Ep. 198 is the second episode of our brand-new “Best of…” series. Anderson McKean of Page & Palette Bookstore joined me for the Best of Thrillers, with her all-time TOP TEN favorite thriller novels…and, a couple buzzy thrillers that didn’t work for her.⁠ Also, Anderson talks about how she started reading thrillers, the wide variety available in the genre, and books from her list that would be perfect for those new to the genre!

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CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Highlights

• What draws her to the thriller genre.
• From domestic to psychological thrillers, Anderson talks about the variety of the genre.
• Her favorite sub-genres and what doesn’t work for her.
• Anderson picks a few books from her list that would be good starter books for those new to the genre.

Anderson’s All-Time Top Ten Thrillers [10:33]

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2012) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [12:44]
• Room by Emma Donoghue (2010) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:57]
• It Girl by Ruth Ware (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [20:41]
• A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [24:16]
• Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [27:43]
• The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [31:38]
• Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org   [34:17]
• Red Queen by Juan Gómez-Jurado (2018) | Amazon | Bookshop.org   [37:48]
• When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [41:12]
• These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [45:37]

High-Profile Thrillers That She Didn’t Love [48:35] 

• The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [48:41]
• None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [49:01]

Other Books Mentioned

• The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz (2021) [13:23]
• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (2015) [16:06]
• The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins (2024) [16:13]
• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (2021) [16:38]
• The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware (2016) [20:58]
• I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai (2023) [21:50]
• Zero Days by Ruth Ware (2023) [23:05]
• Vantage Point by Sara Sligar (2025) [23:11]
• One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware (2024) [23:54]
• The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003) [24:51]
• Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong (2025) [27:35]
• What Have You Done by Shari Lepena (2024) [30:09]
• The Couple Next Door by Shari Lepena (2016) [30:24]
• Someone We Know by Shari Lepena (2019) [30:31]
• Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent (2023) [32:23]
• The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth (2019) [33:26]
• The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth (2022) [33:50]
• The Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth (2023) [33:53]
• Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister (2023) [36:36]
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (2005) [38:04]
• The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum (1980) [39:24]
• In Light of All Darkness by Kim Cross (2023) [42:25]
• The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (2025) [44:17]
• Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller (2015) [47:20]
• The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant (2024) [48:11]
• The Fury by Alex Michaelides (2024) [49:47]
• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (2019) [49:53]