C.J. Zahner's favorite page-turning suspense fiction to keep you up all night

Defending Jacob is a page-turning legal thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. I recommend this novel more than any other. Both voracious book lovers and occasional readers love it. The story is flawlessly told and superbly written, the POV so realistic you’ll feel as if you’re sitting in the courtroom right beside Andy Barber, the protagonist. Book clubs (and I’ve participated in many) eat this up. On the nights we discussed Defending Jacob, no one wanted to go home. Everyone debated: is the bond between parent and child sacred or sacrilegious? Read this and decide for yourself.

Rage of Angels introduced me to kidnap crime thrillers and inspired me to write my own. I fell in love with Sidney Sheldon after reading this and went on to devour every book he wrote. Sheldon’s character development is brilliant. If you don’t fall in love with and root for Rage of Angel’s Jennifer Parker, then you’re not human. This is a page-turning whirlwind of a tale. You’ll question her morals, your morals, and you’ll ask yourself what you would do in her situation. You’ll love characters you shouldn’t and exhaust yourself trying to figure out Sheldon’s next twist. Totally worth the read. It’s the only 500-page book I didn’t want to end.

Nick Dunne and Amy Elliott are about to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. Conflictingly, Nick’s thinking bizarre thoughts about the size of his wife’s head while Amy’s elatedly writing a happy-with-her-life diary entry. Then she disappears and you are hooked. You don’t realize you’re reading anymore. You’re in a maze, searching for someone. Gone Girl is ingenious suspense. The POV seesaws between Nick and Amy, and if teetering makes you dizzy, get out early, because this psychological thriller will take you on a wild ride of what-the-heck-is-going-on. There are games involved. Scavenger hunts. Pay attention to every sentence in this one. I read it in mere hours. Closed the final chapter, exhausted and sweaty. Love, love, loved it.  

I’m a huge Jodi Picoult fan. When I’m hungry for a good read, I grab one of her books because I know a juicy story and flawlessly sweet writing await me. But Nineteen Minutes? It’s like a forbidden dessert, my favorite of all her novels. The opening grabs you and won’t let go. There’s a school shooting, lots of kids, parents, and an investigator who allows his niece to paint his toenails. (Picoult creates characters who quietly charm you.) The most thought-provoking suspense novel I’ve ever read, Nineteen Minutes describes the multi-faceted inner workings of teenagers’ minds and the fruitless attempts of parents (and investigators with pink toes) to understand them. If, like me, you like solving puzzles and enjoy stories with lots of moving parts, this one’s for you. 

In Big Little Lies, author Liane Moriarty interlaces the lives of five women: Jane, raising a son alone; Celeste, the quintessential beauty, hiding family secrets; Maddie, my favorite, the thinks-too-much, defends-the-weak, won’t-take-no-for-an-answer mom; Renata, the wealthy, most powerful mother at Pirriwee Public School; and Bonnie, the current wife of Maddie’s ex-husband. Never have I loved a female cast of characters as much as I love these women. This story cleverly wraps friendship foes, family saga, and Chick Lit into one page-turning murder mystery. You simply can’t put it down. The excellent writing and superb character development of strong, fierce women make this one of my all-time favorites. This was my introductory book to Lianne Moriarty. Now I read everything she writes.