The Most Popular Political Thrillers According to Goodreads
What makes a thriller a political thriller? Political thrillers often feature protagonists who work with or for the government, especially the military. Inevitably, they stumble across something they shouldn’t and end up fighting for their lives, the fate of the world, or both.
Using Goodreads ratings as a guide, we have compiled a list of the most popular political thriller books. Some you have undoubtedly heard of, and possibly even read, before; others may be new to you but are no less exciting. Even better, each book is the first of a series. Once you find something that makes your pulse pound and your palms sweat, you can jump straight into another book with the same characters and the same style of action, intrigue, and suspense. In no particular order, here are some of the most popular political thrillers, according to the number of Goodreads rankings they received.
David Baldacci's The Camel Club is the first entry in the thriller series of the same name. Its stars are a quartet of conspiracy enthusiasts who meet to debate and discuss what they think is "really" going on — until the day they find themselves embroiled in a very real, very deadly plot to destroy the world. After their inaugural adventure, the Camel Club continues to solve crimes, including political assassinations, terrorist bombings, and a whole lot worse.
The General's Daughter is one of Nelson DeMille's most popular works. It introduces readers to Paul Brenner, an army investigator charged with solving the murder of an impeccable officer who was hiding a deadly secret life. Ten years after this explosive, unforgettable novel was published, DeMille penned a sequel, Up Country, that expanded the "Paul Brenner" universe with another tale of military murder and mysterious pasts.
Also written by Nelson DeMille, "John Corey" stars a New York homicide detective who keeps finding himself on dangerous adventures, even when not on the job. In his debut, Corey is staying on Long Island to recover from gunshot wounds when a friend asks him to investigate two other shootings: the deaths of an inoffensive Midwestern couple. The series includes a total of seven books, plus a prequel and a crossover with award-winning thriller writer Lisa Scottoline.
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Eileen Gonzalez is a freelance writer from Connecticut. She has a Master’s degree in communications and years of experience writing about pop culture. She contributes to Book Riot and Foreword Reviews, and she occasionally tweets at @eileen2thestars.