On a pre–Civil War Alabama plantation, sixteen-year-old Junie lives under the weight of loss, tending to a family that is not her own while mourning her sister's death. But Junie is restless, and the forested lands around the Bellereine estate hold secrets and spirits that refuse to stay buried.

When grief and desperation awaken her sister's ghost, Junie is pulled into a new story that illuminates the plantation's history and her sister's story. Eckstine's debut blends Southern Gothic atmosphere with historical reckoning in stunning prose.

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Elodie, her autistic son Jude, and her husband Bren move into a sprawling family farmhouse, hoping for calm and renewal amidst their renovation.

But when the walls begin to whisper and Jude hears voices saying the house is hurting from its updates, the dread becomes palatable.

As secrets unravel, you'll ask: Is the horror in the walls, in the family, or in her mind? This haunting, character-driven novel has surprised readers in the best ways.

Release Date- 17 March 2026

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In 1765, plague-ravaged Mexico, Alba Díaz seeks refuge at her fiancé's remote silver mine, only to find the isolation more terrifying than the outside world. Strange visions, sleepwalking, and a cold presence lurking beneath her skin signal that something (or someone) refuses to stay hidden.

When Elías, a troubled scholar from Spain, arrives, the two are drawn into a web of occult rituals, family secrets, and the Church's shadowy influence in this page-turner.

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Called to Blackberry Grange in the Ozarks to care for her great-aunt, Sadie's desperate to uncover her great-aunt's life story before her dementia or death overcomes her.

As memories of her old lovers haunt Marguerite, she paints them as Sadie desperately tries to uncover her long-held secrets in this tale of ghostly family secrets.

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Pinborough, known for her plot twist whiplash, delivers Gothic tension wrapped in cold stone and secret sins.

Emily and Freddie move from London to the majestic yet unsettling Larkin Lodge in Dartmoor after Emily’s near‑fatal accident. The house should mark a fresh start—but something within its walls feels decidedly wrong.

Old floorboards groan, fires extinguish without reason, and books tumble from shelves at the touch of unseen fingers. As Emily’s health and memories wobble, she’s left wondering if the haunting in her mind or in the house?

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Mei, a young refugee haunted by the past she fought so hard to escape, is drawn back into the house where everything went wrong—invited by the wife of the man who destroyed her life, asked to compete in a deadly spiritual ritual.

Decades later, the ghost of that night still whispers, and Mei must uncover the truth of what really happened... and whether the house was ever truly haunted or just full of secrets.

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Described as Crimson Peak meets Knives Out, Charles is back with a new LGBTQIA+ gothic romance.

Called to a wealthy relative's remote manor, the crumbling property isn't as scary as confronting the awful friends and family who linger there.

This property will be left to whoever marries the young ward, and while Zeb wants no part in this, it seems the house won't let him go (or the romaother romance brewing on the property).

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Orphans, superstition, and small-town paranoia abound in this horror debut.

Set in a village where the line between human and beast blurs, The Hounding follows five sisters under the suspicious gaze of neighbors and a volatile ferryman.

Purvis spins a story of fear, misogyny, and secrets that refuse to stay buried in this Gothic with teeth and claws.

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Some friendships are impossible to leave behind, and some places are impossible to forget.

In the swamplands of Florida, Ingrid reconnects with her childhood friend Mayra, only to uncover unsettling truths that have grown with the moss and shadows. Gonzalez's lush prose transforms memory and desire into a Gothic landscape of longing and danger.

Thank you to my friend, Carrie, for this fabulous recommendation for our book list!

In an unnamed time and place, two elderly sisters, Evelyn and Lily, live in a secluded walled garden, tending to their home and following the almanac left by their mother.

The sisters' quiet life is shaken when they find a nameless boy hiding in a boarded-up house located in the center of their grounds.

As they investigate the mysteries of the boy's presence, they are forced to confront dark truths about themselves and the world around them.

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In this modern Jane Eyre retelling set in a wealthy Alabama gated community, Jane sees a chance for a better life when she meets the enigmatic widower Eddie Rochester.

But the mansion she steps into is full of secrets, and the wife upstairs may not be as gone as everyone thinks.

Hawkins twists Southern charm with Gothic suspense, weaving a story of desire and deception inspired by the classic.

This sinister haunted-house page-turner became a massive book club hit for our spooky season festivities, described by the publisher as a "vacation Gothic."

Anna, the black sheep in her family, indulges in an Italian getaway with her annoying family. The trip quickly spirals into something much darker when strange noises echo through the night, the locals issue unsettling warnings, and the villa's shadowy past begins to creep into their vacation rental.

Filled with unlikeable characters, Anna's prickly behavior turns this story onto its head when she refuses to give in to what's been creeping into her life. Prepare to cackle!

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Small towns hide big sins- a theme that resonates through much of Cosby's work. It's no secret that any of his novels could be on today's list, but All the Sinners Bleed felt the most fitting for today's assignment.

In Charon County, Virginia, Sheriff Titus Crown confronts murder, corruption, and generations of prejudice in a Southern Gothic thriller that's as atmospheric as it is unflinching. Cosby's novel digs into morality, legacy, and the shadows that cling to both land and people in this gripping story.

In a candlelit room in New Orleans, a vampire tells his life story filled with centuries of love, death, and unbearable loneliness.

Rice reinvented the Gothic vampire as a creature of melancholy beauty and moral conflict. Her prose drips with equal parts sensuality and sorrow that put her writing on the map.

At the heart of this story, we uncover the empowering tale of three generations of women who must navigate male-dominated worlds and discover their inner strength.

In 2019, Kate escaped her abusive partner in London and found solace in Weyward Cottage, bequeathed by a distant relative. Surrounded by nature's embrace, Kate unravels the cottage's secrets — from the witch-hunting days of the 16th century to the discovery of her great aunt's hidden legacy.

Hart's unique eye for evocative gothic settings blends well with the natural world. The way women find their voice made this an empowering and impactful read, especially in audio with its full-cast narration.

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At Yale, secret societies don't just shape futures... they toy with the dead. Alex Stern, a dropout turned supernatural watchdog, uncovers occult conspiracies behind the ivy-covered walls.

Bardugo reimagines the Gothic tradition for a modern age, perfect for dark academia fans who love haunted institutions and morally gray heroines.

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Darkness runs in the blood in this sprawling Argentine Gothic about power, inheritance, and the haunting price of survival.

When a grieving father tries to protect his son from a family cult obsessed with immortality, the story travels across decades and borders, blending horror and history with a hypnotic sense of dread.

Enriquez writes with feverish intensity that feels like stepping deeper into a candlelit nightmare.

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In this modern gothic, Jane's life has unraveled—her career as a respected archivist is gone, her marriage is crumbling, and she's grieving the recent loss of her estranged mother.

With ghostly apparitions, long-buried secrets, and ties to the Shaker and Indigenous communities, Jane's two-week assignment turns into a chilling mystery that could reshape her future.

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Prepare for a plot twist rollercoaster in this gothic tale filled with queer longing, plenty of cons, betrayals, and reversals.

Sue Trinder has been raised by a nurturing "baby farmer" in a London slum alongside a family of cunning thieves. When a sophisticated con man named Gentleman proposes a scheme to win an heiress's fortune, he calls upon Sue for assistance.

The plan, however, takes an unexpected turn as Sue develops sympathy and care for her unsuspecting target. What unfolds yields shocking plot twists and turns that left me gasping out loud. I'm jealous of any reader who gets to read this for the first time.

