Race-against-time-thrillers

Reading lists

12 of the best race-against-time thrillers

7 must-read books for Fool Me Once fans

Best crime books and thrillers of 2026

It Should Have Been You

'Andrea Mara is fantastic. If you love short chapters and cliffhangers and nonstop suspense, this is for you!' Freida McFadden 
 
Discover the No. 1 bestselling psychological thriller that will keep you hooked to the very end. From the million-copy bestselling author of ALL HER FAULT, now a hit TV show, starring Sarah Snook. 
 
*AN INSTANT NO.1 BESTSELLER* 
*WINNER Crime Novel of the Year 2025* 
*A READER FAVOURITE in Good Housekeeping's Good Books Spring Collection* 
 
Your neighbours have secrets. How far will they go to keep them? 
 
Susan sends her sister a gossipy message about their neighbour. But she accidentally posts it on the neighbourhood WhatsApp group instead. 
 
It’s an innocent mistake that could happen to anyone, but rumours quickly spread and the backlash spirals. Soon that one wrong message leads to murder. 
 
A local woman is found dead, but when Susan listens to the news report, she realises that the victim had the same address as her but in a different part of town. The killer may have got the wrong victim - they may be coming for her next. 
 
*** Readers love It Should Have Been You! *** 
 
'Andrea Mara's best book yet. Absolutely outstanding!' Claire Douglas 
 
'Tense, thrilling and relatable.' Sun 
 
'OMG what a book! I love Andrea Mara books but this one is the best I've read!' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'Tense, gripping, everything you expect from Andrea. Loved it!' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'The queen of the hook and twist so be prepared....and enjoy!' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'Absolutely amazing! I loved, loved, loved every second!' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'Wow! This book is superb!! I...inhaled it in record time!!' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'The twists and turns in this story are unreal...buckle up and enjoy the ride!!!!' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'This was an absolutely phenomenal read.' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'Another 5 star book from Andrea Mara! I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough!' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'So many twists and turns and shocks, it was brilliant!' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
'I’m officially an Andrea Mara fan and addict. For any suspense thriller fan this needs to be on your tbr.' &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; &#11088; 
 
Winner of the 2025 Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards

Andrea Mara is fantastic. If you love short chapters and cliffhangers and nonstop suspense, this is for you!

Wow, It Should Have Been You blew me away. Ingenious plotting, brilliantly written, pacy and totally unpredictable, I devoured it over a weekend. This is Andrea Mara’s best book yet. Absolutely outstanding!

Cleverly plotted and told from various points of view, It Should Have Been You shows how one mistake can have life-threatening consequences. Punchy writing, strong characterisation and short chapters propel it to a dramatic, satisfying finale. Highly recommended.

I was hooked from first page to last as the twists got twistier and all of the characters squirmed while waiting for their darkest secrets to be revealed. May I suggest a new Irish blessing? May you never live in a neighbourhood created by Andrea Mara. Andrea is blessed with a gift for knowing our darkest fears and playing on them like a virtuoso violinist, and I am here for it.

The convincing storyline maintains real dread in a world of everyday domestic detail. Very enjoyable.

An ingenious, heart-stopping premise that is also utterly relatable – the absolute definition of a page-turner.

Andrea has a knack of taking our every day anxieties and turning them into full blown nightmares. She is one of the best psychological thriller writers out there, subtly weaving darkly absorbing stories with relatable characters who leap off the page.

Andrea Mara’s It Should Have Been You is an up-all-night thriller that makes us consider the consequences of one small mistake. Compulsive, twisty, and utterly -page-turning. I devoured it.

A simple, ordinary mistake explodes into a suburban nightmare in this hugely compelling, one-sitting read packed full of thrilling moments and genuinely surprising twists. Andrea Mara is at the very top of her game.

Twisty, engrossing, gripping - anyone who says they could see the end coming is a liar.

It Should Have been You left me breathless. Andrea Mara deftly reveals each character’s dark, deadly secret with her usual skill.

The queen of the neighbourhood thriller, Mara's multi layered, utterly believable characters grab you from the first page - she gets right under their skin to reveal the darkness and intrigue of ordinary lives as they unravel. Riveting, twisty and revealing, I couldn't put it down.

A runaway plot that gallops along at breakneck speed to its breathtaking conclusion…Mara excels at taking ordinary suburban fears and turning them into heart-stopping thrillers. The twists are ingenious and addictive.

Such a brilliant concept; I inhaled this book in less than 24 hours - Andrea Mara just gets better and better. More twists and turns than a roller coaster - with pitch perfect pace and plotting. I loved it.

What a phenomenal book. I loved every single second of it. It is terrifyingly plausible, utterly gripping, and brilliantly executed. There's a new queen of crime in town...and her name is Andrea Mara.

Had me enthralled. It is a masterclass in tension and makes the reader a nervous wreck. Another bestseller on the cards for Andrea.

The intricacy of the plotting, the tension, the pacing, the delicious gossipiness. . . MASTERFUL . . . I LOVED it. 
I love all [her] books . . . but this one is my all time fave.

I'm a huge fan of Andrea Mara: she is a master of plotting, and this is her most ingenious set-up yet. A single innocent mistake, small as the flap of a butterfly's wings, grows into a twisting tornado of social chaos, tearing through the Dublin suburbs and the well-ordered lives of Mara's deftly-painted characters. Brilliantly plotted and compulsively readable - I adored it!

