The best thrillers inspired by real events

I found this book to be a compelling and eerie read. Evie Boyd leaves home to join a cult reminiscent of Charles Manson’s “family.”

Even if you’re largely unaware of the actions of Manson and his followers in the late sixties, you’d likely pick up on how closely the fictional storyline is modeled after the infamous group and its crimes. While Cline doesn’t recreate the events of the Manson cult, the trajectory the story follows is reminiscent of reality, especially when the girls break into a home—the calling card of Manson’s followers.

I really enjoy that while the story is very much linked to Manson and his family, Cline’s vivid writing style sets it apart.

I found this novel to be emotionally gripping and suspenseful. It is a historical thriller rooted in truth. It follows women affected by a serial killer in the seventies.

The killer is a depiction of Ted Bundy, though he’s only referred to as “the defendant”—a purposeful choice on behalf of Knoll, who succeeds in taking away his notoriety while giving a name to the women he affected. I appreciate that by focusing on the victims and survivors, it flips the narrative on its head, veering away from the predictable or sensational.

Knoll's writing is, as always, superb. I applaud Knoll for her fresh take on the true crime genre, for not romanticizing a killer, and for crafting a relatable, moving tribute to victims and survivors.

I first read Room more than a decade ago, and it’s one of those haunting stories that’s stayed with me ever since. It’s loosely inspired by the kidnapping of a woman named Elisabeth Fritzl. The author has been quoted saying that she was “triggered” by the case. The real-life story is chilling, and so is Donoghue’s fictional take on the subject.

I consider the novel to be an absolute standout. I find it particularly captivating because it’s told from the point of view of the imprisoned woman’s five-year-old son. At times, it is a difficult read because of its subject matter, but it has heart, and by telling the story through the eyes of a child, Donoghue crafted a novel you won’t soon forget.

I’m fascinated by the in-depth character development and details in this book. The film is a classic, but I think the book is even better. Many people think of Hannibal Lecter as the obvious villain of Silence of the Lambs, forgetting that Clarice and the FBI were seeking his guidance to find “Buffalo Bill,” a fictional serial killer attacking women.

Buffalo Bill is an amalgamation of real serial killers, including Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, and Gary Heidnik. By cherry-picking the methods and traits of real killers, I think Harris created a truly terrifying villain. I find the characters, and especially the villain, to be rooted in reality, making them stick in your mind long after the last page.

I find this book to be an unsettling but impactful read, both thought-provoking and complex. We Need to Talk about Kevin follows the mother of a troubled teenager responsible for a school shooting.

It’s about nature versus nurture, the relationship between mother and child, and deeply seated guilt. It draws inspiration from real events, including the 1999 shooting at Columbine, which wasn’t the U.S.’s first mass shooting at a school, but it would become one of the most infamous.

Shriver’s novel raises unsettling questions about a mother’s guilt and self-justification and a community’s heartache and blame. I consider it to be a captivating and moving book.