Laura Dave's sixth novel and thriller debut, The Last Thing He Told Me [1], hit bookshelves earlier this month, and by far, it's already one of the most talked about thrillers of 2021. And it's not just us who thinks so — the novel has already been optioned as a limited series for Apple TV+. The series will star Julia Roberts [2], who will be coproducing alongside Reese Witherspoon [3]'s Hello Sunshine company. [4] The Last Thing He Told Me was a Reese's Book Club pick for the month of May. Needless to say, it's getting the full Hollywood treatment.
Based off our own post-book mood, we're guessing TLTHTM might have possibly left you with one of the most monstrous book hangovers ever? We figured. So we rounded up a list of similar titles packed with family drama, lies, disappearances, and domestic tension. Find your hair of the dog in one these equally riveting, suspense-filled thrillers [5]!
Local Woman Missing
Why and how does someone vanish without leaving a trace? Mary Kubica explores that very question in her latest thriller Local Woman Missing [6]. Three woman, including a mother and daughter, go missing within miles of each other in a small town. Then, 11 years later, Delilah from the mother-daughter case returns after spending years in captivity.
The Sun Down Motel
Carly Kirk always wondered what happened to her Aunt Viv, who went missing 35 years ago in Fells, New York. All she knows is that since her disappearance, her family, including her mom, Viv's only sister, has refused to utter Viv's name. Now the same age as her aunt when she vanished, Carly lets curiosity get the best of her and travels to upstate New York. There hasn't been a crime this big since Viv's disappearance. Carly will have to watch her every move if she doesn't want to end up like her aunt in Simone St. James's riveting book The Sun Down Motel [7].
Speaking of Summer
With a lack of support from local enforcement, it's up to Autumn to mend together the missing pieces of her twin sister's disappearance. The more she digs, the more she unearths about the troubled history her town has when it comes to bringing justice to female victims. Kalisha Buckhanon's writing paints a vivid picture of what it's like to be "faced with authorities indifferent to another missing Black woman" in Speaking of Summer [8].
The Push
In this page-turner, first-time mom Blythe vows to her newborn daughter, Violet, that she'll never be the kind of mom hers was: cold and closed-off. Then things start to get a little weird, and Blythe is certain there's something off with Violet. The Push [9] by Ashley Audrain takes a psychological deep dive into the mind games motherhood can thrust upon you, especially when no one, not even your husband, seems to be listening.
The Wife Upstairs
The Wife Upstairs [10] by Rachel Hawkins follows Jane, a broke dog-walker for the rich and wealthy in Thornfield Estates. It's a well-paid gig with even better perks, like getting away with swiping high-priced jewellery off bedside tables. Things quickly change when she starts to fall head over heels in love with one of the residents, Eddie Rochester, who may just be holding on to a few secrets of his own.
The Newcomer
Mary Kay Andrews's The Newcomer [11] is a sultry combination of an unsolved murder, a dangerous ex, and a complex love affair between the protagonist and head police officer. Letty Carnahan's sister is dead; but before her death, she left a scripted message and huge bag of cash with a diamond ring for her sister to find. Which begs the question, did she see her death coming? Letty takes her 4-year-old niece and hits the road, not exactly sure what or who it is she's running from.
If I Disappear
When Sera's favourite true-crime podcaster disappears, she sees it as an opportunity to put everything Rachel has ever taught to the test. Sera embarks on a solo journey to the dissolute ranch she believes Rachel was last seen, but not even a hundred episodes of a true-crime podcast could have trained her for this. You'll want to sleep with the lights on after reading Eliza Jane Brazier's gripping thriller If I Disappear [12].
Do No Harm
How well do you really know someone? Nate thought he knew Emma, his wife and soul mate, inside and out, but when their kindergarten-aged son, Josh, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, all cards are off the table. Christina McDonald's Do No Harm [13] pulls back the curtain on opioid addiction and how far a mother will go to ensure the safety and livelihood of her family.
True Crime Story
Telling narratives through transcripts, interviews, emails, and phone calls has become increasingly popular over the years, and Joseph Knox has joined this group of unconventional storytellers with his novel True Crime Story [14] — a horrifying tale that blurs the lines of fact and fiction. Two crime writers come together to investigate the disappearance of Manchester University student Zoe Nolan, who went missing outside her dormitory in 2011.
The Catch
Ed is certain there's something dishonest about his soon-to-be son-in-law, and he's convinced his daughter is too naive and smitten to see it. So he does what any logical father would do and hires a private investigator, but the results are far worse than anything he expected. T.M. Logan's twisted thriller The Catch [15] is a must-read for fans of TLTHTM.
The Truth and Other Lies
In The Truth and Other Lies [16] by Sascha Arango, novelist Henry Hayden has a devoted fan base, but it's all just a major façade because his wife is the actual writer of the books that made him a bestselling author. It's a two-sided arrangement, which hits the fan when his wife finds out he's expecting a baby with another woman. Henry's plan to rectify the situation is fool-proof until he makes one huge mistake that throws it off course.
Darling
Darling isn't particularly fond of the idea of a stepdaughter. Lola definitely doesn't want a stepmother; but when the number-one man in both their lives decides to officially make them one big happy family, they really don't have a choice. Unless one of them finds a way to get rid of the other . . . for good. Darling [17] by Rachel Edwards puts a devilish spin on what it means to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
In Her Eyes
Someone is watching you and targeting your family. This is Ava's reality after a near-fatal home invasion leaves her daughter fighting for her life. As Ava comes to realise in Sarah Alderson's In Her Eyes [18], it's difficult to protect your family when it turns out they've all been lying to your face. However, Ava isn't innocent in all this either . . .
And Now She's Gone
Renowned thriller author Rachel Howzell Hall's And Now She's Gone [19] centres around an eerie game of cat and mouse. Grayson Sykes is on the case to hunt down Isabel Lincoln — a woman with a dark, secretive past that her friends and family aren't even aware of. While Isabel might be missing, Grayson isn't so certain Isabel wants to be found.
The Others
Written by Sarah Blau, The Others [20] trails Sheila and her closest friends, including Dina Kaminer, one of Israel's leading feminist educators, who swore to never bare children. Twenty years later, Dina is found dead with the word "mother" penciled into her forehead and a child figurine wedged in between her hands. Sheila has stuck to her promise. Though that doesn't mean she's safe from whoever did this to her late best friend.