“My head was once a filing cabinet. Now it’s a flurry of papers, floating on a draft.”
The Woman in the Window is a 2018 New York Times bestselling book by A.J. Finn. A gripping mystery-thriller, it follows the story of Anna Fox, a reclusive woman living in her New York City home. She spends her days drinking wine, reminiscing about the past by watching classic movies, and spying on her neighbours. The Russells move into the house across from her, appearing to be the perfect family with a father, mother, and teenage son. However, one night, Anna spies something that shatters her worldview, leaving her questioning reality, control, and who might be in danger. If you’re the type of reader who loves mystery thrillers with shocking twists, turns and reveals, join us at What We Reading for our list of the best books like The Woman in the Window!
Watch Out For Her – Samantha M. Bailey
First up on our list of books like The Woman in the Window is Samantha M. Bailey’s 2022 mystery-thriller, Watch Out for Her. Sarah Goldman is the mother of six-year-old Jacob and is more than happy to move across the country, leaving Holly Munroe, the twenty-two-year-old babysitter they had hired the previous summer, behind. What had begun as the perfect arrangement for both parties soon turned into something far darker when Sarah saw something involving Holly that she couldn’t unsee. Something that left her with no option but to flee.
Now forging a new life in a different city, Sarah and her family have settled into their fresh surroundings in a friendly suburb where the neighbours look after one another and are always on the lookout for danger. But, when she discovers hidden cameras in her home, she is forced to wonder whether the past has caught up with her and who might be watching her now. Like The Woman in the Window, Watch Out for Her is a pulsating psychological thriller about obsession in modern society and how far we’re prepared to go for the ones we care for.
The Woman Next Door – Sue Watson
Lucy has a loving husband, her dream job as a teacher, and a house on Mulberry Avenue that, from the bed linen to the floaty curtains, is designed exactly as she wants it. She’s even got Amber, her newest friend and neighbour. While Amber’s life can sometimes appear to be more glamorous, she has a grounded sense of humour and not only shares so much in common with Lucy but actively seems interested in her life.
But when she begins acting strangely, telling Lucy that her life isn’t as it seems, she’s been receiving threatening messages, and might be pregnant, Amber begs to move in until things have blown over. Lucy wants to protect her friend, but can she really trust her? Sue Watson’s The Woman Next Door is another book like The Woman in the Window that delves into how things are never always as they seem with people and how far some might go to protect themselves from the secrets of the past.
Behind Closed Doors – B.A. Paris
Jack and Grace are the relatable sort of couple many of us love to hate. Gifted with all the looks in the world, he has a successful career as a dedicated attorney, while she is a loving homemaker who also cares for her disabled sister. Though only newlyweds still, they seem to have it all. Yet, they are also completely inseparable.
Some might say that this is true love. Others may begin to wonder why Grace never answers her phone, how she cooks up an impressive storm in the kitchen but never puts on weight, why she can never meet for coffee despite not working, and why there are metal shutters on all downstairs windows of the couple’s house. Another pulsating psychological mystery similar to The Woman in the Window, B.A. Paris’ acclaimed 2016 book, Behind Closed Doors, takes readers on a thrilling journey into what this perfect marriage really looks like when the front door has closed.
Look Closer – David Ellis
Another bestselling fast-paced book like The Woman in the Window that explores themes of greed, revenge, and obsession comes from David Ellis in his 2022 thriller, Look Closer. In it, he introduces readers to Simon and Vicky. They are the seemingly perfect wealthy Chicago husband and wife duo.
However, when the body of a beautiful socialite is found hanging in a nearby suburb, all their buried secrets threaten to come to light. From a secret affair and a twenty-million-dollar trust fund to a decade-long grudge bordering on obsessive, it soon becomes clear that both Vicky and Simon are liars. The bigger question Look Closer asks readers is: while they are both liars, which one of them may be a killer?
