The Best Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, and Horror Books from Our Top 250

ThriftBooks published the list of Our Top 250 Books on June 11, 2026 and I’ve been staring at it in fascination ever since. A list this large is so fun to explore. Titles will surprise you with their spot, surprise you for not being on it (you can explore the methodology here), and some are simply delightful to see beside one another. Here are the Fiction picks that made ThriftBooks Top 250 Books.

#7 The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2015

The highest-ranked of Hannah’s nine titles to make the list (which is the most of any author) is a historical fiction set in 1939 about love and strength in the face of war.

#14 The Women by  Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2024

Hannah’s next in the list is set during the Vietnam War, and was inspired by Hannah's experience growing up during the war era. To prepare for writing the novel read several memoirs by nurses who served, helping anchor the characters of this fiction in truth.

#16 The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Originally published: 1985

Winner of the Governor General's Award and the first ever Arthur C. Clarke Award

The captivating writing of this complex piece of speculative fiction is what cemented Atwood as one of the century’s most-prominent writers.

#24 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Originally published: 2021

Friendship, science, and comedy take center stage in this modern hit about the lone scientist left on a last-chance mission to save humanity itself, who wakes up unsure what he’s doing in space at all.

#29 The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

Originally published: 2023

Based on the life and writings of Martha Ballard, a real eighteenth-century midwife, this novel is about a midwife who investigates a murder in colonial Maine. The book received a rise in recognition with its selection for the Good Morning America Book Club.

#32 Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Originally published: 2023

When this BookTok legend about a war college for dragon riders released, it sold out nearly immediately and changed the publishing world forever, creating a generation of romantasy readers with an obsession for sprayed-edges.

#39 The Stand by Stephen King

Originally published: 1978

King’s highest-ranked book, out of six, is an apocalyptic vision of a world blasted by plague and tangled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. In 1990 he released an extended version, look for ‘Complete & Uncut’ in the title or on the cover, and the world was extended again via a short story collection from prominent horror authors just last year.

#41 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Originally published: 2011

Stepping away from traditional horror, King ranks again, and so soon, with a sci-fi tale about a time traveler who attempts to prevent JFK’s assassination. The experienced writer has said it was the first time he tried to write something so research-heavy and found it to be new territory.

#44 Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Originally published: 1993

In a post-apocalyptic society where vulnerability is a risk, fifteen-year-old Lauren suffers from hyperempathy—a debilitating sensitivity to others' emotions, and what begins as a fight for survival leads to the birth of a new faith. The novel got a sequel, Parable of the Talents, in 1998.

#55 The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2018

After he returns from the Vietnam war, a desperate man seeks a new beginning and moves his family to the wilderness of Alaska, only for them to find that the unpredictable environment is less threatening than the erratic behavior found in human nature.

#58 And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Originally published: 1940

The first pure mystery novel on the list is naturally from the Mistress of Mystery herself. This iconic tale of eight visitors who visit a mysterious island, only to be accused of crimes and picked off one by one, is said to be one of the bestselling books of all time.

#62 The Martian by Andy Weir

Originally published: 2011

One of few titles to make the Top 250 that was originally self-published, readers found the story of an astronaut left on Mars who finds a way to survive compelling because the science of this sci-fi was so grounded, and its humor helps, too.

#63 A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Originally published: 2016

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat and is sentenced to house arrest in a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Brimming with humor and a memorable cast of characters, this novel casts a spell as it relates the count's endeavor to understand what it means to be a man of purpose.

#65 All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Originally published: 2014

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction

Doerr’s first spark of inspiration behind this transformative novel was surprisingly simple—the miracle of long-distance communication. From there, he began a decade-long, research-heavy writing journey, setting his story in World War II and focusing on the civilians of war.

#73 The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

Originally published: 2025

Winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and the Women’s Prize for Fiction

In this epistolary novel, Sybil is a mother and grandmother, divorced, a retired lawyer, a gardener, and an avid writer of letters. At seventy-three she uses her letters to make sense of the world and her place in it, but one day she starts receiving letters about the most painful period of her life.

#74 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Originally published: 2007

Described as riveting, beautiful and haunting, this is the story of two women’s whose lives cross unexpectedly when a generation apart they end up married to the same man. Hosseini calls this the mother-daughter story companion to his father-son piece, The Kite Runner.

