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Quick answer: If you liked Love, Mom, try Daisy Darker, Verity, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Family Upstairs, The Guest List and Then She Was Gone. They share family secrets, suspicious deaths and twists.
Iliana Xander's 2025 psychological thriller follows a daughter who begins to suspect that her bestselling mother's death was murder. It combines family drama, mystery and unreliable narration. Readers who finish it want more domestic thrillers with secrets and surprises. These 15 books are built around family, inheritance and deadly secrets. Some include violence and disturbing themes.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Eyes on Him | Iliana Xander | Adult | more by the same author |
| Daisy Darker | Alice Feeney | Adult | readers who like closed circles |
| Verity | Colleen Hoover | Adult | readers who like writer thrillers |
| The Death of Mrs Westaway | Ruth Ware | Adult | readers who like inheritance plots |
| The Family Upstairs | Lisa Jewell | Adult | readers who like family mysteries |
| The Guest List | Lucy Foley | Adult | readers who like gatherings |
| Then She Was Gone | Lisa Jewell | Adult | readers who like emotion |
| One by One | Ruth Ware | Adult | readers who like locked settings |
| The Last Thing He Told Me | Laura Dave | Adult | readers who like family secrets |
| Home Before Dark | Riley Sager | Adult | readers who like haunted houses |
| Local Woman Missing | Mary Kubica | Adult | readers who like missing-person plots |
| The Silent Patient | Alex Michaelides | Adult | readers who like psychological twists |
| Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn | Adult | readers who want the classic |
| Rebecca | Daphne du Maurier | Adult | readers who want a classic |
| Big Little Lies | Liane Moriarty | Adult | readers who like social satire |
1. All Eyes on Him by Iliana Xander
Xander's earlier thriller. Another twisty story from the same author.
Best for: more by the same author.
2. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
A family gathers at a tidal island home, and members begin to die. A locked-room thriller.
Best for: readers who like closed circles.
3. Verity by Colleen Hoover
A struggling writer is hired to finish a famous author's series and finds a disturbing hidden manuscript. Dark and twisty.
Best for: readers who like writer thrillers.
4. The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware
Hal inherits money from a grandmother she never knew and goes to a funeral. Gothic and twisty.
Best for: readers who like inheritance plots.
5. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Libby inherits a London house and uncovers a dark story about the family who lived there. Twisty and gripping.
Best for: readers who like family mysteries.
6. The Guest List by Lucy Foley
A wedding on an island turns into a murder mystery. Told by several narrators.
Best for: readers who like gatherings.
7. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
A mother whose teen daughter vanished meets a man who changes everything. Twisty and moving.
Best for: readers who like emotion.
8. One by One by Ruth Ware
A tech company retreat in the Alps turns deadly. Tense and snowbound.
Best for: readers who like locked settings.
9. The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Hannah searches for the truth after her husband vanishes. Fast and emotional.
Best for: readers who like family secrets.
10. Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
Maggie returns to the house where her family lived, which is said to be haunted. Spooky and twisty.
Best for: readers who like haunted houses.
11. Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
A woman disappears, and years later her daughter returns. Twisty and emotional.
Best for: readers who like missing-person plots.
12. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
A therapist investigates why a woman stopped speaking after killing her husband. A big twist.
Best for: readers who like psychological twists.
13. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Amy disappears and her husband is the main suspect. A cynical marriage thriller.
Best for: readers who want the classic.
14. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
A young bride lives in the shadow of Manderley's first Mrs. de Winter. Gothic suspense.
Best for: readers who want a classic.
15. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Parents at a school hide secrets that come out after a trivia night ends in death. Sharp and funny.
Best for: readers who like social satire.
How to Choose
If you want more Xander, read All Eyes on Him. For inheritance and family secrets, try The Death of Mrs Westaway or The Family Upstairs. For a closed circle, choose Daisy Darker or One by One. A simple plan is to read a thriller in a weekend and avoid spoilers. These books include violence and psychological tension. A good plan is to read the book in a few long sittings and keep track of who knows what. If you prefer audio, thrillers with multiple narrators make the twists more fun. After a tense story, read something lighter to reset. For variety, mix in one ghost story such as Home Before Dark between the domestic thrillers.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Love, Mom about?
A daughter suspects her famous mother's death was not an accident and investigates family secrets.
Is it a standalone?
Yes. It is a separate thriller.
Is it scary?
It is suspenseful and twisty rather than gory.
Which book is closest?
Daisy Darker and Verity are close for family secrets and writers.
Do I need to know the author's other book?
No. Each thriller can be read alone.
How can I avoid spoilers?
Skip book reviews with reveals, and avoid reading the last chapter first.
Is Love, Mom suitable for book clubs?
Yes, its family secrets and ending invite lively debate.