Well this has been sitting in my drafts for a while. Being in a writing slump and just dealing with life has kept me from publishing this post for awhile but never mind that. I’ve read some pretty good psychological thrillers/mysteries this year/last year (a total of 21 I believe…) and I wanted to review my favourites out of the bunch. Some of these books were captivating, some were heartbreaking but all had ingenious narratives and unexpected but nevertheless jaw-dropping plot twists that made for very enjoyable reads. I’ve decided to pick my top five favourites and rate them out of 10. So if you’re looking for something to bury your nose in and love being kept at the edge of your seat, I hope you give these a try…
- Rock, Paper, Scissors – Alice Feeney (2021, 320 pages)
Blurb
Think you know the person you married? Think again…
Things have been wrong with Mr. and Mrs. Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.
Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.
Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget. (Goodreads)
This book was simply a beautifully crafted novel. The author skillfully weaves a story through the narrations of each character in a way that both confounds and intrigues the reader. Each chapter felt like a revelation and an enigma all at the same time – I Iove that every time I thought I had figured it out there was another discovery that completely blindsided me. From the very beginning of this story, you get the idea that each character has a secret and something is extremely off; this feeling nags you till the very end. The plot twists are endless and very well executed. I certainly finished this book with a astonished but satisfied “WTF?” – 9/10
(Also, since then I’ve read more of Feeney’s books and they’re so good I might do a separate post on them…)
2. The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides (2019, 368 pages)
Blurb
Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him… (Goodreads)
I love a thriller that batters me emotionally and mentally, you know? Like you finish reading and sit and stare into space for a good thirty minutes, trying to get your feelings and thoughts together. But not because it was traumatic (well, sometimes there’s that) but because the story was so artfully woven that you’re in awe of the author’s literary prowess. Like how could they possibly come up with such a plot? And how did they execute it so seamlessly? Basically, that’s how this book made me feel. I. DID. NOT. SEE. THAT. PLOT. TWIST. COMING. Simple. – 9.5/10
(P.S: I can’t wait to see this adapted into a movie or tv show.)
3. The Last Time I Lied – Riley Sager (2018, 402 pages)
Blurb
Fifteen years ago, summer camper Emma Davis watched sleepily as her three cabin mates snuck out of their cabin in the dead of night. The last she–and anyone–saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.
Now a rising star in the NYC art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings.. They catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of the very same Camp Nightingale–and when Francesca implores Emma to return to the camp as a painting counselor, Emma sees an opportunity to find closure and move on.
Yet, it is immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by surfacing memories, Emma is suddenly plagued by a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca, and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian apparently left behind about the camp’s twisted origins. And as history begins to repeat itself and three girls go missing again, Emma must face threats from both man and nature in order to uncover all the buried secrets–including what really happened all those years ago. (Goodreads)
Since reading this book, I have gone on to read three more Riley Sager books. I must say his books are quite intriguing, with decently written plots that keep you engaged and complex characters that are just frustrating enough to the point where you roll your eyes but don’t put the book aside. This particular book featured your typical unreliable female protagonist who seems to be on the verge of discovering something huge but cannot trust her mental acuity for shit. I generally find this choice of character for thrillers to be tiresome because it reiterates that misogynistic idea that women’s emotions override their logic but whatever…there was a decent enough plot twist at the end so an enjoyable read overall. – 8/10
4. The Whisper Man – Alex North (2019, 355 pages)
Blurb
After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town: Featherbank.
But Featherbank has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed “The Whisper Man,” for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.
Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter’s crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man. And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window. (Goodreads)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with it being my introduction to Alex North’s work. I have gone on to read another of his books, which was good but did not live up to this one. This was a simple but cohesive storyline that came to a satisfactory end. I liked the main character and how they grappled with grief and the fear of messing up as a single parent, while danger constantly looms. The mystery was eerie enough to keep me going and the plot twist was modest but still gratifying. – 8.5/10
5. Verity – Colleen Hoover (2018, 336 pages)
Blurb (TW: Child abuse)
Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.
Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.
Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her. (Goodreads)
Now if you’ve been on the clock app these past 2-3 years, you may have come across folks hyping Colleen Hoover’s books. Being the book worm that I am, I decided to look into her works but soon discovered most of them consist of cheesy romance novels (not my cup of tea really) but I did find this one which did not fall into that category. The blurb intrigued me and the BookTok folks kept talking about how emotionally wrecking it was. Well…it wasn’t. I mean, great storyline, compelling narration and interesting plot twists, don’t get me wrong. But folks online certainly know how to over-hype books and from my experience, most of those books have been underwhelming. I enjoyed this read because the author was able to describe the protagonist’s inner turmoil over doing the right thing or giving in to one’s wishes. There are some triggering themes you should mentally prepare for, but it was a skillful mix of romance and mystery so…that’s that. – 8/10
*Honourable mention – The Lying Game – Ruth Ware (2017, 370 pages)
Blurb
On a cool June morning, a woman is walking her dog in the idyllic coastal village of Salten along a tidal estuary known as the Reach. Before she can stop him, the dog charges into the water to retrieve what first appears to be a wayward stick, but to her horror, turns out to be something much more sinister…
The next morning, three women in and around London—Fatima, Thea, and Isabel—receive the text they had always hoped would NEVER come, from the fourth in their formerly inseparable clique, Kate, that says only, “I need you.”
The four girls were best friends at Salten, a second rate boarding school set near the cliffs of the English Channel. Each different in their own way, the four became inseparable and were notorious for playing the Lying Game, telling lies at every turn to both fellow boarders and faculty, with varying states of serious and flippant nature that were disturbing enough to ensure that everyone steered clear of them. The myriad and complicated rules of the game are strict: no lying to each other—ever. Bail on the lie when it becomes clear it is about to be found out. But their little game had consequences, and the girls were all expelled in their final year of school under mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of the school’s eccentric art teacher, Ambrose – who also happens to be Kate’s father. (Goodreads)
I won’t say much about this one except that Ruth Ware has been lauded as a modern day Agatha Christie. So if you’re fan of Marple and Poirot like I am, you should check this one out… – 7.5/10
Till next time…
Featured image by Zoe on Unsplash.