Love The Stranger? Readers share 71 books like The Stranger...

By Harlan Coben,

Here are 71 books that The Stranger fans have personally recommended if you like The Stranger. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Last Thing He Told Me

Kendra Broekhuis Author Of Between You and Us

From my list on impossible choices that will rip your heart out.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve been a stay-at-home mom and author for the past decade, and during that time, I went through the stillbirth of my second baby. Grief taught me a lot about compassion, including the importance of being able to see the nuance of difficult subject matters. I learned itā€™s easy to theorize what to do in a situation until you're in that situation. For that reason, I love books in all sorts of genres that are layered with charactersā€™ past griefs, impossible scenarios, and tensions regarding the choices they make. I picked five of my favorite books with a heart-ripping plot that sparks interesting discussion and leaves readers pondering, "What would I have done?"

Kendra's book list on impossible choices that will rip your heart out

Kendra Broekhuis Why did Kendra love this book?

This book was a very bingeable read. I got caught up in the mystery of Hannahā€™s missing husband, and I also loved the layers of complicated family relationships shown with her stepdaughter.

Iā€™m a sucker for the ā€œhe isnā€™t who he said he wasā€ storyline, and this book masters that through Hannahā€™s husband, Owen. The entire story is weaved with surprises and plot twists, including the impossible choice Hannah faces at the end.

By Laura Dave,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The Last Thing He Told Me as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

* SOON TO BE A MAJOR TV SERIES STARRING JULIA ROBERTS *

'Brilliant. Pacy tense and twisty' - LISA HALL

'I adored this beautifully written thriller' - JO SPAIN

IT WAS THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME: PROTECT HER

Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his new wife, Hannah: protect her. Hannah knows exactly who Owen needs her to protect - his sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. And who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As her increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, his bossā€¦


Book cover of Little Fires Everywhere

Bella Ellwood-Clayton Author Of Weekend Friends

From my list on on complex female friendships.

Why am I passionate about this?

Complex relationships have been the heart of my career. I have a BA in sexual anthropology from Concordia University in MontrƩal and a Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne. My debut novel, Weekend Friends, was published by Post Hill Press in 2023. My nonfiction book, Sex Drive: In Pursuit of Female Desire, was published by Allen & Unwin in 2012. Themes I like writing about include friendship, desire, conflict, healing, and love. I have published short stories and poetry and have written for publications such as the Huffington Post and Daily Life. I appear on TV and give talks, including a TEDx talk. My work has been featured in a National Geographic documentary.

Bella's book list on on complex female friendships

Bella Ellwood-Clayton Why did Bella love this book?

Oh, Celeste Ng is a terrific writer. The story follows Mia and her daughter, Pearlā€”enigmatic newcomers to townā€”whose lives become entangled with Mrs. Richardson and her seemingly perfect family. The relationships between the mothers and their teenage children ignite a firestorm of intrigue. I love Ng's nuanced critique of female friendship.

By Celeste Ng,

Why should I read it?

14 authors picked Little Fires Everywhere as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller!

"Witty, wise, and tender. It's a marvel." -Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train and A Slow Fire Burning

"To say I love this book is an understatement. It's a deep psychological mystery about the power of motherhood, the intensity of teenage love, and the danger of perfection. It moved me to tears." -Reese Witherspoon

From the bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You and Our Missing Hearts comes a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend theirā€¦


Book cover of I Found You

Nolan Cubero Author Of Shadow Drive

From my list on mystery thrillers about characters with elusive identities.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m still trying to figure out who I am. Iā€™ve made films, Iā€™ve written fiction, Iā€™ve been in a punk band, and now Iā€™m in law school. Iā€™ve bopped around to different interests my whole life and never quite felt like I fit in anywhere, maybe because I grew up a part Puerto Rican kid in Kentucky. I donā€™t know. All I know is Iā€™ve been a reader all this time, and I think because Iā€™ve always found my own identity elusive, the mysteries and thrillers I gravitate towards are ones with characters that arenā€™t so easy to pin down.

Nolan's book list on mystery thrillers about characters with elusive identities

Nolan Cubero Why did Nolan love this book?

Alice Lake finds a man on the beach outside her house, but when she asks the man who he is, he canā€™t give her any answers because he says he doesnā€™t know who he is either. Heā€™s lost his memory and his identification. Alice decides to help the unknown man and invites him into her home.

While Alice tries to help the unknown man figure out who he is, she also canā€™t help but wonder who sheā€™s let into her home. He seems perfectly harmless, but is he? It reminds me of what Iā€™ve felt in relationships. Iā€™ll like someone, but then Iā€™ll get to know them and start to wonder who they really are. Iā€™ll look at a friend and wonder, where did you come from?

