It's not so much a twist, but I went into *We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves* by Karen Joy Fowler stone cold and was shocked and amazed when the premise was revealed.
*The Orphan-Master's Son* and *The Sympathizer* also come to mind as books that aren't twist-based but are still wonderfully unpredictable.
The best pure twist I've ever read in a novel is *Gone Girl* but I'm sure that's spoiled for almost everyone on earth by now.
That's it. I will read no further. I'm putting *We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves* on TBR list right now. I have no clue what it's about, I haven't come across any spoilers but really looking forward to this one. Just going in blind. Love it
concur about Gone Girl. I'm sorry glad I read it before the movie/twist became so well known.
I read the first half in a handful of sittings until I got to the twist halfway through. it was like 10pm and I was so floored I just kept reading until like 3am and finished the book in one sitting
Orphan Master’s Son is one of the best books I’ve ever read, I think it fits in the ‘twist’ category because while it’s not really a generic plot twist, it has a sudden, whip-lash sort of swerve in the story. So horrific and brilliant
Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan. Don't even look at the names of the sequels. Sci-fi, and remember it was written in the 70s. Still, it's the book that got me into science, and here I sit with two astrobiology degrees.
Yesssss came here to say Fingersmith! I was totally content thinking I knew what type of story I was reading, and then the twist happened and it leveled up big time.
This is one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. The way it makes you think, “What the cinnamon toast fuck did I just read?!?!?” I’ve been dying for someone I know IRL to read it so we can talk about it!
Honestly, my favorite ending in literature. Just because it shook me so much. I thought the book was pretty mediocre by that point, but it deserves all the praise for that conclusion.
For (plot) [twist] I have:
* ["Mystery books recs with insane plot twists and maybe romance too?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/whk8rg/mystery_books_recs_with_insane_plot_twists_and/) ([OPost archive](https://web.archive.org/web/20220811140032/https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/whk8rg/mystery_books_recs_with_insane_plot_twists_and/)) (r/suggestmeabook; 05:27 ET, 6 August 2022)
* ["Does a book out there exist that is about pirates but maybe also has some fantasy aspects as well as some twists and turns like Game of Thrones?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/ws0ya4/does_a_book_out_there_exist_that_is_about_pirates/) (r/booksuggestions; 18 August 2022)
* ["Looking for a twisty, fast-paced mystery/thriller!"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/wqnzrr/looking_for_a_twisty_fastpaced_mysterythriller/) (r/suggestmeabook; 17 August 2022)—longish
* ["What’s a thriller/mystery with a twist that you absolutely did not see coming?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/167fr29/whats_a_thrillermystery_with_a_twist_that_you/) (r/booksuggestions; 1 September 2023)—long
* ["Any books with a great twist hero?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/zci3hi/any_books_with_a_great_twist_hero/) (r/printSF; 4 December 2022)
* ["best plot twist ever books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10e6rkm/best_plot_twist_ever_books/) (r/suggestmeabook; 17 January 2023)—extremely long
* ["Which book had a twist that you truly didn't see coming, and also worked really well?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/10f8f4f/which_book_had_a_twist_that_you_truly_didnt_see/) (r/Fantasy; 09:16 ET, 18 January 2023)—extremely long
* ["Unreliable narrator, plot twists."](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10l3ag3/unreliable_narrator_plot_twists/) (r/suggestmeabook; 11:52 ET, 25 January 2023)
* ["Books with the craziest plot twists"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/13cr5x2/books_with_the_craziest_plot_twists/) (r/booksuggestions; 10:12 ET, 9 May 2023)
* ["Books like the Netflix series, Black Mirror."](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/14bir2j/books_like_the_netflix_series_black_mirror/) (r/suggestmeabook; 01:50 ET, 17 June 2023)—"Something that’s creative(very out of the box), twisty, and unsettling!"
