When a title hits it big on the New York Times bestseller list, all the free ways to read it usually disappear. It makes sense, given the natural laws of supply, demand, and profit — especially in publishing — but it’s still rather annoying. Sure, you can check out a current bestseller from your local library or put it on hold through free apps like Libby, but the more popular a book is, the longer its waitlist usually becomes.

Success doesn’t make books harder to find; it just makes them harder to find for free (or cheap). Kindle Unlimited is my favorite platform to find books and lets you check out up to 20 titles at a time without any waitlists. The digital library is constantly changing, and you won’t find every New York Times bestseller in there. However, there are always exceptions.

Right now, there are four books from the top 15 of the New York Times bestseller list (Combined Print & E-Book Fiction) available on Kindle Unlimited. From science fiction fantasies to enthralling thrillers, read on to find out what they are.

Price

$12 / month

Free trial

Yes

Ads

No

Borrow limit

20 titles at a time

Dungeon Crawler Carl

By Matt Dinniman

When aliens invade the Earth and everything with a roof collapses into dust (with any person inside of it), ex-Coast Guard vet Carl and the remnants of humanity find themselves in a fight for their lives. Except it isn’t your typical post-apocalyptic alien-invasion survival story — this fight takes place in an underground dungeon (run by the aliens, of course) and is being broadcast for intergalactic entertainment.

With nothing but his wits, his will to survive, and his ex-girlfriend’s cat (who is suddenly sapient), Carl must outsmart the game and the aliens that run it if he hopes to make it out alive. Currently sitting at #12 on the New York Times’ Combined Print & E-Book Fiction list, Dungeon Crawler Carl is the first book in a seven (soon to be eight)-part series — all of which are available for free on Kindle Unlimited.

The Housemaid

By Freida McFadden

A live-in maid gig is Millie Calloway’s last hope at a fresh start. With a troubled past haunting her every step and casting a shadow over any new opportunities, she jumps at the chance to serve the wealthy Winchester family. But as she cooks, cleans, and performs all her other duties, she quickly realizes that the household isn’t as pristine as it appears on the outside. The Winchesters have a few skeletons in the closet, and Millie will open the door just for them to tumble out onto her.

Now a major motion picture making movie-goers gasp in theaters across the country, The Housemaid (starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney) is based on Freida McFadden’s addictive psychological thriller. Having sold over 2 million copies, The Housemaid sits at #8 on the New York Times’ Combined Print & E-Book Fiction list right now — and it’s available for free on Kindle Unlimited if you don’t want to drop another dime.

Dear Debbie

Also by Freida McFadden

If The Housemaid got your attention, it’s not the only psychological thriller up Freida McFadden’s sleeve. Dear Debbie follows New England columnist Debbie Mullen as her poised life falls apart around her. She used to be a resource for housewives seeking sympathy and gentle neighborly advice, but now, Debbie’s tired of taking the high road. Something (or someone) has got to give, and Debbie is dealing out the justice.

Dear Debbie is a brand-new 2026 novel and currently holds the third spot on the New York Times’ Combined Print & E-Book Fiction list. It’s fresh, new, and likely to pick up steam as The Housemaid puts McFadden even more into the spotlight. You can read it for free on Kindle Unlimited right now, but there’s no telling how long it will be there.

Woman Down: A Novel

By Colleen Hoover

Speaking of authors in the limelight, Colleen Hoover hasn’t received the kindest of criticism since the drama surrounding one of her novels’ (It Ends with Us) recent film adaptation. Between the fallout (and lawsuit) between the movie’s two famous leads and the intense criticism of Hoover’s writing in general, it’s safe to say that most readers have heard her name.

Woman Down’s plot rings eerily familiar to the backlash: Petra Rose is an author whose book just got turned into a movie — every writer’s dream, right? Well, after a viral backlash and the internet taking up arms against her, an uninspired Petra takes her next novel’s outline and escapes to a cabin beside a lake to be alone. That is, until a detective shows up at her doorstep with news and Petra’s redemption in-hand.

Woman Down is #13 on the New York Times’ Combined Print & E-Book Fiction list right now, but you can read it for free on Kindle Unlimited.