Psychological thrillers twist our minds—because the real suspense is something we’re never able to crack. Here you have ten books that are all thrillers set in domestic environments–average men and women with ordinary families, albeit in abnormal circumstances.
#1 The Girl on the Train
About the book:
Title: Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Type: Standalone
Pages: 336
Goodreads rating: 3.95/5
Rachel travels on the same train to work daily, armored with a few bottles of her favorite Gin and Tonic. She passes by a fleet of beautiful homes and loves looking into them and imagining the remarkable lives of the people who inhabit them. Sweet, right? Nope, not really. The truth is Rachel has been unemployed for a long time, and the couple’s home; she looks into every day gets embroiled in a crime. As her own life unravels, her obsession with this couple returns her to her devastating past. What does she discover?
Why do we recommend this?
Arguably one of the best psychological thrillers ever written (in my opinion), Paula Hawkins infuses her narrative with three parallel stories that initially seem unconnected but turn out to be connected beyond imagination. The protagonists scare, make you hate them but also eventually empathize. You can also check out the film version of the book starring Emily Blunt!
If you want to buy/gift Girl on the Train, click on the link below: 👇
#2 Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
About the book:
Title: Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Broadway Books
Type: Series
Pages: 415
Goodreads rating: 4.11/5
Nick and Amy have a perfect marriage, and Amy thinks of herself as the ultimate “cool girl.” But on their 5th wedding anniversary, Amy disappears, leaving clues in the form of a treasure hunt–their anniversary ritual. These clues will be the key to unlocking Amy’s disappearance. What went wrong?
Why do we recommend this?
The gold standard of domestic psychological thrillers, this is a twisted tale of one of the most ingenious and unnerving female villains. When I say the twists Flynn incorporates in her story are unimaginable, they are. Read this, and then you can watch the nominated academy film by the same name.
If you want to buy/gift Gone Girl Series, click on the link below: 👇
#3 Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
About the book:
Title: Sharp Objects
Author: Gillian Flynn
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Broadway Paperbacks
Type: Standalone
Pages: 254
Goodreads rating: 4.01/5
Camille–a reporter struggling with her mental health- is assigned to solve a double crime case in her gloomy hometown. The victims are two girls–one killed and the other missing. She must move in with her troubled mother and enigmatic sister, both not suitable for the past she had tried to suppress within her. But the catch is that she has to tap into her own experiences to solve the case she is in. So what does she find out?
Why do we recommend this?
Gillian Flynn has to appear on this list because she owns this genre like no one else. Back with an ensemble of female protagonists–each with their fleshed-out and disturbing backstories, the central mystery is accentuated by how well the characters are written. This is one among the delightful psychological thrillers.
If you want to buy/gift Sharp Objects, click on the link below: 👇
#4 My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
About the book:
Title: My Lovely Wife
Author: Samantha Downing
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Berkley Books
Type: Standalone
Pages: 390
Goodreads rating: 3.875
Millicent and her husband share a rock-solid marriage–15 years and counting. Everyone knows routine and boredom are the extinguishers that put out the flame of a passionate relationship. This couple has a trick up their sleeve for this very problem–in the form of a knife. Yes, the perfect date night for them is to slice open not a piece of well-cooked steak but a human being. What makes them murderous, and does trouble await in their spree-killing paradise?
Why do we recommend this?
Written with a delectable humorous undertone, this is a fascinating tale about a killer duo. It’s equal parts funny and equal parts scary. The characters are compelling, and this is one of those psychological thrillers that will leave you with a smile.
If you want to buy/gift My Lovely Wife, click on the link below: 👇
#5 The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
About the book:
Title: The Couple Next Door
Author: Shari Lapena
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Type: Standalone
Pages: 308
Goodreads rating: 3.81/5
When a couple who have recently become parents move into a new neighborhood, they are invited for a friendly dinner by their neighbors. With no babysitter available, they leave their baby alone at home and plan to check on her at regular intervals. When they return home after the party ends, they discover their daughter is missing. From there begins their quest to find their daughter. But what happens when the lead detective on the cases suspects the parents itself of the crime?
Why do we recommend this?
With lead protagonists that seem as troubled and shady as a crime, you will have a tough time figuring out who is the real victim and who the perpetrator is.
