Mary Kubica is a household name when it comes to psychological thrillers that have you reading into way late in the night and turning the page to the very end. Her book Local Woman Missing, has sold over 1 million copies and now her newest novel, She’s Not Sorry, is hitting shelves. To get inside the mind of this prolific author, let’s take a look at her reading list. From what she’s reading right now to the book she recommends to everyone. These are the books Mary Kubica is hooked on.

I am currently reading: Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

With ten million dollars on the line and five contestants, there can only be One Lucky Winner. There is just one catch, the five know nothing about the competition (or its maker) and it is being live streamed all around the globe. All alone, with no contact to the outside world, the contestants begin to feel something is terribly wrong. Secrets begin to arise and soon the contestants discover this isn’t a game show, someone is out to get them. With tensions rising, can the contestants trust one another, and can they get through the game when everyone learns who they really are? 

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I recommend to everyone: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

This book is often considered one of the great American Classics since its release in 1990. It depicts an innovative and awe-inspiring view on war and how storytelling can help those who have seen war. Set in the time of the Vietnam War, the story centers on the Alpha Company, a troupe of men that includes Tim O’Brien, who has just survived his tour. This story contemplates his return home to be a father and writer, giving audiences a thought provoking viewpoint on war and its effects. 

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My favorite book last year, and why: Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

I don’t often pick up supernatural thrillers, but this one was completely addictive and I was totally taken with the protagonist Mallory Quinn.

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

This Goodreads Choice award-winning novel centers around Mallory Quinn who is just out of rehab and ready to start a new life. She accepts a babysitting job taking care of a five-year-old named Teddy who loves to draw. Mallory is finally getting her life under control and has the peace and stability she has always wanted. But when Teddy’s drawings turn ominous and beyond the ability of a young child, Mallory realizes that she may be seeing visions of a past murder. Feeling insane but curious, Mallory tries to figure out what is going on and save Teddy before time runs out.

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An author I would love to have lunch with: The Master Guest by Nita Prose

I find Molly to be so delightful and have no doubt that Nita would be too!

The Mystery Guest: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose

Molly Gray has mastered perfection, her cleaning and etiquette habits have allowed her to rise through the ranks and land at the top as Head Maid in the Regency Grant Hotel. But as her life is finally coming together, everything falls apart! The famous mystery author, J.D. Grimthorpe dies in the hotel’s tearoom and it is proven to be foul play. But who committed the murder? That is what Detective Stark, an old enemy of Molly, is here to find out. As tensions rise, Molly must work hard to unravel the mystery before her past with J.D. Grimthorope is revealed and she becomes the main suspect. But is Molly completely innocent? 

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The book that made me realize language had power: Bodies of Water by T. Greenwood

Bodies of Water by T. Greenwood

It is 1960 and Billie Valentine is a young Massachusetts housewife, working away her days by cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her two adopted children. Summers are her one escape, being able to take her girls to the lakes and forget about her terrible marriage and longing for more. One day a new couple named Ted and Eva move in across the street with their three children. An affair ensues, bringing Billie feelings she never thought were possible, but ends when both families find out and fall apart. Now, fifty years later, Ted and Eva’s son invites Billie to meet with him and learn the truth about all that was destroyed, and all that still lingers from that unforgettable summer.

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The book I’d like to see adapted to the screen: What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan

One moment is all it takes for everything to change. Rachel Jenner and her son Ben are walking in Bristol park on a normal Sunday afternoon when he asks to run ahead and she agrees. Everything changes when Ben vanishes. Police, search parties, and family members are called to help locate him but he is nowhere to be found. Rachel, who has just gone through a divorce and has now lost everything, is falling apart and is the main suspect in the search. As she desperately looks for her son, she realizes that things may be different than they seem and that the people closest to her may be lying. But can she even trust herself? She needs to find Ben, before time runs out. 

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The book that made me laugh out loud—or cry—while reading it: Before I Go by Colleen Oakley

This one made me both laugh out loud and ugly cry many times.

Before I Go by Colleen Oakley

Daisy beat cancer four years ago and now, at the age of twenty seven, is living her best life with her husband Jack. On the eve of her “Cancerversary”, Daisy gets the news that her cancer is back and she has only months left to live. Struck with the news, Daisy is terrified of death but even more terrified of what her death will do to her husband. She has only one idea, find him a new wife. Setting out in search, Daisy hunts for a perfect match for Jack. But as her time draws closer the thought of her husband with a new wife becomes terrifyingly real and she has to decide what is more important, her husband’s future or her happiness?  

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The book with the best cover: Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

After the passing of their mother, three siblings who have not been in contact come together to mourn and sort out her estate. The eldest, Beth, stayed and took care of their mother until her death. Nicole, the middle child, has been struggling with drug addiction and stayed away. Michael, the youngest child, lives in another state and never returned home. Going through their mother’s possessions led the trio to a tape showcasing their mother and father standing over a bloody body and swearing to get rid of it. The three must now decide to keep their parents’ secret buried or pursue this mystery that may lead them back to their father who ran away seven years ago. 

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The book with the best opening line: The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh

The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh

Deep within the Ozark Mountains, in the small town of Henbane, Lucy Dane was born and then abandoned by her mother. Now, almost an adult, Lucy’s best friend Cheri disappears and is found dead. Her dark skin and mysterious mother makes the town suspect her and so Lucy, heartbroken by the death of her best friend, works with a local boy named Daniel to solve the mystery. But as they get closer to the truth, Lucy realizes that there are secrets within these mountains and that her past with her mother may not be all that it seems. 

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The book with a scene that haunts me to this day: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

(Nearly every scene in that book haunts me.)

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

In this #1 New York Times bestseller, Kristin Hannah weaves a tale of love during war. Vianne Mauriac watches as her husband, Antoine, leaves for the front lines believing that everything will be alright and that the Nazis will not invade France. But they do, and Vianne and her daughter are forced to live among the enemy or lose it all. Meanwhile Isabelle, Vianne’s sister, is falling in love with a partisan named Gäetan who makes her believe that the French can fight back. After his betrayal, Isabelle joins the Resistance and devotes her life to helping others. This novel showcases the love and desperation that took place during the women’s war in World War II.

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