If you enjoy reading books by Patricia Highsmith then you might also like the following authors:
If you enjoyed Patricia Highsmith, you might also appreciate Gillian Flynn. Flynn writes dark psychological thrillers, often focused on intense and unsettling relationships. One of her well-known novels is “Gone Girl.”
It begins with the disappearance of Amy Dunne on her fifth wedding anniversary. At first her husband Nick seems like an average guy, but soon secrets and lies emerge.
The novel switches between their perspectives and constantly surprises the reader, revealing hidden motives and unexpected turns. Flynn creates characters that are complex, flawed and memorable.
Ruth Rendell was a British crime author known for psychological thrillers. Readers who enjoy Patricia Highsmith often find Rendell’s stories appealing because she creates tense atmospheres rooted in everyday situations.
Rendell’s characters seem ordinary on the surface, but their hidden thoughts often lead them into disturbing situations. Her novel “A Judgement in Stone” shows a housekeeper named Eunice who struggles to hide the fact she cannot read.
The shame Eunice feels about this secret causes her anxiety to build up, and eventually it pushes her toward something bad happening to the family she works for. Rendell makes readers understand how small, private struggles can quickly turn into horrible acts.
If you enjoyed Patricia Highsmith’s psychological stories, you might like Ira Levin. Levin wrote books that deal with creepy suspense and twisted situations.
His novel “Rosemary’s Baby” is about Rosemary, a young woman who moves with her husband into a strange old apartment building. Soon, Rosemary feels her neighbors are involved in sinister activities related to her unborn child.
Levin creates suspense through everyday situations, slowly revealing disturbing truths. Readers who appreciate Patricia Highsmith’s suspenseful, character-focused writing may find Ira Levin’s books appealing too.
Joyce Carol Oates is an American author who writes psychological stories filled with suspense and characters who feel realistic. Readers who enjoy Patricia Highsmith’s dark and intense style may appreciate Oates’ novel “Zombie.”
The book centers on Quentin P., a disturbed young man attempting to kidnap young men in his twisted desire to create a mindless servant. Through Quentin’s chilling perspective, readers experience a tense and unsettling story built around obsession and madness.
Oates creates tension through Quentin’s ordinary-seeming life contrasted with the disturbing activities he pursues secretly.
Shirley Jackson writes dark stories filled with suspense and unsettling characters. Her book “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” tells about two sisters who live alone in their isolated family home after a mysterious poisoning tragedy.
Strange rumors in the village and the odd behavior of the younger sister Merricat slowly reveal disturbing secrets hidden behind their quiet life.
Readers who enjoy Patricia Highsmith’s creepy atmosphere and unusual characters may appreciate Shirley Jackson’s similarly dark world in this book.
Daphne du Maurier was an English author who wrote suspenseful novels with interesting characters in tough situations. Her book “Rebecca” tells the story of a young woman who marries a wealthy man named Maxim de Winter.
When she arrives at his estate called Manderley, she realizes the memory of his first wife Rebecca still haunts him and the household. Mystery and tension build as hidden secrets slowly emerge.
The main character feels overshadowed by Rebecca’s memory, especially because everyone around her often compares the two women. For readers who enjoy Patricia Highsmith’s twisted psychological plots and tense atmosphere, Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca” would be a great pick.
Donna Tartt is an author known for creating intriguing stories about crime and the dark sides of human nature. If you’re a fan of Patricia Highsmith’s tense psychological tales, you might enjoy Tartt’s novel “The Secret History.”
This book centers on a small group of college students who step into a dangerous situation. After an unexpected crime, their trust is put to the test. The tense atmosphere and complex relationships create a constant sense of suspense.
The storyline stays with you long after you close the book.
Patricia Cornwell writes crime fiction in a direct style readers of Patricia Highsmith can enjoy. Her novel “Postmortem” introduces Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner who investigates difficult murder cases in Richmond, Virginia.
Scarpetta must piece together clues from forensic details such as fibers found at scenes or the small cuts on victims’ bodies. Instead of a typical detective, she brings readers into the lab and morgue, where each small discovery helps her move closer to the killer.
Cornwell shows careful attention to forensic methods and human motives, leading readers through a mystery that keeps their attention without tricking them.
Tana French writes mysteries set in Ireland, with stories that focus on psychology and character rather than just action and suspense. Readers who enjoy Patricia Highsmith might appreciate French’s novel “In the Woods.” This book centers around detective Rob Ryan.
As a child he survived a traumatic event when two of his friends disappeared without a trace. Years later, as a detective, Ryan investigates a case in the same town where a girl has been killed, and the new crime brings up details of his own mysterious past.
The plot moves slowly but with depth, and the events twist together so it becomes unclear whom to trust or what secrets characters might hold back.
Raymond Chandler wrote detective novels set in the gritty streets of Los Angeles. He created a detective named Philip Marlowe, who appears in several of his novels.
In “The Big Sleep,” Marlowe faces a complicated case involving two wealthy sisters, a missing husband and blackmail. Chandler fills the story with sharp dialogue, shady characters and clever twists.
If you enjoy Highsmith’s suspenseful style, Chandler’s way of creating dark atmospheres and memorable characters might appeal to you too.
If you like Patricia Highsmith, you might also enjoy the novels of Harlan Coben. His books often explore the dark side of everyday life and the secrets ordinary people hide.
In his novel “The Stranger,” Adam Price has what seems to be a perfect life until a complete stranger approaches him with shocking details about his family. Suddenly nothing in Adam’s world feels certain.
He must find out who the stranger is and how he learned these deeply personal facts. The deeper Adam searches, the more dangerous his situation becomes. It’s the kind of story that quickly pulls readers into its tense mystery.
Albert Camus was a French writer known for stories about ordinary people who face unusual circumstances. Many readers of Patricia Highsmith enjoy her insight into the way people behave when put under pressure. Camus explores something similar in his book “The Stranger.”
The story is about a regular man named Meursault who unexpectedly commits a crime, and then struggles to explain even to himself why he did it. The novel then follows how he deals with the consequences and society’s judgment toward him.
“The Stranger” is easy and clear to read, and has a similar dark tone that Patricia Highsmith’s readers appreciate.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman was an American author who wrote the famous short story “The Yellow Wallpaper.” The story offers a look at a woman’s experience after her husband decides she needs rest due to her nerves.
She feels trapped in a room with strange wallpaper patterns that slowly affect her thoughts. Gilman’s clear style and the tension in her story remind some readers of Patricia Highsmith. Those who enjoy suspense and psychological stories could find this tale an intriguing read.
Colin Dexter wrote the Inspector Morse detective books, featuring a smart but grumpy detective named Morse who solves complicated crimes. Readers who enjoy Patricia Highsmith’s psychological style may like Dexter’s “Last Bus to Woodstock.”
In this book, Inspector Morse investigates the secretive circumstances around a young woman’s murder after she hitchhikes a ride toward Woodstock. The clues lead Morse into the lives of people with hidden motives and questionable alibis.
Dexter creates realistic and flawed characters who keep you curious up until the final reveal.
Henning Mankell is a Swedish author known for crime fiction with deep psychological detail, similar in style to Patricia Highsmith. His novel “Faceless Killers” introduces detective Kurt Wallander, called to investigate a brutal attack at a quiet Swedish farmhouse.
Wallander struggles with personal issues while confronting complex social tensions in his small community. The story follows his determined pursuit of justice, offering readers suspense rooted in the careful exploration of characters and motives.
Fans who appreciate the thoughtful yet tense worlds drawn by Highsmith would likely be drawn into Mankell’s storytelling and layered characters.