The best books in the thriller genre feature satisfying ending twists, but some of them truly go off the rails with their big reveals. It’s a thriller’s job to surprise readers with its ending. In a genre that aims to shock, this isn’t always an easy task. Some authors approach this by meticulously crafting red herrings before solving their biggest mysteries, while others go above and beyond to come up with unexpected endings.
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These efforts to deliver surprising twists sometimes lead to thriller books going off the rails. Such narrative shifts can sometimes benefit the stories they’re a part of, but they can also prove tonally jarring. Whether such wild developments resonate with readers usually comes down to preference. Those who don’t mind suspending disbelief for a great twist will find books with such endings exciting. And some additions to the genre even maintain their outlandish narratives throughout most of their run, making them fun and gripping reads.
10 The House Across The Lake By Riley Sager
A Supernatural Twist That’s Only Subtly Set Up
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A number of Riley Sager’s thriller books contain supernatural elements, including his 2024 release Middle of the Night. However, House Across the Lake doesn’t appear to have anything overtly supernatural happening for about 70% of the book. That makes Sager’s out-there ending much more shocking when it does finally arrive. After all, most readers won’t be expecting the disappearance of Katherine to be explained by a body-snatching serial killer taking over her body.
Sager’s twist ending is one that’s sure to prove divisive.
The House Across the Lake does set up the lore behind this twist during one of its earlier conversations. However, it’s so subtle that even the most seasoned thriller reader could miss it. Sager’s twist ending is one that’s sure to prove divisive. Some thriller readers may welcome the outlandish introduction of the supernatural into this 2022 thriller. Others will probably find it tonally inconsistent with the rest of the book — though that’s arguably what makes it so memorable.
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9 The Housemaid By Freida McFadden
An Ending That Flips Expectations
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden gets a lot of hype on BookTok, and its success has even spawned multiple sequels. This domestic thriller starts off pretty standard: a young woman named Millie starts working as a housemaid for a well-off couple, then realizes there’s something deeply wrong in their household. The Housemaid spends most of its run portraying the wife, Nina, as the villain. However, the book’s ending throws a wrench in this, revealing that Andrew Winchester is the one Millie should be worried about.
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This on its own isn’t particularly shocking, but the motives for the Winchesters’ behavior are pretty out there. Nina treats Millie the way she does as a means of escaping her abusive marriage, and the elaborate planning she puts into this makes this book mind-boggling on its own. The lengths Andrew goes to in order to torment Millie and Nina are equally disturbing, and the fact that his mother is so flippant about his — and her own — abusive behavior is also shocking. Needless to say, this book feels off the walls, if only because its characters are so wildly terrible.
8 Hidden Pictures By Jason Rekulak
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Jason Rekulak’s Hidden Pictures is a thriller that completely shifts gears in its last act, dropping a major surprise that doesn’t feel totally consistent with everything that comes earlier. The book follows a live-in babysitter as she grows increasingly concerned about the drawings of the kid she’s watching. And it’s unclear for much of the novel if there’s something supernatural at play, but Rekulak trades the novel’s horror leanings in for something much more twisted and difficult to predict.
The end of Hidden Pictures reveals that Teddy, who is portrayed as a boy for most of the book, is actually a young girl. Teddy’s “parents” aren’t actually who they claim to be, and they attempt to cover up their kidnapping by altering Teddy’s gender and identity. The fact that no one — including Mallory — catches onto this is wild enough, but the twist also comes out of nowhere after so much time spent on potential ghosts. While some readers have appreciated this 2022 release’s ending, others have criticized its approach to sensitive topics like gender.
7 We Used To Live Here By Marcus Kliewer
A Reality-Bending One-Two Punch
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We Used to Live Here is a mind-boggling story from start to finish, and Marcus Kliewer’s twist ending is off the rails in the best way possible. Some books go too far with their outlandish endings, but that’s not possible for We Used to Live Here. After all, a reality-warping story like this one is bound to conclude in a way that feels jarring and unconventional — and Kliewer’s debut is a thriller that doesn’t disappoint. After a story that sees Eve seemingly jumping realities, she ends up meeting the same fate as Thomas’ sister, Alison.
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This may inspire readers to attribute everything that happens in the book to Eve’s mental state, but We Used to Live Here leaves off with two ending twists that strongly support what she’s experiencing is real. These take We Used to Live Here‘s conclusion from good to great, and they prove a completely bonkers way to wrap up Kliewer’s story. The fact that it’s still somewhat ambiguous makes it even more fun.
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6 First Lie Wins By Ashley Elston
An Outlandish Ending That Could Spawn A Sequel
First Lie Wins is another 2024 thriller book that starts strong and just gets wilder as it continues. With its off-the-rails premise, it’s no surprise that it features an ending that’s just as bananas. First Lie Wins follows a woman going by the name of Evie Porter as she infiltrates the life of her new boyfriend, Ryan, on the orders of her boss. But Evie is working her own agenda throughout the book as well, and this culminates in a shocking but empowering ending for the character.
