Chilling Domestic Noir: The 25 Best Domestic Thriller Books
We were recently looking through our Ultimate List of Thrillers and found that so many of these books fall into the genre of domestic noir or domestic thriller books as they are also called.
This genre of domestic thrillers is based on personal relationships and what can happen when these relationships go very wrong. Every one of these books is filled with twists and turns, secrets, and enough gaslighting to keep even the most hard-core domestic noir fan gasping in surprise on the last page.
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What is Domestic Noir?
We love the domestic noir genre because it gives a glimpse into personal relationships and how these relationships can go very wrong. These domestic thriller books are filled with murder, revenge, gaslighting, secrets, and plot twists on every page.
Who are the best Domestic Noir Writers
Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware, Alice Feeney, Jennifer Hillier, Kaira Rouda, Rachel Hawkins, and Hendricks & Pekkanen have all made a name for themselves and the best domestic thriller writers.
The Best Domestic Thrillers of 2024
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
This dual timeline story is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains at a sprawling, secluded mountain estate. The present-day story features the heir’s return with his wife to the town and the dysfunctional, toxic family he left behind to put his late mother’s affairs in order and repair the house.
Interspersed throughout the story are letters written by his mother, Ruby. Widowed 4 times over, she was known as Mrs. Kill-More by the end of her life. Within the pages of the letters, she reveals the courtship, marriage, and deaths of each of her husbands, as well as multiple family secrets. It’s glamorous and dark all at the same time.
Why I Love It: Hawkins weaves a masterful story with twisted, flawed characters that I couldn’t put down. The secrets kept unfurling until the very last page. This is my favorite book of hers yet!
Find This Book In: Best New Thrillers 2024 / Domestic Thrillers
No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall
This is one story that kept me intrigued until the very end. When Emma finds out she’s pregnant and her husband loses his job, she needs to return to her childhood home, where she hasn’t been since the night of her parent’s brutal murders – murders she was accused of committing.
But when she returns, new memories come up and it causes her to dig into what exactly happened all those years ago. She lied back then to protect her now estranged sisters, but should she have?
This twisty book covers the bonds of sisterhood and the trauma of living in a home with abusive, manipulative parents. **Trigger Warning for scenes of child abuse**
Why We Love it I didn’t know who to believe or what really happened until the very end. It’s a great medium-paced thriller for a cold winter night. The audiobook narrator really immersed me in the story, I couldn’t stop listening! #gifted by Macmillan Audio
Find this book in Domestic Noir Books, Books about Sisterhood
Best Domestic Noir Books of 2023
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
Catherine and Ruth Sterling have always had each other. Now that Catherine is ready to begin a new career and separate herself from her mother, Ruth will do anything to prevent that from happening.
Is Ruth being paranoid or is danger coming for Catherine? Is Catherine being paranoid or is Ruth lying to her?
This domestic thriller kept me on my toes. I guessed some of the plot surprises, but I loved the original storyline with mother lying to daughter and vis versa.
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
Every summer for the past ten years, bakers come to a Vermont estate for filming a hit television show with the famous host and estate owner Betsy Martin. This year, something is off with the competition as things start to go awry on the set. Suddenly, a body is discovered in this locked room mystery.
Why we love it: I read this book a day and absolutely loved it. It felt like Agatha Christie meets the Great British Baking Show. There is more than meets the eye with this cozy mystery and I loved every minute. As you get to know each character, the story becomes that much better they are equal parts delightful, hilarious, and suspicious.
Find this book in Novels About Food / Domestic Thrillers / Books with Colors in the Title
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth
Gabe and Pippa have their dream cottage by the sea, so they think. They quickly realize that this is the place people come to when they want to end it all. Gabe never fails to save them the one time he knew the victim. Is this a mere coincidence?
Sally Hepworth never fails to deliver an amazing roller coaster of a ride and this domestic noir is no exception. It is one of the best domestic thriller books of 2023.
Best Domestic Noir Books of 2022
The Family Game by Catherine Steadman
This might just be the best thriller of 2022. I was on the edge of my seat as Steadman expertly guided me through the twisted games of the Holbeck family. This NYC society clan may seem like an untouchable, elite group with everything, but inside their homes, dark and dangerous things are at play.
I loved watching Harry interact with her fiancé, Edward’s family for the first time. Seeing the Holbecks through her eyes was the perfect way to approach the story.
I couldn’t listen to this domestic thriller fast enough as each game unfolded, ending on a bloody Christmas Eve. If you read only one thriller book this year, let this be it! We cannot recommend this pick from ultimate beach reads 2023 more!
Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier
I was about 10% of the way through when the story suddenly came to life. When Paris Peralta comes home and finds her husband dead in the bathtub, she panics, knocks herself out, and finds herself the suspect in his murder.
