Serial killer thrillers are addictive, but they can get pretty gruesome. So, understandably, they’re not for everyone. Of course, the level of gory details depend on the author, but they are not for the faint of heart. I compiled this guide for those of you who would like to read some serial killer thrillers but have no idea where to start. This list includes 12 serial killer thrillers to discover in 2024.
On this list, you can find some of my favorite thrillers I’ve read. There are a few older ones, which I consider classics, but also a couple of more recent ones. Most of them are the first book in a series that revolves around the same serial killer, so they are best read in order. Maybe with a few exceptions, I suggest you start with the first one in the series. For example, the Lars Kepler books can read well as stand-alones, so you don’t need to read the whole series if you choose not to.
Without further ado, let’s get started on the 12 serial killer thrillers to discover in 2024.
Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell
Some of you reading this probably aren’t familiar with the early 90s serial killer thrillers. But I figured I would go back in time and reminisce about those early days. Patricia Cormwell, along with James Patterson are the first thriller writers I got into. The genre changed a lot since then, but I still think they’re worth mentioning.
Postmortem, written in 1990, is the first Kay Scarpetta book by the author. This is a long series that I liked very much back in those days. I read about 10 of the books before I moved on, but I still have a couple of the author’s books on my tbr.
Detective Marino and medical examiner Kay Scrapetta work well together at trying to catch vicious killers. This ‘MR. Nobody’, as he is referred to in the book, brutalizes women and leaves behind a gruesome trail. Determined to unmask the killer, Scaropetta feels that her investigation is sabotaged from some of her closest colleagues.
Along Came a Spider by James Patterson
This is the first book in another popular crime series from the nineties. In case you’re not familiar with the author, James Patterson wrote more than twenty thrillers in his long and successful career.
Along Came a Spider is the first thriller in the Alex Cross series.The recently widowed detective is trying to navigate his new reality, and for a first case, he’s got more than he bargained for. There’s a little girl missing, an elementary school teacher that was killed, and a family of three brutally murdered. The police and the FBi join forces to try and contain psychopath Gary Soneji, who is always a few steps ahead.
Alex Cross and the secret Service supervisor Jezzie Flanagan get pretty close during the investigation, but is that a good idea?
With unexpected plot twists the book is worth reading, even though it is a much older serial killer thriller.
The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
The first book in the Rizzoli and Isle series, this is the book that started the television series Rizzoli and Isles.
Boston has a serial killer on the loose, and homicide detective Thomas Moore and partner Jane Rizzoli are trying their best to stop him before he takes more lives. The killer hunts lonely women and breaks into their apartments, where he performs hideous acts of torture before killing them. The police suspect a surgeon because of the way the killings are performed. But mysterious doctor Catherine Cordell is seemingly closely related to these murders.
Can you guess who the real killer is, or will the end take you by surprise? Another older serial killer thriller, but one worth noting.
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
This debut novel from the author was a solid four stars for me. It is engaging from the first chapter, and its propulsive tempo keeps you entertained until its shocking ending.
Chloe is a remarkable character that will stay with you for a long time after you finish the book.
The story is told from dual timelines: Chloe in the present, as a successful psychologist that specializes in helping troubled teens. And Chloe as a twelve year-old, in the aftermath of her father being arrested for allegedly killing six teenage girls.
The thriller is well executed and the storyline is easy to follow. It contains all the elements required for a great thriller, with a surprising twist at the end.
The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson
The Jigsaw Man is the first of three books in the Inspector Anjelica Henley series. It is followed by The Binding Room, which came out in July 2022, and The Kill List is expected to publish in August 2024 in North America.
In this first installment, The DI is faced with trying to solve a series of gruesome murders. But in her quest to find the killer, she is led to The Jigsaw Man, who is already serving time for committing a few horrific crimes. Therefore, the only logical explanation is that she may have a copycat on her hands. But will she be able to stop the killer from committing any additional murders, or is she in danger herself?
A solid debut novel from a new favorite author, I had to include The Jigsaw Man on this list.
The Legacy by Yrsa Sigurdardottir
The Legacy is the first book in the Children’s House series, another favorite of mine. As of now, there are six books in the series, but I’ve only read the first four so far.
The Icelandic author has a couple of series to date, as well as a couple of stand-alone books. Her writing is sublime, and the storyline flows nicely, like in all of her books.
If you haven’t picked up anything by the author yet, this one is as great a book as any. Just be forewarned that the series is addictive, so you’ll want to continue with it after finishing this one.
