18 Thriller Books Like Verity

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18 Thriller Books Like Verity

If you enjoyed reading Verity just like I did, then you’ll be craving for more books like Verity.

Colleen Hoover has re-ignited readers’ love for thrilling mystery books with her unpredictable plot twists and bone-chilling storylines.

Verity quickly became a booktok sensation and left readers wanting more! So, Colleen Hoover wrote a bonus chapter in an exclusive edition of Verity. I just had to read it! 

If you’re done reading that and are on the hunt for books like Verity, you can count on this list of books to help you find your next favourite thriller!

Verity is perfect for book clubs so I created a guide with questions and more to aid your discussion.

I also enjoyed these note-worthy quotes from the book.

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About Verity by Colleen Hoover

books like verity

From the outside, the Crawford family seems normal, even perfect at times. With a closer look one soon realizes there are many dark secrets hidden within.

Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling author accepts the offer of a lifetime. She has to ghostwrite and finish the remaining books in a series by a bestselling author, Verity Crawford, as she is no longer able to do it herself.

Jeremy Crawford, Verity’s husband, invites Lowen into his home where she can go through years worth of important notes and story outlines in Verity’s writing room. 

While going through mountains of paperwork, Lowen stumbles upon a strange autobiography, telling her what happened when Jeremy and Verity’s daughter died.

Colleen Hoover doesn’t shy away from writing gruesome details that might make most people queasy. It helps to create an intense and gripping story. It’s also good to note that Verity is a spicy thriller book – yes, it is has mature intimate scenes.

However do note the trigger warnings for Verity: child abuse, murder/attempted murder, and cheating.

Verity is quite different compared to Colleen Hoover’s usual contemporary romance books. If you’ve read Verity and don’t know which Colleen Hoover book to pick up next, this post will help you.

What To Read After Verity: Top 3 Books

If you’re wondering on what to read after Verity, try these books:

18 Thriller Books Like Verity

1. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

books like the silent patient

Alicia Berenson, a famous painter, after murdering her husband, won’t speak a word about it. Completely mute.

Theo Faber,  a criminal psychotherapist, has been assigned to Alicia’s case. What seemed like a domestic tragedy turns out to be something far more sinister.

Theo is determined to figure this mystery out. Readers were undoubtedly blown away by the ending, it was unexpected. Even if you want to, you won’t be able to put this down until you’ve figured out the truth. 

Just like Verity, this book is a psychological thriller and follows an unresponsive main character. Undoubtedly one of those books to read after reading Verity.

Read More: 11 Thrilling Books Like The Silent Patient

2. The Push by Ashley Audrain

books like verity

Ashley Audrain’s debut novel, The Push focuses on complex family drama and explores post-natal depression which is very similar to Verity.

We follow Blythe Connor, a new mother hoping she’ll raise her children well, better than her mother. 

Her happiness is short-lived as she begins to notice her baby Violet act strangely.

Blythe cannot form a mother-daughter relationship despite her wanting to, which leaves her wondering if something is actually wrong with her. 

In this story, we travel back and forth, learning about Blythe’s mother and her grandmother, making generational trauma an important theme in this book. We explore how Blythe’s past has an impact on her present.

Reading this book will make you question Blythe’s intention as a mother but also empathize with women who have difficult female relationships in their lives.

3. Layla by Colleen Hoover

books like verity

If you’re looking for more books like Verity, written by Colleen Hoover, Layla is a great option!

Leeds meets Layla, they fall in love and everything is smooth sailing until Layla has a deadly accident. When she’s finally conscious, Leeds can’t seem to recognise the girl he fell in love with.

In hopes of getting back the old Layla, he takes her to Bed & Breakfast, where they first met. 

We follow Leed’s perspective as he tries to find answers,  meeting all sorts of people along the way like Willow, a guest at B&B. Willow needs his help though it would distract Leeds from Layla. He must set his priorities straight before he runs out of time.

This is a great paranormal romance thriller. Romantic thriller books might not be for everyone, but just like Verity, this book has great plot twists and an unpredictable ending.

4. My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing

books like verity

This debut thriller takes the term dysfunctional to another level, and Samantha Downing delivers that perfectly. Just as the title suggests, the “wife” and Verity have some things in common here, making this a great book to read after Verity.

After fifteen years of marriage, things get dull for Millicent and her husband. They seem to be our average suburban family with two perfect kids. However, we soon find out this family has their secrets too.

The couple wants to bring the thrill back into their li. Instead of having family game nights, the couple starts murdering people.

