By Book Club Team 
So you just finished The Perfect Marriage — and wow, right? A cheating husband, a wife who’s also his defense attorney, a murder trial with so many twists… it’s the kind of book that keeps you flipping pages at 2 a.m. If you’re hooked on domestic thrillers with courtroom drama, messy relationships, and secrets that unravel one by one, you’re in for a treat. Here’s your next stack of binge-worthy reads:
Psychological & Domestic Thrillers With Big Twists
These books capture the intense emotional dynamics, lies within relationships, and shocking turns that made The Perfect Marriage so gripping.
The Wife Between Us – Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
A psychological thriller that tricks you with every chapter. What seems like a classic jealous ex-wife story is actually so much more. Twisty, layered, and smart — you’ll second-guess everything.
- Why you’ll love it: This one plays with your assumptions. You think it’s about a jealous ex-wife stalking the new younger woman — and then it completely unravels into something way smarter.
- Vibe: Psychological suspense, identity twists, emotional manipulation.
- Bonus: The writing duo is so good at building tension without making you feel lost.
The Last Mrs. Parrish – Liv Constantine
Social climbing gets dangerous when Amber inserts herself into the perfect couple’s life. But not everything is as it seems. A deliciously deceptive thriller about envy, wealth, and revenge.
Verity – Colleen Hoover
Dark, steamy, and disturbing. A writer hired to finish a famous author’s books discovers a manuscript that reveals horrifying secrets. You’ll fly through this and be shook by the ending.
- Why you’ll love it: This one is DARK. A struggling writer is hired to finish a bestselling author’s series — only to find a terrifying manuscript written by the author herself.
- Vibe: Creepy, erotic, morally twisted, jaw-dropping ending.
- Why it works: If you liked not knowing who to trust in The Perfect Marriage, you’ll love this unsettling ambiguity.
Behind Closed Doors – B.A. Paris
They seem like the ideal couple. But Grace is always perfectly composed for a reason — and her nightmare is chilling. This one is fast, claustrophobic, and unforgettable.
The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena
When a baby disappears during a dinner party, suspicion quickly turns inward. Secrets surface and everyone looks guilty. Tense and addictive with short chapters you’ll speed through.
- Why you’ll love it: A baby goes missing while the parents are next door at a dinner party. What starts as a missing child case turns into a full-blown domestic unraveling.
- Vibe: Fast-paced, police procedural meets family secrets.
- Great if: You liked the short chapters and quick pacing in The Perfect Marriage.
Legal & Courtroom Drama
If you loved the defense attorney plotline in The Perfect Marriage, these books dive into similar high-stakes legal chaos — and the personal consequences behind the courtroom.
Anatomy of a Scandal – Sarah Vaughan
A privileged man is accused of sexual assault, and his seemingly perfect life crumbles during the trial. A gripping legal and political drama that explores consent, power, and justice.
Defending Jacob – William Landay
A DA’s teenage son is accused of murder — and as the trial unfolds, the father must question everything he thought he knew. Emotional, compelling, and morally complex.
Miracle Creek – Angie Kim
In a small town, an explosion at a treatment center leads to a tense courtroom drama. With layered POVs and a mystery that digs deep into parenting, truth, and blame.
Twists, Lies, and Unreliable Narrators
These thrillers keep you guessing until the last page — packed with secrets, shocking reveals, and characters you can’t quite trust (even when you want to).
Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
The marriage thriller that started it all. When Amy disappears, her husband Nick is the prime suspect — but she has a plan of her own. Dark, sharp, and genre-defining.
- Why you’ll love it: The original toxic marriage thriller. When Amy goes missing, her husband Nick becomes the prime suspect — but nothing is what it seems.
- Vibe: Masterclass in unreliable narrators and media manipulation.
- Why it’s iconic: Flynn paved the way for books like The Perfect Marriage with razor-sharp writing and an unforgettable twist.
The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides
A woman shoots her husband and never speaks again. A therapist is determined to uncover her motive. This one’s all about the twist — and it delivers.
- Why you’ll love it: A famous painter shoots her husband in the face and never speaks again. A therapist is determined to uncover the why — and what he finds is chilling.
- Vibe: Art, trauma, and psychological obsession.
- Best for: Fans of psychological twists that hit at the very end.
Sometimes I Lie – Alice Feeney
Amber is in a coma — but she knows what’s happening around her. With an unreliable narrator and timelines that twist in on themselves, it’s a puzzle you’ll love solving.
The Kind Worth Killing – Peter Swanson
A chance meeting at an airport bar leads to a murder pact. But everyone has secrets — and not everyone will survive. This one flips the plot multiple times.
Dark Marriages, Hidden Lives
These stories go deep into relationships that look perfect on the outside — but are anything but.
A Stranger in the House – Shari Lapena
A woman crashes her car and forgets where she was. Her husband wants answers. The cops suspect more. A tight, tense read full of secrets and suspicion.
The Girl Before – JP Delaney
Two women, one strange minimalist house, and a mysterious architect who controls more than he should. A modern, techy thriller that blends obsession and design.
- Why you’ll love it: Two women move into the same minimalist, high-tech house at different times. The house — and its architect — come with some strict rules… and chilling secrets.
- Vibe: Tech-thriller + psychological suspense.
- For readers who love: Sleek setups that hide dark truths and a little architectural weirdness.
TL;DR: Quick Picks Based on What You Loved
| If You Liked… | Try This |
|---|---|
| Courtroom scenes | Anatomy of a Scandal, Defending Jacob |
| Unreliable narrators | Gone Girl, The Silent Patient |
| Toxic marriages | Behind Closed Doors, The Last Mrs. Parrish |
| Fast-paced plot twists | Verity, The Couple Next Door |
| Dual timelines/secrets | The Wife Between Us, Sometimes I Lie |
Ready for Your Next Obsession?
Whether you’re looking for legal chaos, psychological suspense, or more marriage-on-the-brink drama, these thrillers will totally fill the void The Perfect Marriage left behind. Want something even darker, more romantic, or set in a different country? Drop your mood, and I’ll give you a custom reading list!