Love thrillers? Check out some of the best new thriller books of 2022.
After a few years of chaos, it seems that readers are after . . . more chaos! With the increasing popularity of the thriller genre, both in audiobook and physical formats, these fast-paced, spine-chilling novels are getting more traction than ever before.
And with a great demand for new thrillers, authors are stepping up to the plate. 2022 has seen a flood of stunning new releases from noteworthy authors in Australia and abroad. Among the many great releases this year, we’ve selected ten must-reads. Whether you’re already a devotee to the genre or a curious newcomer, these books will have you hooked from page one.
10 of the best new thriller books 2022
Stone Town by Margaret Hickey
From the author of Cutters End, Margaret Hickey, comes another astonishing outback crime story. A gruesome murder, a nationwide mystery, and a missing person – Stone Town will have you flying through the pages. Sergeant Mark Ariti hopes for some peace and quiet in his hometown, but his dreams are shattered when a property developer ends up dead. On top of that, a fellow detective disappears while investigating another crime, and Mark knows he’s in the middle of a deadly game.
Gathering Storms by Kerry McGinnis
Penny Carter has a quiet life in the Gulf Country, until one day when her late husband’s daughter, Lisa, appears on her doorstep. When a skeleton is discovered next to the town cemetery she starts to question everything as long-buried secrets begin to resurface. Soon, Penny and Lisa find themselves racing for survival as the wet season continues to unearth unwelcome memories.
Local Gone Missing by Fiona Barton
Praised by USA Today for its intricate plot, this book is worth adding to your TBR list. The seaside town of Ebbing is an idyllic vacation spot – or so it seems. When tensions run high between wealthy weekenders and lifelong locals, it becomes clear that something is brewing beneath the surface. When two teenagers end up in the hospital, detective Elise King starts digging for answers. Unfortunately for her, the locals are good at keeping secrets.
Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare: Jen’s happy, carefree son murders a complete stranger. She doesn’t know who or why – but what she does know is that his life is ruined. He’ll be placed in custody, his future stripped away from him. But when she wakes up, Jen discovers that she’s reliving the past. Working backwards to unravel the web that led to this unimaginable crime, she attempts to stop the murder before it happens.
Death of the Black Widow by James Patterson
Join Walter O’Brien on a career-spanning game of cat and mouse. On his very first night as an officer, O’Brien crosses paths with a twenty-year-old girl, supposedly an innocent victim, who turns out to tease him for years to come. Following the trail of her destruction, he realises he’s not the only one searching. Her deadly secrets didn’t begin with him, but if Walter has his way, they’ll end with him.
Wild Dogs by Michael Trant
Gabe Ahern is still coming to terms with his wife’s death, leading a solitary life trapping wild dogs for local station owners when an unexpected character enters the scene. When Gabe rescues a young Afghan man from execution, he becomes a target for a gang of people smugglers, led by a wily kangaroo hunter with bush skills as sharp as his own.
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Family reunions can be painful – especially when nobody seems to get along or have anything in common. That’s the case in the Cunningham family, except they do share one unexpected trait: they’ve all killed someone. Naturally, as the reunion proceeds, bodies start piling up – what else could go wrong?
The Retreat by Sarah Pearse
From the author of the bestselling The Sanatorium, comes The Retreat: an addictive thriller set in an idyllic wilderness retreat. But everything is not always as it seems. The island is locally known as Reaper’s Rock, a rumoured cursed island where a serial killer roams free. When ‘accidents’ start to happen, the guests would do anything to escape. . . too bad, they’re trapped.
Denizen by James McKenzie Watson
In western rural New South Wales, nine-year-old Parker fears that something is wrong with his brain. Desperately seeking control of his internal chaos, he accidentally sets off a series of events that spin out of his control in devastating and deadly ways. Now a father himself, he is faced with the unresolved fear, guilt, and violence of his past.
The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman (coming 5 Oct 2022)
The Bullet That Missed is the third book in the Thursday Murder Club series, which follows a motley crew of elderly, amateur sleuths as they set out to crack unsolved crimes. In this latest book in the series, the gang must save one of their own before the murderer strikes again.
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