We've put together a selection of 10 book recommendations for fans of mystery stories and secrets. These novels by female authors will keep you reading for hours, as they get more interesting with every page.
1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
This novel is a great option to read if you like a mixture of drama, thriller, and detective. The story centers on the main character, Rachel, who feels that her life has come to a standstill and every new day is similar to the previous one. She rides the same train every night, which allows her to observe the lives of others from the window. In particular, Rachel always pays attention to one house where a seemingly perfect couple lives, whom she mentally calls Jess and Jason.
However, one day, while riding the same train, she witnessed an event that could not leave her indifferent. Now, she becomes more than just a girl on the train. Rachel becomes a part of this story and seeks to find out the truth about what happened that day.
2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Crawdads are creatures known for the fact that as soon as something moves or the slightest danger arises, they immediately hide. The novel’s protagonist, Kaya, who loves to watch crawdads, leads a similar lifestyle. After the fear of abandonment that arose from a situation in her past, she is not ready to open up to others or build relationships.
However, the girl feels that it is time to leave her comfort zone and finally not let the trauma take away the joy in her life. This book will especially resonate with those who find it difficult to navigate a period of change, who are questioning relationships with others and their own identity, and who are seeking like-minded individuals. Millions of readers loved the novel by Delia Owens, and it became one of the best thrillers immediately after its publication.
3. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Gillian Flynn's books are known for their successful mixture of mystery and suspense, which doesn’t let go until the end. The main character of the novel is a reporter, Camilla Preiker, who takes on the investigation of the murders of two girls. However, this task is especially difficult for her because it involves returning to her hometown and many unpleasant memories.
Nevertheless, Preiker takes on this task and returns to her home. There, she will not only uncover the terrible secret of the girls' murders but also face the ghosts of her past. Without this, she will not be able to solve the mystery. Based on this story, HBO made a mini-series that captured viewers’ interest.
4. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Imagine a town where everyone lives by the rules and carefully plans their every move, everything is perfect: from the roads to the location of the houses. Shaker Heights is such a town, and every family that lives there tries to maintain the picture of correctness and perfection. A striking example is Elena Richardson, who is accustomed to maintaining order and dislikes chaos the most.
One day, the artist Mia Warren and her daughter appear in the town, and they start renting a house from Ms. Richardson. Later, it turns out that Warren doesn't like to play by the rules, but rather wants to make her own. However, her past has many secrets that she does not wish to reveal.
5. All Adults Are Here by Emma Straub
Our family and upbringing have an impact on the rest of our lives. But is it too late to change our decisions and correct our mistakes decades later? This is what the protagonist of the novel, Astrid Strick, thinks about after witnessing a school bus accident in the city center. Astrid has three children, but each of them has gone through a different period of growing up, and it seems as if the understanding between them and their parents has been lost completely.
This book combines worldly wisdom, light drama, and appropriate humor. It is a story about parents and children, sisters and brothers, grandparents and grandchildren. Will the main character be able to find and restore the connection within the family that has long been broken? Find out in this novel!
6. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
Dozens of guests, an incredible location on the coast in Ireland, gorgeous scenery — all these suggest an unforgettable wedding for a bright couple. He is a rising television star, she is an ambitious magazine publisher. The guests are looking forward to expressing their most sincere wishes of happiness to the young couple. However, at one point, wishes for many years together are mixed with unpleasant memories from the past.
The event that was supposed to be the happiest day for the newlyweds suddenly turned into resentment and conflict. It all spills over into a drinking game, which further escalates the situation. And then a dead body is found in the middle of the beautiful coastline... Find out the outcome of this cunning intrigue in The Guest List, which became one of the best mystery books immediately after its release.
7. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
At first glance, everything in the town of Pagford seems perfect, and every family keeps everything in order. However, the beautiful picture hides many problems that the residents of Pagford do not discuss. They are at war everywhere: the town's authorities are at war with the residents, women with their husbands, and one family with another. However, the most important war is for the mayor's post, and the candidates are ready to do anything to win. Can this push them to commit terrible acts?
The culmination of all these wars is the murder of one of the residents, which shocks the entire town. Barry Fairbrother was the mayor, and now the war for his post has taken on new dimensions. However, the main questions still remain: who did it and why?
8. Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
This is a book about the struggle for justice and equality, which is led by the main character, Ruth Jefferson. Ruth works as a nurse in a maternity ward, and one day, she has to perform a complicated surgery for a newborn baby with a complex heart disease. As a result, the parents of the newborn accuse Ruth. The main character's task becomes not only to defend her rightness, but also to uphold her honor in the face of people blinded by hatred and racial discrimination.
In this, Ruth is assisted by a lawyer, Mr. Kennedy, who at first does not want to involve the topic of race in this case. However, they grow closer and closer, and Kennedy begins to understand the woman's perspective and is ready to defend her interests. Will they succeed in defending their cause in a society that is accustomed to disregarding the rights of racial minorities?
9. A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell
Friendship is beautiful when you have so much in common and trust each other with many of your secrets, isn’t it? Or can it be dangerous? The story centers on two friends who have sons of the same age and are also friends. Stephanie is a single mother who runs a blog, and Emily, as a PR manager, helps her with this. One day, Emily asks Stephanie to pick up her son from school, and her friend gladly agrees.
However, this “simple favor” turns out to be anything but ordinary. Emily disappears without a trace, and after a while, the police find her dead body. What happened and what secrets might Emily have kept from her close friend Stephanie? And were they as close friends as the main character thought?
10. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
Ellie lives her best teenage life: she studies well, helps her parents with everything, and has a dream boyfriend. However, at one point, she disappears, which turns her mother, Laurel's life upside down. Laurel has never been able to come to terms with her daughter's disappearance, and even after 10 years and a broken marriage, she continues to search for her.
One day, she meets a man named Floyd, and they begin a relationship. Laurel hopes that maybe it's time to move on, but a meeting with Floyd's daughters throws her off. One of the daughters looks exactly like Ellie, which makes it hard for Laurel to leave those memories behind. She is determined to investigate the case and find out the truth.
These novels are great reads for women because they can grab readers' interest from the first page. In addition, each book has a mystery that the main characters try to solve throughout the story. Will you be able to do it?
