I read a lot of thrillers, mysteries and other twisty books. Problem is that I've got really good at guessing the twists. I want well-written, pacey books with twists you never saw coming.
Some that actually managed to get me include:
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michelides
- Watch Her Fall by Erin Kelly
- The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
- Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult
- The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
- The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks
- Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
- Magpie by Elizabeth Day
Please don't suggest Frieda McFadden, I've read most of them.
Give me your most jaw-droppingly twisty recs please!
by WordsTurningCircles
18 Comments
I’m almost afraid to make a suggestion because then you will know something you shouldn’t see is coming….
Death of the Author by nnedi okorafor
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
I wasn’t a fan of the twist, but it definitely fits the WTF criteria
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah
The Rules of Backyard Cricket
Jock Serong
No you don’t need to know anything about cricket, you don’t even need to like cricket.
The point of the title is the 2 brothers who start off playing together in the backyard and become cricket players, professionally. But that’s not what the dire doings are….it’s the OTHER stuff, and you may think you know how it goes, as it starts with one brother in the boot of a car, being taken to be murdered…but, aha. You won’t know till the end.
Its sadly not well known and it’s brilliant.
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
Verity by Colleen Hoover
What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
Gillian Flynn always has a good twist. Sharp Objects, Dark Places and of course Gone Girl – old but if you haven’t watched the movie, read the book!
h{{Fight Club}}
h{{Invisible amonsters}}
I think it’s probably not the type of book you’re looking for overall, but We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler is a well written book with an excellent twist that you’ll never see coming and changes everything.
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins. You think the ending is wrapped up neatly and then…. BAM!
His & Hers by Alice Feeney is next on my list to read. I watched the miniseries and did not see the ending.
Gentlemen and Players
“The Ghostwriter” by Julie Clark
Slightly outside of the twisty thriller lane but I strongly recommend Chris Whitaker! His books are fast-paced, beautifully written, and full of reveals that constantly reframe the story rather than relying on one big twist… Page count is longer than average thrillers but his chapters are short so you’ll burn through them.
My two favorites are “All The Colors Of The Dark”, and “We Begin At The End”.
The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
I said this about Sundial by Catriona Ward.