Recs if you like Defending Jacob...
the kids are (not) alright
you definitely donโt want to babysit the kids in these books!! these are some bad kids, some might even say evil kids, like theyโre possessed by demons or something, think Damien from The Omen or the twins in Goodnight Mommy
as always, taking any and all suggestions!
drama in the courtroom
these legal mysteries/thrillers invite you into the courtroom; to stand trial, defend the accused and listen to attorneys and judges. Here, the courtroom is central or at least very important to the story. The protagonists are either lawyers or working for the court in some other way. Sometimes, they have to defend someone close to them, sometimes they are the accused...
This list is open for suggestions!
The 50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century
The New York Times published a list on August 5th, 2026, of the 50 best thrillers published since 2000 as voted on by hundreds of writers of every kind of crime fiction, from legal thrillers to spy novels to cozy mysteries, as well as librarians, editors, critics and Bookstagrammers.
Do the Twist
Books with a crazy twist or two.
Thrillers I canโt shut up about
Thrillers & mysteries that will keep you guessing until the end
New York Times | 50 Best Thrillers
50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century | NYT List
50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century (NYT)
August 2026 List of the best thrillers of the 21st century as nominated by mystery/thriller authors
books to screen (series version)
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