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I’ll say it: I don’t understand the Freida McFadden hype.

As a full-time writer at BuzzFeed, I cover travel, books, relationships, sitcoms, and all things pop culture.

Note: everything on this list is based on my own tastes, preferences, and what keeps me turning the pages. That doesn't mean the books I don't think are worth the hype are objectively bad — they just didn't work for me. One person's "yum" is another person's "yuck," and that's perfectly okay. Art is subjective. 

What's it about? A glamorous tradwife influencer who has built an empire selling an idyllic pioneer lifestyle wakes up trapped in the brutal reality of 1855, where survival means confronting the very fantasy she profited from. As she struggles to uncover whether she's been kidnapped, gone mad, or travelled through time, the line between performance and reality begins to shatter.

What's it about? Samantha Heather Mackey is an outsider in her elite MFA program until she receives an invitation to join the mysterious clique of wealthy, eccentric classmates known as the Bunnies. As she becomes entangled in their bizarre world of secret rituals, obsession, and dark creativity, she begins to question where reality ends and the nightmare begins.

What's it about? When troubled journalist Camille Preaker returns to her small hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls, she is forced to confront the painful memories and toxic family dynamics she left behind. As she searches for a killer hiding among familiar faces, Camille uncovers dark secrets that threaten to destroy her.

What's it about? Blythe Connor is determined to be the loving mother she never had, but when her daughter is born, she begins to fear that something is deeply wrong. As Blythe struggles with the terrifying possibility that her child may not be who she seems, she must confront questions of motherhood, family trauma, and whether anyone will believe her version of the truth.

What's it about? When struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh is hired to complete the remaining books in a bestselling author’s series, she moves into the author’s home and uncovers a disturbing manuscript containing shocking secrets. As she grows closer to the author’s husband and deeper into the mystery of what really happened, Lowen must decide whether the truth is worth risking everything.

What's it about? One unforgettable summer, a lonely twelve-year-old boy joins his eccentric uncle and a fearless new friend on a quest to investigate the local ghost stories haunting their small town. But as the line between supernatural legends and painful family secrets begins to blur, he discovers that the scariest truths aren't always the ones lurking in the dark.

What's it about? A famous painter shoots her husband five times and never speaks another word, leaving behind a mystery that captivates the entire world. Determined to uncover the truth, a psychotherapist becomes obsessed with her silence and begins working with her — only to discover that some secrets are far more dangerous than anyone imagined.

What's it about? When a mysterious disease causes people to remember lives they never lived, a detective and a neuroscientist uncover a discovery that has the power to rewrite reality itself. As time, memory, and identity begin to unravel, they must race to stop a catastrophe that could erase the world as they know it.

What's it about? Agoraphobic Anna Fox spends her days watching her neighbours from the safety of her window — until she witnesses a shocking crime that no one believes ever happened. As her grip on reality begins to unravel, she must uncover the truth before it's too late. 

What's it about? In the aftermath of a brutal attack at a Florida sorority house, two determined women set out to expose the truth behind a charismatic serial killer and reclaim the stories of his victims. Inspired by real events of a famous serial killer, this book shifts the focus away from the murderer and onto the resilience, intelligence, and humanity of the women whose lives were forever changed.

What's it about? After her bestselling author friend dies in a freak accident, a struggling writer steals the unfinished manuscript and publishes it as her own, rocketing to literary stardom. But as fame grows and suspicion mounts, she's forced into an increasingly dangerous web of lies where the truth threatens to destroy everything she's built.

What's it about? While on a luxurious cruise through the Norwegian fjords, travel journalist Lo Blacklock witnesses a woman being thrown overboard from a neighbouring cabin — but when the crew insists no one is missing, she begins to question what she truly saw. Trapped on a ship full of strangers, Lo must uncover the truth before the danger she witnessed comes for her.

What's it about? When a rising Black violinist’s priceless family heirloom is stolen just before the most important performance of his career, he must unravel a decades-old mystery to prove ownership of the instrument. As secrets from the past emerge, he discovers that the fight for his dream is about more than music — it’s about legacy, identity, and the forces determined to take it from him.

What's it about? When a struggling writer receives a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to a secluded writing retreat hosted by her literary idol, she expects inspiration—not a terrifying competition with impossible deadlines and deadly consequences. As the authors become trapped in a remote mansion and secrets begin to surface, she must race to finish her novel while uncovering the truth behind the sinister game they're forced to play. 

What's it about? When a struggling supermarket cashier discovers her glamorous influencer twin has died, she seizes the chance to steal the life she's always envied. But as she slips deeper into her sister's perfectly curated world, she uncovers a web of lies, obsession, and deadly secrets that could make her the next victim.

