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Thrillers and Suspense December 2025 |
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| The Predicament by William BoydIn 1963, travel writer-turned-reluctant spy Gabriel Dax is dispatched from politically volatile Guatemala to divided Berlin, where whispers of an assassination plot threaten global consequences. Blending wit, history, and intrigue, William Boyd delivers a sharply observed espionage tale about an MI6 agent who keeps surviving his own missteps in this sequel to Gabriel's Moon. |
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Presumed Guilty
by Scott Turow
Scott Turow's unputdownable courtroom drama from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Presumed Innocent, the phenomenon that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+'s most-watched drama series ever (Kristin Hannah, #1 NYT bestselling author). No one does it better.David Baldacci, #1 NYT Bestselling Author The truth is, Turow is just better at this than the rest of us.Greg Iles, #1 NYT Bestselling Author This is manna for legal-thriller fans.Booklist, starred review This easily ranks among Turow's best.Publishers Weekly, starred review An absorbing and entertaining read. Kirkus Rusty is a retired judge attempting a third act in life with a loving soon-to-be wife, Bea, with whom he shares both a restful home on an idyllic lake in the rural Midwest and a plaintive hope that this marriage will be his best, and his last. But the peace that's taken Rusty so long to find evaporates when Bea's young adult son, Aaron, living under their supervision while on probation for drug possession, disappears. If Aaron doesn't return soon, he will be sent back to jail. Aaron eventually turns up with a vague story about a camping trip with his troubled girlfriend, Mae, that ended in a fight and a long hitchhike home. Days later, when she still hasn't returned, suspicion falls on Aaron, and when Mae is subsequently discovered dead, Aaron is arrested and set for trial on charges of first-degree murder. Faced with few choices and even fewer hopes, Bea begs Rusty to return to court one last time, to defend her son and to save their last best hope for happiness. For Rusty, the question is not whether to defend Aaron, or whether the boy is in fact innocent--it's whether the system to which he has devoted his life can ever provide true justice for those who are presumed guilty.
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| Her One Regret by Donna FreitasWhen real estate agent Lucy Mendoza disappears from a Rhode Island supermarket, leaving her infant daughter behind, questions spiral: was she kidnapped -- or did she choose to escape the life of motherhood she secretly resented? Donna Freitas weaves multiple perspectives into a tense story exploring societal pressures on women, maternal ambivalence, and the bonds between friends. |
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| The Perfect Hosts by Heather GudenkaufA gender reveal party at the Drakes’ sprawling ranch takes a tragic turn when an accident leaves one of the 200 guests dead. As ATF Agent Jamie Saldano investigates, hidden rivalries, family secrets, and mysterious visitors surface, revealing that beneath the celebration’s glitter lies a dangerous web of deceit and a killer among the guests. |
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| Simultaneous by Eric HeissererA federal agent and a past-life regression therapist team up to track a killer across states, timelines, and consciousness in this mind-bending debut thriller. As psychic connections reveal crimes before they happen, the pair race to prevent disaster, uncovering a chilling conspiracy that challenges the boundaries of reality, time, and memory. For fans of: Blake Crouch. |
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| With Friends Like These by Alissa LeeA deadly game from their Harvard days resurfaces when five alumni gather for the annual “Circus,” a playful elimination contest turned high-stakes gamble. With a fortune on the line, old rivalries and hidden betrayals come to light, forcing the friends to confront decades of secrets, ambition, and the shadow of a lost sixth roommate. |
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| The Burning Library by Gilly MacmillanIn remote St. Andrews, Scotland, a sudden death ignites a perilous struggle between two clandestine female organizations seeking a centuries-old manuscript. Scholar Anya Brown becomes entangled while deciphering cryptic documents, and Detective Clio Spicer uncovers a trail of intrigue and deadly rivalries that could consume anyone who gets too close. For fans of: Kate Morton and Elizabeth Kostova. |
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| The Intruder by Freida McfaddenWhen a bloodied girl appears on Casey’s doorstep during a violent storm, her quiet cabin in the New Hampshire woods becomes a trap. The girl’s mysterious past and deadly secrets soon put Casey in mortal danger. Alternating perspectives heighten the suspense as survival, trust, and hidden truths collide in this tense, pulse-pounding thriller. |
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Return of the Spider: An Alex Cross Thriller
by James Patterson
Return of the Spider is the stunning companion novel to Along Came a Spider, the New York Times bestselling classic thriller from the world's most popular storyteller. Enter the thrilling world of the #1 bestselling detective series that inspired the Prime Video show, Cross. Along Came a Spider introduced Detective Alex Cross to readers around the globe and delivered an unsurpassed rivalry: Cross--named the human superhero by The New York Times--versus Gary Soneji, who the Lexington-Herald Leader called the most deliciously wicked character since Hannibal Lecter. But that wasn't their first meeting ... Police discover that Soneji kept a murder book, Profiles in Homicidal Genius, detailing his transformation from substitute teacher to hardened serial killer--including clues that imply missteps that Alex Cross may have made a rookie homicide detective. Now, Alex must retrace the steps of that long-ago investigation and face ... the Return of the Spider. Patterson knows how to sell thrills and suspense. --People, on Along Came a Spider
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Love, Mom
by Iliana Xander
Mackenzie Casper is a brilliant student. But she is best known for her mother, a best-selling author whose dark, twisted thrillers have a dedicated worldwide fanbase. When her mother dies in an accident, fans across the world are left grieving, and the investigators are asking: Was that really an accident? The day of the memorial service, Mackenzie gets the first mysterious envelope, signed, From #1 fan. XOXO. Inside are the pages of her mother's diary that start with the lines: Want to know a secret? Love, Mom. What Mackenzie reads leaves her in shock. Then comes the second letter. And the third... Mackenzie starts her own investigation and stumbles upon secrets that her family has lived with for years. Quickly, she realizes that her mother's path to stardom was etched with sinister lies that might have caught up with her. Sometimes fame is worth a murder. Or worse. Soon, Mackenzie will come to find out that there are worse things than murder-- Provided by publisher.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Indianapolis Public Library
P.O. Box 211
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-0211
317-275-4100www.indypl.org/ |
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