By Lisa Jewell,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked I Found You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'How long have you been sitting out here?'
'I got here yesterday.'
'Where did you come from?'
'I have no idea.'

Surrey: Lily Monrose has only been married for three weeks. When her new husband fails to come home from work one night she is left stranded in a new country where she knows no one.

East Yorkshire: Alice Lake finds a man on the beach outside her house. He has no name, no jacket, no idea what he is doing there. Against her better judgement she invites him in to her home.

But who is he, and how canā€¦


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Book cover of Lethal Legacy

Lethal Legacy by H.R. Kemp,

Buried Secrets. A web of deceit, betrayal, and danger. Can she survive her fight for justice and truth? Laura thought she knew everything about her late husband before he died. Now, her life and the lives of those she loves are in danger. As Laura delves into his previous roleā€¦

Book cover of Reflex

Robert Darke Author Of The Accidental Courier

From my list on thrillers to keep you reading until the wee hours.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve always been a thrill seeker ever since I was a child when I was often in trouble for going on some adventure or other. Before turning to writing, my career included investigative elements from being a customs officer catching smugglers to detecting fraudsters. Later in life, I learned to ride motorcycles and biking has become a new passion of mine. Small wonder then that I enjoy reading thrillers, and now writing them. Iā€™ve published two fast-paced novels and am currently working on my next full-length project. I sincerely hope you get the same pleasure and enjoyment as I did from my book recommendations. 

Robert's book list on thrillers to keep you reading until the wee hours

Robert Darke Why did Robert love this book?

Dick Francis will always be one of my favourite authors even though Iā€™ve never been to a horse race in my life! I once missed my train station because I was so wrapped up in his book. Despite always having a link to the horse racing world, they are not solely about racing. Reflex is a story of a jockeyā€™s search for his missing sisterā€”a sister he didnā€™t know existed until he receives a request from his dying grandmother to find her. It also involves a mystery surrounding the death of a photographer who is reviled because of the compromising photographs he takes of celebrities to sell to newspapers. Written over 30 years ago (before digital photography) paparazzi intrusion is as relevant to today as ever. 

By Dick Francis,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A jockey unravels nasty secrets of corruption, blackmail, and murder in this mystery from grand master of crime fiction Dick Francis.

Longtime jockey Philip Nore is no hero. But when he begins to suspect that a racetrack photographer's fatal accident was really murder, he sets out to discover the truth and trap the killer. Slowly, he unravels some nasty secrets of corruption, blackmail and murder-and unwittingly sets himself up as the killer's next target...

"Reflex enthralls."-The New York Times


Book cover of No Time for Goodbye

Robert Darke Author Of The Accidental Courier

From my list on thrillers to keep you reading until the wee hours.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve always been a thrill seeker ever since I was a child when I was often in trouble for going on some adventure or other. Before turning to writing, my career included investigative elements from being a customs officer catching smugglers to detecting fraudsters. Later in life, I learned to ride motorcycles and biking has become a new passion of mine. Small wonder then that I enjoy reading thrillers, and now writing them. Iā€™ve published two fast-paced novels and am currently working on my next full-length project. I sincerely hope you get the same pleasure and enjoyment as I did from my book recommendations. 

Robert's book list on thrillers to keep you reading until the wee hours

Robert Darke Why did Robert love this book?

I enjoy Linwood Barclay for his intriguing openings that grip right from the start and then how he racks up the tension until the end. This was his first thriller and wowā€”what a debut! It starts when a teenage girl, Cynthia, wakes to find her house deserted and the whole familyā€”mum, dad, and brother missing. Jump forward to 25 years later and the mystery of her familyā€™s disappearance is still unsolved and still haunts Cynthia. But then a letter arrives tipping her whole world upside down and placing her in grave dangerā€¦ Another unputdownable read!

By Linwood Barclay,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked No Time for Goodbye as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Tenth Anniversary edition of the million-copy, bestselling novel No Time for Goodbye with a special introduction from Linwood Barclay.

'One of the world's finest thriller writers' Peter James

*

The house was silent. That was the first sign that something was terribly wrong.

Fourteen-year-old Cynthia wakes one morning to discover that her entire family - mother, father, brother - have vanished.

No note, no trace and no return. Ever.

Now, twenty-five years later - with a family of her own - a letter arrives which chills Cynthia to the core.

