When it comes to tropes in the thriller genre, one plot device that will always deliver is a story about toxic relationships. Whether it’s two friends, sisters or a large group, there’s something goosebump-inducing when someone in this dynamic is capable of deception or even murder; it gives major “the call is coming from inside the house” vibes. If you enjoy psychological thrillers that feature toxic relationships, check out some of these stories of fatal frenemies and sinister sisters!
Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall
When Anna Bright, the fraud-committing head of a multibillion-dollar company, gets discovered by journalist Jamie Roman, a twisted and dangerous race begins. After hiding her embezzlement for many years from the media, her investors, and even the board of her company, Anna is desperate to keep her lies a secret. But this story could make Jamie Roman famous, launching her journalism career to new heights. Will Anna Bright be able to silence Jamie in time or will her secret be revealed to the whole world?
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Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham
Margot is a college freshman who is shy and quiet, but fate is about to change all of that when the popular and larger than life Lucy Sharpe recruits Margot into her social circle. Soon after, Margot is living off campus with Lucy, the sarcastic Sloane, and the nice Nicole. As soon as Margot begins to acclimate to her new lifestyle, the unthinkable happens. A frat boy has been found murdered and Lucy is missing.
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My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Korede always feels like she’s saving her sister, Ayoola. After all, Ayoola is the favorite child who is beautiful and possibly a sociopath. Now, Ayoola’s third boyfriend in a row is dead, stabbed in the heart with Ayoola’s knife. Korede knows by now how to clean up a crime scene. Things take a disastrous turn when the handsome doctor that Korede works with asks for Ayoola’s number. Although Korede has been in love with him for a while, she knows what the outcome will be if she lets these two connect.
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The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn
It’s been ten years since Ambrosia graduated from college and she’s worked hard to build a new life. When an invitation arrives for her ten-year reunion along with an ominous message, Ambrosia knows someone has information that could ruin her future. As soon as she arrives to the reunion, she is reunited with her old best friend, Sully, who has received the same message. Now, the two have to work together to find out who out there knows the secret they worked so hard to keep buried.
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Tell Me Everything by Cambria Brockman
After arriving at Hawthorne College as a freshman, Malin quickly finds herself falling into a friend group that will last her entire four years at the university. What Malin’s friend group doesn’t know is that she’s been hiding a secret past and by Senior Day, the secret will cause tensions to mount so quickly that she will do anything to keep her past buried.
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Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Alix Chamberlain has made a name for herself showing women how to get what they want in life. After her babysitter, Emira Tucker, a young Black woman, is accused of kidnapping Alix’s child at a supermarket, Alix promises to make things right. Although Emira isn’t sure she should trust Alix, she has no other choice when a video goes viral of Emira’s incident and someone from Alix’s past reemerges. Now, both women will find themselves facing issues other than just a kidnapping accusation.
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How I’ll Kill You by Ren DeStefano
Out of the three sisters, Sissy is the most normal: after all, she’s not a serial killer. Sissy’s two sisters are though, and they leave a path of destruction wherever they go. Now that they’ve all arrived in Arizona, it’s Sissy’s turn to make a man fall in love with her only to kill him. Her target is none other than the widower Edison. Things take an unexpected turn when Sissy finds that she is actually capable of murder, but she begins to fall for Edison.
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It’s Always the Husband by Michele Campbell
From the moment they met in college, Kate, Jenny, and Aubrey knew they would be life-long friends. Now, twenty years later, one of them is standing on the edge of a bridge and being told to jump. Who is being told to jump and who is telling her to do so? Is it the beautiful and successful Kate who married the popular party boy? Was it Aubrey who came from nothing and married a successful man? Could it be Jenny whose ambition landed her the boy next door? When a woman dies, the first suspect is always their husband…or is it?
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Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez
Ingrid hasn’t heard from Mayra in years. In their adolescence, Mayra was the spunky and rebellious girl that got out of their Cuban neighborhood to seek education in the states. Ingrid never expected to see her again, but when she receives an invitation to spend the weekend with Mayra in the Florida Everglades, Ingrid’s curiosity cannot be sated. But something isn’t right. The house is deep in the swamp, far from even a cell signal and the journey there is as obscure as her long lost friend. When she finally arrives, however, Mayra is hardly changed from the girl she once knew and the two fall back into the intimate dance of their past. The reunion is spoiled by the appearance of Mayra’s new boyfriend, Benji, and the strange dilation of time in the secluded mansion. How can a weekend feel like a lifetime?
