Megan Abbott writes crime novels. Her books often explore the dark side of human nature, especially in girls and women. She sets many of her stories in the world of cheerleading or gymnastics.
If you find yourself drawn to stories with a noir feel, complex female characters, and a sense of underlying menace, you might be looking for authors who create a similar atmosphere. Here are some writers you might enjoy if you are a fan of Megan Abbott.
Gillian Flynn crafts sharp psychological thrillers that peel back the layers of seemingly ordinary lives to reveal dark secrets. Her novel “Sharp Objects” follows reporter Camille Preaker as she returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls.
Camille’s own complicated past soon entwines with the investigation, uncovering unsettling truths about family, trauma, and hidden violence lurking beneath the town’s polished surface.
Readers drawn to Megan Abbott’s exploration of complex female characters, psychological tension, and simmering secrets will find Gillian Flynn’s writing equally compelling.
Readers who enjoy Megan Abbott’s sharp psychological thrillers might also appreciate Tana French. French writes crime novels set primarily around Dublin, Ireland, with rich characters and thought-provoking mysteries.
In her book “In the Woods,” detective Rob Ryan investigates a chilling murder case in the same woods where he himself was found traumatized as a child, his two friends having disappeared without a trace.
The story blends his troubled past with a perplexing current investigation, exploring memory, identity, and how the past haunts the present.
Fans of Abbott’s nuanced portrayal of complex female relationships and layered mysteries could find French’s work equally engrossing and memorable.
Laura Lippman writes crime fiction filled with intense atmosphere and complex characters, something readers of Megan Abbott often enjoy. Her novel “Sunburn” follows Polly, a woman who abruptly abandons her family during a vacation, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions.
Settled in a sleepy Delaware town, Polly meets Adam, a mysterious stranger with his own hidden agenda. Their lives quickly entangle as secrets surface and tensions escalate. As their relationship evolves, layers of deceit unravel until trust becomes nearly impossible.
Fans of dark twists and layered storytelling will find “Sunburn” a satisfying read.
Books by Ruth Ware often explore suspense and tension beneath seemingly ordinary situations. Readers who enjoy Megan Abbott’s psychological depth and character-driven mysteries might find Ware’s novels equally absorbing.
In “The Woman in Cabin 10,” journalist Lo Blacklock sets off on an exclusive luxury cruise, hoping it will boost her career. But her excitement turns into dread when she witnesses a woman being thrown overboard during the night—yet no passenger or crew member is missing.
As Lo begins questioning those around her, doubts creep in and paranoia builds. This creates a claustrophobic atmosphere where no one can be trusted, keeping the reader hooked until the very end.
Paula Hawkins is a British author who writes suspenseful psychological thrillers filled with complex characters and dark themes. If you enjoy Megan Abbott’s sharp insight into complicated relationships, you’ll probably find Hawkins’ “The Girl on the Train” intriguing.
The story centers on Rachel, a troubled woman whose daily train commute passes by a seemingly perfect couple’s home.
Rachel watches their home from her train window, imagining details of their lives, but after she sees something unsettling, she becomes tangled in the couple’s mystery.
Hawkins creates an atmosphere of tension, suspicion, and secrets, keeping readers guessing with every new twist.
If you enjoy Megan Abbott’s sharp exploration of psychological suspense and atmospheric noir, you might appreciate Dorothy B. Hughes. Hughes mastered the art of suspenseful storytelling through tight plots and characters whose motivations simmer beneath polished facades.
Her novel “In a Lonely Place” centers around Dix Steele, a charismatic war veteran living in post-war Los Angeles. Steele becomes entangled in a series of brutal murders of young women.
Hughes creates tension by pulling readers into Steele’s perspective, blending suspense and paranoia. The reader becomes uncertain of what is real and who can truly be trusted.
“In a Lonely Place” captures a gripping blend of dark character insight and moody post-war atmosphere that would resonate deeply with fans of Megan Abbott’s work.
If you enjoy Megan Abbott’s atmospheric mysteries that explore the hidden layers of women’s lives, Sarah Waters could become your next favorite author. Waters writes intriguing historical fiction packed with suspense, complex characters, and carefully drawn settings.
Her novel, “Fingersmith,” takes you back to Victorian England, where two young women, Sue and Maud, are caught in a scheme of deception, betrayal, and unexpected attraction.
The story twists repeatedly, blurring lines between villain and victim, leaving readers eager to unravel the truth. Waters captures tension and emotional depth in a style that makes it difficult to set the book down.
Readers who enjoy Megan Abbott’s psychological thrillers will appreciate Lisa Unger’s suspenseful storytelling and complex exploration of human relationships.
