- “Local Woman Missing” by Mary Kubica
Goodreads Rating: 4.13
Pages: 356
I got stuck at a gas station because my car broke down. I had to wait 3 hours for my partner to pick me up and that’s when I decided to read this on my Kindle. I didn’t even notice the time go by while I was reading this.
When Shelby Tebow, a young woman, vanishes without a trace, it sends shockwaves through her quiet community. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, also disappear, deepening the mystery. The small town is left rattled—how could two disappearances be connected?
Eleven years later, Delilah suddenly returns, but she’s not the same girl who went missing. As her family and the police try to piece together what happened, dark secrets begin to unravel. What really happened all those years ago? And who is still hiding the truth?
Told through multiple timelines and perspectives, Local Woman Missing is a gripping psychological thriller filled with shocking twists, buried secrets, and a chilling mystery that will keep you guessing until the final page. It’s definitely a page-turner!
- “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides
Goodreads Rating: 4.17
Pages: 336
I read this book while my mum was in hospital. I needed something to kill time because her chemo hours were long and she used to sleep a lot at that point.
Alicia Berenson, a renowned painter, shoots her husband and then falls silent. Her refusal to speak turns her into a media sensation. Forensic psychotherapist Theo Faber becomes obsessed with uncovering her motive. As he digs deeper, he unravels unexpected secrets.
This novel’s shocking twists will leave you breathless and although it’s been a while since its release – it’s definitely still one of my all-time favorites!
- “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson
Goodreads Rating: 4.30
Pages: 433
Yes, it’s a YA novel, but I wanted to give it a try and I was not disappointed. I love Pip’s personality. She’s positive and extremely peppy, and I love her passion for solving this case.
In this book, Pip Fitz-Amobi investigates a closed murder case for her school project. As she uncovers secrets, she realizes the real killer might still be at large. This YA thriller is filled with suspense and unexpected turns. I’ve also read the next book in the series, and it definitely lived up to the hype!
- “The Only One Left” by Riley Sager
Goodreads Rating: 4.1
Pages: 400
I fell in love with Riley Sager because this was the first book of his I read before I had to collect the others. I had to pause reading this book two or three times just to gush to my partner about how much I loved his writing style.
In 1929, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast. Everyone believed seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, even if the police couldn’t prove it. Decades later, home-health aide Kit McDeere is assigned to care for Lenora, now mute and paralyzed.
As Kit assists Lenora in typing out her story, she uncovers dark secrets that challenge everything she thought she knew. Sager writes like thrillers in the 90s. His books are page-turners, and although the build-up is slow, he leaves little clues all around. He weaves a chilling tale of suspense and deception and writes damn good thrillers.
- “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins
Goodreads Rating: 4.0
Pages: 336
An oldie, but goldie. Rachel Watson’s daily train ride leads her into a web of mystery when she becomes obsessed with a couple she observes. I loved the movie too – it was just as good.
When the woman goes missing, Rachel finds herself entangled in the investigation. This psychological thriller is both gripping and unsettling.
- “Ask for Andrea” by Noelle W. Ihli
Goodreads Rating: 4.1
Pages: 293
James Carson has gotten away with murder three times, hunting his victims online while masquerading as an eligible bachelor. What he doesn’t know is that his three victims—Meghan, Brecia, and Skye—have found each other in the afterlife.
United by their tragic fate, they’re determined to stop James from killing again. This gripping thriller offers a unique perspective, blending suspense with a bit of the supernatural.
Books about sexual assault are always difficult to stomach, but I loved this because it reinforced everything I was taught – keep your female friends close. This one is beautifully written—it made me realize that no matter how progressive our world becomes, we as women still need to be careful of our surroundings.
- “Home Before Dark” by Riley Sager
Goodreads Rating: 4.1
Pages: 416
Oh my Lord, I loved this one. It’s my second Riley Sager book, and I know I’m just going to read everything he puts out. This started out as horror, and I was glued to my couch reading this.