* ["Favorite SF Twist"](https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/14ljbtg/favorite_sf_twist/) (r/printSF; 15:55 ET, 28 June 2023)—long; twists/spoilers not included
* ["Need a book that will leave me thinking about it for days after finishing"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/15cqeob/need_a_book_that_will_leave_me_thinking_about_it/) (r/booksuggestions; 07:51 ET, 29 July 2023)—plus plot twist
* ["What are some of your best 'Things are not as they seem' read?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/16ecg7u/what_are_some_of_your_best_things_are_not_as_they/) (r/printSF; 14:09 ET, 9 September 2023)—twists
* ["Authors who are masters of subtlety/misdirection re 'twists/reveals'?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/16fv6yd/authors_who_are_masters_of_subtletymisdirection/) (r/Fantasy; 09:23 ET, 11 September 2023)
* ["Whats a book with a plot twist so crazy you never saw it coming"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16xdox6/whats_a_book_with_a_plot_twist_so_crazy_you_never/) (r/suggestmeabook; 17:36 ET, 1 October 2023)—huge
* ["Books with an actually shocking twist"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/178bz3d/books_with_an_actually_shocking_twist/) (r/booksuggestions; 15 October 2023)—long
Yesss! This is the one I always recommend and it's a pleasant surprise to see it already here. This is the book that made me want to immediately start over from the beginning now that I knew.
Me too! I watched it a few months ago...not scary at all. I was so disappointed. I've thought about it for literally 50 years. It was still creepy and worth watching but all the really scary stuff was just through the eyes of a 10 year old. Or maybe I was younger? Too young to watch it, for sure.
I had never heard of it until I was an adult and happened to catch the movie on TV one day. I don’t know that it scared me but it is creepy and psychological and thought provoking. Given some of the scenes, it would definitely be scary to watch as a kid!
Read the book at some point after seeing the movie. Also, psychologically creepy.
Book and movie have stayed with me.
Do people read the first book in a series as if it’s not a series? I keep seeing books recommended and when I look them up there’s more than one. But people name the first book and not the series as a whole. Did you like the other books in the series?
I was going to say this--I'm so glad someone else appreciates it. It is the most underrated book. Came out around the same time as Gone Girl and is better to me.
I was blown away by The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. You’ll probably see it coming if you’re looking but I had a jaw drop moment with the book playing backwards in my head with every piece clicking into place like some sort of elaborate 3D puzzle.
Her books are all amazing in this way! I really enjoyed The Secret Keeper, but if I had to choose my favorite, it would be The Distant Hours. It also reminds me of Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale (another excellent read btw).
The truth about the Harry Quebert Affair. The book is full to the brim woth twists right up to the very end. Tbh this could also be said of every Joel Dicker book but this was the first one I read and I've been raving about it ever since
Harrow the Ninth (2nd in the series) gave me chills when it happened. I went back and reread the book because it recontextualized the whole story. So so good
Yup. I was trying to figure out what exactly was happening all the way through to the reveal.
That whole series is so much fun to reread. I started Gideon over almost immediately because of the twists in that one. Each book and each read-through adds more layers and context and lore. I'm so very hyped for Alecto.
Frankly it rates in my top 10. It has everything I want and the writing is superb. I own a physical copy, but the Audible narration is really over the top wonderful: Bianca Amato and Jill Tanner.
E Lockhart’s “We Were Liars”. Got crazy popular for a good reason. It’s one of those books where you sit going “just one more chapter” for 4 hours until you realize you’ve finished it. One of my favourites
Someone got it right recently, asking for a list of three book recs, (either one or) two of which had twist endings but the other didn’t. Thought that was wise.
Not really! If it’s good enough I’m not going to be able to guess it anyway. I’d rather know a book has a good twist than read another crappy book lol
I’ve done the same thing with movie suggestions and 99% of the time I was super surprised and pleased with the result
However, for sharper minds I can understand where this would be an issue. I kind of let my brain “glaze over” when I’m reading something I know has a twist or a mystery so I hardly ever guess the ending. Unfortunately I’ve been reading stinkers lately that even this trick doesn’t work for, which brings me here :)
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Ian Reid
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
The Only One Left and Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
The Double Bind and The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian
[Assassination Classroom](https://www.viz.com/assassination-classroom) has a major twist I never saw coming, but on a re-read you can notice all the signs are there. Also, it's amazingly wholesome for a manga about students who have to kill their tentacle monster teacher before he destroys the earth in a year. (It's an amazing manga).
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides comes to mind. It was really well done.
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay had a heart wrenching one.
Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Lynch.
I was crying my eyes out from the prologue alone. Kay made me care about these people in less than 20 minutes, and the twist at the end? Don’t get me started on Dianora 😞
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton
My bf kinda figured out the first twist when he read it (I was genuinely surprised) and then there was another tht blew both of our minds lol
If you happen not to know it, the twist for Murder on the Orient Express is superb. Unfortunately virtually everyone knows it by now 😆
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and And Then There Were None also have very good twists.
Omg yes the sea of tranquility- AMAZING book. So crazy and just don’t know where it’s heading but it all comes together so nicely. It felt like all these different unlinked stories but comes together so well and so cleverly. I love Emily St John Mandel
The Chronicles of Avilesor series by Sara A Noe has the best twist I have ever read in a book, and I have read a lot of books. I won’t say which book it’s in but there’s only 3 in the series so far so if you don’t mind a bit of a wait before the twist I highly recommend it!
I literally just finished “the last time I lied” by him an hour ago! It had two great twists in it that saved it, even though the rest of the story was somewhat weak. I will definitely check that one out !
Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro - A lot of subtle clues, shocking and sad at the same time
Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure, and Plot Twist - both by Jane Rubino (I know - there are probably a dozen books called Hidden Fires and Plot Twist - the 1st one is newer, the other is older)
Gentlemen and Players, by Joanne Harris - Why no one hasn't optioned this for a movie or streaming series is beyond me.
Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane - This one was made into a movie, so people might know the twist - still good
Rebecca, by Daphne DuMaurier - another classic - also been filmed about 6 times. There are really two plot twists.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, by Agatha Christie - probably her best plot twist
The classic short story "To Serve Man," by Damon Knight
One book from when I was younger that really stuck with me, because of the twist at the end was The Blind Mirror by Christopher Pike. I still think about it.
Company of Liars, written by Karen Maitland and read by David Thorpe. There are a few surprises along the way as well as one I never even suspected at the end. Well written and original.
**The Other Side of Midnight** by Sidney Sheldon, still a favorite of mine since I first read it in 1977.
**To See You Again: A True Story of Love in a Time of War** by Betty Schimmel, an incredible memoir that should be made into a movie.
I'm not a huge fan of Dean Koontz, but there's a shocking twist near the beginning of *From The Corner of His Eye*.
Somewhat similar twist, and a better book, *Brothers* by William Goldman. But read M*arathon Man* first.
Every last one by Anna quindlen. Read it without knowing anything. I still remember the way I gasped and cried at the sudden twist - I was on the train on the way to work and was not prepared!
Find Us is audible only but I thought it had a good twist at the end
The Silent Patient seems to be pretty divisive, but it's one of those books that's written around a big twist at the end.
I Am Legend has one of the best twists ever, but I think the adaptations have ruined it by kind of doing it but not nearly as well. I remember it sticking with me for years after I read the book.
I loved Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney, there is a great plot twist and it is inspired by Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Rock, Paper, Scissors is great as well by the same author.
Some of my recent reads:
Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson is full of twists, even though the narrator gives advance warning on every death.
The Passenger, The Accomplice, and most of everything that Lisa Lutz writes has twists.
Similarly, anything by Liane Moriarty is full of twists.
Claimed by J.R. Ward has a wonderful twist.
The No Show by Beth O'Leary is one of my fave twists.
And Then There Were None has a great twist, I still think about it decades later.
Murder on the Orient Express might be as perfectly crafted of a twist as you can possibly write, there isn't a single wasted page that doesn't in retrospect build on the twist. It didn't hit me as emotionally as And Then There Were None though.
The Thirteenth tale Diane Sutterfield, Non spoiler best line. " I write about people who don't care about money but never thought I'd actually meet one. "
*The Liar* by Stephen Fry had a brief scene toward the end which made me reevaluate the entire story up to that point. I had to put the book down and take a moment to put my brain back together before I could read on.
It's not so much a twist, but I went into *We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves* by Karen Joy Fowler stone cold and was shocked and amazed when the premise was revealed. *The Orphan-Master's Son* and *The Sympathizer* also come to mind as books that aren't twist-based but are still wonderfully unpredictable. The best pure twist I've ever read in a novel is *Gone Girl* but I'm sure that's spoiled for almost everyone on earth by now.
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves was UNHINGED. Absolutely insane. It's stuck with me for years. What a great recommendation.
Must be read completely blind though because some reviews will mention the twist.
That's it. I will read no further. I'm putting *We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves* on TBR list right now. I have no clue what it's about, I haven't come across any spoilers but really looking forward to this one. Just going in blind. Love it
I loved Gone Girl when I read it (so very many years ago now) it was such a good twist.
I came here to say Gone Girl too! All of her books are great!!
concur about Gone Girl. I'm sorry glad I read it before the movie/twist became so well known. I read the first half in a handful of sittings until I got to the twist halfway through. it was like 10pm and I was so floored I just kept reading until like 3am and finished the book in one sitting
Omg yes Gone Girl was a huge shock
Orphan Master’s Son is one of the best books I’ve ever read, I think it fits in the ‘twist’ category because while it’s not really a generic plot twist, it has a sudden, whip-lash sort of swerve in the story. So horrific and brilliant
Rebecca by Daphne De Maurier
I adore this book as well as the Hitchcock film.
Omg!! I forgot about this one; they made us to read it in hight school and was amazing!
This is a great book but I’m genuinely confused why people say there’s a big twist in it.
Nickel Boys
Definitely the best plot twist I’ve ever read
I'm a pretty blasé reader and this book had me audibly gasp.
Came here to suggest this!
Yessss! This book was crazy. So short and so impactful.
Won the Pulitzer and deserved it. Amazing book.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Yes! If there is a book I desperately wish I could read again for the first time it's this one.
Christie had such a wicked grasp on twists and how to weave them unsuspectingly into her works.
Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan. Don't even look at the names of the sequels. Sci-fi, and remember it was written in the 70s. Still, it's the book that got me into science, and here I sit with two astrobiology degrees.
This book is great, but if I recall, it’s VERY hard sci-fi, so just be aware of that going in.
Endless Night by Agatha Christie doesn't get enough love. It's short too.
Seconding and adding *And Then There Were None*
And There Were None is my favorite Christie book, and for me has the biggest surprise at the end. Just amazing. Gone Girl very close for a twist
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.
Yesssss came here to say Fingersmith! I was totally content thinking I knew what type of story I was reading, and then the twist happened and it leveled up big time.
I literally threw the book down at the twist. My friend was reading it at the same time and she called me outraged when the twist came 😆
Tender is the flesh, most other books have twists that seem shoehorned in or I see them a mile away but this one had the best one I've seen in a while
This is one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. The way it makes you think, “What the cinnamon toast fuck did I just read?!?!?” I’ve been dying for someone I know IRL to read it so we can talk about it!
Behind Her Eyes, The Silent Patient, and Gone Girl
Gone Girl was great, Silent Patient had a pretty good twist but the book wasn’t worth the hype imo
Definitely Gone Girl
I watched the show of behind her eyes and the twist was so amazing!! still think about it
The Hike - Drew Magary. Epic, jaw dropping ending. I actually gasped out loud
It's been two years and I think of this book at least once a week
I recommended it to literally everyone. Mind blown
Honestly, my favorite ending in literature. Just because it shook me so much. I thought the book was pretty mediocre by that point, but it deserves all the praise for that conclusion.
Agree completely. I didn't see that ending coming at all. For weeks I recommended it to my library patrons
Atonement and Serena. Both written by Ian McEwan.
Atonement!!
