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Best Dark Books

December 2024

Gone Girl

Nick and Amy Dunne seem to have it all—a perfect marriage, a beautiful home, and successful careers. But on their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy mysteriously disappears, and the facade begins to crumble. As the media frenzy intensifies, Nick’s odd behavior and secrets make him the prime suspect. Told through alternating perspectives, “Gone Girl” unravels a chilling tale of deception, manipulation, and the dark complexities of marriage, leaving readers questioning everything.

Her Last Day

Detective Jessie Cole’s life changed forever when her sister vanished without a trace. Now, years later, she’s haunted by the unsolved case and the ghosts of her past. When a new missing persons case lands on her desk, Jessie is drawn into a web of lies and deceit that threatens to unravel everything she thought she knew. As she races against time to find the truth, she discovers that sometimes the answers we seek are hiding in plain sight. With each twist and turn, Jessie must confront her own demons and face the possibility that her sister’s disappearance may be connected to something far more sinister than she ever imagined.

The Girl with a Clock for a Heart

George Foss never thought he’d see her again, but on a late-night visit to his favorite Boston bar, there she was. Liana Dector, his college girlfriend, vanished twenty years ago. Now she’s back, with a desperate plea for help. George can’t resist her pull, despite knowing she’s trouble. As he’s drawn into her dangerous world of lies and murder, he realizes some people never change. This gripping thriller explores the power of first love and the consequences of betrayal, leaving readers breathless until the final twist.

Home Before Dark

Maggie Holt returns to her childhood home, Baneberry Hall, determined to uncover the truth behind her father’s bestselling horror memoir. As she renovates the eerie Victorian mansion, long-buried secrets resurface, blurring the lines between fact and fiction. Haunted by fragmented memories and inexplicable occurrences, Maggie grapples with her own skepticism and the house’s dark history. With each creaking floorboard and shadowy corner, she’s drawn deeper into a mystery that threatens to consume her, just as it did her family years ago.

Final Girls

Quincy Carpenter survived a brutal massacre that left her the sole survivor of a killing spree at Pine Cottage. Ten years later, she’s finally moved on, but her fragile peace is shattered when another “Final Girl” is found dead. Forced to confront her past, Quincy teams up with fellow survivor Sam to uncover the truth. As they dig deeper, dark secrets emerge, blurring the lines between victim and killer. Sager’s gripping thriller keeps you guessing until the very end, exploring trauma, survival, and the haunting question: can anyone truly escape their past?

Two Can Keep a Secret

In this gripping thriller, Ellery arrives in Echo Ridge, a town haunted by unsolved mysteries. As she digs into her family’s dark past, including her aunt’s disappearance, a new homecoming queen vanishes. Ellery becomes entangled in a dangerous web of secrets, realizing everyone in town has something to hide. With twists that’ll keep you guessing, McManus crafts a suspenseful tale of small-town intrigue that’ll have you questioning who to trust until the very end.

The House We Grew Up In

Nestled in the Cotswolds, the Picture-Perfect House holds secrets that span generations. As the Bird family gathers for Easter, long-buried tensions resurface, threatening to shatter their idyllic facade. Through laughter and tears, we witness the unraveling of carefully constructed lies and the strength of familial bonds. Jewell’s masterful storytelling weaves a tapestry of love, loss, and redemption, leaving readers questioning the true meaning of home and the power of forgiveness. A poignant exploration of family dynamics that will linger in your thoughts long after the final page.

The Kind Worth Killing

On a night flight to London, Ted Severson meets the enigmatic Lily Kintner. Over martinis, they play a game of truth, revealing dark secrets. When Ted confesses his desire to murder his unfaithful wife, Lily offers to help. What follows is a twisted tale of deception and betrayal, where nothing is as it seems. As the body count rises, Ted begins to question Lily’s motives and his own sanity. Swanson’s chilling thriller will keep you guessing until the very last page, leaving you breathless and wondering: who can you really trust?

The Girl Who Lived

Sarah Townsend’s life shattered when her family was brutally murdered on her 12th birthday. Now, a decade later, she’s the sole survivor, haunted by memories and plagued by survivor’s guilt. Determined to uncover the truth, Sarah returns to her hometown, where whispers and suspicious glances follow her every move. As she digs deeper, long-buried secrets resurface, threatening to unravel everything she thought she knew. With danger lurking in the shadows, Sarah must confront her past to reclaim her future in this gripping tale of resilience and redemption.

Find Her

Haunted by her sister’s disappearance, Detective D.D. Warren delves into a chilling case of abduction. As she unravels the twisted threads of a serial kidnapper’s mind, she encounters Flora Dane, a survivor with a dark past. Together, they race against time to save the latest victim. Gardner’s gripping narrative keeps you on edge, blending psychological suspense with raw emotion. A heart-pounding thriller that explores the resilience of the human spirit and the lengths we’ll go to find the truth.