Entertainment

If You Can't Get Enough 'Big Little Lies,' Try This List Of Novels

by Ashley Jones

It is no secret that the bestselling book by Liane Moriarty turned hit television series, Big Little Lies, is a fantastically captivating story that has everyone and their mom (including my own) on the edge of their seats waiting for season two. To get you in the mood to catch back up with the ladies of Monterrey, these 12 books to read if you like Big Little Lies are filled with the same type of drama and page-turning suspense that kept readers entranced in the who-done-it storyline of BLL.

They also all feature storylines with complex female characters. While I love a strong heroine in pretty much any book I read, Big Little Lies offers an entire cast of female characters with a mosaic of emotional depth, sordid pasts, fragile relationships, and plenty of mama drama that makes their intricately woven story compelling to read. When you have superstar power like Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz, Shailene Woodley, and now Meryl Streep lining up to play the iconic cast of female characters, you know you're in for a story filled with empowerment and intensity.

If you can't get enough of the tangled tales told in Big Little Lies and are craving even more drama, take a look at these 12 books and get your fill of page-turning suspense ahead of the Big Little Lies Season 2 premiere.

1'The Husband's Secret' by Liane Moriarty

From the same author who brought you Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret shares the page-turning story of what happens when main character Cecilia finds a letter written by her husband meant to be read after his death and reads it while he is still alive. The dark secrets revealed lead to life-changing events for Cecilia and several other women she barely knows, all connected to a detrimental secret of her husband's.

2'The Widow' by Fiona Barton

A New York Times Bestseller, The Widow by Fiona Barton is a tense thriller that offers readers a look inside the life of a widow named Jean after her husband dies and she reveals secrets about living with a man who was accused of committing an horrendous crime. Called a "twisted psychological thriller" by People, this book will have you on the edge of your seat.

3'Sister' by Rosamund Lupton

When her little sister goes missing and is presumed by police to have committed suicide, Bee takes matters into her own hands and investigates her sister's disappearance, uncovering an affair with a married man, pregnancy, a stalker, experimental medical treatments, and more of a hidden life for her sister than she could have imagined. Sister by Rosamond Lupton is the twisted sibling story you never knew you wanted to read, but won't be able to put down.

4'Into The Water' by Paula Hawkins

From the bestselling author of Girl On The Train, novelist Paula Hawkins brings readers a suspenseful look at what happens when a lonely 15-year-old girl is left to live with her dead mother's sister in Into The Water. The thrilling novel uncovers small town secrets of mysterious drownings and explores the depths of human instinct and trauma that will leave readers speechless.

5'Until You're Mine' by Samantha Hayes

In Until You're Mine by Samantha Hayes, Claudia hires Zoe to help her care for her two young stepsons while she prepares for the birth of her first child and works as a social worker. Claudia can't shake the feeling that something is amiss with Zoe and a rash of murders in the area of pregnant women leaves her feeling more than uneasy. As she explores her character's unsettled feelings, Hayes leads readers into a suspenseful world filled with psychological twists and turns.

6'Sharp Objects' by Gillian Flynn

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn was recently turned into an HBO limited series starring Amy Adams that left viewers clamoring for more episodes. The dramatic story of Camille Preaker follows her investigation into the disappearance of two preteen girls after her release from a psychiatric facility while staying in her childhood home with her hypochondriac mother and half-sister. It is a story filled with emotional baggage, puzzling psychological mysteries, and suspense for days.

7'Little Lovely Things' by Maureen Joyce Connolly

When medical resident Claire gets sick driving home with her two young daughters one night, she pulls into a gas station, runs to the bathroom and passes out, only to awake to discover her car and daughters missing. Little Lovely Things by Maureen Joyce Connolly explores the tormented reality of a mother's split-second decision that turned her entire life upside down and serves up a suspenseful journey for readers that is heartbreakingly jarring.

8'The Woman In Cabin 10' by Ruth Ware

When travel writer Lo Blacklock finds herself on assignment aboard a luxury cruise ship and witnesses someone being thrown overboard, she is astounded to find out that all guests are still accounted for and glamorous ship life continuing on as if nothing has happened. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware promises readers a page-turning journey through discovering what Lo will endue trying to convince the passengers that something has gone terribly wrong on board.

9'Pretty Baby' by Mary Kubica

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica explores how someone's past can come back to haunt them and asks the question of just how far someone is willing to go to help a stranger. When charitable Heidi takes in a young, seemingly homeless woman and her 4-month-old baby without knowing anything about them, her generosity is tested when secrets are uncovered when events take a surprising turn in this suspenseful story.

10'Reconstructing Amelia' by Kimberly McCreight

New York Times bestseller, Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight takes readers on a not-easily-forgotten rollercoaster ride of suspense as a working mom struggles to understand just why her overachieving daughter plummeted to her death from the top of her elite private school. Twists and turns rife with old friendships, secret first loves, and mysterious text messages will leave readers breathless.

11'I Let You Go' by Clare Mackintosh

When her son dies in a horrific hit-and-run accident, Jenna Gray moves to a remote cottage to wrestle with her grief over the unspeakable tragedy. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh follows Jenna's traumatic processing of her son's death while simultaneously covering the twist-filled case that unravels as investigators dig deeper into what actually happened the day of the accident.

12'The Likeness' by Tana French

When detective Cassie Maddox is assigned a case with a woman who looks just like her and goes by the same name Maddox uses for her undercover alias, the detective must not only solve the murder mystery at hand, but uncover exactly who this woman was. Readers who love a great suspense story will appreciate the plethora of twists and turns in Tana French's The Likeness.