Topmost Thrillers

 

The International Thriller Writers announced the finalists for the 2025 Thriller Awards. Winners will be revealed at ThrillerFest XX on Saturday, June 21, 2025 at the New York Hilton Midtown, New York City. Congratulations to all!

 

BEST STANDALONE THRILLER NOVEL

• Kimberly Belle — THE PARIS WIDOW (Harlequin – Park Row)
• Will Dean — THE CHAMBER (Emily Bestler Books)
• T.J. Newman — WORST CASE SCENARIO (Little, Brown & Co.)
• Jason Rekulak — THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING (Flatiron Books)
• Lisa Scottoline — THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DEVLINS (Penguin/Putnam)

BEST STANDALONE MYSTERY NOVEL

• Libby Cudmore — NEGATIVE GIRL (Datura Books)
• Laura Dave — THE NIGHT WE LOST HIM (Simon & Schuster)
• Kellye Garrett — MISSING WHITE WOMAN (Mulholland Books)
• Harry Hunsicker — THE LIFE AND DEATH OF ROSE DOUCETTE (Oceanview Publishing)
• Dervla McTiernan — WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA? (William Morrow)
• Lori Roy — LAKE COUNTY (Thomas & Mercer)

BEST SERIES NOVEL

• David Baldacci — TO DIE FOR (Grand Central Publishing)
• Eric Beetner — THE LAST FEW MILES OF ROAD (Level Best Books)
• Ann Cleeves — THE DARK WIVES (Minotaur)
• Meg Gardiner — SHADOWHEART (Blackstone Publishing)
• Iris Johansen, Roy Johansen — FLASHBACK (Grand Central Publishing)
• Isabella Maldonado — A FORGOTTEN KILL (Thomas & Mercer)

BEST FIRST NOVEL

• Kate Brody — RABBIT HOLE (Soho Crime)
• Jaime deBlanc — AFTER IMAGE (Thomas & Mercer)
• Carinn Jade — THE ASTROLOGY HOUSE (Atria)
• Alejandro Nodarse —BLOOD IN THE CUT (Flatiron Books)
• Marie Tierney — DEADLY ANIMALS (Henry Holt & Co.)

BEST AUDIOBOOK

• Sally Hepworth — DARLING GIRLS (Macmillan), Narrated by Jessica Clarke
• Jon Lindstrom — HOLLYWOOD HUSTLE (Dreamscape Media), Narrated by Jon Lindstrom
• Kate Alice Marshall — NO ONE CAN KNOW (Macmillan Audio),      Narrated by Karissa Vacker
• Hilton Reed — BEYOND ALL DOUBT (Dreamscape Media), Narrated by George Newbern
• Amy Tintera — LISTEN FOR THE LIE (Macmillan),      Narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron
  

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

• Adam Cesare — INFLUENCER (Union Square & Co., LLC)
• Ripley Jones — THE OTHER LOLA (Wednesday Books)
• Marisha Pessl — DARKLY (Delacorte)
• Natalie Richards — 49 MILES ALONE (Sourcebooks Fire)
• Melanie Sumrow — GIRLS LIKE HER (Balzer + Bray)

BEST SHORT STORY

• Stefanie Leder — "Not a Dinner Party Person" (Soho Crime)
• Twist Phelan — "Double Parked" (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
• Ivy Pochoda — Jackrabbit Skin (Amazon Original Stories)
• Lisa Unger — The Doll's House (Amazon Original Stories)
• Joseph S. Walker — "And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome" (Wildside Press)