It’s a great feeling to open the pages of a new book and step into a different world. It’s even better when that world is filled with unexpected twists and turns—when the people you thought you knew suddenly reveal secrets that change everything.
I can’t count how many times I’ve told myself I’ll just read a few more pages before bed only to be blindsided by a shocking plot twist that keeps me reading late into the night. It’s always an impressive feat when an author manages to completely surprise you, pulling the rug out from under you and disintegrating your predictions.
Below are some unforgettable reads with endings you’ll never see coming.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
In this debut psychological thriller, Alicia Berenson—a successful painter—shoots her photographer husband in the face and then refuses to speak another word. What was her motive? As a psychotherapist becomes obsessed with getting her to talk, secrets unfold that no one could have predicted. This is a chilling, twist-filled journey you won’t forget. Unique from the first page, this book explores darkness and the power of silence. (Check out the BookTrib review.)
“That rarest of beasts: the perfect thriller. This extraordinary novel set my blood fizzing―I quite literally couldn’t put it down. I told myself I’d just dip in; eleven hours later―it’s now 5:47 a.m.―I’ve finished it, absolutely dazzled.”
―A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window
The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Jess arrives in Paris to stay with her half-brother, but he’s missing when she gets to his apartment. Surrounded by a building full of evasive, suspicious neighbors, Jess starts digging for answers. As the days drag on, the sense of unease grows. Everyone seems to be hiding something—and someone may not want the truth revealed. With tension throughout the entire building, Jess must figure out who she can trust. (Check out the BookTrib review.)
“The streets of Paris have never looked darker, more opulent, or more sinister than in Lucy Foley’s gloriously twisty new novel.” — Ruth Ware
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Daisy Darker’s dysfunctional family reunites on a remote island to celebrate her grandmother’s 80th birthday. But when the tide comes in, they’re cut off from the mainland—and one by one, family members start dying. Trapped with nowhere to run, everyone becomes a suspect. The ending? Pretty unforgettable. This locked-room mystery slowly peels back many secrets thought to be buried. Decades of anger unravel, leaving you guessing who to trust.
“A dark, twisty tale about a dysfunctional family…Feeney’s nod to Agatha Christie’s classic mystery And Then There Were None adds a delightful twist to this quirky thriller. Aficionados of locked-room stories and family dramas (plus Feeney’s large fan base) will enjoy this highly recommended title.” ―Library Journal
A Tidy Ending by Joanna Cannon
Linda lives a quiet, uneventful life in a suburban neighborhood—cleaning her home, scrutinizing her husband’s habits, and daydreaming about the glamorous life of a stranger named Rebecca, whose mail still arrives at her house. She lives a very lonely life. But when people in the neighborhood begin to disappear, Linda starts paying close attention. And things aren’t always what they seem. This is a masterclass in slow-burning suspense. If you love dark humor, you will love Linda.
“Cannon’s gloriously sinister and ingenious mystery boasts an unreliable narrator with a quirky outlook, blackly comic set-pieces and jaw-dropping twists.” —Malcolm Forbes, Minneapolis Star Tribune
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham
Isabelle’s baby disappears from his crib in the middle of the night. The case goes cold, but she refuses to stop searching. Her sleepless nights and obsession with finding the truth begin to blur the line between reality and paranoia. She has been sleepwalking since she was a child and begins to wonder if the disappearance of her child is her fault. Who can she trust—and what really happened that night?
“[A] lyrical thriller… this involving, thought-provoking page-turner raises disturbing questions about the nature of the stories people tell themselves to make sense of the world. Willingham remains an author to watch.” ―Publishers Weekly
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
Amber Patterson is tired of being invisible. She is upset with her place in this world and craving more. She sets her sights on Daphne Parrish, a woman who seems to have it all—wealth, beauty and a perfect husband. Amber inserts herself into Daphne’s life with manipulation, but it turns out she’s not the only one keeping secrets. Amber plays the long game to get what she wants. A smart, dark, and delightfully twisted tale of deception and revenge. (Check out the BookTrib review.)
“Captivating. . . a deliciously duplicitous psychological thriller that will lure readers until the wee hours and beyond. With a plot equally as twisty, spellbinding, and addictive as Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl or Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train, this is sure to be a hit with suspense fans.” —Library Journal
