Movies Like The China Lake Murders

If you liked The China Lake Murders (1990), a thriller and mystery movie directed by Alan Metzger, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Desert Dawn (2025)
★ 6.3/10Also crime and mystery
A newly appointed small-town sheriff and his begrudging deputy get tangled up in a web of lies and corruption involving shady businessmen and the cartel while investigating the murder of a mysterious woman.
2
Shimmer Lake (2017)
★ 6/10Also thriller and crime
Shot in reverse day-by-day through a week—a local sheriff embarks on a quest to unlock the mystery of three small-town criminals and a bank heist gone wrong.
3
The Virtuoso (2021)
★ 5.9/10Also thriller and crime
Danger, deception and murder descend upon a sleepy town when a professional assassin accepts a new assignment from his enigmatic boss.
4
Dead Man's Folly (1986)
★ 6.4/10Also crime and thriller
During a murder hunt game at a country house, to which Hercule Poirot is invited as an "expert", a real murder occurs.
5
5lbs of Pressure (2024)
★ 6/10Also thriller and crime
Fresh out of prison after serving time for murder, Adam returns to his old stomping grounds to seek out a son who doesn't know him. Eli, the brother of the man he killed is looking for revenge. Mike, is trying to…
6
Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005)
★ 6.4/10Also thriller and tv movie
Walker investigates a murder connected with a missing government weapon. In addition, he tries to track down a teen on the run from a crime syndicate.
7
All the Devils Are Here (2025)
★ 6.2/10Also crime and mystery
After a heist, four criminals lay low in a remote safehouse, waiting for orders. As paranoia builds, one thing becomes clear — the real threat may not be outside, but among them.
8
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise (2015)
★ 6.6/10Also tv movie and crime
Police Chief Jesse Stone now presides over the quiet, seaside village of Paradise, Massachusetts. When the facts don't add up in a brutal Boston-area murder case, Jesse opens an investigation filled with surprises…
9
The Substitute 2: School's Out (1998)
★ 6.5/10Also mystery and thriller
When teacher Randall Thomasson is killed during a carjacking, an unexpected visitor shows up at his funeral - his estranged brother, Karl Thomasson. An ex-Green Beret turned mercenary, Karl signs on as a new substitute…
10
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt (2012)
★ 6.8/10Also thriller and crime
Jesse finds himself struggling to get his job back as the Paradise police chief, and he is forced to rely on his cop intuition to sort through a maze of misleading clues and hidden meanings as he attempts to solve a…
11
The Locksmith (2023)
★ 5.9/10Also thriller and mystery
A thief fresh out of prison, tries to work his way back into the life of his daughter and ex-fiancé. Determined, he is forced to use the skills he has as a gifted locksmith. Things take a tumultuous turn after an…
12
Righteous Kill (2008)
★ 5.9/10Also crime and thriller
Two veteran New York City detectives work to identify the possible connection between a recent murder and a case they believe they solved years ago; is there a serial killer on the loose, and did they perhaps put the…
13
Suburbicon (2017)
★ 5.9/10Also thriller and crime
In the quiet family town of Suburbicon during the 1950s, the best and worst of humanity is hilariously reflected through the deeds of seemingly ordinary people. When a home invasion turns deadly, a picture-perfect…
14
Hierarchy (2025)
★ 6/10Also crime and thriller
In an undisclosed area of Texas after two adoptive brothers become entangled in criminal activity, forced to evade law enforcement and the greedy Russian mafia.
15
The Hound of the Baskervilles (2002)
★ 6/10Also thriller and tv movie
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called in to unravel a mysterious curse that has plagued the Baskerville family for generations. When Sir Charles Baskerville is found dead, his heir, Sir Henry, begs Holmes to save…
16
Miss Marple: 4.50 from Paddington (1987)
★ 7.5/10Also crime and mystery
Travelling on the 4.50 from Paddington, Mrs McGillicuddy witnesses a murder on a passing train - but where is the body?
17
Red Right Hand (2024)
★ 6.6/10Also crime and thriller
Cash is trying to live a quiet, honest life in a small Appalachian town. When a vicious crime boss forces him back into her services, he soon learns he's capable of anything -- even killing -- to protect his family and…
18
Barron's Cove (2025)
★ 7.1/10Also crime and thriller
When his young son is viciously murdered by a classmate, a grieving father with a history of violence kidnaps the child responsible, igniting a frenzied manhunt fueled by a powerful politician -- the father of the…
19
The Ritual Killer (2023)
★ 5.8/10Also mystery and thriller
Unable to process the death of his daughter, Detective Boyd embarks on a hunt for a serial killer who murders according to a brutal tribal ritual: Muti. The only person who can help Boyd is Professor Mackles, an…
20
Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1983 (2009)
★ 6.9/10Also thriller and crime
Detective Chief Superintendent Maurice Jobson is forced to remember the very similar disappearance of Clare Kemplay, who was found dead in 1974, and the subsequent imprisonment of local boy Michael Myshkin. Washed-up…