100+ Thriller Story Ideas for your next Bestseller in 2025

Echoes of the Past

Yara, a pathologist, discovers an anomaly in remains that have flooded the city’s crime lab. With the help of Marco, an amateur genealogist seeking answers for his own lost family, they are drawn into an investigation that threatens to rewrite history and uncover hidden ties between the past and present.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Missing Subplot

Claire, an aspiring screenwriter, stumbles upon the mystery of a missing film crew and discovers notes that hint at actors and crew gone awry. Teaming up with Drew, a talented but frustrated actor desperate to make a name for himself, they explore the dark underbelly of showbiz to expose sinister forces at play.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

Behind the Lens

Milo, a young documentary filmmaker, captures haunting unfiltered moments of urban life. When a subject he interviews becomes a suspect in an unsolved murder, he teams up with Chloe, a driven and fiercely protective legal aide, to navigate murky waters that reveal truths obscured by media surrounding the case.

Hot Meter: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

The Last Stop

Fiona, a seasoned bus driver in a rural town, uncovers a series of unsolved disappearances on her route. Feeling it her responsibility to investigate, she forms a bond with Rory, an intrepid newcomer determined to help her untangle the web of community secrets that run deep.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

The Daring Escape

Tanner, a revenge-driven hacker seeks to expose corporate corruption after escaping capture. With the help of Laila, an enigmatic whistleblower with dangerous intel on a crime syndicate, they unravel a high-stakes conspiracy that leads them on a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

The Family Legacy

Avery, a young historian delving deep into familial legacy discovers a series of unsolved crimes connected to her ancestry. Aligning forces with Stephen, a reluctant private investigator with personal baggage, they traverse the past to reveal powerful familial ties that could change their lives forever.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Puppet Show

Natalie, a talented marionette maker, runs a dedicated workshop for youth but accidentally creates puppets that reflect ancestors’ unresolved conflicts. When one puppet appears to hold the key to a long-ago death, she joins Kyle, a persistent detective interested in arts, to get to the bottom of a lethal mystery.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

The Sound of Silence

Ingrid, a quiet sound engineer, uncovers strange audio recordings hidden in a cave that lead to eerie phenomena in their town. She partners with Hayden, a free-spirited musician searching for inspiration, unraveling supernatural connections while battling those determined to keep the truth hidden.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

The Dark Side of Fame

Troy, a washed-up rock-star turned music producer, hides his painful past until he starts working with Melody, an aspiring artist eager to make it big. As hidden alliances and betrayals swirl around them in the industry, they must navigate comprising choices that threaten everything.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Silenced Word

Hannah, a passionate poet, faces writer’s block until she is tangled in the murder of a fellow poet found dead at the open mic night. Unwittingly caught between the community’s loyalty and secrets, she enlists help from Asher, an intense yet creative investigator who believes poetry holds the key to revealing buried truths.

Hot Meter: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

The Forgotten Cipher

Dylan, a brilliant cryptographer, is called in to decode a mysterious letter linked to a series of unsolved murders. As he gets tangled with an enigmatic police officer, Rachel, they uncover a vendetta that ties back to their past, threatening their lives as they close in on the truth.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

The Last Unknown

Elena, an investigative journalist, finds herself unraveling a conspiracy involving a powerful pharmaceutical company after one of her informants is murdered. Teaming up with Marcus, an insider with shady affiliations, they must evade powerful enemies as they dig deeper into a dangerous web of deception.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

Postmarked Danger

Jenna, a postal worker, discovers a series of ominous letters in one of her routes that hint at a retired serial killer’s return. She partners with Rick, an unconventional detective who believes her instincts could prevent a future crime. Their race against time leads them into a chilling hunt with lives hanging in the balance.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

Concealed Memories

Liam, a memory-recall researcher, faces ethical dilemmas when one of his subjects begins experiencing terrifying flashbacks linked to a string of disappearances. With the help of Nina, a strong-willed journalist, they uncover their town’s dark past as they battle corporate greed and their own darkest fears.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

Escape Route

Kate, a runaway witness to a crime, must stay one step ahead of a relentless assassin hired to eliminate her. Teaming up with Rob, a reclusive survivalist living in seclusion, they navigate treacherous terrains while grappling with their own haunted pasts.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

The Revenant Files

Oliver, a cold case detective, begins receiving anonymous tips that lead him to revisit a crime scene related to his old partner’s death. As he untangles motives, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a dangerous secret society hiding unbearable truths.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

The Enigma Protocol

Avery, a brilliant AI engineer, inadvertently creates a program that threatens humanity. When her mentor is murdered for the information, she partners with Theo, a government agent with ties to shadowy factions, to protect her creation and unveil those willing to kill for power.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Fighting Shadows

Mara, a former military operative turned private security consultant, discovers a plot to compromise the security of a high-profile event. As she collaborates with Jace, a tech-savvy hacker, they uncover a far-reaching scheme that could threaten national security.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

The Bitter Truth

Harper, a successful novelist known for her crime fiction, finds herself embroiled in a real-life murder investigation when a fan is found dead with pages from her unpublished manuscript scattered around. With the help of Eli, a skeptical detective, they navigate a world of obsession and unhinged fandom as they seek to unveil the murderer.

Hot Meter: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

The Reckoning

Grant, an attorney specializing in corporate law, stumbles upon evidence of insider trading that puts him on the radar of those wanting to silence him. Joined by Sophie, a disgraced journalist seeking redemption, their investigation leads into a world of crime where trust crumbles and allegiances falter.

Hot Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