Maggie Holt inherits Baneberry Hall, a Victorian estate her family fled years ago due to terrifying events her father chronicled in a nonfiction book. Now, as an adult and a restorer of old homes, Maggie returns to renovate the place to prepare it for sale.
But her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the past, chronicled in her father’s book, lurk in the shadows. And locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous. As Maggie experiences strange occurrences straight out of her father’s book, she starts to believe that what he wrote is more fact than fiction.
Sager masterfully blends past and present narratives, crafting a chilling tale that keeps readers guessing until the end. It’s definitely one of those books you can’t predict till the very end.
- “Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty
Goodreads Rating: 4.3
Pages: 512
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty is a gripping domestic thriller that explores the dark secrets hiding beneath the seemingly perfect lives of three women in an upscale Australian seaside town. Madeline, Celeste, and Jane—each dealing with their own struggles—find their lives intertwined as a school trivia night ends in a shocking death.
As the story unravels through multiple perspectives, Moriarty masterfully blends humor, suspense, and drama to reveal the truth behind the lies, friendships, and betrayals that led to the fateful night.
- “When She Returned” by Lucinda Berry
Goodreads Rating: 4.05
Pages: 293
I became a fan of Lucinda Berry after reading The Perfect Child. I still feel this author needs to work on her endings (they’re always slightly frustrating to me), but I love her books because they’re good page-turners.
Kate Bennett vanished from a parking lot eleven years ago, leaving behind her husband and young daughter. When she shows up at a Montana gas station, clutching an infant and screaming for help, investigators believe she may have been abducted by a cult.
Kate’s return flips her family’s world upside down—her husband is remarried, and her daughter barely remembers her. As the family unravels what happened to Kate, a series of shocking revelations shows that her return is more sinister than any of them could have imagined.
Berry crafts a gripping psychological thriller that explores the complexities of family dynamics and the dark side of human nature. I liked this one because it delves deep into how sordid and twisted cults really are. It’s definitely a good read.
- “Look Closer” by David Ellis
Goodreads Rating: 4.2
Pages: 496
Look Closer by David Ellis is a psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of a seemingly perfect marriage shrouded in secrets and deception.
The narrative centers on Simon Dobias, a respected Chicago law professor, and his wife, Vicky Lanier, an advocate for domestic violence victims. As their tenth wedding anniversary approaches, a series of events—including a secret affair, a substantial trust fund nearing its release, and a long-standing grudge—unravels their facade of normalcy.
Bwahaha, I loved the twists and turns. The discovery of a murdered socialite in a nearby suburb sets off a chain reaction, exposing the intricate web of lies and obsessions that bind Simon and Vicky. Ellis crafts a really good suspenseful tale that keeps readers questioning the true nature of each character’s intentions until the very end.
- “The Last House on Needless Street” by Catriona Ward
Goodreads Rating: 4.03
Pages: 368
This book absolutely blew my mind. It’s one of those psychological thrillers that you need to read without knowing much about it—just dive in and experience it as the layers are revealed.
Ted is an isolated man living in a run-down house at the edge of a forest, keeping to himself and hiding from the world. When a new neighbor, Dee, moves in next door, she becomes determined to uncover Ted’s dark secrets. As Dee starts to dig into his past, she finds herself drawn into a disturbing mystery that blurs the lines between reality and delusion.
Ward creates an atmosphere of unease and tension that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The story is twisted in ways I didn’t see coming, and the ending is so shocking that it stays with you long after you finish it.
- “The Couple Next Door” by Shari Lapena
Goodreads Rating: 3.92
Pages: 304
This is a fast-paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Anne and Marco Conti are a seemingly perfect couple with a beautiful baby girl, Cora. But when they attend a dinner party next door, they return to find their baby missing from her crib.
As the investigation unfolds, secrets begin to surface, and it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems. The suspense builds with every chapter, and the twists are unpredictable. It’s a real rollercoaster of a read.
- “The Family Upstairs” by Lisa Jewell
Goodreads Rating: 4.08
Pages: 368
If you’re a fan of family secrets and dark mysteries, this one’s for you. Libby Jones inherits a grand house in London, only to find out that it has a dark history: three bodies were found there years ago, and the case was never solved.
