The Best Thrillers on Kindle Unlimited
Today I’m sharing some of the best thrillers I’ve read that are part of Kindle Unlimited, a monthly subscription that grants you access to millions of books. Even if you don’t have a Kindle, you can download the app to your phone and read from there. I love my Kindle because it allows me to read more than I used to - I find myself opening the app on my phone when I’m waiting in line somewhere or have a few minutes to spare; it’s much more convenient than carrying a paperback or hardcover around everywhere. Over the last year that I’ve been using Kindle Unlimited, I’ve read a lot and made my way through many of the thrillers available to download. These are my absolute favorites that I couldn’t put down and loved from start to finish.
the best thrillers on kindle unlimited
things we do in the dark by jennifer hillier
5/5 stars
Jennifer HIllier does not miss; this is the third book of hers that I’ve read, and I swear they keep getting better and better. This is my favorite of hers so far, and one of the best thrillers I’ve read in recent years.
TW for child abuse and rape.
The heavier topics were hard for me to read, but they’re written about in a very honest way and are necessary to the plot, not haphazardly added for shock value.
The characters are complex, real, and multi-dimensional, and the author utilizes flashbacks to give them comprehensive development.
While it’s a longer thriller than you may be used to (especially on Kindle Unlimited), it’s well worth the time to read it - every subplot is addressed and answered by the end. You can tell the author really values her readers by how much she pays attention to detail in her writing.
This would be great for book clubs as there’s lots you can discuss regarding the idea of right vs wrong.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the girl who lived by christopher greyson
5/5 stars
I absolutely loved this, finished it overnight, and wish it were a movie. The author’s storytelling is brilliant and vivid, and really engages the reader from start to finish.
While the chapters are a little longer than what you get with most Kindle Unlimited books, the pacing is still quick and gripping without resorting to cheap “gotcha” cliffhangers.
Sometimes the characters in thrillers can be unlikeable with questionable decision-making skills. The main character in this book will frustrate you at times, but you ultimately end up really rooting for her.
The author does an exceptional job at building suspense by making everyone untrustworthy; you’ll adjust your suspect list quite a bit.
What sets this book apart for me is that I loved that the ending made sense and wasn’t so far out of left field that the twist felt cheap, careless, or disrespectful to the reader - which I find can be a little common in some Kindle Unlimited books.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the girl in cabin 13 by a.j. rivers
5/5 stars
This FBI thriller is one of my all-time favorite thrillers; it genuinely gave me nightmares after I finished it.
This is perfect for anyone who doesn’t like multiple POVs; it’s told just from the main character’s perspective. It’s also easy to keep track of all of the characters, which is something I struggle with at times when it comes to thrillers.
While the main character can be a little naive, impulsive, and annoying at times, her pitfalls don’t detract from the story or overall quality.
One of the hardest parts about reading a lot of thrillers is that it can become easy to predict the endings (or they fall short), but the main twist in this book is extremely chilling and made the book so good that I read it twice.
With short chapters and tension that builds steadily from the first page, I recommend this to everyone looking to break out of a reading slump, as it’s the perfect book to read over a cold winter weekend.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
summit lake by charlie donlea
5/5 stars
This is the first book I’ve read from Charlie Donlea, and he has since become one of my favorite Kindle Unlimted thriller writers. I loved this from start to finish; it’s such a high-quality, well-crafted novel that I didn’t want to put down.
Check the TWs as this book starts off intensely right from the first page. While I’d describe it overall as a slow-burn thriller, the tensity grows each chapter and I did not see the final twist coming.
Sometimes multi-perspective books can feel a little sloppy or add a lot of unnecessary detail that feels annoying to keep track of, but this was well-written and all of the details come together really deliberately. It blends the past and present together to solve an engrossing, suspenseful mystery.
Another thing I really love about this author is that the characters will sometimes pop up in his other books (without any spoilers); that attention to detail really sets his writing apart, in my opinion. You can’t go wrong with any of his thrillers, and his writing feels professional, which isn’t always the case with Kindle Unlimited. Another one of my favorites by him is “The Girl Who was Taken,” but now that I’ve read them all, I can confidently say you can’t go wrong with anything he’s published.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
pretty girls by karin slaughter
5/5 stars
This is a true psychological thriller that is very dark, graphic, and reminiscent of Criminal Minds. It may be triggering for some as it is pretty violent.
