We think of home as a safe place, but a good domestic thriller exposes the danger lurking behind happy family photos. They play on our greatest fear: that the scariest thing imaginable could be on your doorstep. It could even be the person sitting right next to you…
This subgenre of crime novels focuses on secrets and psychological tension within intimate relationships, often within a family or marriage, and digs into the dynamics of trust and suspicion. There are often characters just like us – or people we know – in situations that are familiar, and this relatability makes the stories all the more chilling.
You may want to check that your doors and windows are locked before you begin reading our below section of the best domestic thrillers of 2026…
It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
Publication date: 2nd July
We suspect you’ll love it because: This is a dark, suspenseful thriller that’s full of plot twists, with a pacy writing style that will have you saying, ‘Just one more chapter,’ until you’ve accidentally read the whole thing in one go.
The plot in a nutshell: Twenty-five years ago, a newly single Jane Trevally went home with a man she’d just met. But when she heard a scream upstairs, and the sound of someone falling, she ran away. Now, she returns a lost dog to its address – and realises it’s the same house. What happened all those years ago, and where is the dog’s owner now?
Great for fans of: Claire Douglas, Liz Nugent, Ruth Rendell.
What the experts say: “I don’t know how she does it, but again, it’s her best book yet. Absolutely stunning storytelling, with layer after layer deftly and tantalisingly revealed, and a denouement that is so perfect, so devilishly clever, and yet I didn’t see it coming. A true masterpiece.” – Andrea Mara, author of All Her Fault.
Read an extract of It Could Have Been Her.
The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent
Publication date: 12th March
We suspect you’ll love it because: The characters are psychologically complex and realistic, and the writing style makes it a particularly addictive read.
The plot in a nutshell: Sisters Ruby and Erin live in a religious community in Boston until an incident involving Ruby causes their family to implode: Ruby is taken back to Dublin with her mother, while Erin stays in Boston with her father. The novel shows the ramifications of this decision over the next 25 years, and the disturbing series of events that follows.
Great for fans of: Ruth Rendell, Lisa Jewell, Freida McFadden.
What the Dead Good team says: “I absolutely flew through this one! The Truth About Ruby Cooper is a dark and twisty psychological thriller about two sisters whose lives are changed forever by one traumatic incident that happened when they were teenagers. Both unflinching and darkly funny, it’s a true masterpiece in suspense. Perfect for anyone who loves Lisa Jewell or novels with unhinged female narrators.” – Francesca Pymm, Social Media Lead on Dead Good.
The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave
Publication date: 15th January
We suspect you’ll love it because: It’s an action-packed read with high emotional stakes, just like its predecessor The Last Thing He Told Me. We’ve rated it one of our best books of 2026 and it’s so cinematic that it’s now a hit series on AppleTV+.
The plot in a nutshell: Five years after her husband Owen went missing, Hannah receives a text from an unknown number: “Get out of the house. Now.” She and Owen’s daughter flee to Paris hoping to find safety, but instead find Owen’s enemies waiting…
Great for fans of: Shari Lapena, Ashley Audrain, Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies.
What the experts say: “Action-packed and deeply felt, this sequel is every bit as incredible as The Last Thing He Told Me. Clear your schedule because once you pick this book up, you won’t be able to put it down. I loved everything about it.” – Mary Kubica, author of Local Woman Missing.
The Exes by Leodora Darlington
Publication date: 12th February
We suspect you’ll love it because: It’s a fresh, razor-sharp psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator you can’t trust, and plot twist upon plot twist before an explosive ending. Leodora Darlington is one of our favourite debut crime writers of 2026 – and definitely one to watch.
The plot in a nutshell: Sometimes, on her worst nights, Natalie blacks out and loses control. Three of her exes have died prematurely and now, following an argument with her husband, she has realised that she’s holding a knife. But is she a killer, or is someone messing with her memory?
Great for fans of: Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train, Ruth Ware.
What the experts say: “An outstandingly clever novel where the twists are an integral part of the story and not imposed upon it. I was dazzled and enthralled.” – Elly Griffiths, author of the Dr Ruth Galloway series.
The Family Friend by Claire Douglas
Publication date: 12th March
We suspect you’ll love it because: This is a slow-burn suspense where the tension ramps up until it feels almost claustrophobic. It is an archetypal domestic thriller, where the danger lies within the walls of an idyllic new home.
The plot in a nutshell: Imogen inherits a country home from a distant family friend. But once there, she finds clues that suggest the friend was murdered – and that she could be in danger, too.
Great for fans of: Shari Lapena, Andrea Mara, Heidi Perks.
What the experts say: “With The Family Friend, Claire Douglas has once again upped her already high game. A captivating and powerful story of the past and present coming together and dark secrets that won’t stay buried. Superb!” – B. A. Paris, author of Behind Closed Doors.
One of the Family by Mark Edwards
Publication date: 18th June
We suspect you’ll love it because: It’s a deliciously dark drama about a dysfunctional family that feels like a cross between Succession and The Traitors.
The plot in a nutshell: Patrick visits his new girlfriend’s family home in Scotland but gets spooked when he hears whispers in the hallways and rumours of a body found the previous year. Then someone turns up dead, and Patrick can’t trust anyone – not even his girlfriend.
Great for fans of: Trisha Sakhlecha’s The Inheritance, Benjamin Stevenson, Succession.
