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Quick answer: If you loved Big Swiss, the HBO series, try Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason, Luster by Raven Leilani, Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney, My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh and Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff.
Big Swiss is an HBO series, not a book. It follows Greta, a dog-sitting transcriber who types up therapy sessions and becomes fascinated by one patient, a woman nicknamed Big Swiss. When they meet in real life, Greta hides how much she already knows. It is funny, tense and sexually frank, and viewers often want the same mix of messy desire and sharp observation in print. The picks below are novels about secret lives, boundaries, women’s inner worlds and intimacy that gets complicated. They’re adult books with mature themes and some explicit scenes.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love Big Swiss
Viewers love Big Swiss because it makes discomfort fun. The show’s premise, a woman who knows every secret of someone she’s falling for, is a gift for dark comedy and slow-burn tension, and Jenny Slate’s performance as Greta gives it warmth. It treats desire, shame and honesty with humor rather than judgment, and it explores what we choose to hide from the people we love. The small-town upstate New York setting adds a sense of cozy isolation.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about Big Swiss: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sorrow and Bliss | Meg Mason | Literary fiction | Funny, painful women |
| Luster | Raven Leilani | Literary fiction | Messy, modern desires |
| Fleishman Is in Trouble | Taffy Brodesser-Akner | Literary fiction | Marriage and secrets |
| Conversations with Friends | Sally Rooney | Literary fiction | Intimate, awkward relationships |
| My Year of Rest and Relaxation | Ottessa Moshfegh | Literary fiction | Dark humor |
| Fates and Furies | Lauren Groff | Literary fiction | Marriage from two sides |
| Heartburn | Nora Ephron | Fiction | Funny, messy marriage |
| Dept. of Speculation | Jenny Offill | Literary fiction | Short, fragmentary stories |
| Sweetbitter | Stephanie Danler | Literary fiction | Hunger and sex in the city |
| Writers and Lovers | Lily King | Literary fiction | Women creating lives |
| The Silent Patient | Alex Michaelides | Psychological thriller | Therapists and secrets |
| Convenience Store Woman | Sayaka Murata | Fiction | Quiet obsessions |
| Bunny | Mona Awad | Dark comedy | Weird, wicked women |
| Such a Fun Age | Kiley Reid | Literary fiction | Sharp social comedy |
| Beautiful World, Where Are You | Sally Rooney | Literary fiction | Friends and love |
1. Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
Martha struggles with an illness that no one can name, and her marriage and family strain under it. It’s funny and heartbreaking.
2. Luster by Raven Leilani
A young Black artist begins an affair with an older white man and becomes close to his wife. It’s biting and surprising.
3. Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
A newly divorced man’s life falls apart, and the story shifts to his ex-wife’s view. It’s sharp and funny.
4. Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney
A young writer in Dublin becomes entangled with an older married man. It’s sharp and understated.
5. My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
A wealthy young woman tries to sleep for a year in 2000 New York. It’s darkly funny.
6. Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
A couple’s marriage is told first from the husband’s side and then the wife’s. It’s rich and shocking.
7. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
A food writer discovers her husband’s affair while she’s pregnant. It’s witty and a classic.
8. Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
A woman reflects on marriage, motherhood and betrayal. It’s brief and brilliant.
9. Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
A young woman takes a job at a New York restaurant and falls into a world of appetite and obsession.
10. Writers and Lovers by Lily King
A grieving waitress working on her novel is torn between two men. It’s honest and hopeful.
11. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
A therapist is determined to find out why a woman who shot her husband refuses to speak.
12. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
A woman who has worked in a convenience store for eighteen years faces pressure to be normal. It’s short and surprising.
13. Bunny by Mona Awad
A scholarship student in an MFA program is drawn into a strange clique of rich girls. It’s surreal and wicked.
14. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
A Black babysitter and her well-meaning white employer collide. It’s funny and pointed about race.
15. Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
Two friends exchange emails about love, literature and the end of the world. It’s thoughtful.
How to Pick Your Next Read After Big Swiss
- Want funny and heartbreaking? Sorrow and Bliss and Heartburn.
- Want secrets between lovers? Fates and Furies and Fleishman Is in Trouble.
- Want dark humor? My Year of Rest and Relaxation and Bunny.
- Want something quick? Dept. of Speculation.
- Want a thriller about therapy? The Silent Patient.
- Check content notes. Several include explicit scenes and strong language.
Why There’s No Big Swiss Novel
Many viewers assume the show is based on a book because it is so well written, but Big Swiss was written for television. Because there is no direct book version, this list focuses on novels with similar themes: secrets, voyeurism, desire and women who observe others a little too closely. Many of these books include explicit scenes and strong language, so check content notes before you start.
Related: books like Normal People and best literary fiction books for book clubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Big Swiss based on a book?
No. Big Swiss is an original HBO series created for television.
What books are like Big Swiss?
Sorrow and Bliss, Luster, Fleishman Is in Trouble and Conversations with Friends share its mix of humor, desire and secrets.
Are these books explicit?
Several include sex scenes and strong language, so they are for adult readers.