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A letter from her newly married cousin sends a glamorous socialite to a crumbling mansion in the Mexican countryside that's filled with secrets, creeping spores, and the suffocating grip of family legacy.

What begins as curiosity becomes a nightmare laced with colonial horror, feminism, and rot that spreads both literally and metaphorically throughout this incredible story.

On the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the past is never truly past.

Jojo, a thirteen-year-old boy, and his family navigate a world of poverty, drugs, and generational trauma, while ghosts (both literal and metaphorical) haunt their journey.

Ward's prose is lyrical and haunting, blending Southern Gothic with magical realism where the landscape itself feels alive, steeped in grief, memory, and the weight of history.

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This emotional debut novel follows three generations of Vietnamese American women grappling with the death of their matriarch, Minh.

As Minh's granddaughter, Ann faces a crossroads in her seemingly perfect life. She returns home to Florida to help her estranged mother clean out the estate, but when they begin cleaning out the rundown manor, long-buried secrets in the Banyan House creep in.

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My original introduction to Gothic literature came through these four siblings who were hidden away in the attic of their wealthy family's mansion. Was that the case for you?

The attic begins as a temporary refuge that later becomes a long confinement filled with betrayal, obsession, and the slow poisoning of their childhood innocence. Who can forget those powdered sugar treats, friends?

Flowers in the Attic is the twisted domestic Gothic that defined a generation (and this reader).

Levin's classic thriller transforms a seemingly ordinary New York apartment building into a claustrophobic Gothic labyrinth, where nothing (and no one) is quite what it seems.

When Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse move into the Bramford, an old building in New York City with a dark reputation, the future seems bright. But as Rosemary’s pregnancy progresses, her neighbors grow suspiciously attentive, and her husband’s career suddenly soars.

What begins as a story of domestic bliss curdles into a psychological horror that still resonates.

In the coal-scarred town of Eden, Kentucky, Opal is determined to escape poverty and secure a future for her brother. Her path leads her to the enigmatic Starling House, a mansion cloaked in mystery.

There, she meets Arthur Starling, the brooding heir whose family's dark past intertwines with the house's secrets. As she dives deeper into the home's mysteries, she uncovers tales of beasts, birds, and a haunting legacy that challenges her understanding of home and belonging.

In the fog‑drenched salons of 1873 Paris and London, a celebrated medium and her reluctant apprentice dive into a labyrinth of death, deception, and the spirits that won't stay silent.

After her sister's mysterious death, Lenna joins the renowned Vaudeline D'Allaire to investigate an exclusive all‑male club devoted to the séance arts.

What begins as a quest for truth becomes a journey through illusion, power, and the unspeakable risks women take when they refuse to be invisible.

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Mary is a middle-aged woman stuck in a dead-end job, plagued by mysterious health issues, and haunted by strange visions. When she returns to her hometown to care for her dying aunt, she discovers the town has a bloody history... and she may be at the center of it.

Nat Cassidy shares on GoodReads, "If you like things like serial killers, ghosts, the desert, unreliable narrators, and metaphysics I think you will enjoy it."

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I've never met a Tiffany Jackson book I didn't like —this is no exception.

In this gripping YA tale, Marigold is already on edge, navigating anxiety in the wake of a traumatic bedbug infestation.

Her family’s move to a seemingly perfect, rent-free home in a rundown neighborhood—provided through her mother’s new job at the Sterling Foundation—promises a fresh start. But the house holds dark secrets, and unsettling events soon blur the line between fear and reality.

Jackson blends the intricate story from the past haunts with the altogether real modern social horrors of systemic racism and gentrification.

On a misty island estate, twelve sisters are cursed by tragedy, with each one dying more mysteriously than the last. The surviving sisters dance through their grief in glittering midnight halls, unaware that something sinister is watching.

Craig's lush, seaside reimagining of The Twelve Dancing Princesses wraps grief and enchantment in Gothic dread, a surprise hit even with people who don't usually read fairytale retellings.

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Atmospheric and emotionally intense, this young adult horror novel centers on queer love, twin bonds, and stories that refuse to stay on the page.

Andrew returns to Wickwood Academy, where his twin sister, Dove, has become distant. This situation leaves Andrew to rely on his best friend—and longtime crush—Thomas, whose macabre sketches begin to manifest as real, deadly monsters.

With Thomas hiding the truth about his parents' disappearance and haunted by his own creations, the boys must battle nightmarish creatures while confronting the darker sides of themselves.

As Andrew and Thomas's bond deepens into something more, the forest's horrors close in, threatening to destroy them both.

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I unlocked my Brontë badge this fall, and I now count this among my favorite classics.

After overcoming childhood adversity, Jane arrives at Thornfield Hall as a governess and finds herself falling for the enigmatic Mr. Rochester. However, a locked door, a strange laugh, and a devastating secret blow the story wide open.

For a novel written in 1847, it still delivers a jaw-dropping mid-book twist that rivals the best thrillers. As someone who interviews writers, it's also been profoundly influential in the work of many modern novelists, including those featured on today's book list.

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Before there was science fiction, there was Frankenstein. Shelley wrote this lightning-struck story when she was just eighteen, and it still feels unnervingly modern.

The young Dr. Victor Frankenstein's hunger for discovery leads him to reanimate life itself—only to recoil from what he's created.

The novel's enduring power lies in its questions: What makes us human, and what happens when ambition outpaces our empathy? Read it for the eerie atmosphere and the way Shelley turns horror into heartbreak.

If you love a bit of decadence with your dread, The Picture of Dorian Gray is your Gothic essential.

Wilde's only novel follows a beautiful young man who trades his soul for eternal youth, leaving a hidden portrait to age—and rot—in his place. What begins as a glittering social satire curdles into something darker that's still capturing the imagination on Broadway stages all these years later.

Four strangers gather at Hill House, a mansion with a sinister reputation, to investigate reports of paranormal activity.

But the house isn't just haunted. It seems to sense their deepest fears and insecurities. As walls groan and shadows creep, psychological terror and supernatural dread become indistinguishable.

Jackson's masterwork is a chilling study of isolation, perception, and the dark power of a place that refuses to let go of its visitors.

Dr. Henry Jekyll has always sought to separate the respectable man from his darker impulses, but his experiment unleashes Edward Hyde, a figure of pure immorality.

Stevenson's novella is a compact Gothic masterpiece that explores the human capacity for darkness with psychological precision and a creeping sense of dread.

Forget the pop-culture vampire. The original Dracula is a rich, epistolary thriller that unfolds through letters, diary entries, and telegrams. It's like a 19th-century version of a found-footage horror story!

When Jonathan Harker visits a mysterious count in Transylvania, he unwittingly unleashes an ancient terror on Victorian London. Between its atmospheric castles, creeping dread, and undercurrents of repression and desire, Dracula still thrills like the night it was written.

The new Mrs. de Winter arrives at Manderley, her husband's sprawling estate, only to find herself haunted by the memory, and possibly the ghost, of his first wife.

Du Maurier's masterpiece defined the modern Gothic with a story laced in jealousy, identity, and the house that seems to breathe with secrets. It's ripples are seen through many modern Gothic novels today!

A reserved Englishwoman arrives at a Belgian girls’ school seeking a fresh start, only to find herself entangled in secrets, spiritual unease, and a ghostly nun that seems to mirror her own repression.

