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 scenesAnatomy of a Scandal, Defending Jacob
Unreliable narratorsGone Girl, The Silent Patient
Toxic marriagesBehind Closed Doors, The Last Mrs. Parrish
Fast-paced plot twistsVerity, The Couple Next Door
Dual timelines/secretsThe 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!

Consent Preferences