top 10 psychological thrillers that have forever changed the landscape of suspense literature.
The fallowing article contains external links to Amazon for you to directly purchase the goods.
- “The last Mrs. Parrish” by Liv Constantine
The plot of “The Last Mrs. Parrish” centers on Daphne Parrish and Amber Patterson and is full of lies, deceit, and revenge.
A shrewd and ambitious lady named Amber Patterson develops an obsession with the beautiful and successful Daphne Parrish. Daphne appears to have it all: a lavish lifestyle , a loving husband named Jackson Parrish, and two gorgeous kids. Amber, on the other hand, is adamant about leaving her less than ideal background behind and integrating into Daphne’s world.
Amber comes up with a plan to befriend Daphne and get into her social group in order to get closer to her. By appearing to share Daphne’s hobbies, she makes friends with her and even manages to get a job at the same charity organization that Daphne is actively involved in. As her friendship with Daphne deepens, she learns more and more about the Parrish family’s secrets, especially their problematic marriage.
The ultimate goal of Amber is to assume Daphne’s position in Jackson’s life and become the new Mrs. Parrish. She gradually turns Jackson and Daphne against one another by manipulating events and lying to both of them. Readers are led on a wild rollercoaster of deceit, betrayal, and psychological combat between Amber and Daphne as the novel develops.
As Amber’s true motivations are revealed throughout the story, themes of envy, retaliation, and the effects of lying are explored. As the two women engage in a psychological struggle to defend their separate roles in Jackson’s life, the plot undergoes surprising twists and turns.
The thrilling and suspenseful thriller “The Last Mrs. Parrish” explores the dark secrets that can hide behind even the most flawless façade and the depths to which someone can go in order to fulfill their ambitions. The startling finale has readers on the edge of their seats the entire time.
2. “Verity” by Colleen Hoover
The novel “Verity” depicts the tale of a struggling writer who, while editing the incomplete manuscript of a well-known author, discovers some sinister truths.
The story revolves around struggling author Lowen Ashleigh, who is dealing with both personal loss and financial issues. Jeremy Crawford, the husband of the incredibly well-known and highly regarded author Verity Crawford, approaches her with a remarkable chance. Due to a vehicle accident, Verity is unable to complete her best-selling book series. Jeremy requests that Lowen finish the series utilizing Verity’s notes and outlines.
For the purpose of sorting through Verity’s notes and research, Lowen moves into the Crawfords’ opulent home. Verity’s unfinished autobiography, which presents a troubling portrait of her life and psyche, is one of the things she finds when she digs deeper into her writing. In the autobiography, a number of disturbing and sinister truths are revealed, including Verity’s history of cruelty and violence.
Additionally, Lowen starts to find information that suggests Verity might not be as helpless as she initially appears to be. She is drawn deeper into the Crawford family’s dark web, which includes their two young sons. She must balance her feelings for Jeremy as they get more intense while also coming to terms with the shocking reality of Verity’s conduct.
Lowen works to learn the whole truth about Verity and the sinister secrets kept within the Crawford family. The book is tense, suspenseful, and full of a sense of approaching danger. As Lowen is captivated by her job and her growing desire to Jeremy, the boundaries between fact and fiction become increasingly blurred.
The suspenseful thriller “Verity” tackles themes of deception, obsession, and the effects of learning unsettling truths. Readers are kept on the edge of their seats as they work through the complex relationships and secrets at the center of the narrative.
3. “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides
“The Silent Patient” is focused on the enigmatic silence of Alicia Berenson, a gifted painter who has been found guilty of murder.
Theo Faber, a psychotherapist who develops a fascination with Alicia’s case, tells the story. Prior to mysteriously shooting her husband, Gabriel, and ceasing all communication, Alicia seemed to have the ideal life. She is committed to a private mental health hospital and remains silent.
In an effort to understand Alicia’s mysterious silence and discover the reason for the murder, Theo is able to land a job at the institution where she is being held. He vows to assist her in reclaiming her voice.
Theo learns about Alicia’s unspoken secrets and past traumas as he digs deeper into her life. He starts to piece together a complicated web of deceit, betrayal, and psychological agony through her frightening artwork and the tales of others who knew her.
The book looks at issues like obsession, mental illness, love, and the extent people will go to keep their darkest secrets hidden. The story develops into a perplexing psychological riddle as it goes along, building to a surprising and unexpected climax that will leave readers in disbelief.
