Here are 63 books that Ward D fans have personally recommended if you like Ward D. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Lost Apothecary

Kris Zeck

From Kris' 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Unknown Author Why Kris loves this book

This brought me back into reading after a loooong teaching year. Un-putdown-able and thoughtful research went into it. Made me want to revisit London!!!

By Sarah Penner ,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked The Lost Apothecary as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Named Most Anticipated of 2021 by Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Hello! magazine, Oprah.com, Bustle, Popsugar, Betches, Sweet July, and GoodReads!

March 2021 Indie Next Pick and #1 LibraryReads Pick

“A bold, edgy, accomplished debut!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network

A forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison and revenge. Welcome to The Lost Apothecary…

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised…


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Book cover of Last Patient of the Night

Last Patient of the Night by Gary Gerlacher,

Emergency physician AJ Docker is no stranger to violence, but the brutal torture and murder of an innocent, young patient demands a response.

Together with his policeman friend, and a police dog, he sets out on a quest for justice for his lost patient. Doc’s investigation leads him into the…

Book cover of Lightlark

Jobi Josi

From Jobi's 3 favorite reads in 2024.

Unknown Author Why Jobi loves this book

It was a nice experience reading it.I haven't completed the last book of the series but still the first two books have presented me with a good adventure which made me read further more books in the series. There are twists and turns.
I am eagerly waiting for a moment to buy the last one in the series 😂...

By Alex Aster ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Lightlark as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

#BookTok phenomenon and award-winning author Alex Aster delivers readers a masterfully written, utterly gripping YA fantasy novel

Welcome to the Centennial.

Every 100 years, the island of Lightlark appears to host the Centennial, a deadly game that only the rulers of six realms are invited to play. The invitation is a summons-a call to embrace victory and ruin, baubles and blood. The Centennial offers the six rulers one final chance to break the curses that have plagued their realms for centuries. Each ruler has something to hide. Each realm's curse is uniquely wicked. To destroy the curses, one ruler must…


Book cover of The Housemaid

Carl Michaelsen Author Of Velocity

From Carl's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Carl's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Carl Michaelsen Why Carl loves this book

Another book that I couldn't stop reading. Freida McFadden really came up with a brilliant twist in this story and challenged the reader to really question what it means to be a victim of domestic abuse. There are very often two sides to every story and the truth might not always be as simple as it appears. The writing was immersive and quick-paced, making for an excellent "binge read".

By Freida McFadden ,

Why should I read it?

16 authors picked The Housemaid as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Don't miss the New York Times and USA Today bestseller and addictive psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist that’s burning up Instagram and TikTok--Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid is perfect for fans of Ruth Ware, Lisa Jewell, and Verity.

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies…


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Book cover of The Both of Us

The Both of Us by Dan Lawton,

The thing about the truth is, sometimes, it’s all in the eyes. On his drive home from work, Mark hears a familiar voice on the Doctor Lisa radio show—a popular therapist hotline. It’s not just a familiar voice; it’s her voice. His wife Rachel’s voice.

The caller, who goes by…

Book cover of Never Lie

Nicola Sanders Author Of Don't Believe Her

From my list on gaslighting by the people you love most.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write psychological thrillers, and I find stories where the main character thinks they’re going crazy, particularly gripping, especially when it’s caused by (supposed) loved ones. I suspect it’s because these stories share an element of "this could happen to me." I’ve only written three books, but I’d say all of them have an element of gaslighting, probably because I sit down and think things like, What would it feel like if your best friend came back after many years, and you’re the only one who can tell it’s not her? It’s a deliciously creepy way to pass the time. 

Nicola's book list on gaslighting by the people you love most

Nicola Sanders Why Nicola loves this book

Everybody's probably read this one, but I'll mention it anyway.This book could be titled Everyone is Lying All the Time. It's one of my favourites by McFadden.

Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan find themselves stuck in a house until the snowstorm passes. Everything about the housethe noises, things moving or appearing, secret doorsmakes Tricia nervous, but Ethan has an explanation for everything.

The characters of Dr. Hale and her nemesis, EJ, are particularly compelling, and it’s saying something considering they are mostly "written" through the audiotapes that Tricia listens to, so there’s no description of their actions. Just pure dialog on the page, as if you were listening along to the tape.

It’s only at the end that you realise this novel is a series of magic tricks designed to make you look over here while the action was really happening over there.

By Freida McFadden ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Never Lie as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams. But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate… with no chance of escape until the blizzard comes to an end.

