Who is the murderer? Did she really do it? What’s he hiding?
There’s nothing like reading a good thriller on the edge of your seat. When they're done right, dark and twisty stories have an unputdownable quality that keeps readers coming back for more. Unlike cozy mysteries, thrillers don’t sugar-coat the nightmares: the stakes are often life or death.
If you liked “Verity” by best-selling author Colleen Hoover for that very reason, add these romance and thriller books to your shelf next.
What is ‘Verity’ about?
In “Verity,” Lowen Asleigh is a struggling, broke writer who takes on a once-in-a-lifetime job ghostwriting. She is tasked with writing the remaining books of a wildly popular series by author Verity Crawford, who has been severely injured in an accident.
Hired by Verity’s husband, Jeremy, Lowen moves into the Crawford house to begin her work. That's when she discovers Verity’s unfinished autobiography. The manuscript contains haunting confessions of her hidden family life and what really happened the day Verity and Jeremy’s young daughter died. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript a secret, a burden that becomes harder and harder to bear as she falls for Jeremy.
Things are not exactly what they seem in this twisty romance.
Books like 'Verity'
If you’re a fan of romance and thrillers and an even bigger fan of a hybrid of the two, we’ve got books for you. These books twist the swoon-worthy elements of a classic romance novel with dark secrets and will have you on the edge of your seat.
‘The Wife Upstairs’ by Rachel Hawkins
This domestic thriller follows low-key kleptomaniac Jane, a broke dog walker who thrives in the anonymity of working in a rich community. That is, until, she falls in love with Eddie Rochester, a mysterious widow whose wife recently drowned in a boating accident with her best friend.
Jane loves Eddie for his looks and the protection he can provide (and maybe also his money), but she can’t shake the feeling she’s being haunted by his deceased wife, the beautiful and successful Bea.
‘The Housemaid’ by Freida McFadden
In “The Housemaid,” protagonist Millie is hired on the spot as a maid for the wealthy Winchester family, providing her with a desperately needed place to live. When she moves into the Winchester home and begins her job, everything seems squeaky clean. But things take a turn – Nina, the wife, starts deliberately making messes for Millie to clean and tells strange lies about her daughter. Millie even receives a grim warning from a groundskeeper. And then there’s Andrew, Nina’s devastatingly handsome and broken husband, who has Millie fantasizing about what it would be like to walk in Nina’s shoes.
This twisty, addictive psychological thriller is the first of a series that includes “The Housemaid’s Secret” and the recently released “The Housemaid is Watching.”
‘None of This is True’ by Lisa Jewell
“None of This is True” follows a woman who finds herself the subject of her own true crime podcast. When Alix Summers, a popular podcaster, meets the unassuming Josie Fair, the only thing that seems to tie the two women together is that they’re both celebrating their 45th birthdays.
But as they continue to run into each other, Alix realizes something else may bond them – Josie, on the cusp of changing her life, wants to be the next subject of Alix’s series. When she agrees, Alix realizes Josie’s life is strange and confusing, full of dark secrets she's kept buried for decades. This thriller is a guaranteed page-turner.
‘The Wife Before’ by Shanora Williams
In this suspenseful thriller, down-on-her-luck protagonist Samira’s tune changes when she meets Roland, a wealthy, handsome and caring pro-golfer. After a whirlwind relationship and engagement, Samira relocates to his remote Colorado mansion to start her new life of luxury as the second Mrs. Graham.
But when she finds hidden journals belonging to Roland’s late wife, Samira comes to realize the tragic accident that killed her may not have been an accident at all. Is her perfect husband really what he appears?
Recommendations galore: Books to read next if you loved 'Fourth Wing'
‘The Maid’s Diary’ by Loreth Anne White
In “The Maid’s Diary,” housecleaner Kit Darling discovers a shocking secret about her wealthy, privileged clients. Her snooping is a harmless habit, but this skeleton in the closet is anything but – her clients might just kill to keep it buried.
By the time homicide cop Mallory Van Alst is called in, the waterfront mansion has signs of a vicious, bloody attack. The homeowners are gone, the maid is missing and the last person to see Kit Darling alive was an elderly woman next door who awoke to screams in the night.
‘What Never Happened’ by Rachel Howzell Hall
In this suspenseful crime thriller, Colette “Coco” Weber relocates to her hometown twenty years after surviving a deadly home invasion. She slots back into life on Catalina Island – seeing her aunt, avoiding her ex and honing her craft writing obituaries at a local paper.
Obituaries are never a light matter, but the number of elderly folks dying on the island raises Coco’s internal alarm bells. The circ*mstances behind the deaths are unnatural and have an odd connection to her own family tragedy. And then she receives a deadly warning in the mail – her own obituary.
‘Dirty Laundry’ by Disha Bose
“Dirty Laundry” is a domestic whodunnit murder mystery about a clique of gossiping mothers. Ciara Dunphy is the ringleader of a circle of mom friends in a small Irish village. She’s also the subject of everyone’s envy – she’s got the perfect life as a successful influencer with a doting husband, well-behaved children and a beautiful home.
But when she is found murdered in her home, the image she’s created doesn’t seem so flawless anymore. Everyone has something to gain from her murder, and no one is presumed innocent. Could it be newcomer Mishti, who wanted the life Ciara had? Or Lauren, whose earthy-crunchy parenting sees her ostracized from the other mothers? Or another one of the gossiping women desperate to prove themselves?
‘The Last Mrs. Parrish’ by Liv Constantine
“The Last Mrs. Parrish” is a tale of envy set in a high-class Connecticut town. Amber Patterson is tired of being a nobody and has her eyes set on what Daphne Parrish takes for granted – her socialite and philanthropist status, her real-estate mogul husband, her picture-perfect blond hair and blue eyes.
Amber has a plan to make it all hers by infiltrating into the family’s life step by step. Soon, she’s on a plane to Europe with her new, unsuspecting companion, her dashing husband and their lovely daughters. It’s almost perfect – except for a damning secret that Amber has to keep at bay to maintain the illusion and Daphne’s trust.
‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn
“Gone Girl” is perhaps the reigning monarch of domestic female rage thrillers. The 2012 bestseller opens on Nick Dunne, who finds his wife Amy has disappeared on the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary. When her friends reveal that she was afraid of him and kept secrets, the police begin to suspect Nick killed her. But he vehemently denies it, knowing there is something more sinister at play.
This book “will make your head spin off,” booksellers told USA TODAY when the novel debuted.
‘When No One is Watching’ by Alyssa Cole
Gentrification “takes on a sinister new meaning” in this thriller. Brooklyn-born Sydney Green’s beloved neighborhood is changing rapidly. Trying to keep a grip on her community’s roots, she develops a walking tour with her newly arrived neighbor Theo, an unexpected ally.
When Sydney and Theo team up to research the rich history, the community fading turns very literal – their neighbors start disappearing. This bone-chilling mystery is described as “Rear Window” meets “Get Out.”
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Books like 'Verity': Read these if you loved Colleen Hoover's thriller
