My Top 5 Thrillers from 2022

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2022 was the year I realized that mystery/thrillers are one of my very favorite genres. I love them. Its the constant guessing game that happens in my head throughout the whole book. I suspect everyone. Elderly grandma in a wheelchair? Oh, yeah…she is on the list. No one is safe. I find myself able to get so lost in these books…probably because I am actively trying to figure out “whodunnit” the entire time. I finished so many amazing thrillers in 2022…but I managed to narrow it down to 5 favorites! So, without further ado, my Top 5 Thrillers from 2022!

River of Ashes by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor

This book, y’all. First of all…this one has trigger warnings out the wazoo. It deals with a lot of violence, rape, and a psychopaths point of view…so just know that going in. But, wow. This was a fast-paced page turner with one of the most vile yet believable villains I have ever read. He is the guy next door, the guy everyone loves, the hometown hero if you will. But, oh that dark side…it is dark and twisted and terrible. River of Ashes is the first in the St.Benedict series by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor. I have book two coming my way in the next couple of weeks and I can’t wait to read it!

From Amazon

SOME TRUTHS ARE BETTER KEPT SECRET. SOME SECRETS ARE BETTER OFF DEAD.

ALONG THE BANKS OF THE BOGUE FALAYA RIVER, sits the abandoned St. Francis Seminary. Beneath a canopy of oaks, blocked from prying eyes, the teens of St. Benedict High gather here on Fridays. The rest of the week belongs to school and family—but weekends belong to the river.

And the river belongs to Beau Devereaux.

The only child of a powerful family, Beau can do no wrong. Star quarterback. Handsome. Charming. The “prince” of St. Benedict is the ultimate catch.

He is also a psychopath.

A dirty family secret buried for years, Beau’s evil grows unchecked. In the shadows of the haunted abbey, he commits unspeakable acts on his victims and ensures their silence with threats and intimidation. Senior year, Beau sets his sights on his girlfriend’s headstrong twin sister, Leslie, who hates him. Everything he wants but cannot have, she will be his ultimate prize.

As the victim toll mounts, it becomes clear that someone must stop Beau Devereaux.

And that someone will pay with their life.

* * *

Warning: This book contains rape, violence, and a psychopath’s POV, which some readers will find disturbing and might have you looking over your shoulder.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is one that I had seen all over Instagram. I decided to select this as one of my Book of the Month picks and I am so glad that I did. This was such a twisty psychological thriller. This kept me guessing right up until the end. I will say, I did figure it out before the end but it didn’t kill any of the enjoyment for me! When I finally had that lightbulb moment my mind was blown! This had all the action and suspense that I look for in a great thriller! Definitely recommend checking this one out!

From Amazon

The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband―and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Quite possibly the entirety of Bookstagram has read Verity. I couldn’t scroll through my feed and NOT see it. There was so much buzz surrounding it that I just had to check it out. Yeah, the buzz was definitely worth it. This book was a “what the heck did I just read” type of book. This is a book I can’t even explain without spoilers so I am not even going to try. It was such a crazy psychological thriller and it kept me on my toes the whole time!

From Amazon

Whose truth is the lie? Stay up all night reading the sensational psychological thriller that has readers obsessed, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends With Us.

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

 

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of the night her family was forever altered.

 

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents could devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue loving her.

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

You are probably tired of seeing me talk about this book. I have mentioned it in more than one blog post and in countless Instagram posts but I don’t care. I loved it. The setting…the characters…the twists. It was just fabulous. The ending of this book made me audibly gasp. I didn’t figure it out. I had figured out one twist ahead of time and was feeling pretty good about myself and then blam…this twist comes and I was shocked. I literally had to go back through the pages to figure out how I missed it. SO good. I know a lot of people who have read Alice Feeney’s books have said this one isn’t their favorite but I actually enjoyed Daisy Darker more than some of her other books. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the others as well…but this one was just a home run for me.

From Amazon

Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in her crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.

But at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide goes out and all is revealed. As seen on the TODAY show and picked by Book of the Month, Daisy Darker’s family secrets and Alice Feeney’s trademark shocking twists will keep readers riveted.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

I hadn’t heard a single thing about The Family Game before selecting it as my Book of the Month pick. It wasn’t a book that I had seen floating around Bookstagram but I was so intrigued by the concept. It was SO GOOD. I am so glad I decided to take a chance on this one. Such a twisty psychological thriller with another ending that I didn’t figure out! This one took me a little bit to get into as I thought it started a little bit slow, but once it picked up I couldn’t read the pages fast enough. Lots of suspense and takes family game night to a whole new level. Really enjoyed this one!

From Amazon

THE RULES
1. Listen carefully
2. Do your research
3. Trust no one
4. Run for your life

Harriet Reed, a novelist on the brink of literary stardom, is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of an extremely powerful family. And even though Edward has long tried to severe ties with them, news of the couple’s marital bliss has the Holbecks inching back into their lives.

As Harriet is drawn into their lavish world, the family seems perfectly welcoming. So when Edward’s father, Robert, hands Harriet a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen.

But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t just a novel. It’s a confession.

A confession to a grisly crime. A murder. And, suddenly, the game is in motion.

Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is part of a plan to test her loyalty. Or something far darker. What is it that Robert sees in her? Why give her the power to destroy everything?

This might be a game to the Holbeck family—but losing might still prove deadly.
 

Honorable Mention

As I mentioned above…it was a great year for thrillers. While these ones didn’t make my Top 5, they were all still so good! So, if you are looking to add some more thrillers to your TBR…check out the following books too…

My eyes are now on 2023 and the amazing new releases that are coming up! Are you a thriller fan? What are your favorites?