Hello Everyone!
I have to admit that I have a slightly morbid fascination and interest in scary and sad topics involving death. I love listen to true crime podcasts especially "My Favorite Murderer" (shoutout to any fellow murderinos). So, if you share my odd love of books dealing with sad deaths or with murder, you have come to the right place. Here I am going to list (in no particular order) my all time favorite books that I recommend on these topics.
#1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
This book is absolutely amazing and very popular. If you have not read it then do so immediately. The movie is also enjoyable so I suggest you read the book then you can enjoy it a second time on the screen. My favorite part of the book is that the entire plot twists and turns so that you do not know what is happening. It also switches character narrations which I think is so fun because we see the story from different angles. It is super creepy because you feel like you are actually in the head of a crazy person as you read but you don't know if its you who is crazy, Nick (who is accused of murder) or the beautiful victim, his wife Amy.
#2 A Book of American Martyrs by Joyce Carol Oats
This book tackles a difficult topic that is very relevant today. We get to read into the politics of abortion clinics in a small midwest Ohio town. It feels so real that it could be based off of the stories we hear again and again even though it is fiction. Like Gone Girl we get to see the perspectives of multiple characters and so we can feel some empathy for the people that I might initially right off as the villains. This story is maddening because of the terrible events that occur but I also think it is important to face these subjects head on because rape, murder, and lack of education are problems that are very apparent today.
#3 The Female of the Species by Mindy Mcginnis
I love this book. It is a bit different from the books above because it is more of a romantic young adult novel that is so much fun to read even if it is about a psychopath taking revenge on evildoers and trying to kill her sister's murderer. This book was definitely not a very realistic representation of a psychopath but instead more of a female version of the main character of the show Dexter. It kept me on the edge of my seat while reading it, excited to see what would happen but at the same time I was almost uncomfortable as I read gruesome descriptions from the point of a psychopath.
#4 Theres's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins
This book had to make my list because it is written by one of my all time favorite young adult authors. Stephanie Perkins, it's phenomenal and I recommend all her books because they are adorable. However, this book is a bit different because it contains pretty dark content along with some wholesome teen romance and angst. This book kept me guessing about who the killer was even though it puts the reader in their head for each kill. I think the best way to describe this book is simple a fun YA teen romance served with a slice of murder.
#5 The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
This book takes on a more serious note because it focuses on the terrible murder of a young girl, Sus and is narrated by the victim herself as she describes her story and closely watches as her family struggles to cope with her death as they search for her killer. This book is interesting because we know exactly what happened and who did it and have to watch Susie's family and the absolutely terrifying interactions they have with the killer her lurks nearby at all times. This one also has a movie, which I thought was pretty enjoyable with Saoirse Ronan playing the young victim.
#6 Room by Emma Donoghue
"Room" is the first book on this list that is not about murder but it does tell the story of a young women who has been kidnapped and kept in a garden shed for years. It is told from the point of view of her five year old son Jack who was conceived during the kidnappers nightly visits to the room. It is an interesting take on the situation becuase Jack does not understand that they live an unusual life. His mother has tried to shield him from the horror of their predicament becuase he has known nothing else. I think this book is very successful in using a child's voice to horrible trauma and then healing. This book has a movie rendition with a terrific performance by Brie Larson, which was awarded with the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2016.
#7 My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
This book is one of my long time favorites. It is a sad story about family relationships when one member of the family has cancer and her sister donates different parts her body to keep her sick sister alive. It deals with medical ethics surrounding test tube babies created to support their sick family members and what rights they have as a child over their own body. I love this book becuase I am close with my own sister and it puts our relationship into perspective. It makes me consider the hardships of having an incredibly ill family member and giving up everything to support them becuase you love them but also wanting to have a life outside of their sickness.
#8 I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson
"I'll Give You The Sun" is probably my favorite book not only on this list but over all. It is a beautiful story that strays a little away from the themes of the previous books. It focuses on the relationship between a pair of twins who are extremely different and have grown apart after their mother kills herself. I think this book shows how someone can have a big impact on your life even after they pass on. By now, you can probably tell that I enjoy books that change character perspectives with each chapter and this is another on written in that style. It is also a young adult coming of age with a bit of romance stirred in.
#9 A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb
This book is about a ghost so it is different than those before it. I really could not tell you why I like this book so much but for some reason it has a special place in my heart. The first things that drew me in was probably the cover. I am all about not judging a book by it's cover but how could I not be obsessed with this one!? The romance in this book is poignant and sweet with a hint of supernatural intrigue.
#10 Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
Now, I know a lot of people have strong feelings of either hate or love for this story especially after the release of the Netflix original but I personal think it is a very enjoyable. I read this book long before the show was released and I remember enjoying how unique this story was. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to listen to the audiobook, which was interesting becuase the entire narrative of the storyline is meant to be a suicide note recorded on tapes and left for the people who pushed Hannah Baker to kill herself.