“If you’ve never been buried alive, I don’t recommend it.”
The Teacher is a pulsating psychological thriller by serial USA Today bestselling author Freida McFadden. The story follows Eve, a local math teacher who appears to have the perfect life with her career on track and a loving husband, Nate. Last year, Caseham High was upended by a scandal involving a student-teacher relationship, with one student in particular, Addie, at the centre of the drama. Addie is said to lie, hurt people and destroy lives, so Eve is dismayed when she finds her in her class. Yet no one knows the real Addie, the secrets that could destroy her or the lengths she will go to ensure they remain buried. If you love stories filled with twisting secrets and long-awaited revenge, join us today at What We Reading for the best books like The Teacher!
Never Lie – Freida McFadden
Kicking off our list of books like The Teacher is another one of Freida McFadden’s best books, Never Lie. Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are on the hunt for the house of their dreams. When they visit the remote manor that once belonged to renowned psychiatrist Dr Adrianne Hale, who vanished mysteriously four years ago, it looks as though they might have done just that.
A violent snowstorm traps them at the estate; looking for something to pass the time, Tricia stumbles upon a secret room within the mansion. A room that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr Hale ever hosted. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she is immersed in the eerie events leading up to Dr Hale’s sudden disappearance. As she plays the tapes one by one late into the night, the pieces of the jigsaw gradually click into place, and Dr Adrienne Hale’s web of lies slowly begins to unravel.
Check Out Our Never Lie Book Review
The Next Mrs. Parrish (Mrs. Parrish #2) – Liv Constantine
Amber Patterson Parrish has come a long way from being an anonymous wallflower. Her hard work and immaculate planning have finally paid off now that she’s a prolific socialite, though the rise to the top has hardly been all smooth sailing. Less than a year on from her husband Jackson’s conviction for tax evasion, Amber remains at the top of the social order within Bishops Harbor, whilst her spouse sits in prison. But, with Jackson soon to be released, Amber’s freedom – and finances – are quickly evaporating.
Meanwhile, Daphne Parrish has sworn to never return to Bishops Harbor following her divorce from Jackson. But, when one of her daughters sets out to see him, she agrees to return for the summer to supervise their visits. Jackson claims he is a changed man, but Daphne knows all too well that he can’t be trusted. With shocking turns and entertaining characters, Liv Constantine’s The Next Mrs. Parrish is the perfect follow-up for anyone who loved The Teacher.
Don’t Believe Her – Nicola Sanders
Nicola Sanders’ Don’t Believe Her follows Ellie, a woman who appears to have the perfect life. She has a beautiful little girl and is engaged to Nick, the man she has fancied for as long as she can remember. When Nick announces that his sister, Carla, is finally coming home, it appears to be the icing on the cake. Carla had been Ellie’s best friend until the age of sixteen when she ran away from home. That was twelve years ago, and no one has seen her since.
Everyone is overjoyed about Carla’s return. But, the more time she spends with her, the more unsettled Ellie is about Carla. Her behaviours appear slightly different, her childhood memories don’t align with Ellie’s and she appears strangely evasive about her years away. Like The Teacher, Don’t Believe Her is a dark and twisty thriller full of secrets and surprises delivered at a breathless pace.
Listen For The Lie – Amy Tintera
Another one of the best books like The Teacher and one of the biggest thrillers from 2024, Amy Tintera introduces readers to Lucy and Savvy in Listen for the Lie. The two girls had been the life and soul of their small Texas town. Lucy married her dream man and moved into her forever home, while Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, especially the local men. But after Lucy is found wandering the town’s streets, covered in Savvy’s blood, everyone believes her to be a murderer.
Years on, Lucy can’t remember anything about that fateful night and has since moved to LA in search of a new life. But when the hit true crime podcast Listen for the Lie decides to investigate Savvy’s murder, Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to step foot in again and unravel the mystery of her friend’s death. Even if she is the one who did it.
Check Out The Best Books Like Listen For The Lie
The Favorite Girl – Monica Arya
From the outside, the Ivory family appear to be a beautiful, wealthy family. When Demi Rao, a young woman at her wit’s end and on the run from escaping her captor, happens upon an employment opportunity from the Ivorys, tending to their extravagant gated estate, it appears to be an ideal solution. Although the ad is strange with specific instructions about dressing in all white, speaking quietly and wearing no makeup, Demi nevertheless applies.
With no other option, Demi accepts the position when it is offered to her. However, it doesn’t take her long to realise that she hasn’t been immersed in the world of power and privilege to clean. Behind the doors of this pristine estate lies secrets, a lethal human experiment and a Demi’s whole life has been meticulously mapped out for her.
The Last Party – A.R. Torre
Perla Wultz lives with her husband, Grant, and their precious daughter, Sophie, in a gated Pasadena community. Affluent, sociable and accomplished, Perla has perfected the art of loving wife and caring mother. It appears to be a picturesque existence, save for the decades-old crime that has become her dark and all-consuming obsession. Over two decades ago, Leewood Folcrum confessed to killing two girls during a birthday party. And now an inquisitive doctoral student is interviewing Folcrum in the hopes of having him open up about the truth of what really happened that night.
As the past and present collide, the deceptions behind the infamous murders are brought to light in a similar way to how McFadden delivers her shocking twists in The Teacher. But, who exactly is deceiving who? And why?
Keep It In The Family – John Marrs
Another one of the best mystery thrillers similar to The Teacher, John Marrs chronicles a young couple and the hidden secrets within their home in Keep It in the Family. Mia and Finn are busy transforming a derelict property into their dream home when Mia unexpectedly falls pregnant. And, just as they think they have everything back in order, they discover that their home was once a house of horrors.
In the wake of this chilling discovery, their baby arrives and Mia finds herself unable to shake her fixation on the monstrous crimes that happened in the attic above them. Haunted by the terrible things she saw and desperate to find answers, her obsession soon pulls her even further from her husband. But when fragments of a dark truth begin to emerge, Mia soon discovers that the danger of the home is still terrifyingly present.
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).
