Looking for page-turners with a little more substance—and a little less testosterone? These literary thrillers favor atmosphere, character, and psychological tension over relentless plot twists and hardened detectives. Many center on women—obsessed, endangered, enraged, or just extremely observant—and explore everything from family secrets to buried trauma to true-crime-like disappearances.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Despite the title, a few murdery men make an appearance (they often do), and not every book here is a conventional thriller. Some lean gothic, some are novels of obsession, and at least one is nonfiction—but all offer suspense, emotional complexity, and beautifully written dread.
