Haunting Adeline
H.D. Carlton · Book 1 of 2 in Cat and Mouse Duet
Spice 5/5 · ScorchingThe stalker romance with the most infamous content warning list on BookTok. Read the warnings. Seriously.
- Stalker hero
- Possessive MMC
- Gothic
Subgenre
Romantic suspense books
Danger, mystery and a love story with a body count. 10 books so far, including Haunting Adeline, Lights Out and Things We Never Got Over.
Spice
Lights Out
Navessa Allen · Book 1 in Into Darkness
Spice 5/5 · ScorchingA masked hacker watches a lonely nurse through her window. She watches back. The stalker romance that went mainstream.
- Touch her and die
- Stalker hero
- Possessive MMC
Things We Never Got Over
Lucy Score · Book 1 in Knockemout
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA runaway bride gets stuck in a small town with her surprise niece and the grumpiest barber alive. Small-town gold.
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Found family
- Touch her and die
Verity
Colleen Hoover
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA thriller, not a romance, but it is spicy and everyone asks. A ghostwriter finds an unhinged manuscript. That ending.
- Forbidden love
- Gothic
Burn for Me
Ilona Andrews · Book 1 in Hidden Legacy
Spice 2/5 · SimmerA struggling P.I. is kidnapped by the most dangerous magical billionaire in Houston. Fantastic slow tension.
- Morally grey MMC
- Alpha hero
- Smart / nerdy heroine
Hunting Adeline
H.D. Carlton · Book 2 of 2 in Cat and Mouse Duet
Spice 5/5 · ScorchingZade goes to war against a trafficking ring to get Adeline back. Darker, bloodier, more devoted.
- Touch her and die
- Revenge plot
- Stalker hero
Things We Hide from the Light
Lucy Score · Book 2 in Knockemout
Spice 4/5 · SpicyThe chief of police, injured and shut down, and the sunny neighbour who refuses to be ignored.
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Forced proximity
- Hurt / comfort
Things We Left Behind
Lucy Score · Book 3 in Knockemout
Spice 4/5 · SpicyThe Knockemout finale: a second-chance romance with one very persistent man.
- Second chance
- Found family
- Small town
A Lesson in Thorns
Sierra Simone · Book 1 of 4 in Thornchapel
Spice 5/5 · ScorchingA librarian, a gothic manor and a group of beautiful, haunted people who reawaken old pagan rites.
- Forbidden love
- Gothic
- Dark academia
The Risk
S.T. Abby · Book 1 of 5 in Mindf*ck
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA woman with a long revenge list and the FBI agent closing in on her. A twisty, divisive cult favourite.
- Revenge plot
- Villain gets the girl
- Morally grey MMC
Popular tropes in romantic suspense
Romantic suspense: FAQ
What are the best romantic suspense books?
Reader favourites include Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton; Lights Out by Navessa Allen; Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score; Verity by Colleen Hoover; Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews. Use the spice filter above to narrow it to your heat level.
What are the spiciest romantic suspense books?
For explicit romantic suspense romance, try Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton; Lights Out by Navessa Allen; A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone; Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score; Verity by Colleen Hoover. These are rated 4 or 5 out of 5 on our spice scale.
Are there low-spice or clean romantic suspense books?
Yes: Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews are rated 1 or 2 out of 5, closed door or kisses only.
Are there standalone romantic suspense books?
If you do not want to commit to a series, try Verity by Colleen Hoover.