The International Thriller Writers (ITW) is an honorary society of authors, both fiction and nonfiction, who write books broadly classified as “thrillers.” This would include (but isn’t limited to) such subjects as murder mystery, detective, suspense, horror, supernatural, action, espionage, true crime, war, adventure, and myriad similar subject areas. The winners will be announced on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

For more information check out the ITW Thriller Awards website.

Here are the finalists for 2026 that are in the TBP collection.

Best Standalone Thriller

CROSS MY HEART by Megan Collins (DB 127325, LB 0003699)

LOCKED WARD by Sarah Pekkanen (DB 131325, LB 0005693)

SO HAPPY TOGETHER by Olivia Worley (DB 129773)

Best Series Novel

CHAIN REACTION: A DEZ LIMERICK THRILLER by James Byrne (DB 127555)

BIG EMPTY: ELVIS COLE AND JOE PIKE by Robert Crais (DB 126841, LB 0002605)

HEAD CASES by John McMahon (DB 126703, LB 0003599)

Best First Novel

DEATH AT THE WHITE HART by Chris Chibnall (DB 129805)

PARTY OF LIARS by Kelsey Cox (DB 130444)

COUNT MY LIES by Sophie Stava (DB 129720)

HISTORY LESSONS by Zoe B. Wallbrook (DB 133746 IN PROCESS)

JULIE CHAN IS DEAD by Liann Zhang (DB 129576, LB 0008599)

Best Audiobook

KING OF ASHES by S. A. Cosby and narrated by Adam Lazarre-White (DB 130044)

WASP TRAP by Mark Edwards and narrated by John Hopkins and Anna Burnett (DB 134516 IN PROCESS)

BEST OFFER WINS by Marisa Kashino and narrated by Cia Court (DB 133203)

WHEN DEVILS SING by Xan Kaur and narrated by Michael Crouch, Anjali Kunapaneni, Jennifer Pickens, and Landon Woodson (DB 130122)

WHITE CROW by Michael Robotham and narrated by Katy Sobey (DB 131923)

Best Young Adult Novel

MURDER BETWEEN FRIENDS by Liz Lawson (DB 129237)

SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE by Clay McLeod Chapman (DB 133187)

SILENCED by Diana Rodriguez Wallach (DB 132665)

THRASHERS by Julie Soto (DB 129433)