What's it about? When a woman’s seemingly perfect marriage begins to fall apart, she and her husband decide that divorce is the only way forward — but neither of them realizes the secrets they’re about to uncover. As accusations, betrayals, and hidden truths come to light, they discover that ending a marriage may be much more dangerous than they ever imagined.

What's it about? When a young girl disappears from her family’s summer camp in the Adirondacks, the shocking case echoes an unsolved disappearance from the same woods fourteen years earlier — her own brother’s. As investigators, campers, and a wealthy family with buried secrets search for answers, long-hidden truths begin to surface, revealing that the wilderness holds more mysteries than anyone expected.

What's it about? Molly Gray is a meticulous hotel maid who takes pride in keeping rooms spotless and following the rules — until she discovers a wealthy guest dead in his suite and suddenly finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. As Molly tries to clear her name and uncover the truth, she must learn to navigate a world of secrets, deception, and hidden motives that she has never understood before.

What's it about? When her husband disappears without a trace, leaving behind only a cryptic note telling her to protect his teenage daughter, Hannah Hall is desperate to uncover the truth about the man she thought she knew. As she and her stepdaughter dig into his mysterious past, they discover a hidden life filled with secrets that could change everything they believed about their family.

What's it about? When Maya witnesses her best friend collapse and die after mysteriously watching a man named Frank from across the street, she becomes determined to uncover the truth behind the connection. Returning to her childhood home in Argentina, Maya follows a trail of buried memories, family secrets, and unanswered questions that force her to confront what she thought she knew about her past.

What's it about? After retreating to her family’s lake house following a personal tragedy, former actress Casey Fletcher becomes obsessed with watching the glamorous couple across the water—until she witnesses something shocking that draws her into their lives. But as she digs deeper into their secrets, Casey discovers that the truth hiding beneath the surface is far more twisted than she ever imagined. 

What's it about? Evie Porter is a master of deception, creating new identities and perfect backstories for every job she takes — but when her latest assignment forces her to assume a life that feels dangerously real, she begins questioning who she can trust. As secrets unravel and a mysterious figure threatens to expose her, Evie must outsmart the people hunting her before her carefully constructed world collapses.

What's it about? When struggling writer Flynn discovers that his first novel is finally coming together, he retreats to a quiet supermarket job for inspiration — but what begins as a simple story about everyday life quickly spirals into a dark and surreal mystery. As reality starts to blur with fiction, Flynn is forced to confront the secrets hiding within his own mind and the disturbing truth behind the story he's writing.

What's it about? Stranded at a remote highway rest stop during a blizzard, college student Darby Thorne discovers a kidnapped child hidden inside a van belonging to one of the other travellers. Trapped with a group of strangers and unsure who she can trust, Darby must uncover the kidnapper’s identity before the storm clears — and before the danger closes in on her.

What's it about? When a young man is found brutally murdered on a London houseboat, suspicion falls on three women whose lives are connected to the victim in unexpected ways. As each woman’s secrets, trauma, and hidden motives begin to surface, the search for the truth reveals that some wounds run deeper — and some people are willing to kill to keep their past buried.

What's it about? When Ellie Mack, a bright and beloved teenager, disappears without a trace, her family is left shattered by the mystery of what happened to her. Ten years later, her mother, Laurel, meets a charming man who seems to offer a second chance at happiness — but as she becomes drawn into his world, she uncovers chilling connections to the daughter she never stopped searching for.

What's it about? When a true-crime writer discovers that a seemingly perfect wife was secretly married to two men — until one was murdered — she becomes determined to uncover the truth behind the shocking double life. As she investigates the tangled web of love, betrayal, and hidden identities, she must confront how far people will go to protect the lives they've built.

What's it about? When Lola, a recently engaged woman living in New York City, begins running into every ex-boyfriend she's ever had, she suspects something strange is happening beyond simple coincidence. Blending romance, satire, and surreal mystery, this sharp and thought-provoking novel explores love, memory, and the question of whether we can ever truly escape our past.

What's it about? When city girl Grace Evans rents a secluded Wyoming vacation home to escape her busy life, she expects a peaceful retreat — but her charming host, Calvin, and the strange secrets surrounding the property make her question who she can trust. As their attraction grows and unsettling events unfold, Grace realizes that the remote getaway she chose may be hiding something far more dangerous than she imagined.

What's it about? When a beloved wife and mother disappears, a luxurious condo building transforms into a potential crime scene. Her seemingly perfect life begins to unravel as investigators uncover secrets hidden beneath the surface. As everyone in the building becomes a possible suspect, the search for the truth reveals that even those closest to her may not be who they appear to be.