Nothing beats a good heist. Nothing can be better than a sophisticated plot where clues fall into a massive puzzle as you reach the end of the book. Some of these books are so good that you end up hoping criminals will get away with their skillful masterpieces. The end is not always positive, but the story will make you crave for more. All in all, here are some of the best heist thriller books from the last 5 years.
The Night Stalker, by Robert Bryndza
This book has nothing to do with the documentary from Netflix. Instead, it tells the story of detective Erika Foster – called to a murder scene where a doctor is found dead. A new victim is found a few days later – similar circumstances and a bunch of connections between the murders.
It looks like someone is hunting victims and perfectly choosing the perfect moment to hit. There is definitely a serial killer out there and the individual seems to be extremely calculated. Victims are all men – single, with private lives and little to no social connections.
Erika will have to find the killer before murders continue, but she soon realizes her life is also endangered. While there are many books based on female detective out there, there is something about this one that will draw your admiration straight away.
It Ends With Her, by Brianna Labuskes
There are two main characters – FBI agent Clarke Sinclair and Simon Cross. Simon is a terrible serial killer who has something for redheads. At the same time, the agent knows that the murderer loves playing mind games and this new game seems to take her all over the country.
One thing leads to another. By the time the detective finds a victim, another one is waiting to be found. Things change to 180 degrees later on, when the killer seems to target a blond woman. Kidnapped in New York, this new victim makes it obvious – the murderer can strike anyone, anytime.
At this point, Clarke starts putting clues together, only to realize that she is also at risk. She could be the murderer’s next victim. She ends up in a twisted game that troubles her existence even more – you will be surprised to find out that there is more to this detective than what the author shows you in the beginning.
The Moving Blade, by Michael Pronko
Author Michael Pronko brings in a mix of disturbing murders, politicians and mysteries. If you think about it, the story seems to lack a plot – you have an American diplomat who gets killed, some erotic Japanese prints and American bases spread all over Japan. What do these things have in common?
American diplomat Bernard Mattson is murdered. Someone breaks into his home during the funeral and steals some files from his computer. The burglar does not complete the plan, as he ends up killed on a side road.
Detective Shimizu finds up one clue after another, yet they do not seem to have anything in common. Bernard’s daughter comes to Japan to handle her father’s funeral, but she faces a bunch of dangers while discovering a world that she is not familiar with. Clues fall together as you approach the end of the book.
Hybrid, by James Marshall Smith
Hybrid shows that no matter what the book is about, a good heist story will hook you in straight away. Dieter Harmon is a local veterinarian and quite new in town. The community is shocked by a string of mutilated bodies in the nearby woods and the vet finds one himself too.
Meanwhile, the government is trying to bring back up the wolf population in the area. However, as the vet gets in touch with the people responsible for the conservation project, he soon realizes that those wolves are a bit different from the wolves everyone is familiar with.
Before he even realizes it, Dieter becomes a target himself. The action might be slow at times, but it is certainly intense. Things go wild as you reach to the second part. Whether or not you are into wild animals, this book will give you a good heart pounding adventure.
Darkroom, by Mary Maddox
Kelly Durrell realizes that she is the only element between someone she loves and an incredible tragedy. This book raises a question – how far would you go if your best friend went missing? Kelly is about to find out and surprisingly for everyone, she goes way out of her comfort zone to solve the problem.
Day Randall is a freelance artist living with Kelly. One day, she is gone. Kelly does not really assume the worst, but she notices an investigation that barely moves on. At this point, she decides to step up and find out what happened to Day – despite having clues that Day might have moved on.
All in all, the investigation takes some unusual turns and eventually, Kelly finds some sort of a map. She realizes that she might be able to find her friend, but she could become the next victim then. Will she go all the way in?
Flash Crash, by Denison Hatch
Flash Crash is one of the best heist thriller books from the last 5 years if you are after technology, crime and exquisite mysteries. Everything begins when a hacker ruins the gold index – everything is crashed and Wall Street seems to go down as well.
Meanwhile, a truck with over $120M of gold is hijacked with nothing but pure science in a spectacular show. A SWAT team kicks in, as well as detective Jack Rivett. One thing leads to another and the investigation moves on to David Below, an employee from a local investment bank.
There are no doubts about it – the programmer is behind all these. However, the investigation must prove his involvement and this is when things go from bad to worse. It seems that stakes for David and pretty high and way below Jack’s imagination.
Watching You, by Lisa Jewell
Nothing beats the story of a troubled teenager watching his neighbors all day long and hoping to become a spy. The action takes place in a posh neighborhood of Bristol, England – doctors, lawyers and politicians with all kinds of secrets. It is definitely not the type of place where murders occur.
Tom Fitzwilliam is a popular figure in the area and about to become the new headmaster of a local school. His soon Freddie is the teenager keeping an eye on everyone, including Joey – who ends up having a crush on his father.
The author introduces you to a few more neighbors – each of them with their own secrets and beliefs regarding each other. Then, about 20 years ago, a young girl wrote in her diary about her obsession for a young teacher named Fitzwilliams. Where is the connection?
Stillhouse Lake, by Rachael Caine
Gina Royal is a typical housewife. She has a couple of kids, a decent life and a happy marriage. She is quite average, but everything changes when a car accident exposes her husband – a serial killer the entire police force was looking for. Now, she has to change everything about her life.
She becomes Gwen Proctor in order to start a new life and she moves in the middle of nowhere – Stillhouse Lake. While still haunted by words and actions from online trolls who thought she might have been involved, she believes this place is great for her kids to grow up peacefully.
But then, a dead body shows up on the lake. Days later, Gwen starts getting threatening letters. She must do anything she can to avoid the exposure – plus, she realizes her kids could actually be in danger. Will she manage to get out of this nightmare?
The Sky Thieves, by Jason Kasper
Blair Morgan has spent most of her life as an FBI agent, but then, she discovers her passion for a new career and she becomes an elite thief. She gathers together an incredible crew of experienced thieves and does not settle for little.
The new target? The so called Sierra Diamond. Estimated at over $27M, the diamond is about to be exposed in a posh side of Los Angeles. It will be encased in a modern and impenetrable vault known as the Sky Safe.
However, Blair has a different opinion. Meanwhile, her former FBI boss knows that she will target the diamond and he plans to catch her in the middle of action. The action turns into a game of violence and plot twists between Blair and her former corrupt boss.
Bottom line, these are some of the best heist thriller books from the last 5 years. From thrillers boosting personal stories full of mystery and dramatic events to action books featuring high scale intrigues and incredible twists, any of these books will hook you in and keep your heart pounding until the very last page.