Andrea Mara has done it again! It Should Have Been You unravels the veneer of suburban calm with every twist and turn. An unputdownable, deviously plotted ride of a psychological thriller.

Andrea Mara writes of the ensuing horrors in a gently domestic tone that only underlines the awfulness of the characters.

I was completely hooked from the very first page.

The plot is razor-sharp, the suspense unrelenting, and the stakes? Higher than you’ll ever expect. This is a thrilling, addictive ride that you won’t want to put down. Classic Andrea Mara—I loved it!'

This is the kind of page turner you’ll stay up late to read just one.more.page – it’s a fast paced, sharply written look at the domino effects of a seemingly careless error, and how quickly lives can spiral out of control.

Another surefire best seller, with a gripping plot and dire warnings about making mistakes with messages.

(Andrea Mara has) hit a sweet spot… intricate, twisty.

Andrea Mara gets better and better. It Should Have Been You is so relatable and it's agonisingly compelling. I absolutely loved it.

Andrea Mara preys on one of our deepest fears in this twisty Dublin thriller, with all the claustrophobia and curtain twitching that makes suburbs so terrifying. I didn’t text for a week after I read it!

Next-level domestic suspense - even the twists have twists. I loved it - Andrea Mara is a star.

A gripping story, beautifully told. Andrea Mara is masterful.

Andrea Mara is a number one Sunday Times, Irish Times and Kindle bestselling author, whose books have sold more than one million copies across all formats. The TV adaptation of her 2021 book, All Her Fault, aired in November 2025 to huge critical and audience acclaim, with Sarah Snook (Succession) playing the lead. It became the most-streamed TV show in America during the first week of its release. Her most recent novel, It Should Have Been You, won Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the 2025 An Post Book Awards. It was a No.1 bestseller in Ireland for six weeks, and a Top Ten Sunday Times bestseller in the UK. Her book No One Saw a Thing was a Sunday Times number one bestseller and has sold over half a million copies. Andrea lives in Dublin with her husband and three children. You can find Andrea on Instagram @andreamaraauthor

Get ready for your new obsession - the unputdownable No.1 bestselling thriller 
 
Your neighbours have secrets. How far would they go to keep them? 
 
Look what you started. 
You text your sister. Your message is full of gossip about your neighbour. But you accidentally send it to the entire local community WhatsApp group instead. 
 
Now everyone knows. 
As rumour spreads like wildfire through the picture-perfect neighbourhood, you convince yourself that people will move on, that this will quickly be forgotten. But then you receive the first death threat. 
 
And someone wants you dead. 
The next day, a woman has been murdered. And what’s even more chilling is that she had the same address as you – 26 Oakpark – but in a different part of town. Did the killer get the wrong house? It won’t be long before you find out…

All Her Fault

When the worst happens, there's always someone to blame . . . Discover the explosive and twisty thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of No One Saw a Thing and It Should Have Been You. 
 
*NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES STARRING SARAH SNOOK* 
 
'Andrea Mara is a star' Lee Child, bestselling author of the Reacher series 
 
'Grips from the first page and keeps upping the stakes' Sarah Pearse, bestselling author of The Sanatorium 
 
ONE MISSING BOY. 
 
Marissa Irvine arrives at 14 Tudor Grove, expecting to pick up her young son Milo from his first playdate with a boy at his new school. But the woman who answers the door isn't a mother she recognises. She isn't the nanny. She doesn't have Milo. And so begins every parent's worst nightmare. 
 
FOUR GUILTY WOMEN. 
 
As news of the disappearance filters through the quiet Dublin suburb and an unexpected suspect is named, whispers start to spread about the women most closely connected to the shocking event. Because only one of them may have taken Milo - but they could all be blamed . . . 
 
IN A COMMUNITY FULL OF SECRETS, WHO IS REALLY AT FAULT? 
Praise for Andrea Mara: 
 
'Andrea Mara is masterful' Patricia Cornwell 
 
'A tense, terrifying, guessing game' Chris Whitaker 
 
'Andrea Mara is the Queen of Cliffhangers' John Marrs 
 
'An absolute page turner!' Shari Lapena 
 
'I have not read a book this thrilling in ages' FIVE-STAR READER REVIEW 
 
'So many twists and turns, and what a shock at the end' FIVE-STAR READER REVIEW 
 
'This is one of the best thriller books I have read this year' FIVE-STAR READER REVIEW 
 
'You must read this book' FIVE-STAR READER REVIEW 
 
'The final chapter is the perfect payoff' FIVE-STAR READER REVIEW 
 
'A great twisty read that kept me on the edge of my seat' FIVE-STAR READER REVIEWDON'T MISS ANDREA MARA'S UNPUTDOWNABLE NEW NOVEL, SUCH A NICE GIRL - AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW!

Wow! Loved it. The pace is breakneck. A book where no one is who you think they are. And just when you think you have it all figured out you are thrown another curveball. Highly recommended. I flew through it. All Her Fault will be a huge bestseller.

Patricia Gibney, author of THE LOST CHILD

Immediately compelling, All Her Fault explores every mother's worst nightmare and delivers deftly original twists.

Andrea Mara's tight plotting and convincing characterisation make her books both compelling and intriguing.

A heart-stopping tale . . . Mara's stunningly original plot has its roots in the powerful emotions aroused by motherhood, leading to heartbreak and murder.

With a genuinely terrifying opening, fans of Big Little Lies will enjoy this slice of twisty domestic noir with a distinct south Dublin flavour.

