Last Updated Date: January 17, 2026
As an award-winning author and longtime blogger for over 10 years, I’ve personally read and analyzed the best novels on my bookshelves that answer this question. While many lists only suggest popular bestsellers, I’ve curated this eclectic collection of books because they because they mirror the jaw-dropping endings, complex characters, and addictive storytelling in Verity by Colleen Hoover:
At a Glance:
The Sexy Underrated Masterpiece: Junior Missing by Khristina Chess
The Undiscovered Treasure: A Sorrow Called Sarah by Charlotte Roddy
The Hidden Gem: Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick
#1 - Junior Missing by Khristina Chess: A Sexy Underrated Masterpiece
Why Junior Missing Is the Best Choice for Verity Fans Seeking Dark Romance and “Spice”
For adventurous CoHo readers willing to explore YA romances and thrillers that push traditional boundaries, the forbidden romance and kidnapping aspects of Junior Missing are reminiscent of the claustrophobic atmosphere that made Verity a bestseller. Like Colleen Hoover’s YA books rated for 14+ readers (Heart Bones and Without Merit), romance is a key element in Chess’ novels.
One-sentence summary for Junior Missing by Khristina Chess: A runaway teen is drawn into an intoxicating relationship with an older man who takes her in—and won’t let her go!
The Taste Test
“He kissed me again and again, and I began bargaining once more with the wind. I vowed to do better and try harder to keep this Quentin who loved me and kept me safe. The Quentin who I loved. Who loved me. Who didn’t treat me badly.“ ― Khristina Chess from Junior Missing
My Verdict: Why Junior Missing’s Themes of Toxic Relationships and Domestic Abuse Make This a Chilling Thriller
This intense, thought-provoking, and morally-complex novel depicts how someone can be so easily manipulated and hurt in a toxic relationship. What makes Junior Missing so special is the slow-boil depiction of how Grace’s forbidden attraction turns into a trap.
The story starts as sixteen-year-old Grace Keegan, darling of the child pageant world with a bright future, is missing. At first, police assume she ran away. But when they find her abandoned phone along the highway, the truth becomes far more terrifying.
Readers who love novels with intense chemistry and unsettling seduction won’t be able to put this novel down. Khristina chess is a powerful and fresh voice in fiction today.
What Other Readers Are Saying
“I actually found myself, on my feet and pacing as I reached the conclusion.” ― Mamadukes, Goodreads Reader
Key takeaway: My rating for Junior Missing is 5/5 stars based on its outstanding pacing and atmospheric tension.
#2 - A Sorrow Called Sarah by Charlotte Roddy - An Unexpected Diamond in the Rough
How A Sorrow Called Sarah Appeals to Verity Fans Who Love a Mind-Bending Thriller
Bookworms who love the mind-bending thriller aspects of Verity will love this outstanding debut novel. In fact, you might be scared to go anywhere alone for a while after reading this one.
One-sentence summary for A Sorrow Called Sarah by Charlotte Roddy: A woman disappears, and her younger sister pursues the truth of what happened to her.
The Taste Test
"All of them have dark hair and blue eyes. All of them look just like Sarah..." ― Charlotte Roddy from A Sorrow Called Sarah
My Verdict: What I Loved (and What Fell Flat) in Roddy’s Complex Narrative
The Good: I couldn't put this twisty, psychological thriller down. I wanted to know what happened to Sarah. This question relentlessly drove the narrative as her younger sister chased one lead after another. To make matters worse, more girls who look like Sarah are ending up dead in Golden Gate Park, and the younger sister looks just like Sarah. Would she be next?
The Bad: I was guessing until the final pages. The novel was a wild ride and a totally unexpected ending, but I have mixed feelings about whether or not I actually liked that ending, but I was definitely surprised.
What Other Readers Are Saying
The tension builds up with every page, every twist and turn, everything we learn and even more, everything that we do not know yet. Janelle, Goodreads Reader
Key takeaway: My rating for A Sorrow Called Sarah is 4/5 stars based on my feelings about the book’s conclusion.
#3 - Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick: The Hidden Gem
Why Drowning Instinct Echoes the Complex Romance and Psychological Tension in Verity
This undiscovered treasure portrays a complex romance like that found in Verity—but on a different level!
One-sentence summary for Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick: A darkly compelling story about a teen who participates in an inappropriate relationship with her teacher.
