“Never take anything you haven’t earned, my father used to say. You always end up paying for it one way or another.”
If you loved Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, you’re probably the sort of reader who is drawn to chilling atmospheres, unexpected twists and suspenseful narratives that keep you on the edge of your seat. With its dark mystery and unreliable narrator, this psychological thriller is a masterclass in tension-building and plot surprises. We here at What We Reading thought we would pay homage to one of Riley Sager’s best novels with the best books like Lock Every Door. From locked-room mysteries to thrillers with a sense of claustrophobia and danger lurking behind every shadow, these stories all feature unreliable protagonists, mysterious backdrops and plots brimming with twists and turns that more than match Jules Larsen’s trials within the Bartholomew complex.
Home Is Where The Bodies Are – Jeneva Rose
First up on our list of books like Lock Every Door is Jeneva Rose’s Home Is Where the Bodies Are. After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth is the eldest and has never left her mother’s side, caring for her until the end. Nicole is the middle child and has had a long history of substance abuse. The baby of the family is Michael, who hasn’t returned to their small hometown ever since their father walked out on them seven years prior.
Whilst going through their parents’ belongings, the siblings happen upon a collection of old VHS tapes. But, their trip down memory lane is brought to a crashing halt when one of the tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On-screen, their father is covered in blood. Beth, Nicole and Michael must grapple with whether they want to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secrets their mother took to the grave.
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That’s Not My Name – Megan Lally
Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there – or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station and, not long after, a frantic man arrives. He claims that he is her father and has been looking for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate and even family photos together. Her name is Mary. At least, that is what he claims.
When Lola slammed the car door and stormed off into the night, Drew thought that they just needed some time to cool off. Except Lola vanished, and the sheriff, his friends and the entire town were convinced that Drew had killed his girlfriend. One of the best YA mystery thrillers like Lock Every Door, Megan Lally’s That’s Not My Name follows Drew as he races to prove his innocence and find her before it is too late.
The Last One At The Wedding – Jason Rekulak
Frank Szatowski is stunned when his daughter, Maggie, rings for the first time in three years. He was convinced that their estranged relationship would become permanent. He’s even more shocked when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic, and more determined than ever to finally make things right between them.
The wedding is being held at a very secluded and very luxurious private estate. Maggie hadn’t mentioned that she was engaged to Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. But, the atmosphere at the wedding is less than harmonious; Aidan is reclusive and withdrawn, Maggie appears far too busy and the locals all appear disturbingly hostile. Frank needs to know more about the family his daughter is marrying into, however, pushing too hard may just lead to him losing Maggie forever.
The Turn Of The Key – Ruth Ware
When Rowan accepts a position as a live-in nanny at a luxurious yet isolated Scottish estate, she thinks it’s the perfect opportunity. Yet the house packed full of unsettling smart technology, hidden dark secrets and strange occurrences all begin to grate at her sense of reality.
As Rowan navigates the eerie, high-tech home, she becomes ensnared in a web of suspicion, especially once she finds herself as the prime suspect in a murder investigation following a tragic death. Told through letters from Rowan to her lawyer, Ruth Ware’s The Turn of the Key builds tension with its unreliable narrator, claustrophobic atmosphere and spine-tingling twists, perfect for any fans of Lock Every Door.
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The September House – Carissa Orlando
When Margaret and her husband, Hal, purchased the large Victorian house on Hawthorn Street for a surprisingly affordable price, they couldn’t believe their luck. Then they discovered the hauntings. Every September, the walls drip blood. The ghosts of former inhabitants stalk the halls and all of them are terrified of something that lurks within the basement.
After four years, Hal can’t take it anymore and flees. Now, he’s no longer returning Margaret’s calls, and their daughter, Katherine, arrives at the home determined to find her father. To make matters worse, September has just gotten underway and the hauntings soon prove to be more harrowing than ever. One of the best books like Lock Every Door for readers looking for more of a haunted house tale, Carissa Orlando’s The September House is gripping, twisted and pulsating.
An Anoynomous Girl – Greer Hendricks And Sarah Pekkanen
Keen to earn some extra cash, Jessica Farris agrees to be a testsubject in a psychological study all about ethics and morality. But as the study moves from the exam room to the real world, the line between what is real and what is one of the eccentric Dr. Shields’ experiments blurs. Shields appears to know exactly what Jess is thinking, and what she is hiding. Her behaviour will not only be monitored, but also manipulated.
In a similar vein to Lock Every Door, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen’s An Anonymous Girl follows Jess as she finds herself caught in a web of attraction, deceit and jealousy in this shocking psychological thriller.
The Last House On Needless Street – Catriona Ward
Catriona Ward’s The Last House on Needless Street is another psychological thriller perfect for fans of Lock Every Door. Set in a secluded, eerie house near the woods, the story orbits around Ted, a reclusive man with a dark past, his peculiar cat, Olivia, and his missing daughter. When a new neighbour, Dee, arrives, determined to unearth the truth behind her sister’s disappearance, long-buried secrets soon come to light.
With its unreliable narrators and chilling twists, this novel masterfully plays with perception and reality, keeping readers guessing until the very end. Like Lock Every Door, it explores themes of isolation, trauma and the masks people wear to hide their darkest secrets. Packed with suspense, shocking revelations and a sinister atmosphere, Ward’s novel is a gripping read for anyone who loves twisted mysteries and psychological tension.
We Used To Live Here – Marcus Kliewer
As a young couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t quite believe their luck when they get the keys to an old estate in a picturesque neighbourhood. As they’re working on the house one day, they receive a visit from a man and his family. He claims that they used to live inside, and asks if it would be possible to show his children around. Ever the people pleaser, Eve lets them in.
As soon as the strangers enter the home, uncanny and unexplainable things begin to happen, including the family’s youngest child disappearing and a ghostly presence materialising in the basement. Even more unsettling is how the family refuses to acknowledge that it is time for them to leave. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her own grip on reality. Similar to Lock Every Door, Marcus Kliewer’s We Used to Live Here is a hauntingly eerie novel whose setting warps and distorts its inhabitants’ psyche.
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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).