#79 Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

Originally published: 2017

Based on a real-life incident in which the director of a Memphis-based adoption organization kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country, this wrenching and uplifting tale says that the heart never forgets where we belong.

#80 A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Originally published: 2015

Spicy book lovers have this series to thank for the term taking off! After Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature demands punishment in this Beauty and the Beast inspired romantasy where fae and humans are enemies.

#92 The Shining by Stephen King

Originally published: 1977

Few horror settings are as memorable as The Overlook Hotel, the sinister and remote location where Jack, a recovering alcoholic, takes a job, bringing his wife and young son to live there with him in the off-season before they all begin to unravel. Famously adapted by Stanley Kubrick, the historically lauded film was hated by the author for changes to the source.

#96 Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2010

Can a woman ever really know herself if she doesn't know her mother? In her fourth novel to make our Top 250, Hannah explores the complexity of the mother-daughter bond, and the enduring links between the present and the past.

#98 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Originally published: 2017

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. From making her way to Los Angeles to her decision to leave show business in the '80s, and the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love.

#101 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Originally published: 2011

Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction

A retelling of the Trojan War focused on the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, Miller’s poetic look at familiar characters found a second-wind audience nearly a decade later when it became a BookTok favorite.

#104 I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

Originally published: 1995

A cult favorite that found a massive new audience decades after its original publication, this haunting work of speculative fiction is philosophical, unsettling, and quietly profound.

#106 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Originally published: 2022

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction

Inspired by David Copperfield, this Appalachian epic follows Demon, a boy born into poverty and addiction who keeps finding ways to survive and thrive in a world that keeps throwing destruction and tragedy his way. It shared its Pulitzer with Trust, the first time two books shared the award.

#111 Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Originally published: 2022

A grieving widow, a restless young man, and a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus form the heart of this warm, gently unusual novel about friendship in an unlikely place. Readers fall in love with its humor, mystery, and tenderness.

#113 Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

Originally published: 1966

Originally a novelette, this realistic sci-fi novel explores the intersection of humanity and medical study. The book is often taught in school because of its strong use of metaphor and character growth.

#117 James by Percival Everett

Originally published: 2024

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the National Book Award for Fiction, and the Kirkus Prize

Revisit the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim in this highly-awarded and celebrated novel that is both a literary conversation with Twain and a fully realized adventure story on its own terms.

#120 Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Originally published: 2020

First in a series that is now eight books deep, this book has the distinction of being the list’s only LitRPG. Absurd and violent and so much fun, the story begins when Earth is transformed into a deadly televised dungeon crawl and one man enters wearing boxer shorts and accompanied by his ex-girlfriend's cat.

#131 Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2006

One of Hannah's earlier novels on the list, this story of emotional healing and family secrets follows a psychiatrist who returns to her small hometown after a professional crisis and becomes involved with a mysterious child found alone in the woods.

#140 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Originally published: 2003

Hosseini's debut novel follows Amir and Hassan, two boys growing up in Kabul whose friendship is fractured by betrayal and haunted by history. A father-son companion in spirit to A Thousand Splendid Suns, it became a modern book club staple through its emotional look at guilt, loyalty, and the possibility of redemption.

#149 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Originally published: 2021

Winner of the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, and shortlisted for the Booker Prize

This novella follows an Irish coal merchant whose quiet life is disrupted by what he discovers at a local convent. It is brief enough to read in one sitting and powerful enough to stay with readers much longer. Cillian Murphy starred in the film adaptation.

#150 It by Stephen King

Originally published: 1986

Makes sense that an epic horror ultimately about the loss of childhood innocence would be the source of the scariest clown of all time. In Pennywise and the haunted town of Derry, King created an atmosphere of dread that is unforgettable.

#162 Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2003

Before Hannah became known for sweeping historical fiction, she was already writing intimate stories about family, identity, and emotional second chances. Between Sisters follows two estranged sisters whose very different lives begin to converge again, making it a strong pick for readers who like their fiction full of complicated love.

#165 The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Originally published: 2020

Nora Seed attempts suicide and wakes inside the Midnight Library, a liminal space where she can open a book and experience every alternative life she might have lived in this philosophical BookTok favorite.

