Thrillers talk directly to our darkest, most visceral fears. Not of ghosts, monsters or nuclear wars, but of the unspeakably grim things that those around us are capable of. They make you question how you’d react if you were the victim and perhaps – though you’ll quickly dismiss this thought – whether you’d be capable of being the villain. Good luck listening.
Caroline Kepnes is a relative newcomer to the world of thrillers, but her three flagship works, You, Hidden Bodies and Providence: A Novel have given her cult status among lovers of the genre. She’s not afraid to bring mysticism into her work, but front and centre they are heart-pumping thrillers. The one we’ve chosen is You, where beautiful, sassy writer Guinevere Beck walks into Joe’s bookshop and sparks fly. Although they’d never admit it, there’s a connection. A dark connection. This is a pacy, often unsettling thriller that shows how obsession can lead people down deadly paths. The deceit is voiced perfectly by Santino Fontana, the man behind one of cinema’s most detested characters – Frozen’s Prince Hans.
JP Delaney is the alter ego of Anthony Capella, whose passionate stories cover some of the headier emotions of the human experience. But as Delaney, he’s grown horns and has produced a psychological thriller that is terrifying listeners around the world. The “girl” of the title is the previous tenant of One Folgate Street, an über-modern minimalist dream apartment, who had died in mysterious circumstances. Surely history won’t repeat itself now that Jane has moved in? Strange coincidences and the apartment’s mysterious architect will lead you to think otherwise. Let Emilia Fox (The Pianist), Finty Williams (Gosford Park) and professional voiceover artist Lise Aagaard Knudsen reveal the horrifying truth.
Joy Ellis is very well known for her crime fiction, most notably her tales about the assorted reprobates who disturb the rural idyll of England’s Fens. Her DI Rowan Jackman & DS Maria Evans series goes to darker places that leave you with a shiver. The Murderer’s Son takes you on a dark journey through the English countryside, where a man walks into a police station to confess to a murder. But there’s more than a suspicion that he didn’t do it, and why is he so obsessed with his mother? Richard Armitage (The Hobbit, Spooks) knows, and he’s willing to tell you, if you think you’re strong enough to listen.
What happened the night before artist Alicia Berenson shot her husband five times in the head? Nobody really knows, because she hasn’t spoken a word since. It’s up to forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber to crack open her mind. But do you really want to know the truth? Really? Over to Louise Brealey (Sherlock, Ripper Street) and Jack Hawkins (Call the Midwife) to investigate. As meteoric rises go, Alex Michaelides’ has been pretty impressive. He was a respected screenwriter after penning The Devil You Know (Lena Olin, Rosamund Pike, Jennifer Lawrence) in 2013 and co-writing The Con is On (Uma Thurman, Tim Roth) in 2018. This 2019 release made him a best selling author in his own right. Listen in, and be afraid.
One of the most disturbing psychological thrillers of the past two decades, The Girl on the Train talks us through Rachel’s mundane life as a commuter, which is turned upside down when she witnesses something awful as her train waits at the signals, like it does every day. She quickly becomes obsessed and gets drawn into ever deeper horrors, ably retold by Clare Corbett, India Fisher and Louise Brealey. The story was a real – and surprising – breakthrough for Paula Hawkins. Her obvious talent for writing had been channelled into romantic comedy fiction beforehand, although she had limited success in a crowded field. The Girl on the Train turned up in 2015 and was a runaway success. Alongside her follow-up, Into the Water, her reputation as a thriller master is sealed.
Lisa Jewell’s career has parallels with Paula Hawkins’ – she’s perhaps best known for writing lighter fiction based around relationships, although she had seen more success – and Ralph’s Party was 1999’s best selling debut novel in the UK. But then her career took a twist. A truly chilling tale, The Family Upstairs (2019) starts – as such tales often do – with some very good news. Libby has inherited a fashionable and valuable house in Chelsea from her birth parents, but the house holds a dark history. Of course, she moves in, but you would much rather she hadn’t once Tamaryn Payne (Hollyoaks), Bea Holland and Dominic Thorburn (Resistance) start to tell you how things develop. Spoiler alert: things develop badly.
T.M. Logan is fast becoming one of the world’s most anticipated thriller authors, with 29 Seconds and Lies keeping listeners awake at night. Then along came The Holiday, and the reviews made Logan’s name, with a little help from Richard and Judy’s Book Club. Four close families share a luxury French villa to celebrate Kate’s 40th birthday. But Kate is sure her husband is having an affair with one of the others and that this period of isolation could be just what she needs to prove it. Little does she know that people close to her are willing to murder to keep the affair a secret. Laura Kirman has the perfect voice to reveal this thrilling tale in calm, cold detail. Like Kate, you’ll wish they had done a U-turn on the way.
Rollercoasters don’t come as emotional as Erin Kinsley’s Found. A missing 11 year old child turns up months after going missing without a trace, but he can’t – or won’t – say what happened. It’s up to DI Naylor to find the abductors before other children meet the same fate. It’s a terrifying listen and Lucy Paterson handles it with all the intensity the story deserves. This was Erin Kinsley’s debut novel and instantly scooped up accolades, making it into BBC Radio 2’s Book Club and becoming a Sunday Times Crime Club pick, where it was described as “Sensitive and moving … but with a core of pure tension.” Kinsley has followed it up with Innocent, but we really think you should listen to this one first.
Amy’s friends think her husband Nick is bad news. So when Amy goes missing on the couple’s fifth anniversary, he’s naturally the prime suspect, especially when evidence mounts up against him. But all is not as it seems. Gillian Flynn’s talent for suspense, along with flawless vocal performances from Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne, reveal the truth slowly, painfully and shockingly. Gillian Flynn’s novel took on a life of its own after release and was quickly adapted into a film starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry. Excellent though the film is, listening to an original reading really shows you what made the story such a success, and this is suspense exemplified.
Psychological thrillers are by their nature pretty straight, albeit with moments of light relief. However, if you like your thrillers with deadpan humour and gripping suspense in equal measure, My Sister, the Serial Killer is going to make you start questioning your own morals as you snigger your way through it. Three of Ayoola’s boyfriends are murdered and all that stops her from being the prime suspect is her sister Korede’s talent for covering them up. But when Ayoola gets close to a doctor in the hospital she works with, Korede feels she has to put her foot down. Weruche Opia (Bad Education) reads the story with perfect tone – you’ll feel you’re with the sisters, even when you really should be turning them in. There was no way we could leave this one off the list.