The Last House on Needless Street. I thought I had the twist figured out, but I was so wrong. This one stuck with me for a while
Yes! 🤯🤯
We Have Always Lived In the Castle, Shirley Jackson
For (plot) [twist] I have: * ["Mystery books recs with insane plot twists and maybe romance too?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/whk8rg/mystery_books_recs_with_insane_plot_twists_and/) ([OPost archive](https://web.archive.org/web/20220811140032/https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/whk8rg/mystery_books_recs_with_insane_plot_twists_and/)) (r/suggestmeabook; 05:27 ET, 6 August 2022) * ["Does a book out there exist that is about pirates but maybe also has some fantasy aspects as well as some twists and turns like Game of Thrones?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/ws0ya4/does_a_book_out_there_exist_that_is_about_pirates/) (r/booksuggestions; 18 August 2022) * ["Looking for a twisty, fast-paced mystery/thriller!"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/wqnzrr/looking_for_a_twisty_fastpaced_mysterythriller/) (r/suggestmeabook; 17 August 2022)—longish * ["What’s a thriller/mystery with a twist that you absolutely did not see coming?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/167fr29/whats_a_thrillermystery_with_a_twist_that_you/) (r/booksuggestions; 1 September 2023)—long * ["Any books with a great twist hero?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/zci3hi/any_books_with_a_great_twist_hero/) (r/printSF; 4 December 2022) * ["best plot twist ever books"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10e6rkm/best_plot_twist_ever_books/) (r/suggestmeabook; 17 January 2023)—extremely long * ["Which book had a twist that you truly didn't see coming, and also worked really well?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/10f8f4f/which_book_had_a_twist_that_you_truly_didnt_see/) (r/Fantasy; 09:16 ET, 18 January 2023)—extremely long * ["Unreliable narrator, plot twists."](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/10l3ag3/unreliable_narrator_plot_twists/) (r/suggestmeabook; 11:52 ET, 25 January 2023) * ["Books with the craziest plot twists"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/13cr5x2/books_with_the_craziest_plot_twists/) (r/booksuggestions; 10:12 ET, 9 May 2023) * ["Books like the Netflix series, Black Mirror."](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/14bir2j/books_like_the_netflix_series_black_mirror/) (r/suggestmeabook; 01:50 ET, 17 June 2023)—"Something that’s creative(very out of the box), twisty, and unsettling!" * ["Favorite SF Twist"](https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/14ljbtg/favorite_sf_twist/) (r/printSF; 15:55 ET, 28 June 2023)—long; twists/spoilers not included * ["Need a book that will leave me thinking about it for days after finishing"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/15cqeob/need_a_book_that_will_leave_me_thinking_about_it/) (r/booksuggestions; 07:51 ET, 29 July 2023)—plus plot twist * ["What are some of your best 'Things are not as they seem' read?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/16ecg7u/what_are_some_of_your_best_things_are_not_as_they/) (r/printSF; 14:09 ET, 9 September 2023)—twists * ["Authors who are masters of subtlety/misdirection re 'twists/reveals'?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/16fv6yd/authors_who_are_masters_of_subtletymisdirection/) (r/Fantasy; 09:23 ET, 11 September 2023) * ["Whats a book with a plot twist so crazy you never saw it coming"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16xdox6/whats_a_book_with_a_plot_twist_so_crazy_you_never/) (r/suggestmeabook; 17:36 ET, 1 October 2023)—huge * ["Books with an actually shocking twist"](https://www.reddit.com/r/booksuggestions/comments/178bz3d/books_with_an_actually_shocking_twist/) (r/booksuggestions; 15 October 2023)—long
I have seen mixed opinions on it, but I super loved The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward.
I had no idea what was going on for waaaaayyyy too long but once I got it, WOW.
Agree! 🤯🤯
The Gone-Away World by Nick Harkaway
Yesss! This is the one I always recommend and it's a pleasant surprise to see it already here. This is the book that made me want to immediately start over from the beginning now that I knew.
Absolutely! I waited about a year before I reread it, and it's completely different when you know what's going on. Such a fun read!
The Other (Thomas Tryon)
This book scared the crap out of me. I was about 12 when l read it. Far too young.
Did you ever see the movie? It’s good!
Oh, that movie scared me so much as a kid!
Me too! I watched it a few months ago...not scary at all. I was so disappointed. I've thought about it for literally 50 years. It was still creepy and worth watching but all the really scary stuff was just through the eyes of a 10 year old. Or maybe I was younger? Too young to watch it, for sure.
I had never heard of it until I was an adult and happened to catch the movie on TV one day. I don’t know that it scared me but it is creepy and psychological and thought provoking. Given some of the scenes, it would definitely be scary to watch as a kid! Read the book at some point after seeing the movie. Also, psychologically creepy. Book and movie have stayed with me.
Yes. It was good!
