Reese’s Book Club: Unputdownable Thriller and Mystery Selections

For fans of high-stakes, fast-paced thrillers, “Wrong Place, Wrong Time” by Gillian McAllister fits the bill. Picked by Reese’s Book Club in August 2022, it tells the story of a woman named Jen whose son Todd commits a murder on Halloween. But remarkably, Jen wakes up the next day to find that it’s the day of the murder again. She continues to wake up further and further in the past until it becomes apparent that somewhere in those years before the murder, a trigger event set Todd on the path to becoming a killer, and it’s up to Jen to uncover the secret and stop the tragedy from occurring. 

Ideal for fans of “The Butterfly Effect,” McAllister’s novel has received a commendable 4.2 stars on Amazon and 3.97 stars on Goodreads from nearly 420,000 ratings. “Wowza, this is an absolute mindblower,” wrote one reviewer on the platform, who awarded the book five stars. “Right from the start the author pulls you into the storytelling with shock, horror, disbelief and tension being the tone set and maintained throughout. The concept of the novel is fantastic and very different from her previous novels, yet it’s also full of many clever twists and turns you don’t see coming which is one of her trademarks.” Another Goodreads reviewer noted, “This is an intelligent and compulsive read as all the puzzling parts come together in a emotive, imaginative and unexpected story of twists and turns, so well written, and with characters that hold your interest, in what I think is her best novel to date.” 

Of course, Reese Witherspoon herself gushed about this one, calling it “SUCH a page turner.” Meanwhile, some Amazon reviewers shared that they couldn’t predict how the novel would end, which is a great measure of a good thriller. 

For January 2024, Reese’s Book Club picked “First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston. Reese Witherspoon chose this one because it has “everything you could want in a thriller: secret identities, a mysterious boss and a cat and mouse game” along with a surprise ending. The unique premise follows a woman named Evie Porter who has everything, including the perfect house, perfect boyfriend, and perfect friendship group. Except Evie Porter doesn’t really exist — the name and location are given to her by her boss, whose real identity is a mystery. As Evie gets to know her new town and the people who live there, she begins to question everything. 

Goodreads, which is not an easy crowd to win over, has given Elston’s novel an average rating of 4.01 stars, with reviewers praising the same thriller elements that drew Witherspoon in. One reviewer called it “‘one of the best action-packed, twisty, scheming, mind-throbbing thrillers with a perfect cat-and-mouse game that keeps you glued to your seats, eyes on the pages, afraid of breathing, and just reading till you reach the final page.” Others found that the story “fulfills its promise” and is “addictive, twisty, and thoroughly entertaining.”

The Amazon rating, which is usually a little more forgiving, sits at 4.3 stars from more than 89,000 ratings. Many of the positive reviews highlight the fact that suspense is present throughout the whole story, and the characters are well-written and fleshed out. You might have to suspend belief a little with this one due to the wackier plot premise, but the majority of reviewers recommend it anyway. It’s certainly far from the most disappointing Reese’s Book Club reads!

A best-selling novel with more than a million copies sold to date, “The Last Mrs. Parrish” by Liv Constantine is described as “psychological suspense” that’s full of secrets and drama. The protagonist is Amber Patterson, a woman who feels invisible at the best of times, but especially compared to Connecticut socialite Daphne Parrish, who’s married to real-estate magnet Jackson. So, Amber sets in motion a scheme to place herself close to Daphne, as long as her long-buried secrets don’t come back to bite her. 

The average rating on Amazon is 4.2 stars, and many reviewers gush about the twists and turns in this story, along with the clever plot and pacing. “This is a slick twist-filled psychological thriller that will grip you from the first chapter!” one reviewer shared. “Told from alternating perspectives, the writing is fast-paced, with just the right amount of tension and drama to keep you on edge.” Meanwhile, Goodreads reviewers have awarded this an average of 3.96 stars from over 438,000 ratings. “The writing flows beautifully, and the story grabs you and won’t let go,” a reviewer commented. “I was dying to know exactly how this craziness would end, but now I’m kind of disappointed that it’s over!”

