Looking for an unforgettable collection of books you’ll devour if you liked Verity by Colleen Hoover? As an award-winning author and veteran blogger, I’ve spent over a decade analyzing and recommending fast-paced, twisty novels for my fellow bookworms, and you’ll find detailed reviews of more than a dozen favorites in the roundup below.
What all of the books in this list share is mystery. One or more characters has a secret or is an outright liar. Love has gone astray, or maybe, it has been discovered—but at a cost. I’m confident that you’ll find something new to love here.
Junior Missing by Khristina Chess
why it’s like Verity
Twisted, dark romance
Why I Love It - Book Review
“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. Sex was the one place where he was always himself. His very best self. “― Khristina Chess from Junior Missing
Wow! Readers who love the intense chemistry and unsettling seduction of a dark romance like Verity won’t be able to put Junior Missing down. What makes Junior Missing so special is the slow-boil depiction of how Grace’s forbidden attraction turns into a trap set by an older man who takes her in—and won’t let her go!
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.
No one knows about Quentin Brock—the musician she met online. He’s charming, funny, and perfect.
Until he isn’t. Until she’s trapped in another state with no way out.
She doesn’t even have shoes.
This mesmerizing, authentic novel depicts how someone can be so easily manipulated and hurt in a toxic relationship. Junior Missing will stay with you after the final page. Worth the read!
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell
why it’s like Verity
Psychological mystery with dark, unexpected twist
Why I Love It - Book Review
"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
This is an unputdownable novel. In fact, I was about 20 pages in when I realized I was going too fast and maybe, like the missing girl Ellie, I was overlooking important clues, so I went back and read from the beginning again.
I had to know what happened to Ellie, and then, bit by bit, new mysteries began to emerge. New 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?
The ending was not predictable to me, and the path to reach the conclusion was not straight. I definitely loved this novel and want to read more by this author. Fans of Verity will agree that this is a thrilling, twisty read.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
why it’s like Verity
Unreliable narrators with dark secrets
Why I Love It - Book Review
“Unworthy boys make a lot of noise.” ― Delia Owens from Where the Crawdads Sing
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?
There's plenty to love here, and the pages definitely turned quickly for me. Kya’s character and voice is compelling. If you enjoyed Verity, you won’t want to miss this coming-of-age mystery about love, nature, and the secrets people keep.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
why it’s like Verity
Psychological, thrilling plot with jaw-dropping twist
Why I Love It - Book Review
“No one is born evil. As Winnicott put it, ‘A baby cannot hate the mother, without the mother first hating the baby.’” ― Alex Michaelides from The Silent Patient
These days, it's rare that I spend an entire weekend with my nose in a book, but I did with The Silent Patient. It’s one of those novels that simply refuses to be set aside.
The premise is simple enough: a woman killed her husband and is now in a mental institution. She refuses to speak. The protagonist is a therapist who wants to help her regain her voice.
Will he? What will she tell him? The therapist is one part detective, one part analyst, and one part guy with his own demons to overcome. His journey to understand what happened to Alicia that night leads to a jaw-dropping twist.
If you liked Verity as much as I did, be sure to add this thriller into your shopping cart. Happy reading!
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
why it’s like Verity
Thrilling plot with fabulous twist
Why I Love It - Book Review
“You can tell a lot about a person by the way they act when they are left waiting too long.”― Ashley Elston from First Lie Wins
This is one of those psychological thriller / mystery books that grabs you from the beginning and never lets go.
Evie Porter is a free agent who handles various “jobs” for a mysterious Mr. Smith. She’s good at her job. In fact, she’s so good that she doesn’t trust Mr. Smith and sets safety nets around her to make sure that when she’s double-crossed (not if, she knows it’s coming), she’ll be ready.
About halfway through the book, I was certain that I'd figured out who the mysterious "Mr. Smith" was--but I was wrong! The ending had a great twist and surprise. After a modest start to the narrative, I had to sit down and read the rest of the book in a single afternoon. I loved the premise, the mystery, and the conflict. I can see why people loved this one. Excellent read!
If you liked Verity and want another twisty mystery, I think you’ll really enjoy First Lie Wins. Happy reading!
Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick
why It’s Like Verity
Complex romantic relationships and psychological tension
Why I Love It - Book Review
“This is a fairy tale with teeth and claws.” ― Ilsa Bick from Drowning Instinct
I didn't know what to expect when a friend loaned this book to me, but wow! This book has layers with an inappropriate relationship between a teen girl and her teacher. 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. Addictive.
