I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Before it was a Netflix movie (psst! The book is way better), this slim little book creeped me the hell out. It’s a simple premise: A woman is driving with her boyfriend to meet his parents for the first time, only she’s not really sure the relationship is going to work out. However, this psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning—only you won’t know why until the very end. I’m shivering just thinking about it.

My wife will frequently finish a book, close the cover, exhale deeply--then open it again and start over, diving straight in to a second read. For the longest time, I didn't understand it and she could never quite articulate why she did this. It was good or she wasn't ready to leave the characters behind or that classic spousal response of "just because." When I finished I'm Thinking of Ending Things it finally clicked. I closed the cover, exhaled deeply, and thought "I'm pulling a Jessica" as I dove right back in.

A hit debut novel, I’m Thinking of Ending Things will have you questioning everything—both the relationship of the couple in the book and maybe your own. Narrated by Jake’s unnamed, new girlfriend, the story winds you through the gripping trip they take where she meets his parents. It’s not always a super-fast-paced thriller but it will keep you turning the pages because, for most people (who haven’t seen the movie), you won’t see what’s coming. I love a thriller you can read before bed without nightmares, but will still have you waking up and thinking about it.