The positive reviews align with Reese’s Book Club’s comments; when the book was picked in December 2017, Reese Witherspoon said, “Be warned — you will not be able to put this one down! It’s a psychological thriller about two determined women who play a high stakes game of deception that only one can win.” It’s no wonder A-lister Jennifer Lopez has been cast in the Netflix adaptation of the film. 

All of the picks from Reese’s Book Club end up gaining mainstream success to some extent, but few reach the stardom levels — or the positive ratings — of “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens. This was the September 2018 pick for Reese’s Book Club, before it went on to captivate the world with its thrilling yet beautifully told story. “Have you ever read a book where you didn’t want it to end?” Reese Witherspoon posed to the club. “That’s how I feel about this book.” Some might say the “Legally Blonde” star is biased because as a Louisiana native, she’s naturally going to be drawn to books set against “the breathtaking backdrop of the South,” but the thousands of reviews online confirm her stance: This is one you want to read. 

Not as fast-paced as other thrillers, it tells the story of Kya Clark, who lives in the marshes of North Carolina. The locals have preconceived notions of Kya, who they say is wild, and who has lived in solitude in the marsh for years, so she naturally becomes the leading suspect when a local man turns up dead. Along with an exploration of the role of the natural world, the scars of childhood, and the need for connection, the book offers a spine-chilling mystery with glints of secrets that should stay buried. 

This book’s average Goodreads rating is an impressive 4.38 stars from more than 3 million ratings. The vast majority of reviewers have given the book five stars, with many commending the “poetry and vivid descriptions of the Marsh” as well as the “engaging” murder mystery. There’s depth and layers surrounding the thrilling elements, so this is ideal for readers who prefer more of a well-crafted slow-burn than a fast-paced story that leaves you winded. It has also received an incredible 4.7 stars on Amazon, where readers praise the balance of stunning prose and rich descriptions with a compelling plot. Witherspoon loved this one so much that she produced the film adaptation, which was released in 2022.

“Broken Country” by Clare Leslie Hall is a Reese’s Book Club thriller that became an instant favorite following its March 2025 pick. At first glance, this may seem more like a rural drama, but Reese Witherspoon assures us that it has all the makings of a thriller. “You are going to LOSE YOUR CHICKEN over it,” she tells club members, adding that it’s a “a masterfully crafted mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page. Seriously, that ending?! I did not see it coming.”

The plot follows Beth, whose brother-in-law shoots a dog attacking their sheep. The dog belonged to the aptly named Gabriel Wolfe, Beth’s ex, whose son looks like Beth’s own son who died. Gabriel’s return to Beth’s life kicks off a chain of events that dig up old skeletons and force Beth to make an impossible choice. Goodreads gives this one an amazing 4.39 stars from more than 126,000 ratings. “This is what reading is all about,” one commented. Another Goodreads reviewer shared, “This book has all the elements of a love story and a literary thriller with a murder trial, but this description fails to capture what makes this book special. The impossible choices and consequences when faced with the dilemmas these characters face makes it a propulsive and heartbreaking read.”

Amazon reviewers have also been impressed with Hall’s story, giving it 4.6 stars and commending the author’s use of flashbacks to create suspense. While this is described as a love story at its core, readers particularly loved the twists and fast pacing that turned it into a crossover thriller. Having only been on the market for a few months, it’s already set to be adapted to film by Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine, and is definitely among the most popular Reese’s Book Club picks of the past year.

Combing through Reese’s Book Club picks to find the best of the bunch is no easy task. We first set aside all the thrillers, ensuring that their plots and premises contained some form of mystery and, of course, thrill. From there, we looked at three key criteria: Amazon ratings, Goodreads ratings, and reviews on both platforms, also taking into account any other accolades such as film adaptations or other awards won. The above books have the highest combined ratings, over 4.2 on Amazon and 3.8 on Goodreads, and the largest number of reviews particularly praising the thriller elements of each novel.

Now, if you’re looking for more reading recommendations, check out Reese’s Book Club’s first-ever pick, which became an instant favorite.