Best Thriller Series Like From: 5 Books Compared
Five thriller and mystery books for readers who like the series From, compared on series position, edition, content and reading age.

At a glance
Top picks
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we score
If you finished the series From and want books with the same uneasy feeling, this list of the best thriller series like From compares five thriller and mystery books. We compared series position, publication date, stated page counts and reading ages from each listing.
ShelfAnswers earns a commission when you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Quick picks
Best Overall Eleventh Hour by Coulter: FBI thriller, reading age 18+ stated Check price on Amazon
Best Series Starter Lies We Never See by Lindley: Book 1 of 12, 274 pages stated Check price on Amazon
Best Literary Pick The Secret History by Tartt: Psychological thriller, standalone Check price on Amazon
Best Crime Series Wilful Cruelty by Dylan: Book 20 of 22, 2026 edition Check price on Amazon
Best Gentle Read Coffee Gets Cold by Kawaguchi: Book 1 of 6, 272 pages stated Check price on Amazon
The picks
| # | Product | Shelf Score | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eleventh Hour by Coulter | 9.5/10 | Buy |
| 2 | Lies We Never See by Lindley | 9.5/10 | Buy |
| 3 | The Secret History by Tartt | 9.5/10 | Buy |
| 4 | Wilful Cruelty by Dylan | 9.4/10 | Buy |
| 5 | Coffee Gets Cold by Kawaguchi | 9.2/10 | Buy |

Eleventh Hour by Coulter
Fits adult thriller readers who like FBI procedural suspense with a husband-and-wife agent team; skip it if you want the first book of the series.
Pros
- Reading age 18 years and up is stated
- Book 7 of 27 in the FBI Thriller series
- Husband-and-wife FBI agent team premise
Cons
- Published June 24, 2003, an older edition
- Mature themes: murder is central to the description
- Not a series starter

Lies We Never See by Lindley
Fits readers who want a mystery series starter set in historic Charleston; skip it if you prefer a standalone.
Pros
- Book 1 of 12, a series starter
- 274 pages stated
- Published February 18, 2018
Cons
- No reading age or grade level stated
- Mature themes: a shocking tragedy opens the story
- Book 1 of 12 means 11 more books to continue

The Secret History by Tartt
Fits readers who want a literary psychological thriller about a college group; skip it if you want a fast series procedural.
Pros
- Literary psychological thriller premise
- Published October 19, 2011, Vintage edition
- Standalone, not part of a long series
Cons
- No page count or reading age stated
- Mature themes: a dangerous path beyond morality
- No series to continue for readers who want more

Wilful Cruelty by Dylan
Fits crime thriller readers who follow long police series; skip it if you want to start at book one, since this is book 20 of 22.
Pros
- Book 20 of 22, a long-running crime series
- Published June 2, 2026, a current edition
- Police team premise with an inherited case
Cons
- No page count or reading age stated
- Mature themes: murder and violence in the description
- A late entry for readers new to the series

Coffee Gets Cold by Kawaguchi
Fits readers who want a gentle magical-realism novel about a Tokyo cafe; skip it if you want a thriller, since the description is heartfelt, not suspenseful.
Pros
- Book 1 of 6, a series starter
- 272 pages stated
- Published November 17, 2020
Cons
- No reading age or grade level stated
- Heartfelt magical realism, not a thriller
- Weakest fit for readers who want suspense
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
More picks to compare
Save Me by BlackFBI suspense series starter for thriller readersCheck on Amazon
Not Me by BoldFBI BAU suspense for serial-killer thriller fansCheck on Amazon
Behind You by DarkSmall-town FBI thriller for mystery series readersCheck on Amazon
Once He Sees by BlackFBI thriller with a twist for suspense readersCheck on Amazon
Compare the picks
| Book | Shelf Score | Author | Series | Published | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eleventh Hour by Coulter | 9.5/10 | Catherine Coulter | Book 7 of 27 | June 24, 2003 | Check price |
| Lies We Never See by Lindley | 9.5/10 | Michael Lindley | Book 1 of 12 | February 18, 2018 | Check price |
| The Secret History by Tartt | 9.5/10 | Donna Tartt | Standalone | October 19, 2011 | Check price |
| Wilful Cruelty by Dylan | 9.4/10 | Rhys Dylan | Book 20 of 22 | June 2, 2026 | Check price |
| Coffee Gets Cold by Kawaguchi | 9.2/10 | Toshikazu Kawaguchi | Book 1 of 6 | November 17, 2020 | Check price |
Book details as published on each listing, collected 20 October 2026.
How we scored them
The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. Only one of the five picks lists a reading age: Eleventh Hour by Coulter states a reading age of 18 years and up. The other four list no reading age or grade level. How we pick explains the weights.
| Book | Shelf Score | Fit /35 | Contents /25 | Value /25 | Age/level /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eleventh Hour by Coulter | 9.5 | 28 | 18 | 19 | 7 |
| Lies We Never See by Lindley | 9.5 | 28 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| The Secret History by Tartt | 9.5 | 28 | 19 | 20 | 0 |
| Wilful Cruelty by Dylan | 9.4 | 28 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| Coffee Gets Cold by Kawaguchi | 9.2 | 12 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.
How to choose the best thriller series like From
Series or standalone
Three picks start or continue long series: Lies We Never See by Lindley is book 1 of 12, Wilful Cruelty by Dylan is book 20 of 22, and Eleventh Hour by Coulter is book 7 of 27. The Secret History by Tartt is a standalone. If you like committing to a series, start with book one; if you want one book, the standalone fits.
Reading age and maturity
Only Eleventh Hour states a reading age: 18 years and up. The other four state nothing, so check the description for mature themes before buying for a teen. The descriptions mention murder, violence and tragedy, so these are adult reads. See more thriller series with twists and recent mystery series for more options.
Edition and format
Publication dates run from June 24, 2003 for Eleventh Hour to June 2, 2026 for Wilful Cruelty. Older editions are fine for fiction, but check that the listing is the format you want. Stated page counts: 274 for Lies We Never See, 272 for Before the Coffee Gets Cold; the other three state no page count.
Before you buy
- Check the series position on the listing so you start at book one if you want the full story.
- Confirm the edition and publication date, especially for the 2003 Eleventh Hour listing.
- Read the description for mature themes, since four of the five list no reading age.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I start the DCI Evan Warlow series?
At book one, not here: Wilful Cruelty is book 20 of 22 in the series. The listing does not say whether it stands alone.
Which book here is a series starter?
Lies We Never See by Lindley is book 1 of 12, and Before the Coffee Gets Cold is book 1 of 6. Both are the natural entry points.
Is there a reading age for these books?
Only Eleventh Hour by Coulter states one: a reading age of 18 years and up. The other four state no reading age or grade level.
Related lists
See every Thrillers and Mystery list and all Fiction lists.
More lists: mystery series prime, thriller zombie series, quirky mystery series, mystery series to stream.