We watch Millicent and her husband get away with so many murders that they cleverly conduct.

5. Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

books like verity

To everyone, Jack and Grace are the perfect couple. Jack is an attorney while Grace is a housewife, they have a life most people would kill for.

But no one seems to question what this couple is like outside of their fancy dinner parties.

Why does Grace never answer the phone, why does she never meet up for coffee, and why are there metal shutters on the windows? No one knows what happens behind closed doors when the party is over.

Many people have compared this book to Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train but I think Verity is a better comparison as here we reverse the roles of Verity and Jeremy and you get Jack and Grace.

Readers are entirely creeped out after reading this, and the fact that it’s written so realistically makes us readers fear it could happen to us too.

6. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

books like verity

Published in 1938 and going on to become an international bestseller with a Netflix movie adaptation, Rebecca is highly recommended by many readers who have read Verity.

The story begins when a wealthy man proposes to a low-class servant, and they soon move to his estates in Manderley. 

But with his mansion haunted by the memories of his late wife, Rebecca, our protagonist soon discovers there might be something her new husband isn’t telling her.

If books like Verity and The Silent Patient are your favourites then Rebecca is something you’d want to pick up next. Readers think this is one of the best romance psychological thriller books of all time. 

7. The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

books like verity

A New York Times Bestseller, The Wife Upstairs is a retelling of the classic, Jane Eyre.

Just like Verity and other romantic psychological thriller books, this novel is full of shocking plot twists. Jane is a broke dog walker in a gated community, The Thornfield Estates. 

A community where posh people live and no one blinks an eye in Jane’s direction when she lifts discarded jewellery off her client’s tables.

Eddie­ Rochester is a wealthy resident of Thornfield Estates and recently widowed after his wife, Bea mysteriously died on a boat with her friend. Jane sees the opportunity and decides to approach Eddie.

Things hit off for them, and everything seems to be going well until Jane starts to get paranoid about the legend of Bea.

This reminded many readers of how Lowen felt threatened and haunted by Verity as she spent more time at the Crawford residence.

8. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

books like verity

Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter might seem easy until she arrives at Manhattan’s Bartholomew apartment. It’s all mysterious and dark with its high-profile residents who are rich and famous. 

No one knows what happens inside. There are simple rules: Never invite visitors. Never leave the apartment at night. Do not disturb other residents. 

Jules doesn’t think much of these rules and accepts the offer. Here she meets a fellow apartment sitter Ingrid. 

Ingrid is aware that something strange is going on and her theory is proven correct when she disappears. Now Jules must save her while uncovering dark secrets along the way.

This thriller certainly matches Verity’s eerie vibe because we’re surrounded by unreliable characters not knowing who to believe, completely figuring it out ourselves.

Just like Verity, after finishing this book, you’ll be left with many thought-provoking questions.

9. Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

books like verity

Local Woman Missing is about 3 women who go missing – Shelby Tebow. Meredith and Delilah.

These disappearances seem connected as both victims lived close to each other, leaving the whole community confused and shaken with fear .

As there is no evidence left behind at the crime scene, the case goes cold and people reluctantly move on with their lives.

That is until eleven years later Delilah shows up and everyone finally learns the truth of what truly happened. A tale that is gripping from start to finish, will leave you speechless. 

This book includes many disturbing scenes that include children and the theme of motherhood which makes it a book like Verity.

10. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

books like verity

The author of The Silent Patient brings us The Maidens, a dark Academia read mixed with thrilling suspense.

Mariana Andros is a group therapist who gets wrapped up in a murder mystery when she hears her niece Zoe’s friend Tara is found dead in Cambridge.

Edward Fosca is at the top of Mariana’s suspect list. He’s their beloved Greek professor and adored by everyone at Cambridge, especially by The Maidens

The Maidens is a secret society of female students that hold great secrets. Unfortunately, Tara was one of the members.

Just like Verity, readers felt the initial build-up of the story was slow but it soon picks up and turns into a fast-paced thriller with an unpredictable plot twist.

11. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

books like verity

Gone Girl took the internet by storm, it has a movie adaptation and was the Goodreads choice 2012 winner, it is one of the best psychological thriller books out there.

On the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne’s wife Amy is nowhere to be found. 

With Amy’s friend pointing fingers at Nick as the suspect, the police also find strange internet searches on Nick’s laptop that he doesn’t recall. Nick is already dumbfounded when he starts getting bizarre phone calls.

