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7 Must-Read Crime & Thriller Books: January 2025

Joao Nsita

Dec 26, 2024

4 min read

7 Must-Read Crime & Thriller Books: January 2025

January 2025 promises an electrifying lineup of crime and thriller novels that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. From chilling psychological suspense to complex legal battles, these seven anticipated releases feature gripping plots, intriguing characters, and jaw-dropping twists. Whether you're a long-time crime fiction fan or a newcomer to the genre, these thrilling reads deserve a spot on your reading list.

1. A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Publication Date: January 28, 2025

In A Long Time Gone, Deputy Ben Packard finds himself on leave after a traumatic shooting incident, leaving him with time to reopen a haunting cold case: the mysterious disappearance of his older brother decades ago. As Ben digs deeper into his past, he uncovers dangerous secrets buried within his small town that could destroy his family forever. With a gripping narrative and emotionally charged stakes, this novel expertly weaves small-town intrigue with a relentless search for truth.

2. Grave Danger by James Grippando

Publisher: Harper Publication Date: January 2025

Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck returns in Grave Danger, a high-stakes legal thriller packed with courtroom tension and deadly secrets. When a wealthy woman is accused of murdering her husband, Jack’s straightforward defense case turns into a deadly conspiracy involving powerful adversaries and hidden motives. With masterful plotting and relentless suspense, Grippando crafts a tale of betrayal, justice, and survival in the legal world’s darkest corners.

3. A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay

Publisher: Bantam Publication Date: January 2025

In this darkly comedic thriller, Hazel and Fox are former serial killers turned suburban spouses with a deadly secret. While living a seemingly normal life in London, Hazel's past resurfaces after her latest impulsive murder, leaving her to hide the crime from her equally dangerous husband. As suspicion and paranoia rise, A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage explores the thin line between love and madness in a story brimming with dark humor and psychological tension.

4. Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing Publication Date: January 14, 2025

Scott Turow’s Presumed Guilty, the long-awaited sequel to Presumed Innocent, follows Rusty Sabich as he faces new allegations of misconduct that threaten his career, reputation, and freedom. Now a respected judge, Rusty must fight to clear his name while confronting secrets from his past that refuse to stay buried. This gripping legal drama is a must-read for fans of courtroom intrigue and morally complex characters.

5. This Is Not a Game by P.J. Vernon

Publisher: MIRA Publication Date: January 2025

When a renowned escape-room designer is found dead in one of her own creations, her business partner Mimi must team up with a former cop to unravel the mystery. As puzzles and hidden clues lead them deeper into a labyrinth of betrayal and deception, This Is Not a Game delivers a nail-biting thriller that explores the dark side of obsession and creativity. Puzzle lovers and mystery fans will be hooked from the first page.

6. The Family Inside by Katie Garner

Publisher: MIRA Publication Date: January 2025

Widow Iris Blodgett moves with her teenage daughter Ellory into a seemingly perfect home, only to discover a hidden room with a sinister past. As eerie occurrences escalate, Iris and Ellory realize that their new home’s secrets could cost them their lives. With haunting atmospheres, The Family Inside is a chilling domestic thriller that explores grief, loss, and the power of dark family secrets.

7. Cross My Heart by Megan Collins

Publisher: Atria Books Publication Date: January 2025

After receiving a life-saving heart transplant, Rosie Lachlan becomes obsessed with her donor’s husband, acclaimed author Morgan Thorne. As she digs into Morgan’s life, dark secrets emerge, threatening her safety and blurring reality with dangerous obsession. Cross My Heart masterfully blends psychological suspense with themes of identity, grief, and the unsettling ties that bind us to others.

Conclusion

January 2025’s crime and thriller releases offer a wide range of heart-pounding narratives, from chilling psychological mysteries to twist-filled legal dramas. These seven must-read books promise unforgettable stories, complex characters, and gripping suspense that will leave you breathless. Get ready to dive into these dark and thrilling worlds—if you dare.

FAQs About the Must-Read Crime & Thriller Books of January 2025

1. Are these books standalones or part of a series?Most of these novels are standalones, but Grave Danger by James Grippando and Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow are part of popular thriller series.

2. Where can I purchase these books?These books will be available through major retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookstores.

3. Are these books suitable for young adult readers?While most books target adult thriller fans, This Is Not a Game and The Family Inside may appeal to mature YA readers due to their gripping and adventurous plots.

4. Which book has the most psychological suspense?Cross My Heart by Megan Collins delivers intense psychological suspense with its haunting exploration of obsession and identity.

5. What’s the darkest storyline?A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage by Asia Mackay offers a darkly humorous but chilling storyline about two former serial killers struggling with domestic life.

6. Are there any legal thrillers in this list?Yes! Both Grave Danger and Presumed Guilty feature gripping courtroom battles and complex legal intrigue.

7. Which book has a supernatural or eerie element?The Family Inside by Katie Garner includes eerie, supernatural-like elements tied to its haunted house setting.

8. Which book features a detective or law enforcement protagonist?A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling follows Deputy Ben Packard as he tackles a decades-old mystery.

9. Are any of these books suitable for book clubs?Absolutely. Presumed Guilty, This Is Not a Game, and Cross My Heart offer plenty of discussion-worthy themes, including justice, identity, and moral ambiguity.

10. When will these books be available?All titles will be released throughout January 2025. Check major online retailers for exact release dates and preorder options.

Love Romance Books, Movies & Audio Dramas?

Episode of the Week

AMERICAN BOLLYWOOD
— EPISODE FIVE

That Love Podcast presents: American Bollywood — Episode 5

Format/Genre: A hilarious and heartfelt coming-of-age audio rom-com about first love, fake dating, friendship, secret crushes and discovering that sometimes the people who truly see you have been watching all along.

Logline: With only hours to find a fake boyfriend for her double date with Miles Pires Shah, Izzy Lopez turns to Selina for help — and what begins as a ridiculous school-wide search unexpectedly reveals just how many people have been quietly noticing Izzy for years.

Izzy Lopez has created a boyfriend who does not exist, Miles Pires Shah expects to meet him that evening, and Selina has decided there is only one reasonable solution: find a real boy willing to play the part. Her search leads to Mason Ramos and Jake Geller, two book-loving classmates who reveal that they have both secretly liked Izzy for years and are remarkably enthusiastic about competing for the position.

Selina transforms an empty classroom into a bizarre game show where Mason and Jake must prove who knows Izzy best. What begins as a ridiculous competition quickly becomes increasingly unsettling as both boys demonstrate an astonishing knowledge of Izzy’s favourite books, movies, habits and embarrassing secrets — leaving Izzy to discover that she may not have been nearly as invisible as she always believed.

The questions become more personal until Selina asks something neither boy can answer with simple facts: what has Izzy wanted to feel more than anything since she was fourteen? Mason’s answer cuts through Izzy’s jokes and books and gets frighteningly close to the truth — she wants to know that she is enough exactly as she is, without having to perform or transform herself for somebody else.

With the double date getting closer and Miles waiting to meet a boyfriend who was invented less than a day earlier, Izzy finally has someone willing to step into the role. But the line between pretending and genuinely caring may already be much messier than she expected, especially when her chosen fake boyfriend has feelings that are anything but fake.

American Bollywood Episode 5 delivers romantic comedy, fake-dating chaos and surprising emotional depth as Izzy’s plan to make Miles finally see her raises an uncomfortable new question: what happens when someone else already does?

Starring Berr Kell and Emerson Peery

Written by Joao Nsita