A psychological thriller about the secrets of the human mind and psychological suspense, “The Silent Patient” has a surprising twist that contradicts all you previously believed to be true about the characters and their motivations.
4. “Room: A Novel” by Emma Donoguhe
“Room” is a frightening and intensely emotional tale of a young child and his mother that are imprisoned in a small, soundproof room for years.
Five-year-old Jack, who has spent his whole life in a single, cramped room, serves as the book’s narrator. Jack has never seen the outside world; he and his mother, Ma, are prisoners in this chamber. Ma has tried her best to give Jack a sense of normalcy and security inside their restricted space after she has been kidnapped and hold captive by a man known as “Old Nick” when she was just a teenager.
Ma tells Jack that Room is the entire world and that everything they watch on television is not real in order to protect him from the painful reality of their circumstances. Jack’s perception of the outside world is constrained to the boundaries of the Room; he thinks that the objects inside the room have personalities and that he and Ma are the only two true people in the world.
Ma feels more determined to leave their captivity as Jack gets older. She creates a dangerous plan to liberate Jack from Room and to get the police involved in her release. After his successful escape, Jack must adjust to a difficult new existence outdoors, where he must deal with the overwhelming and frequently horrifying encounters of the outside world.
The mother-son relationship, resiliency, and the strength of creativity in the face of overwhelming adversity are all topics covered in the book. Additionally, it explores how long-term captivity has affected Jack and Ma psychologically as they adjust to life in freedom.
Readers follow both characters’ difficult emotional journeys as they try to restore their lives and deal with their previous trauma. The novel “Room” explores the resilience of the human spirit as well as the enduring love between a mother and her kid.
5. “Strangers on a Train” by Patricia Highsmith
The plot of “Strangers on a Train” centers around two strangers who meet while riding a train and debate that each should kill one person the other one wants dead, so that they may get rid of their personal issues.
Charles Anthony Bruno, a lovely but severely disturbed guy, and Guy Haines, an accomplished architect, are the book’s main protagonists. They happen to run into one other on a train, and during their talk, Bruno offers Guy an idea: they should each kill someone the other wants dead. According to Bruno, the fact that they are strangers means that there is no way to link them to the acts, making it the ideal murderous plot.
Guy initially dismisses Bruno’s suggestion as a sarcastic joke, but as their interactions progress, Guy comes to understand that Bruno is not to be taken lightly. However, Bruno grows more and more fixated on the idea and starts stalking Guy, forcing him to carry out his end of the “deal” by killing Guy’s estranged and unfaithful wife, Miriam, whom Guy seeks to divorce so he can marry his new love, Anne.
As the plot develops, Bruno gets more irrational, and Guy is sucked into a risky web of lies and danger. Guy, on the other hand, is not interested in carrying out the plan, and as he tries to elude Bruno and disassociate himself from the murderous scheme, he gets caught up in a web of lies, dread, and remorse.
The moral uncertainty, remorse, and effects of one’s conduct are among the subjects the book examines. It is a psychological thriller that explores both characters’ thoughts as they struggle with the sinister decisions they have made and the mounting resentment between them.
The intriguing and psychologically challenging book “Strangers on a Train” keeps readers on the edge of their seats as the lives of the two strangers inexorably entwine, building to a dramatic and thrilling climax.
6. “The Girl Before” by J.P. Delaney
The two women in “The Girl Before” alternately reside in the same ultra-modern home at various points in time while being involved in a terrifying situation.
The book recounts the connected narratives of Emma Matthews and Jane Cavendish, who share a London apartment in a sparse, architect-designed home. The mysterious architect Edward Monkford, who owns the unique home known as “One Folgate Street,” has severe guidelines for its inhabitants. There are numerous high-tech components throughout the home, including sensors that keep an eye on and modify tenant behavior and environment.
Emma, who relocates to One Folgate Street with her lover Simon, is attempting to get over a horrific experience from her past. Jane, on the other hand, recently went through a catastrophe in her personal life and is seeking a new beginning. Both women are captivated to Monkford’s minimalist aesthetic and the distinctive design of the house.
As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that both Emma and Jane are dealing with troubled relationships and are tormented by their pasts. They are both attracted to Edward Monkford, who has a strong influence over them. Emma becomes fixated on figuring out the perplexing circumstances behind the death of the previous renter, which happened while she was residing at the property.
The novel examines issues of manipulation, power, and the hazy boundary between love and obsession. It calls into question the morality of architectural design as well as how one’s surroundings affect their conduct and overall wellbeing.
