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Quick answer: If you finished We Need to Talk About Kevin, try The Push, Defending Jacob, The Bad Seed, A Mother's Reckoning, Sharp Objects and Everything I Never Told You. They share dark questions about parents, children and blame.
Lionel Shriver's novel is told as letters from Eva to her husband about their son Kevin, who committed a school massacre. It asks hard questions: did Eva fail Kevin, or was he born that way? Readers who finish it often look for fiction and nonfiction about difficult children, motherhood and family secrets. These 15 books are disturbing in various ways, and several involve violence and child harm.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Push | Ashley Audrain | Adult | readers who want the closest match |
| Defending Jacob | William Landay | Adult | readers who like courtroom thrillers |
| The Bad Seed | William March | Adult | classic horror fans |
| A Mother's Reckoning | Sue Klebold | Adult | readers who want the real story |
| Sharp Objects | Gillian Flynn | Adult | readers who like psychological thrillers |
| Gone Girl | Gillian Flynn | Adult | readers who like unreliable narrators |
| The Dinner | Herman Koch | Adult | readers who like moral dilemmas |
| Big Little Lies | Liane Moriarty | Adult | readers who want drama |
| Everything I Never Told You | Celeste Ng | Adult | readers who like family drama |
| Nineteen Minutes | Jodi Picoult | Adult | readers who want a similar subject |
| My Sister's Keeper | Jodi Picoult | Adult | readers who like moral questions |
| Beautiful Boy | David Sheff | Adult | readers who want a true story |
| Little Fires Everywhere | Celeste Ng | Adult | readers who like community dramas |
| Room | Emma Donoghue | Adult | readers who like a child narrator |
| The Girls | Emma Cline | Adult | readers who like coming-of-age darkness |
1. The Push by Ashley Audrain
Blythe fears that her daughter is not the child she expected, and no one believes her. A tense debut about motherhood and doubt.
Best for: readers who want the closest match.
2. Defending Jacob by William Landay
A district attorney's son is accused of murder, and the family comes under strain. A legal thriller with a family twist.
Best for: readers who like courtroom thrillers.
3. The Bad Seed by William March
Rhoda, an eight-year-old, is sweet on the surface but does terrible things. A 1954 classic that started the evil-child novel.
Best for: classic horror fans.
4. A Mother's Reckoning by Sue Klebold
The mother of one of the Columbine shooters writes about the aftermath and what she learned. Honest and heartbreaking nonfiction.
Best for: readers who want the real story.
5. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Camille returns to her hometown to report on the murder of two girls and faces her family. Dark and stylish.
Best for: readers who like psychological thrillers.
6. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Amy disappears on her wedding anniversary, and her husband becomes the main suspect. A twisty, cynical marriage thriller.
Best for: readers who like unreliable narrators.
7. The Dinner by Herman Koch
Two couples meet at a restaurant to discuss a terrible thing their sons have done. Chilling and darkly funny.
Best for: readers who like moral dilemmas.
8. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Parents at a school in Australia have secrets that come out after a trivia night ends in death. Sharp, funny and dark.
Best for: readers who want drama.
9. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
A Chinese American family tries to understand the death of their daughter Lydia. Moving and quietly devastating.
Best for: readers who like family drama.
10. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
A school shooting in a small New Hampshire town, told from many sides. Gripping and emotional.
Best for: readers who want a similar subject.
11. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Anna, born to be a donor for her sister, sues for control of her body. A family drama with an ethical edge.
Best for: readers who like moral questions.
12. Beautiful Boy by David Sheff
A father's memoir of his son's addiction to methamphetamine and his own struggle to understand it. Honest nonfiction about family pain and love.
Best for: readers who want a true story.
13. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Two families in Shaker Heights clash over adoption, art and class. Beautifully written and tense.
Best for: readers who like community dramas.
14. Room by Emma Donoghue
Five-year-old Jack lives in a single room with his mother, who is held captive. Told by Jack, it is tender and gripping.
Best for: readers who like a child narrator.
15. The Girls by Emma Cline
Evie, a lonely teen in 1969 California, is drawn to a cult-like group of girls. Atmospheric and unsettling.
Best for: readers who like coming-of-age darkness.
How to Choose
If you want a thriller, pick Defending Jacob or Sharp Objects. For a mother's anxiety, read The Push. For real-life insight, try A Mother's Reckoning. For quieter family drama, choose Everything I Never Told You or Little Fires Everywhere. Almost every title here includes harm to children or violence, so choose carefully. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 in the US.
Related: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz: Summary and Key Takeaways · How to Talk So Kids Will Listen by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
Is We Need to Talk About Kevin a true story?
No. It is fiction, though it was inspired by real school shootings.
Why is the book told in letters?
Eva writes to her husband Franklin, which lets her reflect on events and question her own role.
Is the movie faithful?
The 2011 film starring Tilda Swinton keeps the story but shows less of Eva's inner thoughts.
Is The Push too intense?
It deals with child death and mental distress, so it may be hard for new parents.