Paris finds herself under media scrutiny and gains the attention of people from her past. There is so much to this domestic thriller that is unexpected. I don’t want to ruin the surprises for you. But obviously, the mentions of Canada warm my heart!
Domestic Thrillers Involving Children
Playing Nice by J.P. Delaney
Delaney did it again with this heart-racing domestic thriller about newborns that were switched at birth. There were times when my heart was beating so quickly I had to ask people what would happen next.
I was on the edge of my seat for the entire last half of the book and found myself wishing I had medication to calm me down! It was thrilling up until the very last page. A perfect book to read or add to your list and one of the best psychological thriller books we have read!
Find this book in Best Domestic Thriller Books / Ultimate List of Best Thriller Books
The Push
Author: Ashley Audrain
Year: 2021
Genre: Thriller
More info: January 2021 GMA Book Club Pick
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This is a domestic noir that will scare the pants off most mothers. It’s compulsively readable.
Blythe Conner comes from a long line of bad mothers, but she’s determined not to be one. When she has Violet, she struggles to connect with her.
The reader is left wondering if Blythe is a mother who sees the worst in her child or if there is actually something off with Violet; something that even her husband can’t see. There is a reason this domestic thriller was chosen by GMA, it is a crazy good read and will have you on the edge of your seat.
Trigger Warnings
Child death, mental illness
Why Kirsten loves it
This was a crazy domestic thriller that was a compulsive read. I could not put it down. I was never sure if Blythe had become like the bad mothers before her or if Violet was mentally ill. The constant questioning had me turning the pages.
Find this book in: Books About Mothers and Motherhood / Psychological Thriller Books / Domestic Noir Books / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read
I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
This domestic thriller grabbed me, shook me, and then gently put me down. I was given a ride and wasn’t sure what hit me. This book had a few things that I was not expecting and I loved it.
The book begins with a mother’s worst nightmare. Her son slips out of her grip and into the street where he is struck and killed by a car. This happens almost immediately. This was important to me so that it would not be too heart-wrenching. This is one of the best psychological thriller books I have ever read.
Find this book in British Mystery Books / Popular Thriller Books
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
May 2021 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
I raved about this book when I read it earlier this month! Well-chosen, Reese! The story of a stepmother and her daughter as they try to find the girl’s father after his abrupt departure. This is a powerful book about motherhood.
Why I Like It: This mystery has so much heart as you see Hannah bond with and try to protect her new stepdaughter, Bailey. I did not see the ending of this book coming, but absolutely adored it. This is one of the mystery books that will keep you turning the page.
Find this book in Domestic Noir / Books About Mothers / Ultimate Mysteries / Best Beach Reads
Then She Was Gone
Author: Lisa Jewell
Year: 2018
Genre: Thriller
More info: New York Times Bestseller
Nominated for 2018 Goodreads Choice Award
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Ellie Mack was the perfect daughter with her whole life ahead of her until she disappeared without a trace. Now, after ten years, her mother cannot stop looking for answers. When she meets a man in a cafe, she thinks she may be able to start a relationship after so many years. But when she meets Floyd’s daughter and she looks just like Ellie, her unanswered questions begin to haunt her.
Trigger Warnings
Kidnapping Child death
Why Jackie loves it
To me, this is by far the creepiest of all of Lisa Jewell’s books. While I did have some idea of what the ending was going to be, I was not prepared for how creepy this thriller book would be. I think the point of this was to take the fear factor up a few notches. This book left me wanting to keep my kids a little closer to home. If you are looking for a creepy thriller, this is a heart-pounding pick.
Find this book in: The Best Lisa Jewell Books / Psychological Thriller Books / The Best Domestic Thriller Books
Domestic Thrillers About Husbands and Wives
The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
This is a Jane Eyre classic retelling featuring a southern home decor influencer! Told by both the second wife and through the diary entries of the first, this domestic thriller is perfect for year-round reading.
Kirsten was shocked, Jackie guessed a lot of it, but we both enjoyed it a great deal. Who would have thought that so many influencer books would be thrillers?
Rock Paper Scissors
Author: Alice Feeney
Year: 2022
Genre: thriller
More info: Instant New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This book by Alice Feeney is another great read. Her books always have me turning the pages. This novel starts with Adam and Amelia Wright headed to a weekend away in a remote Scottish getaway to save their marriage. It turns into a locked-room thriller that you will not be able to put down.
Told from the point of view of both Adam and Amelia, it is clear that one weekend away may not be enough to save what is left of their failing relationship. Each year of their marriage, Adam and his wife exchange traditional wedding gifts and she writes him a letter that she will not let him read.
When reading a thriller, you expect twists and turns because that is part of the fun and while I expected a few, some of the ones in this book were completely unexpected!
