Ever wondered why your favourite mystery writers keep baffling you with plot twists, shockers, epiphanies, truth-bombs and bombarding revelations? Well, the ideal backstory must have the capacity to make or break your mind and thrill your adrenaline to a magnanimous extent. No matter what you say, these stories will give you sleepless nights. Stay put as the fun is in exploring the unpredictable, and maybe, even the impossible.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Written in 2012 by the American author Gillian Flynn, this crime thriller has maddened crowds with its destruction drive and suspense. The unbelievable plot twists alternate between the protagonists Nick and Amy Dunne, buzzing at the outset about the happy couple living in Brooklyn. The novel paves the way towards Amy’s disappearance, describing her plight as a housewife in her diary entries, portraying Nick as a threatening, aggressive, whimsical, and idle husband. Will Nick be condemned with the death penalty for the murder of his wife? Such goes the deception in momentary fluctuations, you will willfully stop taking sides after a while.
Malice by Keigo Higashino
Centering around the death of a renowned novelist, Kunihiko Hidaka, this crime fiction published in 2014 is an acclaimed story created by Keigo Higashino. His body was found in the office, inside a locked house, the night before the novelist was about to leave for Vancouver. This suspicious series of events invokes the inputs of Detective Kyochiro Kaga. Recognizing the best friend Nonoguchi’s angst due to his failure at becoming a writer, the detective takes the helm in solving this cat-and-mouse archetype. Wait for the denouement and its final punches!
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
This psychological thriller written by Alex Michaelides went on to win the Goodreads Choice Award 2019. Narrated by an English psychotherapist Theo Faber, this story involves a patient named Alicia Berenson, a famous painter who shot her fashion-photographer husband five times in their plush London apartment. She refuses to explain and her art gets sold at exorbitant prices. Far away in the secure forensic unit in North London, the unfolding mystery gets the better of Faber. Be careful not to get consumed by her obsessive motives!
A Kiss After Dying by Ashok Banker
Published in 2022, this ingenious and thrilling revenge story by Ashok Banker plots an idyllic playboy Ricky Manfredi, who meets a girl named Hannah. Stay put as that’s not even her real name! The deeply intriguing thriller is wholly unpredictable as Hannah has her own version of justice. The charming girl is avenging her family, drawing Ricky in with multiple chance encounters. Planning the murder cleverly, Hannah witnesses herself falling in love. Will she spare him this time?
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About the Author
Pritha Banerjee has completed her Masters in English Language & Literature from the University of Delhi. She was the recipient of the National Essay-writing Award from the SREI Foundation in 2014. Currently acting as a writer and translator for the Sankrityayan-Kosambi Study Circle, her latest publications include articles in ‘South Asian Women’s Narratives: Literatures of Their Own’ by Cambridge Scholars Publishing, FIPRESCI India, Muse India, Pashyantee: A Bilingual Journal, and Anustup Prakashani. Her upcoming translation of Rahul Sankrityayan’s ‘Dimaagi Gulaami’ is to be published by LeftWord Books. Find her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!