Books Crime and Thriller Guide

Crime and thriller books centre on tension, uncertainty, investigation, danger or the solving of a problem. The categories overlap, but they can offer quite different reading^★ experiences.

Crime fiction

Crime fiction often focuses on wrongdoing, investigation, detection or its consequences. Subgenres include police procedurals, cosy mysteries, legal stories, historical crime and psychological crime. Readers can choose based on setting, pace, complexity and the type of investigation involved.

Thriller fiction

Thrillers generally emphasise suspense, escalating risk and rapid or sustained tension. They can overlap with crime, espionage, psychological fiction, political stories or action. A thriller may focus less on solving a crime and more on whether a character can survive or prevent a threat.

Choosing the right book^★

Check the publisher description and trusted reviews for tone, themes and content before buying. For younger readers, age suitability is especially important. BookTrust^★'s guidance shows that crime, mystery and thriller-style stories can form part of a broad children's reading selection when appropriately chosen. Check the exact edition and format when purchasing, particularly for series or special editions.