The story often takes unexpected turns that the reader doesn’t see coming. Gillian Flynn has done exceptional foreshadowing by dropping little crumbs of hints here and there.

Readers who are paying close attention feel rewarded when they figure things out.

12. The Last Mrs Parrish by Liv Constantine

books like verity

Being Reese Witherspoon’s book club pick is what brought this book into the spotlight but its plot twists are what helped it stay in the hearts of readers.

Amber Patterson is tired of her dull life but has a plan to spice things up. She’ll take over the life of Daphne Parrish and live the glamorous life of Mrs Parrish.

In Bishops Harbour, Connecticut, everyone knows Daphne has a perfect life, being a socialite and philanthropist with her picture-perfect husband Jackson. 

Amber goes to extreme heights to get close to Daphne and Jackson such as spending time with their kids and even joining them on family vacations over time.

But with Amber’s messed-up past catching up with her, it gets difficult to maintain her new facade. Readers found this book similar to Verity because both books are centred around the theme of manipulation and suspicious female narrators. 

13. Misery by Stephen King

books like verity

Misery is one of the books to read if you liked reading Verity. Paul Sheldon has just finished his latest novel, everything is going great for him until he’s in a fatal car accident.

Paul finds himself being nursed back to health by a girl named Annie Wilkes, who is also his self-proclaimed biggest fan.

Things get tense when Annie is revealed to be Paul’s captor, hiding him away in her isolated house. There are some pretty similar elements to this story when compared to Verity, such as Paul and Verity are both bestselling authors cherished by their fans and were in deadly accidents.

Once you pick this book up, you’ll not be able to do anything other than worry about how Paul will escape from this madwoman who is forcing him to write a book according to her wishes. 

14. The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

books like verity

Everyone thought this book’s plot to be yet another silly love triangle with a jealous ex-wife looking for revenge but they were very wrong.

Nellie, a teacher, and freshly divorced Richard have been busy with wedding preparations and starting a new beginning together.

Nellie can’t shake off her paranoia, she thinks she is being watched. Every day on her way back home she feels eyes on her.

Vanessa, the ex-wife, reminds me of a lot of Verity, this book is worth adding to your TBR if you liked reading Verity.

15. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

books like verity

The bestselling author of The Guest List is back with another mystery/thriller read – The Paris Apartment.

Wanting a fresh new start, Jess decides to stay over at her half-brother Ben’s apartment for a while. When she arrives at his apartment in Paris, everything seems off and strange. 

Ben is missing and his neighbours are all acting weird. As time passes, Ben’s disappearance starts to bother Jess so now she must find him soon before something terrible happens.

The main factor which makes this book similar to Verity is that a lot of readers were reminded of Lowen when they meet Jess. 

Both have pretty similar personalities, as they face traumatic childhood experiences.

Regardless, both are the narrators and I highly recommend this book if you liked reading Verity.

As this book is set in Paris, it makes it an excellent atmosphere for this dark thriller with dysfunctional characters.

16. November 9 by Colleen Hoover

books like verity

If you’re looking for other books by the author of Verity, try reading November 9.

Although it’s not a thriller, it has some mystery to it. As the main character, Fallon, who used to be a teen actress, was in an unfortunate fire accident which caused her face and body to be scarred, limiting her opportunities in the acting world. 

Ben is an aspiring writer in college who hopes to one day publish a book. The two of them decide to meet every November 9th for the next 6 years.

17. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

books like verity

Are you a fan of unsolved mysteries? If so, then you’ll enjoy this similar book to Verity.

Truly Devious follows Stevie Bell, a true crime enthusiast and aspiring detective who joins a new school.

Plenty of readers adore this YA mystery novel for its suspense and well-written plot towards the unsolved kidnapping and murder mystery of Stevie’s school – Ellingham Academy.  

18. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

books like verity

If you’re craving to read a book similar to Verity when it comes to plot twists, then The Housemaid has a such a good twist that you won’t even see it coming!

The Housemaid follows Millie, she is desperate to get a hired. When she gets a job offer by Nina Winchester to be a housemaid in the Winchester’s residence, she is more than happy to ignore some issues that come with the position.

However, things are getting harder to ignore. Especially the fact that her bedroom door only locks from the outside.

Wrap Up: Thriller Books Similar to Verity

These 18 thriller books like Verity by Colleen Hoover are guaranteed to keep you entertained for hours.

Dark psychological thrillers with the right amount of suspense make a great read and I hope you’ve decided to add some of these books to your TBR.

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