Unger’s novel “Confessions on the 7:45” is about Selena Murphy, a woman whose ordinary commute home quickly turns extraordinary when she confides personal secrets to a stranger on a stalled train.
Soon afterward, Selena’s seemingly stable life becomes unsettled by mysterious disappearances and deception, prompting her to question who she can truly trust.
Fans of twisty plots, intimate betrayals, and vivid, flawed characters will find this story resonates with themes and tension similar to Abbott’s own novels.
If you enjoy Megan Abbott’s sharp exploration into complex relationships and suspenseful narratives, you might also appreciate Rebecca Makkai. Her novel, “The Great Believers,” skillfully connects two timelines: the AIDS epidemic of 1980s Chicago, and contemporary Paris.
The story focuses on Yale Tishman, who navigates friendships, love, and heartbreak amid the crisis, and Fiona, decades later, who seeks to reconnect with her estranged daughter.
Makkai captures friendship and loss with emotional depth and sensitivity, drawing you into the personal struggles faced during a devastating era and their echoes years afterward.
Readers who enjoy Megan Abbott’s suspenseful narratives might also appreciate the psychological thrillers of S.J. Watson. Watson masterfully explores memory and identity in his novel “Before I Go to Sleep.”
The story follows Christine, a woman who loses her memories each night as she sleeps. Every morning, she wakes with no recollection of her past, her husband, or the accident that caused her amnesia.
As Christine pieces together her history through journal entries, unsettling truths come to light, raising doubts about the people she trusts. Watson maintains tension and mystery throughout, making readers eager to unravel the truth along with Christine.
Julia Heaberlin crafts psychological thrillers filled with tension, dark secrets, and strong female characters, traits that also define Megan Abbott’s novels.
In “Black-Eyed Susans,” Heaberlin introduces readers to Tessa Cartwright, who survived a horrifying encounter with a serial killer as a teenager.
Years later, with the execution of her supposed attacker looming, Tessa begins to question what she remembers and wonders if the real killer is still out there.
The story shifts between past and present, with Tessa’s memories and current doubts building a deep, unsettling mystery. Readers drawn to Abbott’s exploration of complex characters and dark suspense may find similar depth and intensity in Heaberlin’s writing.
Alice Feeney crafts psychological thrillers with twists that sneak up on you quietly. Her stories reveal secrets hidden beneath ordinary surfaces. In “Sometimes I Lie,” Amber Reynolds wakes up in a hospital bed unable to move or speak. She can hear everything around her.
Amber doesn’t remember how she ended up in this state, but she suspects her husband had something to do with it. As the story flips between Amber’s childhood diaries, the week before the accident, and the present, the truth gets blurred.
The characters feel real, complex, and flawed. If you enjoy Megan Abbott’s dark explorations of secrets and deception, Alice Feeney offers a similarly satisfying experience.
Books by Emma Cline often explore dark themes set against familiar backdrops, capturing complex relationships and hidden tensions beneath everyday life. In her novel “The Girls,” Cline takes readers back to the late 1960s in Northern California.
The story revolves around teenager Evie Boyd, who becomes fascinated by an alluring group of girls who draw her into their captivating but unsettling world.
Influenced by events inspired by the Manson Family cult, Evie’s summer leads her into experiences of obsession, manipulation, and danger.
Cline’s vivid portrayal of adolescence and the subtle menace beneath a sun-soaked landscape may resonate strongly with readers who have enjoyed Megan Abbott’s work.
Books by Louise Doughty often explore dark truths lurking beneath ordinary lives.
In her novel “Apple Tree Yard,” Doughty plunges readers into the life of respected scientist Yvonne Carmichael, whose careful world unravels after one impulsive choice leads to devastating consequences.
When Yvonne starts a risky affair, the boundaries between desire and danger blur, throwing her into a whirlwind of secrecy, betrayal, and ultimately, courtroom drama.
Readers who enjoy Megan Abbott’s sharp insight into complex female characters and atmospheric storytelling may find Louise Doughty’s “Apple Tree Yard” equally absorbing.
Megan Miranda writes suspenseful novels about secrets, troubled pasts and complex female friendships. Readers who enjoyed Megan Abbott’s atmospheric mysteries will probably appreciate Miranda’s book, “All the Missing Girls.”
This novel tells the story of Nicolette Farrell, who returns to her southern hometown ten years after her best friend vanished mysteriously. Shortly after her return, another local woman disappears, forcing Nicolette to examine old wounds and buried secrets.
Miranda employs an unusual storytelling style by unfolding events in reverse, creating intriguing suspense right from the beginning. Fans of psychological thrillers with deep character exploration might find Miranda’s writing style engaging and fresh.