“The moment people start wearing their morals on their sleeves, you can be positive there’s something unmentionable going on behind closed doors.”
If you loved the psychological depth and moral dilemmas of Three Days and a Life by Pierre Lemaitre, you’re certainly not alone. This enthralling tale of guilt, suspense and life-altering secrets has rocked countless readers and left them searching for similar reads that offer the same intense experiences. Whether you love atmospheric small-town settings, stories about dark moral choices or deeply flawed protagonists, we here at What We Reading thought we would compile our favourite books like Three Days and a Life. From psychological thrillers about human guilt to literary fiction with sinister secrets lurking in their heart, these recommendations are perfect for any fan of Pierre Lemaitre’s masterful storytelling.
A Fatal Grace (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache #2) – Louise Penny
First up on our list of books like Three Days and a Life is Louise Penny’s A Fatal Grace. CC de Poitiers, an unlikeable and manipulative woman is electrocuted in front of all the residents within the idyllic village of Three Pines during a curling match. It appears to be an impossible crime. Inspector Armand Gamache is called in to investigate, delving into the secrets and grudges that bubble beneath the surface of the town’s peaceful surface.
As Gamache uncovers the truth about CC’s life, he discovers a tangled web of jealousy, greed and hidden motives. Like Three Days and a Life, Penny’s tale masterfully blends psychological tension with the complexities of small-town living, exploring the weight of guilt and the impact of secrets.
The Book Of Mirrors – E.O. Chirovici
In The Book of Mirrors by E.O. Chirovici, a long-unsolved murder resurfaces when a partial manuscript lands on a literary agent’s desk. The manuscript, penned by Richard Flynn, recounts his time as a student at Princeton in the 1980s and his connections to the enigmatic Professor Joseph Wieder, who was brutally murdered.
The truth becomes increasingly hard to spot as different perspectives of the same events surface. Told through multiple narrators, Chirovici’s story unfolds like a puzzle, with each account adding more layers of doubt, deception and intrigue. Like Three Days and a Life, The Book of Mirrors demonstrates how a single event can shape lives and is full of suspenseful, unreliable narratives.
The Chestnut Man (Naia Thulin #1) – Søren Sveistrup
Across Copenhagen, the city finds itself gripped by fear as a heinous serial killer stalks the streets, leaving in their wake a chilling signature at each crime scene: a handmade chestnut figurine. Detective Naia Thulin and her partner Mark Hess are assigned to the case, discovering connections to a high-profile cold case involving the missing daughter of a government minister.
As the investigation grows more intense, they unpick a horrifying web of secrets, lies and past trauma that joins the victims together. With time running out and the killer permanently a step ahead, the detectives are forced to confront their own demons whilst racing to prevent another killing. Similar to Three Days and a Life, The Chestnut Man blends small-town darkness with psychological suspense, exploring how buried secrets and human flaws can lead to devastating consequences.
Defending Jacob – William Landay
Nominated for Favourite Mystery & Thriller in the Goodreads Choice Awards, William Landay’s Defending Jacob follows Andy Barber, a respected district attorney, who is forced to confront his darkest nightmare when his fourteen-year-old son, Jacob, is accused of killing his classmate. As Andy fights to defend his son, he is thrown into a moral and emotional maelstrom, questioning his own beliefs about justice, loyalty and family.
The case reveals dark secrets within the family, testing the boundaries of the cost of protecting loved ones. As the trial progresses, Andy’s trust in his son and his own conscience begins to unravel. One of the best books like Three Days and a Life, Defending Jacob demonstrates the psychological weight of guilt, secrecy, the lengths one will go to protect a loved one, and the devastating impact of hidden truths.
Big Lies In A Small Town – Diane Chamberlain
In Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain, two women, decades apart, find their lives intertwined by a mysterious painting and a long-buried secret. In 1940, a young artist, Morgan Christopher is hired to restore a mural in a quiet North Carolina town. However, the project soon uncovers hidden truths about the town’s history and the women behind the painting.
In the present day, the case of a wrongful conviction leads to a hunt for justice that brings Morgan back to the town, where she unearths sordid secrets that have been kept buried for years. Similar to Lemaitre’s novel, Big Lies in a Small Town is all about the darkness lurking beneath a seemingly idyllic small-town existence, brimming with intricate mysteries and emotionally complex characters.
Check Out The Best Thriller Books That Read Like True Crime
The Perfect Nanny – Leila Slimani
The seemingly picturesque life of a Parisian family is upended when their beloved nanny, Louise, commits an unimaginable crime – murdering the two children she was hired to care for. Told in alternating timelines, the novel charts the events leading up to the tragedy, exploring Louise’s complex character, her troubled past and the growing tensions between her and the family.
As the story progresses, Slimani delves into the themes of isolation, class and the fragility of human relationships, crafting a chilling portrait of a woman on the edge that any fans of Three Days and a Life are sure to appreciate.
The Dinner – Herman Koch
Two couples meet at an upscale restaurant in Amsterdam for a meal that will unravel their carefully constructed lives. As the evening stretches, the conversation turns to a disturbing subject – their teenage sons, who have found themselves involved in a serious crime.
Throughout the dinner, secrets are revealed, moral lines are crossed and the true nature of the parents’ complicity in their sons’ actions is brought to light. Koch’s dark and unsettling narrative explores themes of guilt, denial and the complexities of family loyalty. Similar to Three Days and a Life, The Dinner is a story about morally complex characters grappling with their actions and the consequences that could destroy their lives.
The Weight Of Blood – Tiffany D. Jackson
A tragic and horrifying event rocks the small town of Springville during the high school prom: a shooting that leaves several of the students dead. Tiffany D. Jackson follows the event’s aftermath in The Weight of Blood. Through the lens of Maddy, a biracial teenager who struggles with her identity and dark secrets from her past, the story unfolds through alternating timelines and perspectives.
Maddy’s connection to the tragedy comes to light, revealing the hidden history of her family and the disturbing truth about what led to the violence. One of the best books like Three Days and a Life, Jackson’s captivating narrative tackles how deeply buried secrets can surface and reshape lives in profound and devastating ways.
The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena
Shari Lapena introduces readers to Anne and Marco Conti in The Couple Next Door, a couple whose perfect evening turns into the worst nightmare for any parent when their baby daughter, Cora, is abducted while they attend a dinner party next door. As the investigation unfolds, the couple’s lives are turned upside down as long-buried secrets are revealed and their seemingly innocent behaviour is put under the spotlight.
The truth behind what happened that night slowly emerges, but not before tension escalates and trust between the couple disintegrates. Lapena’s masterful storytelling keeps readers on the edge of their seats, exploring the complexities of marriage, trust and guilt deftly in a way that will resonate with any readers who loved Pierre Lemaitre’s bestseller.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Couple Next Door
We Need To Talk About Kevin – Lionel Shriver
In We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver, Eva, a struggling mother with a tumultuous relationship with her son, Kevin, reflects on the events leading up to a horrific tragedy. Through a series of letters to her estranged husband, Franklin, Eva assesses Kevin’s troubling behaviour from a young age, the tensions growing between them and the gradual realisation that her son may be capable of committing unthinkable acts.
As she wrestles with guilt, regret and the aftermath of Kevin’s actions, Eva’s narrative uncovers the chilling truth about the nature of evil, culpability and the limits of parental responsibility. Like Three Days and a Life, We Need to Talk About Kevin is a commentary on the effects of guilt and trauma, examining the complexities of human relationships and the emotional weight of a life-altering crime.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
