“All conflict can be traced back to someone’s feelings getting hurt, don’t you think?”
Some of the best thriller books don’t begin with a murder – they start with a lie. Whether it’s a secret buried in the past or a seemingly harmless falsehood, thrillers based on a lie have a way of spiralling into page-turning chaos. In these gripping books, a single deception sets everything off, unravelling relationships, exposing dark truths, and leading to jaw-dropping consequences. If you love thrillers with secrets, domestic suspense with betrayal, or mystery novels about hidden truths, this list is for you. These are the thrillers where everything goes wrong because of one lie – stories filled with shocking twists, unreliable narrators, and characters you’ll love to second-guess. From addictive reads to dark and suspenseful journeys, join us at What We Reading to find out just how dangerous a little dishonesty can be. Ready for some of the most twist-filled books about lies and consequences?
Big Little Lies – Liane Moriarty
Kicking off our list of thrillers about lies is Liane Moriarty’s infamous bestselling novel, Big Little Lies. Set in the seemingly idyllic coastal town of Pirriwee, the story centres around three women – Madeline, Celeste, and Jane – whose children all attend the same school. On the surface, they appear to lead very different lives. But each woman is hiding secrets of her own.
A lie told on the first day of the school year sets off a chain reaction of playground politics, strained marriages, and simmering resentments. As tensions begin to mount, the narrative builds toward a mysterious event at a school trivia night – someone ends up dead, but the who and why remain unclear until the final pages. With sharp wit and emotional depth, Moriarty explores themes of domestic abuse, trauma, and the power of female friendships. It’s a gripping domestic thriller that shows how even the smallest deception can spiral out of control.
The Lying Game – Ruth Ware
The Lying Game by Ruth Ware is a slow-burning, atmospheric thriller where a lie told in youth refuses to remain buried. Similar to Big Little Lies, the story follows four women – Isa, Thea, Fatima, and Kate – who formed a close bond at a coastal boarding school where they invented a game based around telling lies. But their game had rules, and it was never meant to go too far.
Seventeen years on, the discovery of human remains near the school triggers a message from Kate: “I need you”. The women reunite, forced to confront the dark secret they swore to keep. As the truth unravels, so does their friendship, threatened by guilt, suspicion, and the fear of what really happened all those years ago. With an eerie setting, a tense atmosphere, and a slow drip of reveals, The Lying Game explores how dangerous loyalty can be – and how a single lie can follow you forever.
Sometimes I Lie – Alice Feeney
Alice Feeney’s Sometimes I Lie is a mind-bending psychological thriller built on deception – from the very first sentence. Amber Reynolds is in a coma, but she can hear everything happening around her. She just can’t move or speak. As she lies trapped in her hospital bed, she attempts to piece together what happened, how she wound up in this situation, and who she is able to trust – if anyone. The story unfolds through three timelines: Amber’s present in the hospital, the days leading up to the coma, and unsettling childhood diary entries that hint at a dark past.
But here’s the twist: Amber admits, “Sometimes I lie”. And that changes everything in this thriller, all about deception. As the layers of truth and fiction blur, the reader is constantly jostling with what is real. With its unreliable narrator, sinister tone, and jaw-dropping twists, Sometimes I Lie is a gripping thriller about memory, manipulation, and the lies we tell ourselves.
We Were Liars – E. Lockhart
We Were Liars is a beautifully written, emotionally charged psychological mystery that orbits around privilege, loss, and one life-shattering lie. The story follows Cadence Sinclair Eastman, the eldest granddaughter of a wealthy, picture-perfect New England family that spends every summer on their private island. Cadence’s memories of one particular summer – “Summer Fifteen” – are fractured, the result of an accident that she is unable to remember in full.
As she reunited with her cousins and friends – the self-named “Liars” – she started to peel away the truth about that missing summer. What she discovers is devastating. Beneath the polished face of the Sinclair family lies a web of secrets, deception, and denial. The book builds slowly, laced with poetic prose and a growing sense of unease until it culminates in a twist that reframes everything you’ve read. We Were Liars is a poignant, powerful tale about the lies families tell to protect themselves – and the cost of those lies when the truth finally comes to the surface.
