Welcome to our series exploring some of the best books of the year. What makes a book one of the “best books” of the year? Top critic picks? Ratings on Amazon or Goodreads? Magazine book lists? Book reviews? Ultimately, the best books are the ones you enjoy reading.

The selections featured in this blog post are limited to 10 picks, so it’s safe to say there are many, many, many more utterly amazing books out there that avid readers will deem “the best of 2018.” Okay, now that you’re undoubtedly sold on how unlikely these are truly some of the best books of the year, kidding of course, odds are you’ll still be intrigued by them if you’re a fan of mysterious and thrilling reads. Enjoy!

10 Notable Mysteries / Thrillers of 2018

1. The Outsider by Stephen King In the aftermath of a boy’s brutal murder in Flint City, a local detective is forced to arrest a popular Little League coach who, in spite of an alibi, presents with open-and-shut evidence that is called into question when the suspect’s true nature and the realities of the crime come to light.

2. The Witch Elm by Tana French After being brutally beaten by burglars, a happy-go-lucky charmer returns to his ancestral home where he stumbles onto a family secret.

3. Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty At a remote health resort, nine strangers and their enigmatic host become subjects of interest to former best-selling novelist Frances Welty, who develops uncomfortable doubts about the resort’s real agenda.

4. The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn An agoraphobic recluse languishes in her New York City home, drinking wine and spying on her neighbors, before witnessing a terrible crime through her window that exposes her secrets and raises questions about her perceptions of reality.

5. The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey In 1921, Bombay’s first female lawyer, Oxford graduate Perveen Mistry, investigates a suspicious will on behalf of three Muslim widows living in strict seclusion who become subject to a murderous guardian’s schemes for their inheritances.

6. The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian A powerful story about the ways an entire life can change in one night. “The Flight Attendant” unveils a spellbinding story of memory, of the giddy pleasures of alcohol and the devastating consequences of addiction, and of murder far from home.

7. Sunburn by Laura Lippman After meeting at a local tavern in Belleville, Delaware, Polly and Adam have an affair, but when someone dies the two are so ensnared in each other’s lives and lies that neither can escape.

8. Transcription by Kate Atkinson A BBC radio producer finds herself targeted by dangerous individuals from her past as a World War II espionage monitor for MI5.

9. The Stranger Game by Peter Gadol After her boyfriend goes missing while playing a viral game in which players follow others in real life as they do online, Rebecca tries the game herself and discovers a disturbing and sinister subculture.

10. Newcomer by Keigo Higashino Newly transferred to a precinct in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo, Detective Kyochiro Kaga, while investigating the puzzling murder of a woman, soon discovers that nearly all the people living and working in the business district of Nihonbashi are suspects.

This is part of a series of blog posts highlighting some of the Best Books of the Year.

If the books in this blog post are not your cup of tea – check out the book lists below or try our Give 3 Get 3 service to receive personalized recommendations from our knowledgeable staff.

More Best of 2018 Book Lists Worth Exploring

Best Mystery Books of 2018 – Popsugar

Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018 – Publisher’s Weekly

Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2018 – Kirkus Reviews

Best Mystery and Thriller of 2018 – Goodreads

Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2018 – NPR