All Her Fault drops you straight into a nightmare scenario that plays on some of our worst fears. The delicious equivalent of a binge-watch, I powered through this book in one sitting. Think Big Little Lies meets The Undoing - I had a blast accusing everyone of everything, as each chapter introduced a new twist or revelation to undo my prior conviction. A fantastic, immersive read, proving that people behaving badly really do make for the best company!

Jacqueline Bublitz, author of BEFORE YOU KNEW MY NAME

A wonderfully twisty nightmare of a domestic thriller.

One of Mara's myriad talents is identifying those subterranean paranoias of modern life - the vulnerability of an online presence, the trust we place in strangers - and masterfully worrying at these fears to keep us hooked and horrified in equal measure all the way to the last page. All Her Fault simmers with unbearable anxiety before the gut punch of its charged and riveting climax. You cannot look away.

From its heart-stopping opening through to the twist on the final page, I raced through All Her Fault. It says a lot about Andrea Mara's fantastic plotting that I never guessed whodunnit - and I more or less suspected everyone.

Nicola Rayner, author of THE GIRL BEFORE YOU and YOU AND ME

I couldn't put down All Her Fault, so many wicked, wicked twists! Utterly gripping, so believable and just the most perfect ending. Superb!

It was gripping and emotional and I couldn't put it down. The twist was intricately woven into the storyline, but so cleverly done that I didn't see it coming at all. I loved the relationship between the women, and the wonderful portrayal of female friendship developing even in the darkest of circumstances.

Eleanor Ray, author of EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL

A thought-provoking rollercoaster of a read with a shocking but satisfying twist - highly recommended!

All Her Fault is a fantastic read. Gripping and real, with a whole host of flawed characters, it explores motherhood, relationships and friendship in a twisted unravelling of every parent's worst nightmare.

Lauren North, author of THE PERFECT BETRAYAL

Wow, All Her Fault gripped from the first page and didn't let up! It played on my worst fears and kept upping the stakes . . . Great plotting, I didn't predict any of the twists and turns! Superb characters that were brilliantly crafted. This book will fly!

Sarah Pearse, bestselling author of THE SANATORIUM

A dark and twisted thriller which will make most parents triple check their security settings! This is another cracking read from a writer who is at the top of her game and wow... that twist floored me!

Claire Allan, author of HER NAME WAS ROSE

Her best yet, and a truly gripping, twisty tale.

Andrea Mara writes twisty mysteries that keep you turning the pages.

Jo Spain, author of THE CONFESSION and THE PERFECT LIE

A taut and twisty domestic thriller that throws readers into the nightmarish situation of a missing child and the subsequent paranoia that creates suspects out of anyone and everyone. The unexpected twist will have your jaw to the floor.

An intensely twisty thriller guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very end - perfect for weekend reading.

A suspense builder - shocking lies and unforgivable betrayals emerge as a desperate search for a child ensues.

Secrets are uncovered at every twist and turn of this domestic thriller, in which you're thrust into the action from the very first page. A gripping, intricately written story that's easy to devour.

Sharp, sophisticated, and full of suspense - everything you need for a perfect summer read.

Cara Hunter, bestselling author of CLOSE TO HOME

All Her Fault is a brilliant premise, wonderfully executed . . . a taut, superbly designed suspense novel.

This book is excellent. Pacy and clever and intriguing.

Eithne Shortall, author of THREE LITTLE TRUTHS

All my greatest fears on the page and yet I couldn't stop reading. Congratulations, Andrea Mara, you evil genius.

Sarah Breen, co-author of OH MY GOD, WHAT A COMPLETE AISLING

Someone has taken Marissa's child; the fun in this fiendishly twisting narrative is trying to work out who that might be.

This is a book which would probably reward a second reading, perhaps a few months later, when the details have faded a little from memory. It's really that good.

Someone in the Attic

DISCOVER THE NEW UNPUTDOWNABLE PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FROM THE NO.1 BESTSELLER 
 
‘An absolute page turner!’ Shari Lapena 
‘A twisty thriller full of clever misdirection' Claire Douglas 
 
A fresh start. A safe neighbourhood. Or is it? 
 
You've moved back to your hometown, into a luxury gated community that's designed to keep intruders out. You think your family is safe, but you couldn’t be more wrong. 
Your nine-year-old son says there’s a man living in the attic. 
You keep hearing noises up there when you’re all alone, but when you check, the loft space is empty. 
And then your daughter shows you something on her phone – a video of a man walking around inside your house while no one is home – and you start to panic. 
Why would a stranger target you? Unless they’re not a stranger at all. 
Don't miss Andrea Mara's unputdownable new novel, Such a Nice Girl - available to pre-order now! 
 
Everyone is talking about Someone in the Attic: 
 
'I enjoyed every page' Elly Griffiths 
 
'Heart-thumpingly tense' Sun 
 
'Someone in the Attic twists, thrills and chills. I loved it’ Chris Whitaker 
 
'This book is SO GOOD' Louise O'Neill 
 
'The Queen of Cliffhangers' John Marrs 
 
'I couldn't put it down' Fiona Cummins 
 
'Addictive' Good Housekeeping 
 
'Full of twists and surprises' Jane Casey 
 
'This is her best book yet!' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'The most gripping and thrilling book I've read in a long time.' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'My favourite of Andrea’s so far!' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'WOW! What a book!. * * * * * Reader review 
 
'What a read!!!' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'Bloody hell!' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'Just amazing! * * * * * Reader review

This is Andrea Mara at her heart stopping best. Someone In The Attic is a dark, creepy, twisty thriller full of clever misdirection that would make Hitchcock proud, but it’s also a moving and thought-provoking tale of regret and letting go of the past. A brilliant book.