Check Out The Best Books Like We Were Liars
Goodnight Beautiful – Aimee Molloy
Aimee Molloy’s Goodnight Beautiful is a clever, twisty thriller where lies about identity and intention drive the entire plot. Newlyweds Sam and Annie leave New York behind for an upstate life, settling into a quiet town closer to Sam’s mother. He sets up his therapy practice in the basement of an old house – unaware that all of his sessions are being overheard through a vent. Then, one stormy night, Sam doesn’t come home.
Annie is frantic, but no one appears to be taking his sudden disappearance very seriously. As she searches for answers, the narrative shifts – and what started out as a simple missing person case becomes something far more layered and deceptive. With brilliant misdirection and gasp-worthy reveals, Goodnight Beautiful is one of the best thrillers about lies, obsessions, gender roles, and the consequences of twisting the truth. It’s one of those books where you’ll want to flip back and reread sections once the full picture is revealed. Nothing is ever as it seems – and that’s the point.
Check Out The Best Books That Are Better The Second Time Around
The Wife Between Us – Greer Hendricks And Sarah Pekkanen
At first glance, it seems like a familiar story: a jealous ex-wife fixated on her younger replacement. But, nothing in The Wife Between Us is what it appears to be. Vanessa is the ex-wife in this tale, reeling after the end of her seemingly perfect relationship. Nellie is the bright, young fiancée preparing to marry the man of her dreams. As the narrative unfolds in alternating perspectives, the lines between truth and lie distort – and so do the identities of the two women involved.
Just when you think you know who’s lying, the story turns on its head. Full of sharp twists, unreliable narrators, and shifting loyalties, The Wife Between Us is a gripping exploration of obsession, manipulation, and the dark secrets that hide behind the facade of a happy marriage.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Wife Between Us
The Push – Ashley Audrain
Blythe Connor has always dreamed of being a mother, but from the moment her daughter, Violet, is born, something feels off. As Violet grows up, her behaviour becomes more and more troubled, and Blythe is left questioning her own instincts – was she just a tired, anxious new mother, or is there something more sinister at play?
The narrative in Ashley Audrain’s The Push switches between Blythe’s perspective and the eerie voice of her own mother, who has a history of disturbing behaviours. As Blythe’s fears grow, she must confront the possibility that her child may be capable of terrifying violence. Full of tension and emotional depth, The Push explores the painful, complex realities of motherhood and the terrifying weight of emotional trauma. With its unsettling atmosphere and heartbreaking twists, this novel leaves readers questioning what they’re willing to believe – and what they fear they might already know.
Anatomy Of A Scandal – Sarah Vaughan
Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan is a gripping legal and psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of power, privilege, and the secrets that lie beneath. The story opens with James Whitehouse, a charismatic British politician who is accused of a shocking crime: the assault of a woman named Olivia.
As the trial gets underway, his wife, Sophie, stands by him, adamant about his innocence. However, as the investigation digs deeper, long-buried truths about James’ past are brought to light, casting doubt on his carefully constructed life. The novel switches between Sophie’s perspective, Olivia’s, and the trial itself, deftly exploring themes of consent, class, and the dangers of unchecked power. With its intelligent narrative and unexpected twists, Anatomy of a Scandal reveals how a single moment can unravel everything – testing loyalty, justice, and the moral fabric of society itself.
The Long Weekend – Gilly Macmillan
Gilly Macmillan’s The Long Weekend is a tense, atmospheric thriller that centres around three couples who head to a remote cottage for a weekend getaway, only to find their lives turned upside down by secrets and lies. The story starts with a chilling premise: the three women arrive at their cabin for the weekend and are welcomed with a note from their friend, Edie, saying that, by the time they find the note, she will have killed one of their husbands.
There are no phones, and no cell service to check in on their men. Against the backdrop of this gloomy, unsettling backdrop, friendships start to fracture as the situation veers wildly and dangerously out of control. Betrayal can come in many forms. This group has kept one another’s secrets for far too long.
Check Out Our The Long Weekend Book Review
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).
