For the Thrill of It

During an event held last evening in New York City as part of ThrillerFest XX, the International Thriller Writers (ITW) organization announced the winners of its 2025 Thriller Awards.

Best Standalone Thriller Novel:
The Last One at the Wedding, by Jason Rekulak (Flatiron)

Also nominated: The Paris Widow, by Kimberly Belle (Park Row); The Chamber, by Will Dean (Emily Bestler); Worst Case Scenario, by T.J. Newman (Little, Brown); and The Truth About the Devlins, by Lisa Scottoline (Putnam)

Best Standalone Mystery Novel:
Missing White Woman, by Kellye Garrett (Mulholland)

Also nominated: Negative Girl, by Libby Cudmore (Datura); The Night We Lost Him, by Laura Dave (Simon & Schuster); The Life and Death of Rose Doucette, by Harry Hunsicker (Oceanview); What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan (Morrow); and Lake County, by Lori Roy (Thomas & Mercer)

Best Series Novel:
To Die For, by David Baldacci (Grand Central)

Also nominated: The Last Few Miles of Road, by Eric Beetner (Level Best); The Dark Wives, by Ann Cleeves (Minotaur); Shadowheart, by Meg Gardiner (Blackstone); Flashback, by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen (Grand Central); and A Forgotten Kill, by Isabella Maldonado (Thomas & Mercer)

Best First Novel:
Deadly Animals, by Marie Tierney (Henry Holt)

Also nominated: Rabbit Hole, by Kate Brody (Soho Crime); After Image, by Jaime deBlanc (Thomas & Mercer); The Astrology House, by Carinn Jade (Atria); and Blood in the Cut, by Alejandro Nodarse (Flatiron)

Best Audiobook: No One Can Know, by Kate Alice Marshall; narrated by Karissa Vacker (Macmillan Audio)

Also nominated: Darling Girls, by Sally Hepworth, narrated by Jessica Clarke (Macmillan); Hollywood Hustle, by Jon Lindstrom, narrated by Jon Lindstrom (Dreamscape Media); Beyond All Doubt, by Hilton Reed, narrated by George Newbern (Dreamscape Media); and Listen for the Lie, by Amy Tintera, narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron (Macmillan)

Best Young Adult Novel:
Darkly, by Marisha Pessl (Delacorte)

Also nominated: Influencer, by Adam Cesare (Union Square); The Other Lola, by Ripley Jones (Wednesday); 49 Miles Alone, by Natalie Richards (Sourcebooks Fire); and Girls Like Her, by Melanie Sumrow (Balzer + Bray)

Best Short Story:
“Jackrabbit Skin,” by Ivy Pochoda (Amazon Original Stories)

Also nominated: “Not a Dinner Party Person,” by Stefanie Leder (from Eight Very Bad Nights: A Collection of Hanukkah Noir, edited by Tod Goldberg; Soho Crime); “Double Parked,” by Twist Phelan (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, November/December 2024); “The Doll’s House,” by Lisa Unger (Amazon Original Stories); “And Now, an Inspiring Story of Tragedy Overcome,” by Joseph S. Walker (from Three Strikes—You're Dead!, edited by Donna Andrews, Barb Goffman, and Marcia Talley; Wildside Press)

(Hat tip to Mystery Fanfare.)