The best crime books and thrillers of 2024

It’s been a good year for crime fiction, with so many stand-out thrillers being published in 2024. From exciting new crime series (including the new Richard Osman) to a host of new domestic thrillers, detective novels and courtroom dramas, our to-read piles have been overflowing this year.

But what have been the must-reads of the year? The ones that have flown off the shelves and been eagerly shared among the Dead Good team? We’ve rounded up the best crime books and thrillers of 2024. There’s something for every crime fiction lover on our list below.

15 of the best crime novels of 2024

The Suspect by Rob Rinder

When the UK’s favourite breakfast TV presenter dies live on air, the nation is devastated. Especially when they find out that her death was no accident. The evidence points to foul play, and to one suspect in particular – celebrity TV chef Sebastian Brooks. But junior barrister Adam Green – who readers might remember from Rob Rinder’s brilliant first book The Trial – is about to discover there’s more to this case than meets the eye…

The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas

Tasha and her husband Aaron are on a much-needed holiday getaway when things start feeling… off. First, there’s a lingering sense they’re being followed; then, there’s a call from home: Tasha’s sister Alice, and her husband, have been attacked. Tasha’s twins are unharmed, but after rushing home, Tasha receives a note: It was supposed to be you. This gripping novel asks: how far would you go to protect those you love?

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

The bestselling author of The Thursday Murder Club series is back with a new standalone novel. In We Solve Murders, Steve Wheeler is enjoying a quiet retirement when he receives an SOS call from his daughter-in-law Amy. She’s a private security officer who thrives under pressure. But while stationed on a remote island, keeping a world-famous author alive, Amy comes across a dead body – and then becomes a target herself. As Amy and Steve embark on a race across the world, can they stay one step ahead of the deadly enemy?

A Refiner’s Fire by Donna Leon

A Refiner’s Fire is the latest in Donna Leon’s popular series. Commissario Guido Brunetti returns to investigate the background of a supposed local hero and his son – but it’s not long before he uncovers the man’s secret, sordid history. What he finds will culminate in a clash between two powerful Venetian gangs and a final chance at redemption. This is Donna Leon at her very best, with rich characters and elegant, sophisticated storytelling.

In Too Deep by Lee Child and Andrew Child

Jack Reacher is back. In Too Deep opens with Reacher being tied up, with no idea where he is or who has brought him here. The only thing he knows is that whoever has captured him will pay a heavy price…We are eagerly awaiting the 29th book in the Jack Reacher series with the same enthusiasm we have for the Prime TV show.

Murder on Lake Garda by Tom Hindle

On a beautiful private island next to Lake Garda, wedding guests take their seats and wait for the bride to make her appearance. And then they hear a blood-curdling scream. A murder has taken place and they’re trapped on the island with the unknown killer. Tom Hindle is the master of the modern locked-room mystery, and his new novel is just as fun and unique as his previous works A Fatal Crossing and The Murder Game.

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

Tess Gerritsen is best known for her beloved detective series Rizzoli and Isles. But in 2024, we’ll be treated to a new espionage series, The Spy Coast, which follows retired spy Maggie. When an unidentified body is left on her driveway, she thinks it’s connected to her failed mission 15 years prior. It’s a case for the ‘Martini Club’ – Maggie’s group of former spy friends. Can they solve the mystery and stay one step ahead of law enforcement?

Everyone on this Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

A debut crime author is on a train with six other crime writers, heading for a literary festival, when one of them is murdered. Six authors quickly turn into five detectives as together, they try to solve the crime. But how can you catch a killer, when all your suspects know how to get away with murder? This witty, original murder mystery is the highly anticipated follow-up to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.

The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini

A woman has fallen to her death from a 25-storey building in the City, and banking office temp Tate Kinsella is under arrest for her murder. Tate only happened to meet the victim the night before, and managed to talk her down from jumping, but now she’s being framed and no-one – not even her lawyer – believes her story. Could it be because she’s hiding other secrets?

Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell

Breaking the Dark couldn’t be described as a typical Lisa Jewell thriller, given that it is set in the Marvel Universe. However, it contains the complex characters, twisty plot, and gut-wrenching suspense we’ve come to expect from the author. Private investigator (and retired superhero) Jessica Jones has been approached by a mother who is concerned about her sons. The teenagers returned from a trip to Europe looking and acting eerily different. As Jones investigates, she uncovers a corrupt billionaire with sinister plans.

Five by Five by Claire Wilson

This gritty thriller from an exciting new voice in crime fiction is set in one of Scotland’s toughest prisons. It follows Kennedy Allardyce, an intelligence officer responsible for monitoring both prisoners and staff, who is disturbed by rumours of a corrupt guard administering their own lethal form of justice. Kennedy investigates, infiltrating the inmate gangs and rigid prison hierarchies. But the killer has their eye on her – and now she doesn’t know who to trust… This atmospheric novel feels incredibly real, perhaps thanks to author Claire Wilson’s own experience as a former prison officer.

What Have You Done? By Shari Lapena

In Shari Lapena’s latest domestic thriller, a sleepy village is rocked to its core by a gruesome discovery: popular teenager Diana Brewer is found murdered in a hayfield. The village immediately descends into paranoia and hysterics. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone wants answers. Told through the alternating viewpoints of Diana’s friends, family and teachers, this is a page-turner that’s full of surprising reveals – perfect if you loved Lapena’s 2023 bestseller, Everyone Here is Lying.

The Missing Family by Tim Weaver

In the latest David Raker mystery, the missing persons investigator faces another impossible case: a family took a boat out on a lake and, less than 60 seconds later, the boat remained on the water but the family had disappeared. Where did they go, and how is this case linked to a suspected killer who escaped from custody? This is the sort of perfectly plotted, intricate mystery we have come to know and expect from Tim Weaver; if you’re anything like us, you’ll find it impossible to put down.

Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz

When Giles Kenworthy moves into the beautiful, gated community Riverview Close, his obnoxious children, loud parties, and endless landscaping project give his neighbours a reason to hate him. So, when he’s found with a crossbow bolt through his neck, Detective Daniel Hawthorne is left with the conundrum: who is the prime suspect when everyone has a motive?

The Lagos Wife by Vanessa Walters

It seems like Nicole has the perfect life: a palatial Lagos home, a glamorous group of friends and a handsome husband. But when she mysteriously disappears on a boat trip, it’s up to her aunt Claudine to find out what happened to her, and it isn’t long before the cracks in Nicole’s wonderful life begin to show. A startlingly original and engrossing tale of secrets, identity, and family.

Think Twice by Harlan Coben

The latest novel from Harlan Coben – crime icon and creator of the Netflix series Fool Me Once – asks a simple question: how can a man who’s already dead be wanted for murder? It’s the query plaguing sports agent Myron Bolitar, whose former client is now the FBI’s main suspect. Could he still be alive and, if so, what does that mean for Myron’s safety?

Precipice by Robert Harris

Summer, 1914. Twenty-six-year-old Venetia Stanley is having a love affair with the Prime Minister, as he begins to lead the country into war. His obsession with Venetia only grows, and he shares top-secret matters of state with her. When a young intelligence officer is assigned to find a leak in the government, a matter of sexual intrigue becomes a breach of the highest national security. Brilliantly blurring fact and fiction, Sunday Times bestselling author Robert Harris is back in full force.

The Switch by Lily Samson

We were gripped by this thriller from one of the most exciting debut authors of 2024. When Elena and Adam meet their new neighbours Sophia and Finn, there’s an immediate spark. Sophia proposes she and Elena swap partners in secret, but this one-off night of passion blossoms into an illicit affair for Elena. It seems harmless enough, until Sophia reveals her ulterior motive – with potentially lethal consequences. This is a steamy, seductive domestic thriller that will have you racing to turn the final page.

Have we missed any off our list? Let us know in the comments below…