I don’t want to give too much of the plot away. If you liked Verity, just read it.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
why It’s Like Verity
Twisty plot with unreliable characters
Why I Love It - Book Review
“There’s nothing so painful, so corrosive, as suspicion.” ― Paula Hawkins from The Girl on the Train
The Girl on the Train is definitely one of the books you’ll devour if you liked Verity. It has unreliable narrators, as well as a twisty and confusing plot that will keep you guessing until the very end. Things definitely aren’t what they seem to be. The mystery keeps the pages turning.
What, exactly, did Rachel see that day?
This book was a total roller coaster! I was all over the place with my feelings about it, and that was a good thing.
Pick this classic up. You won’t be disappointed.
Never Lie by Freida McFadden
why It’s Like Verity
Liars keeping dark secrets
Why I Love It - Book Review
“I believe that any human being is capable of terrible things if you push them hard enough.” ― Freida McFadden, quote from Never Lie
"Never Lie" is my third Freida McFadden novel, and it didn't disappoint.
After a snowstorm traps newlyweds Tricia and Ethan in a deserted house, Tricia finds herself invested in the mystery surrounding the previous owner's disappearance.
The story is compelling, and I was surprised by the various plot twists. McFadden has a unique writing voice that makes her protagonists, whether the housemaid or Tricia, seem a little "off." The setting seemed a little contrived, but it didn't hurt the novel in the least. Yes, this is how all horror movies begin.
Bring it.
Fans of Verity by Colleen Hoover will love this one, too!
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
why It’s Like Verity
More liars keeping dark secrets
Why I Love It - Book Review
It’s hard to say much about this one without revealing spoilers. A man’s wife disappears, and he’s the main suspect—perhaps with good reason. But is he really the killer?
Fans of Verity will love the page-turning plot with shocking revelations and love that turned sour. Characters aren’t who they seem to be in this one, either. Everyone poses and lies.
But do they kill?
The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
why It’s Like Verity
The romance and addictive plot
Why I Love It - Book Review
I loved this book!
I picked it up randomly on vacation because I was out of reading material, and the cover caught my eye. I started reading, and BAM! I was hooked. Really, really hooked. Like, I could not stop reading this book. This is the kind of novel that makes me want to ignore my friends and stay up all night until it's done.
The Girl He Used to Know is a love story about two people who fell in love in college, but a tragedy caused them to separate. Ten years later, they reconnect, and they discover that the love is still there. The timeline alternates between past and present, and the point of view alternates between Annika Rose and Jonathan Hoffman as they tell the story of their romance.
And what a story they have to tell!
This is a sweet, sweet book. After finishing it, I bought everything by Tracey Garvis Graves to see what other delights she has to offer, and although I also loved On the Island, I say that The Girl He Used to Know is my favorite. If you enjoyed all the romance in Verity, you will devour this one.
The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve
why It’s Like Verity
An unraveling mystery that just keeps going
Why I Love It - Book Review
In this list of books you’ll devour if you liked Verity, The Pilot’s Wife might seem to be an unusual choice. 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.
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 breakneck speed, but gripping nonetheless.
A Sorrow Called Sarah by Charlotte Roddy
why It’s Like Verity
A psychological thriller with an unexpected conclusion
Why I Love It - Book Review
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?
If you liked Verity, you’ll find that A Sorrow Called Sarah delivers a similar wild ride and a totally unexpected ending. I was guessing until the final pages. I have mixed feelings about whether or not actually liked that ending, but I was definitely surprised.
Layla by Colleen Hoover
why It’s Like Verity
Another great Colleen Hoover novel!
Why I Love It - Book Review
Okay, I would be remiss if I didn’t include some other Colleen Hoover books in this list because (let’s face it), she’s prolific and wonderful. Every one of them has been totally unique, and Layla is no exception. If you loved Verity, you must read it immediately.
How do I categorize it? A ghost story? A love story? A psychological thriller? It's hard to put a label on it. What I know for sure is that I sat around all day and turned the pages until the end. I had to know. The twist was not as much of a surprise; I had an inkling about what was happening in the middle of the book. That didn't matter. How? Now what? There were so many pressing questions. Half the time, I wasn't sure I really trusted Leeds to be a reliable narrator.
Buy it. Read it. You won’t be sorry.
Other Books You’ll Devour If You Liked Verity by Colleen Hoover
If you are looking for other books like Verity by Colleen Hoover, Goodreads also offers a great book list: Books Similar to Verity.
You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads.
Author Bio
Khristina Chess is an award-winning author of a dozen young adult novels, including The Cutting Edge of Friendship, The Delinquent Hero, and Junior Missing. Hollow Beauty, her book about eating disorders, was named a finalist in the Next Generation India Book Awards. She tackles tough teen topics and writes binge-worthy books across multiple genres, including contemporary, thriller, mystery, and adventure.
In a recent interview from her alma mater, she described how her experience in the creative writing program prepared her for success.
