Psychological thrillers are all the rage. These are the books that will keep you on the edge of your seat, make you throw your book across the room, and mess with your mind until the very last page. If you enjoyed Gone Girl and similar titles, here are five great thrillers to pick up- and soon! My suggestion? Don’t read them right before you go to bed: you won’t be able to put these books down and if you do, your dreams might get a bit wacky.
Defending Jacob by William Landay
When a homicide rocks his hometown, District Attorney Andy Barber is on the case. The fact that the murder is of one of his son Jacob’s classmates further complicates the issue, but when fingers start pointing to Jacob, specifically the discover of a fingerprint on the body, Andy Barber becomes more determined than ever to crack the case and ultimately clear his son’s name. While this book has its repetitive moments, don’t jump to conclusions until the very last page.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight
Working single-mom Kate receives a phone call from her daughter Amelia’s school informing her that Amelia has been suspended for cheating. However, when she shows up at the elite Brooklyn private school, she discovers something far far worse: Amelia has committed suicide. In the months following Amelia’s death, Kate tries to grapple with her new reality until one day, she receives a mysterious text: Amelia didn’t jump. What really happened to Amelia? Kate is about to find out.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Harkins
Wowza- where do I even start with this one? This book was one of my Spring Break Picks, and I gasped and yelped and huffed my way through this book more than any other book this year (which happened a lot considering I read this in just one day). This book, like a few on this list, is told from alternating perspectives between women in London, most notably Rachel, an alcoholic who cherishes her daily train commute. One morning, while staring out the window of her morning train, she is shocked to witness a sliver into someone else’s life that will change both of their futures forever. Be prepared to hate every single character in this book and not trust any of them until the very last page. I’ve also heard the audiobook is excellent!
Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
Libby Day is the sole survivor of a mass murder, in which nearly all members of her family were brutally killed. The only family member remaining is her brother Ben, whom she helped put behind bars as her family’s killer when she was just seven years old. Over twenty years later, Libby revisits the facts of the murder and comes face to face with the grisly reality of her family’s past. Told from varying perspectives in the past and present, this book is much more dark and grisly than Gone Girl (and written by the same author!), but just as tantalizing.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
This book is targeted more toward teens, as our main character Cadence is a 16-year-old from an exceptionally wealthy East Coast family. Every summer, she vacations with her extended family at her grandparents’ private island of the coast. After Cadence gets into a serious accident, the sudden silence of her family regarding the incident alarms Cadence, so she seeks to discover the secrets her family and herself hold. While the story itself is haunting, gripping, and emotional, the craft of Lockhart’s writing just blew me away. Using fairy tales and references to King Lear, this book’s beautiful storytelling makes it one of the best written books I’ve read this year.
