“I believe that any human being is capable of terrible things if you push them hard enough.”
If you loved Never Lie by Freida McFadden, you’re probably on the hunt for more pulsating psychological thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat. With its shocking twists, unreliable narrators and suspenseful plot, Never Lie is a standout in the realm of domestic thrillers. Today at What We Reading, we’re rounding up the best books like Never Lie that promise to leave you breathless and craving more. Whether you’re looking for a book with similar plot twists, eerie narratives or unreliable characters, these are the thrillers for you. From twisted suspense to thrilling mysteries, these novels are perfect for fans of Freida McFadden’s gripping storytelling that makes stories like Never Lie so unforgettably addictive.
Never Lie Summary
Never Lie opens with a young couple, Ethan and Tricia, who are searching for their forever home when they happen upon an open house that once belonged to Dr Adrienne Hale, a psychotherapist who disappeared mysteriously without a trace four years ago. A violent winter storm traps them inside the estate with no means of escaping until the blizzard subsides.
Looking for something to pass the time, Tricia happens upon a secret room containing audio recordings of every single patient Dr Hale ever interviewed. Her curiosity taking over her, Tricia begins to listen to the cassette tapes. Soon, she finds herself immersed in the terrifying chain of events that led to Dr Hale’s sudden vanishing. With each tape she plays late into the night, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place. Dr Hale’s web of lies is slowly revealed.
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The Perfect Stranger – Megan Miranda
First on our list of books like Never Lie is Megan Miranda’s The Perfect Stranger. The story opens with a woman named Leah moving to a small town in Pennsylvania to escape the fallout of a recent scandal. She begins working as a teacher and begins building a new life with her mysterious and troubled friend, Emmy. When Emmy disappears under suspicious circumstances, Leah becomes entangled in a web of lies, questioning everything she knows about the people around her.
As Leah investigates further, she discovers unsettling truths about Emmy’s past and her own involvement in the events leading up to her disappearance. The novel switches between Leah’s present-day search for answers and flashbacks to the time leading up to Emmy’s disappearance, gradually unveiling the complex, dark secrets that bind the characters.
The Lies We Told – Camilla Way
When Clara’s boyfriend, Luke, vanishes, everyone assumes that he’s simply left her. But Clara thinks she knows the truth. Recent evidence suggests that Luke had a stalker, and Clara is worried that he might have been kidnapped by them. Then Luke’s older sister, Emily, who had disappeared two decades ago, suddenly resurfaces.
Emily wants to help Clara with her search for Luke, but she refuses to talk about anything that happened to her – irrespective of how it had nearly broken her family. The deeper Clara digs into Luke’s disappearance, the more convinced she becomes that the two events are connected somehow. From the acclaimed author of Watching Edie, Camilla Way’s The Lies We Told is a pulsating dark thriller similar to Never Lie that explores how the people closest to us often have the most to hide.
None Of This Is True – Lisa Jewell
Lisa Jewell’s None of This Is True follows Alix Summers, a successful podcast host who becomes intrigued by the story of her new neighbour, Josie, a woman with a mysterious and unsettling past. Josie approaches Alix with a request to tell her story. What starts out as a simple interview soon spirals into a dangerous journey of secrets and revelations.
As Alix delves further into Josie’s life, she unearths a series of shocking truths that make her question everything she thought she knew about her neighbour. The line between truth and fiction blurs, and Alix finds herself increasingly ensnared in Josie’s twisted narrative. Like Never Lie, None of This Is True features alternating perspectives, sharp twists, unreliable narrators and a chilling atmosphere to explore how far someone will go to conceal their darkest secrets and the price demanded for uncovering them.
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The Other Woman – Sandie Jones
The Other Woman by Sandie Jones is another psychological thriller like Never Lie that orbits around Emily, a woman who falls in love with Adam, a charming and seemingly perfect man. As their relationship deepens, Emily becomes increasingly drawn to Adam’s mother, Pammie, whose overly controlling and manipulative behaviour begins to create tension. Despite her best efforts to build a relationship with Pammie, Emily soon learns that she isn’t the only woman vying for Adam’s attention.
As Pammie’s influence over Adam grows more intense, Emily finds herself in a toxic battle for his love and approval. The novel delves into the dark and twisted dynamics within their relationship, with Pammie willing to go to any extreme to keep Emily out of Adam’s life. As Emily uncovers shocking truths about Adam’s past, she faces difficult decisions that challenge her loyalty, trust and understanding of love.
The Perfect Marriage – Jeneva Rose
Jeneva Rose’s The Perfect Marriage revolves around the seemingly perfect relationship between Sarah and Adam. Sarah, a successful lawyer, is married to Adam, an apparently devoted husband. Their life together seems flawless, but when Adam is arrested for the brutal murder of his mistress, everything is shattered.
Sarah is thrust into the spotlight of a high-profile case, where she must decide whether to defend her husband, whom she loves or face the terrifying possibility that he might be guilty. As Sarah digs deeper into Adam’s past, she discovers shocking secrets about him that upend everything she thought she knew. The line between love and betrayal becomes strained, and Sarah is forced to reckon with her own doubts and fears, all whilst also navigating the dangerous consequences of her choices. With tense twists, unreliable voices and a gripping narrative, The Perfect Marriage is a fast-paced thriller that sheds light on the dark side of relationships, perfect for any readers who loved Never Lie.
Local Woman Missing – Mary Kubica
Local Woman Missing is another one of the best psychological thriller books like Never Lie, that centres around the disappearance of two women, Meredith and her young neighbour, Delilah, in a sleepy suburban neighbourhood. Meredith vanishes without a trace and, days later, Delilah is found wandering the streets, traumatised and unable to recall what happened. As the community reels from the chilling events, questions arise and suspicion mounts about the individuals closest to the missing women.
Years on, when a new development occurs that points to Meredith still being alive, the story shifts to a complex web of secrets, lies and hidden truths. The novel shifts between multiple perspectives, revealing the deep connections between the characters and slowly peeling away the layers of deception that have surrounded Meredith’s disappearance.
Rock Paper Scissors – Alice Feeney
Adam and Amelia are a married couple who are struggling to reconnect after years of gradually growing distant. To try and repair their relationship, they decide to go on a weekend getaway to a remote location in the Scottish Highlands, hoping that the change in surroundings might reignite the spark that once brought them together.
However, what should have been a romantic retreat soon turns into a nightmare as strange events begin to unfold. The couple is forced to confront unsettling truths about each other, their past, and the nature of their relationship. As tensions rise and dark secrets are brought to light, it becomes clear that someone isn’t being entirely honest. Rock Paper Scissors is a novel that alternates between the perspectives of Adam and Amelia, creating an unreliable narrative filled with twists and turns that is sure to resonate with anyone who loved Never Lie.
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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).
