Six thrillers featuring toxic friendships in academic settings

Kit Frick is a MacDowell fellow and ITW Thriller Award finalist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She studied creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College and received her MFA from Syracuse University. She is the author of the adult suspense novels The Split and Friends and Liars, the young adult thrillers Before We Were Sorry (originally published as See All the Stars), All Eyes on Us, I Killed Zoe Spanos, Very Bad People, and The Reunion, and the poetry collection A Small Rising Up in the Lungs.

[The Page 69 Test: See All the Stars; Writers Read: Kit Frick (August 2018)]

At CrimeReads Frick tagged "six thrillers set on college campuses, or reuniting a group of college friends." One title on the list:

Ruth Ware, The It Girl

Ruth Ware’s collegiate thriller is both a page-turner and a searing examination of a group of college friends with years of lies between them. The story unfolds in dual timelines. “Before” takes place during Hannah’s first year at Oxford University, leading up the murder of her suitemate April, the quintessential “It Girl.” We then catch up with Hannah “After,” ten years later, as she’s expecting her first child, working at a bookstore in Edinburgh—and is inevitably drawn back into the past.

The Oxford porter who was convicted of the murder has died suddenly in prison, and soon new information comes to light suggesting he may, in fact, have been innocent. So who killed April?

The jarring news leads Hannah back to her old college friends with whom she’s fallen out of touch, and she soon begins to suspect that she may not have as solid a grasp on the web of relationships as she once thought she did. One of them has been keeping secrets from her. One of them may have been responsible for April’s murder.

Read about the other novels on the list.

The It Girl is among Gillian McAllister's five best maternal thrillers.

--Marshal Zeringue

Eight wickedly monstrous titles like "The Witcher"

The son of a librarian, Chris M. Arnone's love of books was as inevitable as gravity. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. His cyberpunk series, The Jayu City Chronicles, is available everywhere books are sold.

His work can also be found in Adelaide Literary Magazine and FEED Lit Mag. You can find him writing more books, poetry, and acting in Kansas City.

At Book Riot Arnone tagged eight "books to bring The Witcher vibes into your reading life." One title on the list:

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie

This epic fantasy is dark, twisted, and full of horrible characters. So, pretty much just like The Witcher. This novel shifts between several fascinating points of view. Glokta is an inquisitor and torturer. Bayaz is an old wizard with a pathetic assistant. Captain Luthar is more selfish than brave. Logen Ninefingers is a barbarian of unparalleled infamy, though right now, he’s just trying to survive. These four are on a collision course that is certain to be bloody and treacherous.

Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue

Twenty-three enemies-to-lovers titles that turn rivalry to romance

Amanda Prahl is a freelance writer, playwright/lyricist, dramaturg, teacher, and copywriter/editor. At PopSugar she tagged twenty-three favorite enemies-to-lovers titles that turn rivalry to romance, including:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

"ACOTAR" has built such a massive fan base in part because it scratches so many genre itches: romance, fantasy, and yes, of course, enemies-to-lovers. Loosely inspired by the classic enemies-to-lovers tale of "Beauty and the Beast," Sarah J. Maas's illustrious modern series is sure to keep you turning the pages.

Read about the other books on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue

Five titles featuring monstrous men

Heather Parry is a Glasgow-based writer and editor, originally from South Yorkshire. Her debut novel, Orpheus Builds a Girl, was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Fiction Book of the Year Award and longlisted for the Polari First Book Prize. She is also the author of a short story collection, This Is My Body, Given For You, and the non-fiction book, Electric Dreams: On Sex Robots and the Failed Promises of Capitalism. Parry lives in Glasgow with her partner and their cats, Ernesto and Fidel. Her second novel, Carrion Crow, will be published in 2026.

At CrimeReads the author tagged five "books that continue to inspire me for their bold, unflinching ways of looking at the monstrous man, both the real and fictionalized versions of him." One title on the list:

Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

It is quite an achievement to write a book that gets so perfectly into the mind of a monster that it remains widely misunderstood even seventy years after its initial publication—and an even bigger achievement to write that novel in your third language.

