Best crime/ thriller you've ever read?

[HarrietPotterska]

I love police procedurals, crime and psychological thrillers, but I'm struggling to find something new! I feel like I've read everything! Am tired of the "twist you'll never see coming!" which one inevitability does, else it's just not interesting to truly grip!

Please help!

The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry. It was a free kindle book and I was not expecting it to be as twisted and thrilling as it was.

She's written quite a few books now and I've enjoyed all of them.

I like the Alex Delware books by Jonathan Kellerman not the best ever but I have enjoyed them.

Also the Sur Grafton Kinsey Malhone series.

Though it's weird being set in 80s so no mobile phones.

Magpie Lane

It's really absorbing and a decent read

Absolute Proof by Peter James. I am still reading but has got me thoroughly gripped!

Really enjoying the DCI Murrain books by Alex Walters at the moment.

I’m with you OP, if you’re expecting a big twist it’s almost inevitably disappointing, completely unbelievable or predictable. It annoys me when I’ve correctly guessed what the twist will be.
Some of my favourite suspense/psychological thriller novels are by Barbara Vine; they were published in the 80s and 90s so a quite different style to modern thrillers. She spends a long time crafting the characters and very slowly building up towards drawing the stories together. Her best ones imo are The House of Stairs, A Dark-Adapted Eye, and The Chimney Sweeper’s Boy.

Have you read anything by Pierre Lemaitre? The Paris Case Files series (Irene, Alex, Camille) are good and I thought they were a bit different to the usual type.

A place of execution by Val McDermid

The rebus series by Ian Rankin

I've read all the Barbara Vines, Val McD and Rebus (love them, absolutely wish I was just discovering them again!), but all the others might be new! I'm actually very excited!!

A Place of Execution was brilliant, and I agree about Barbara Vine (pen name of someone else - Ruth Rendell maybe?). I also loved The Silence of The Lambs, and this year Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer.

I should also say I won't read anything with missing children/death of a child! That makes me too sad!

@thecognoscenti yes, I think it's Ruth Rendell, whom I also love! Rubbernecker I haven't heard of, off to look

Jo Nesbo - Harry Hole series
Tony Parsons - the Hanging Club etc
Peter May, the 3 book series but also the 6 book series is excellent

Most thrillers don't hit the spot and the most hyped are usually the worst. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris was very good and I didn't guess what was happening until the end. This was book one of a trilogy of which the other two are also worth reading.

I loved the Tana French murder squad series, probably my all time favourite. Also loved Shetland and Vera. And currently reading the Strike series which is good but private dick rather than police procedural.

I'm not sure if it's quite what you're looking for but I have loved some of Christopher Brookmyre's books.

Boris Starling's Messiah is really good imo. And I did not guess the killer before it was revealed.

Not at all police procedural but good mysteries anyway- the Cadfael books.

Another big fan here of Ann Cleeves, especially The Moth Catcher and the other Vera books in the series.
I like the Susan Hill Simon Serrailer series.
Val McDermid is another favourite

Mo Hayder is good, a bit graphic sometimes but not over the top

Kate London is good for police procedural type thrillers (she’s an ex-copper) with female leads

I don't think anyone compares with Rendell/Vine tbh. Dark-Adapted Eye is particularly good.

Both of Elly Griffiths's series are excellent! My top recommendations!
Plus..

The Vera books
Dalziel & Pascoe
The series by Jonathan Kellerman and by Fay Kellerman are ok
Blood Orange was great - standalone thriller
Cara Hunt & Karin Slaughter both reliably good

Maybe not along the right lines but I enjoyed the Kate Atkinson series about the detective. Case Histories series. Also Nikki French Blue Monday series. Lynda La Plante also good - I think she wrote the original Prime Suspect. Quite old now but Patricia Cornwell books I loved when they first came out. Off to google the ones on here!! Perfect weather for a nasty crime murdery book!!

My lovely wife
The man she married

Chris carter's books are amazing, read them in order

Have read lots mentioned, Mo Hayder, Kate Atkinson, Vera Stanhope series, blood orange etc abs some more, but again, lots more I haven't.

To whomever said no one compares to RR and Barbara Vine - yes! This is my problem (P.D. James has her moments, though!)