As Libby digs deeper, she uncovers a series of unsettling truths about her family, her past, and the events that led to the deaths. It’s a brilliantly twisted tale that keeps you guessing. I loved how each chapter slowly peels back the layers of the story, revealing more and more.
- “The Chain” by Adrian McKinty
Goodreads Rating: 4.04
Pages: 352
The concept of The Chain is so chilling—it centers on a woman named Rachel who is forced to kidnap someone’s child in order to get her own daughter back after she is kidnapped. The horror of being trapped in a cycle of abductions is both terrifying and gripping.
The tension never lets up as the characters are caught in an impossible situation, and it’s a fast-paced thriller that leaves you questioning how far people are willing to go to protect their loved ones. The way McKinty builds suspense is exceptional, and the moral dilemmas the characters face make it even more intense.
- “Sharp Objects” by Gillian Flynn
Goodreads Rating: 4.05
Pages: 254
If you’ve ever read Gone Girl, you know that Gillian Flynn is a master of twisted psychological thrillers. Sharp Objects doesn’t disappoint. Camille Preaker, a journalist, returns to her hometown to cover the murder of two young girls. But as she digs deeper, she starts to confront her own dark past and the painful relationships with her family.
Flynn’s writing is intense, and the atmosphere is drenched with dark secrets. It’s a slow burn, but the payoff is worth it. You’ll be left with an unsettling feeling that lingers long after you finish.
- “The Girl with a Clock for a Heart” by Peter Swanson
Goodreads Rating: 3.88
Pages: 320
This book had me hooked from the first page. George Foss’s quiet life is thrown into chaos when his former lover, Liana, shows up after years of absence, asking for his help. She’s in trouble and needs George to get her out of a dangerous situation. But nothing is as it seems, and George finds himself embroiled in a web of deceit, murder, and betrayal.
Swanson keeps the tension high throughout, and I loved how the story constantly surprised me with twists I didn’t see coming. It’s one of those books where you never quite know who to trust, and that makes it all the more thrilling.
- “The Wife Between Us” by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Goodreads Rating: 4.07
Pages: 368
This is one of those psychological thrillers where you think you know what’s going on, but the twists are so well-done that they completely change the story. The novel follows the complicated dynamics between a woman, her ex-husband, and his new fiancée.
There’s a lot of misdirection here, and each twist just adds more layers to the story. Hendricks and Pekkanen do a fantastic job of keeping you guessing, and it was impossible for me to put this book down.
- “The Night She Disappeared” by Lisa Jewell
Goodreads Rating: 4.17
Pages: 432
Lisa Jewell’s The Night She Disappeared is a captivating thriller that explores the mystery of a young woman’s disappearance. It starts with the disappearance of Tallulah, who vanishes after a night out with her boyfriend. Her mother, Kim, is desperate to find her, and the novel takes us back in time to piece together the puzzle.
The way Jewell shifts between timelines and different perspectives builds suspense throughout, and there’s a chilling atmosphere that pulls you in. It’s a deep dive into relationships, secrets, and the things that can lie hidden beneath the surface.
- “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” by David Lagercrantz
Goodreads Rating: 4.04
Pages: 464
This is the continuation of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series, and though it’s written by a different author, it’s still a compelling read. Lisbeth Salander and journalist Mikael Blomkvist are once again drawn into a complex web of danger, technology, and corruption.
Lagercrantz manages to stay true to the spirit of the original books, keeping the tension high and the characters intriguing. If you’re a fan of the series, this one is definitely worth picking up.
- “Before I Go to Sleep” by S.J. Watson
Goodreads Rating: 3.99
Pages: 368
Christine Lucas wakes up every day with no memory of who she is or the life she’s lived. Every day is a new start, and she relies on her husband to help her piece together her past. But one day, she discovers a journal that reveals shocking truths, and as she uncovers more, the mystery deepens.
This book is full of twists and turns, and Watson does a brilliant job of keeping you on edge the entire time. The premise is unique, and the psychological elements are well-executed, making for a highly suspenseful read.