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Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
Mia is a hyper analytical twenty-year-old who believes there’s an explanation for everything. When Mia’s father and brother don’t return from a walk in the park, Mia doesn’t worry and believes it could be as simple as their walk took longer than expected or they lost their phone. When Mia’s brother Eugene comes home bloody and without their father, Eugene is the only witness to his disappearance, but Eugene has a rare genetic disorder in which he cannot speak.
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She Started It by Sian Gilbert
Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe were best friends as children, although they have drifted a bit in their adult years. Then, there’s a chance for a reunion when all four friends get an unexpected invitation to an extravagant bachelorette party from Poppy Greer, another friend from their childhood who’s now living a life of luxury. Upon arrival, not everything is as it seems, and the women begin to wonder if Poppy brought them here for something much more sinister as they are all on an island alone.
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Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox
It’s the biggest Sweet Sixteen bash in the Texas Hill Country! Sophie Matthew’s house is open to the public for the first time in many years. Though the hillside mansion was rumored to be haunted, none can resist the invitation from Sophie’s father to celebrate her big day. Only there are some characters with more in mind than blowing out candles. Right before the cutting of the cake, a body falls into the middle of the dance floor and the guests are trapped inside the house. It’s a classic whodunnit murder mystery and everyone has their secrets.
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You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa
Amaya hasn’t spoken to her best friend, Kaavi, in years, yet she’s being invited to her wedding. Amaya is even more shocked to find that the groom is none other than her ex-boyfriend. Now, Amaya is determined more than ever to make sure this wedding doesn’t happen and will stop at nothing to make sure these two don’t marry. Shortly after Amaya arrives in Sri Lanka for the wedding, Kaavi mysteriously disappears, leaving Amaya the prime suspect.
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The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll
Ever wonder what your favorite Real Housewives season would be like if it resulted in murder? Sisters Brett and Kelly are complete opposites. Growing up, Kelly was the beautiful and smart child while Brett was a troublemaker who lived in Kelly’s shadows. Now, Brett is a successful businesswoman and part of the cast of a famous reality show called Goal Diggers. When Kelly is hired as the newest member of the cast, Brett is seething. After all, Kelly is the only one who holds a secret that could expose Brett and destroy her.
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What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
Twenty-two years ago, friends Naomi, Cassidy, and Olivia, spent the summer roaming the woods and imagining their own little world. That summer of fun came to an abrupt halt when Naomi was attacked, surviving seventeen stab wounds. The three friends did identify the man and he was sent to prison, their testimony helping the police convict him of the murders of six women. There is one thing they did not tell the police, a secret they’ve kept for years and now, Olivia wants the truth to come out which makes Naomi stop at nothing to find out what really happened in the woods that summer.
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One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose
The area of Buckhead couldn’t be more perfect with its lavish houses and expensive cars, it’s the most idyllic place to live for the elite. But behind these gates is a group of women that you don’t want to mess with. Shannon was once the Queen Bee until her husband left her for a younger woman and now all she thinks of is revenge. Crystal is Shannon’s replacement, the young and sweet woman from Texas. Olivia is the backstabber who will stop at nothing to be the number one woman in Buckhead. Then there’s Jenny, who owns the most popular salon in town and knows each one of their secrets.
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Whispers of the Lake by Shanora Williams
Rose Howard has her whole life put together… at first. Though her career in investigative journalism is going well, her “perfect” marriage comes crashing down. To make things worse her ex-best friend, Eve, has gone radio silent. Concerned for her old friend and looking for a boost in her career, she travels to Sage Hill in North Carolina to find that Eve has disappeared leaving behind her passport and purse. The amiable townsfolk seem nothing but helpful at first, but it soon becomes clear to her that something big is lurking beneath the surface. Will this story be her big break or lead her further into murky waters?
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The Hunting Wives by May Cobb
Sophie and her husband have just moved from Chicago to a small Texas suburb. Although she misses the hustle and bustle of Chicago, Sophie is happy when she meets Margot and her group of friends dubbed the Hunting Wives and finds herself mesmerized by these women. After they welcome her into their group, Sophie finds herself overwhelmed with their late-night target practice and endless cocktails. Just as the late nights take a toll on Sophie’s marriage, things take a turn for the worse when the police find a dead teenager in the woods.
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We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
The twisted friendships in #1 New York Times bestseller We Were Liars by E. Lockhart will have readers questioning who is telling the truth the whole way through. Cadence and her friends plan to spend their summer on a private island but after a horrible accident leaves Cadence with no memory of the summer and worse yet, her friends are dead, she’s left asking what really happened. Two years later, Cadence returns to the scene of the accident, determined to piece together the truth.
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My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
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