Chills and Thrills: Five Great Thrillers to Add to Your Holiday Reading List
Written by Nancy Maria Fernandez
@nancymfernz
Thumbnail Photo by Katie Constantine on Unsplash
Book Cover Photos are copyrighted by their respective publishers. The SMU Journal does not own the rights to any of these images.
It is officially the most beautiful time of year. In celebration of the end of the semester and all the exams and assignments that came with it, it is finally time to fully immerse oneself in the holiday spirit. However, it is also important to acknowledge the fact that festivities this year are going to look quite different than they usually do. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting rules and regulations, many of us will be unable to travel back home to visit friends and family for the holidays. However, there are a lot of safe ways to have fun during this special time while staying indoors. One major way is through reading. There is nothing quite like a good book that opens up a portal and takes you places all over the world, all from the comfort of your couch. Here are five amazing thriller-genre books that will surely keep you entertained during the chilly days ahead. So, make yourself some delicious hot chocolate or eggnog, and settle beneath the covers under the Christmas lights for some much needed holiday reading.
**Trigger warning: Gaslighting, domestic violence, psychological abuse.
On the outside, Jack and Grace Angel are the perfect couple. Happily married, Jack is a successful lawyer and a loving husband, and Grace is the epitome of a caring wife and an excellent homemaker. But is it the same story behind closed doors? Is Grace really the picture of a glowing newly-wed bride? And is Jack Angel truly an angel? A riveting tale about love, trauma, and survival, this book takes the phrase “for appearances’ sake” to a whole new level in a world of make-believe and supposed happily-ever-afters. Perhaps, not all marriages are made in heaven after all.
The debut novel of B. A. Paris, Behind Closed Doors became an instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller upon its release in 2016. Disquieting, clever, and well-written, this is one thriller novel you wouldn’t want to miss.
2. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
** Trigger warning: Rape, drug abuse, racism.
Five years ago, the little town of Fairview had been gripped by the disappearance of high school senior, Andie Bell. When her boyfriend, Sal Singh, is found dead by suicide a few days later with incriminating evidence on him, the police conclude that he had been behind Andie’s tragic end. Years later, a high school senior named Pip, is still finding it hard to believe that sweet, fun-loving Sal was capable of murdering his girlfriend in cold blood. And so, for her senior high school project, Pip decides to solve the daunting case herself. But someone somewhere does not want her to go digging. After all, the dead should stay buried, right?
A cleverly-written whodunit mystery, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson reflects the struggles of being a person of colour and the shortcomings of the justice system in America. It takes one determined high schooler and help from Sal’s younger brother to bring the truth to light in a world that chooses to believe only what it sees. If you are into YA whodunit thrillers, then this book is for you.
3. Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier
**Trigger warning: Rape, gruesome murders, violence.
Angela, Geo, and Kaiser were best friends living their best lives as high school juniors. But things change, don’t they? One night, Angie vanishes into thin air and is never heard of again — until fourteen years later, when her remains are found in the woods close to Geo’s house. Police find evidence that Angie had died at the hands of Calvin James — a notorious serial killer known as the “Sweetbay Strangler,” who was also Geo’s high school sweetheart. Geo is jailed for five years after being convicted of helping Calvin cover up her best friend’s murder. But just as she is about to be released from prison, more bodies start turning up. With the clock ticking, Geo and Kaiser — who is now a detective at the Seattle PD — race to uncover the truth about what exactly happened the night Angela was murdered.
Having won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Novel, Jar of Hearts is an utter delight for crime and psychological thriller fans. Unpredictable, unsettling and unhinging, this book will keep you up all night like no exam or assignment ever has.
4. The Other Mrs. By Mary Kubica
**Trigger warning: Physical, emotional & psychological abuse, bullying, gruesome murders.
Will and Sadie Foust move their family from Chicago to a sleepy town in Maine, hoping to begin life anew and move on from the murkiness of the past. But things take a turn for the worse when their new neighbour, Morgan Baines, is found brutally murdered in her home. As the town grapples with Mrs. Baines’ gruesome death, the Foust family is thrust into the spotlight. As Sadie tries desperately to move on from the disturbing happenings in their new home, the truth about the murdered woman becomes more and more tempting to unravel. Just who was Morgan Baines? And who wanted her dead?
Poignant, thrilling and unnerving, The Other Mrs. is Kubica’s gift to those who feed on chills and thrills. With the movie adaptation of the book coming soon to Netflix, this novel is bound to make you rethink the supposed “dullness” of small towns.
5. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
**Trigger warning: Physical abuse, suicide, drug abuse, sexual harassment, violence.
On the surface, Alicia Berenson appeared to have everything a person could ever wish for — a successful career as a renowned artist, a loving husband, and plenty of money. So then why did she shoot her husband five times in the face when Gabriel came home late one night? And why hasn’t she spoken a word since? Eight years later, the case continues to fascinate criminal psychotherapist, Theo Faber, who takes it upon himself to get Alicia to talk. Like two sides of a coin, the two couldn’t have been more different, except for the traumatic history of abuse they both endured at the hands of their cruel fathers. Theo has his own reasons for helping Alicia, but will revisiting the past help them both or will it push them further down the rabbit hole? Or maybe what happened that fateful night eight years ago had been more sinister than one could have ever imagined...
An utterly captivating story filled with twists and turns, this novel will keep you on your toes till the very end. The winner of Goodreads’ Best Mystery & Thriller Award in 2019, this book is a must-read for all the thriller buffs out there.
I like to think of thriller novels as true crime documentaries on paper, conjured from the brilliant minds of masterful authors that make excellent page-turners even for the occasional reader. Whether you are a bookworm or not, reading is a great way to rejuvenate, rewind, and refresh your mind, especially if you are a student trying to relax this Christmas break. The best part about reading is that it does not involve strenuous physical activity, nor does it require you to step outside which makes it just the perfect holiday treat and retreat you need this year. Happy reading and Happy Holidays!
References
https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/behind-closed-doors-b-a-paris/1123495544
https://us.macmillan.com/jarofhearts/jenniferhillier/9781250154194
https://marykubica.com/the-other-mrs/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-silent-patient-alex-michaelides/1128638857
https://www.goodreads.com/interviews/show/1482.Alex_Michaelides