#167 Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Originally published: 2025

A word-of-mouth hit from debut novelist Allen Levi, Theo of Golden follows a mysterious man whose quiet acts of kindness begin to ripple through the fictional town of Golden. Its gentle focus on connection, faith, and goodness helped it become one of those rare books passed from reader to reader because people simply wanted someone else to feel what they felt.

#168 A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Originally published: 2012

Backman's funny and tender novel became an international favorite by understanding that even the grumpiest of us may be grieving more than you can see. Grumpy old Ove would prefer not to be bothered, so, naturally, life sends him a persistent stray cat, new neighbors, and a lesson.

#172 The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Originally published: 1973

Quick, how many lines can you quote from this book (or its famous film)? Fun, nostalgic, and full of adventure, The Princess Bride truly has everything: a long lost love, pirates, magicians, princes and princesses, justice and revenge, no wonder it has readers coming back after decades.

#174 The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2021

Hannah's historical fiction often centers women surviving history's cruelties, and this one turns that focus toward migration, motherhood, and resilience during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.

#177 Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Originally published: 2018

Part coming-of-age novel, part murder mystery, and part ode to the North Carolina marsh, this story focuses on Kya Clark, a girl who has survived on her own in the dangers of nature and faces the danger of society’s biases.

#178 The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Originally published: 2003

Comfort is the word that encapsulates this slim piece of religious fiction best. After a man awakens in the afterlife, he learns that heaven is not a lush Garden of Eden, but a place where your earthly life is explained to you by both loved ones and distant strangers.

#184 The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Originally published: 2017

Inspired by a true story, this book club favorite is about three women who join a network of spies working for the British during World War I, gaining intelligence on the operations of the Germans.

#207 The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

Originally published: 2023

Spanning generations in South India, Verghese's sweeping family saga follows a community shadowed by a strange affliction connected to water. Selected for Oprah's Book Club, the novel gave readers a grand, immersive story of medicine, faith, family, and the mysteries that pass from one generation to the next.

#213 Misery by Stephen King

Originally published: 1987

Winner of the first ever Bram Stoker Award

A bestselling writer crashes his car and is rescued by his number-one fan, who happens to be Annie Wilkes, one of King's most terrifying creations. Misery turns the relationship between writer and reader into a nightmare, and the film adaptation gave Kathy Bates an Oscar-winning role for the ages.

#214 Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2011

In this emotional novel, Hannah follows three teenagers and the families around them as one tragic night changes everything. It is about friendship, grief, motherhood, blame, and forgiveness—the sort of high-emotion territory where Hannah is at her best.

#219 Game Changer by Rachel Reid

Originally published: 2018

HBO's breakout enemies-to-lovers television adaptation, began somewhere and that was with the sweet story of smoothie-barista Kip and pro-hockey player Scott, who is conflicted between public image and love while Kip is finding out if a love that must be hidden can still be true.

#221 The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Originally published: 2019

Alicia Berenson shoots her husband and then never speaks another word. That irresistible premise helped make Michaelides's debut psychological thriller a bestseller, with readers racing through the pages to find out what happened, why it happened, and whether the silence is really the answer or the trap.

#227 The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

Originally published: 2024

McFadden's thrillers have become staples for readers who want short chapters, big twists, and one more page that somehow becomes the whole book. The Boyfriend delivers another domestic suspense puzzle, this time turning dating, charm, and suspicion into the kind of fast read her fans devour.

#232 Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Originally published: 2016

Winner of the John Leonard Award

When Gyasi returned to Ghana for the first time as a college student after leaving as an infant, she visited Cape Coast Castle and was struck by the contrast of its luxurious upper levels for colonists against the dungeons beneath the ground for slaves. The idea of that history stuck in her mind and became this story of sisters whose lives diverge as intensely as they can.

#234 True Colors by Kristin Hannah

Originally published: 2009

No stranger to family drama, Hannah’s last entry on our list shows what keeps readers coming back to her writing. Loyalty, jealousy, and the painful work of reconciliation star in this tale of three sisters and their beloved ranch.

#250 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Originally published: 2020

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever—and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the titular life, a dazzling adventure which plays out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

Read more by Amanda Cleveland