It leads her inescapably down the path to the devastatingā€¦


Book cover of See Them Run

Robert Darke Author Of The Accidental Courier

From my list on thrillers to keep you reading until the wee hours.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve always been a thrill seeker ever since I was a child when I was often in trouble for going on some adventure or other. Before turning to writing, my career included investigative elements from being a customs officer catching smugglers to detecting fraudsters. Later in life, I learned to ride motorcycles and biking has become a new passion of mine. Small wonder then that I enjoy reading thrillers, and now writing them. Iā€™ve published two fast-paced novels and am currently working on my next full-length project. I sincerely hope you get the same pleasure and enjoyment as I did from my book recommendations. 

Robert's book list on thrillers to keep you reading until the wee hours

Robert Darke Why did Robert love this book?

I love finding new authors! Which is why Iā€™m recommending another debut novelā€”this time from Marion Todd. It won the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut Novel of the Year 2020. Since then she has published (at the time of writing) a further 4 novels in her series about detective inspector Clare Mackay. I wish I could write that fast! Her serial killer haunts St Andrews, Scotland by luring victims to a stretch of road and then running them overā€”simple but effective. It can be difficult to write a pacey thriller and develop interesting characters at the same time but Todd manages this admirably. As soon as I finished this novel, I went straight on to the second in the series which is equally as good and I look forward to reading the rest.

By Marion Todd,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked See Them Run as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BLOODY SCOTLAND SCOTTISH CRIME DEBUT OF THE YEAR 2020

In a famous Scottish town, someone is bent on murder - but why?

On the night of a wedding celebration, one guest meets a grisly end when he's killed in a hit-and-run. A card bearing the number '5' has been placed on the victim's chest. DI Clare Mackay, who recently moved from Glasgow to join the St Andrews force, leads the investigation. The following night another victim is struck down and a number '4' card is at the scene. Clare and her team realise they're against the clockā€¦


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Book cover of Lethal Impulse

Lethal Impulse by Steve Rush,

Heā€™s riddled with guilt. Sheā€™s annoyed with the status quo.

The death of a crime bossā€™s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girlā€™s murder. Tess Fleishmanā€™sā€¦

Book cover of Thirteen: The Serial Killer Isn't on Trial. He's on the Jury.

Robert Darke Author Of The Accidental Courier

From my list on thrillers to keep you reading until the wee hours.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve always been a thrill seeker ever since I was a child when I was often in trouble for going on some adventure or other. Before turning to writing, my career included investigative elements from being a customs officer catching smugglers to detecting fraudsters. Later in life, I learned to ride motorcycles and biking has become a new passion of mine. Small wonder then that I enjoy reading thrillers, and now writing them. Iā€™ve published two fast-paced novels and am currently working on my next full-length project. I sincerely hope you get the same pleasure and enjoyment as I did from my book recommendations. 

Robert's book list on thrillers to keep you reading until the wee hours

Robert Darke Why did Robert love this book?

This is not the first in Steve Cavanaghā€™s Eddie Flynn series but it was the first one I read and it had me hooked right from beginning to end. The tension builds and buildsā€”Eddie Flynn is a likeable protagonist and the killer is one scary dude. This is a courtroom drama with a difference the serial killer is on the jury! I simply had to finish this book and it kept me up until 2.00 am. Iā€™ve since read several more books by Cavanagh and, so far, theyā€™ve all been up to the same high standard.

By Steve Cavanagh,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

THE SERIAL KILLER ISN'T ON TRIAL.

HE'S ON THE JURY...

****************

'Books this ingenious don't come along very often.' Michael Connelly

'THIRTEEN is my favourite read of the year.' Sarah Pinborough

'Outstanding.' Lee Child

'Smart and original. This is a belter of a book.' Clare Mackintosh

'One of the most mercilessly compelling thrillers you will read this decade' Chris Brookmyre

****************

'To your knowledge, is there anything that would preclude you from serving on this jury?'

Murder wasn't the hard part. It was just the start of the game.

Joshua Kane has been preparing for this moment his whole life.ā€¦


Book cover of Suspect

Nolan Cubero Author Of Shadow Drive

From my list on mystery thrillers about characters with elusive identities.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m still trying to figure out who I am. Iā€™ve made films, Iā€™ve written fiction, Iā€™ve been in a punk band, and now Iā€™m in law school. Iā€™ve bopped around to different interests my whole life and never quite felt like I fit in anywhere, maybe because I grew up a part Puerto Rican kid in Kentucky. I donā€™t know. All I know is Iā€™ve been a reader all this time, and I think because Iā€™ve always found my own identity elusive, the mysteries and thrillers I gravitate towards are ones with characters that arenā€™t so easy to pin down.

Nolan's book list on mystery thrillers about characters with elusive identities

Nolan Cubero Why did Nolan love this book?

Pinky fell into becoming a private investigator, but itā€™s a perfect fit for her personality.