Brontë turns loneliness and longing into Gothic suspense, revealing the dark interior world of a woman who refuses to vanish quietly.

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Merricat Blackwood lives with her sister and uncle in isolation after a mysterious family tragedy. When a cousin arrives to disturb their carefully ordered world, the tension becomes claustrophobic.

Jackson's final novel is a study in superstition, power, and the kind of madness that feels almost protective.

A fog-drenched mystery wrapped in satire and social critique, Bleak House is Dickens at his most Gothic. At its center is the never-ending court case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, which ensnares orphans, lawyers, and lost heirs in a labyrinth of secrets and decay.

Readers can expect haunted mansions, mysterious benefactors, and a touch of the supernatural under a London sky thick with soot and suspicion.

Few novels capture the wild heart of the Gothic like Wuthering Heights.

Set on the windswept Yorkshire moors, it's a story of obsessive love, revenge, and madness that feels as elemental as the storm itself. Heathcliff and Catherine's doomed romance blurs the line between passion and possession, life and death.

We suggest watching the Masterpiece Theater adaptation after reading the novel to help these characters come to life.

Morrison's masterpiece transforms history into Gothic horror and profound beauty.

Set after the Civil War, Beloved follows Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman haunted by the ghost of her lost child.

But the haunting is more than supernatural; it's the weight of memory and the enduring trauma of what cannot be forgotten. Both terrifying and tender, this novel redefines the Gothic as a vessel for collective grief and ancestral reckoning.

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Muenter explores the seedy underbelly of child influencers in this thrilling debut, offering a full-cast narration on audiobook for an immersive experience.

Evie captured America's heart when a video of her dancing with her father went viral. But a couple of hours later, he tragically dies in a car accident at thirty-seven. 

But when Evie suddenly disappears, readers are given an all-access pass to several potential suspects through her sister's insider lens to unravel where she's gone.

Setting the story in 2010 is not only wise but also a timely exploration of the world of mom blogging. There are many meaningful interactions in this plot deserving of scrutiny.

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Piazza's bingeable #tradwife murder mystery has been a big hit with our thriller readers, especially on audiobook with its full-cast narration.

A successful tradwife influencer reunites with her college best friend, only for her to go missing weeks later. But that's not the only strange thing, it turns out her husband was also murdered on their family ranch.

Readers can unravel the mystery in this book filled with plot twists, but they should be aware that a polarizing ending concludes this story.

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Molly Burke was four years old when she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative eye disease that causes gradual and complete blindness.

Burke chronicles her journey as a disabled woman, business owner, and entertainer, illuminating not only what her experiences have taught her but also what she wishes the world understood about her and others in the blind community.

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Julie and Chloe are identical twin sisters whose lives veered into very different paths after their parents tragically died in a car accident.

Julie is sent to her penny-pinching aunt and is unhappily working a minimum-wage job at a supermarket. A wealthy white family adopts Chloe, and she has become a social media influencer with a rabid following.

Despite their complicated adult relationship, she can't help but answer the phone when Chloe reaches out with a bewildering call indicating she could be in trouble. Trouble is putting it mildly because she finds her sister's cold, dead body in her high-rise apartment with few clues as to what could have happened.

When confusion arises in the case, and the cops mistake Julie for the infamous Chloe, she swiftly takes over her sister's world in a classic con story moment.

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This influencer has a big secret: she grew up in a haunted house, said to be occupied by a demon —or at least, that's what her sister liked to claim.

When Clio's sister dies and she inherits the home, she figures she'll make the most of it and mine it for influencer content. But there is more to this home's backstory than expected.

This creepy novel is light on the horror elements and is considered the new crown jewel in Harrison's work among her enthusiasts.

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Two wildly different women, one a grifter, the other an heiress, are brought together by the scam of a lifetime in this riveting page-turner.

Nina grows up with a con artist mother who tries her best to provide for her. Despite her profession, she manages to get Nina into a good school.

Now an adult, Nina has become a skilled con artist, partnering with her boyfriend on crimes. When encountering financial difficulties, they target Nina's family of her former love interest.

However, they soon discover that the target of their con has been running a scam of her own as a fake heiress, resulting in a suspenseful battle of wits and deception.

Vanessa achieved unexpected success as a travel influencer, but her carefree lifestyle is turned upside down when her half-sister abruptly leaves her in custody of her infant daughter.

Thankfully, a next-door neighbor who also happens to be a lawyer lives right next door and is more than happy to help. Let's just say that they might both get more than they bargained for in this sweet romance.

This novel is the third book in The Friend Zone series, which can be read as a standalone, although you will find fun Easter eggs and characters from the previous books in this romance novel.

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Elder millennials have appreciated many elements of Stein's new satirical novel, which explores our obsession with social media.

Dayna receives an unusual job opportunity to transform a crumbling mansion into a hype house of influencers.

But missing from the mansion is Becca, a tarot card reader who once had a rabid fandom and vanished. Capitalizing on the moment, a social media campaign is launched around the disappearance as new shenanigans ensue.

Soledad opens the door to the FBI as her husband is accused of embezzling millions of dollars from his company, kicking off this slow-burning romance with a bang.

Judah is intent on justice in this case, but realizes that Soledad is in a challenging position with her assets frozen until they can get to the bottom of the case.

A single dad who has navigated his own trials, including an amicable divorce and raising autistic twins, he drops off a small peace offering of groceries, beginning a beautiful friendship over the years.

As the two get to know each other better and Soledad begins documenting her self-love project to a social media following of millions, it will take some time for them to find love, but the journey is worth waiting for. I loved this book so much!

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Fans of character-driven slow-burn mysteries have loved this novel by McCausland, which explores the death of a seemingly picture-perfect Australian influencer.

When an old childhood friend is now required to cover her death as part of her work as a journalist, she begins to realize that this death was not a suicide, but something much more sinister.

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In this feminist exploration, Maya Patel seems to have it all—a thriving start-up, a supportive husband, influencer status, and a precious new baby. However, behind the scenes, she's beyond overwhelmed.

But everything changes when she meets the inspiring #Girlboss Liz Anderson, who introduces her to an innovative supplement dubbed the "guilt pill."

Initially, it empowers Maya to release her self-doubt and pursue her dreams with confidence. Yet, as she embraces this guilt-free approach, she realizes that achieving her goals might require navigating new challenges that could impact the real life she's built with so much love.

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If you love a gentle mystery, Nicole Baart is the author for you. It is no coincidence that William Kent Krueger has provided a blurb; the two share so many beautiful writing traits.

This mother-daughter duo never intended to become social media celebrities, but a viral photo of Eva standing by a waterfall changed their lives.

The two have documented their numerous adventures, carefully curating images that strive to maintain their family's privacy while making a living from their excursions.

Now they have temporarily settled in the North Shore of Lake Superior as Eva finishes her senior year of high school. While Eva feels like these adventures have ended, her mother, Charlie, longs for more adventure.

This argument becomes a point of tension for them, and when Eva goes missing just a week before her graduation, Charlie becomes the prime suspect in her daughter's disappearance.

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Prepare yourself for a novel that is not a thriller or a mystery, and you will start with a much better mindset when diving into Lovering's juicy friendship story.

Billie hears terrified screams on a chilly night in her New York apartment. It's her lifelong best friend, Cassie, a lifestyle influencer, who has just realized that her infant daughter is missing, one floor above.

Billie feels a jolt of fear as she looks down into her own arms and sees the baby, suddenly remembering that she is responsible for the kidnapping that has instantly shattered Cassie's world.

