Fiction Books for Murderinos! | Twenty Books Fans of My Favorite Murder Will Love
Fiction Books for Murderinos
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As someone who’s fascinated by true crime, I love it when I come across thriller/mysteries/suspense that really bring me into the moment. Some stories play homage to real tragedy, others give you insight into the legal system, some lay breadcrumbs for you to follow so you can’t help but race to figure out whodunit, and some are just in your face thrilling. I have an ongoing post of all of the books that Karen and Georgia mention in My Favorite Murder, but I thought it would be fun to share my own list of fiction books that murderinos would be sure to love.
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This book is in-your-face thrilling and would definitely make it on I Survived. Darby is a college student driving home for winter break who gets caught in a blizzard. Her only option is to pull off at a rest stop- where she finds a young girl locked in the back of a van and decides to save her. Read if you like: locked room mysteries, rooting for protagonists who fight back, and graphic fight scenes.
Maud is an 88 year old Swedish woman who will do whatever she has to to keep her life the way she likes it-including murdering her annoying neighbors. She’s gotten used to this way of life, but a death in her apartment complex brings a new Detective Inspector to her doorstep, and this one might not be as easily fooled as the others. Read if you like: your murders with a side of levity and rooting for the bad guy.
My favorite little sociopath, Joe Goldberg, is working in a East Village bookstore when he runs into his newest obsession. When she goes to check out, he memorizes the woman’s name and proceeds to learn everything he can about her via social media. He uses this information to turn himself into the man of her dreams- and doesn’t have a problem removing anyone that gets in his way of being with her. Read if you like: being in the mind of a killer and watching TV adaptations after reading the book (You is a good one!)
A serial killer who targets young women is loose in Chicago. The Fourth Monkey Killer (4MK) leaves clues to direct the police to his latest victim- who he’s keeping alive, specifically to taunt them. Read as they frantically try to puzzle things out so they can reach the girl in time. We also hear from the victim- her story was chilling. Read if you like: Cat and Mouse games and series- this is book 1 of 3. Full Review.
Diane and Kit are equal parts close and competitive as high schoolers until Diane shares a secret that blows their relationship apart. Kit’s come to terms with the information and puts her past behind her until years later, she’s faced with Kit again as they both compete for the same top spot in their research lab. (At the risk of spoiling the book, this reminded me of one of the stories from episode 147 of My Favorite Murder.) Read if you like: stories that begin rooted in reality but go off the wall and/or stories featuring women in science.
A young artist has a history of bipolar disorder and paranoia, but she’s in therapy and has learned how to manage her disease. When she begins to suspect that her neighbor might be a serial killer, her husband assumes she’s becoming manic again. I appreciated how the author handled mental illness in the main character and really liked the spin he put on traditional thrillers. Read if you like: female protagonists who aren’t portrayed as clueless or helpless and don't mind endings that are far fetched.
Rosie and Laura are sisters who are as different as can be. Rosie is the quintessential “good” sister, the wife and mother who always does the right thing. Laura is the girl that always felt less than and who is said to have “fists for hands”. She was so rough that, when in high school, she was found standing over the body of her boyfriend with a bloody bat in hand and no one was THAT surprised. Laura is trying to get back in the game and goes on a blind date- and disappears. Read if you like: stories where the author slowly feeds the reader breadcrumbs and sibling drama. Full Review.
Two estranged brothers in the Australian Outback reunite after their brother’s sudden death. Although it seems against Cam’s character, there’s no other explanation- it looks like he walked to his death on purpose. The family is left to pick up the pieces, but the closer they look at what went on, the more it seems like the dead man had a lot to hide. Read if you like: family drama, stories with a vivid sense of place, and character driven mysteries.
Korede’s sister, Ayoola, has a nasty habit of killing her boyfriends. Since Korede is the responsible older sister and family duty calls, she’s always the one responsible for cleaning up after her messes. Literally, they use her car to transport bodies and uses her connections as a nurse to access powerful cleaning tools. When the beautiful Ayoola sets her sights on a man that Korede has been pining over for years, Korede is forced to choose between family and doing the right thing. Read if you like: stories that deviate from traditional thrillers, debuts, and themes of nihilism.
A woman disappears in a creepy hotel, and 35 years later, her curious niece can’t help but pull threads until she figures out what really happened. The author even dedicates this one to murderinos! Both protagonists are fascinated with true crime and take their obsession to the next level- they become consumed with finding out the truth, to their own detriment. Read if you like: stories with a hint of paranormal, redemption stories, and tenacious female protagonists. Full Review.