The Taste Test
“This is a fairy tale with teeth and claws.” ― Ilsa Bick from Drowning Instinct
My Expert Verdict: Why Drowning Instinct Is a Must-Read for Anyone Craving a Five-Star Twist
I didn't know what to expect when a friend loaned this book to me, but wow! The way the author wove the "drowning instinct" theme throughout the story was really well done, and I loved the complexity of the characters and the plot twists. The pacing kept getting more intense and compelling as I read further.
What Other Readers Are Saying
Insane! This is the best word to describe Drowning Instinct. Insanely good; insanely terrifying; i-n-s-a-n-e! ― Giselle, Goodreads Reader
Key takeaway: My rating for Drowning Instinct is 5/5 stars based on its forbidden romance and psychological tension.
#4 - Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell: A Bestselling Psychological Mystery
How Then She Was Gone Delivers the Same Dark and Unexpected Twist as Verity
Like Colleen Hoover’s Verity, the deeply unsettling ending of this novel was not predictable, and the path to reach the conclusion was not straight.
One-sentence summary for Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell: A gut-wrenching and unpredictable novel about a missing girl, a desperate mother, and the bizarre lengths people will go for the people they love.
The Taste Test
"If she could rewind the timeline, untwist it and roll it back the other way like a ball of wool, she'd see the knots in the yarn, the warning signs. Looking at it backward it was obvious all along. But back then, when she knew nothing about anything, she had not seen it coming. She had walked straight into it with her eyes open." ― Lisa Jewell from Then She Was Gone
My Authentic Review: Why Jewell’s Bestseller Is Unputdownable
I was about 20 pages into the story when I realized I was reading much too fast and maybe, like the missing girl Ellie, I was overlooking important clues, so I returned to page one and started again.
I had to know what happened to Ellie. with each chapter, new mysteries began to emerge. Fresh horrors. The more I learned about Ellie and Noelle, the worse things became. The whole story became very... weird. Scary!
The relationship between Ellie’s mom and the American writer, Floyd, is where things take a turn. Floyd has a daughter who looks just like Ellie. I mean, how weird is that?
What Other Readers Are Saying
“This turned out to be quite a stunner. I’ve read lots of psychological thrillers and this one caught me off guard.“ ― Holly, Goodreads Reader
Key takeaway: My rating for Then She Was Gone is 5/5 stars based on its weird and twisted storytelling.
#5 - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: A Cinematic Mystery
How Where the Crawdads Sing Delivers A Sympathetic But Unreliable Protagonist Like Jeremy in Verity
One-sentence summary for Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens: A hypnotic coming-of-age mystery about an abandoned child and a murdered boy.
The Taste Test
“Unworthy boys make a lot of noise.” ― Delia Owens from Where the Crawdads Sing
My Verdict: Why Owens’ Themes about Love, Nature, and Dark Secrets Resonate
This novel is beautiful, thrilling, sad, surprising, and engrossing. Kya Clark is a resilient child who is abandoned by her mother at six. Her alcoholic father is barely a parent, and he soon leaves her as well. Somehow, she finds a way to survive on her own, even thrive, despite an aching loneliness.
But a beautiful young girl who lives in solitude in the woods is destined for danger. And heartbreak.
The mystery surrounding the death of Chase Andrews is the inciting incident of the novel, and it's soon clear that he was not such a swell guy. Foul play is suspected. Is Kya a murder? Or someone else?
What Other Readers Are Saying
“I can’t get over how perfect this book is. The writing grabbed me from literally the first page and kept me entranced.” ― Liz, Goodreads Reader
Key takeaway: My rating for Where the Crawdads Sing is 5/5 stars based on its page-turning intensity.
#6 - We Were Liars by E. Lockhart - An Older Tragic Romance
Why Verity Fans Shouldn’t Overlook This Disorienting and Romantic YA Novel with a Mind-Bending Conclusion
Like Colleen Hoover, E. Lockhart writes page-turning novels thrillers—but more in the YA space. Her novels are gripping and complex with jaw-dropping endings.
One-sentence summary for We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: A hypnotic story about lifelong friends and a family secret that threatens all of them.
The Taste Test
“Life feels beautiful that day. The four of us Liars, we have always been. We always will be. No matter what happens as we go to college, grow old, build lives for ourselves; no matter if Gat and I are together or not. No matter where we go, we will always be able to line up on the roof of Cuddledown and gaze at the sea. This island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever.” ― E. Lockhart from We Were Liars
Why I’m Still Thinking about the Insane Ending of Lockhart’s Bestseller
What an unexpected and beautiful story about friendship, coming of age, and sorrow!