Why Jackie loves it
I love Alice Feeney as a writer. She never fails to surprise me with her books which is something I love. The twists never feel like they are too much, rather, I feel like I should have known all along!
Find this book in: Locked Room Mysteries / Domestic Thriller Books / Halloween Thriller Books / Hotel Novels
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Everything that you think you know in this book is just an assumption. You can assume that you are wrong. I cannot say much about this book because I do not want to spoil anything but, it is such a perfect domestic thriller.
Warning: do not start it if you don’t have time to finish it. Nellie is so excited about her upcoming wedding that is just days away. She cannot shake the feeling that someone is following her. This is a psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat and question what you think you know!
Find this book in Unreliable Narrator Books / Popular Thriller Books
Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda
This story mostly takes place during a car ride when a husband and wife are on their way up to their vacation home.
I can’t talk much more about what I loved about this book without giving away the plot. I will say that the narrator is unlike any I have read before and for all you fans of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train…this domestic thriller is perfect for you!
Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
Year: 2012
Genre: Thriller
More info: #1 New York Times Bestseller
One of Time’s 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This is a psychological thriller book that almost everyone had heard of when it became a hit movie. It is the perfect example of what happens when a marriage goes terribly wrong. You will be questioning this book from the first page to the last.
On her fifth wedding anniversary, Amy Dunne mysteriously disappears. At the top of the suspect list is her husband Nick who seems perfect to the outside world. But, Nick and Amy are not who they appear to be.
There are so many twists and turns in this book that is the epitome of a domestic thriller and, if you love unreliable narrator books, this one is right up your alley. You may end up hating the characters, but this is one of the most popular thriller books ever written.
Why Kirsten loves it
This is such a great psychological thriller. I never knew what was going to happen and it kept me turning the pages to see how this thriller would end.
Why Jackie loves it
This is another book where I loved to hate both Nick and Amy. They are both despicable which adds to the fun of this book
Find this book in: Domestic Thriller Books / Best Mystery Books / Unreliable Narrator / Popular Thriller Books / Nonlinear Narrative Novels
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
The Wives was definitely high on my list of thrillers for 2019. This pick from domestic thriller books will lead you around and around, back and forth, so that you never really have an idea of which direction you are going.
This is a fun and quick read that is perfect for a quiet night in, a relaxing afternoon, or any occasion at all. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the ending but the fact that I am still thinking about it says something. Imagine your husband has two other wives. Now imagine that one of them is being beaten by that man. Who is the man you married?
One Little Secret by Cate Holahan
Finally! A thriller that actually thrilled me! One Little Secret is a who-dun-it murder mystery about 3 couples who sublet a house in the Hamptons for a week. When one of them turns up dead, it’s up to Detective Watkins to figure out who did it.
There were secrets unveiled on almost every page, but the last 50 or so had me gasping out loud repeatedly. I totally did not see the ending coming. If you are looking for a great thriller, look no further!! This is perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and Woman in the Window.
Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
June 2018 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
Another former Reese Book Club pick, this thriller was a slow build with an explosive finish. When two newlyweds find something in the water on their honeymoon, the story picks up the pace and I couldn’t put it down.
I really loved how the heroine changes over the course of this domestic thriller. It felt very realistic based on the circumstances.
Stalker Domestic Thriller Books
Girl on the Train
Author: Paula Hawkins
Year: 2015
Genre: Thriller
More info: #1 New York Times Bestseller
Movie Starring Emily Blunt
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Rachel takes the same train every day and peers out the window watching people. She watched two people in particular as they led what appeared to be a perfect life until one day she saw something terrible while watching them.
She reports it to the police but, can they trust a dysfunctional alcoholic? This is a domestic thriller story that will have you questioning who is telling the truth from the beginning until the end. Unreliable narrators like Rachel make the best page-turners! You’ll never know what to believe!
Trigger Warnings
Alcoholism
Why Kirsten loves it
This is a thriller that is unexpected and original. The unreliable narrator is one of my favorite thriller tropes and Hawkins did it to perfection in this book.
Why Jackie loves it
I loved to hate Rachel. She is the perfect unreliable narrator and I never guessed what would happen next.
Find this book in: Books with Stalkers / Domestic Thrillers / Unreliable Narrators / Psychological Thriller Books / British Books / Nonlinear Narrative Novels
The Woman in the Window: A Novel
Author: A.J. Finn
Year: 2018
Genre: Thriller
More info: New York Time Bestseller
Age Range:16+
Plot
If you love old movies, you will adore this book. It is a spin on Hitchcock’s Rear Window and features an agoraphobic narrator who is often unreliable.
Anna Fox lives alone in her house. She is agoraphobic and cannot leave, so she sits at her window and watches everyone in the neighborhood.
