There is no single authoritative ranking of the best thriller and mystery books of 2023. A clear reader-voted standout is The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden, winner of Goodreads’ 2023 Mystery & Thriller Choice Award. The other picks below come from separate editorial and review lists and offer different settings, tones, and kinds of suspense. Together, they answer the question: what are the best mystery or thriller books from 2023 for the kind of story you want to read?
How to read this 2023 selection
These six books are recommendations, not a ranked top six or a combined score. Goodreads’ award is decided by readers, while Celadon Books, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus Reviews publish their own selections. Their lists have different purposes and do not establish a universal “best” list.
Goodreads reported more than 5.8 million votes across all of its 2023 Choice Awards, not just the Mystery & Thriller category. On the category page, The Housemaid’s Secret received 86,468 votes out of 519,745 total category votes. Those figures describe participation, not a measure of literary quality. Goodreads explains the winner and category results on its 2023 Mystery & Thriller results page and the overall award context in its December 6, 2023 announcement.
Reader-voted award winner
The Housemaid’s Secret — Freida McFadden
McFadden’s psychological-suspense novel won Goodreads’ 2023 Mystery & Thriller Choice Award. It brings back Millie Calloway, the central character of The Housemaid, and Goodreads highlights the book’s plot twists. Because it is a sequel, readers who want the series context should start with The Housemaid before picking up The Housemaid’s Secret.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
#1 Best Overall
- The Vanishing Hour
- Such a Good Wife
- Someone’s Listening
The award year does not simply mean books published during the 2023 calendar year. Goodreads’ eligibility window covered English-language books published in the United States from November 17, 2022, through November 15, 2023, including translations and significant rereleases; books published later fell into 2024 eligibility. Goodreads also says that opening-round nominees needed an average rating of at least 3.50 when voting launched. That was a nomination threshold at that time, not a statement about a book’s current rating.
Crime and suspense with community pressure
Locust Lane — Stephen Amidon
Celadon Books selected this crime mystery about an affluent Massachusetts community unsettled by a teenager’s death. Suspicion falls on three teenagers and their families, making the book a fit for readers drawn to mysteries where private relationships and a community’s image are part of the tension. It appears on Celadon’s publisher-authored 2023 mystery and thriller list.
All the Sinners Bleed — S.A. Cosby
Celadon describes Cosby’s novel as Southern noir centered on Titus Crown, a former FBI agent who is now a small-town sheriff. A teacher’s murder leads to the discovery of a serial killer. Its combination of crime investigation, local conflict, and a darker setting makes it a strong choice for readers seeking a hard-edged thriller rather than a light puzzle mystery. It is also included on Celadon’s 2023 list.
The Angel Maker — Alex North
North’s suspense novel layers a disappearance and a murder investigation across intersecting mysteries and a dual timeline, according to Celadon. Choose it if you want a more overtly suspenseful structure built around separate events and questions that gradually connect. Celadon includes it among its 2023 mystery and thriller recommendations.
Historical and international mysteries
A Most Agreeable Murder — Julia Seales
Publishers Weekly’s mystery selections include this Regency-era whodunit. Beatrice Steele investigates a bachelor’s death at a ball alongside a private detective. The historical setting and comic framing make it a lighter contrast to the crime-driven and psychological suspense choices above. See Publishers Weekly’s 2023 Mystery list.
Reykjavík — Ragnar Jónasson and Katrín Jakobsdóttir, translated by Victoria Cribb
Kirkus calls this Iceland-set mystery a “slow-burning, spellbinding whodunit.” Its atmospheric, unhurried approach offers a different pace from twist-forward psychological suspense, while the Icelandic setting gives the selection an international perspective. The title appears on Kirkus Reviews’ Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2023 list.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose by the reading experience you want
| Book | What it offers | Best fit for |
|---|---|---|
| The Housemaid’s Secret | Psychological suspense; returning character Millie Calloway; Goodreads award winner | Readers who want a twist-driven sequel and are willing to start with The Housemaid |
| Locust Lane | Suburban crime mystery involving a teenager’s death and three families | Readers interested in community reputation, family dynamics, and suspicion |
| All the Sinners Bleed | Southern noir and a serial-killer investigation led by a former FBI agent turned sheriff | Readers seeking darker crime fiction and local conflict |
| The Angel Maker | Interlocking mysteries, dual timeline, disappearance, and murder investigation | Readers who like suspense built from multiple connected questions |
| A Most Agreeable Murder | Regency-era whodunit with a comic tone | Readers looking for a lighter historical mystery |
| Reykjavík | Slow-burning, atmospheric whodunit set in Iceland | Readers who favor setting and gradual revelation over a fast pace |
For the most clearly defined award pick, start with The Housemaid’s Secret—and read its predecessor first if you have not met Millie. For an individual editorial or review-list choice, use the descriptions above to match the book to your preferred setting and pace; the lists do not provide a shared scoring method for ranking these titles against one another.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
