Relationship-Gone-Wrong Thrillers

Karen Hamilton’s latest book The Perfect Girlfriend is her sinister, creepy take on the psycho ex-girlfriend. We reviewed it and loved the unpredictable narrative intensity of her writing, so we asked Karen to put together a list of books that inspired her relationship-gone-wrong thriller. You can read our full review here.

The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson. From the opening scene set in an airport (which of course I loved) where two strangers meet, I was hooked on this wonderfully chilling book. Brilliant tension; it kept me guessing.

The Darkening Hour by Penny Hancock. A relationship between a stressed woman and her father’s carer are pushed to breaking point. I found this to be a tense, wonderfully written, thought-provoking novel.

Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris. The title alone was enough to draw me towards this book as no one ever does know what goes on behind closed doors, especially in a marriage. Creepy and frightening.

Daughter by Jane Shemilt. A mother-daughter relationship is re-examined after her teenage daughter goes missing. I found this both heartbreaking and tense.

The Widow by Fiona Barton. The focus of this novel being on the wife of a man accused of a heinous crime was thought-provoking and it didn’t disappoint.

Remember Me This Way by Sabine Durrant. A wife whose husband is dead, yet she suspects he’s still alive. This book kept me turning the pages trying to guess if she was right.

The Innocent Wife, Amy Lloyd. A woman enters into a relationship with a man on death row after she writes to him. Brilliant, clever and disturbing.

The Swimming Pool by Louise Candlish. A married woman is drawn into a seemingly glamorous new world after the arrival of a new neighbour in town and the re-opening of the local lido. A gripping, taut read.

The Perfect Girl by Gilly Macmillan. I enjoyed this gripping story of troubled relationships within a family. I found it to be a dark, addictive page-turner.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. A friend recommended this novel not long after it was out, so I read it knowing very little about it beforehand and found it thrilling and scary.