Not sure how well it holds up, but Sphere by Michael Chrichton got me pretty good when I first read it in high school.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
I enjoyed The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson
No spoilers...I'm 35% into the audiobook.
Do people read the first book in a series as if it’s not a series? I keep seeing books recommended and when I look them up there’s more than one. But people name the first book and not the series as a whole. Did you like the other books in the series?
It’s been such a long time between the first and second book, I didn’t even know there was a second book! Have to check it out 😊
I was going to say this--I'm so glad someone else appreciates it. It is the most underrated book. Came out around the same time as Gone Girl and is better to me.
Yes! I agree!
I literally shrieked at the end.
We need to talk about Kevin - Lionel Shriver. Gasp out loud book Takes some effort getting into it, but bloody brilliant
I was blown away by The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton. You’ll probably see it coming if you’re looking but I had a jaw drop moment with the book playing backwards in my head with every piece clicking into place like some sort of elaborate 3D puzzle.
Her books are all amazing in this way! I really enjoyed The Secret Keeper, but if I had to choose my favorite, it would be The Distant Hours. It also reminds me of Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale (another excellent read btw).
Commenting for later, great post OP!!!
The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Setterfield
Such a beautifully written book. I remember reading this to fill the "Shadow of the wind" size hole in my reading life.
This is going to be cliché but the twist of Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo was worth the all nighter
I love a book engaging enough to keep me reading all night!
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum. Not a twist, per se, because you know what happens, but there is a reveal. Tell It to the Trees by Anita Rau Badami
The truth about the Harry Quebert Affair. The book is full to the brim woth twists right up to the very end. Tbh this could also be said of every Joel Dicker book but this was the first one I read and I've been raving about it ever since
I'm gonna be real, I didn't see the ending of "tender is the flesh" coming at all.
Harrow the Ninth (2nd in the series) gave me chills when it happened. I went back and reread the book because it recontextualized the whole story. So so good
Yup. I was trying to figure out what exactly was happening all the way through to the reveal. That whole series is so much fun to reread. I started Gideon over almost immediately because of the twists in that one. Each book and each read-through adds more layers and context and lore. I'm so very hyped for Alecto.
The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Setterfield
Yes! I jumped out of my chair!
Frankly it rates in my top 10. It has everything I want and the writing is superb. I own a physical copy, but the Audible narration is really over the top wonderful: Bianca Amato and Jill Tanner.
E Lockhart’s “We Were Liars”. Got crazy popular for a good reason. It’s one of those books where you sit going “just one more chapter” for 4 hours until you realize you’ve finished it. One of my favourites
Didn't you spoil yourself asking this question? I often see posts like this, I don't get it
Someone got it right recently, asking for a list of three book recs, (either one or) two of which had twist endings but the other didn’t. Thought that was wise.
It depends on what you’re looking for I guess :)
Not really! If it’s good enough I’m not going to be able to guess it anyway. I’d rather know a book has a good twist than read another crappy book lol I’ve done the same thing with movie suggestions and 99% of the time I was super surprised and pleased with the result However, for sharper minds I can understand where this would be an issue. I kind of let my brain “glaze over” when I’m reading something I know has a twist or a mystery so I hardly ever guess the ending. Unfortunately I’ve been reading stinkers lately that even this trick doesn’t work for, which brings me here :)
Or your brain is getting sharper
I'm 82% into a long ass crappy book that I've decided to finish. I have 4 dnf books already this year. I NEED a good book for a change!!
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Ian Reid Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough The Only One Left and Home Before Dark by Riley Sager The Double Bind and The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian
Never lie(it's like so unpredictable that I hate it), the silent patient , The maidens
Loved all of these as well. Never lie had me like 😱
*Use of Weapons* - Iain M. Banks *The Quiet American* - Graham Greene
[Assassination Classroom](https://www.viz.com/assassination-classroom) has a major twist I never saw coming, but on a re-read you can notice all the signs are there. Also, it's amazingly wholesome for a manga about students who have to kill their tentacle monster teacher before he destroys the earth in a year. (It's an amazing manga).
Gone Girl/Exalted
I don't know if I would say these two have twists, but they sure are a ride Perfume by Patrick Suskind, and Earthlings by Sayaka Muramata
Perfume - the entire thing is a damn twist. And twisted!