Lock Every Door – Riley Sager
After finding herself suddenly single, without a job, and sleeping on her best friend’s sofa, Jules Larsen applies for a position as an apartment sitter in Bartholomew, one of the most high-profile and mysterious buildings in Manhattan. Upon arriving, she takes in her splendor-filled surroundings and strikes up a friendship with Ingrid, a fellow apartment-sitter who eerily resembles her sister. But, after ominously warning that all is not as it appears inside the building, Ingrid suddenly disappears.
As she delves into the search for the truth behind Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules begins to learn more about the dark past of Bartholomew and the secrets of its walls house. She soon discovers that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to disappear, setting off a deadly race to expose the ghosts of the past, escape the building, and unmask a killer all before she finds herself being claimed as their next victim. If you’re on the hunt for mystery books similar to The Woman in the Window, Riley Sager’s Lock Every Door is a must-read.
Check Out Our Full Guide To Locked-Room Mysteries
An Anonymous Girl – Greer Hendricks And Sarah Pekkanen
Keen to earn some extra cash, Jessica Fairs agrees to be a participant in a psychological study on morality and ethics conducted by the brilliant Dr Shields. However, what she wasn’t prepared for was for the good doctor to know about her, or the secrets she has attempted to keep hidden.
As Dr. Shields’ study begins to seep more and more into the real world, the lines between fake and real begin to blur. Finding herself caught in a web of deceit, jealousy, and attraction, the doctor knows exactly what she is thinking, and what she is hiding. Before long, Jess learns that some obsessions can be deadly. From the bestselling authors of The Wife Between Us, An Anonymous Girl is a psychological thriller book like The Woman in the Window that is perfect for any fans of mind-bending twists and turns!
Invisible Girl – Lisa Jewell
A virgin in his thirties living in his aunt’s spare room, it’s fair to say Owen Pick’s life is going nowhere fast. Having been suspended from his job on the back of a series of damning accusations, he soon finds himself caught up in the dark world of involuntary celibates – incels – and the mysterious, charismatic Bryn.
Across the street from Owen live the Fours family, headed by physiotherapist Cate and Roan, a child psychologist. Young Saffyre Maddox spent three years as a patient of Roan Fours but has since felt abandoned since their sessions came to an end. Keen to continue their connection, she begins following him in the shadows, soon learning more than she wanted to about him and his family. Then, Saffyre disappears, and the last person to see her alive is Owen Pick. For fans of The Woman in the Window, Lisa Jewell’s Invisible Girl is a deliciously dark look at the murky secrets and motives that can plague even the quietest of suburban streets.
The Girl On The Train – Paula Hawkins
Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will stop at the same signal post, overlooking a row of back gardens. After so many years of taking the same journey, she’s even begun to feel like she knows the people inside the homes, christening one seemingly perfect couple ‘Jess and Jason’. Their life appears to be all the things she’s missing in her life. Until one morning, when she witnesses something shocking.
The train moves on, but Rachel knows what she saw. Now intertwined with the people she has only ever seen from afar, she has a chance to prove she’s so much more than just a commuter on a train. For anyone looking for a book similar to The Woman in the Window that blends painful secrets and startling truths inside a tightly woven mystery, look no further than Paula Hawkins’ 2015 bestseller, The Girl on the Train.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Last Thing He Told Me
When No One Is Watching – Alyssa Cole
Described as ‘Rear Window meeting Get Out’, Alyssa Cole’s When No One Is Watching is a 2020 thriller book like The Woman in the Window. Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighbourhood seems to be changing from what she recognizes every passing day. Channelling her frustration against the gentrification of the area, she organizes a walking tour and stumbles upon an unlikely assistant, her neighbour Theo.
But the pair’s dive into the history of the area soon descends into a dizzying adventure fueled by paranoia and into the unknown. Soon questioning everything they thought they knew about their neighbourhood and former neighbours, Sydney and Theo are left wondering when coincidence becomes a conspiracy, and why this attempt to revitalize the neighbourhood might be deadlier than advertised.
Check Out These Thriller Books That Read Like True 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).
Love this post! I’ve read a bunch of these on a list, and they’re great suggestions for sure! I also recommend Riley Sager’s The Only One Left, if you haven’t read it already!
Appreciate the comment! I’ve heard awesome things about The Only One Left, I’ll make sure to check it out!