This heart-thumpingly tense thriller may give you nightmares

Someone is getting inside your house… It’s a chilling premise, and Andrea Mara executes it brilliantly. This one is an absolute page turner!

Grabs you from the off and doesn't let you go… Andrea Mara is the Queen of the Cliffhanger. I guarantee that you won't be able to put this book down.

A genuinely chilling concept – told with skill, empathy, and wit. I enjoyed every terrifying page.

&lsquo;A tense, terrifying, guessing game. Someone in the Attic twists, thrills and chills. I loved it.&rsquo;

Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End.

Does for bathtubs what Psycho did for showers. A thriller honed to a fine point, sharp and keen and piercing; it's darkly comic, too, and uncommonly observant. This is suspense you can feel good about.

Mara... lays out the pieces of the puzzle with diabolical wit, some good suspense and an unexpected note of sentimentality.

Fast-paced and chilling, you won’t want to sleep alone after reading it

A super-creepy, addictive thriller, which layers mystery upon mystery. Not one to read late at night!

&lsquo;I couldn&rsquo;t put it down. Andrea Mara excels at the kind of twisty, creepy domestic noir that makes it impossible to look away.&rsquo;

&lsquo;The tension in Someone in the Attic is meticulously crafted, with a cover-your-eyes creep factor. If you&rsquo;re a domestic thriller fan who hasn&rsquo;t yet read Andrea Mara, you might have just found a new favourite.&rsquo;

Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push

Okay, this book is SO GOOD. Every time I heard a creak from the attic, I was silently freaking out that there was someone up there, waiting for me. Unsettling, gripping, tightly plotted. Andrea Mara is on top of her game.

Gripping. . . I'll never look at the hatch up to my attic in the same way again!

Clare Pooley, New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity Project

'Andrea Mara is the Queen of cliffhangers. Like she did in No One Saw A Thing, she takes your biggest fears then makes them a thousand times worse. The twists and turns will give you whiplash. Brilliant.'

Someone In The Attic takes some of our darkest fears and weaves them into an unputdownable thriller. Twisty, pacy and at one point it actually made me shriek out loud! Andrea Mara goes from strength to strength...I loved it.

Full of twists and surprises, Andrea Mara's Someone in the Attic is a totally gripping, compelling read that will have you guessing and guessing again. She has a genius for creating situations where our worst nightmares come true. Hugely enjoyable &ndash; I couldn't put it down.

'I absolutely loved Andrea's new book. It's definitely her best yet. I had to keep turning the pages. It's so well plotted and the characters are believable and excellently drawn. Andrea has a way of getting you inside the characters' heads and they won't let go until you turn the last page.'

Mara’s novel shows how the woman-in-peril genre has evolved, featuring a female protagonist who takes matters into her own hands . . .

I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, or breathe! I guarantee that you'll be ordering a bolt for your attic by the end of chapter one. Andrea Mara sets a high bar, but it just got higher - she's already the queen of domestic suspense but Someone's in the Attic is her best book yet. It's one of the best thrillers I've ever read.

It&rsquo;s got Agatha Christie levels of threat and twists and the domestic setting only makes it all the more frightening, for there is nothing more scary than the threat on our doorsteps. Someone In The Attic is chilling, thrilling and absolutely gripping. I loved it!

Andrea’s novels have stepped up a notch. It’s chilling in places, with ample red herrings to keep readers on the alert

A creepy page-turner that will consolidate Mara’s reputation as an Irish queen of crime

Someone In the Attic is a fantastic hooky read, high on creep factor and suspense. Loved it.

An addictive, engrossing page-turner with an utterly chilling premise and a cast of intriguing and relatable characters. I loved it!

Someone in the Attic grabbed me at the title. Chillingly creepy. Deliciously dark.

An inventive, unsettling take on domestic noir … Andrea Mara's most accomplished novel to date.

Just wow! Someone in the Attic is a tightly coiled exploration of the secrets of suburbia that kept me guessing until the final gasp-inducing reveal (that I absolutely didn’t see coming). Andrea Mara is on fire! Addictive storytelling, superbly constructed. I devoured this book in one sitting and so will most.

Creepy and unsettling and I couldn't turn the pages quick enough! Wow - what a story! I'll be keeping the light on tonight!

Andrea Mara gets better and better. In Someone in the Attic, she weaves an intricate, relatable and utterly compelling tapestry of domestic suspense. Then she pulls the thread . . .

Twisty, clever and scarily relatable... I loved it and I can&rsquo;t wait to see what Mara does next.

As if attics weren&rsquo;t creepy enough already, this book will leave you scared of the slightest overhead squeak. Someone in the Attic augments its horrifying premise with shocking twists, complicated friendships and dark secrets. Highly recommended!

Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines

A deeply creepy tale that will have you checking you’ve locked your back door.

From that heart pounding opening, the pace never lets up in this addictive thriller... My first book by this author and it won&rsquo;t be my last!

'Probably the most suspenseful book I will read all year.'

'You will look hard to find a more searing opening 15 pages of a thriller this year.'

