15 Books Like 'Verity' That Will Send Chills Down Your Spine

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Author Colleen Hoover has written many-a-bestseller, especially in the romance novel department. But her 2018 novel Verity shows a more dark and disturbing side to her imagination. It follows a struggling writer named Lowen who gets the job offer of a lifetime. The handsome Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, hires her to finish a book series that his injured wife is unable to complete. But as she gets more involved in not just the job but the Crawford's lives, she discovers some dark secrets that suddenly turn her dream job into a nightmare.

The psychological thriller had readers absolutely obsessed and begging for more. There's definitely a lot material to unpack, and I can see why some people would want a reread to catch all the small details. But if you're one of the people who gave it an average 3 star-rating on Good Reads, and are yearning for something more spine-chilling, then we've got options for you.

Whether you're craving something similar to Verity, or looking for alternatives that better suit your tastes, you've come to the right place. Welcome! Come and take a gander at this roster of suspenseful mysteries—full of unhinged mind games and mind-bending twists—that will make you scream and curse internally as you read on the daily commute. (Or externally. You do you!) If these books don't scratch that psychological thriller itch, IDK what will.

The Silent Patient

Alicia Berenson is a famous painter married to a famous fashion photographer. She and her husband Gabriel live a lavish life in a grand house in London. They seemingly have the perfect life, but one day when Gabriel comes home late after a photoshoot, Alicia shoots him in the face five times. Since then, she's remained silent, even as she was brought to a forensic psychiatric unit. Now, criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber is determined to get her to talk and unravel the mysterious workings of her mind.

Gone Girl

Nick and Amy Dunne are a seemingly happy couple with a good marriage. But things get thrown into question when Amy mysteriously disappears on the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary. As the investigation into her disappearance progresses, secrets and lies between husband and wife begin to unravel, and Nick becomes the primary suspect.

Misery

Bestselling romance novelist Paul Sheldon has gotten into a terrible automobile accident that has left him reliant on another person's care. Annie Wilkes is Paul's nurse, and also happens to be his number one fan. She loves his work, but is furious with him for killing off her favorite character, Misery. She then asks him to write a book that brings her back to life—by holding him captive in her isolated house.

The Silence of the Lambs

A serial murderer called Buffalo Bill is on the loose. He's stalking particular women, and seems to have a motive but no one can quite figure out what it is. To try and understand the mind of this murderer, FBI trainee Clarice Starling is tasked with interviewing Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who was also a vicious killer himself.

The Girl on the Train

Rachel Watson's life is in shambles. She's going through a divorce, dealing with an alcohol addiction, and just lost her job. Still, she takes comfort in her daily commute on a train in London. She watches the same couple everyday as they eat breakfast on their deck, seemingly living the perfect life she had lost. But one day, while looking out from the train, she sees something shocking that changes everything.

You

Joe Goldberg is enamored by a beautiful aspiring writer who walks into the East Village bookstore where he works. Upon learning her name from her credit card, he makes Guinevere Beck the center of his universe, stalking her at every turn and orchestrating events to make sure that she ends up in his loving arms. And he doesn't hesitate to get rid of anything—and anyone—that gets in the way.

Behind Closed Doors

Newlyweds Jack and Grace seem to have it all. He's a handsome and successful lawyer who has never lost a case. Meanwhile she is the ideal housewife who is great at cooking, gardening, and caring for her disabled younger sister. The two are picture-perfect in every way. But appearances can be deceiving. Behind the facade of their faultless home life is a prison that keeps Grace locked in.

The Push

Blythe Connor desperately wants to be the perfect mom. But she's struggling as she goes through the exhausting trials of the early days of motherhood. Soon, she's convinced that there's something wrong with her daughter Violet because she doesn't seem to behave like most children do.

A Flicker in the Dark

When Chloe Davis was twelve years old, her father confessed to the murder of six teen girls in their small Louisiana town and was put away for life. Now, 20 years later, Chloe has moved on from this traumatic experience. She is a psychologist in Baton Rouge, and is about to get married. But as teen girls start to go missing, she sees parallels with events from the past. And she suspects that, once again, someone around her is the culprit.

The Woman in the Window

Anna Fox lives alone in her New York City home, and is unable to go outside because of her agoraphobia. So she spends her days as a recluse day drinking and sitting by the window spying on her neighbors. The seemingly perfect Russell family moves into the house across hers, and she loves to watch them. But one night, she sees something that she wasn't supposed to. This brings her to question reality, and her world begins to crumble.

Before I Go to Sleep

Christine loses her memories every time she goes to sleep. The moment she wakes up, she is a clean slate and cannot even remember her own name, let alone her husband's. Every day, he patiently explains to her that an accident from long ago has damaged her ability to remember things. So in order to keep track of her day-to-day, she has a hidden journal that only her neurologist knows about. She soon realizes that there her husband is hiding a terrifying and deadly truth.

Sharp Objects

After eight years of being away, reporter Camille Preaker is forced to return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two young girls after having just come from a brief stint at a psychiatric hospital. As she works on her job assignment, she finds herself identifying with the victims, and unraveling the psychological puzzle of her own past.

The Housemaid

Millie Calloway is a young woman with a criminal past who gets hired as a live-in maid for the wealthy Winchester family. Though it's a decent job, she soon realizes just how dysfunctional the Winchesters are, and finds the woman of the house, Nina, particularly odd.

Rock Paper Scissors

Adam and Amelia Wright win a weekend getaway to Scotland for their anniversary, which might just be what their marriage needs. Things have been rocky lately and this trip will make or break them. But one of them is lying. They didn't just win this trip as a coincidence. One is out to get the other. After ten years of marriage, they've been hiding ten years' worth of secrets, and this memorable trip is bound to unveil them all.

The Last Thing He Told Me

Hannah Hall receives one last message from her husband of one year, Owen Michaels, before he disappears: "Protect her." He meant his 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, who wants nothing to do with her new stepmother. But the two are forced to work together to track Owen down and find out why he left. Hannah soon realizes that "Owen Michaels" never existed and he's been lying to her this whole time.

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