A story purporting to be a tale of love and romance, written from the perspective of a child abuser about the child he abused, Lolita struggled to find a publisher and, when it was released, in France, it was called “sheer unrestrained pornography” by the editor of a British newspaper. The British Home Office was told to seize all imported copies; it was banned in several countries. By the time it was published in the US, in 1958, it’s notoriety was firmly cemented. It has sold fifty million copies since then.

Lolita is a book despised and adored in equal measure, and for the same thing: for its ability to channel the mind of a terrible man. The novel is relentless in its perspective, offering nowhere for the reader to run. They are Humbert Humbert, for three hundred and thirty six pages; they are forced to look at Delores through the eyes of a man who has the most inexcusable, abominable desires.

And by reading the book they are forced to confront the existence of such men, as well as the harm they do. Few books change culture, and even fewer manage to do so while being beautifully written; it is to Nabokov’s immense credit that the opening lines of a book about a paedophile are some of the most widely quoted, even today.

Read about the other entries on the list at CrimeReads.

Lolita appears on Catherine Steadman's list of six top books with unreliable narrators, Leo Benedictus's top ten list of evil narrators, Juno Dawson's best banned books list, Jo Nesbø's six favorite books list, Emily Temple's list of ten essential road trip books that aren’t On the Road, Olivia Sudjic's list of eight favorite books about love and obsession, Jeff Somers's list of five best worst couples in literature, Brian Boyd's ten best list of Vladimir Nabokov books, Billy Collins' six favorite books list, Charlotte Runcie's list of the ten best bad mothers in literature, Kathryn Williams's list of fifteen notable works on lust, Boris Kachka's six favorite books list, Fiona Maazel's list of the ten worst fathers in books, Jennifer Gilmore's list of the ten worst mothers in books, Steven Amsterdam's list of five top books that have anxiety at their heart, John Banville's five best list of books on early love and infatuation, Kathryn Harrison's list of favorite books with parentless protagonists, Emily Temple's list of ten of the greatest kisses in literature, John Mullan's list of ten of the best lakes in literature, Dan Vyleta's top ten list of books in second languages, Rowan Somerville's top ten list of books of good sex in fiction, Henry Sutton's top ten list of unreliable narrators, Adam Leith Gollner's top ten list of fruit scenes in literature, Laura Hird's literary top ten list, Monica Ali's ten favorite books list, Laura Lippman's 5 most important books list, Mohsin Hamid's 10 favorite books list, and Dani Shapiro's 10 favorite books list. It is Lena Dunham's favorite book.

--Marshal Zeringue

Eleven festive mystery titles for the holidays

Sabienna Bowman is a Digital News Editor at People magazine, where she has been working since 2023. She previously worked at PopSugar, Bustle and Scarymommy.

She tagged eleven festive mystery books that are to die for this holiday season, including:

The Mistletoe Murder Club by Katie Marsh

Clio, an actress-turned-struggling-PI, is elated when she's cast in her local Christmas pantomime, but when the director is murdered on opening night, she'll have to focus not only on her performance, but on solving a murder as well. Her solution? Bring in her two best friends to assist her on the case — while also playing a cow in the show. The Mistletoe Murder Club is a perfect cozy mystery, especially if you're on the hunt for a book that's as funny as it is clever.

Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue

Ten top YA historical fantasy books

Susie Dumond is a queer writer originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. She is the author of Queerly Beloved, Looking for a Sign, and Bed and Breakup, and she also talks about books as a senior contributor at Book Riot and a bookseller at her local indie bookstore. Dumond lives in Washington, D.C., with her spouse, Mickey, and her cat, Maple. When she’s not writing or reading, you can find her baking cupcakes or belting karaoke at the nearest gay bar.