'I was hooked by the end of chapter one.'

'This sharply observed novel manages to be at once an intricate puzzle and an involving race against time'

'Action-packed from the get-go, the pace never lets up in this premium slice of domestic suspense'

'A pleasingly cynical and cunningly constructed story of old grudges and buried secrets'

Andrea Mara's previous novel, No One Saw a Thing, was a break-out bestseller: 
 
- A No.1 bestseller in Kindle and in Ireland 
- 13 weeks in the top 3 of the Original Fiction chart in Ireland 
- 900% up on her previous book 
- Shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year 
- More than 100,000 copies sold in just thirteen weeks 
 
Now she's back with your new obsession... 
 
It could happen to you. 
Anya is enjoying a relaxing bath when she hears a noise in the roof. Through the open bathroom door, she sees the attic hatch swing open, and a masked figure drops to the floor. Thirty seconds later, Anya is dead. 
 
Even in a wealthy neighbourhood like this. 
Across town, Anya's old school friend, Julia, sees an online video of a masked figure climbing out of an attic. She suddenly realises why the footage is eerily familiar: it was filmed inside her house in a luxury gated community, designed to keep intruders out. 
 
Even with friends like these. 
Why would a stranger target Julia? Unless of course, it's not a stranger at all.

Hide and Seek

A missing child. A house full of secrets. A mystery waiting to be solved. 
 
From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes a twisty psychological thriller that you won’t be able to put down. 
 
'Next-level domestic suspense - even the twists have twists. I loved it – Andrea Mara is a star.' 
Lee Child 
 
‘A relentless, twisting page-turner.’ Chris Whitaker 
 
'Original, clever and unputdownable.’ Sarah Pearse 
 
 
Close your eyes. 
The game of hide and seek is over, but little Lily Murphy hasn't been found. Her parents try to stay positive, but they know this peaceful Dublin suburb will never be the same again. 
 
Count to ten. 
Years later, Joanna moves into a new house. It seems perfect in every way, until she learns that Lily Murphy used to live here. 
 
And when you open them, your child is gone. 
Because Joanna thinks she knows what really happened to Lily – and if the truth gets out, it might be her undoing... 
 
READERS LOVE HIDE AND SEEK! 
 
'I loved, loved, LOVED this book! A fast-paced thriller with twists that you never see coming!' ***** 
 
'Andrea Mara is the Queen of the Unexpected Twist. Not to mention excelling in creating an attention-grabbing hook to ensure that the reader's attention is 'hooked' from the opening page...' ***** 
 
‘I honestly think it's her best book yet. From the very start I was completely gripped by the story, and I couldn't put this book down. This is an unputdownable crime thriller thick with suspense and intrigue. A massive 5? read for me.’ ***** 
 
‘Best thriller of the year! Loved every page, really hope they make a Netflix series based on this!’ ***** 
 
‘Hide and Seek is every mother’s worst nightmare! Andrea Mara is an amazing storyteller and weaves a thoroughly enjoyable tale…’ ***** 
 
‘I felt completely high on adrenaline after finishing this book because it was so good. A compulsive page-turner that will leave your heart racing!’ ***** 
 
Praise for Andrea Mara: 
 
'A dark, creepy, twisty thriller full of clever misdirection that would make Hitchcock proud.' Claire Douglas, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wrong Sister 
 
'Grips from the first page and keeps upping the stakes . . . I didn't predict any of the twists and turns.' Sarah Pearse, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Sanatorium 
 
'Sharp, sophisticated, and full of suspense.' Cara Hunter 
 
'Andrea Mara's tight plotting and convincing characterisation make her books both compelling and intriguing.' Liz Nugent 
 
Don't miss Andrea Mara's unputdownable new novel, Such a Nice Girl - available to pre-order now! 
 
Andrea Mara, Sunday Times bestseller, March 2024

'Next-level domestic suspense - even the twists have twists. I loved it - Andrea Mara is a star.'

'I loved Hide and Seek by Andrea Mara! Original, clever, and unputdownable, it ticks every crime thriller box for me and then some! I couldn't stop turning the pages to find out what happened next as the gripping, clever plot twists and turns its way to a dramatic denouement. Andrea is an author to watch and I can't wait to read her next.'

'I raced through this at high speed, enjoying the ride through Andrea's twists and turns.'

'A relentless, twisting page-turner, Hide and Seek delves deeply into every parent's worst nightmare. A first-class thriller.'

'Mara knows how to take every parent's worst nightmares and turn them into top-class page turners. She expertly ratchets up the tension in this single-sitting read, a nerve-shredder that will have you guessing right until the final unexpected twist.'

Ellery Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of The Club

'Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed Hide and Seek. It's a real page turner. Expertly crafted characters and plot, with an engaging mystery at its heart, and that twist at the end! Brilliant.'

Patricia Gibney, multi-million-copy bestselling author of the Lottie Parker series

'Gave me palpitations! Complex, layered, sneaky and beautifully woven. Creeps up behind you then let's you have it. Fabulous!'

'Twisty, propulsive and unsettling, with a plot I wish I'd thought of myself.'

'Andrea Mara's Hide and Seek is a must read for psychological thriller fans. Well-drawn, intriguing characters and a twisty, gripping plot will keep you reading well into the night. A real page-turner.'

'What a fabulously twisty tale - really clever, and with one of the most satisfying and believable endings I've read for a while.'

'Andrea Mara has perfected her own south Dublin version of domestic noir where secrets are buried under manicured lawns and expensively paved patios. In Mara's world no one, from the babysitter to the new neighbour to the smiling guests at a garden drinks party can be considered above suspicion.'

"Hide and Seek is domestic noir at its absolute compelling best, gripping, twisty and as if it's all happening next door - be warned, with Andrea Mara, there's always a brilliant last sting in the tail!"

"The latest from Andrea Mara chilled me to my core. An outrageous amount of twists and turns, you will love it!"

A missing child. A house full of secrets. A mystery waiting to be solved. 
From the Sunday Times bestselling author comes a twisty psychological thriller that you won’t be able to put down. 
 
'Next-level domestic suspense - even the twists have twists. I loved it – Andrea Mara is a star.' 
Lee Child 
 
‘A relentless, twisting page-turner.’ Chris Whitaker 
 
Original, clever and unputdownable.’ Sarah Pearse 
 
Close your eyes. 
The game of hide and seek is over, but little Lily Murphy hasn't been found. Her parents try to stay positive, but they know this peaceful Dublin suburb will never be the same again. 
 
Count to ten. 
Years later, Joanna moves into a new house. It seems perfect in every way, until she learns that Lily Murphy used to live here. 
 
And when you open them, your child is gone. 
Because Joanna thinks she knows what really happened to Lily – and if the truth gets out, it might be her undoing... 
 
Don't miss Andrea Mara's unputdownable new novel, Such a Nice Girl - available to pre-order now!

No One Saw a Thing

Discover the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling crime thriller that will keep you hooked to the very end. 
 
*A NO.1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER* 
*A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOKCLUB PICK* 
*SHORTLISTED FOR CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR, IRISH INDEPENDENT* 
 
'Impossible to put down'. Chris Whitaker 
'Andrea Mara is a star.' Lee Child 
'Probably the most suspenseful book I will read all year.' Liz Nugent 
 
Two children get on the train. Only one gets off... 
 
No one saw it happen. 
Your two little girls jump on the train ahead of you. As you try to join them, the doors slide shut and the train moves away, leaving you behind. 
 
Everyone is lying. 
It's only when you reach the next stop that you truly begin to panic. Because there aren't two children waiting for you on the platform. There's only one. 
 
Someone is to blame. 
Has your other daughter got lost? Been taken by a passing stranger? 
Or perhaps the culprit is closer to home than you think… 
 
Don't miss Andrea Mara's unputdownable new novel, Such a Nice Girl - available to pre-order now! 
 
Everyone is talking about No One Saw a Thing: 
 
'I was hooked by the end of chapter one.' Jane Casey 
 
One of the most tense thrillers of the year so far.' John Marrs 
 
'Twisting, frightening and impossible to put down.' Chris Whitaker 
 
'I devoured it.' Fiona Cummins 
 
'You will look hard to find a more searing opening 15 pages of a thriller this year.' Irish Independent 
 
'This sharply observed novel manages to be at once an intricate puzzle and an involving race against time' The Sunday Times 
 
'A roller coaster ride of a read where the twists are relentless right up until the very end. Brilliantly done!' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'A fast-paced, gripping thriller that I devoured in one sitting' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'Wow! Best book I've read in 2023 so far. . .I'll absolutely be reading more of Andrea Mara's books because this was BRILLIANT!' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'This is in my opinion Andrea Mara's best book so far. She just keeps getting better and better. There's so many twists that even the twists have twists!' * * * * * Reader review 
 
'I lost sleep not wanting to put this book down. Lots of plot twists and enough turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. Would highly recommend!' * * * * * Reader review 
 
Number 1 Sunday Times bestseller, February 2024 
Richard and Judy Book Club pick, February 2024 
Shortlisted for the Irish Independent Crime Novel of the Year, 2023

'The pace never flags, the tension racks up and the pages turn themselves. Probably the most suspenseful book I will read all year.'

'Andrea Mara has a gift for turning 'what if' into 'uh-oh' - No One Saw a Thing is a fantastic example of her compelling plotting. I was hooked by the end of chapter one.'

'Utterly gripping... You will look hard to find a more searing opening 15 pages of a thriller this year... A sure-fire winner from start to finish.'

'Such a clever page-turner, drawing on every parent's darkest fears'

I loved No One Saw a Thing by Andrea Mara - which saw me deciding I knew what was happening every 5 minutes and realising I was wrong 5 minutes later. So clever. Tense, twisty, turny.

'As soon as I started reading this, I had no choice but to continue reading until the last page. I DEVOURED it. Such a tense, thrilling ride of a novel that played into my darkest fears and captured the emotions of panicked parents so evocatively.'

'I dare, nay defy, you to try and put this thriller down!'

'Twisting, frightening and impossible to put down. No One Saw A Thing is Andrea Mara at her nerve-shredding best. I loved it.'

'From the first chapter of this Andrea Mara novel, I had shivers. Twisty, clever, impossible to put down.'

'A clever tale about a modern family under extraordinary pressure'

'This book has a heart-stopping premise - a woman's child goes missing after stepping onto an underground carriage without her - I loved the book, couldn't put it down'

'Action-packed from the get-go, the pace never lets up in this premium slice of domestic suspense.'

'One of the most tense thrillers of the year so far.'

'Such is the intensity of the short chapters ending on cliffhangers that you want the main story to keep going, despite the crucial chapters dealing with time that has passed . . . Well written, this thriller makes for compulsive reading.'