The inspiration for this book is clear- it’s the Murder of Dee Dee Blanchard (Episode 47 of My Favorite Murder). For the first 18 years of her life, Rose Gold Watts believed she was chronically ill. Turns out she was a victim of Munchausen By Proxy- her mother had been faking her symptoms for years. Mother eventually does jail time, but when it’s time to get out Rose Gold has no problem taking her in. It seems she’s ready to settle the score… Read if you like: twisted mother/daughter relationships and truth-is-stranger-than-fiction plot.
A young mother who works the night shift making boxed lunches strangles her abusive husband and seeks the help of her coworkers to dispose of the body. Covering up their crime leads them into the a terrifying violent underbelly of Japanese society and the four women do whatever they can to escape their tragic lives. Read if you like: tension filled plot, stark writing, and unique story lines.
Reading Karin Slaughter is always an intense experience. This book is fast paced with likable but broken characters and twists and turns that definitely will keep you guessing. A young girl disappears, but the real story begins about 20 years later when the estranged sisters reunite after another death in the family. Read if you like: really dark plot that’s redeemed by a protagonist to root for and excellent writing. Be warned: this is probably one of the more disturbing ones on the list.
Jack and Grace seem like the perfect couple. Their friends love coming over to their perfect home for dinner parties and always marvel at how connected the two newlyweds seem. Grace is the caretaker for her sister, so when she meets Jack and he seems to be as in love with her sister as she is, she's smitten. We quickly find out that not everything is as it seems and the wheels fall off pretty quickly. Readers new to domestic suspense seem to really enjoy this! Read if you like: getting a peek into what really goes on one relationship and plot that chooses fast paced over believably.
On the outside, Caroline seems to have the perfect life- a rich husband who’s devoted to her, a beautiful NY apartment, a loving daughter, and a gorgeous beach house. But when her husband brings another woman to their housewarming party, everything she’s built quickly begins to unravel. To let her hair down, she goes to the local townie bar and meets Aidan, a bad boy who looks like Brad Pitt and happens to have a surprising connection to the land her new beach house is built on. One thing leads to another and the two become more involved than either thought possible. This was one of those that made me shake my first at the dumb decisions the characters were making, but kept my attention the whole way. Read if you like: rich people problems and characters you love to hate.
In the mid 1980s, a group of three children went into the woods and only one came out. The survivor is unable to remember anything that took place, and as an adult he becomes a detective in the Dublin Murder Squad. In present day, Rob and is forced to confront his past when another young girl turns up missing in the same woods. Read if you like: gritty police procedurals and aren't afraid of a bit of gore. Also a series!
Sadie 19 years old when her 13 year old sister gets murdered. Maddie has been Saide's whole life- their mother brought a series of drugs and boyfriends into their home and eventually leaves, and Sadie dedicates her life to raising her sister. The story is told via a true crime podcast (think Serial), we find out that Sadie herself is now also missing. The story flashes between Sadie's quest to avenge her sister's death and the journalist's attempt to find the girl. This is marketed as YA but don't let that deter you if that's not your typical genre- this is one of the more dark and well told mysteries I've read in awhile. Read if you like: grittier books and small town narratives.
Mia is the headstrong daughter of a powerful Chicago judge. She's already at the bar when her boyfriend stands her up, so when Colin appears and gives her attention, she thinks he could be the perfect distraction. She agrees to go home with him… And it turns out he's been contacted to kidnap her. Read if you like: Reading about Stockholm Syndrome, unlikable characters that redeem themselves, and multiple POV.
Mary was nine when she was convicted of killing a three year old toddler. To the jury, it didn't matter if she did it- what mattered was that a white baby died while under the care of a churchgoing black woman and her daughter. At 15, Mary is now in a group home and is trying to get back on her feet. She gets pregnant and has to try and convince the state of her innocence so she can keep her child- but getting her Momma to come clean about what happened is not going to be easy. Read if you like: Stories with a lot of emotion and books that will keep you up past your bedtime.
I really liked the setup on this. Ten years ago, Mia Seale convinced an entire jury to set a man free, despite being the only one to initially believe in his innocence. In the present day, a true crime docuseries claims to have new information about the case, and the jury gets back together to discuss how they’d vote now. You end up getting two mysteries for the price of one and a ton of twists. Read if you like: courtroom dramas, jury selection, and a look into the U.S. criminal justice process.
That's everything from my list! Ever find yourself reading a book and think that you wouldn't be surprised if something like this happened in real life?