Told in alternating perspectives, readers can dig into their peppered past, one chilling memory at a time.

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Sutanto's dark thriller is filled with unlikable characters, but that didn't stop readers from devouring it.

Meredith extends her success as a social media influencer to her best friend, but things go awry when her fledgling student becomes an instant success.

This sudden rise tests their friendship as they strive to outdo each other until the bitter, twisty end.

Lloyd's juicy thriller was a blast on audiobook.

A calculating mom blogger has built her following on her cleverly imagined relatability factor, including faking hair out of place, her fabricated difficulties of child rearing, and even messing up her home to enhance that authenticity factor.

One of her followers, though, doesn't think she deserves this fame, and she has decided to make her pay for her poor advice and for being such a fraud.

Chapters escalate with each incident as the reader discovers the root cause of the behavior from one page-turning thrill to another.

I devoured this absorbing speculative fiction book, which was just as satisfying as an episode of Black Mirror.

Orla is stuck in a job writing clickbait articles about movie-star hookups and about the latest influencers. When she meets Floss, someone striving to make it in this weird online world, they hatch a plan to launch them both into the high-profile lives they have always dreamt about.

In 2051, a woman named Marlow is discovering secrets about her own past.

Despite her online popularity (with twelve million loyal followers) she dreams of escaping it all and regaining her own life and privacy. These discoveries about her past help give her the courage to run in search of the truth.

In this spicy romance, Piper is a fashionista influencer who infamously becomes embroiled in a rooftop party gone wrong that lands her in jail. Consequently, her stepfather severs her finances, forcing her to return to her late father's dive bar to work.

Despite their differences, irresistible chemistry simmers between the socialite and the sea captain as she relies upon him to help her complete her mission.

Bailey acknowledges that the character of Alexis Rose served as a muse for Piper. You may have difficulties reading her dialogue without an Alexis voice swimming in your head, but the romance was pure fun!

Bea is a plus-sized influencer who receives a surprising invitation to be the star of a dating show.

Due to her size, she doesn't fit the show's past narrative, so they decide to include many "surprise" reveal elements to get the most reaction from the contestants.

As readers, you get to watch her confidence begin to diminish, observe the vulnerability required as people dissect her every move, and learn the motivations for each of the contestants.

This story is charming and a great light escape to break up your doomscrolling!

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In this interracial romance, Eve retreats to her grandmother's cabin in the Tennessee mountains after a tumultuous year, hoping for peace and maybe a little clarity about what she wants from life.

A playwright, she has devoted her career to documenting the stories of Black women that go beyond the headline news and tragedies that have befallen them. 

Her solo time is interrupted early, though, when Jamie, a single father navigating his own heartbreak and responsibilities, comes knocking.

Eve has much to work through in this story, as she navigates struggles with intimacy, a family secret that changed her young life, and the challenge of building trust with those around her.

If you are willing to go on a winding journey for this evolution, it's worth the wait to indulge in this moving happily ever after. 

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This touching story takes readers on the longest walk of a pregnant woman's life, as a catastrophic earthquake strikes Portland.

Annie, nine months pregnant, is at an IKEA, making a last-minute purchase of a Birchwood crib she had envisioned for her child to be filled with all the organic luxuries, even though she and her husband barely have two pennies to rub together, when disaster strikes. With communications down, she makes a perilous journey to reunite with her husband.

As she narrates their first meet-cute moment on the theater circuit where she's a playwright and he's an actor, she moves through her own shifting hopes, compromises, and fears as their fabricated dreams of success dissipate. 

Pattee's writing is so distinct that you feel every jostling crack of pavement, every flash of memory, and Annie's exhaustion in your bones as she turns down sketchy rides and finds allies in unexpected places. I couldn't have loved this story more.

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Moran's Maria appears in the room where Rodgers & Hammerstein are shaping The Sound of Music, opening up a necessary argument about who gets to write a life for the stage and how these details can become aspirational rather than rooted in the story's truth.

If you love origin stories of famous musicals, this reads like a director's notebook offering part memory, part dramaturgy, and an honest scrutiny on the compromises of putting real life under the lights.

Hawkes offers a confessional from the wings with a protagonist who is an actor making his Broadway debut in Henry IV as his private life implodes.

The book wiggles constantly between rehearsal-room ritual and the theater of public scandal in this intimate, bruised experience, offering a unique lens on what actors give up to become believable onstage with Ethan Hawke's personal touch.

On the night after Christmas, a theater is filled with over six hundred holiday revelers when tragedy strikes. When it goes up in flames in the middle of a performance, several characters in this story make a series of split-second decisions that will not only affect their own lives but also those of countless others.

Based on the true story of Richmond's theater fire, the building becomes the novel's central stage for tragedy and historical reckoning.

After her sister Nena’s sudden death, Xiomara, an Afro-Latina singer and actress from Washington Heights, feels numb and stuck in a cycle of unsatisfying relationships.

When she gets a chance to audition for the charismatic director Manny Santos, Xiomara sees a glimmer of hope to reclaim her dreams. Yet, navigating the harsh realities of the entertainment industry, she learns that pursuing her dreams may distance her from who she really wants to be.

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Readers can discover a charming hidden theater that transforms a couple's understanding of themselves in this enchanting magical realism debut.

When Ellie and her fiancé, Drake, stumble upon a dazzling cinema during a moonlit walk, they are surprised to see their cherished memories played out on the big screen. As these stories reveal themselves, new secrets emerge that could impact their future.

Ellie and Drake must confront whether facing their past will change their marriage plans and, ultimately, their upcoming nuptials.

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From the uthor of  Oona Out of Order comes a novel about two best friends and aspiring actresses who join The Dollhouse Academy, a secretive elite boarding school for performers.

Ivy Gordon has spent eighteen years as the Academy's most famous star but is now tired of living a lie. In her secret diary, she reveals the troubling truths of her life disclosing strange medical exams, mysterious supplements, and sinister elements behind the Academy's success.

When two more women are captivated by the campus and the chance to perform with their idol, they face an intense competition as the drama intensifies and they begin to realize the true cost of chasing dreams there.

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Picoult delivers a dual-timeline story that asks who gets to take the stage and who gets written out of history.

In Renaissance England, Emilia Bassano fights to have her words performed in a world that only celebrates male playwrights.

Centuries later, a modern-day writer wrestles with similar questions of authorship and credit, her life mirroring the struggles of the woman who may have inspired Shakespeare himself.

It's a richly layered ode to theater, legacy, and the stories that demand to be heard, no matter whose name is on the marquee.

The backdrop of a small-town Shakespeare festival sets the stage for this haunting novel, which follows a young woman whose life begins to mirror the tragedies she performs onstage.

As Margaret's roles grow darker, the lines between character and self start to blur, exposing what happens when the performance doesn't end with the curtain call.

Quinn's sweeping debut opens with a beached whale on the Dorset coast where its bones soon transformed into a stage where children perform The Tempest and Antigone.

What begins as seaside playacting grows into a lifelong love of performance, carrying its players from homemade productions to the high drama of wartime espionage.

Visceral, inventive, and gloriously theatrical, this novel captures the way storytelling can shape both a family and a generation.

This heart-aching debut novel chronicles the complex relationship between Bao Mei and Old Second, who begin their married life in rural China without being truly in love.

Old Second finds male companionship in a rundown cinema, where Bao guards the ticket booth, keeping the secrets of each patron.

