Although known for being the master of thrillers himself, the British author doesn’t shy away from getting inspired by the work of other authors.
Glimpsing into Child’s literary influences, Dead Good Books updated his list of top eighteen novels last autumn.
The titles span from from tense psychological thrillers to high-stakes political dramas, reflecting the writer’s knack for spotting edge-of-your-seat stories.
Take a look at Lee Child’s ten favourites:
You Don’t Know Me – Imran Mahmood
In Lee Child’s words: “A daring concept executed to perfection”
This story follows an unexpected turn of events during the trial of a young man accused of murder. At first, all the evidence points to his guilt. However, during the trial, he suddenly dismisses his lawyer and recounts the events in his own words, challenging each piece of evidence against him. The reader is left with a pressing question: did he do it?
The President is Missing – Bill Clinton and James Patterson
In Lee Child’s words: “The dream team delivers big time… Clinton’s insider secrets and Patterson’s storytelling genius make this the political thriller of the decade.”
The book by the former US President Bill Clinton and the bestselling novelist James Patterson combines dark thrills with an authentic representation of the inner happenings in Washington. The President went missing after a massive cyberattack, codenamed “Dark Ages,” threatens to bring the US to its knees. Suspicions point to Russia, but the title’s President Jonathan Lincoln Duncan also fears a mole within his own ranks. Desperate, he sneaks out of the White House in disguise – using makeup with the help of a famous actress friend.
The Child – Fiona Barton
In Lee Child’s words: “Tense, tantalising and ultimately very satisfying… definitely one of the year’s must-reads”
This short-chapter read follows the lives of three women after an infant’s skeleton is discovered on a building site. For these women – each carrying their own past – this story is impossible to ignore. For one, it offers the chance to reveal a long-hidden secret; for another, it serves as a painful reminder of the worst moments of her life. For the third, journalist Kate Waters, it is the beginning of an investigation – one that could uncover a human interest story far bigger than she ever imagined.
The Last Day – Andrew Hunter Murray
In Lee Child’s words: ‘Wonderful: boldly imagined and beautifully written – the best future-shock thriller for years.’
Prepare yourself for a future journey. It is 2059, and the world has stopped turning. One half is cursed with nothing but burning sun, while the other endures an endless frozen night. The only slim chance for survival lies in the twilight region between the two halves. Ellen Hopper, a scientist living in the British twilight zone, receives a letter from a dying man. She then discovers a dangerous secret that those in power would kill to conceal.
Safe – S. K. Barnett
In Lee Child’s words: “Wonderful: boldly imagined and beautifully written – the best future-shock thriller for years.”
After 12 years, a missing child has reappeared at her family’s door. Jenny Kristal was only six years old when she was kidnapped and endured absolute hell. But now that she is back, new questions arise: How did she manage to return alive? Where has she been? And who has she become?
The Partisan – Patrick Worrall
In Lee Child’s words: ‘The Partisan is immersive, intriguing, and intelligent – an incredibly impressive debut, already up there with the best in the genre.’
It is the summer of 1961, and the brutal Cold War is reaching climax. When two young prodigies from opposite sides of the Iron Curtain meet at a London chess tournament, they unknowingly step into the deadliest game ever played. Shadowing them is a ruthless resistance fighter from the Lithuanian forests, now pursuing some of the world’s most dangerous men – men who have also caught the eye of Vassily, the Soviet Union’s cunning spymaster. As the world hurtles towards inevitable catastrophe, can these four individuals alter its course?
Star of the North – D B John
In Lee Child’s words: ‘Extraordinary… smart, sophisticated, suspenseful – and important. If you try one new thing this year, make it Star of the North.’
In a thriller that came out just after a 2018 summit between the US and North Korea, a young American woman vanishes without a trace from a South Korean island. The CIA hires her twin sister to uncover the mystery. As she goes undercover in one of the world’s most perilous states, she infiltrates the heart of the regime in hope to save both her missing sister and herself.
Girl on Fire – Tony Parsons
In Lee Child’s words: ‘Spectacular! Tense and human, fast and authentic’
DC Max Wolfe is caught in a deadly crossfire after a drone attack brings down a plane above one of London’s busiest shopping centres. This terrorist act sets off a cascade of events that ensnares both the innocent and the criminal. In a city growing ever more dangerous and hostile, Wolfe is forced to confront an unsettling question: is the true threat posed by the murderous criminals he is tracking, or by those he is sworn to protect?
Need to Know – Karen Cleveland
In Lee Child’s words: ‘Superb’
This is an astonishing psychological thriller by a former CIA counterterrorism analyst and the New York Times bestselling author. Just like the author herself, the book’s main character Vivian Miller is a dedicated CIA counter-intelligence analyst hunting Russian sleeper cells in the US. She has devised a method to spot agents living in plain sight. But when she uncovers a secret dossier on deep-cover operatives, her career – and her family’s safety – are jeopardised in mere clicks.
A Treachery of Spies – Manda Scott
In Lee Child’s words: ‘This is a rich vein for fiction, and Scott does it more than justice, with this beautifully imagined, beautifully written, smart, sophisticated – but fiercely suspenseful – thriller.’
Orleans, France. A beautiful elderly woman is found murdered. While her identity has been erased, the way she was killed resembles the manner of traitors to the Resistance in World War Two.This draws Inspector Inès Picaut back to 1940s France, where the men and women of the Resistance waged a desperate battle for survival against Nazi invaders.