Authors Like Lisa Jewell That You'll Want to Binge
Lisa Jewell is a mind-blowing author with a broad collection of page-turning novels. The first book of hers that I read, Then She Was Gone, is a completely 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.
Find your next great read by exploring my reviews of these books you’ll devour if you liked Then She Was Gone by Colleen Hoover. It’s a broad compilation. Some authors here may be names you’ve heard before, but there are others you may have not discovered yet. This list includes authors with romances, thrillers, mysteries, contemporaries, and series. Some are adult, and some are YA. With such a varied collection, something here is guaranteed rouse your curiosity.
If you’re looking for authors similar to Lisa Jewell, you’ve come to the right place. Happy reading!
Junior Missing by Khristina Chess
“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, quote from Junior Missing
Love shouldn’t take prisoners.
Sixteen-year-old Grace Keegan, darling of the child pageant world, is missing. Police initially believe she ran away—until they locate her abandoned cell phone along the highway. No one knows she met someone online, someone older, a musician named Quentin Brock who has a cool band named Acid Mozart. He seems to be romantic, cute, and funny. He seems to be the perfect guy.
By the time he reveals his true colors, Grace is trapped in another state with no way out.
She doesn’t even have shoes.
Wow! Junior Missing hooked me from the first page and never let me go!
What makes Junior Missing so special is the gripping, slow-boil depiction of how Grace falls into the trap of an abusive relationship with an older man who takes her in—and won’t let her go. I worried about her. I loved seeing her journey and choices as she befriends the neighbor girl. This is the kind of thrilling, authentic novel that really shows how someone can so easily be manipulated and hurt in this kind of situation.
If you liked Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell and you’re looking for a steamy thriller that you won’t be able to put down, this one is definitely a page-turner! In fact, Khristina Chess is on my list of Best YA Authors to Binge on Kindle Unlimited because she has so many suspenseful novels.
Verity by Colleen Hoover
"Some families are lucky enough to never experience a single tragedy. But then there are those families that see to have tragedies waiting on the back burner. What can go wrong, goes wrong. And then gets worse."—Colleen Hoover, quote from Verity
Colleen Hoover is a mega bestselling author of both adult and young adult fiction. Verity is my personal favorite. The hot (hot, hot) romance was definitely a big part of the appeal, but the spicy sex wasn’t the only part. This is more than a romance novel. I loved the twisty, dark, and disorienting plot that kept me guessing until the very end. In this novel, the characters aren’t who they seem to be, and that multi-dimensional layer was the aspect that made Verity so wonderful for me.
If you’re looking for authors like Lisa Jewell that you’ll want to binge, pick this one up.In fact, check out my other reviews of Colleen Hoover books here.
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 Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, you won’t want to miss this coming-of-age mystery about love, nature, and the secrets people keep.
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Girl on the Train is definitely one of the books you won’t be able to put down. It has unreliable narrators, as well as a twisty and confusing plot that will keep you guessing. 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 one up. You won’t be disappointed.
Fans of Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell will absolutely love this one.
The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
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 the romance in Then She Was Gone, you will devour this one.
Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick
“This is a fairy tale with teeth and claws.” ― Ilsa Bick, quote from Drowning Instinct
And speaking of twisty thrillers with inappropriate relationships, how about Drowning Instinct, with a teen girl and her teacher?
I didn't know what to expect when a friend loaned this book to me, but wow! This book has layers. 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 away. If you like Lisa Jewell books, just read it.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
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 Then She Was Gone 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 Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve
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
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 like Lisa Jewell books, 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.
Other Authors Like Lisa Jewell That You’ll Want to Binge
If you’re looking for other authors like Lisa Jewell, check out Readers Who Enjoyed Then She Was Gone. You might also be interested in my post, Other Good Reads, which has a comprehensive list of book reviews.
Do you have any recommendations? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Khristina Chess is the award-winning author of several YA novels about troubled teens turning corners. You can find her on Amazon, Goodreads, and Twitter as an active daily contributor in the #5amwritersclub.