When Old Second finds love with another man, Tang's searing description of the affair nearly took my breath away. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes, and the characters are haunted by their actions and inactions, altering their lives forever.

This debut doesn’t shy away from depicting the harsh realities of homophobia in the past. It skillfully brings the story full circle during the pandemic in New York, highlighting the racism prevalent during this time as well.

Make sure you have some tissues for tears! 

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In Hallett's epistolary novel, the Fairway Players, a local theatre group, face an unexpected challenge when their director, Martin Hayward, and his wife, Helen, learn that their young granddaughter has a rare cancer. In a show of support, the cast and community rally to raise funds for an experimental treatment.

However, skepticism about the treatment and intentions of the supporters creates tension. The dramatic dress rehearsal is followed by shocking news of a dead body, leading to an arrest that shakes the group in this savvy whodunit.

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The Spectacular follows 19-year-old Marion Brooks, who defies her father's expectations to join the world-renowned Radio City Rockettes.

Amidst the grueling demands of daily performances and the precision of synchronized kicklines, Marion's life takes a dramatic turn when a bomb explodes during a show, part of a series of attacks by the elusive "Big Apple Bomber."

As she becomes inadvertently involved in the investigation, Davis seamlessly weaves in little-known facts about NYC history, including details on the earliest days of psychological profiling that will enthrall true crime fans.

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Lennon's novel has received rave reviews because of the story's unusual concept- an ancient theatre staged like a modern caper.

This story imagines locals staging Medea with prisoners as actors, showcasing how the power of performance (and how staging tragedy) can change those who watch and those who act.

Be prepared for witty, classical, and very theatrical moments.

Flora and Julian struggled for years, scraping together just enough acting work to keep Julian's small theater company—Good Company—afloat.

She has always regarded her marriage as one of her greatest assets and has never had any reason to doubt the love she shares with her husband. That perspective changes, however, when she discovers the wedding ring her husband claimed he lost isn't gone. He's just not wearing it.

These discoveries force Flora to focus on the closest relationships in her life and how they came to be. She also must decide if there is space for forgiveness for the people in her life as secrets reveal themselves.

A satisfying novel that might not have had massive plot twists, but I loved how beautifully flawed and fleshed out these characters were.

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Mandel's creative story offers a Shakespearean troupe that travels through the ruins of post-pandemic North America, performing in settlements that struggle to maintain hope. Their journeys intersect in unusual ways with a prophet, a comic book, and the memories of a world that has disappeared.

The author skillfully navigates between timelines, transforming survival into a reflection on art, memory, and the delicate connections that unite us. The narrative is haunting yet unexpectedly tender.

If you haven't engaged in the miniseries, it is one of the best book adaptations I have ever seen and rivals the novel in its beauty.

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When Allison moves to Manhattan, she struggles to find her place in the big city. After an embarrassing fender bender at school, she lands an unlikely role as a personal assistant to a spoiled teen celebrity now tasked with his first Broadway role, which gives her purpose (and a giant headache).

The world of celebrity drama becomes the backdrop for a funny and heartfelt story about family and second acts in this frothy novel. I loved this story so much.

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Waters' debut novel, published in 1998, offers a strong introduction to the love stories that she writes for and about women.

Nan becomes captivated by a young performer named Kitty, who stars in a local show. What intrigues her is Kitty's male costuming and ability to command a room. As their relationship develops, Nan eventually joins Kitty's act, both on and off the stage.

What makes it all so risqué is that this story is set in 1890s London, a time when women were exploring the boundaries of gender roles in progressive ways. Waters showcases how they bucked the system and challenged these roles in this steamy read that should come with a pack of smokes for every reader.

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College theater director, Miranda Fitch's life was turned upside down after a car accident left her with chronic pain, a fractured marriage, and the isolating struggle to be believed by medical professionals.

When she encounters three mysterious men promising relief from her back pain, her newfound relief comes with a chilling cost—those who doubted her now experience her pain firsthand.

Awad's exploration of the ways the medical community gaslights women and the haunting consequences of seeking validation in a society that dismisses invisible illnesses makes this novel a gripping tale of social horror that I found angering and healing.

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Set in the 1980s at a fiercely competitive arts high school, Choi's novel immerses readers in the pressures of talent, ambition, and desire—where friendships fracture and romances ignite under the glare of performance.

Then the novel flips, shifting perspective and revealing that what we believed to be true may have been entirely performed. In this masterful narrative sleight-of-hand, Choi turns the story itself into a "trust exercise," challenging readers to question authority, perception, and the unspoken dynamics of the arts world.

Although I struggled through this one, it is perfectly provoking for an incredible book club discussion.

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This quiet, full-hearted ode to summer stock is framed around a summer theatre troupe, where Lara's memories of acting in plays (and a summer romance with a co-star) become the storytelling engine.

The character-driven novel reads like a pastoral play about choices, art, and family best served up through audiobook narration by the incomparable Meryl Streep.

Lulu Mayfield has mastered the perfect 1950s housewife exterior, but her carefully polished life begins to crack after the birth of her second child.

When a new neighbor moves in, Lulu's preoccupation with her appears to be the meat of this story, but it proves to be a false promise. The second half unwinds a far more critical narrative that is ripe for impactful book club discussions in a masterful twist.

If you are acquainted with Church's books, this novel takes a sharp detour from her earlier work, while still maintaining perfect conversation with the themes of her first two books: the untold stories of women.  I could not love it more!

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If you like your twists gentle, this laugh-out-loud murder mystery is the perfect reading prescription. However, to truly appreciate it, you must read it on audiobook to hear Denny's voice brought to life.

Denny Voss's small-town life takes a chaotic turn when a shocking event casts him as an unlikely suspect in the murder of a prominent man. Funny, tender, and full of misadventures, this novel cleverly illuminates a reckoning with a societal problem that Denny is determined to fix, even if he goes about things the wrong way.

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I was thrilled to see that Party of Liars is now part of the Kindle Unlimited catalog- be sure to snag it!

At a glittering Sweet Sixteen in the heart of Texas Hill Country, the candles barely get lit before a body crashes the party. With a locked-room mystery setup and rotating POVs, you're circling the drain with each character, desperate to spot the killer before the next plot twist drops.

Convinced I had solved this book three times, Cox knocked the wind out of my sails again and again. It is a frothy and addictive suspense story that makes you cancel your plans to race to the last page.

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I encourage readers to avoid any synopsis of this story, as it opens with a surreal twist.

Kesta, still grieving, is honoring her late husband's birthday by having dinner with her best friend after a long day of work and her support group for survivors meeting in this apocalyptic story.

As she enters her London flat, she cuts a slice of cake and brings it to her husband to make a wish. This is when we begin to uncover Kesta's double life and how her scientific research could hold the cure to reunite her with her husband fully.

What unfolds is a gripping grief horror novel that kept me firmly in its grasp from page one and didn't let me go until its final page. Don't be surprised if you see this as our pick for next year's spooky season.

Lavelle's story twists took my breath away and left me weeping as I closed the final pages, but to say more would spoil an incredible experience for you.

What if you could share one last meal with someone you love? Kostya, haunted by grief, discovers he can taste ghostly memories through food and recreates dishes for their loved ones. In New York's culinary scene, he opens a pop-up restaurant offering closure to the bereaved through these magical meals inspired by the dead.

As the ghosts come to life, Lavelle imagines a world of merging that I delighted in, but readers should prepare for unbelievable twists and surprises.