If you want to buy/gift, The Couple Next Door, click on the link below: 👇
#6 Verity by Colleen Hoover
About the book:
Title: Verity
Author: Colleen Hoover
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Romance
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Type: Standalone
Pages: 336
Goodreads rating: 4.43/5
Jeremy’s ailing wife, Verity, doesn’t seem like she’ll be able to finish the book she began authoring. So in comes Lowen–a struggling writer tasked with ghostwriting the rest of Verity’s novel. As Lowen skims the existing manuscript, she’s invited into Verity’s troubled life–full of life-altering secrets. Secrets Jeremy has no clue about it. As Lowen begins to fall for Jeremy, does she reveal these secrets so that her relationship with him has a chance, or does she hide them?
Why do we recommend this?
When the sweet beginnings of a relationship such as Lowen and Jeremy are so haunted, how can their story not be a complete mess that you’ll want to deduce? Look out for the skeletons Verity keeps in her closet–the book hasn’t been named after her for no reason!
If you want to buy/gift Verity, click on the link below: 👇
#7 The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
About the book:
Title: The Wife Upstairs
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Type: Standalone
Pages: 290
Goodreads rating: 3.76/5
Jane–plain Jane, simple and broke, is a dog walker at a rich complex where the creme de la creme of Alabama lives. When she’s resigned to petty thieving to earn the extra bucks, she meets mysterious widower Eddie, whose wife died even more mysteriously. Jane grabs this opportunity–unabashedly in a gold digger fashion–but realizes Eddie’s deceased wife had a similar story. What will she do to survive in her environment, and what will she discover about Eddie’s life?
Why do we recommend this?
Is Jane getting pulled toward Eddie, or does Eddie have a penchant for similar women? You’ll be biting your nails, hoping that Jane doesn’t end up as the ex-wife did.
If you want to buy/gift The Wife Upstairs, click on the link below: 👇
#8 Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
About the book:
Title: Little Secrets
Author: Jennifer Hillier
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Type: Standalone
Pages: 352
Goodreads rating: 4.23/5
Marin and Derek are a well-to-do couple with a flourishing marriage. Then, one day, everything begins to crumble when their beloved son is kidnapped. The FBI gives up as soon as it starts, and their son is nowhere to be found. If this isn’t enough, Marin discovers her husband’s infidelity. Fuelled by a mad rage from her trauma, she will stop at nothing to salvage her marriage and kick the other woman from their life. Will she be successful?
Why do we recommend this?
Extremely well-paced and full of suspense, this book is gold when taking the “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” phrase seriously.
If you want to buy/gift Little Secrets, click on the link below: 👇
#9 Too Good To Be True by Carola Lovering
About the book:
Title: Too Good to Be True
Author: Carola Lovering
Genre: Psychological Thrilled
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Type: Standalone
Pages: 342
Goodreads rating: 3.85/5
Skye–who’s been dealing with OCD since a young age, meets Burke, who accepts her in her entirety and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Burke seems too good to be true, and he is. In reality, he’s a married man with another affair with a minor girl. As Skye prepares for the wedding, the many strands of Burke’s life collide with her. What does she find out?
Why do we recommend this?
With unbelievable twists and crazy character connections galore, the mystery at the heart of this novel will not disappoint you.
If you want to buy/gift Too Good to Be True, click on the link below: 👇
#10 Blind Spot by Paula Hawkins
About the book:
Title: Blind Spot
Author: Paula Hawkins
Genre: Psychological Thrilled
Publisher: Transworld Digital
Type: Standalone
Pages: 125
Goodreads rating: 3.62/5
Eddie, Jake, and Ryan have been inseparable three musketeers for all their lives. But Eddie is crushed when Jake dies, and Ryan becomes the prime suspect. Now she’s completely isolated and trying to recover from this fiasco and her past. But someone lurks outside who won’t let her forget. So what is Eddie trying to steer away from?
Why do we recommend this?
Paula Hawkins returns to this list with an even more disturbing and frightening tale than The Girl on the Train, and that’s saying something. The things about psychological thrillers like these are that they are deep, dark, and painful–this read will require every inch of your emotional resilience.
If you want to buy/gift Blind Spot, click on the link below: 👇
So grab a snack, make a beverage of your choice and dig into one of these titles. Happy Reading!
To conclude, here are the 10 best psychological thrillers you must have on your wishlist.
| 1. | Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins | Buy Now |
| 2. | Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn | Buy Now |
| 3. | Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn | Buy Now |
| 4. | My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing | Buy Now |
| 5. | The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena | Buy Now |
| 6. | Verity by Colleen Hoover | Buy Now |
| 7. | The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins | Buy Now |
| 8. | Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier | Buy Now |
| 9. | Too Good to Be True by Carola Lovering | Buy Now |
| 10. | Blind Spot by Paula Hawkins | Buy Now |
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