'I read this in two sittings. As twisty as a corkscrew, as taut as a garotte, this is a total masterclass in thriller writing.'

'I lost yesterday afternoon and the early hours of this morning to this absolutely gripping thriller from Andrea Mara. This book further cements her as an author to be reckoned with. Tense, heart-stopping and thrilling.'

Wow! I loved it. It is so well plotted with lots of unexpected twists and turns. I was guessing, and second guessing, throughout.'

'I absolutely loved No One Saw A Thing! Utterly engrossing, tense, and unpredictable with a great cast of characters. Highly recommended!'

'A nightmare for any parent, two children board the London tube but the doors close before their mother can join them. At the next stop, one child is missing. What follows in Andrea Mara's twisty, layered thriller will have you chewing through your nails and unsure of which character to trust as past betrayals and loyalties collide. Gripping.'

'Wow! What a heart-stopping pageturner - I enjoyed this so much!'

'Andrea Mara takes a mother's worst nightmare and ramps it up into an unputdownable pageturner. Twisty, gripping and utterly chilling, you'll never look at a child on a train in the same way again.'

'Beginning with every parent's worst nightmare, Andrea Mara's new book serves up another terrific hook that immediately draws the reader in. No One Saw a Thing is a fast paced family thriller that will keep you turning the pages'

'Incredible thriller, amazing premise, Andrea Mara always delivers on twisty addictive pageturners. An adrenaline rush of a book.'

'Another delicious slice of domestic noir from Andrea Mara, No One Saw A Thing has a great hook, an ultra-satisfying ending and all manner of twists, lies and deceit in between.'

'A palpable sense of menace hangs over Andrea Mara's latest thriller which packs punch after shocking punch. Talk about suspense! No One Saw A Thing is a gloriously tangled, whiplash-inducing, electrifying read. I couldn't put it down and I can't recommend it highly enough.'

'Andrea Mara smashes it yet again with a story you simply cannot set aside! A pacy gritty acutely observed nightmare chase through London - helped or is it hindered by a group of toxic friends. My heart was thumping right to the end!'

'A relentless, twisting page-turner, Hide and Seek delves deeply into every parent's worst nightmare. A first-class thriller.'

The twists keep coming as the action rockets back and forth in time exposing the terrible truth that binds the friends together and eventually wrenches them apart.

Mara is truly gifted at this kind of story, and this is a proper page-turner, with several cliff hangers and plenty of red herrings. As the action progresses, the pace intensifies to a pulse-rising intensity . . . A most satisfying thriller.

Discover the gripping, Sunday Times bestselling crime thriller that will keep you hooked to the very end. 
 
Two children get on the train. Only one gets off... 
 
No one saw it happen. 
Your two little girls jump on the train ahead of you. As you try to join them, the doors slide shut and the train moves away, leaving you behind. 
 
Everyone is lying. 
It's only when you reach the next stop that you truly begin to panic. Because there aren't two children waiting for you on the platform. There's only one. 
 
Someone is to blame. 
Has your other daughter got lost? Been taken by a passing stranger? 
Or perhaps the culprit is closer to home than you think…

I Blame The Parents

The unputdownable new thriller from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of All Her Fault and No One Saw a Thing.Would you lie for your child?Ellen is at home with her son as a storm batters outside. She hears a knock at the door.Would you hide evidence?Two police officers stand outside in the rain. Ellen's husband and daughter are supposed to be driving back right now and there's been news of a car accident in the neighbourhood group chat. Have they been in a crash?Would you accuse someone else?The two officers step inside and walk through to the living room, trailing muddy footprints across the carpet.Some parents would do anything…They don't want to talk about a car accident. And no, this isn't some sort of mistake. They're here for something terrible. Something that will turn Ellen’s life upside down… 
 
Everyone is talking about Andrea Mara 
 
'Will leave you on the edge of your seat' Freida McFadden 
 
'Wow, this blew me away!' Claire Douglas 
 
‘An absolute page turner!’ Shari Lapena 
 
‘A gripping story, beautifully told.’ Patricia Cornwell 
 
'An all-round stunning thriller from the queen of the tangled web.' Janice Hallett

Spine-chilling, with stunning writing that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Andrea Mara never misses and this is no exception.

It’s all ominous chapter endings and artful dialogue that pours across the page like good prosecco.

Impossible to put down – a fast paced thriller with twists and turns around every corner.

I honestly inhaled this, couldn’t wait to get back to it. I think it’s Andrea’s best book yet. The twists just kept coming.'

Riveting…twisty and so full of secrets that you’ll be dying to discover the truth!

Ingenious plotting, brilliantly written, pacy and totally unpredictable, I devoured it over a weekend. This is Andrea Mara’s best book yet. Absolutely outstanding!

Punchy writing, strong characterisation and short chapters propel it to a dramatic, satisfying finale. Highly recommended.

Action-packed from the get-go, the pace never lets up in this premium slice of domestic suspense.