What the experts say: “Fun, fast, and furiously twisted – this is Mark Edwards at his dastardly best.” – Susi Holliday, author of The Hike.
Getting Away with Murder by Shari Lapena
Publication date: 16th July
We suspect you’ll love it because: It’s an immersive, character-driven whydunnit, with sharp characterisation and Lapena’s trademark plot twists.
The plot in a nutshell: Jill and Ted would do anything to keep their prestigious New York home and glamorous lifestyle – even, when their money runs out, killing a wealthy relative. But can they pull it off?
Great for fans of: Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, Selling Sunset, Samantha Downing’s My Lovely Wife.
What the experts say: “Shari Lapena is far and away one of the best psychological thriller writers in the world today and an absolute auto read author for me. She is never afraid to take risks, never formulaic and always intensely bingeable. I love her.” – Lisa Jewell, author of None of This is True.
Such a Nice Girl by Andrea Mara
Publication date: 7th May
We suspect you’ll love it because: It’s action-packed and pacy, with chapters ending on cliffhangers making it an addictive read. There are high emotional stakes, too, as the two main characters’ friendship is put to the ultimate test.
The plot in a nutshell: Two best friends wake up the morning after a wedding to realise their teenage daughters are missing. Even worse: the police suspect one of the girls is trying to kill the other. But who is the victim, and who is the killer?
Great for fans of: Andrea Mara’s All Her Fault, Gillian McAllister, Alice Feeney.
What the experts say: “An all-round stunning thriller from the queen of the tangled web.” – Janice Hallett, author of The Appeal.
All of Them Lied by Gill Perdue
Publication date: 11th June
We suspect you’ll love it because: It’s a tense read, with characters you can’t trust and a gripping central mystery that you’ll try (but likely fail) to solve before the protagonist.
The plot in a nutshell: Thea wakes from a coma, with temporary amnesia. All she knows is that she was in Italy with her loved ones until she fell down a ravine and almost died. But as memories start to come back to her, she suspects her loved ones are lying to her about what happened – and that one of them might be responsible.
Great for fans of: Andrea Mara, S. J. Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep, Holly Jackson’s Not Quite Dead Yet.
What the experts say: “The most compulsive reading experience I’ve had this year. Eminently readable, very intriguing and highly entertaining. I loved it.” – Liz Nugent, author of Strange Sally Diamond.
My Sister’s Secret by Jane Corry
Publication date: 18th June
We suspect you’ll love it because: This is a fast-paced thriller but it also has a strong emotional core, with complex and flawed characters and intense relationships that feel believable and real.
The plot in a nutshell: Rosy and Amy are two sisters bonded by a terrible secret. When Amy confides in her therapist James, he suspects one of the sisters is covering for the other and feels drawn to the mystery. As the trio get closer to each other, it becomes clear that three is a crowd: one of them has to go.
Great for fans of: Claire Douglas, B. A. Paris, K. L. Slater.
What the experts say: “Another gripping family thriller from Jane that once again I could not put down.” – Heidi Perks, author of It Ends Here.
We Tell Lies by K. L. Slater
Publication date: 13th August
We suspect you’ll love it because: It’s a one-sit read, with each chapter adding more twists to the story and a cast of characters you can’t trust. We’d particularly recommend it if you love stories about dysfunctional marriages hiding fatal secrets.
The plot in a nutshell: Former con artists Emily and Oliver are looking for a fresh start when they move into their new home. But when Oliver starts acting strangely, and someone turns up dead, Emily is reminded that she only knows one thing for sure about her husband: he’s a very good liar.
Great for fans of: Shari Lapena, Claire Douglas’ The New Neighbours, Sam Lloyd’s The Bodies.
What the Dead Good team says: “I made the mistake of reading the first chapter before bed and then couldn’t put it down! It’s completely absorbing, especially as it opens with a shocking murder, and the pieces of the puzzle all come together in a really satisfying way.” – Katie Russell, Content Lead on Dead Good.
Buyer Beware by Catherine Ryan Howard
Publication date: 16th July
We suspect you’ll love it because: Catherine Ryan Howard is the master of clever, well-plotted mysteries with slow-build suspense and satisfying payoffs.
The plot in a nutshell: Ellie moves into a new home, not realising its morbid history. Then she makes a grim discovery and lands herself in danger, as someone is watching her every move…
Great for fans of: Jane Corry, Gillian Flynn, Harlan Coben.
What the experts say: “Creepy and compulsive, Buyer Beware is another bitingly smart thriller from the extremely talented Catherine Ryan Howard. Pick it up for the nightmarish premise, stay for the outstanding writing, sharp plotting and compelling characters. Just be careful you don’t suffer whiplash from the twists.” – Gilly Macmillan, author of The Nanny.
The Lover by Mary Watson
Publication date: 18th June
We suspect you’ll love it because: It’s a brilliant premise that hooks you from the first page, and it has a big twist you’ll never see coming.
The plot in a nutshell: Hallie is swept up in an affair with her boss. One night, she falls asleep in his arms, but when she wakes up the next morning, he is dead. Hallie becomes the prime suspect and must find the real killer to clear her name.
Great for fans of: Freida McFadden’s The Divorce, Ruth Mancini’s The Woman on the Ledge, Paula Hawkins.
What the experts say: “I absolutely loved this book – didn’t see the twist coming at all. Beautiful pacing and a gripping read.” – Emma Mason, author of Murder Most Haunted.
What’s your favourite domestic thriller? Let us know in the comments below…
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