Written by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl is a psychological thriller has enthralled the minds of many since its release. Topping numerous bestseller lists and adapted into an award-winning box office hit, it’s safe to say Gone Girl is on its way to being a thriller classic.
The story follows Nick and Amy Dune, a seemingly perfect couple who are in fact as dysfunctional as can be. Both are deeply flawed individuals whose marriage turns sour, resulting in extreme and disturbing consequences.
There’s always been a thriving market for psychological thrillers, but this novel’s popularity seems to have upped the demand in recent years. And of course, thriller writers are more than happy to comply.
Books Similar to Gone Girl
I’ve listed down a few novels that are similar to Gone Girl. While I didn’t stop at books with female protagonists embracing the dark side, these books are similar in theme, tone, and overall feel to Gillian Flynn’s work.
1. The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton
Juliette’s prepared to do anything to get back with her ex. It’s going to take some convincing though, like cleaning his apartment while he’s out and working as a flight attendant in the same airlines he works for as a pilot. With all that attention, he’s going to realize how much he misses her— at least, that’s what she thinks.
2. Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker
Sisters Cass and Emma disappear into the night. Three years later, Cass re-emerges, but Emma remains missing. Forensic psychiatrist Abby Winter, who’s been on the case from the start, is desperate to uncover the truth, but what she finds is a family with a disturbing history and even more secrets to hide.
3. Lie to Me by J.T. Ellison
Sutton and Ethan Montclair’s perfect relationship is a facade hiding their many problems and betrayals. Now Sutton’s up and vanished, leaving a note saying not to find her. Ethan finds himself in the middle of a scandal as everyone—from friends, family, strangers, and the police—wonders at what really happened to Sutton.
4. Sister of Mine by Laurie Petrou
Sisters Penny and Hattie are best friends since they were young. Penny, abused by her husband, hatches a plan with her sister to get rid of him. They get away with the murder, and everything seems to be fine. But when a charming young man captures both of their hearts, tensions rise and the sisters’ relationship begins to unravel.
5. Damage By Josephine Hart
A British politician knows he has everything. He’s rich, married to a beautiful wife, and is in a position of power. But for some unexplainable reason, he begins an affair that threatens to burn everything he has into ashes. Worse, he’s cheating with his son’s fiancee.
6. The Last Lost Girl by Maria Hoey
Thirty-seven years after her sister’s disappearance, Jacqueline returns to her childhood home. There she stumbles upon a clue that could shed light on what happened to her sister. But solving the mystery could unearth secrets that she may not wish to find out.
7. Too Close to Breathe by Olivia Kiernan
A woman is murdered and Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan is reluctant to take the case. Her last homicide case almost killed her, after all. But now another woman’s killed in the same way and Frankie knows she’s racing against the clock before the killer claims another life.
8. The French Girl by Lexie Elliott
Six college friends spend a week in a French farmhouse, hoping for the perfect summer getaway. Then they meet their neighbor Severine, who’s nothing but trouble. She’s never seen again, until years later when her body is found beneath the farmhouse. Now all six are under suspicion, ruining everything they’ve worked for—at least until they prove their innocence.
9. If You Knew Her by Emily Elgar
Cassie Jensen is admitted to the hospital in a coma. Alice Marlowe, her nurse, knows there’s something familiar about her, she just can’t put her finger on it. And as the police continue looking for clues, Cassie’s hospital roommate Frank, who has locked-in syndrome, realizes that she’s still in danger, but is unable to communicate it.
10. Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson
After a car accident, Christine is left with short-form amnesia that wipes away all of her memories every morning. Every day, she wakes up beside a man named Ben who always patiently explains that he’s her husband. But one day she finds a book with a message written within, in her own handwriting: “Do not trust Ben.”
11. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Rachel Watson is an alcoholic who likes to ride the train to clear her mind. There she finds fulfillment in imagining the perfect lives that a couple— “Jason” and “Jess”— must have. One day she sees Jess kissing another man, and Jess disappears soon after that. Now Rachel’s left with a vital clue that could help the investigation. If her memory can be trusted, that is.
12. Everything You Want Me To Be by Mindy Mejia
Hattie Hoffman has always been the perfect student, daughter, and girlfriend. So it comes as a shock to her small-town community when she’s found stabbed to death. Worse, the killer is almost certainly one of them, and it’s revealed that Hattie wasn’t the perfect girl everyone knew her to be.
13. The Passenger by Lisa Lutz
Tanya Dubois comes home to find her husband dead at the bottom of the stairs. Instead of calling the police, she cashes in her credit cards, assumes a new name, and dons a disguise. Now she’s on the run, but her husband’s death is far from what she’s running from.
14. You Will Know Me by Megan Abbot
Katie Knox’s daughter, Devon, is a gymnastics prodigy with a clear chance for an Olympic medal, and they will stop at nothing to achieve it. But a murder rocks their gymnastics community, threatening everything they’ve worked for. Now Katie’s forced to decide whether she’s willing to pay anything to achieve her daughter’s dream.
15. The Girl Before by Rena Olsen
Clara Lawson is living the perfect life with her loving husband and daughter, until one day, armed men invade her home and drag her away from her family. The last thing she hears is her husband yelling out for her to say nothing.
Why Are Psychological Thrillers So Popular?
On the surface, psychological thrillers seem to only be filled with suffering and suspense. That’s true, but only to a certain point.
Psychological thrillers snag the imagination from the start, introducing us to a mystery that has to be solved no matter what. It plays on our natural tendency to be curious. To maintain that curiosity, these novels are fiendish puzzles, and the authors slowly throw us pieces to those puzzles as we progress through their narratives.
Accompanying that curiosity is the chance to confront our darkest fears. These stories don’t shy away from speculating about the blackest sides of humanity. Have you ever thought about what it’s like to be associated with a sociopath and get caught up in their games? Or to be one yourself? Psychological thrillers answer these questions for you.
Then there’s the thrill of danger. These stories put us in situations that are life-threatening, or introduce us to characters who act on fantasies we know are too shameful or dangerous for real life.
If you’re a thrill-seeker who’s looking for novels to pass the time, then this genre is perfect for you.
Do you have a favorite psychological thriller novel? Share it in the comments below!
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Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
