Forsyth County Public Library: Thrillers and Suspense: January 2026

Recent Releases

Everybody Wants to Rule the World
by Ace Atkins

In Cold War-era Atlanta, 14-year-old Peter Bennett’s hunch about his mom’s boyfriend being a Soviet spy sets off a chain reaction of chaos. With help from a washed-up writer and a formidable drag queen, he’s swept into a maze of assassins, double agents, FBI intrigue, and ’80s-soaked danger in this action-packed and comedic thriller.

The Living and the Dead
by Christoffer Carlsson

Two decades after a teenager was killed in 1999, a new murder forces a small Swedish town to confront what it tried to forget. The earlier case -- overshadowed by a deadly crash and a catastrophic landslide -- left the truth buried. Now investigators revisit old lies, uncovering enduring loyalties, deep betrayals, and consequences that never faded.

Who Knows You by Heart
by C.J. Farley

Octavia Crenshaw thinks she’s escaping one tech fiasco, but her new job at powerhouse Eustachian hides an ominous AI project and a maze of bias and surveillance. As she and a colleague grow closer, Octavia discovers how deep the exploitation runs in this sharp, witty blend of workplace satire and tech-noir suspense.

Cape Fever
by Nadia Davids

In Nadia Davids' gothic psychological thriller set in the 1920s, young maid Soraya Matas becomes entwined with the spirits of a decaying manor and the enigmatic Mrs. Hattingh, her employer. Soraya believes she has found the perfect job, but as she settles in, the house reveals its haunted nature. Mrs. Hattingh assists Soraya in maintaining contact with her fiancé, Nour, through a peculiar ritual of letter writing, which deepens their bond and jeopardizes their mental stability. The novel intricately weaves themes of love, grief, class, and history, drawing comparisons to authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Daphne du Maurier.

Haven't Killed in Years
by Amy K. Green

Gwen Tanner, formerly Marin Haggerty, has lived quietly under a new identity to escape her infamous past as a serial killer’s daughter. But when grisly body parts appear at her door, she must face old secrets, track a cunning killer, and discover that trust -- and family -- can be deadly.

Best Offer Wins
by Marisa Kashino

Former journalist Marisa Kashino’s debut is a darkly comic thriller about the ruthless D.C. housing market. Desperate to secure her dream home and start a family, Margo Miyake’s obsessive pursuit escalates from awkward charm offensives to manipulative, violent schemes. Sharp, satirical, and chaotic, the novel explores millennial anxieties, material obsession, and the extremes of ambition.

Anatomy of an Alibi
by Ashley Elston

Two women, one dead husband, and a single alibi intertwine in this gripping thriller. Camille Bayliss seemingly leads a perfect life with her lawyer husband, Ben, but suspects he harbors secrets. Meanwhile, Aubrey Price, haunted by her past, believes Ben holds crucial information. The two women devise a plan for Aubrey to impersonate Camille to gather evidence. However, when Ben is murdered the following morning, both women find themselves needing an alibi—yet only one has it, setting the stage for a perilous unraveling of their lives.

Dead Ringer
by Chris Hauty

Set in present-day, a disgraced former Secret Service officer and a Jesuit professor join forces to delve into the mysteries surrounding the events of November 22, 1963. Fixated on deciphering the conspiracies behind the history-changing JFK assassination, they are oblivious to the fact that the cabal is still active--and may face an end as bloody as the carnage in Dealey Plaza.

Contact your librarian for more great books!