Picture a beautiful getaway, somewhere unfamiliar, with that eerie creeping feeling that something is about to go wrong. Suddenly nobody seems trustworthy, and everybody seems capable of the worst. These are the things that make shows like HBO’s The White Lotus so captivating — and make the finest psychological thriller, horror and suspense novels worth reading.
Eagerly awaiting season three of your favorite show? Missing the tension between guests and employees, the wealthy and the working class, the truth and lies, the living and the dead? Forget binge-watching, you’ll be binge-reading these seven gripping stories about the dark side of paradise.
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
For White Lotus Fans: If the yacht storyline in season two had its own season…
Lo is enjoying a luxury cruise on the North Sea, with elegant dinner parties, captivating guests, and clear skies. But later that week, the weather begins to turn, and she witnesses a woman being thrown overboard. What’s worse, is all of the guests are accounted for, and nobody believes what she saw. Lo wonders if she can even trust her own memory of what happened.
This mystery becomes claustrophobic as Lo is trapped without a clue of who can be trusted. Following the tradition of Agatha Christie, Ruth Ware has created a dark, tense and unsettling thriller.
(Read BookTrib’s coverage of Ruth Ware here.)
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
For White Lotus Fans: If you enjoyed how small mistakes spiraled into resort-wide chaos…
When a group of wedding guests gathers on an island off Ireland’s coast, nothing goes as planned. The handsome groom, perfect dress, fancy drinks and classy party favors can’t do anything to save humanity from creeping in.
Jealousy, complicated relationships and resentments cause turmoil among the party guests. When someone turns up dead, the mystery begins, and fingers are pointed. The question becomes, who didn’t wish the happy couple well, and why?
The Island Mother by Jon Cohn
For White Lotus Fans: If the close-knit resort staff was your favorite part of season one…
Leigh Ramos is always on the run. She has an itch that keeps her on the move away from a dangerous past. After a drug run for her latest abusive boyfriend goes wrong, she finds herself in Hawaii. Leigh lands a job at The Mahalo Club, tending to the resort guests, serving breakfast — and growing closer to Kai, a handsome man also seeking refuge at the resort.
Strange things start happening the day she arrives. And everyone can’t help but notice that she is at the center of it. Her ex is hot on her heels, disturbing things wash up on shore, and Leigh’s itch only grows stronger. Quickly, everything goes careening into something far more sinister.
(Read BookTrib’s review here)
Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson
For White Lotus Fans: If season two’s exploration of infidelity made you want more…
When Abby has a regrettable one-night stand on her bachelorette weekend, she tries to forget it ever happened. But the handsome stranger shows up on her honeymoon, insisting that their drunken night was more special than she could have imagined. Her kind, stable, wealthy husband Bruce doesn’t need to know, does he? Abby thinks she can handle this terrifying stalker on her own.
Or can she? Odd things start happening on this tech-free island off the coast of Maine. She meets a woman also unsettled by a romantic entanglement, and everything feels a bit off — almost scripted. But nobody at the resort believes that anything is amiss, including her husband. (Read BookTrib’s review here.)
The Pink Hotel by Liska Jacobs
For White Lotus Fans: If you loved the growing tension between the staff and guests…
Wildfires roar outside, riots break out, and blackouts are frequent and terrifying. This luxurious Los Angeles hotel has closed its doors to outsiders — for safety purposes — and Keith and Kit Collins are trapped. Their stay had been part of a ploy to offer a job to Keith. But as the staff grows tenser, guests become insatiable as they clamber for entertainment. Being confined in the hotel brings out the darkest in people.
In this microcosm of society, the uber-wealthy are juxtaposed with the hotel staff, and as danger rises outside the hotel, tensions rise within. Will everything come to a breaking point?
The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
For White Lotus Fans: If the threat of secrets coming to the surface was your favorite part…
Letty knows her sister’s ex is a murderer. Who else would have killed her, and left her dead in her New York City townhouse? Letty was told that if something went wrong, she should take her niece and run.
A Florida motel becomes the new home of Letty and her niece, just as a group of retirees checks in for the winter. But they don’t take kindly to newcomers. Letty must untangle the secrets of her sister’s death, ignore her growing feelings for the local police detective, and keep her cards close to her chest. Letty can’t escape detection for long, and when danger closes in, she must uncover the truth and make things right.
The Club by Ellery Lloyd
For White Lotus Fans: If the drama of the wealthy versus working class intrigues you…
Everyone’s dying to join this exclusive celebrity club. Island Home rests just off the English coast, and prep for its three-day launch party pushes the event planning team to its breaking point. Everybody has a secret they’ll do anything to keep hidden, and in the days before the A-list guest arrive, their limits are put to the test.
Every hour, things grow more sinister, and when the exclusive guests are thrown into the mix, things only get worse. This club for celebrities to gather away from the prying eyes of fans and the media has everyone clambering for an invite. But soon, they’ll wish they never made the guest list.
