“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”
Some characters aren’t just morally grey – they’re totally unhinged. Whether they’re unreliable narrators, manipulative masterminds or protagonists spiralling into madness, these books showcase some of the most unhinged characters in fiction. If you love dark psychological thrillers with twisted MCs, stories about descents into madness, or books with morally corrupt and unstable main characters, this is the list for you. From fiction that makes you question reality to thrillers where the protagonist is just as dangerous as the villain, these books present mind-bending narratives with complex, often disturbing leads. Whether they’re sociopaths, narcissists, or simply pushed to the brink, these fascinating characters keep you glued to the pages. Join us today at What We Reading for books about unhinged characters, psychological turmoil and unsettling reads that will get under your skin!
The Picture Of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde
First stop on our list of books about unhinged characters is one of the most classic descents into madness, Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. The story follows Dorian Gray, a strikingly handsome young man who becomes obsessed with his own beauty after having his portrait painted by the devoted artist Basil Hallward. Influenced by the cynical Lord Henry Wooton, Dorian wishes that he could remain youthful forever while his portrait ages in his place.
Miraculously, his wish comes true – Dorian stays young and beautiful, while the painting starts to bear the marks of his sins and moral corruption. As he indulges in a life of pleasure, manipulation and cruelty, his portrait becomes increasingly grotesque, reflecting his inner soul. Despite his outward perfection, guilt and paranoia begin to consume him. In a desperate attempt to rid himself of his past, Dorian makes a final, tragic decision – one that ultimately seals his fate.
A Certain Hunger – Chelsea G. Summers
Dorothy Daniels is a sophisticated food critic with a refined palate – and a taste for human flesh. Dorothy is no ordinary antiheroine; she is intelligent, seductive and utterly remorseless, chronicling her life and crimes in the removed elegance of a woman who believes herself to be superior to all those around her. Told in a snappy, almost confessional style, the novel delves into Dorothy’s past, revealing her ascent as an accomplished writer, her insatiable appetites – both culinary and sexual – and the murders that punctuate her decadent lifestyle.
With a voice that is sure to remind readers of American Psycho but with a distinctively feminine edge, A Certain Hunger explores themes of power, desire and the intersection of humanity and violence. Gruesome yet darkly funny, Summers crafts an unhinged lead who refuses to conform, fully embracing her monstrous instincts with unapologetic relish.
Check Out These Books Where The Main Character Is The Villain
The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides
In The Silent Patient, famous painter Alicia Berenson is found standing over the body of her husband – his face having been brutally shot five times. After the murder, she stops speaking entirely, refusing to elaborate on what happened. Her silence turns her into a mystery, capturing public fascination while she is institutionalised at The Grove, a secure psychiatric facility.
Enter Theo Faber, a psychotherapist obsessed with uncovering Alicia’s story. Determined to get her to talk, he takes a job at The Grove, delving into Alicia’s past, her art, and the people around her. As he peels away the secrets that culminated in that fateful night, Theo becomes entangled in a psychological game where truth and deception blur. A dark psychological thriller with an unforgettable twist, The Silent Patient is jam-packed full of unhinged characters who will all go to extreme lengths for the truth – or to keep it hidden.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Silent Patient
Bunny – Mona Awad
Mona Awad’s Bunny delivers a surreal, darkly funny and unsettling psychological horror novel about loneliness, belonging and the power of imagination gone wrong. The story centres around Samantha Heather Mackey, a misfit graduate student at an elite MFA program, who loathes the clique of rich, saccharine and eerily inseparable girls in her class – who all call one another ‘Bunny’.
When the Bunnies inexplicably invite her into their exclusive inner circle, Samantha is drawn into their bizarre, ritualistic world, where fiction and reality blur in increasingly grotesque and violent ways. As she becomes ensnared in their strange, cult-like experiments, Samantha begins to lose her grip on her identity. Dark, hallucinatory and laced with biting satire, Bunny is a twisted take on female friendships, artistic ambitions and the dangerous allure of belonging.
Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
No list of books about unhinged characters would ever be complete without Gone Girl. Amy Dunne mysteriously goes missing on the morning of their fifth wedding anniversary, and all eyes immediately turn to her husband, Nick. As evidence mounts against him, the media frenzy grows, depicting Nick as the perfect villain – aloof, secretive and possibly dangerous. But is he really a killer, or is there something more sinister at play?
Told through alternating perspectives – Nick’s struggles in the present, and Amy’s past diary entries – Gillian Flynn reveals a deeply dysfunctional relationship full of betrayal, deception and shocking revelations. As the layers of truth are peeled away, the story takes a series of dark and disturbing turns, exposing the extremes people will go to in order to control their own narrative.
Check Out The Best Books Like Gone Girl
Luster – Raven Leilani
Raven Leilani’s Luster is a darkly hilarious novel about desire, race and self-destruction orbiting around Edie, a twenty-something Black woman navigating a dead-end, artistic ambition and a number of questionable life choices. When she starts having an affair with Eric, an older white man in an open marriage, she finds herself unexpectedly entangled in his life – including his wife, Rebecca, and their adopted Black daughter, Akila.
As Edie’s life spirals out of control, she winds up living with Eric and Rebecca. This awkward and uneasy arrangement forces her to confront her own identity, isolation and unfulfilled artistic dreams. Caught in a web of tension, attraction and power imbalances, Edie struggles to define her place in a world that so often views her as disposable. With biting wit and raw honesty, Luster is a messy, electric and deeply observant novel featuring an unhinged MC about womanhood, race, and the search for meaning in a world that offers none.
The Girl On The Train – Paula Hawkins
The Girl on the Train is a gripping psychological thriller that explores memory, obsession and the unreliable nature of perception. The story centres around Rachel Watson, a struggling alcoholic who takes the same train every day, passing by the suburban home of a seemingly perfect couple, Scott and Megan. Rachel fixates on the couple’s lives, picturing an ideal romance – until one day, when she sees something shocking from her vantage point through a train window.
When Megan suddenly disappears, Rachel inserts herself into the investigation, convinced that she holds a crucial part of the puzzle. But with blackouts and gaps in her memory, she’s unsure whether she can trust her own mind. As she digs deeper, disturbing truths emerge, revealing the dark secrets hiding behind suburban domesticity. Another one of the best books with unhinged characters, The Girl on the Train is a fast-paced, twist-filled thriller that keeps readers guessing until the very end.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Girl On The Train
Eileen – Ottessa Moshfegh
Ottessa Moshfegh’s Eileen is a darkly atmospheric and unsettling story set in the 1960s, told through the lens of Eileen Dunlop, a young woman working as a secretary at a juvenile detention centre. Living a solitary and bleak existence with her alcoholic father, Eileen is dissatisfied with her life, harbouring dreams of escaping but never quite finding the courage needed to act on them.
Her quiet, mundane existence is upended when a new and alluring woman called Rebecca Saint-John arrives at the detention centre. Rebecca is enigmatic, confident and everything that Eileen is not. The pair quickly strike up a complex, tense friendship. As Eileen becomes more obsessed with Rebecca, she is pulled into a shocking, violent event that forces her to confront her desires, guilt and the darkness lurking beneath the surface of her repressed life.
The Troop – Nick Cutter
The Troop is a chilling horror novel featuring unhinged characters that immerses readers in the terrifying effects of isolation, survival and a deadly contagion. The story centres around a group of Boy Scouts on a weekend camping trip to a remote island off the coast of Canada. Led by their scoutmaster, the boys set out on what should be a fun and adventurous experience. However, their trip turns into a nightmare when they encounter a stranger – a gaunt, emaciated man who happens upon their camp, sick and dying.
Soon, the boys discover that the man is carrying a horrifying parasite, and the infection begins to spread, ravaging the group one at a time. Trapped on the island with no means of contacting the outside world for help, the boys are forced to fight for their lives as the contagion threatens to consume them. With visceral horror and psychological depth, The Troop is a gruesome yet utterly absorbing novel all about fear and the darkness that can emerge when humanity is pushed to its limits.
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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).