At Book Riot Dumond tagged ten of the most enchanting YA historical fantasy books. One title on the list:

Brooms by Jasmine Walls and Teo DuVall

This high-flying graphic novel beautifully combines real history from 1930s Mississippi with a fantastical twist where racist anti-magic laws have led to illegal broom races with big prizes. Six members of the Night Storms team see an upcoming race as a chance to hone their powers and take control of their fate. Brooms is an enthralling tale with meaningful insights into the problems teens face in our real world.

Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue

Top ten books where women were pushed to the edge

L.M. Chilton is a journalist with fifteen years of experience working on a variety of television shows, such as This Morning, Loose Women, and more. His writing has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Metro (London), and The Mirror (London).

The author's novels include Swiped and Everyone in the Group Chat Dies.

In 2024 at The Strand Magazine Chilton tagged "ten books where women take their lives and (mostly men’s’) deaths into their own hands." One title on the list:

YOU’D LOOK BETTER AS A GHOST by Joanna Wallace

Claire enjoys her part-time career as a serial killer, knocking off her victims for the most innocuous of crimes – cutting in front of her in line, or a severe lack of fashion sense. They appear to her as ghost-like entities, an indication that they’re going to be next on her hit-list. But when someone discovers her murderous little hobby, Claire has a new target. Fueled by a terrible childhood and the loss of her father to dementia, you can’t help but feel a degree of sympathy for this otherwise-cold-blooded killer.

Read about the other titles on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue

Six espionage novels with charmingly clueless protagonists

Jonathan Payne is a British-American writer based in New York City.

His first novel, Citizen Orlov, was named a Book of the Month by Apple Books. It won the 2024 IBPA Silver Medal for Mystery/Thriller and the 2024 IPPY Bronze Medal for Suspense/Thriller.

Payne previously worked in national security for the British government.

He holds a Master of Arts degree in Novel Writing from Middlesex University, London.

Payne's new novel is Hotel Melikov.

[Q&A with Jonathan Payne]

At CrimeReads the author tagged six favorite espionage novels with charmingly clueless protagonists, including:

Graham Greene, Our Man In Havana

Greene’s hilarious, absurd thriller follows James Wormold, a struggling British vacuum cleaner salesman in Cuba, who is recruited by MI6 to provide intelligence in exchange for cash he desperately needs. In order to keep the money flowing, Wormold begins to invent his intelligence, including by photographing vacuum cleaner parts and telling London they’re aerial photographs of secret military bases. When real life begins to imitate Wormold’s inventions, things begin to get very strange.

Alec Guinness gives a great turn as Wormold in Carol Reed’s 1959 movie adaptation.

Read about the other titles on the list.

Our Man in Havana also made Francesca Kay's list of the ten top books about the Cold War, Jesse Armstrong's top ten list of comic war novels, Allegra Frazier's top five list of books to remind you of warmer climes, Pico Iyer's list of four essential novels by Graham Greene and Alan Furst's five best list of spy books; it is one of Stella Rimington's six favorite secret agent novels.

--Marshal Zeringue

Ten literary thrillers set in the artworld

Laura Leffler is a writer and art historian who builds stories within the gorgeous, strange, and sometimes terrifying art world. After receiving a master’s degree in post-war and contemporary art, she spent more than a decade working in commercial galleries, doing everything from art fair sales to condition reporting and logistics. Along the way, she witnessed more of that glittering world’s dark underbelly than she thought possible. Laura currently lives in Colorado with her family.

Tell Them You Lied is her first novel.

At Tertulia the author tagged ten favorite literary thrillers set in the artworld. One title on the list:

Generation Loss by Elizabeth Hand

The title of this book refers to the deterioration of an image each time it is reproduced–think of zooming in on a digital image of an old photograph reproduced in a black and white newspaper. Hand’s novel is a seriously dark and gritty tale of a photographer of a certain age who embarks on a journey to the remote islands of Maine to interview her once-upon-a-time artistic idol—only to find herself embroiled in a missing person’s case.