Even if you read a lot of thrillers/ true crimes, this plot will feel new and fresh, not predictable or overdone.
It’s told from multiple perspectives, but it isn’t difficult to differentiate between the different narrators.
There are lots of twists and turns, and the suspense builds until the very end.
I loved this; it’s perfect for a weekend in but could also create good book club discussions.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the perfect child by lucinda berry
4/5 stars
This was very dark and very disturbing; I had to skip over a few scenes. Please read the synopsis and look at any trigger warnings before you read it.
This had tons of potential and drew me in right away, but the last few chapters fell short.
So much of this book feels very real and believable; the characters are well-written and really drive the story forward.
You have an idea of where things are going, but each scene adds to the tension, so in some ways this felt fast paced but in others a little drawn out, especially since it was so dark.
No spoilers here per usual, but I will say that this would be a 5-star book if not for the last few chapters, which fell short.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
my sister’s grave by robert dugoni
5/5 stars
This has a nostalgic feel as it’s told from the perspective of a detective, but the writing is really solid with good story development. It’s definitely worthy of the 4+ star average on GoodReads and Amazon (with over 100k ratings on each).
Thrillers can sometimes blend together and seem too similar the more books you read, but this avoids that trap and feels quite timeless. I like that it didn’t incorporate too many trends or social media reference; it didn’t feel like it was pulled straight from a BookTok trend.
The characters have a lot of depth to them and the author writes about main character Tracy’s relationship with her sister beautifully. I don’t have a sister, but still felt invested in the story and loved the way it was written.
There’s tension and suspense but no wild drama, so it’s mature without being boring or stale. I recommended it to my mom after I finished, who is a picky reader.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
no exit by taylor adams
5/5 stars
This leans closer to young-adult territory as the main character is a college student, but it’s well worth the read. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it.
This is fast-paced with lots of twists and turns, some of which you saw coming but that doesn’t cheapen the suspense or payoff. I thought this was good through the last page, whereas some books fall short or end up disappointing when they start off so good.
Some parts are pretty gruesome and violent - just a head’s up.
This book was adapted into a movie for Hulu; I’m not sure if it’s any good, but the book did remind me of movies like House of Wax or Wrong Turn that I watched growing up and I thought it would make a good movie as I was reading it.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the perfect marriage by geneva rose
3/5 stars
This was the first Kindle Unlimited book I read, and I read it on my phone using the Kindle app as i wasn’t sure if I’d like the switch from paperbacks to digital enough to invest in a Kindle.
Told from two perspectives (husband and wife), this book has lots of short chapters with unexpected twists and turns, which makes it a quick, fast-paced read that you could finish in a weekend.
The author does a good job of providing enough characters to keep you guessing without overwhelming you or making it hard to keep track of who is who, which is a problem I have with some thrillers.
I could not put this down and while I didn’t completely love it by the time I finished it, I think it’s one of the better Kindle Unlimited thrillers in that it really captures your attention and you get emotionally invested. Love it or hate it, you will want to discuss this book with a friend afterwards as there is a lot you can pick apart.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
the housemaid by frieda mcfadden
5/5 stars
Frieda McFadden is one of the most popular Kindle Unlimited authors when it comes to thrillers, and while I’ve read almost all of her books, this is the first of hers that I read.
Short chapters and fast-pacing are some of her signatures; you’ll fly through this book and be able to finish it in a couple days (or overnight).
A roller coaster from start to finish, the ending really knocks this out of the park. Some of her other books fall flat and get predictable the more you read her works, but this is McFadden at her best.
If you liked “Verity” by Colleen Hoover, I think you will like this book, and this one has a bit more depth and detail to it than I thought Verity did.
Read it here (free through Kindle Unlimited).
More Frieda McFadden books that I would recommend:
Frieda McFadden books to skip:
The Teacher (lots of people like this one, but I couldn’t get past the inappropriateness of the teacher-student relationship and how it was written)