If Barbie Was the Female Lead of a Suspense Book
One sure-fire recipe for an unputdownable thriller is to peel back the veneer on a character’s seemingly perfect life and see what dark and dangerous secrets are lurking underneath. These books do just that. They’re about women trying to reinvent themselves, and the trouble they run into along the way. They’re about couples with disturbing secrets, mothers who will go to any length to ensure their children’s success, friendships that aren’t what they seem, and glamorous relationships that are actually toxic (or downright murderous). Yes, the female leads in these crime novels are as beautiful as they come, but they each harbor secrets beneath their perfect veneer. If you’re looking for gritty suspense novels full of female characters who are a bit unhinged but will remain forever in your heart, these are the books for you.
The two protagonists of The Darkness of Others have little in common on paper—but they're both keeping deadly secrets. Imani Banks is a psychiatrist with a picture-perfect life: a Brooklyn townhouse, a restauranteur husband, and two beautiful kids. Tonya Sayre's life isn't so perfect: an underpaying waitressing job, a teen daughter to support, and a shattered Broadway dream. When Imani and her husband rent out a room to Tonya during the pandemic, it shakes up both women's lives in chilling ways.
Fans of stories about women trying to reinvent themselves—and sometimes making bad decisions in the process—will enjoy Harriet Tyce's dark, smart thriller, The Lies You Told. Sadie Roper moves back to London determined to get her life and career back on track. But everything she's worked for is threatened when she gets caught up in the dangerous politics of the mothers at her daughter's new school.
You Will Know Me delves into the darkness that lurks in the most unexpected places and people—in this case, a tight-knight gymnastics community and the mother of a young gymnastics prodigy. Katie has always been willing to do anything for her daughter—but after a shocking death before a major competition, she starts to take "anything" a little too far.
On a winter night in Paris, a young woman is pulled naked out of the Seine. She has amnesia and bears no identifying marks apart from two peculiar tattoos. She is rushed to the infirmary of Paris police headquarters, but only a few hours later, she disappears.
DNA analysis reveals her identity. She is the famous pianist Milena Bergman. But that’s impossible, because Milena died in a plane crash more than a year ago. Raphael, Milena’s former fiancé desperate for answers, and Roxane, a cop hell-bent on proving herself after a recent fall from grace, spearhead the investigation. Their quest to uncover the truth quickly reveals secrets long buried, a web of impostors, and danger lurking in plain sight. Nevertheless, they are determined to get to the center of this mystery: How can a person be both dead and alive at the same time?
By clicking 'Sign Up,' I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
What to Read Next
Emily Hoang is a writer and editor, who is obsessed with haunted houses, ghosts, and dreams. More info can be found on her website.