15 Books to Read If You Loved "The Girl on the Train"
The suspense is killing us
There is nothing better than reading a great thriller. But there’s also nothing worse than finishing it (of course the babysitter did it). So if Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train was your cup of tea (maybe with a shot of whiskey), then you’ll probably find these 15 books just as entertaining.
1.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
If you’re the rare person who has read The Girl on the Train but not Gone Girl, we need you to pull over immediately. It won’t take too long to fly through the telling of the strange disappearance of Amy Dunne. Buy the book
2.
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
The protagonist insists a murder happened, but no one will believe her. And being stuck on a claustrophobic boat makes things even more complicated. Buy the book
3.
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
Every morning when Christine wakes up, she has to start all over. Her husband, Ben, says she had an accident that gave her amnesia. Then she finds a note that reads, “Don’t trust Ben.” Buy the book
4.
The Trespasser by Tana French
The sixth installment of French’s Dublin Murder Squad series is arguably one of her best, as the detective team unravels what should be a run-of-the-mill lovers’ quarrel gone bad. Of course…it’s not. Buy the book
5.
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
After an accident, Alice has no recollection of the past ten years. In this heartbreaking, funny and addictive mystery, she tries to uncover what happened. Buy the book
6.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Not for the faint of heart, this meticulously researched retelling of a grisly quadruple murder is a must-read for true-crime fanatics. Buy the book
7.
The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
A kidnapping gone wrong. Four narrative perspectives. And one father who seems suspiciously indifferent to his daughter’s disappearance. Cue the suspense. Buy the book
8.
Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty
This psychological thriller is told from the perspective of a woman on the stand: a scientist who had an affair with a man she barely knew. Buy the book
9.
The Dinner by Herman Koch
Two couples dining at a restaurant have two things in common: 15-year-old sons and a horrific, albeit mysterious, act. Check, please. Buy the book
10.
Little Face by Sophie Hannah
The first book in the Zailer and Waterhouse mystery series begins with a mother discovering her baby has been swapped with another. Uh-oh. Buy the book
11.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
It’s the family drama of the century (or perhaps, millennium—you’ll get it once you read it). At the center of it all: a computer hacking prodigy. It’ll have you on the edge of your seat. Buy the book
12.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
If you haven’t devoured a book by the legendary author, this is the one to kick off your journey. You won’t be able to put it down. Buy the book
13.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Suspense, mystery and romance—what else would you expect from a novel that takes place in an English estate run by a creepily stubborn housekeeper? It’s like a spooky Downton Abbey. Buy the book
14.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author teaches us that if your new group of friends reveals to you that they’ve killed a man, you miiight want to find some new friends. Buy the book
15.
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith
If your favorite thing about The Girl on the Train is the train, you’re in luck. This classic murder mystery put trains on the map. (Read it, then invite your book club over to watch the Hitchcock film). Buy the book
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- Lifestyle editor and writer with a knack for long-form pieces
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- Studied English at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
