Picture this: with zero canvas notifications, an iced latte, and the comfiest spot on our couch, I settled in this summer with many-a-book and read to my heart’s content during the long, hot, dog days of summer. I emerged from summer with a tan and plenty of titles added to my Goodreads. Out of those, I have a few recommendations that are perfect for the bridge from summer into fall. I’m not going too crazy with the recs, just a few titles to tide over all the bibliophiles during weekends and after classes who want to escape into a new world:
1: With a Vengeance by Riley Sager: Set on a luxury train traveller in the 50s, with HEAVY Murder on the Orient Express vibes is a mystery thriller that you’re gonna have to read closely to keep up with it. The story unfolds with you discovering why Anna Matheson has invited 6 people aboard the train, their connection to a deadly crash nearly 12 years prior, and how she plans to serve justice. What she doesn’t anticipate is how each of her passengers begins to be picked off one by one, and she’ll have to hunt who’s responsible, and fight till the end of the journey to not only make sure justice is met, but to survive. It’s such a good plot, with many twists and almost a game-like story, I LOVED this one!!
2: The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry: Now this one may not be for everyone, but for those who are fans of dark domestic suspense, this debut novel is going to be right up your alley. A young couple, Hannah and Christopher, want to start a family, so when the opportunity to help a young girl named Janie, a victim of abuse and neglect, they jump at the chance to adopt her. A rocky start only gets rockier as Janie begins to put a strain on the couple’s relationship and home life, with her eminent preference for Chris, vehement dislike for Hannah, and her ever-growing violent outbursts. As the story unravels, from multiple points of view, you uncover Janie’s past and present, the repercussions on Hannah and Cristopher, and it’s taken to levels I didn’t even imagine. The author is actually a trauma psychologist, specializing in childhood trauma, so she often explores macabre themes through her writing, so be warned, and hope this stood out as something a little out of the ordinary!
3:The Housemaid by Freida McFadden: You know it, you love it, and I finally got around to reading it this summer. The Housemaid very much lived up to its hype, so much so that I read it all in one go! Millie, a woman who’s just been paroled, needs to find a job where they won’t ask too many questions about the gaps in her resume. She lands at the Winchesters, who are as rich as they sound, where she works as a maid, cleaning up after the incredibly messy wife and brat of a daughter. The husband, however, Millie grows fond of over time and can’t imagine why he’d married such a mean, dishonest woman. Over time, more secrets come out, and Millie is tangled in the web of this out-of-the-norm family, in a way you’ll have to read it to find out. If you’re a seasoned thriller reader, you may be able to guess what’s going to happen initially; however, keep yourself buckled in, cause with plot twist after plot twist, you’re going to love this book. I know it’s a basic recommendation, but people love it for a reason, so if you haven’t already, this is your sign to check it out!
Honorable Mentions:Â
- Hostage by Claire Mackintosh: a fast-paced action thriller set on a plane
- The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden: the perfect addition to the Housemaid’s series and really good as far as sequels go
- The Bodyguard by Katherine Center: for my rom com girlies, it takes a lot for me to like this genre, but this story was wayyy less cheesy and had the cutest plot that actually made me smile :)