The best mysteries are those that make you question everyone. Everyone's a suspect with a motive. In every chapter, there's a plot twist, a sharp turn.
You're left guessing on every page, and then the final reveal happens. However, what differentiates mysteries from other genres is that mysteries sometimes don't have a definitive ending; the possibilities are endless. Without further ado, here are seven thrillers and mysteries that will make you question everything.
1. Verity by Colleen Hoover
Lowen is struggling. Her mom has died, and she's on the brink of eviction until she meets Jeremy Crawford, who offers her a lucrative job involving finishing a book series. The original author was unable to finish writing it. Without hesitation, Lowen accepts.
After Lowen accepts, she realizes that this job isn't what it seems. The original author, Jeremy's wife, is brain dead due to a car accident. After Lowen does some research on Verity, the original author, she realizes that no one is who they seem to be.
She discovers a manuscript and learns the horrifying secrets of Verity and Jeremy. It's up to Lowen to escape before it's too late.
"Find what you love and let it kill you."
2. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Alicia Berenson shot her husband, Gabriel, five times in the face. She never spoke another word, until she met Theo Faber, a psychotherapist. Theo's been waiting to meet Alicia for a long time. He's determined to find out why Alicia did what she did.
As Theo digs into the mystery, he learns that no one is to be trusted. The staff at the mental hospital, the neighbors, and even Alicia all had a motive. Eventually, Theo is taken on a dark path through his investigation, and learns the truth.
"Alicia Berenson was 33 when she killed her husband."
3. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
"Where the Crawdads Sing" is modern-day "To Kill a Mockingbird." It's a coming-of-age story of a young girl abandoned in a marsh, Kya Clark. Kya witnesses remarkable things in the marsh as she grows up. However, she experiences prejudice from the townspeople since she's "different" from the others.
Suddenly, things take a sharp turn when someone is found murdered in the marsh. Everyone points to Kya Clark, but the truth is much darker. It's up to Kya and the friends she made in the marsh to prove her innocence.
"Faces change with life's toll, but eyes remain a window to what was..."
4. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Jess just wanted to catch up with her estranged brother at his apartment in Paris, but he wasn't there. At first, Jess thinks he's just away, so she stays at his apartment. However, during her stay, she finds out that Ben isn't just missing.
Ben's five neighbors aren't who they say they are. There's the socialite, the nice guy, the alcoholic, the girl on the verge, and the concierge. Each neighbor knows something that no one else knows.
Each neighbor is a suspect. Jess has limited time to find out what happened to Ben...before she's next.
"It was the worst, most shameful thing I have ever done."
5. The Maid by Nita Prose
Molly is never able to tell how someone is feeling. She can't pick up on social clues. She used to have a grandmother, but she died a few months ago. Molly navigates through her job as a maid and everything works out for some time, until someone's murdered.
The richest man in town is murdered in the room Molly cleaned. All the fingers pointed to her, and it wasn't long until Molly was detained. Fortunately, Molly has some friends.
They work together and realize that the hotel Molly works at is not just a hotel. It's up to them to find out the truth before something even worse happens.
"People are a mystery that can never be solved."
6. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
Fairview used to be a safe town until Andie Bell was murdered. Her boyfriend then committed suicide a few days later. All the evidence points to the boyfriend, Sal.
Five years later, Pip wants to find out for sure. She decides to do her senior capstone project on the murder of Andie Bell. It's a simple project, until she finds out someone's watching her.
Someone doesn't want Pip to find out the truth. Someone in Fairview murdered Andie and possibly Sal. However, Pip's life is in danger and she has limited time to figure out the truth before she's next.
Every chapter reveals a sharp turn. Every character has a motive. Don't trust anyone.
"He's innocent!"
7. One Of Us Is Lying By Karen M. McManus
Five students end up in detention. A Yale-bound student, a homecoming princess, a drug dealer, a MLB-bound athlete, and an outcast. Simon, the outcast, created an app that reveals everyone's secrets. Suddenly, Simon drops dead and now there are four suspects.
Simon was planning on revealing each suspects' secrets but someone killed him before he could do so. The four students in detention become suspects. Each suspect had something to hide. The real question is: how far would someone go to protect a secret?
"That's the kind of person you can get away with killing: someone everybody else wants dead."