The lives of Emma and Jane become more intertwined as the plot develops, and the secrets surrounding One Folgate Street and Edward Monkford get deeper and darker. As readers attempt to connect the dots connecting the two ladies and uncover the secrets of the mansion, the alternating narratives build tension and suspense.
The compelling psychological thriller “The Girl Before” examines the murky, nuanced reasons of its protagonists as well as the terrifying effects of their decisions. Readers are kept wondering until the shocking conclusion in this story of psychological suspense and obsession.
7. “In a Dark, Dark Wood” by Ruth Ware
The plot of “In a Dark, Dark Wood” is around a bachelorette weekend trip that takes an evil turn when long-buried secrets and tensions among a group of old friends erupt.
The book is told from the perspective of reclusive London-based author Nora Shaw. Nora gets a surprise invitation to a bachelorette weekend in the isolated English countryside, and this is where the narrative begins. She hasn’t seen her childhood friend Clare Cavendish in years, but she is the one who sent the invitation. Even though Clare hasn’t contacted her in a very long time, Nora accepts the offer out of curiosity and nostalgia.
Nora comes at a glass-walled, contemporary home in the woods and meets the other visitors, including the bride-to-be Clare, her mysterious friend Flo, Clare’s severe and dominant former classmate Tom, and Tom’s lively and cheerful girlfriend Melanie.
As the weekend progresses, tensions within the group are clearly visible. Nora starts to experience strange and frightening incidents, which makes her more uneasy and wary of the other visitors. Flashbacks show Nora and Clare’s convoluted history, which includes a tragic event that happened when they were young.
The story switches back and forth between the present, where the bachelorette weekend is causing further stress, and the past, which describes the circumstances that caused the group’s troubled connections. As the weekend takes a perilous turn, secrets and betrayals progressively surface, making it apparent that someone among them has a secret goal.
The book looks at issues including friendship, repercussions of past decisions, obsession, and envy. The plot develops to a dramatic finale that clarifies the secrets of both the present and the past as paranoia and anxiety grow.
“In a Dark, Dark Wood” is a riveting and thrilling thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats as it explores the complexities of interpersonal relationships and the sinister secrets that might be kept hidden. Ruth Ware’s writing maintains a high level of tension throughout, making it an interesting and captivating read.
8. “The Talented Mr. Ripley” by Patricia Highsmith
“The Talented Mr. Ripley” follows the life of Tom Ripley, a young man who becomes entangled in a web of deception, murder, and identity theft.
The story opens with Herbert Greenleaf, a successful businessman, sending Tom Ripley, a gifted but troubled young man, to Italy. Greenleaf requests that Tom convince his rebellious son Dickie Greenleaf to settle down in America and take over the family business. Tom easily accepts the assignment since he sees it as a chance to escape his boring life in New York City.
As soon as he arrives in Italy, Tom falls in love with Dickie and Marge Sherwood’s lavish and carefree lifestyle. Dickie, on the other hand, has is less eager for going back to America and refuses to comply with his father’s requests. Tom develops an obsession with Dickie and begins to take extraordinary measures to integrate himself into his world.
A string of lies and deceptions are the result of Tom’s preoccupation with Dickie. He becomes Dickie’s close friend and traveling companion after successfully ingratiating himself into his life. However, Tom’s increasing affection for Dickie takes a sinister turn as he decides to adopt Dickie’s identity and entirely take over his life.
As the plot develops, Tom’s actions become more cunning and evil. He turns to murder in order to get rid of any obstacles to his agenda and to keep up the appearance that he is Dickie. As he is sought after by the police and becomes increasingly anxious about being found, Tom finds it harder and harder to maintain his dual identity.
The psychological thriller “The Talented Mr. Ripley” explores the thoughts of a sociopathic protagonist who is both likable and incredibly unsettling. Identity, obsession, and the effects of one’s behavior are some of the topics it examines. As they follow Tom Ripley’s slide towards deceit and murder, readers are kept on edge throughout the book.
9. “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn
The plot of “Gone Girl” centers on a broken marriage and a mystery disappearance that reveals a complicated network of deception.
The marriage of Nick and Amy Dunne takes center stage in the book. The couple starts off looking wealthy and content, but as they both lose their jobs in New York City and are forced to relocate to Nick’s hometown in Missouri to care for his elderly mother, relational cracks start to surface.
Amy mysteriously vanishes on the day of their fifth wedding anniversary and leaves behind a string of puzzling hints. Due to his evasive actions and the mounting evidence against him, Nick becomes the main suspect in Amy’s disappearance as the search for her gets more and more intense. Nick is under a lot of pressure from the public and the media, yet he still claims to be innocent.
