Friday, 7 August 2026

The NYT 50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century

The New York Times has just released a list of the best thrillers of the 21st century, compiled by ballots sent to writers, librarians, critics, editors and influencers. From this ballot they have compiled the top fifty. As a lover of thrillers and a lover of lists, this is right up my alley. Let's check it out and see whether it resonates. 

Bold = read. Linked = reviewed on this blog.

  • 50. Lisa Jewell - None of This is True (2023)
  • 49. Anthony Horowitz - Magpie Murders (2017)
  • 48. Chris Whitaker - All the Colors of the Dark (2024)
  • 47. Ashley Audrain - The Push (2021)
  • 46. S J Watson - Before I Go to Sleep (2011)
  • 45. Silvia Moreno-Garcia - Mexican Gothic (2020)
  • 44. Jennifer Hillier - Jar of Hearts (2018)
  • 43. Richard Price - Lush Life (2008)
  • 42. Caroline Kepnes - You (2014)
  • 41. Harlan Coben - Tell No One (2001)
  • 40. Blake Crouch - Dark Matter (2016)
  • 39. Sarah Waters - Fingersmith (2002)
  • 38. Terry Hayes - I Am Pilgrim (2014)
  • 37. Steph Cha - Your House Will Pay (2019)
  • 36. Alex Michaelides - The Silent Patient (2019)
  • 35. S A Cosby - All the Sinners Bleed (2023)
  • 34. Tana French - The Likeness (2008)
  • 33. Tana French - The Witch Elm (2018)
  • 32. Danya Kukafa - Notes on an Execution (2022)
  • 31. William Landay - Defending Jacob (2012)
  • 30. Việt Thanh Nguyễn - The Sympathizer (2015)
  • 29. Jean Hangg Korelitz - The Plot (2021)
  • 28. Leila Slimani - The Perfect Nanny (2018)
  • 27. Liane Moriarty – Big Little Lies (2014)
  • 26. Dan Brown – The Da Vinci Code (2003)
  • 25. Daniel Woodrell – Winter’s Bone (2006)
  • 24. Jane Harper – The Dry (2017)
  • 23. Donna Tartt – The Goldfinch (2013)
  • 22. John Le Carre – The Constant Gardener (2001)
  • 21. Emma Donoghue – Room (2010)
  • 20. Tana French – Broken Harbor (2012)
  • 19. Gillian Flynn – Sharp Objects (2006)
  • 18. Stephen King – 11/22/63 (2011)
  • 17. Dennis Lehane – Shutter Island (2003)
  • 16. Michael Connelly – The Lincoln Lawyer (2005)
  • 15. Megan Abbott – Dare Me (2012)
  • 14. Lionel Shriver – We Need to Talk About Kevin (2003)
  • 13. Kate Atkinson – Case Histories (2004)
  • 12. Paula Hawkins – The Girl on the Train (2015)
  • 11. S A Cosby – Blacktop Wasteland (2020)
  • 10. Attica Locke – Bluebird, Bluebird (2017)
  • 9. Mick Herron – Slow Horses (2010)
  • 8. S A Cosby – Razorblade Tears (2021)
  • 7. Liz Moore – The God of the Woods (2024)
  • 6. Oyinkan Braithwaite – My Sister, The Serial Killer (2018)
  • 5. Cormac McCarthy – No Country for Old Men (2005)
  • 4. Steig Larsson – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2008)
  • 3. Tana French – In the Woods (2007)
  • 2. Dennis Lehane – Mystic River (2001)
  • 1. Gillian Flynn – Gone Girl (2012)

This is a fascinating list. I have read 15 of the titles and have many more in my personal library. There are lots of novels on this list that I have seen the film/TV adaptations for (Crouch, Moriarty, Donoghue, Lehane, Connelly) and several novels that I have not heard of (Slimani, Kukafa, Audrian, Hillier).  I had thought we would see novels by Karin Slaughter, Freida McFadden, Lee Child, Robert Harris, Louise Penny, Ruth Ware and other writers who routinely land on bestseller lists.

I was a bit surprised that Tana French is listed so many times. She is a brilliant author (I loved her Searcher, Hunter, Keeper series) and I have the novels listed here (the Dublin Murder series) ready to read. So this is a timely reminder to start that series.

I am delighted to see SA Cosby listed three times for his amazing thrillers. I have only read one (All the Sinners Bleed) but I have the others so will get on to those when I can.

If I were to add to this list, I would include some of my favourites of the genre:

This list got me thinking about thrillers as a genre. So often crime or mystery novels (which I read a lot of) are put together as 'crime thrillers'. Some crime novels are slow burns which are more focussed on solving a mystery - something has happened and police/detectives have to figure out why. Thrillers in my mind are more action packed page-turners but do not necessarily involve a crime. There is a tension as something is coming and there is a sense of threat, danger or dread. Harris' Conclave is a good example of this - high stakes action, lots of suspense - a political/religious thriller. Likewise, Catton's Birnam Wood is an eco-thriller. I often read thrillers as a palate cleanser between heavier works of fiction.
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