By: Noor Khan Mallach
There are approximately 9 billions people on this earth, each with their own hobbies and interests. Whether that is doomsrolling or running marathons, each person has something that they believe is worth their time and enjoy actively doing it. For some people, that might be reading or, at least, the idea of reading. While some can just pick up a book and certainly like it, others can be more particular. Maybe they don’t enjoy reading multiple genres of books or maybe they like fast paced books over slowly paced ones. Honestly, its all up to personal preference, so this week is all about thrillers! A fun source of adrenaline and anxiety, thrillers well done can be hard to find. Lets see 3 different thrillers options possible.
- What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
Summary – Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.
They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.
Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.
But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.
Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.
This thriller is quite intense and definitely gruesome. At some points, it was even slightly disgusting, however the storyline was extremely hooking and definitely one of a kind. Maybe not the best book to start-off and get into the genre, but a great recommendation for those who are looking for darker one. Bonus: its on kindle unlimited!
2. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Summary – The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body
On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.
But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.
And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?
Imagine a realistic storyline where everyone seems guilty that provides an adrenaline rush. Not a single person truly feels perfect until the very end, where everything clicks together seamlessly. Stand-alone and entertaining, it makes the a good thriller debut novel or for people who don’t enjoy particularly dark psychological thrillers and prefer more mystery-based thrillers.
3. That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally
Summary – She thought she had her life back. She was wrong. It was a mistake to trust him.
Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there―or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station, and not long after, a frantic man arrives. He’s been searching for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos. He is her father. Her name is Mary. Or so he says.
When Lola slammed the car door and stormed off into the night, Drew thought they just needed some time to cool off. Except Lola disappeared, and the sheriff, his friends, and the whole town are convinced Drew murdered his girlfriend. Forget proving his innocence, he needs to find her before it’s too late. The longer Lola is missing, the fewer leads there are to follow…and the more danger they both are in.
A fast-paced, pretty short, character driven novel where the plot is unimaginable due to the unreliable narrators. While the novel is not extremely dark, the themes are not super easy and are quite realistics. It touched the surface of these issues in a very entertaining way.
These are the three most different yet same genre novels to experiment with the thriller genre. Of course, there are many other amazing authors in the genre, but these might be the most interesting ones I’ve read. An honourable mention however goes to Frida McFadden for really bingeable books 🙂
