“It is merciless, how the world moves on after the death of a person, how they can disappear without a trace, like footprints in the melting snow.”
The Intern is an intense 2023 psychological thriller by Michele Campbell. Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. Yet, Madison also harbours a dark secret that could destroy her career. Her younger brother, Danny, has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge presiding over the case. After accusing the judge of corruption, Danny suddenly disappears. As Madison attempts to unearth the truth, she is immersed in Kathryn Conroy’s glamorous world. But, is the judge a mentor, a victim or a criminal? Timely and thrilling, if you loved Campbell’s story, join us at What We Reading for the best thriller books like The Intern that all share its themes of class, ambition, family and murder.
The Other Mothers – Katherine Faulkner
Our first stop on our list of recommendations like The Intern is Katherine Faulkner’s 2023 mystery thriller, The Other Mothers. When a young nanny is found dead in strange circumstances, new mother Tish believes this is the opportunity she has been waiting for to launch her career as a journalist. She has also been searching for new friends to help her navigate motherhood and believes she has found them in the form of the sleek, sophisticated women who live in the tree-lined stunning houses across her neighbourhood.
When the mothers welcome her into their circle, Tish discovers the sort of life she has always dreamt of. She is soon swept up in their world of coffee, cocktails and playdates. But, when another young woman is discovered deceased, it becomes clear there is more to this community than meets the eye. And, the more she investigates, the more Tish is led dangerously close to the other mothers.
When I’m Dead (Black Harbor #3) – Hannah Morrissey
On a bone-chilling October night, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp investigates the death of her daughter’s best friend. Mere hours later, the tragedy takes an unexpected and even more harrowing turn when she discovers that her daughter, Chloe, has gone. Though, not without a trace.
The trail of clues left behind leads Rowan and her husband to begin questioning just how much they truly knew their daughter. As they work closely to peel away the layers of this case, they begin to unearth disturbing details about Chloe and her secrets. These revelations soon threaten to tear them apart at the seams. Hannah Morrissey’s When I’m Dead is the third entry in her gripping Black Harbor series and the perfect family drama follow-up for anyone who loved The Intern.
The Stranger Upstairs – Lisa M. Martin
Sarah Slade is starting over. As the proud new owner of the Black Wood House – the scene of a gruesome murder-suicide – she is determined that this renovation will help her reach a new audience on her lifestyle blog, and pull her attention away from her failing marriage. But, as the workers around the house continue to suffer bizarre accidents and menacing notes begin appearing everywhere, Sarah becomes convinced that something is out to kill her, husband and perhaps even the house itself.
The more she redecorates, the more Sarah’s life begins to spiral out of control, taking her own sanity along with it. Another one of the best books like The Intern with its themes of obsession and secrets, The Stranger Upstairs follows Sarah as she reckons with whether the lies she has crafted to conceal her own secrets are truly worth it.
Dark Corners (Rachel Krall #2) – Megan Goldin
Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though he remains the primary suspect in the murders of six women in the eyes of the police. Prior to his release, Bailey receives a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, an uber-successful influencer with a huge following. Hours later, Maddison vanishes. When their investigation into the disappearance hits a dead end, the FBI begrudgingly ask Rachel Krall for help in finding the missing influencer.
Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference where fierce rivalries have the potential to turn deadly. When the body of another woman turns up, the authorities are rocked by the revelation that Terence Bailey may have an accomplice on the outside. Perfect for fans of The Intern, Dark Corners is a gripping mystery thriller that tackles the dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet.
The Helsinki Affair – Anna Pitoniak
Amanda Cole is a brilliant young CIA agent, following in the footsteps of her father, Charlie. Her sleepy posting in Rome takes an unexpected turn when a lowly, albeit desperate, Russian operative bounds through the door, telling her that a US Senator is about to be assassinated on an overseas trip to Cairo. Amanda believes that the Russian is telling the truth. Her superiors do not. When the assassination occurs, Amanda is suddenly thrown into an international conspiracy as she attempts to discover why the politician was killed.
Pairing up with the fast-talking veteran spy Kath, the investigation takes Amanda from Rome to London to Moscow and finally to Helsinki. As the pair of them skirt closer and closer to the truth of a case that involves double agents, blackmailed CEOs and yachting oligarchs, Amanda is soon forced to grapple with where her loyalty truly lies: with her country, or with her family.
A Talent For Murder (Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner #3) – Peter Swanson
Martha Ratliff consigned herself long ago that she was destined for a life spent alone. She was fine with it, perfectly content with her solo existence. Until she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured divorcee with a job that took him on the road half the year. The pair get married, and things seem set during their first year together.
But then Martha discovers a blood streak on the back of one of his shirts. As curiosity gradually gives way to suspicion, Martha begins to look into the cities that Alan has visited over the past year and unearths a chilling pattern involving murdered women. Could she be married to a serial killer? Similar to The Intern, Peter Swanson delivers a gripping crimer thriller brimming with obsessions, secrets and murder at its epicentre in A Talent for Murder.
The Resort – Sara Ochs
When Cass sets foot on the shores of Thailand’s world-renowned party island, she’s on the hunt for an escape. With dark secrets following her every step, Koh Sang becomes the perfect spotto hide away.
Now, years later, Cass is making a living as a local dive instructor alongside the Permenants, a collective of expats who have claimed the island as their own. Like Cass, each one of them has something to outrun. Then, suddenly, a dive student is found dead and the paradise around all of them comes crashing down. Because this isn’t the first mysterious death this island has witnessed, and it certainly won’t be the last. Similar to the story of Judge Kathryn Conroy in The Intern, someone knows exactly who Cass is, and they’re prepared to ensure justice is finally served.
The Long Weekend – Gilly Macmillan
Dark Fell Barn is advertised as a ‘perfectly isolated’ retreat when Jayne books a reservation for her and her friends. A quiet spot, far-flung from the rest of the world is exactly what they all need. Three women, Jayne, Ruth and Emily, arrive at the barn for a girls’ night before their husbands all join them the following morning. Absent this year, however, is Edie. Edie had been the glue holding the friendship group together, until her husband died suddenly.
But, what had promsied as a relaxing break away from things soon descends into horror. Upon arriving at Dark Fell Barn, the three women find a note claiming that one of their husbands will be murdered. With no cell phone service and an encroaching storm keeping them in place, friendships fracture and the situation soon spirals out of control. Like The Intern, Gilly Macmillan’s The Long Weekend is a wild female-led thriller where secrets and obsessions deliver a pulsating page-turner.
Check Out Our The Long Weekend Book Review
Like Mother, Like Daughter – Kimberly McCreight
When NYU student Cleo arrives late for dinner at her childhood home in Brooklyn, she finds food burning in theoven and no sign of her mother, Kat. Then, she discovers her mother’s bloody shoe under the sofa. Something terrible has happened, but what? As a happily married, successful corporate lawyer, Kat’s life had appeared perfect from the outside.
But, Kat has been lying. Having grown up in a dangerous home, she’s learned how to think fast, stay calm under pressure and recognise a real threat when she sees one. And, in the days leading up to her disappearance, Kat had been spotting more and more threats around her. Like The Intern, Kimberly McCreight’s Like Mother, Like Daughter is a thrilling novel about two women, their efforts to save one another and the hard truths we all avoid in life.
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).