The book is divided into chapters that are alternately written from Nick and Amy’s points of view and through Amy’s diary entries. As the story progresses, it becomes evident that Nick and Amy each have secrets of their own and are not being completely honest about their relationship. While Nick’s perspective depicts his mounting annoyance with Amy’s perfectionism, Amy’s diary indicates her dissatisfaction with her marriage.
The book has a lot of unexpected turns as the inquiry progresses, leaving readers wondering what actually happened to Amy and who is to blame. The narrative examines themes of trickery, manipulation, and the sinister sides of interpersonal interactions.
The riveting and tense thriller “Gone Girl” questions the reader’s conceptions of reality and morality. The story covers the complexities of a problematic marriage and the lengths people will go to keep their secrets. It is like a roller coaster ride. Readers are kept interested in the story until its unexpected and stunning ending.
10. “The Silence of The Lambs” by Thomas Harris
The plot of “The Silence of the Lambs” centers on an FBI agent’s attempts to apprehend a serial killer with the aid of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant but evil psychiatrist and murderer.
The story opens with Clarice Starling, a young and gifted FBI trainee, being assigned to the FBI Training Division’s Behavioral Science Unit. She has the chance to speak with the brilliant and deranged Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a former psychiatrist who is currently detained in a secure facility for committing his own heinous crimes. The FBI is hoping that Lecter can provide some light on Buffalo Bill, some other serial killer who is now at large and terrifying the nation.
Clarice and Lecter play a psychological game of cat and mouse. Lecter, who enjoys eating human flesh, manipulates Clarice and offers cryptic Buffalo Bill hints while disclosing unsettling information about his own sinister past.
As Clarice investigates the situation more, she learns that Buffalo Bill is kidnapping young women, skinning them, and then discarding their remains in rivers. Buffalo Bill needs to be identified before he commits another murder, therefore she must use the knowledge she has gained from her meetings with Lecter to create a psychological profile of the murderer.
The viewpoints of Lecter’s terrifying and cunning mind tricks and Clarice, who is working nonstop to solve the crime, are alternated throughout the book. Clarice must fight both the depravity of Buffalo Bill and her uneasy attraction to Lecter along the way.
The thriller “The Silence of the Lambs” delves into the murkiest recesses of the human psyche. It explores topics like evil, deceit, and the flimsy line separating right and wrong. The book is renowned for its nuanced characters, especially Hannibal Lecter, one of literature’s most recognizable and terrifying villains.
BONUS: “Black-Eyed Susans” by Julia Heaberlin
In the book “Black-Eyed Susans,” Tessa Cartwright, a character who endured a terrifying ordeal as a youngster, is forced to confront her past as an adult after new information comes to light.
Tessa Cartwright, a sixteen-year-old girl, was discovered in a grave with the bodies of other young ladies who were also buried alive in the summer of 1995. The lone survivor, Tessa, has been nicknamed “Black-Eyed Susans” because of the yellow wildflowers that grow close to the grave.
Today, Tessa is an adult with her own teenage daughter. Terrell Darcy Goodwin, the man who was found guilty for killing these young ladies, is currently on death row and is scheduled to be executed. Tessa, though, starts to wonder if the proper man was convicted and begins to doubt her testimony from years ago.
To reexamine the case, Tessa works with a forensic scientist and a lawyer. Tessa’s memories begin to resurface as they explore the past, and she starts to learn troubling details that imply the true perpetrator might still be at large. As Tessa makes her way through therapy sessions and faces her horrific memories, the story switches between Tessa’s present-day viewpoint and that of her younger self.
Tessa struggles with her own unclear memories, the aftereffects of her trauma, and the possibility of her having contributed to an innocent man’s conviction. Additionally, she encounters a string of frightening incidents and threats that cause her to worry about both her daughter’s and her own safety.
The plot develops as Tessa fights against time to discover the truth about the Black-Eyed Susans and learn what actually occurred during that crucial summer of 1995. The book is a psychological thriller that tackles themes of memory, trauma, and the long-term effects of a gruesome experience.
The exciting and thought-provoking mystery “Black-Eyed Susans” keeps readers guessing right up to the very end. It’s a tale of tenacity and the pursuit of justice despite a horrific past.
Sign up here to Amazon Audible and listen to your favorite titles anywhere you go. First 30 days are FREE, cancel anytime online!