Sheā€™s naturally curious. And skeptical. But now, even though she has an actual assignment she needs to work on, sheā€™s spending her time investigating the guy who moved in next door. But his identity is impossible to pin down.

My favorite part is when Pinky gets caught following her weird neighbor. He introduces himself as Clarence, which is strikingly similar to Pinkyā€™s real name, Clarice. Itā€™s like heā€™s saying no matter how hard you try, youā€™ll never find out anything about me, but I know everything about you. I had to keep reading just to try to figure out who this guy was and what he was up to.

By Scott Turow,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Presumed Innocent and The Last Trial returns with a riveting legal thriller in which a reckless private detective is embroiled in a fraught police scandal.

For as long as Lucia Gomez has been the police chief in the city of Highland Isle, near Kindle County, she has known that any woman in law enforcement must walk a precarious line between authority and camaraderie to gain respect.  She has maintained a spotless reputationā€”until now. Three male police officers have accused her of soliciting sex in exchange for promotions to higher ranks. With fewā€¦


Book cover of The Suitcase

Ellen Tarlow Author Of Looking for Smile

From my list on bringing on a tear.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been captivated by the emotional power of picture books since I was a child and have spent my adult life reading, sharing, and trying to write the kinds of books that connect to the youngest of readers on a deeper level. In Looking for Smile, I tried to write about the day when I was five years old and experienced real sadness for the first time. This became a story about Bear and his friend, Smile. My favorite kind of picture books are those that make me smile and tear up at the same time. I decided I would share some recent books that have had that effect on meā€¦

Ellen's book list on bringing on a tear

Ellen Tarlow Why did Ellen love this book?

This is a deeply touching story about the increasingly relevant topic of stranger fear. A weary blue creature arrives in a strange land carrying a large suitcase. Not knowing what to make of this stranger; a fox, a bird, and a rabbit break into its suitcase to discover its secrets. What they do uncover is a photo of the creatureā€™s lost home. So they come to see all that that the creature really is and all it has lost. In a larger sense, the story speaks to how difficult it is to see what each of us is carrying inside our own ā€œsuitcase.ā€ And how important it is to listen.

By Chris Naylor-Ballesteros,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Suitcase as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Shortlisted for Oscar's Book Prize 2020

Shortlisted for the 2020 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal

"At a time when over 65 million people are forcibly displaced around the world, this beautifully illustrated and wise, gentle tale of tolerance and kindness for fellow humans resonates deeply. I hope all parents share The Suitcase with their children." - Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner

"A simple, powerful way to introduce the idea of kindness to strangers to young children" - Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo

"Welcome and understanding are at the heart of this children's book by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros. Beautifully illustrated,ā€¦


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Book cover of Chilled to the Bone

Chilled to the Bone by B.D. Lawrence,

Jake Sledge, a rugged ex-cop turned private eye, teams up with his colossal partner Bobo to navigate the gritty streets of River City.

A murdered lawyer drags them into a web of political intrigue, neo-Nazi thugs, and bloody showdowns. With sharp wit and hard-hitting action, Jake tackles scumbags the onlyā€¦

Book cover of The Girl on the Train

Mary Cantell Author Of The Fragile Things

From my list on fragility of life in mystery, romance, intrigue.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™m passionate about the theme of mystery/romance novels because they lend so much to the human condition and hit a soft spot, as Iā€™ve liked them since I was a child. When a story is relatableā€”such as a genuine real-life situation having the potential to become oneā€™s own, thatā€™s where the intrigue kicks in, and Iā€™m knocked into another world as I feel their emotions so poignantly. Itā€™s the perfect escape. Unlike science fiction where reality must be suspended, a classic mystery storyā€”especially ones with a touch of romanceā€”are the ones that really suck me in and wonā€™t let go until the last page is turned.

Mary's book list on fragility of life in mystery, romance, intrigue

Mary Cantell Why did Mary love this book?

I loved this taut, gripping who-dun-it mystery genre of book because the setting and characters are scenes right out of lifeā€”real, everyday people. I can relate to this because itā€™s reality and could really happen!

Love triangles, suspicion, and told in a unique wayā€”this story was a masterful exploration into the human psyche. I love books where the predicament or dream of the character makes me squirm. Whether to be admired or pitied, the charactersā€™ flaws are no less real than our own. They could be our very own neighbors. Or they could be us. 

By Paula Hawkins,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Girl on the Train as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller, USA Today Book of the Year and now a major motion picture starring Emily Blunt.
 
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple having breakfast on their deck. She's even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their lifeā€”as she sees itā€”is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It'sā€¦


Book cover of The Last Thing He Told Me
Book cover of Little Fires Everywhere
Book cover of I Found You

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