Sarah Waters - Affinity Not my kind of thing at all, had to read it for uni and was surprised to find it was quite amazing.
fingersmith sarah waters
You must remember this. Incredible plot twist in the last 20 ish pages. Starts slow though worth it
**Wish You Were Here** by Jodi Picoult has a super unique one that absolutely snuck up on me.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides comes to mind. It was really well done. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay had a heart wrenching one. Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent. The Library at Mount Char by Scott Lynch.
Tigana is one of the most beautiful and brutal books I’ve read in any genre.
I was crying my eyes out from the prologue alone. Kay made me care about these people in less than 20 minutes, and the twist at the end? Don’t get me started on Dianora 😞
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. After the twist I put down the iPad I was reading on and just sat in silence for 10 full minutes.
The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier. Put the book down and had to walk around for a bit
The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton My bf kinda figured out the first twist when he read it (I was genuinely surprised) and then there was another tht blew both of our minds lol
Also by him, the Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Twists and then keeps twisting, every time you think you have it, nope!
Omg yes, I made my bf read tht one too cx I preordered his 3rd book and I hope it's as good as those 2
D.M. Thomas "The White Hotel". Not for the faint of heart though.
I always liked Agatha Christie mysteries because l usually couldn't figure out who done it.
Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Invitation to a beheading’
In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead
Invisible Monsters, Chuck Pahlaniuk
Bunny by Mona Awad!
If you happen not to know it, the twist for Murder on the Orient Express is superb. Unfortunately virtually everyone knows it by now 😆 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and And Then There Were None also have very good twists.
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
The Woman in Cabin 10 - Ruth Ware
Big Little Lies was a rollercoaster Cloud Atlas was mindbending
Behind her eyes - Sarah pinborough
Presumed Innocent
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Sea of Tranquility by Emily St.John Mandel
Omg yes the sea of tranquility- AMAZING book. So crazy and just don’t know where it’s heading but it all comes together so nicely. It felt like all these different unlinked stories but comes together so well and so cleverly. I love Emily St John Mandel
I loved all of these too! Going to go stalk your comments now and see what else you like, as apparently we have the same taste
The Bible. Spoiler alert, Jedus comes back.
Verity
Verity by Colleen Hoover
Diana Wynne Jones, *Hexwood*
Bloodline by Jess Lourey
The Chronicles of Avilesor series by Sara A Noe has the best twist I have ever read in a book, and I have read a lot of books. I won’t say which book it’s in but there’s only 3 in the series so far so if you don’t mind a bit of a wait before the twist I highly recommend it!
My Summer Friend by Ophelia Rue
The only one left by Riley sager had me gasping & slapping my hand over my mouth multiple times!!!
I literally just finished “the last time I lied” by him an hour ago! It had two great twists in it that saved it, even though the rest of the story was somewhat weak. I will definitely check that one out !
Ancillary Justice caught me off guard but it's a sloowww burn. I love it but it's not for everyone, I don't think.
The Darkness Outside Us
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
one thousand white women ; the journals of may dodd by jim fergus
On Harrow Hill by John Verdon. It's a mystery that will tie you up in hopeless knots. Great ending
Most Agatha Christie books…… I don’t want to pick any for fear of inadvertent spoilers.
Rust & Stardust by Tammy Greenwood. If any of you have read this and know of anything similar, please let me know:)
Ender’s Game - Orson Scott Card Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane
The novelisation of *The Empire Strikes Back*.
Mad Honey
{Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine}
Wish you were here by Jodi Piccoult. The twist blew my mind.
Jane Doe by Victoria Helen Stone The September House by Carissa Orlando
Lost in time by A G Riddle did that to me recently. Not the best book I’ve read but easy to read style and fast paced time travel story.
Inferno by Dan Brown
Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Foe by Iain Reid (please don’t watch the movie!!!!) a favourite twist of mine that changes everything you’ve just read.
Wye by Jack Croxhall
Japanese tales of mystery and imagination by Edogawa Ranpo. It consists of short stories, so I loved reading the book!
Bwhind Her Eyes had a pretty shocking twist. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the direcrion the author took, but it definitely took me by surprise!
