Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. In this list, I continue to examine my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2025. While my other list of the night looked at the best upcoming fantasy and science fiction novels, this list will look at the crime fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction novels that I am most excited for in the next six months.
Just like with my previous article about upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, this was a bit of a difficult list to pull together. Even after I excluded fantasy and science fiction novels from it, there were still a ton of great books I could feature, and I had a hard time deciding what to cut. I was eventually able to whittle it down to a top ten list (with an honourable mentions section), and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Just like with my fantasy and science fiction list, the following list does a great job of highlighting what books I am most excited for in the second half of the year, so let us see what makes the cut.
Honourable Mentions:
The Stolen by Vikki Petraitis – 2 September 2025
An intriguing upcoming Australian crime fiction novel that will serve as a sequel to the author’s emotionally charged previous novel, The Unbelieved. I was deeply impressed with The Unbelieved and I cannot wait to see how the series continues.
Final Orbit by Chris Hadfield – 9 October 2025
A cool Cold War thriller from astronaut Chris Hadfield that will follow on from The Apollo Murders and The Defector.
The Widow by John Grisham – 21 October 2025
An excellent new courtroom drama from legendary author John Grisham, The Widow has a very fun story behind it as a small-town lawyer finds himself on trial for the murder after trying to scam an elderly widow.
Hotel Lucky Seven by Kotaro Isaka – 12 November 2025
The upcoming English translation of Hotel Lucky Seven from Japanese author Kotaro Isaka is something I am very keen to read, especially after having so much fun with his epic novels Bullet Train and Three Assassins.
Top Ten List:
No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe – 15 July 2025
After wowing me with the excellent young adult thrillers, The Girls I’ve Been and The Girl in Question, Tess Sharpe’s next cool book, No Body No Crime, is very high up my to-read list. Set to follow two former lovers as they attempt to survive the consequences of a murder they committed when they were teenagers, this is likely to be another sharp, clever and moving thriller. I have no doubt that No Body No Crime is going to be awesome, and I am hoping to read it soon.
Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh – 24 July 2025
I love a good legal thriller, and few examples of this sub-genre are more entertaining or memorable than the Eddie Flynn books by Steve Cavanagh. I have had an outstanding time with novels like The Devil’s Advocate, The Accomplice and Witness 8, and I am always excited to see what new craziness Cavanagh has planned for his next courtroom escapades. Luckily, we don’t have too much longer to wait for the next upcoming book in the series, Two Kinds of Stranger, which will see an innocent client dragged into a legal nightmare when she tries to help a random stranger with dark secrets. I cannot wait to read this new book, and it should be particularly entertaining and compelling.
The Final Vow by M. W. Craven – 12 August 2025
After absolutely loving the dark and twist laden novel The Mercy Chair last year (one of my favourite books of 2024), I am now a firm fan of all things M. W. Craven and I cannot wait to see his next epic read, The Final Vow. The new book in the author’s Washington Poe series, The Final Vow will see the series’ damaged detective and his unconventional investigation team attempt to stop a sniper terrorising the entire country. This amazing sounding book will likely be one of the very best mystery novels of 2025 and I am extremely excited to see how many complex twists and shocking turns Craven will load into this new book.
The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown – 9 September 2025
Legendary author Dan Brown returns to his iconic Robert Langdon series, this time setting the series’ titular protagonist lose in Prague. Set to see Langdon investigate a dark conspiracy rooted in the history of the city, The Secret of Secrets is going to be a pretty amazing novel, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the first Robert Langdon book released in years.
Circle of Days by Ken Follett – 23 September 2025
Few big upcoming releases have me as excited as the new Ken Follett novel, Circle of Days, especially after absorbing the author’s addictive Kingsbridge novels, including The Evening and the Morning, A Column of Fire and The Armour of Light. Once again diving into the history of England, Circle of Days will be an expansive, multi-character novel that will have the building on Stonehenge as its backdrop. Sure to feature a lengthy narrative set over multiple years, Circle of Days is likely to be one of my favourite historical fiction books of 2025 and I am so very keen to read it.
The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman – 25 September 2025
I am certain that this next book, The Impossible Fortune, is going to be the novel at the top of all my best-of lists later this year. The next entry in Richard Osman’s exceptional Thursday Murder Club series, The Impossible Fortune will see the unlikely retiree protagonists attempt to solve a sinister crime at a wedding, with shenanigans and elaborate mystery to follow. I have no doubt that The Impossible Fortune is going to be exceptional, especially after loving every second of The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), and I cannot wait to see what magic Osman weaves with this incredible upcoming book.
Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson – 30 September 2025
One of the more entertaining novels coming out in the second half of 2025 is going to be the brilliant Australian thriller Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson. The fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series (Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, and Everyone this Christmas has a Secret), Everyone in this Bank is a Thief will once again place Stevenson’s insightful and unlucky protagonist at the site of another crime as he is forced to investigate a murder while trapped as a hostage in a bank robbery. Blending classic murder mystery elements with a fun heist narrative, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief is going to be a hilarious read, and I cannot wait to check it out.
The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly – 21 October 2025
The always reliable master of crime fiction, Michael Connelly, has another awesome book coming out in 2025 with The Proving Ground. The next book in the author’s incredible Lincoln Lawyer series (which has previously featured books like The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk), The Proving Ground will team Mickey Haller with another Connelly protagonist, Jack McEvoy (the protagonist of books like Fair Warning), as he takes on a sinister AI company. Likely to combine great legal elements with a complex thriller narrative, I have a feeling this is going to be one of Connelly’s better books, and I am very excited to get my hands on it.
Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 6 November 2025
Another upcoming book that I am particularly excited for is the new Eagles of the Empire book from Simon Scarrow, Tyrant of Rome (cover yet to be released). Scarrow’s second book in 2025 after A Death in Berlin, Tyrant of Rome will follow on from the previous Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome, as the protagonists return to Rome after ending Boudica’s rebellion. This time series protagonists Cato and Macro are dragged back into the excesses of Nero when they are chosen to take control of law and order in the city. I love this interesting change of direction away from the brutal war stories of the last few books and it is going to be fun to dive into over-the-top Roman politics and the insanity of the emperor.
Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums by Stan Sakai – 25 November 2025
The final entry on this list is one of my favourites with the next Usagi Yojimbo volume by Stan Sakai, Ten Thousand Plums. The 41st volume of the Usagi Yojimbo comic series, Ten Thousand Plums should be another intense adventure loaded with great characters, awesome action, and vibrant artwork, as the protagonists are thrown into a dangerous conspiracy within a vital plum plantation personally protected by the Shogun. This will be the second entry from the Usagi Yojimbo series released in 2025 following the impressive volume, The Crow, and if Ten Thousand Plums is just as good as it’s proceeding volume, then I am in for an exceptional time when I pick this comic up in November.
Well, that’s the end of my second list. As you can see, there are some outstanding mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction novels coming out in the next six months which should prove to be amazing reads. Combine that with the fantasy and science fiction releases from my previous list and I know that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2025. While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.
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I liked Hadfield’s “Apollo MUrders”….will definitely keep an eye out for his latest!
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