Clare Mackintosh's favourite thrillers with twists you won't see coming
If you're often hooked on a deliciously dark TV series or first in line for the latest crime novel from your favourite author, you're in for a treat. Bestselling crime writer Clare Mackintosh – author of I Let You Go and the brand-new It's Not What You Think – joins us to share her top ten thrillers packed with jaw-dropping twists.
"My former police career showed me how life can throw a curveball when we're least expecting it, which is perhaps why I can’t resist slipping a twist or two into my crime novels. Like most authors, I'm also an avid reader, and if 'books with twists' can be considered a genre, it's my favourite. A twist is far more than simply a reveal of who the villain is, or where the body is buried, it's a reversal of everything that came before it; a confidence trick in which the writer steers you in one direction, when the truth was somewhere else all along. Here are some of my favourite twisty thrillers – no spoilers, I promise." Clare Mackintosh
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The OG of contemporary literary twists, this missing-wife mystery is rightly held up as a masterclass of misdirection. I'm in awe of the sheer audacity of the structure, and the way Flynn weaponises the reader's preconceptions.
Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
The way my jaw DROPPED when I hit the twist! Christine has a unique form of memory loss, and her unreliable narration is central to this compelling psychological drama. The second I finished it, I began reading it again, just to see how cleverly I'd been played.
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
Marketed with the hashtag #WTFthatending, this has to be one of the divisive twists in publishing! A psychological thriller about a single mother drawn into a dangerous triangle with her boss and his wife.
The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
If you haven't seen the movie, do yourself a favour and read the book instead. With echoes of the classic Rebecca, this psychological thriller centres on the growing relationship between a young housekeeper and the husband of the woman who employed her.
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Set on a remote island housing an institution for the criminally insane, this classic novel sets the tone from the very first page. Even though I already knew the twist, it still hit me like a sucker-punch – proof that a great twist relies on more than just surprise.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelidas
I can't believe there's a thriller reader out there who hasn't come across this New York Times sensation. The story unfolds through the therapy sessions of a celebrated painter who hasn't uttered a word since the day she shot her husband. If you've yet to read it, you're in for a treat.
The Interview by C. M. Ewan
Job interviews are terrifying enough, right? Now imagine there's no one in the building apart from you and your interviewer, who is fast revealing themselves to be a psychopath. This is such a claustrophobic read, which builds from slow burn suspense to survival thriller.
When I Was Ten by Fiona Cummins
A woman is forced to confront her past, when a notorious killer is released from prison. I'm a huge fan of Fiona Cummins' atmospheric writing and I was gripped by this unsettling exploration of childhood and complicity.
59 Minutes by Holly Seddon
My stand-out book of 2025, 59 Minutes centres on a simple premise: if a nuclear missile were set to hit the UK, what would you do with the time you had left? I was so caught up in the intensity of this ticking-clock thriller that when the twist came, it knocked me sideways.
Everyone Here is Lying by Shari Lapena
One of my auto-buy authors, Shari Lapena's novels put ordinary people into extraordinary situations. This supposedly straight-forward investigation into a missing child takes an unexpected turn as one small lie turns into a web of deceit, subverting our assumptions about danger and guilt.
About It's Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh
YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE
Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs.
She's been here before.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST
When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he's lying. He's with another woman, and she’s determined to catch him in the act.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS
But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can't explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…
Jamie is dead.
IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK
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