7 Psychological Thrillers That’ll Petrify Your Soul

The thing that makes psychological thrillers so interesting is the fact that they focus on the mental state of the lead characters. It’s amazing to analyse what goes inside the mind of a criminal or a psychopath that makes him/her do terrible things to others. A great psychological thriller should not be about action or how a case ultimately gets solved, but about the drama and the mystery surrounding that case and the main characters. Here, we have enlisted some of best psychological thriller books of all time. The selection is based on the popularity of these books as well as on the ratings from die hard fans of such fiction novels.
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane – It’s a classic! It’s one of those books that stay with you for the rest of your life. The story takes place in 1954 on an isolated island which is the home to a mental hospital for the criminally insane. This book makes you question what’s real and what’s not.
See Jane Run by Joy Fielding – Jane finds herself standing in the middle of the road, her dress is drenched with blood, her pockets are full of cash and her memory? Completely gone! Once you start reading this book, it’s hard to put it down.
Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson – An amnesic woman wakes up each morning with no idea of who she is and what’s happening around her. Everyday she struggles to decide who’s a friend and who’s not. The book has been adapted into a feature film (by the same name) starring Nicole Kidman. We recommend reading the book first.
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris – It’s a masterpiece! In order to track down a serial murderer, Clarice has been given an assignment – to visit a man in a high-security prison for the criminally insane and interview him. A warning before you read this one, the character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter haunts your dreams for a long time!
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – Have you read her previous, Sharp Objects? It’s amazing, but Gone Girl is even more amazing. It’s dark, sinister and absolutely twisted.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier – An impressive gothic novel. The story begins in Monte Carlo as the female protagonist meets an attractive man, Maxim de Winter, who is a widower. He proposes marriage and she accepts. They move to his massive country estate, where she realises how daunting the shadow of his late wife is on their lives.
Defending Jacob by William Landay – A chilling thriller! The story revolves around a lawyer and his 14-year-old son who is accused of murdering a fellow student. The novel is suspenseful and character-driven. It’s a spellbinding saga of betrayal and guilt.