Guardian Spotlights Five New Crime Thrillers
The Guardian's latest crime and thriller roundup features new releases from authors Fran Dorricott, A.H.M. Preston, Jennie Godfrey, MK Oliver, and Lee Heejoo, with readers praising the selection as "spellbinding." The list highlights the strongest recent entries in psychological suspense and mystery fiction for 2026.
- Jennie Godfrey's novel, *The Barbecue at No 9*, is her second book and takes place on a single day: July 13, 1985, the date of the Live Aid concert. Her debut, *The List of Suspicious Things*, was also historical fiction, inspired by her childhood in West Yorkshire when the "Yorkshire Ripper" was active. - *A Sociopath's Guide to a Successful Marriage* is the debut novel from MK Oliver, a former headteacher. The satirical thriller, centered on a manipulative North London mother who murders an intruder to protect her perfect life, was optioned for a Hulu series before it was even released. - Lee Heejoo's novel *Holy Boy* is the first of the young Korean author's works to be translated into English. Its plot, about four fans who kidnap their favorite K-pop star, delves into the theme of parasocial relationships, which Cambridge Dictionary named the 2025 word of the year. - The review also highlights Frances Crawford's debut, *A Bad, Bad Place*, a coming-of-age mystery set in Glasgow's Possilpark district in the late 1970s. The story is told from the dual viewpoints of a 12-year-old girl who finds a body and her grandmother who has been caring for her since a family tragedy. - The fifth book, Alex Preston's *A Stranger in Corfu*, is set in 1995 and reimagines the small Greek island of Vidos as a "spyland" for burnt-out or compromised MI6 agents. The plot kicks off when an agent suffering from PTSD is sent to the island, only for past secrets to begin violently resurfacing.
