Best Thriller Books for Tana French Fans (2026): 5 Compared

When a reader finishes Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad, the question is always what comes next, so the best thriller books for Tana French fans are the ones with the same pull: a tangled investigation, a place you can feel, a twist that lands. This list is for crime readers hunting their next obsession. We compared five books by fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Broken Harbor by French	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
2	The Chain by McKinty	9.7/10	Buy on Amazon
3	While Nobody is Watching	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon
4	Dark Water by Bryndza	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon
5	Bad Blood by Dahl	9.5/10	Buy on Amazon

1

Broken Harbor by French

Tana French·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Tana French's own Dublin Murder Squad book 4, in a reprint edition from Penguin.

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Pros

• By Tana French herself
• Book 4 of Dublin Murder Squad
• Reprint edition from Penguin

Cons

• No page count stated
• No reading age stated
• 2012 publication

2

The Chain by McKinty

Adrian McKinty·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A kidnapping thriller of impossible moral choices; skip it if child abduction stories are too much.

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Pros

• 368-page paperback reprint; September 22, 2020 publication date stated
• A chain of kidnappings forces victims into hard choices
• Works as a standalone with no series to follow

Cons

• Child kidnapping at the center, plainly described
• A reprint, not a new release
• No reading age or grade level stated

3

While Nobody is Watching

Michelle Dunne·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

A dark, gritty Irish thriller from Boldwood, listed in eBook, audiobook and paperback.

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Pros

• Irish setting, like Tana French's Dublin
• 2026 publication, the newest here
• eBook, audiobook and paperback listed

Cons

• No page count stated
• No reading age stated
• Single book, not a series

4

Dark Water by Bryndza

Robert Bryndza·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 3 of 9 in the Detective Erika Foster series, a thriller with a killer twist.

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Pros

• Book 3 of 9 in the Erika Foster series
• Thriller with a killer twist
• 2016 publication

Cons

• No page count stated
• No reading age stated
• Mid-series entry

5

Bad Blood by Dahl

Arne Dahl·9.5/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 2 of 3 in the Intercrime series, a crime novel from Vintage Crime/Black Lizard.

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Pros

• Book 2 of 3 in the Intercrime series
• Crime novel from Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
• 2013 publication

Cons

• No page count stated
• No reading age stated
• Mid-series entry

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Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 22 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. None of the five picks states a reading age or level. How we pick explains the weights.

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 books for tana french fans

Pick the next obsession

Start with Broken Harbor: it is Tana French’s own Dublin Murder Squad book 4. While Nobody is Watching brings an Irish setting in a dark, gritty thriller. Dark Water is book 3 of 9 in the Detective Erika Foster series, Bad Blood is book 2 of 3 in the Intercrime series, and The Chain is a standalone thriller. See our best thriller dystopian books for another corner of the genre.

Check the series spot

Three picks are mid-series: Broken Harbor is book 4, Dark Water book 3 of 9, Bad Blood book 2 of 3. If you prefer a complete story in one book, The Chain and While Nobody is Watching are not listed as series entries. Our best thriller books series list covers more series starts.

Before you buy

• Check the series position: Broken Harbor is book 4, Dark Water book 3 of 9, Bad Blood book 2 of 3.
• Match the setting: Irish for Broken Harbor and While Nobody is Watching, Nordic for Bad Blood.
• Check the format: While Nobody is Watching lists eBook, audiobook and paperback; the others state no format.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad?

A series of crime novels set in Dublin; Broken Harbor is book 4 of the series.

Are these all series books?

No. Broken Harbor is book 4 of Dublin Murder Squad, Dark Water is book 3 of 9 in the Erika Foster series, Bad Blood is book 2 of 3 in Intercrime, and the other two are not listed as series entries.

Which is the newest?

While Nobody is Watching, published July 26, 2026.

Still deciding? Our top pickBroken Harbor by French

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