For those who were spellbound by the twists and turns of Lucy Foley’s “The Guest List,” the search for your next captivating read ends here. Imagine a secluded setting, a gathering that brings together a mix of complex characters, and a dark secret waiting to unravel – this is the essence of stories like “The Guest List.” Each book on our list is a carefully woven tapestry of suspense, secrets, and surprises, promising to keep you on the edge of your seat.
From eerie island weddings to high-society soirees with hidden agendas, these novels are perfect for readers who love a good mystery where everyone’s a suspect, and every revelation is a gasp-worthy moment. So, grab your magnifying glass and your detective hat as we embark on a journey through chilling narratives that will keep your pulse racing and your pages turning!
10 Books Like The Guest List
If you relish the unexpected twists and turns in “The Guest List,” you’ll find that similar books deliver plenty of surprises and plot developments to keep you guessing until the end.
After reading this book, I read more mystery/thriller books and made a list that matched The Guest List. I will discuss ten of them with you. If you enjoy trying to solve puzzles, uncovering secrets, and being kept on the edge of your seat, these books are perfect for you. Let’s go!
| Name | Key Focus | Tropes |
|---|---|---|
| Sadie by Courtney Summers | A gripping and emotionally resonant novel about a girl named Sadie who goes on a harrowing journey to avenge her sister’s murder, paralleled by a podcast that uncovers the truth behind her quest. | Revenge quest, murder mystery, sisterly bond, dual narrative, podcast format, road trip, missing person, young adult protagonist, gritty realism, trauma and resilience, small-town secrets, investigative journalism. |
| Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart | A psychological thriller told in reverse chronology, focusing on a young woman’s intense and deceptive relationships, as she becomes increasingly embroiled in a web of lies, identity theft, and murder. | Unreliable narrator, identity manipulation, nonlinear storytelling, psychological suspense, friendship and betrayal, rich and privileged lifestyle, dark secrets, female protagonist, plot twists, moral ambiguity, high-stakes drama, duality of character. |
| Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson | A captivating young adult mystery set in an elite boarding school, where a student with a passion for true crime investigates a decades-old kidnapping and murder that has remained unsolved. | Boarding school setting, cold case mystery, amateur detective, dual timelines, true crime fascination, enigmatic riddles, teenage sleuth, murder investigation, historical mystery, school dynamics, cliffhanger endings, intellectual challenge. |
| A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro | A modern twist on Sherlock Holmes, this young adult novel follows the descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson as they meet at a boarding school and become involved in a murder mystery. | Teenage detectives, Sherlock Holmes retelling, boarding school setting, murder mystery, unlikely partnership, legacy characters, witty banter, solving crimes, high school drama, clever plot twists, friendship under fire, homage to classic detective tales. |
| An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks | A psychological thriller about a young woman’s entanglement in a mysterious psychological study, leading to a dangerous game of manipulation, obsession, and deceit. | Psychological experiment, manipulation, moral dilemmas, dual perspectives, suspenseful narrative, trust and betrayal, obsession, ethical ambiguity, personal secrets, power dynamics, New York City setting, escalating tension. |
| Dark Places by Gillian Flynn | A dark and intense psychological thriller that delves into the troubled life of a woman investigating the brutal murder of her family, for which her brother was convicted years ago. | Family tragedy, murder investigation, psychological drama, small-town secrets, non-linear narrative, survivor’s guilt, multiple perspectives, true crime obsession, complex characters, poverty and hardship, suspenseful mystery, uncovering the truth. |
| Night Film by Marisha Pessl | An atmospheric thriller about an investigative journalist’s obsession with the enigmatic life and mysterious death of a reclusive film director’s daughter, leading him into a surreal underworld of art and darkness. | Noir mystery, psychological thriller, film industry, cult phenomena, multimedia storytelling, investigative journalism, urban legend, supernatural elements, shadowy figures, intricate plot, obsession, atmospheric tension. |
| Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter | A harrowing and intense thriller that unravels the story of two estranged sisters who come together to investigate the disappearance of their teenage sister years ago, uncovering chilling family secrets and a series of brutal crimes. | Family drama, missing person, dark secrets, psychological thriller, multiple perspectives, disturbing revelations, sibling relationships, crime investigation, serial killer, suspense and tension, emotional complexity, revenge and justice. |
| The Push by Ashley Audrain | A psychological drama that covers the complexities of motherhood, as a woman grapples with her unsettling feelings towards her daughter and the fear that something is terribly wrong. | Mother-daughter relationship, psychological suspense, unreliable narrator, domestic drama, exploration of motherhood, generational trauma, paranoia, emotional struggle, family secrets, societal expectations, nature vs. nurture debate, intense narrative. |
| Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay | A suspenseful thriller about a college student who, after his family is found dead in mysterious circumstances, delves into the past to uncover the truth, confronting a series of secrets and a notorious crime that his brother was convicted of years earlier. | Family tragedy, murder investigation, wrongful conviction, past and present narrative, conspiracy, small-town secrets, media influence, psychological drama, government involvement, uncovering the truth, sibling dynamics, suspenseful mystery. |
1. Sadie
The main character is Sadie, who has recently run away from home to find and take revenge on the man who killed her sister. The other main character is a radio personality named West, who finds himself searching for Sadie and uncovering what has happened to her. His perspective is told through a podcast format. The audiobook for this novel is unbelievable.
For example, there are scenes when West is doing interviews outside, and you hear birds chirping and immersive. But the story of Sadie is extremely powerful. It is a raw and honest depiction of revenge, sexual abuse, and missing women. Also, it handles all of these topics in a not sensationalized way, which is the most important aspect of this book.
The story has many layers because not only are we discovering what happened to Maddy through Sadie’s eyes, but we are also watching her develop as a character. Then, we are also finding out what happened to Sadie through West’s perspective. I’d highly recommend it if you’re interested in dark mysteries and a fan of The Guest List.
Author: Courtney Summers
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Category: Literature & Fiction
Number Of Pages: 308
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
2. Genuine Fraud
This book is a massive psychological trip about unconventionally unraveling the truth. Moreover, it is sincerely one of the most unique books I have ever read. That’s mainly because this book is told backward. Once you finish a chapter, the following chapter goes back in time a little bit. So everything you read hasn’t happened yet.
The story follows two girls with a very intense friendship and all the repercussions of their time together. So, the story itself isn’t all that intense, and it’s not like a traditional “Whodunit” mystery with one crime to be solved. The plot twists and reveals are not the most shocking I’ve ever read. But it is the process of understanding those reveals, and the storytelling was super alluring to me after The Guest List.
Author: E. Lockhart
Average Rating: 4.1/5
Category: Mystery & Detective Fiction
Number Of Pages: 262
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback
3. Truly Devious
Our heroine, Stevie, travels to the elusive Ellingham Academy, where she will study true crime. Her main goal in attending the school was to solve the cold case in 1936 related to the family of the founder of Ellingham Academy. So this book is told in two timelines, like The Guest List:
- In 1936, when we get more information about what occurred all those years ago, our only lead is that the perpetrator goes by Truly Devious. We follow Stevie at the same school as it appears that Truly Devious has returned.
I’ve read a good handful of YA mysteries, and I feel like they are very predictable many times. They don’t go super into the depth of the characterization. But this story stands out because it is so clever, witty, and well-structured. Not only are the characters super charming and easy to fall for, but the mystery itself is so beautifully constructed. There are so many twists and turns that you will never expect going into it.