First Lie Wins
‘ conclusion is one that could easily set up a sequel, but it’s a winner as-is, and that’s mostly thanks to Ashley Elston’s willingness to take risks throughout the novel.
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Evie’s confrontation with her boss, Mr. Smith, is one that will keep readers on edge, even after its resolution — which is probably the most outlandish turn the book could take. It’s a wonder Evie emerges from the story where she does, but her new role certainly upends expectations. First Lie Wins‘ conclusion is one that could easily set up a sequel, but it’s a winner as-is, and that’s mostly thanks to Ashley Elston’s willingness to take risks throughout the novel.
5 Behind Her Eyes By Sarah Pinborough
A Thriller That Throws A Curveball At Readers
Behind Her Eyes has a reputation built on its ending twist, which is often lauded as one of the most unpredictable ones out there. The reason it’s so hard to see coming is because Sarah Pinborough throws a curveball at readers, using the concept of astral projection to do so. After what seems like a straightforward domestic thriller narrative, the introduction of this twist totally upends everything readers think they know about this story.
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While Pinborough’s ending is out there, it’s among the most unique additions to the thriller genre in the past decade.
The ending of Behind Her Eyes won’t be for everyone, as the turns it takes will seem outlandish to those looking for a more grounded domestic thriller. Those who don’t mind huge tonal shifts, however, may be impressed by this one. While Pinborough’s ending is out there, it’s among the most unique additions to the thriller genre in the past decade.
4 Everyone Is Watching By Heather Gudenkauf
A Reality TV Story That Spirals Into Something More
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Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf is a thriller that takes on reality TV, following five characters as they compete on a show called One Lucky Winner. Naturally, there are ulterior motives behind bringing these contestants together, but Gudenkaf’s big reveal feels over the top — even by thriller standards. The mastermind behind the book’s revenge story has flimsy reasons for enacting it, though those willing to overlook the outlandish nature of the motives and twists will enjoy this fast-paced and entertaining story.
Things get out of control quickly for the contestants involved in One Lucky Winner, and this culminates in some truly wild scenarios by the book’s ending. Everything from the big twist to the events leading up to it feels out there. Of course, that’s part of what makes Everyone Is Watching such a thrilling ride.
3 The Silent Bride By Shalini Boland
A Thriller That’s Out There From The Beginning
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The Silent Bride has one of the most intriguing thriller premises, and it’s short enough to read in just a sitting or two. The entire story feels off the rails, as it follows a main character who walks down the aisle on her wedding day — and realizes that she doesn’t recognize the man standing there. Although he seems to be her fiancé, Alice can’t help but feel there’s something off. And the ending confirms that something is very wrong with the entire scenario. Of course, with such an odd setup, it’s inevitable that the explanation will be just as bizarre.
The Silent Bride
is a must-read for anyone who enjoys thrillers that push the boundaries of what’s believable.
And Shalini Boland offers an outlandish explanation for Alice’s predicament that ties everything together surprisingly well. The Silent Bride is a must-read for anyone who enjoys thrillers that push the boundaries of what’s believable. Its big twist is on par with the one from Behind Her Eyes in terms of weirdness and shock value.
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2 Obsession By Amanda Robson
Amanda Robson’s Obsession is another thriller with a bonkers premise, as it sees a simple conversation between a husband and wife spiraling completely out of control. The psychological thriller opens with Carly asking her husband, Rob, who else he would be with if given the opportunity. As the book’s title suggests, this kicks off a narrative wrought with obsession and jealousy — though it involves two other characters, and it’s hard to tell who is reliable and who isn’t as the book continues.
Obsession has a lot of engaging twists and turns, and it’s hard to look away from them, even as these couples prove increasingly unlikable. The ending is a lot darker than readers will expect going in, bringing the train wreck that is these characters’ lives off the rails in spectacular fashion. Obsession is well worth reading, as it effectively captures the book’s main theme — the very one alluded to by its title.
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1 The Paris Widow By Kimberly Belle
An Off-The-Rails Narrative From Start To Finish
The Paris Widow is another book that starts off like any other domestic thriller but quickly proves to be much more. Following a couple as they travel to France, the story opens with an explosion that’s followed by the heroine’s boyfriend going missing. Stella is determined to get to the bottom of Adam’s disappearance, especially after learning that he’s been hiding the fact that he’s a “dealer of rare and stolen antiquities.” As she sets out to uncover what really happened to him, Kimberly Belle throws several surprises readers’ way.
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And things become increasingly unhinged as The Paris Widow unravels, with both Stella and Adam proving to be far more outrageous characters than the book initially lets on. This is another novel that may require readers to suspend disbelief, but it’s worth doing for the thrill ride. Those looking for off-the-rails narratives to immerse themselves in should keep The Paris Widow on their radar, as the 2024 thriller book fits the bill from beginning to end.