You must hear my interview with the author as she so eloquently pulls you into every intention behind each story beat in this magical realism tale.

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It's best to go into Rothschild's debut blind, but know this—what starts as a quiet domestic story cracks wide open after an unexpected tragedy, revealing a surrogacy narrative unlike any I've read.

This tense yet tender debut is narrated by a surprise narrator whose voice forces her husband and daughter to face their grief, strained fertility dreams, and a secret that ripples through their lives. This story is part family drama, part emotional thriller. Rothschild promises her readers surprises that make you gasp and cry. I can assure you, she delivers.

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Two women. Two ruined lives. When a stranger suggests a murderous exchange—you kill for me, I'll kill for you—the temptation is chillingly easy to justify.

What follows is a whip-smart, high-stakes popcorn thriller full of red herrings and reveals that keep reshaping the story. The twists are quick, sharp, and oh-so-satisfying.

This novel is one of those books that you want others to read so you can discuss it with them. Avoid reading any reviews on this book because half the fun in this one is making sense of this unusual family and just what makes them so remarkable. 

The twist here comes late, but when it lands, it reframes the entire story. It's not a gimmick. Fowler delivers a heart-wrenching reveal that deepens everything before and after.

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Delphie dies in the most mundane way imaginable, only to wake up in the afterlife and meet a man she believes is her soulmate. She's sent back to Earth with ten days to make him fall in love, or risk returning permanently.

You'll be rooting for this character as she finds herself embroiled in a love triangle with some surprising twists that I never saw coming. Greenwood hit it out of the park with this quirky, magical realism romance novel.

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Sam seems like she has it all together, but inside, she's battling OCD and a mind she doesn't always trust. When she discovers a secret poetry group, she begins to find her voice, and maybe even real friendship for the first time.

And then comes a reveal that shifts everything, handled with so much care you'll want to start from the beginning just to see how Stone pulled it off. This story is so poetic and impactful that my daughter has read it multiple times.

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When a 14-year-old boy is accused of murder, his father (a respected assistant district attorney) must decide where his loyalty lies.

What begins as a legal thriller evolves into a deeply emotional family drama, marked by moral ambiguity and quiet dread. The tension builds slowly and methodically, and then the final twist drops like a hammer. You'll think about that last page for a long, long time.

A dreamy, disjointed summer story offers readers a privileged New England family, a private island, and one summer that changes everything.

Cadence can't remember what happened, but as memories return, the brutal truth begins to unfold. I'm enjoying revisiting this story through the new adaptation as I wait for the microphone to drop again in the final episode.

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Mark, once the world's deadliest hitman known as "Pale Horse," has sworn off killing and joined a 12-step support group for assassins. But the vow crumbles when he's brutally attacked right after a meeting, igniting a globe-trotting chase from New York to Singapore and London.

Packed with tightly choreographed action, wry humor, and a surprising emotional core, this thriller delivers non‑stop momentum, with jaw-dropping plot twists that took my breath away. If you fall in love with this one, The Medusa Protocol continues the adventures.

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This multigenerational saga pulls you through decades of addiction, delivering an emotional story twist that left me in a puddle of tears.

Told through intimate viewpoints, Damoff unpacks how past decisions haunt future generations, and how grace can finally break the cycle. The exquisite prose and moving relationships will leave readers awestruck. 

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We can't have a plot twist book without the queen of twists, Jodi Picoult! In this story, Olivia thought she'd left her old life behind when she moved back to her sleepy New Hampshire hometown to raise her son.

But when he's accused of murdering his girlfriend, everything—her past, his future, and the truth—begins to unravel.

Told in dual timelines with a profoundly human twist at its center, this novel navigates this reveal with equal parts compassion and tension. The twist is beautifully timed and redefines the entire story.

It opens like a dystopian thriller, but you're not ready for where this goes. Melanie is a special child in a locked-down facility, and the truth behind her existence is slowly, devastatingly revealed.

This novel is a genre-bender: part horror, part humanist fable, with a final twist that lands beautifully. Wildly imaginative and suspenseful, this book surprised me in all the best ways.

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Mackintosh's story opens with a mother crossing the street with her child. She lets go for just a moment, and a hit-and-run case unfolds, leaving few clues to the killer as this grief-stricken survivor starts a new life in a new town, far from the reminders of the accident.

Cleverly, Mackintosh drops a twist that demands you rethink every assumption. Quietly brilliant and heartbreaking in equal measures. I hope to revisit this novel again.

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A reclusive Hollywood icon finally agrees to tell her story—but only to an unknown journalist, and only on her own scandalous terms. Glamour and love collide in a sweeping, twist-filled portrait of fame and identity. The final reveal ties every thread into a hauntingly perfect bow.

I cannot rave enough about Reid's ability to write real and relatable love stories. Each of her novels has connected with me in some way, and this book is no exception. 

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Grief-fueled and razor-sharp, this is a revenge thriller that digs into masculinity, fatherhood, and redemption. Two ex-cons team up after their sons are murdered and what they uncover will wreck you.  

They have little in common except for this loss, but vengeance can bring people together. This story is brutal and beautiful in equal measure as the men unite through a smartly crafted reason that made me fall hard for Cosby's writing.

Lowen is a struggling writer hired to finish a bestselling author's series, only to discover an unpublished manuscript hidden in Verity's office. What it contains is so disturbing, so intimate, she's not sure what's real and what's performative.

Hoover dials up the dread until you're racing toward a final chapter that leaves you questioning everything you've just read.

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It's no secret that the mother-in-law often receives a bad rap in literature. Hepworth, though, carves a marvelously complex character for her role and builds all these twists and tensions among her family members in a way that garners empathy for her character within this family.

This domestic thriller explores how well we truly know the people closest to us. It's a brilliant, subtle page-turner with an emotional layer hidden beneath.

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A social climber, a missing heiress, and a diary format you'll race through in one sitting. Think Inventing Anna meets Gone Girl, with a reveal that'll make you flip back to page one. The last fifteen pages will give you the best plot twist whiplash that you will never see coming.

This story was so smart, slick, and addictive.

This psychological thriller tackles motherhood with a chilling honesty that will leave you unsettled long after the last page.

Motherhood doesn't come naturally to everyone, and Audrain shows how this can make connections with our children difficult, especially if we don't have any example of what that looks like.

But what if your child was born wrong, and what if no one believed you? The ending twists the knife just when you thought the bleeding had stopped.

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Jane arrives at Thornfield Hall as a governess and finds herself falling for the enigmatic Mr. Rochester until a locked door, a strange laugh, and a devastating secret blow the story wide open.

For a novel written in 1847, it still delivers a jaw-dropping mid-book twist that rivals the best thrillers. As someone who interviews writers, it's also been profoundly influential in so many modern novelists' work.

Nick and Amy seem like the perfect couple until Amy disappears on their fifth anniversary, and Nick becomes the prime suspect.

But nothing in this story is what it seems. Flynn unspools a razor-sharp narrative full of toxic love, unreliable narration, and a twist so iconic it redefined the modern thriller.

Mary was only nine years old when she allegedly killed a baby. Now, as a teen living in a group home, she's pregnant and ready to fight for a future. But the truth about what happened that night has never been fully told… until now.

This novel is a raw, devastating story about justice, bias, and who gets believed. Jackson's twist had me spiraling for days. Good luck!

