When you’re querying a thriller romance, choosing the choosing the right comp titles can make or break your chances of being published because agents and publishing house editors use comp titles as a quick way to gauge the genre of your book along with its market potential.
I regularly update this list of thriller romance comp titles to make sure you’re always working with relevant books.
No matter if you’re writing a sweet, slow-burn thriller romance or something fast and spicy, you’ll find titles below to help you write a killer query letter!
If you’re looking something a bit more specific, check out my romance comp database.
- A Botanist's Guide to Parties and PoisonsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, cozy mystery, historical, mystery, thriller
- A Murder to RememberYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy mystery, mystery, rom com, suspense, thriller
- A Novel ObsessionYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, books about books, contemporary, literary fiction, mystery, thriller
- A Ruse of ShadowsYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, historical, mystery, thriller, victorian
- A Sea of Unspoken ThingsYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fantasy, magical realism, mystery, thriller
- A Serial Killer's Guide to MarriageYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- A Twisted Love StoryYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Abandoned in DeathYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, crime, futuristic, mystery, science fiction, suspense, thriller
- Advika and the Hollywood WivesYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, chick lit, contemporary, literary fiction, mystery, thriller
- All the Colors of the DarkYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, crime, historical, mystery, suspense, thriller
- An Impossible ImpostorYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, historical, mystery, thriller, victorian
- An Unexpected PerilYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, historical, mystery, thriller
- As Good As DeadYear published: 2021Genre and themes: contemporary, crime, mystery, thriller, young adult
- Behind a Closed DoorYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, crime, horror, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Black SheepYear published: 2022Genre and themes: BDSM, adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, serial killer, smut, thriller
- Broken CountryYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, historical, literary fiction, mystery, thriller
- Can't Look AwayYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Class ActYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, crime, detective, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Clouds in My CoffeeYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, cozy, cozy mystery, historical, mystery, thriller
- Corpse RoadsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, dark, mystery, slow burn, suspense, thriller, why choose
- Criminal MischiefYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, adventure, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Cross My HeartYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Dating After the End of the WorldYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, dystopia, fantasy, horror, paranormal, post apocalyptic, thriller
- Dial A for AuntiesYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, book club, chick lit, contemporary, humor, mystery, thriller
- Divorce TowersYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, mystery, thriller
- Does It Hurt?Year published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, mystery, smut, thriller
- Eat the Ones You LoveYear published: 2025Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, fantasy, horror, lesbian, queer, thriller
- Everything We Never SaidYear published: 2024Genre and themes: contemporary, dark, mystery, suspense, thriller, young adult
- Family of LiarsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: contemporary, mystery, summer, summer reads, thriller, young adult
- Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own GraveYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy mystery, humor, mystery, thriller
- For You and Only YouYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, horror, mystery, thriller
- Forgotten in DeathYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, crime, futuristic, mystery, science fiction, suspense, thriller
- Four Aunties and a WeddingYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, cozy mystery, humor, mystery, thriller
- Games Untold: An Inheritance Games CollectionYear published: 2024Genre and themes: contemporary, fantasy, mystery, short stories, thriller, young adult
- Glamorous NotionsYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, fashion, historical, mystery, thriller
- Glorious RivalsYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adventure, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- Good Girl, Bad BloodYear published: 2020Genre and themes: contemporary, crime, mystery, thriller, young adult
- Grace, Under FireYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Haunting AdelineYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, dark, enemies to lovers, fantasy, horror, smut, thriller
- HiddenYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- HideawayYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Hit ListYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- House of Roots and RuinYear published: 2023Genre and themes: fantasy, gothic, horror, mystery, thriller, young adult
- Hunting AdelineYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, horror, smut, thriller
- Hush-HushYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, crime, detective, mystery, suspense, thriller
- IdentityYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- In an InstantYear published: 2020Genre and themes: book club, contemporary, drama, family, thriller, young adult
- It's ElementaryYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy, cozy mystery, mystery, thriller
- Jane and Dan at the End of the WorldYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, humor, mystery, thriller
- Last Seen AloneYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- LaylaYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, thriller
- Leather & LarkYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, horror, marriage of convenience, thriller
- Leather & LarkYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, horror, marriage of convenience, thriller
- Lights OutYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, smut, thriller
- Love & Other KillersYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, novella, serial killer, short stories, thriller
- Love & Other KillersYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, novella, serial killer, short stories, thriller
- Magic, Lies, and Deadly PiesYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy, cozy mystery, fantasy, mystery, thriller
- MiddletideYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Mind GamesYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, paranormal, suspense, thriller
- Murder in Old BombayYear published: 2020Genre and themes: India, adult, crime, historical, mystery, thriller
- My HusbandYear published: 2021Genre and themes: France, adult, book club, contemporary, horror, literary fiction, mystery, thriller
- My Killer VacationYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, mystery, rom com, summer reads, thriller
- My Summer DarlingsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, mystery, summer, summer reads, suspense, thriller
- Next to HeavenYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Nine LiarsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: contemporary, crime, mystery, thriller, young adult
- Nosy NeighborsYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy, cozy mystery, mystery, thriller
- Notes on Your Sudden DisappearanceYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, coming of age, contemporary, literary fiction, mystery, thriller
- Nothing More to TellYear published: 2022Genre and themes: contemporary, crime, mystery, thriller, young adult
- Nothing to See HereYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, crime, mystery, thriller
- Now or NeverYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, cozy mystery, crime, humor, mystery, thriller
- One of Us Is BackYear published: 2023Genre and themes: contemporary, crime, mystery, thriller, young adult
- One of Us Is NextYear published: 2020Genre and themes: contemporary, crime, mystery, thriller, young adult
- OverkillYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Passions in DeathYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, crime, futuristic, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Payback in DeathYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, crime, futuristic, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Pen PalYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, mystery, paranormal, smut, suspense, thriller
- Pictures of YouYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, mystery, thriller
- RemainYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, thriller
- Salem's FallYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, book club, dark, halloween, horror, mystery, paranormal, thriller
- Scythe & SparrowYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, forced proximity, friends to lovers, thriller
- Scythe & SparrowYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, forced proximity, friends to lovers, thriller
- SecretsYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Seven Girls GoneYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Shadows in DeathYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, crime, futuristic, mystery, science fiction, suspense, thriller
- ShakeupYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, crime, detective, mystery, suspense, thriller
- So Happy TogetherYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Stars and SmokeYear published: 2023Genre and themes: contemporary, enemies to lovers, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- Swan LightYear published: 2023Genre and themes: Canada, adult, historical, mystery, thriller
- The Bachelorette PartyYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, horror, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The BayYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, cozy mystery, crime, mystery, summer, suspense, thriller
- The Blast from the PastYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy mystery, humor, mystery, paranormal, rom com, thriller
- The Blonde Who Came in From the ColdYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, enemies to lovers, mystery, thriller
- The Body in the BackyardYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy mystery, humor, mystery, paranormal, rom com, thriller
- The Book of CandlelightYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, books about books, contemporary, cozy, cozy mystery, friendship, mystery, thriller
- The Book of LoveYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, magic, magical realism, mystery, science fiction, thriller
- The Box in the WoodsYear published: 2021Genre and themes: contemporary, crime, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The BoyfriendYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The Brothers HawthorneYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adventure, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The ChallengeYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, drama, family, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The Christie AffairYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, historical, mystery, thriller
- The CompanionYear published: 2020Genre and themes: contemporary, gothic, horror, mystery, suspense, thriller, young adult
- The Cuban HeiressYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, book club, historical, mystery, thriller
- The Dead Guy Next DoorYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fantasy, humor, mystery, paranormal, rom com, thriller
- The Final GambitYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adventure, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The FixYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The Girls in the SnowYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, book club, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The Grandest GameYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adventure, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The HaarYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, fantasy, horror, paranormal, thriller
- The Half-Life of Ruby FieldingYear published: 2022Genre and themes: World War II, adult, historical, mystery, thriller, war
- The Hand on the WallYear published: 2020Genre and themes: contemporary, crime, dark academia, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The Hawthorne LegacyYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adventure, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The House on PrytaniaYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, fantasy, ghosts, mystery, paranormal, southern, thriller
- The Inheritance GamesYear published: 2020Genre and themes: book club, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The King's RansomYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, adventure, crime, humor, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The Last ExchangeYear published: 2023Genre and themes: Christian, adult, book club, contemporary, mystery, thriller
- The Last GoodnightYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The Late Mrs. WilloughbyYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, cozy mystery, historical, mystery, regency, thriller
- The Lost Story of Eva FuentesYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, books about books, historical, mystery, thriller
- The Love of My LifeYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The Maid's SecretYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy, cozy mystery, mystery, thriller
- The Mayor of Maxwell StreetYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, chick lit, crime, historical, mystery, thriller
- The Mimicking of Known SuccessesYear published: 2023Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, lesbian, mystery, novella, queer, science fiction, thriller
- The Mistletoe MysteryYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, christmas, cozy mystery, holiday, mystery, novella, short stories, thriller
- The Most Wonderful Crime of the YearYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, christmas, contemporary, holiday, mystery, thriller
- The Murder of Mr. WickhamYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, cozy mystery, historical, mystery, retellings, thriller
- The Nurse's SecretYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, book club, historical, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The Perils of Lady Catherine de BourghYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, cozy mystery, historical, mystery, regency, thriller
- The Red PalaceYear published: 2022Genre and themes: fantasy, historical, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The Same Backward as ForwardYear published: 2025Genre and themes: contemporary, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- The Seventh Veil of SalomeYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, book club, historical, mystery, thriller
- The Spare ManYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, crime, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, space, thriller
- The Summer She Went MissingYear published: 2024Genre and themes: mystery, summer, summer reads, suspense, thriller, young adult
- The TakedownYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, christmas, contemporary, holiday, mystery, thriller
- The ThrashersYear published: 2025Genre and themes: contemporary, horror, mystery, paranormal, thriller, young adult
- The Three Lives of Cate KayYear published: 2025Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, book club, contemporary, mystery, queer, thriller
- The Unknown BelovedYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, crime, historical, mystery, thriller
- The UnravelingYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- The VanishingYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, fantasy, mystery, paranormal, suspense, thriller
- The Water KeeperYear published: 2020Genre and themes: Christian, adult, book club, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- There Are No SaintsYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, serial killer, smut, thriller
- These Violent DelightsYear published: 2020Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, contemporary, dark academia, historical, mystery, queer, thriller
- Thieves' GambitYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adventure, contemporary, fantasy, mystery, thriller, young adult
- Till Death Do Us PartYear published: 2024Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- To Have and to HeistYear published: 2023Genre and themes: adult, chick lit, contemporary, mystery, rom com, thriller
- Tourist SeasonYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, dark, enemies to lovers, mystery, thriller
- TreasonYear published: 2020Genre and themes: adult, crime, detective, mystery, suspense, thriller
- TriangleYear published: 2024Genre and themes: France, adult, contemporary, mystery, suspense, thriller
- Voyage of the DamnedYear published: 2024Genre and themes: LGBT, adult, fantasy, magic, mystery, queer, thriller
- We Fell ApartYear published: 2025Genre and themes: contemporary, mystery, summer, summer reads, thriller, young adult
- Welcome to Murder WeekYear published: 2025Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, cozy, cozy mystery, mystery, thriller
- You Can HideYear published: 2022Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller
- You Love MeYear published: 2021Genre and themes: adult, contemporary, horror, mystery, suspense, thriller
Other resources to assist with your querying journey
Comp titles are only a small piece of the querying puzzle! Here are other resources I offer to help writers achieve their dreams of publishing their novels:
- Developmental editing services
- Pre-querying package
- Publishers accepting manuscript submissions this month
- Romance tropes list
- Random romance trope generator
Frequently asked questions
How recent do comp titles need to be?
Comp titles should be published within the past five to seven years so it is representative of the current market potential of your manuscript.
Can I use bestselling books as a comp title?
Yes, you can! However, the bestselling books aren’t always the most suitable options. While it’s integral that a comp title has sold well, it’s better to choose a comp title that’s sold less well but closer represents the tone and overall vibe of your own book.
How many comp titles should I include in my query letter?
You should aim for two comp titles in your query letter. You can include three, but agents would expect more than one.
Can I use a series as a comp titles?
You can, but it’s best to pick a specific book within that series that best represents your manuscript.
What if I can’t find a thriller romance comp title that fits my book?
You can broaden your horizons to also include other subgenres of romance!