In search of a book to keep her entertained until the snow abates, Tricia happens upon a secret room. One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns…


Book cover of The Girl on the Train

Randi Samuelson-Brown Author Of Branded Past

From Randi's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Randi's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Randi Samuelson-Brown Why Randi loves this book

This book is a great example of an unreliable narrator. It's not that Rachel is not likeable - it's that she has a serious problem with alcohol. Taking the reader along through an alcoholic haze...what actually did happen?

By Paula Hawkins ,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked The Girl on the Train as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller, USA Today Book of the Year and now a major motion picture starring Emily Blunt.
 
Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning and night. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple having breakfast on their deck. She's even started to feel like she knows them. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It's…


Book cover of Gone Girl

Leslie Liautaud Author Of Butterfly Pinned

From my list on beauty does not equal good.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up in theatre, I was completely immersed in plays, which tend to be deep dives of the human psyche, and I latched on to those examinations like a dog with a bone. I’ve always loved the complexities of the human mind, specifically how we so desperately want to believe that anything beautiful, expensive, or exclusive must mean that the person, place, or thing is of more value. But if we pull back the curtain, and really take a raw look, we see that nothing is exempt from smudges of ugliness. It’s the ugliness, especially in regard to human character, that I find most fascinating. 

Leslie's book list on beauty does not equal good

Leslie Liautaud Why Leslie loves this book

I love love love an unreliable narrator! Especially when that narrator is a beautiful, elegant woman who turns out to have the ugliest soul imaginable. I think as a whole, our society tends to be extra afraid when they see conniving evil existing in a female’s mind, especially when she’s physically beautiful and well spoken.

At certain points in this book, I found myself weirdly rooting for Amy and chomping at the bit to see how far her “crazy” would take her. The twists and turns kept me racing through this book and left me wondering at the end, “What happens to them now?!”

By Gillian Flynn ,

Why should I read it?

33 authors picked Gone Girl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE ADDICTIVE No.1 BESTSELLER AND INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON
OVER 20 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE
THE BOOK THAT DEFINES PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

Who are you?
What have we done to each other?

These are the questions Nick Dunne finds himself asking on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they weren't made by him. And then there are the persistent calls on…


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Book cover of The House Swap

The House Swap by Miranda Rijks,

Two perfect families. Two beautiful homes. A one-way trip to hell.

When the Browns and the Lesters organise a house swap, it seems like the perfect holiday arrangement.

Sounds wonderful. Except for one thing - both families are hiding dark secrets, and secrets have a way of coming out...

In…

Book cover of Verity

Marcey Rader Author Of Reclaim Your Workday: Sustainable Productivity Strategies for the New World of Work

From Marcey's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Productivity coach Speaker Coffee drinker Hula hooper Traveler

Marcey's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Marcey Rader Why Marcey loves this book

If Being Mortal makes you think and I Respectfully Disagree makes you grow, Verity will make you lock the door and cancel your plans. I didn’t just read this book—I inhaled it.

This was my second Colleen Hoover book, and I’m glad it wasn’t my first, because Verity sets an impossible bar. It’s twisted, dark, and completely addictive. I didn’t want to put it down, talk to anyone, or do anything until I finished it.

The story drags you into a psychological tug-of-war between truth and manipulation. Hoover builds tension so thick you can’t tell what’s real and what’s not, which makes it even more irresistible.

I read a lot for work and learning, but Verity reminded me that reading can also be a full-body, fun, suspensful experience.

Read it if: you love thrillers, need an escape, or just want a book that reminds you what obsession feels like—in the…

By Colleen Hoover ,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked Verity as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

OVER 3 MILLION COPIES SOLD - THE NO.1 BESTSELLER AND TIKTOK SENSATION, FROM THE AUTHOR OF IT ENDS WITH US
Are you ready to stay up all night? Rebecca meets Gone Girl in this shocking, unpredictable thriller with a twist that will leave you reeling . . .

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the…


Book cover of Don't Let Her Stay

Mary Cantell Author Of The Fragile Things

From my list on fragility of life in mystery, romance, intrigue.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m passionate about the theme of mystery/romance novels because they lend so much to the human condition and hit a soft spot, as I’ve liked them since I was a child. When a story is relatable—such as a genuine real-life situation having the potential to become one’s own, that’s where the intrigue kicks in, and I’m knocked into another world as I feel their emotions so poignantly. It’s the perfect escape. Unlike science fiction where reality must be suspended, a classic mystery story—especially ones with a touch of romance—are the ones that really suck me in and won’t let go until the last page is turned.