When she sees something across the street, she is sure there has been a crime but, what is real and what is imagined? Amy Adams stars in the Netflix adaptation of this book.
Why Kirsten loves it
I love the nod to Hitchcock. It puts a new spin on a classic!
Why Jackie loves it
I love the fact that I was never sure what was real and what was made up. This is a book with an unreliable narrator that I really liked/
Find this book in: Unreliable Narrator Books / Psychological Thriller Books / Books About Mental Illness
Too Good to be True by Carola Lovering
This is one of the most enjoyable thrillers I’ve read in a while. Even after I was surprised by twist after turn, the story kept moving in an unexpected direction. I love a thriller that I not only did not expect the ending but that I actually like some of the characters and where the story ends.
Skye Starling is engaged to a handsome older man who seems to be the answer to her crippling OCD. When Skye realizes that Burke is actually happily married and is using Skye, the story starts to twist and turn.
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
December 2017 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick
I read this popular thriller book because it was a Reese Witherspoon pick AND because I heard wonderful things about it. Unfortunately, I read The Wife Between Us back in January so I completely predicted what was going to happen in this book.
As with all thrillers, especially domestic thrillers, when the element of surprise is missing, it’s not as good a read. Still, I found this stalker book to be enjoyable if only because of the plotting of Amber Patterson. I adored being in the head of the villain. If you are looking for a very readable psychological thriller book, this is a great pick.
Best Domestic Thriller Books for the Beach
The Family Upstairs
Author: Lisa Jewell
Year: 2019
Genre: Thriller
More info: November 2019 GMA Book Club Pick
New York Times Bestselling Author
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This book starts with Libby’s 25th birthday when she inherits a multi-million dollar home. She knows that she was adopted at 10 months old but, she doesn’t know the truth about what happened to her family. She is shocked to find that the story that she was told is not what happened to her family.
25+ years ago Henry, his sister, and his parents are living a very privileged life. When he is 12 years old, things change when David moves into the house with his wife and kids with no plans to leave. He is charismatic and alluring to everyone except Henry. The story moves between past and present until the two stories come together and you finally understand what happened in the house all those years ago. I love listening to full cast audiobooks and this popular thriller book was no exception.
Trigger Warnings
Child Abuse, Confinement
Why Jackie loves it
I love Lisa Jewell. As I read her books I find each one creepier than the last. I listened to this one and loved that it was a full cast audiobook. It brought the story to life.
Find this book in: The Best Lisa Jewell Books / Books About Cults / The Best Domestic Thriller Books / Good Morning America Book Club List /
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
This book is Liane Moriarty at her finest. It’s all about a group of mothers in a community who share some big lies. Their friendships take center stage, but there is a fair amount of family drama as well in this domestic noir. This is one of the most popular thriller books around.
This novel was recently turned into a show on HBO starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, and more. This book has a little bit of everything from ex-husbands and scandals. Sometimes little lies are so much more.
Find this book in Books About Motherhood / Domestic Thriller Books / Best Mystery Books /Psychological Thriller Books
Plot
The Lighthouse children are named after famous murder victims. They live in a creepy house, known as murder mansion to locals, and live an isolated life.
After their father dies, Dahlia and her two siblings return home for the first time since her twin, Andy, disappeared 9 years earlier. When they bury their father, they find Andy’s body already in his family plot.
Dahlia vows that she won’t leave again until she uncovers Andy’s murderer, but the family secrets she unearths might turn her into the next victim.
Why Kirsten loves it
CREEPY THRILLER VIBES ALERT. The premise of this haunted house book is perfect for true-crime documentary fanatics.
Find this book in: Domestic Noir / Halloween Thrillers / Serial Killer Books / Best Books of 2023
Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger
Things are not what they seem in this psychological thriller that was more creepy than mysterious. I enjoyed this twisted tale. When Selena is on her way home from the office one night, she begins a conversation with a stranger, but nothing is really as it seems.
Is she a stranger? Why does she seem familiar? This missing-person domestic thriller will keep you on your toes and make you check over your shoulder.
Bring Me Back by B.A Paris
I love a really good psychological thriller and this book definitely satisfied the craving. The story begins when Finn and Layla are on vacation. Finn goes to the bathroom and when he comes back, Layla has disappeared and is never seen again.
Fast forward 10 years — Finn is engaged to Ellen, Layla’s sister. The domestic noir story moves along a twisted path that will lead you to a very unexpected ending.
Ultimate Beach Reads 2023: The Hottest Summer Reads
If you are looking for more great beach reads? Check out our post.
What is your favorite domestic thriller?
Ultimate List of Thrillers
Love Thrillers? This list is curated and carefully divided by sub-genre. These will definitely keep you on your toes.