Author: Maureen Johnson
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Category: Mystery & Detective Fiction
Number Of Pages: 416
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
4. A Study in Charlotte (Charlotte Holmes)
This is a four-book mystery series following the descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson named Charlotte and Jamie. The first installment occurs at a boarding school in Connecticut, where Charlotte and Jamie are framed for crimes that suspiciously resemble the most iconic Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
Charlotte is intellectual and calculated, albeit a little unhinged. On the other hand, Jamie is grounded and supportive, if not a little impulsive. Unlike any pair I’ve ever read about in literature, they complement each other. Some romantic feelings do develop between them, but the core of this story relies on their friendship. The construction of the plot reveals and the information gathering. The detective work gets better each time. You can relate the mystery aspects with The Guest List.
Author: Brittany Cavallaro
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Romantic Suspense
Number Of Pages: 321
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
5. An Anonymous Girl
This story follows a makeup artist named Jessica, who signs up for a psychological study to make a little extra cash. She doesn’t expect to be roped into this mess of paranoia, manipulation, mistrust, and deceit. She begins to learn how deadly obsessions can be.
This book is told from two perspectives, one in the first person from Jessica’s point of view but the other in the second person told to Jessica. This creepy and disturbing factor added to thinking about someone whose entire internal monologue is dedicated to another person without their knowledge. Much like The Guest List, the story goes further than you would have expected.
Although it’s not my favorite thriller out there, it’s a book that is a great introduction to the world of adult mystery thrillers. If you’ve read some YA mysteries or are interested in the genre, this book will hit all the marks to grasp you and keep you wanting more. So, it is a very entertaining and enjoyable read, especially if you’re new to thrillers and looking for a more psychological twisting novel instead of something.
Author: Greer Hendricks
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Psychological Thrillers
Number Of Pages: 375
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle
6. Dark Places
Our main character is Libby, who, as a child, was the survivor of the brutal murder of her mother and sisters and testified that her brother was the one who killed them. So, while her brother Ben is in prison for those murders, Libby begins to interact with a secret group called the Kill Club, where all the members are obsessed with true crime. They try to get information out of Libby to free Ben.
It’s another dual-timeline story similar to The Guest List! Part of it occurred in 1985, following Ben and Libby’s mother, Patty. Then we also follow Libby and the president as she’s working with the Kill Club and trying to uncover what happened all those years ago.
Libby is one of my favorite unlikable protagonists because she becomes rude, mean, disrespectful, and aggravating. As the story goes on, we get to know her more, and she grows due to revisiting her personal history. She becomes very determined, motivated, and compassionate, and I loved seeing that soft side of her.
Author: Gillian Flynn
Average Rating: 4.2/5
Category: Women Sleuth Mysteries
Number Of Pages: 349
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle
7. Night Film
The story follows a journalist named Scott who blackballed himself in the industry after speaking out against the cult horror filmmaker Stanislas Cordova. Cordova’s daughter has recently been found dead. It is being ruled as a suicide, but Scott does not believe that all is as it seems.
Driven by a need for revenge, Scott decides to investigate the days leading up to Ashley’s death and expose the Cordova family once and for all. This book is gripping and exhilarating for ‘The Guest List’ lovers. It was vivid and easy for me to visualize Scott running around New York City, trying to find the last people interacting to get a scrap of truth.
Moreover, this book is a mixed media where you will often come across web pages and newspaper articles, all of which add to the story. Scott was very selfish, and his priorities were totally out of whack. But the secondary characters were unexpectedly very charming and kept the story going.
Author: Marisha Pessl
Average Rating: 4/5
Category: Psychological Fiction
Number Of Pages: 640
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD
8. Pretty Girls
This story follows two estranged sisters. We have Claire, who has married a millionaire and lives her best rich life. Then we have Lydia, a single mother struggling to make ends meet. The two of them are plagued by the unsolved disappearance of their sister. But they have not communicated for almost two decades until one night when Claire’s husband is murdered.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It deals with murder, violence, sexual abuse, and more that we saw in The Guest List! Also, it is a deep examination of the true wickedness of humanity, and I loved watching that unfold.