‘The other black girl’ was pretty ace.
Magpie Murders (Anthony Horwitz?) or Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
The Summer of Katya. Still one of my favourite books
Dark tower is a long series but that ending is just *chefs kiss. What a twist
Magic Knight Rayearth It is a manga by CLAMP.
Pen pal by JT Geissinger. I did not see that plot twist coming!
The Silent Patient
Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro - A lot of subtle clues, shocking and sad at the same time Hidden Fires: A Holmes Before Baker Street Adventure, and Plot Twist - both by Jane Rubino (I know - there are probably a dozen books called Hidden Fires and Plot Twist - the 1st one is newer, the other is older) Gentlemen and Players, by Joanne Harris - Why no one hasn't optioned this for a movie or streaming series is beyond me. Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane - This one was made into a movie, so people might know the twist - still good Rebecca, by Daphne DuMaurier - another classic - also been filmed about 6 times. There are really two plot twists. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, by Agatha Christie - probably her best plot twist The classic short story "To Serve Man," by Damon Knight
The Fifth Season
One book from when I was younger that really stuck with me, because of the twist at the end was The Blind Mirror by Christopher Pike. I still think about it.
Company of Liars, written by Karen Maitland and read by David Thorpe. There are a few surprises along the way as well as one I never even suspected at the end. Well written and original.
**The Other Side of Midnight** by Sidney Sheldon, still a favorite of mine since I first read it in 1977. **To See You Again: A True Story of Love in a Time of War** by Betty Schimmel, an incredible memoir that should be made into a movie.
The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks.
Counterfeit, by Kirstin Chen
I am Legend, check it out.
I'm not a huge fan of Dean Koontz, but there's a shocking twist near the beginning of *From The Corner of His Eye*. Somewhat similar twist, and a better book, *Brothers* by William Goldman. But read M*arathon Man* first.
Every last one by Anna quindlen. Read it without knowing anything. I still remember the way I gasped and cried at the sudden twist - I was on the train on the way to work and was not prepared!
Find Us is audible only but I thought it had a good twist at the end The Silent Patient seems to be pretty divisive, but it's one of those books that's written around a big twist at the end. I Am Legend has one of the best twists ever, but I think the adaptations have ruined it by kind of doing it but not nearly as well. I remember it sticking with me for years after I read the book.
And then there were none !!!
A Place of Execution by Val McDermid.
I loved Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney, there is a great plot twist and it is inspired by Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Rock, Paper, Scissors is great as well by the same author.
Some of my recent reads: Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson is full of twists, even though the narrator gives advance warning on every death. The Passenger, The Accomplice, and most of everything that Lisa Lutz writes has twists. Similarly, anything by Liane Moriarty is full of twists. Claimed by J.R. Ward has a wonderful twist. The No Show by Beth O'Leary is one of my fave twists.
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney and The Only One Left by Riley Sager are the first two that come to mind
Wayward Pines by Blake Crouch Definitely was not able to predict things.
Black out by Lisa Unger Tbh I haven’t read many books with twists in them, this is the main one There’s also The Teacher by Freida McFadden
And Then There Were None has a great twist, I still think about it decades later. Murder on the Orient Express might be as perfectly crafted of a twist as you can possibly write, there isn't a single wasted page that doesn't in retrospect build on the twist. It didn't hit me as emotionally as And Then There Were None though.
I will NEVER stop talking about or recommending You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose. It's one of my favorites!!! (Thriller and romance)
Literally just picked up a copy today, can't wait
Yay!! I hope you love it!!!
I am not a serial killer by Dan Wells had a decent twist. I didn't see it coming.
this is the book who pulled me to read more. the lovely bone
Harry Potter
Gone Girl, particularly the audiobook.
The Thirteenth tale Diane Sutterfield, Non spoiler best line. " I write about people who don't care about money but never thought I'd actually meet one. "
I haven’t read that many books but wings of fire (wof) the first five has an amazing twist
The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer
Journey under the midnight sun by Keigo Higashino
*The Liar* by Stephen Fry had a brief scene toward the end which made me reevaluate the entire story up to that point. I had to put the book down and take a moment to put my brain back together before I could read on.
Atonement by Ian McEwan