Books
Sharp Objects. A Simple Favor. Killing Eve. The Girl in the Spider's Web. You. If you're a sucker for thrillers, 2018 was a great year in entertainment for you, and it looks like the years ahead will be even better. Even more thrillers and mysteries are coming to a screen near you — some you've been dying to see, like the latest Karin Slaughter novel, and others you may not even know about, like a decades-old Joan Didion thriller you've probably never heard of.
Whether it is through a feature-length film, an addictive television series, or in good, old-fashioned book form, the crime genre offers its fans a thoroughly engaging form of escapism. Who among us doesn't enjoy following along with a thrilling mystery, trying to figure out whodunit before the big reveal? For many readers (and viewers), there is no better way to spend a Saturday than with a good thriller.
Whether you're looking for a new novel to add to your TBR pile, a marathon-worthy series to obsess over, or a must-see film to add to your wish list, one of these nine thrillers and mysteries — soon to be adapted for film or television — should be on your radar.
'Pieces of Her' by Karin Slaughter
Not only is Karin Slaughter's 2018 novel Pieces of Her being adapted for the screen, but it's being adapted by an all-female creative team lead by Charlotte Stoudt, a writer and showrunner best known for her work on Homeland and House of Cards. Netflix ordered the eight-episode series, which explores the aftermath of an innocent mall trip turned violent, in which a young woman's understanding of her mother is challenged — and changed — forever.
'The Rhythm Section' by Mark Burnell
The big screen adaptation of Mark Burnell's spy thriller The Rhythm Section finally has a release date: Nov. 22, 2019. Starring Blake Lively, Jude Law, and Sterling K. Brown, the film follows Stephanie Patrick, a woman hell-bent on revenge who joins a covert intelligence organization in order to take down those responsible for the death of her family.
'Three Seconds' by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström
You might not know it by the title, but director Andrea Di Stefano's upcoming thriller The Informer is actually based on a Swedish crime novel by another name, Three Seconds by Anders Roslund and Börge Hellström. Both the novel and the film, which is scheduled to hit theaters on Aug. 16, tell the story of an ex-convict turned undercover operative whose assignment forces him back inside a maximum security prison, where he is tasked with infiltrating the mob.
'The Woman in the Window' by A.J. Finn
There is plenty of controversy surrounding the author behind 2018's smash hit The Woman in the Window, but it remains to be seen if that will impede the success of the book's upcoming film adaptation starring thriller darling Amy Adams. It follows Anna Fox, an agoraphobic woman with a drinking problem who may or may not have witnessed a crime across the street.
'The Good Liar' by Nicholas Searle
This thriller — which is soon to be a film starring Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen — interweaves the present and the past to tell the story of Roy, a confident con man whose latest mark, the wealthy older woman Betty, just might be too good to be true.
'The ABC Murders' by Agatha Christie
There is no shortage of Agatha Christie adaptations, but that doesn't mean fans can't get excited about the latest one: Amazon's The ABC Murders. Starring John Malkovich as Hercule Poirot, this three-episode mini-series — which is available for streaming now — follows the famous detective as he tried to uncover the identity of a taunting serial killer who has been sending him coded letters.
'The Last Thing He Wanted' by Joan Didion
Most readers know Joan Didion for her iconic essays, but in 1996, the famous author penned The Last Thing He Wanted, a provocative thriller about a journalist who quits her job covering the 1984 presidential campaign and becomes an arms dealer caught in the middle of a conflict so much bigger than herself. The book became a national bestseller, and now, over 30 years later, will be a movie starring Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, and Willem Dafoe, due out sometime this year.
'Motherless Brooklyn' by Jonathan Lethem
Speaking of William Dafoe, the seasoned actor will also have a role in Motherless Brooklyn, Edward Norton's adaptation of the Jonathan Lethem novel by the same name. It tells the story of Lionel Essrog, a private detective with Tourette's Syndrome who is trying to solve the murder of his mentor and friend in 1950s New York.
'The Earthquake Bird' by Susanna Jones
Alicia Vikander is slated to star in the 2019 film adaptation of Susanna Jones debut novel, The Earthquake Bird. A critically acclaimed psychological thriller, the book takes readers inside the mind of Lucy Fly, a young English girl living in Tokyo who is the prime suspect in the murder of another woman.
