The Real Book Spy’s 100 Best Mysteries & Thrillers of 2025

Ryan Steck has come up with his 100 “best,” but, in my opinion, a list of 100 does not seem to be a narrow-enough list to be considered “best.” If you consider the criteria of “good, better, best,” how many books would be on Ryan’s “good” and “better” lists?
Then he only reveals 12 of the titles and to get the other 88, you have to subscribe to his new Substack. (Say “Steck’s Substack” 10 times real fast.)
Here are the twelve titles that he revealed. I don’t subscribe to anything to get best lists. They should be free in my opinion.

LAST SEEN, J. T. Ellison
GONE BEFORE GOODBYE, Harlan Coben & Reese Witherspoon
THE WIDOW, John Grisham
THE BLACK WOLF, Louise Penny
THE WOMAN IN SUITE 11, Ruth Ware
BATTLE MOUNTAIN, C. J. Box
CRY HAVOC, Jack Carr
NEMESIS, Gregg Hurwitz
EDGE OF HONOR, Brad Thor
AN INSIDE JOB, Daniel Silva
THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA, Lisa Scottoline
YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED, Ande Pliego