Author: Karin Slaughter
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Crime Thrillers
Number Of Pages: 688
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback
9. The Push
The story is about motherhood that overcame all the mystery and created many thrilling things. Blythe Connor has a daughter. She starts questioning if there’s something wrong with a child or if she’s going crazy. There’s the fact that there are some flashbacks to the mom’s childhood and then her mom and grandmother. It hints at possible intergenerational trauma or mental illness that could explain what’s going on.
Also, there’s the fact that the ending was overall way more satisfying than the ones that I’ve read in the other books. The writer didn’t know how to finish the book, so you stuck. It’s about 300 pages and a psychological thriller read as The Guest List. A few scenes are a little intense, so maybe you look up trigger warnings.
Author: Ashley Audrain
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Domestic Thrillers, Family Life Fiction
Number Of Pages: 307
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle
10. Every Last Fear
This book’s first sentence is that they found the bodies on a Tuesday. So, it is a solid start for creating mystery. Matt Pine was accused of murdering someone, and then his family was murdered in Mexico. It looks like a national debt, a gas leak thing, but it is suspected of murder. Like The Guest List, you flip-flop between these two timelines of the family going to Mexico and then him trying to figure out what the agents are and what’s happening.
It tells the story of a family made infamous by a true-crime documentary, a tragic scene made to look like an accident, and the surviving son left to say the true quote. That traces the fate of the Pine family. After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room with devastating news. His parents, brother, and sister have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico.
The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem less certain. They won’t tell Matt why the tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny, is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, Charlotte.
The Pine family was the subject of a viral true crime documentary, suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied around Danny, Matt has a secret he never told anyone about his brother. The night Charlotte was killed, Matt saw something that made him believe his brother was guilty of the crime. When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary Constant Media Scrutiny and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever.
As the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison and discover the truth behind the deaths of his parents and siblings. So the story is a page-turning thriller and a poignant about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy. To find out the truth about the Pine family, read this book.
Author: Alex Finlay
Average Rating: 4.3/5
Category: Psychological Thrillers
Number Of Pages: 368
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback
5 Romance Books Like The Guest List
“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern: This enchanting novel is set in a mysterious traveling circus and tells the story of two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who are bound in competition but fall in love. The novel is rich in atmosphere and magic, much like the setting of “The Guest List.”
“Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier: Although it’s more of a classic, “Rebecca” offers a thrilling blend of romance and suspense. The story follows a young woman who marries a wealthy widower and moves to his large estate, where she finds herself in the shadow of his first wife, Rebecca.
“Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty: This novel offers a mix of mystery and domestic drama, centered around a group of women and a school trivia night that ends in a shocking crime. It’s filled with secrets, lies, and romantic entanglements.
“Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn: While it’s more on the thriller side, “Gone Girl” offers a complex and twisted love story at its core. The narrative revolves around the disappearance of Amy Dunne and the media frenzy and police investigation that followed, revealing the dark sides of marriage and media.
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid: This book tells the tale of a legendary film actress, Evelyn Hugo, and her tumultuous journey through Hollywood, including her seven marriages. It’s a story of ambition, love, and the secrets of a glamorous but troubled star.
Each of these carefully selected novels mirrors the intricate plotting, atmospheric settings, and rich character development that made “The Guest List” an unforgettable read. These stories are more than just mysteries; they are invitations to hidden corners of the human psyche, where secrets simmer beneath the surface. So, as you close one book and open another, prepare to be immersed in tales of intrigue and deception that will challenge your perceptions and keep you guessing until the very end. Happy reading, and remember – in these tales, nothing is ever quite as it seems.
Read More Similar Thriller Books:
Murder Thrill Books Like Truly Devious
True Crime Books Like If You Tell
White Collar Crime Books Like Bad Blood
Mystery Crime Books Like The Lovely Bones
True Crime Bio Books Like Criminal Minds
Most Disturbing True Crime Books
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