Emma and Dexter meet, and we follow their lives one day at a time, year after year, to see where life and love take them. It's funny, aching, deeply human, and when you think you've settled into its rhythm… the story surprises.

Prepare to be undone in the best, most beautiful way.

A cheating boyfriend. A strangulation attempt. And a cascade of lies that spiral into something far more sinister. Get ready for plot twist whiplash, particularly in those big final reveals when our story all comes together.

In this story, nobody is trustworthy, and Vernon does a phenomenal job of throwing the reader off the path multiple times. This gay thriller is fast, brutal, and wildly addictive.

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Natalie Webb, once a rising magician, gets drawn into the dark side of magic—card cheats, underground poker games, and a million-dollar heist gone sideways . This story is meticulously plotted with a final plot twist that surprised even our seasoned thriller readers in my book club.

I consider this one of my favorite audiobook narration performances by Julia Whelan.

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Junie is an enslaved teen haunted by her sister's ghost and desperate to carve out agency. Eckstine's story builds in supernatural tension, emotional stakes, and a life-altering choice that drive this memorable historical debut.

As the novel concludes, the power dynamics play out on the page with fascinating twists, making for a page-turning, soapy reading experience.

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The new Mrs. de Winter is young, uncertain, and hopelessly in love, but Manderley, the estate she's inherited, is haunted by more than just memory.

As her husband's first wife looms over everything, she begins to question what really happened to Rebecca... and why no one will speak the truth. Elegant, eerie, and unputdownable, this classic ends with a twist that still stuns.

Prepare for a plot twist rollercoaster in this gothic tale filled with queer longing, plenty of cons, betrayals, and reversals.

When you think you've figured it out, Waters flips the entire novel on its head twice. Sensual, sinister, and utterly satisfying. You MUST read this book.

Trapped at a remote rest stop during a blizzard, Darby spots a child locked in a van and realizes one of the strangers inside is a kidnapper. With no cell service, no way out, and no idea who to trust, this becomes a minute-by-minute survival game.

The twists hit fast and hard, and just when you think it's over, Adams finds new ways to tighten the screws.

Whatever you think this book is—stop. It's not that. A love triangle devolves into something much darker, with an ending so shocking it earned its own hashtag. #WTFThatEnding is not hyperbole.

You'll either love the plot twist or you'll hate it. I sat in the middle for a bit, not sure what to think about it. I will say, in the end, I appreciate that this wasn't the same old, same old, BUT a reader must set aside a bit of reality for this genre-bender.

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After discovering her identical twin's body, Julie seizes the chance to erase her own ruined life—and assume Chloe's perfect influencer persona. But behind the curated Instagram facade lies a twisted reality Julie never signed up for.

Zhang takes the reader on surprisingly diabolical and sometimes grotesque turns, making this story a better fit for our horror readers than our thriller audience.

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Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 1960s, where being brilliant isn’t enough, especially if you’re a woman.

When her career stalls, she accidentally becomes the star of a wildly popular cooking show, using her platform to teach women more than recipes. More than just a feminist fable in a lab coat, this novel surprises you with its unconventional narrative pivot.

It's charming, devastating, and full of moments that upend expectations. Don't underestimate Elizabeth Zott.

Jasmyn moves her family to a glossy, all-Black gated community that promises safety for its residents. But as her husband and neighbors settle into the wellness‑center glow, Jasmyn senses something deeply unsettling beneath the surface.

This thriller combines social satire with psychological horror, culminating in a plot twist so unexpected that you'll be grateful I recorded a spoiler episode with the author.

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I've always been baffled by the mixed reception of this thriller, as it's how I fell in love with Lovering's work.

Skye thinks she's finally found the one. He's handsome, attentive, everything her past heartbreaks weren't. But every chapter in this triple-POV thriller peels back a new layer of lies, until you're not sure who's conning whom.

Lovering masterfully plays with timeline and trust, building toward a twist that's both shocking and, in retrospect, brilliantly inevitable.

A celebrated painter shoots her husband in cold blood and then stops speaking. Now, a criminal psychotherapist obsessed with unlocking her silence, convinced that unraveling her past will reveal the truth.

This story is a slow-burn psychological thriller that plays fair but still leaves many readers stunned.

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Hassouri's debut pulls readers into the daily lives of children growing up after the Islamic Revolution and through the Iran–Iraq War. Just as we settle into the intimacy of their days, a family tragedy strikes, and Farah carries the weight of her involvement deep within her heart for years to come.

Now, forty years later in America, Farrah is in the thick of midlife changes while navigating the ridiculous insurance bureaucracies as a physician that pull her away from the heart of her work.

As she begins to find her footing in unforeseen ways through new passion projects and career moves, she is finally forced to confront the tragedy she left behind to begin her healing process.

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McLain is back with another historical fiction novel set In 1939 Paris. In this new story, Kristof Larson, a medical student beginning his psychiatric residency, becomes entangled in a perilous mission during the German occupation.

As Nazi forces descend on the city, Kristof's work as a doctor is jeopardized, and he must navigate the complexities of his medical ethics while protecting his Jewish neighbors.

Release Date- 6 January 2026

Three generations of the Fisher family gather in the English countryside, including Nancy, a radiologist, who tries to balance her career and family as those old sibling rivalries resurface.

In front of friends, spouses, and grandchildren, emotional wounds are reopened, leaving the family feeling unmoored as they reassess their shared history.

This story offers a sharp, funny family drama with a tender core that's perfect for readers who love messy sibling stories.

Readers craving a Christmas-themed book will find it in this gem. When a baby is left in a parish, Doctor Jack Troy becomes entangled in choices that will reverberate throughout the entire village.

As the town readies itself for the holiday season, this newborn complicates the festivities as Williams's lyrical prose details the moral weight and unexpected beauty of a community coming together.

This powerful winner of the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction, set during the Sri Lankan Civil War, follows 16-year-old Sashi, whose dream of becoming a doctor is derailed by violence and loss.

When she joins the Tamil Tigers as a medic, she must navigate loyalty and survival in a world turned upside down.

Ganeshananthan's prose is both lyrical and unflinching, making this a haunting, unforgettable story about the human cost of war and the resilience it takes to endure.

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In this emotionally charged novel, Dr. Lexie Vidler, a dedicated physician, faces an agonizing decision when her estranged sister, Annie, a pregnant addict, seeks her help to avoid losing custody of her newborn.

Lexie must navigate the complexities of medical ethics laced with her familial bonds, all while confronting the trauma of their shared past. Emotional, timely, and heart-wrenching, this one asks what we owe to family.

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Rosie, a dedicated physician, juggles the demands of her medical career with raising five children, including her youngest, who is transgender.

Frankel explores the challenges of parenting alongside the pressures of being a doctor, showing how her unique medical insight shapes her compassion and illuminates the tough decisions she must make for her family.

Warm, tender, and deeply human, this novel celebrates both caregiving in medicine and at home.

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Martin uses her background as an emergency physician to craft this story, which she wrote before the pandemic. This detail makes it even eerier and ambitious, as it is her interpretation of what would happen if a pandemic were to hit our world in this 5-star reading experience.

In this story, three friends from medical school reunite in Spain for a much-needed vacation. Unfortunately, just as they arrive for their vacation, a rapidly spreading virus begins to throw the world into chaos.

Martin builds thoughtful hints of what is to come, and then the excruciating dilemma of whether they should wait it out or travel back home, potentially exposing others to the virus.

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Twin brothers are born in a mission hospital in Ethiopia, both destined to become doctors, and both shaped by the hospital, its staff, and its patients.

