Books
9 of the best debut crime novels of 2024
It has been quite a year of new crime and thriller reads. But, while 2024 has brought us bestsellers from some of our favourite authors – Richard Osman, Lisa Jewell, Lee Child and Tess Gerritsen, to name a few – it has also been a year of discovering standout new talent.
Feel like you might have missed out? Fear not. We’ve rounded up the books from the debut crime authors that we most enjoyed in 2024. Whether you love a psychological thriller, a police procedural or a legal drama, there’s something for everyone on our list below…
New crime writers who had everyone talking this year
The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini
The Woman on the Ledge by Ruth Mancini
Ruth Mancini’s debut novel was an instant Sunday Times bestseller when it was published at the start of the year, and counts household names Lisa Jewell, Claire Douglas and Andrea Mara among its fans. The story follows Tate, a woman who steps onto the roof terrace at her Christmas party and meets Helen, a woman contemplating suicide. Tate manages to talk her down but, the next day, she is arrested for her murder. What really happened, and what is Tate hiding? This psychological thriller is full of twists and turns, with a shocking ending you won’t see coming.
Perfect for fans of: Lisa Jewell, Paula Hawkins.
Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando Murrin
Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando Murrin
Shortlisted for the Val McDermid Debut Award 2024, Knife Skills for Beginners is an intricate mystery that feels like a crossover between Agatha Christie and MasterChef. When a chef takes a job at an exclusive cookery school in Belgravia, the last thing he expects is murder. But now, with a dead body found on the premises, he’s the police’s prime suspect. To protect his reputation – and the lives of his students – this chef will need to find the real culprit…
Perfect for fans of: Richard Osman, Knives Out, MasterChef.
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
Our copy of Nightwatching certainly did the rounds in Dead Good HQ, and we weren’t the only ones who loved it: the novel was the Jimmy Fallon Book Club Winner for Spring 2024. A mother is home alone with her two young children when she hears a noise. There’s a man in the house. But how can she keep her children safe, with no access to a phone or the internet, and no weapons to hand? This spine-tingling thriller has all the tension of a horror film, and we guarantee you won’t be able to put it down.
Perfect for fans of: Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, horror films.
The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey
Yorkshire, 1979. Women are being murdered by the Yorkshire Ripper and locals are scared to leave their homes at night. Best friends Miv and Sharon decide to take the case into their own hands by investigating suspicious people and events in their area. But what they find has far-reaching consequences… This is surprisingly heart-warming (and heart-breaking) novel made the Sunday Times bestseller list and was also Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Book Club pick for April 2024.
Perfect for fans of: Happy Valley, Rob Rinder.
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
Five years ago, Lucy was found walking down a road, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood. She had no memory of what happened or how Savvy died. Now, thanks to a true crime podcast, most of America believes she’s guilty. But when she meets the podcaster who’s ruining her life, they agree to team up to uncover the truth. This addictive read, which was an instant New York Times bestseller, is best enjoyed in one sitting.
Perfect for fans of: True crime podcasts, Harlan Coben, The Girl on the Train.
Prima Facie by Suzie Miller
Prima Facie by Suzie Miller
The Olivier Award-winning play, initially starring Jodie Comer, has been transformed into a novel by its playwright Suzie Miller. It follows Tessa, a brilliant criminal defence barrister who believes in the justice system and enjoys getting her clients acquitted. But when a date with a charismatic colleague ends in assault, she starts to question everything she ever believed in. This book is a page-turning, thought-provoking legal drama.
Perfect for fans of: Karin Slaughter, legal thrillers, I May Destroy You.
The Switch by Lily Samson
The Switch by Lily Samson
Elena and Adam are house-sitting in a wealthy neighbourhood when they befriend their new neighbours Sophia and Finn. It starts out innocent enough – until Sophia suggests she and Elena secretly swap partners for a night. Elena is swept off her feet by the affair, but little does she know, Sophia has her own sinister motives. This dark, sultry thriller takes the domestic suspense genre to a whole new level. We can see why it was named one of the Sunday Times Style’s Hot Reads for 2024.
Perfect for fans of: The Couple Next Door, Liane Moriarty, Shari Lapena.
Five by Five by Claire Wilson
Five by Five by Claire Wilson
In one of Scotland’s toughest prisons, it is Intelligence Analyst Kennedy Allardyce’s job to monitor the inmates – and staff. Through her work, she has heard rumours of a corrupt guard who is administering their own lethal form of justice. Can Kennedy find the person responsible, and learn to let her guard down when she falls in love with a new member of staff? Author Claire Wilson was herself a former intelligence analyst in a prison, and this debut feels terrifyingly authentic.
Perfect for fans of: Val McDermid, Line of Duty, Orange is the New Black.
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
This creepy, spine-tingling horror debut is set to get its own Netflix adaptation starring Blake Lively. We can see why, as it reads like a TV thriller. Charlie and Eve are settling in to their new home when a man knocks on the door and asks if he and his family can look around, as they used to live there. But when the family enters, strange things start to happen: Charlie disappears, and the family won’t take the hint to leave…
Perfect for fans of: Parasite, Stephen King.
Did we miss any off our list? Let us know in the comments below…
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