Best Fiction Books January 2025

Verity

Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer, accepts a lucrative offer to complete the remaining books in a successful series for the injured author, Verity Crawford. As she delves into Verity’s notes, Lowen uncovers a chilling manuscript that reveals dark secrets about the Crawford family. Torn between her growing attraction to Verity’s husband and the disturbing truths she’s uncovering, Lowen grapples with ethical dilemmas and her own safety. This gripping psychological thriller kept me up all night, questioning reality and morality at every turn.

You Are Not Alone

Shay Miller’s life is unraveling. Jobless and alone, she witnesses a shocking incident that leaves her reeling. Desperate for connection, she’s drawn to the Moore sisters, who seem to have it all. As Shay becomes entangled in their glamorous world, she can’t shake the feeling that something’s off. Are these women really her saviors, or is there a darker motive behind their friendship? With each twist, Shay realizes she’s in deeper than she ever imagined. A gripping psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very end.

An Anonymous Girl

Jessica Farris stumbles into a psychology study for easy money, but finds herself caught in a web of deceit and manipulation. As the mysterious Dr. Shields pushes her boundaries, Jess begins to question reality and her own morality. With each twisted turn, she’s drawn deeper into a dangerous game where trust is a luxury she can’t afford. This gripping psychological thriller will leave you breathless, questioning who’s really pulling the strings in this masterful dance of deception.

The Wife Between Us

Vanessa thought she had it all—a perfect marriage, a luxurious lifestyle, and a doting husband. But when Richard leaves her for a younger woman, her world shatters. Obsessed with her replacement, Vanessa spirals into a web of jealousy and deceit. As she unravels the truth about her past and Richard’s new fiancée, nothing is as it seems. With each twist, readers will question their assumptions, caught in a psychological thriller that blurs the lines between victim and villain. Trust no one, not even yourself, in this heart-pounding tale of love, betrayal, and revenge.

The Girl Before

Haunting and seductive, “The Girl Before” weaves a tale of obsession and control. Emma and Jane, separated by time, both find themselves living in a minimalist architectural marvel with strict rules. As they uncover the house’s dark secrets and the enigmatic architect’s twisted games, their lives intertwine in unexpected ways. Delaney masterfully builds tension, leaving you questioning reality and relationships. I couldn’t put it down, my heart racing with each revelation. A psychological thriller that will linger in your mind long after the final page.

The Lying Game

In “The Lying Game,” Ruth Ware weaves a gripping tale of four friends bound by a dark secret from their boarding school days. When a text summons them back to their old haunt, buried truths resurface, threatening to shatter their carefully constructed lives. Ware’s masterful storytelling keeps you guessing, as each page turn reveals another layer of deceit. I found myself completely immersed, unable to put it down, my heart racing as the characters’ past collided with their present. A haunting exploration of friendship, loyalty, and the consequences of youthful indiscretions.

In a Dark, Dark Wood

Nora’s life takes an unexpected turn when she receives an invitation to her estranged best friend’s hen party. Reluctantly, she agrees to attend, venturing into a secluded glass house deep in the woods. As the weekend unfolds, old secrets resurface, and tensions rise among the guests. Nora can’t shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. When a shocking incident occurs, she finds herself trapped in a nightmare, questioning everything she thought she knew about her past and the people around her.

The Turn of the Key

Rowan Caine stumbles upon a dream job as a live-in nanny in the Scottish Highlands, but her excitement quickly turns to dread. The sprawling Victorian mansion, with its high-tech amenities and eerie history, harbors dark secrets. As strange occurrences escalate and the children’s behavior becomes increasingly unsettling, Rowan finds herself trapped in a nightmarish situation. Ware masterfully weaves a tale of paranoia and suspense, leaving readers questioning reality until the shocking final twist.

The Girl from Widow Hills

Arden Maynor’s childhood trauma haunts her still. At six, she sleepwalked during a storm and vanished for days, captivating the nation. Now, she’s reinvented herself as Olivia, desperate to escape her past. But as the 20th anniversary of her rescue approaches, unsettling events force her to confront long-buried memories. When she stumbles upon a corpse outside her home, Olivia fears her nightmares are becoming reality. With gripping suspense and unexpected twists, this psychological thriller explores the blurred lines between memory and truth.

All the Missing Girls

Nicolette returns to her small hometown after a decade, haunted by her best friend’s unsolved disappearance. As she confronts buried secrets and old wounds, another girl vanishes, eerily mirroring the past. Told in reverse, this gripping mystery unravels layer by layer, revealing shocking truths and testing loyalties. Miranda’s taut prose and clever structure keep you guessing until the very end, blurring the lines between memory and reality in this atmospheric thriller.