Verghese, himself a practicing physician, weaves deep medical knowledge into a sweeping family saga, exploring the art and ethics of medicine, the bonds between surgeons and nurses, and the ways care can both heal and haunt.

Big-hearted, immersive, and unforgettable, this is a novel for anyone fascinated by the human side of medicine.

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Pharmacologist Dr. Marina Singh is sent deep into the Amazon to track down her former mentor, who is developing a groundbreaking fertility drug under mysterious circumstances.

As Marina navigates the dangers of the jungle and the secrets surrounding the research, she confronts questions of science, ethics, and the cost of that very discovery.

Patchett weaves medicine, morality, and human connection into her signature spellbinding prose.

Glorious Boy follows Claire, an aspiring anthropologist, and her husband, Shep, a surgeon, as they journey to the remote Andaman Islands in 1937.

While Claire documents the island’s indigenous tribes and Shep tends to patients in a precarious medical outpost, their lives are transformed by the birth of their son, Ty.

When Ty struggles to meet milestones and communicate, he forms a powerful bond with a local girl who becomes his voice. But as Japanese forces advance, the family faces evacuation and heartbreaking choices that test their bonds of caregiving.

Liu delivers a stunning page-turner that lingers long after the last chapter- I couldn't put it down.

Marra's story was one of my first MomAdvice Book Club selections and for good reason- I still think about it all these years later.

In war-torn Chechnya, two doctors risk everything to save the life of a hunted child. Havaa is just eight years old when her neighbor, Akhmed, finds her hiding in the woods, watching her house burning down to the ground.

Risking it all, he takes her to an abandoned hospital where a woman who doesn't love kids runs the clinic single-handedly.

However, over the course of those five extraordinary days, Sonja’s world will change in ways she never imagined.

Mesmerizing, gory, haunting, and unforgettable in every way.

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This timely historical fiction novel spans three timelines and follows Dr. Evelyn Taylor, a physician who helps women through the clandestine "Jane" network before abortion was legalized in Canada.

However, readers should note that this story addresses so much more than just this topic; it explores all aspects of choice (or the lack thereof) and bravely examines the grey complexities of motherhood.

Marshall weaves together stories of courage and the women who risked everything for autonomy.

Set in the 1940s and ’50s, this compelling historical novel follows Dr. Dorothy Horstmann, a pioneering physician and epidemiologist whose research was crucial to understanding polio and developing a vaccine.

Cullen highlights Horstmann’s brilliance and determination as she navigates a male-dominated scientific world, balancing her groundbreaking medical work with her rich personal sacrifice.

It's a vivid, inspiring story for anyone fascinated by the women who changed our history.

Set in the 1920s, this novel reimagines the life of Rosalie Rayner, wife of controversial behaviorist John B. Watson who found herself embroiled in a workplace romance during the height of his career.

Watson's research included controversial behavioral tests performed on infants. This research later informs his own parenting when the two marry, further straining their relationship.

Despite being an uncomfortable storyline, this page-turning story held my interest all the way through, even when the characters were at their most unlikable.

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Set in 1845 London, The Girl in His Shadow follows Nora Beady, a young woman raised and trained in her guardian Dr. Horace Croft’s private clinic.

Though women are forbidden from formally practicing medicine, Nora sutures wounds, studies anatomy, and assists in dissections in secret. In fact, her skills often surpass those of the men around her.

When a new surgical resident arrives, Nora must decide whether to stay in the shadows or claim her place in a field that won’t allow her light.

This one is perfect for fans of historical underdog stories.

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Libertie’s mother is a practicing physician who can’t wait for her daughter to explore the same medical career and continue in her footsteps. But when Libertie goes to school, she realizes that this isn’t the path she dreamed of for herself.

An unexpected prospect intrigues her, though, when a young man from Haiti promises that she can be his equal on the island and that he will care for her. Not everyone is excited about this marriage, and the two must deal with the consequences of family and how these roles will work in society.

Greenidge does an incredible job weaving in her compelling research, which informed her story, inspired by one of the first Black female doctors in the United States.

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Based on the true story of a 15th-century female Chinese physician, Tan Yunxian, this luminous historical novel traces her path from childhood under the care of her physician grandparents to challenging tradition by treating women across social classes.

You can follow along as she learns medicine in secret, fights restrictive customs that forbid her from touching blood or openly practicing, and ultimately becomes a respected healer whose cases span everything from difficult childbirths to smallpox.

See's novels are always beautifully researched and important.

There is nothing we wouldn’t do to protect our children, and McDonald explores that idea when a mother finds out her son has a rare form of cancer that requires a treatment that no family could ever afford.

Practicing as a physician, Emma knows that she has access to one thing that can help her bank enough money for this cancer treatment: access to opioids.

In a town plagued by the opioid epidemic, she has no trouble finding clients, but also finds herself in a dark world that takes a surprisingly bad turn.

Fast-paced and thought-provoking, it's a thriller that asks how far we'll go to protect the people we love. I could not put this one down!

Freida McFadden is a practicing physician who brings her expertise to many medical thrillers, but The Locked Room is one of her highest-rated in this subgenre.

Nora is a skilled surgeon who's built a life far away from the nightmares of her past. As a child, she was blissfully unaware that her father was a serial killer until the day the police burst through her front door.

Years later, she buries that trauma deep, striving to be nothing like him.

But when one of her young patients is murdered in a gruesome way—identical to her father's signature method—a horrifying possibility emerges.

Someone knows who Nora is.

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Ethan Hall, a former detective turned ER doctor, is drawn back into a decade-old cold case when his dying former partner asks for his help. The case involves the disappearance of 17-year-old Callie Jones, a high school volleyball star from a small Wisconsin community.

As Ethan discovers more, he uncovers chilling connections to his own past, including a notorious serial killer who murdered his father.

Donlea is well-known and loved for his page-turning suspense and, at the time of this list creation, has eleven books under his belt!

If you love messy love triangles, this one delivers in spades.

On New Year’s Eve 1999, a medical student performs CPR on her classmate for nearly eighteen minutes, saving his life and forever altering the course of their futures.

Over the next two decades, Kerry navigates her path in medicine while grappling with love, friendship, and the weight of that pivotal night that changed everything.

Carter blends heartfelt relationships with the high-stakes world of medicine, inspired by her own personal experience resuscitating her partner.

Written by Dr. Shirlene Obuobi, a practicing cardiologist, this witty and heartfelt debut showcases the nuances of a medical career in the spotlight.

When Dr. Josephine “Jo” Boateng wrestles with unspoken feelings for her best friend, everything changes after she meets Malcolm Waters, throwing her onto an unexpected journey of self-discovery.

Obuobi brings her medical perspective and deep understanding of human connection to this smart, funny, and tender romance that embraces a messy love triangle.

In this charming romance, Dr. Briana Ortiz's life is in turmoil with a pending divorce, a difficult new colleague, and her brother's urgent need for a kidney transplant. 

After some abrupt and rude encounters with her new colleague, Jacob Maddox, she is surprised to receive a handwritten apology letter that admits his struggles with social anxiety.

The two begin corresponding through a format that feels comfortable for Jacob, but as they get to know each other more deeply, their correspondence evolves into heartfelt lunch dates and a gift that she could have never expected. 

Jimenez discloses that she struggled with a string of health challenges that inspired her to document elements of her journey through this book. It might be why so many elements felt real and relatable.