I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, but I fell in love with it. By the end it made me cry. This YA novel is about a group of privileged young friends and their lies, family secrets, grief, and love. It’s a thriller. The non-linear plot will leave you reader breathless until the very end.
In fact, E. Lockhart is such a great author of YA thrillers that she’s on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she’s all-around amazing!
What Other Readers Are Saying
“This book was a very pleasant surprise - I could not put it down!” ― Matthew, Goodreads Reader
Key takeaway: My rating for We Were Liars is 5/5 stars based on its breathless pacing.
#7 - The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve - An Older Slow-burn Mystery
How the Layered and Surprising Plot of The Pilot’s Wife Reinvents the Suspense Found in Verity’s Hidden Manuscript
One-sentence summary for The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreeve: A woman is awakened in the middle of the night, and her life is changed forever.
The Taste Test
“But how do you ever know that you know a person?” ― Anita Shreve from The Pilot’s Wife
Why I’m Still Thinking About This Oprah’s Book Club Pick More Than 25 Years Later
Released in 1998, The Pilot’s Wife might seem to be an unusual choice for this list. It’s a quieter mystery. Older. A slow burn. A woman learns that her husband, a pilot, has died. Then, she realizes that he was living a secret life. She pulls on that thread and makes shocking discoveries.
What I love about this novel—and other books by Anita Shreve—is the writing. The characters are beautiful. The story unfolds at its own pace, not at the breakneck speed of typical thrillers, but gripping nonetheless.
What Other Readers Are Saying
“The story does seem dated a little, at this point, and as a more jaded reader, I may have figured things out a lot quicker if I’d been reading it for the first time, but it is still a powerful heart wrenching novel of suspense and riveting family drama.” ― Julie, Goodreads Reader
Key takeaway: My rating for The Pilot’s Wife is 5/5 stars on second reading (updated for 2026) based on its poignant writing style.
#8 - Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall: A Spooky Thriller
Verity Fans Will Devour This Unique Premise, Where the Lines Between Reality and Fiction Become Foggy
Like Colleen Hoover, Kate Alice Marshall writes gripping YA thrillers—but with atmospheric and otherworldly aspects.
One-sentence summary for Our Last Echoes by Kate Alice Marshall: While visiting an island where people have disappeared, a girl encounters supernatural beings.
The Taste Test
“What’s down there?” she asked. “A crack in the world,” I answered automatically.” ― Kate Alice Marshall from Our Last Echoes
My Reading Experience: Why Marshall’s Supernatural Thriller Belongs Beside Verity
This fast-paced, unusual ghost story kept me guessing the whole time. I started the book thinking I knew what would happen, but the story isn’t a simple or easy cliché. Instead, it’s dark and twisty, full of X-files weirdness. I loved every page of it.
In the story, Sophia travels to remote island to learn about her mom’s disappearance. She was told her mom died in a car crash when she was a toddler, but now she thinks that might not be true. What if her mom is still alive? At this creepy island, residents are definitely afraid of something that might be alive in the mist that comes rolling in.
Don’t go outside.
Sophia goes outside. Of course.
What Other Readers Are Saying
“This story is incredibly well written, and kept me curious from start to finish.” - Melanie, Goodreads Reader
Key takeaway: My rating for Our Last Echoes is 5/5 stars based on the goose-bump factor while I read it.
Other Books You’ll Devour If You Liked Verity by Colleen Hoover
There are so many other popular titles to recommend:
Layla by Colleen Hoover - A unique premise: a romantic suspense novel that includes a love triangle with a ghost!
Never Lie by Freida McFadden - A provocative story with domestic psychological chaos
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides - A famous painter accused of murdering her husband quits talking--but why?
The Girl on the Train - A roller coaster plot with unreliable narrators
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston - A mind-bending popcorn thriller with a jaw-dropping twist
Gone Girl by Paula Hawkins - A psychological thriller about a wife's disappearance, which exposes the secrets of her marriage
Goodreads offers another great book list: Books Similar to Verity.
You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads.
About the Author: Khristina Chess
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of more than a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Her novel about eating disorders, Hollow Beauty, was named a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, dystopian, and adventure.