Get acquainted with police officer Huldar and psychologist Freya. The plot is well thought-out and has a nice flow. Although the murders that are committed are gruesome, the book is not too gory in its descriptions. You might want to grab it and see for yourself.
The Fourth Monkey by J.D.Barker
The first in the M4K killer trilogy, The Fourth Monkey is a very dark serial killer thriller. Gory in its descriptions, it is not for the faint of heart. Although it is one of the hardest books on this list to stomach, it is a very well written thriller. It contains a well-layered plot and complex characters.
The Fourth Monkey is followed by Fifth To Die and The Sixth Wicked Child, each one getting more and more gruesome. And at over 500 pages each, you will surprisingly fly through them. The action-packed pace and clever twists and turns keep you engaged from the first to the last page.
If you have these books on your radar but haven’t picked them up yet, do so. You will be highly entertained. It is another favorite trilogy that I highly recommend.
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
The seventh Harry Hole in the series, The Snowman can read well as a stand-alone. It follows detective Harry Hole on his new quest to find the latest serial killer who is terrifying Oslo.
With each first snowfall of the season, a woman goes missing. The latest victim is found brutally murdered in her backyard by her young son. A snowman is close by, wearing his mothers pink scarf.
Hole is determined to find this vicious killer, but he may be used as a pawn in the sadistic killer’s game.
One of the author’s best works yet, The Snowman is a typical Nordic Noir serial killer thriller that I recommend.
The Silence of the White City by Eva Garcia Saenz
Another amazing serial thriller series to consider, The Silence of the White City is the first installment in the White City series.The book takes place in Vitoria, Alicante, in Spain.
The author lays a great background to a well-plotted and twisted tale. If you want a multi-layered and clever thriller, don’t look any further. This may be it. I loved the author’s style, which is different from the Nordic authors I usually read, but it’s a refreshing change.
You can read my previous review and the synopsis here:
Three Mini Book Reviews September 2021
There are five books in this series so far, and I cannot wait to read them all. I only own the first three, but I will surely grab the next two as soon as I get a chance.
The Sandman by Lars Kepler
This is my favorite book by the author so far. It is the fourth in the Joona Linna series, but it can read well as a stand-alone. The husband-and-wife duo write great Nordic Noir thrillers that are set in Stockholm, Sweden. The first book in the series is The Hypnotist, but The Sandman is their best one, in my opinion.
Although all of their books are over 500 pages long, they are action-packed and very easy to breeze through. Therefore, they can be easily binged over a few days, don’t let their length intimidate you.
There’s something about the duo’s writing that just grabs you in and keeps your attention all the way through. Try their books out, and start out with the first one in the series, the Hypnotist, if you want to follow the characters from the beginning. But if not, you can also read this one by itself.
The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup
One of my favorite thrillers ever is also a Netflix series adaptation of this book. I’ve mentioned The Chestnut Man before on this blog, but in case you’re not familiar with it, let me summarize it for you briefly:
It’s October, and a couple of kids find a chestnut man in their backyard.. That is a handmade doll made out of chestnuts and matchsticks. Not far away, a body is discovered. The killer leaves the dolls as his signature at the crime scenes. Because there is more than one body to follow.
The detectives on the case link the fingerprints from one of those dolls to a missing girl. She happens to be a minister’s daughter, who was kidnapped and believed to have been murdered the year before.
A complex and twisted serial killer thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Sveistrup is the executive producer of the Danish show The Killing, which I rave about any chance I get.
The Killing by David Hewson
I recently read this amazing serial killer thriller, and you can check out my previous review here:
If you’re new to this platform, then you should know that I’m obsessed with this book plus its two tv adaptations: the original Danish series, as well as its American version.
This book is perfect to me as far as thrillers are concerned. It contains lots of twists and turns, along with memorable characters. Not to mention that it’s set in Copenhagen and it has that Nordic vibe I adore.
The main detective on the case, Sara Lund, is stubborn yet determined to see her case through. Clue after clue sent her on wild goose chases, but she eventually managed to find the real culprit. If it wasn’t up to her refusing to give up until she felt certain, the real killer may have gone uncought.
This is one of the best serial killer thrillers I have read in a long time, and I cannot recommend it enough. If you haven’t read it yet, don’t sleep on it friends!
Concluding Words
If you’ve made it this far, then you got acquainted with some of my favorite serial killer thrillers I’ve ever read. Have you heard of any of these?
These are amongst the best 12 serial killer thrillers to discover in 2024, if you haven’t done so already. Let me know if I enticed you to read any of these.
Until next time, keep reading fellow bookworms!