Mary's book list on fragility of life in mystery, romance, intrigue

Mary Cantell Why Mary loves this book

I loved this book because its true-to-life setting created a situation that I could actually see happening—of course, on my worst day! The curious study in contrast between the characters' dialogue and their unseen motives left desperate cliffhangers with each chapter, leaving me dangling along with them.

The intrigue left me wanting more and the book just “called” me even though I was busy with other things.

By Nicola Sanders ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Don't Let Her Stay as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Joanne knows how lucky she is, Richard is a wonderful husband, Evie is the most gorgeous baby girl, they live in a beautiful house, life couldn't be better. But then Richard's twenty-year-old daughter Chloe turns up. Chloe hasn't spoken to her father since the day he married Joanne two years ago. But with the arrival of her baby sister Evie, Chloe wants to make peace. Richard is delighted, and since Joanne is struggling with the new baby, he suggests Chloe could move in and help. It sounds like the perfect solution, even if Chloe doesn't seem to like Joanne very…


Book cover of The Housemaid's Secret

Jeff Berney Author Of The Fall of Faith

From my list on feed your dark side.

Why am I passionate about this?

Even as a boy, I could see (or maybe just sense) the darkness that resides just below the surface of this otherwise pleasant world. We all have stories, and the ones we hold closest to ourselves are often the darkest. Those are the stories that fascinate me the most. What are the limits of man’s menace? What causes seemingly normal people to snap? To turn on their fellow man? I could do one of two things with this fascination: become a sociopath (perhaps psychopath) or an author of dark, twisted, twisty tales. As you know, I chose the latter. 

Jeff's book list on feed your dark side

Jeff Berney Why Jeff loves this book

This is not only an amazing stand-alone psychological thriller, but it’s also the first in a series. I love every single novel in McFadden’s Housemaid series. Her books are twisty. They're dark. And they offer insights into an imperfect heroine. You may think you know what’s going to happen, especially after the first book, but trust me, you don’t.

Our housemaid heroine is struggling to turn her life around, so she takes a job as a live-in maid. Right away, the isolated mansion where she lives and works becomes a character study of the differences between the haves and have-nots. I appreciate that the mega-rich couple she works for doesn’t have a perfect life. McFadden writes realistic, flawed characters that will get under your skin. 

By Freida McFadden ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Housemaid's Secret as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE GOODREADS AWARD FOR BEST CRIME AND THRILLER 2023

As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can't risk losing this job - not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe . . .

It's hard to find an employer who doesn't ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can…


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Book cover of Toxic Minds

Toxic Minds by Anthony Lee,

One of Dr. Mark Lin's patients is killed by a suicide bomber blowing up a clinic. Everyone points the finger at anti-abortion extremists. Mark, however, has a different theory about the culprit: a secretive healing cult called the Path to Purity.

The only way to avenge his patient is to…

Book cover of The Talented Mr. Ripley

Geoffrey Carter Author Of In Bad Faith

From Geoffrey's 3 favorite reads in 2025.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Geoffrey's 3 favorite reads in 2025

Geoffrey Carter Why Geoffrey loves this book

Placing the reader squarely into the mind and sensibility (if you can call it that) of a sociopathic killer, Ms. Highsmith created an entirely new type of thriller; in this case, the reader is not so much concerned with whodunit as to why hedunit. Following Mr. Ripley across Europe and witnessing his extended string of crimes and the extensive web of lies he weaves--and his appreciation for the finer things in life, I was both enthralled and repulsed by his exploits. In a weird way, I admired him and found myself rooting for him. To create the interior life of such a repugnant human being, and to do it so well, is a great achievement in fiction. Not since Humbert Humbert have I read about such a likable criminal.

By Patricia Highsmith ,

Why should I read it?

29 authors picked The Talented Mr. Ripley as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It's here, in the first volume of Patricia Highsmith's five-book Ripley series, that we are introduced to the suave Tom Ripley, a young striver seeking to leave behind his past as an orphan bullied for being a "sissy." Newly arrived in the heady world of Manhattan, Ripley meets a wealthy industrialist who hires him to bring his playboy son, Dickie Greenleaf, back from gallivanting in Italy. Soon Ripley's fascination with Dickie's debonair lifestyle turns obsessive as he finds himself enraged by Dickie's ambivalent affections for Marge, a charming American dilettante, and Ripley begins a deadly game. "Sinister and strangely alluring"…


Book cover of The Lost Apothecary
Book cover of Lightlark
Book cover of The Housemaid

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