Chill books like chick-lit are always great for a vacation or those days when stress is something you'd rather avoid. Still, how could we live without adrenaline in our veins while exposing a crime in a thriller book? If you're obsessed with the excitement that thrillers bring, check out these top ten authors that are pure masters at this genre!
10. Sara Paretsky
She's an ingenious mind, as many of her colleagues say
To be a crime writer, you have to be a creative genius – Sara Paretsky is precisely that, without any doubt. Her detective stories are a must if you like book series since her character, V.I. Warshawski, is a revolutionary image for her genre. Furthermore, she's a woman, and that's a radical move for the female image in detective fiction.
Moreover, V.I. Warshawski has to be one of the characters with the most sequels ever – Paretsky kept her alive in 20 books! Luckily, she isn't her only character, as she didn't stick to novels. You can read Paretsky in non-fiction and even two of her short stories. She's a versatile one!
9. Ann Cleeves
"Vera" is a captivating series that you'll read in a few days because you'll be obsessed!
The British crime stories' pride, Ann Cleeves, has to be the detective tales writer you'll get obsessed with. Active since 1986 and honored with numerous awards, this lady just won't stop inspiring crime enthusiasts. Furthermore, the best crime writers tend to create a series of books with one character, so Cleeves also proved herself in that area.
"Inspector Ramsay" and "Palmer Jones" are some of the most beloved characters that Cleeves embodied through the series. Her famous character, Vera Stanhope, feels so alive in readers' eyes that Cleeves had to write nine parts of her story! The novels are so acclaimed that Vera got its TV show, with all the favorable critics. They are guaranteed to end your reader's block!
8. Dan Brown
How well do you know this legend?
Let's face it – Dan Brown is one of the most challenging writers to understand out of this whole list. We definitely don't recommend his work for a chill day in the summer since it's for the time when you can fully concentrate instead. The same goes especially for his notorious novel "The Da Vinci Code," which received much hate over the years.
After all, we guess that most of the hostility came from that inability to understand the novel. Still, if you notice the magic his novel "Inferno" brought to the world of crime literature, Brown will be your ultimate favorite. Check it out to see if we're right!
7. Tana French
This lady already has some prestigious awards under her belt
If you aren't a fan of huge names like Dan Brown, there are some authors that you presumably don't know that well, but they might be even better. Tana French is an Irish-American writer who's already highly acclaimed. If you've never heard of her, you 100% know her hit novel "In the Woods."
Moreover, if you've stumbled upon the TV show "Dublin Murders," that's a perfect show for crime enthusiasts. We've barely ever seen any negative reviews regarding French's books that this show is based on, so take that as our following recommendation! The two books that inspired the show are the iconic "In the Woods" and "The Likeness."
6. James Patterson
A writer who hated books? Life's a weird coincidence!
Writing a series that revolves around one character who goes through several stories is a beloved method, especially in crime novels. Agatha Christie's done it several times, and James Patterson did the same. If you've heard from the iconic Alex Cross series, its author is actually Patterson!
Luckily, Patterson is still alive and active as a writer, so if you've read all of his stories, they're still going on. For example, his Alex Cross series started in the late 90s, but it still got a new novel in 2020. This man isn't even focused on crime and thrillers only – he tried out many genres, and he rocks all of them!
5. Harlan Coben
Did you watch the show? Harlan Coben made this story!
Like it or not, Netflix has taken over all the most famous movies and shows right now, and no other platforms can compete. How many writers can say they had the chance to get their own Netflix show? Harlan Coben is the one, and his best-selling novel "The Stranger" skyrocketed his fame for a good reason!
If you liked "The Stranger," there are plenty of books by this author you'll prefer. His 2007 novel "The Woods" is still relatively fresh and is equally significant as his 2020 best-seller "The Boy from the Woods." However, the woods aren't his one and only theme – Coben is a versatile artist!
4. David Baldacci
He loves his colleagues' crime novels as much as you do!
Imagine living an "ordinary" life of an attorney and turning your life experience into best-selling novels worldwide. That's pretty much a summed-up story about David Baldacci, an American novelist who can say he has fans among the most influential politicians in the world (Barack Obama reads Baldacci quite often).
Thanks to his education and interests, Baldacci spent most of his life reading stuff like Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None." Hence, his own stories ended up in the same genre. Baldacci's story "Memory Man" is a book you couldn't ever avoid if you started reading crime, and his novel "The Innocent" is also crucial.
3. Stephen King
Making tier lists is very funny, and with King's books, it's a particular challenge
He could even be the most beloved name on this list – Stephen King is the synonym for professionalism. His novels are worth making a screen adaptation, and these stories are so exciting that you'll read one book after another. Most of us started with "Misery" or "The Stand," and ended up reading his whole collection!
Moreover, many of you probably don't know that King is also a pro at short stories! Novels are his main interest, but he's written more than 200 short stories, which is insane. Not every story is worth checking out, but we definitely wouldn't skip his novella "Riding the Bullet!"
2. Sidney Sheldon
"If Tomorrow Comes" is a book that impressed everyone who read it
Sidney Sheldon is really a writer that will keep you guessing. If that's the primary purpose while you're reading, you've found your favorite for sure! He's one of the kings of anticipation and tension in crime novels, and some of his books like "If Tomorrow Comes" are so iconic that people consider them classics.
"If Tomorrow Comes" is our best recommendation if you're starting your Sheldon journey. Moreover, another masterpiece you should read right after is his magnum opus "Master of the Game." This marvelous novel focuses on a powerful woman and everything she's achieved, which is actually not strange to Sheldon. His novels portrayed many memorable characters!
1. Agatha Christie
This is your ultimate Agatha Christie guide – you won't need any other
"The Queen of Crime" is actually… a queen. A female writer in the world of stereotypes that crime novels aren't a female genre. This lady undoubtedly outdid all her colleagues regarding sales, awards, and every other criterion. Actually, she wrote at least 72 books, and she barely ever missed the point. She's on the top for a good reason!
If you asked us for a recommendation, it would be a tricky question since many of her stories are those you'll want to reread on and on. "Murder on the Orient Express" is, without any doubt, her magnum opus. Still, we also highly recommend "Death on the Nile," "Towards Zero," and "And Then There Were None."
After all, most of the names we mentioned on our top ten list are probably familiar to you because their work is inevitable if you're exploring this genre. How many of them did you already check? You've hopefully found a recommendation that you'll like!
Are thrillers your favorite novels? Is the feeling of excitement crucial when you're reading a book? Let us know!
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