The best books to manage a dystopian ‘new normal’

Who am I?

I’m a bestselling author having had the privilege of writing books in the historical fiction and thriller categories. My Bastille Spy series was shortlisted for a HWA Gold Crown award, and my modern thriller, Black Widows, has enjoyed critical acclaim in The New York Times and The Daily Mail to name a few. I love to write a murder mystery with a difference, and always bring a large body of research to my books.


I wrote...

Black Widows

By Cate Quinn,

Book cover of Black Widows

What is my book about?

Blake Nelson had three perfect wives. Until one of them killed him. Blake's dead. His wife killed him. The question is...which one?

Rachel, Emily, and Tina have nothing in common - except that they share a husband and a homestead. When their beloved Blake is found dead under the desert sun, the questions pile up. But none of the widows know who would want to kill a good man like their husband. At least, that's what they'll tell the police...

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The books I picked & why

The Handmaid's Tale

By Margaret Atwood,

Book cover of The Handmaid's Tale

Why did I love this book?

I first read this incredible blend of page-turning thriller and dystopian vision when I was seventeen, and again several times since. What I find particularly moving, is Margaret Atwood fictionalized real-life scenarios from societies that changed virtually overnight to impose brutal restrictions on women. It’s a story that is in many ways, all too real, and it changed my way of understanding places in the world with strict regimes.

By Margaret Atwood,

Why should I read it?

28 authors picked The Handmaid's Tale as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

** THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER **
**A BBC BETWEEN COVERS BIG JUBILEE READ**

Go back to where it all began with the dystopian novel behind the award-winning TV series.

'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it' Guardian

I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no light without shadow; or rather, no shadow unless there is also light.

Offred is a Handmaid in The Republic of Gilead, a religious totalitarian state in what was formerly known as the United States. She is placed in the household of The Commander, Fred Waterford -…


Dune

By Frank Herbert,

Book cover of Dune

Why did I love this book?

This is an incredible and inspiring work of fantasy, taking readers to a completely new world. The religion and rituals of the society, the depth of detail – it’s phenomenal and compelling. To me, it’s a great insight into how human beings can be restricted by society, but can also break free.

By Frank Herbert,

Why should I read it?

47 authors picked Dune as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Before The Matrix, before Star Wars, before Ender's Game and Neuromancer, there was Dune: winner of the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards, and widely considered one of the greatest science fiction novels ever written.

Melange, or 'spice', is the most valuable - and rarest - element in the universe; a drug that does everything from increasing a person's lifespan to making interstellar travel possible. And it can only be found on a single planet: the inhospitable desert world of Arrakis.

Whoever controls Arrakis controls the spice. And whoever controls the spice controls the universe.

When the Emperor transfers stewardship of…


Before I Go to Sleep

By S.J. Watson,

Book cover of Before I Go to Sleep

Why did I love this book?

For a book I simply couldn’t put down, this was the winner. The author wakes in a world where she has no memory beyond the next 24 hours and must painstakingly piece together who she can trust and how she got where she was right before it’s all wiped again. Following this thrilling journey made me question the power of memory, perception, and reality all at once.

By S.J. Watson,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Before I Go to Sleep as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Mesmerising and unsettling . . . The best debut thriller for years' Sunday Times

Now a major film starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong

Over 7 million copies sold worldwide
____________

Memories define us.

So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?

Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight.

And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story.

Welcome to Christine's life.

____________

Readers are obsessed with Before I Go To Sleep:

***** 'A genius plot with an incredible twist. Before…


Lie Beside Me

By Gytha Lodge,

Book cover of Lie Beside Me

Why did I love this book?

Another thrilling book where reality is put on hold, when a young woman wakes up next to a corpse, with no recollection of how she got there. I was riveted as the truth was unpicked and facts and possibilities converged. The final ending is a masterclass in a suspenseful twist and you never see it coming.

By Gytha Lodge,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lie Beside Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A HUSBAND. A LIAR. A KILLER . . . The gripping new thriller from the Sunday Times bestseller

'Utterly gripping and unpredictable' 5***** Reader Review
'Suspenseful and compulsive with twists galore' 5***** Reader Review
'You won't be able to put it down' 5***** Reader Review
'Absolutely brilliant' Claire Douglas, bestselling author of The Couple at No 9
_______

Louise wakes up. Her head aches, her mouth is dry, her memory's fuzzy. But she knows she's done something bad.

She rolls over towards her husband, Niall.

But it's not Niall lying beside her. In fact, she's never seen this man before.…


The Appeal

By Janice Hallett,

Book cover of The Appeal

Why did I love this book?

Who is real and who isn’t? A seemingly provincial body of amateur dramatists are seen only by their email exchanges. An innocent person has been charged with murder, and these correspondences hold the key to their release. And someone isn’t who they say they are. A great book and timely reminder of the power of the written word to obfuscate and mislead.

By Janice Hallett,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Appeal as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
Winner of the CWA New Blood Dagger Award

“[W]itty, original…a delight.” —The New York Times

Perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lisa Jewell, this international bestseller and “dazzlingly clever” (The Sunday Times, London) murder mystery follows a community rallying around a sick child—but when escalating lies lead to a dead body, everyone is a suspect.

The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and…


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The Rosewood Penny

By J.S. Fields,

Book cover of The Rosewood Penny

J.S. Fields

New book alert!

What is my book about?

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction. 

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band, they rob the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive pegasus. Thanks to Marani’s mysterious invulnerability, this mostly works out well…until Marani and her quirky band of outlaws plunder the carriage of the very bossy princess Nuria.

The princess’s carriage contains not just gold, but a dragonscale comb that belonged to Marani’s murdered mother. Worse yet, Princess Nuria seems to know exactly who Marani is, maybe more than Marani herself.

The Rosewood Penny

By J.S. Fields,

What is this book about?

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction.

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band they rob from the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive pegasus. Thanks to Marani’s mysterious invulnerability, this mostly works out well…until Marani and her quirky band of outlaws plunder the carriage of the very bossy princess Nuria.

The princess’s carriage contains not just gold, but a dragonscale comb that belonged to Marani’s murdered mother. Worse yet, Princess Nuria seems to know exactly who Marani is,…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in dystopian, romantic love, and murder?

9,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about dystopian, romantic love, and murder.

Dystopian Explore 521 books about dystopian
Romantic Love Explore 735 books about romantic love
Murder Explore 828 books about murder