Andrea Mara is a number one Sunday Times, Irish Times and Kindle bestselling author, whose books have sold more than one million copies across all formats. The TV adaptation of her 2021 book, All Her Fault, aired in November 2025 to huge critical and audience acclaim, with Sarah Snook (Succession) playing the lead. It became the most-streamed TV show in America during the first week of its release. Her most recent novel, It Should Have Been You, won Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the 2025 An Post Book Awards. It was a No.1 bestseller in Ireland for six weeks, and a Top Ten Sunday Times bestseller in the UK. Her book No One Saw a Thing was a Sunday Times number one bestseller and has sold over half a million copies. Andrea lives in Dublin with her husband and three children. You can find Andrea on Instagram @andreamaraauthor

Would you lie for your child?Ellen is at home with her son as a storm batters outside. She hears a knock at the door.Would you hide evidence?Two police officers stand outside in the rain. Ellen's husband and daughter are supposed to be driving back right now and there's been news of a car accident in the neighbourhood group chat. Have they been in a crash?Would you accuse someone else?The two officers step inside and walk through to the living room, trailing muddy footprints across the carpet.Some parents would do anything…They don't want to talk about a car accident. And no, this isn't some sort of mistake. They're here for something terrible. Something that will turn Ellen’s life upside down…

Andrea Mara

Wow this blew me away! Such A Nice Girl gripped me from the very first page right up to the thrilling, heart-pounding denouement. What a brilliant twist! Totally unpredictable with a genius hook, this is my favourite of hers yet. I’m a huge fan.

It’s all ominous chapter endings and artful dialogue that pours across the page like good prosecco.

'I honestly inhaled this, couldn’t wait to get back to it. I think it’s Andrea’s best book yet. The twists just kept coming. An unguessable and most thrilling thriller in the plushest surroundings of south county Dublin. I bloody loved it.'

'Warning: Don’t start Such a Nice Girl if you have anything urgent to do… This dark mystery about two mothers and two daughters is pitch perfect, with great characters, a deviously twisting plot and a pace that breaks the speed limit. An all-round stunning thriller from the queen of the tangled web. Such a fabulous read!'

What a fantastic novel. A masterclass in twists and turns. It’ll leave your head spinning. Mara remains at the top of her game and I’m here for it.

Mara's handling of the relationship of the mothers under pressure is gripping, as is the central mystery - which girl will turn out to be either a victim , or guilty.

Buckle up, you're in for one hell of a ride with this fiendishly clever, insidiously sinister novel that had me in its grip from page one. Mara is the undisputed queen of the psychological thriller and the queen of the plot twist. Her books should come with a warning - Reader Beware: Once you start, you won't be able to stop. The twists, turns and blindsides are superb. It's got everything. Sit back and enjoy - you are in the hands of a master.

Andrea Mara is one of a kind, writing with a vice-like grip and plots perfectly designed to speak to our deepest, darkest fears and get under our skin. Clear your calendar: once you start reading Such a Nice Girl, you won't be able to stop.

'I absolutely loved every second of reading this - a complete pleasure from start to finish. Andrea Mara is a genius storyteller. In Such a Nice Girl she puts you right at the heart of a catastrophic situation and turns up the tension until you feel as invested as if the characters' problems were your own. Fast-paced, compelling, twisty and utterly absorbing, this novel will delight her legions of fans.'

Another winner from the queen of cliffhangers. With its short, snappy chapters, beguiling mystery and cast of fascinating characters, Such A Nice Girl is a thrill ride of a read that kept me guessing. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Andrea Mara goes from strength to strength.

Such a Nice Girl is a masterful delve into human connections, friendship and familial, while delivering an unputdownable, intricately plotted, edge of your seat, twisty thriller. Gripping and oh so satisfying.

Mothers. Daughters. Killers. Victims. The combinations are deadly in Andrea Mara's clever, clever new thriller, a novel that pits its characters against one another with real invention, real force. It's genuinely involving, too, as an exploration of friendship and parenthood. This is a good one.

'Utterly gripping from the first to the last page. I devoured it! A masterclass in maternal fear and buried secrets.'

Two best friends. One murder. The truth could unravel everything... 
 
The gripping new thriller from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of All Her Fault and No One Saw a Thing. 
 
''Will leave you on the edge of your seat.' Freida McFadden 
'Impossible to put down.' Patricia Cornwell 
'Andrea's best book yet.' Liz Nugent 
 
Have you seen the girls? 
 
The morning after a glamorous, luxury wedding, best friends Siobhan and Grace go to wake their twenty-four-year-old daughters. Opening the door to their shared room, they find a smashed lamp, an abandoned phone and blood on the carpet. 
 
Over the next few days, the truth unravels, testing Siobhan and Grace's friendship to its limits. As secrets and lies begin to come to light, they realise that the girls were not best friends. In fact, they weren't really friends at all. And now, it looks like one of them is dead. And one of them is a killer. 
 
But whose daughter is guilty of murder? 
 
‘The thing is, we always believe the best of our own kids. What mother thinks her own daughter will do something terrible? But every bad deed is carried out by a person who was once someone’s child.’ 
 
Everyone is talking about Such a Nice Girl: 
'Wow, this blew me away!' Claire Douglas 
 
'An all-round stunning thriller from the queen of the tangled web.' Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal 
 
'A masterclass in twists and turns.' John Marrs, bestselling author of You Killed Me First 
 
'Andrea Mara is one of a kind.' Jack Jordan, bestselling author of Do No Harm'Fast-paced, compelling, twisty and utterly absorbing... Andrea Mara is a genius storyteller.' Jane Casey, bestselling author of The Secret Room 
 
'Twisty and so full of secrets that you’ll be dying to discover the truth! Shari Lapena, bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

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12 of the best race-against-time thrillers

7 must-read books for Fool Me Once fans

Best crime books and thrillers of 2026

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