Read about the other entries on the list.

Generation Loss is among Caroline Wolff's six female characters who defy traditional archetypes.

--Marshal Zeringue

Five top speculative books for fans of "Pluribus"

At Book Riot Liberty Hardy tagged "five great speculative books, chosen for various similar aspects as Pluribus" [the sci-fi show that’s the brainchild of Vince Gilligan, the writer-producer-director behind shows like Breaking Bad and Better Caul Saul]. One title on the list:

The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockmeier

In Pluribus, Carol is one of the few people left on the planet who are not infected by the alien virus. In this inventive novel, Laura Byrd is the only person left alive on Earth. She’s a scientist at an isolated Antarctic research station, so when the killer virus spreads across the globe, it doesn’t reach her. But the other layer to this story is the City, a liminal space where the dead reside as long as someone alive on Earth remembers them. So when everyone dies on Earth except Laura, the City is then only populated by people she remembers.

Read about the other entries on the list.

The Brief History of the Dead is among Tim Thornton's top ten books about the afterlife.

--Marshal Zeringue

Five novels about living near serial killers

Amy K. Green is a contemporary American author from New England who made an unconventional journey to becoming a writer. Originally pursuing a career in accounting, her transition to writing came after years of working in corporate finance and film production.

Growing up as an only child in a small New England town, Green credits her active imagination to solitary hours spent playing in the woods and her enthusiasm for pop culture. Her debut novel, The Prized Girl, published in 2020, was written during downtime between film productions. The novel showcased her skill in crafting complex narratives.

Green’s new novel is Haven't Killed In Years.

At CrimeReads the author tagged "five books that hinge on living in the close proximity of a serial killer." One title on the list:

Oyinkan Braithwaite, My Sister, the Serial Killer

Korede is bitter. She’s sick of cleaning up after her little sister, literally. Ayoola kills her victims and relies on Korede to handle the aftermath. From the first page, My Sister, The Serial Killer contrasts the complexities of family loyalty with morality.

Korede’s loyalty is tested when her longtime unrequited love asks for her sister’s phone number. Korede knows what it means to be one of the men in Ayoola’s life, or more accurately, how it ends.

I love how this story weaves in glimpses of the past to explain Korede’s mindset. She was her sister’s protector from a very young age and that relationship does not dissipate after one murder…or two…or maybe three? Korede’s struggle is a fascinating conundrum and an unnerving story.

Read about the other titles on Green's list at CrimeReads.

My Sister the Serial Killer is among Anna Barrington's six social thrillers that will make you question who you can trust, Kate Alice Marshall's six great thrillers featuring sisters (and murder), Margot Douaihy's four novels that show the power of siblings in mysteries & thrillers, Francesca McDonnell Capossela's seven books about women committing acts of violence, Tessa Wegert's five thrillers about killer relatives, Catherine Ryan Howard's five notable dangers-of-dating thrillers, Sally Hepworth's top five novels about twisted sisters, Megan Nolan's six books on unrequited love and unmet obsession, Sarah Pinborough's top ten titles where the setting is a character, Tiffany Tsao's top five novels about murder all in the family, Victoria Helen Stone's eight top crime books of deep, dark family lore, and Kristen Roupenian's six best books.

--Marshal Zeringue

Ten brutal survival thrillers

At Fully Booked Laura Tarallo tagged ten books like The Running Man, including:

Vertical Run by Joseph R. Garber

One morning, you show up at work and suddenly everyone is trying to kill you. That’s Vertical Run, a claustrophobic thriller that trades game shows for office buildings and contestants for conspiracies.

While less grand in scale, the paranoia is thick enough to slice. It’s a game of corporate cat-and-mouse, and it never stops moving.

Why we recommend it: Sometimes, claustrophobia is the deadliest enemy. Perfect for fans of paranoid, high-stakes chases where every shadow could be your last. It’s the kind of thriller that keeps your pulse pounding long after the final page.

Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue