9 Thrilling Books About People Accused of Crimes

Not everyone who's accused of a crime is guilty. Some people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But with the evidence stacked against them, even an innocent person might be driven to desperate behavior in the face of the legal system. The nine books listed here feature characters who are willing to do whatever it takes to prove their innocence. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

Thrillers About The Accused: Our 9 Picks

Title Author
1. The Rebel’s Revenge Scott Mariani
2. Mrs. John Doe Tom Savage
3. Errant Knight George Wier
4. The Solicitor Sean Keefer
5. Striking Back Mark Nykanen
6. Down the River Unto the Sea Walter Mosley
7. No Rest for the Wicked Vincent Alcaras
8. Guilt David Taylor Black
9. The Invisible Heiress Kathleen O'Donnell

10 Great Crime Films

If you love reading about crime, you probably enjoy the genre in film as well. Here are ten movies that you should definitely watch (if you haven't already):

  1. The Godfather (1972)
  2. Scarface (1983)
  3. Goodfellas (1990)
  4. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
  5. Pulp Fiction (1994)
  6. The Usual Suspects (1995)
  7. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
  8. Kill Bill (2003)
  9. Sin City (2005)
  10. Baby Driver (2017)

In Depth

Thrillers often revolve around one central mystery, and when the main characters' lives are on the line, these stories turn into exciting, fast-paced adventures where the protagonists have to race against the clock to save themselves. In no particular order, here are nine thrilling books about people accused of crimes.

First up, at #1, we have "The Rebel's Revenge." Written by Scott Mariani, it's the eighteenth entry of his "Ben Hope" series, which revolves around the eponymous ex-SAS soldier and his action-packed adventures. When Ben visits the Deep South to attend a jazz concert, he witnesses a woman getting killed by a mysterious group of men. Accused of a murder he didn't commit and caught in a vendetta dating all the way back to the Civil War, he must hunt down the real killers to prove his innocence.

Next, at #2, is "Mrs. John Doe" by Tom Savage. Actress Nora Baron's life turns upside down when someone informs her that her husband has died in a tragic car accident in England. Shortly after arriving in London to identify the body, she receives a cryptic message with instructions that lead her all the way to France. There, she finds herself wanted for murder and forced to go on the run from an unknown adversary. Thrust into the dangerous world of espionage, she must uncover the truth behind her husband's apparent death before it's too late.

There, she finds herself wanted for murder and forced to go on the run from an unknown adversary.

At #3 is "Errant Knight" by George Wier. A decade after retiring from the police force, Shelby Knight is still haunted by the shooting of Aiden Holloway. When he becomes the prime suspect of a recent killing, he learns that the murder weapon was his own gun. Dubbed "The Black Knight" and hunted by his former comrades, he takes on the persona of a vigilante who uses medieval-era equipment. As he tries to figure out who the killer is, he starts questioning his own sanity and innocence.

Next up, at #4, we have "The Solicitor" by Sean Keefer. Attorney Noah Parks is wanted for the murder of his close friend, solicitor candidate Andrew Stephens. Knowing that he didn't commit the crime, he has to prove his innocence by finding the real killer, enlisting the help of a few trustworthy individuals along the way. His investigation will lead him to uncover a web of lies that spans generations.

Next, at #5, is "Striking Back" by Mark Nykanen. Gwyn Sanders is a therapist based in Los Angeles, where she counsels men who are guilty of domestic abuse, a subject that she's, unfortunately, very familiar with. When her clients start dying under mysterious circumstances, the police label her as the key suspect, and the fact that her abusive stepfather's death from decades ago remains unsolved to this day doesn't help her case.

When her clients start dying under mysterious circumstances, the police label her as the key suspect, and the fact that her abusive stepfather's death from decades ago remains unsolved to this day doesn't help her case.

At #6 is "Down the River Unto the Sea" by Walter Mosley. A decade after being wrongfully imprisoned in Rikers Island, private detective Joe King Oliver receives a message from a woman who claims that she was paid to frame him several years ago. Now, he sets off to find the people who got him falsely convicted in the past. Along the way, King also tries to solve the case of a radical journalist whose situation parallels his own.

Next up, at #7, we have "No Rest for the Wicked" by Vincent Alcaras. After finally being released from prison, Nicolas Docrenzov moves to Los Angeles and lands a job at a gentlemen's club. He soon finds himself falsely accused of murdering women associated with the club, and the only person who can help him clear his name is detective Harlan Colter, a former Texas Ranger with a rough past who's assigned to his case.

At #8 is "Guilt" by David Taylor Black. The death of his son has caused a rift in writer Dan Harris' marriage. In an attempt to escape his grief and work on his next book, he goes on a vacation to the Bahamas. Unfortunately, he stumbles upon a crime scene and is named the prime suspect in a homicide. As the body count rises, Dan rushes to find the killer and prove his innocence before he gets imprisoned for crimes he didn't commit.

In an attempt to escape his grief and work on his next book, he goes on a vacation to the Bahamas.

Finally, at #9, we have "The Invisible Heiress" by Kathleen O'Donnell. Preston Blair is a blogger who's being kept in a private psychiatric hospital after supposedly attempting to murder her mother, which she doesn't remember doing. Tragedy strikes after her husband shows up to try and clear her name, and Preston suspects that her parents are behind it. It's a compelling tale full of many twists and turns that are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats.