Here are 82 books that What Happened to Nina? fans have personally recommended if you like What Happened to Nina?. 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 We Unleash the Merciless Storm

Cynthia Platt Author Of Postcards from Summer

From my list on YA told in multiple points of view.

Why am I passionate about this?

A wise (and wily) Jedi once said that “many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view,” and I’m fascinated by storytelling that gives you more than one point of view or voice to ponder. Even as a kid, I searched for books that delved into the minds of more than one character. I’ve explored this in my own writing but also as a teacher working with undergraduate students who were finding their own voices while exploring the literary voices of others. I also love so-called genre fiction—the fantasy, sci-fi, and romance of it all—which is definitely reflected in this list, well!

Cynthia's book list on YA told in multiple points of view

Cynthia Platt Why Cynthia loves this book

Carmen’s point of view in this novel is just as gripping as Dani’s in We Set the Dark on Fire, and her love for Dani is just as compelling. I’ll admit that it took me long enough to recover from Dani’s story that I didn’t immediately read this one when it was published, which was an error in judgment on my part. Because learning the flip side of a rebellion and a love story was even more satisfying than I thought it would be.

This was another can’t-put-down novel for me!

By Tehlor Kay Mejia ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked We Unleash the Merciless Storm as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

In this nail-biting sequel to Tehlor Kay Mejia's critically acclaimed fantasy novel We Set the Dark on Fire, La Voz operative Carmen is forced to choose between the girl she loves and the success of the rebellion she's devoted her life to. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid's Tale and Anna-Marie McLemore.

Being a part of the resistance group La Voz is an act of devotion and desperation. On the other side of Medio's border wall, the oppressed class fights for freedom and liberty, sacrificing what little they have to become defenders of the cause.

Carmen Santos is one of…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of These Toxic Things: A Thriller

Candace Havens Author Of A Case for the Cookie Baker

From my list on thrilling mysteries with strong female leads.

Why am I passionate about this?

Bestselling author Candace Havens has published more than 25 books. Her novels have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion, Write Touch Reader Awards, and National Reader’s Choice Awards. She is a Barbara Wilson Award winner. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies. She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities from George Clooney to Chris Pratt. Candace runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2000 writers and teaches comprehensive writing classes. She does film reviews with Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3 KSCS, and is a former President of the Television Critics Association.

Candace's book list on thrilling mysteries with strong female leads

Candace Havens Why Candace loves this book

Rachel Howzell Hall keeps the reader guessing in These Toxic Things. Her protagonist Mickie Lambert creates digital scrapbooks, but when her latest client ends up dead, she's determined to find out why someone wants the peculiar objects the woman had given Mickie to preserve. To find the answers, she ends up crossing paths with a serial killer. It's twisty fun, and Hall's characters are ones you won't forget.

By Rachel Howzell Hall ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked These Toxic Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A dead woman's cherished trinkets become pieces to a terrifying puzzle.

Mickie Lambert creates "digital scrapbooks" for clients, ensuring that precious souvenirs aren't forgotten or lost. When her latest client, Nadia Denham, a curio shop owner, dies from an apparent suicide, Mickie honors the old woman's last wish and begins curating her peculiar objets d'art. A music box, a hair clip, a key chain-twelve mementos in all that must have meant so much to Nadia, who collected them on her flea market scavenges across the country.

But these tokens mean a lot to someone else, too. Mickie has been receiving…


Book cover of The Daughter

Judith Read Author Of Etta's Way

From my list on bonding in mother/daughter relationships.

Why am I passionate about this?

Since college, psychology has been a subject I find intriguing. I am a retired Early Childhood Educator. Having daughters has enabled me to travel the time-worn path of mother-and-daughter relationships. After much trial and error, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is a complicated dynamic given the ages and stages, distinct personalities, social and cultural differences, socio-economics as well as generational challenges. An important thing is for mothers to understand that their daughters may have similarities to them, but they are not them. As they mature, they will make their own life choices. 

Judith's book list on bonding in mother/daughter relationships

Judith Read Why Judith loves this book

Right off the bat, I was taken aback by modern family life in this story. I got caught up in the busyness of these medical professionals as the parents of three teenagers, the youngest a fifteen-year-old girl. Having three daughters of my own, I recalled our own hectic lives. Like the mother in this story, I was so caught up in my work that I only found out much later how little I knew about my teenagers.

This book brought hard memories back that hurt, yet they helped me better understand the mother’s point of view. I couldn’t put the book down because I related so closely to it.

By Jane Shemilt ,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND RUNAWAY RICHARD & JUDY PHENOMENON

Her daughter has gone missing. But did she ever really know her . . .

'Thrilling' SUNDAY EXPRESS
'Completely unputdownable' 5***** READER REVIEW
'Utterly gripping' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'Unforgettable' 5***** READER REVIEW
________

Naomi is missing.

Her mother Jenny is desperately searching for answers.

But the traces of Naomi's existence reveal a very different girl to the one Jenny thought she'd raised.

The more she looks, the more she learns that everyone she trusted has been keeping secrets . . .

Is finding her the only way to put their…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of All Her Little Secrets

Bonnie Kistler Author Of The Cage

From my list on office thrillers keeping you on the edge of your chair.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a full-time novelist now, but for twenty-plus years, I was a practicing attorney. I was a business litigator, representing companies that were suing or being sued by other companies. I toiled away in high-rise office buildings, danced around office politics, and got up close and personal views of how people of every stripe navigate their work and lives in the office. I witnessed sexual harassment, bloodless coups, financial scandals, and professional disgrace—but I also enjoyed the support and encouragement and lifelong friendships that can come from collaborative work experiences. I like to think of the office environment as a petri dish to examine the full range of human behavior.

Bonnie's book list on office thrillers keeping you on the edge of your chair

Bonnie Kistler Why Bonnie loves this book

All Her Little Secrets brings the office thriller into the 21st century. Gone is the stereotypical white male protagonist. Ellice Littlejohn is a woman and an Ivy-educated Black lawyer with a harrowing back story full of poverty, abuse, and addiction. This novel doesn’t shy away from tackling institutionalized corporate racism, but make no mistake: it’s a thriller through and through. It’s wildly entertaining to follow Ellice in a climactic chase scene through office cubicles that are almost as adrenaline-spiked as Vertical Run.

By Wanda M. Morris ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked All Her Little Secrets as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“All Her Little Secrets is a brilliantly nuanced but powerhouse exploration of race, the legal system, and the crushing pressure of keeping secrets. Morris brings a vibrant and welcome new voice to the thriller space.” —Karin Slaughter, New York Times and international bestselling author  

In this fast-paced thriller, Wanda M. Morris crafts a twisty mystery about a black lawyer who gets caught in a dangerous conspiracy after the sudden death of her boss . . . A debut perfect for fans of Attica Locke, Alyssa Cole, Harlan Coben, and Celeste Ng, with shades of How to Get Away with Murder…


Book cover of The Vanishing at Loxby Manor

Michelle Griep Author Of Lost in Darkness

From my list on to satisfy Jane Austen and Jane Eyre lovers.

Why am I passionate about this?

Though I live in the foothills of the Ozarks, I’m an Anglophile at heart, loving all things Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. I spent much of my angsty adolescence tucked away in Regency and Victorian England with my nose stuck in a book. As a result, I now jump at every chance I get to skip across the pond and roam the English countryside, listening hard to hear all the voices from the past—which is why my stories are always tied to British history. So whether you love ballrooms or shadowy tales set in gothic manors, here’s a great list for you.

Michelle's book list on to satisfy Jane Austen and Jane Eyre lovers

Michelle Griep Why Michelle loves this book

Gothic stories are some of my favorite, especially when paired with the English countryside. This one entangles relationships that are sometimes tricky to navigate—much like real life, which I really appreciated. Truth is timeless, and I find that I often learn lessons from historical fiction that help me in my contemporary life. Such is the case for The Vanishing at Loxby Manor. I love how misunderstandings are cleared up between the characters for a very satisfying ending.

More Jane Eyre than Jane Austen.

By Abigail Wilson ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Vanishing at Loxby Manor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A story of second chances and secrets, this mysterious Regency romance will transport you to 19th-century England as one young lady reunites with her childhood love to find his missing sister.

Her friend is missing.

After five years abroad, Charity Halliwell finally returns to Loxby Manor, the home of dear friends-and her lost love. No longer a young girl, she is now haunted by a painful secret and the demise of her dreams. Instead of the healing and happiness she hopes to find, she encounters a darkness lurking in the shadows of the once-familiar house. When her friend, Seline, disappears…


Book cover of After Alice Fell

Diane C. McPhail Author Of The Abolitionist's Daughter

From my list on little-known Civil War era history.

Why am I passionate about this?

Diane C. McPhail is the award-winning author of The Abolitionist’s Daughter, her debut novel based on family history and little-known impediments to Southern Abolitionism and anti-slavery. Her yet-to-be-titled second novel, a historical 1900 Chicago & New Orleans psychological mystery, is due for release in the spring of 2022. As an experienced therapist, Diane has a passionate interest in the complex, sometimes conflicting, qualities of character and culture, and how those intricacies complicate the plot. Diane holds an M.F.A., M.A., and Doctor of Ministry.

Diane's book list on little-known Civil War era history

Diane C. McPhail Why Diane loves this book

This riveting American Gothic novel, set in 1865, follows a widowed Civil War Army nurse home to New Hampshire after her bloody stint of tending the wounded and sick, only to find that her beloved, but unstable, sister is dead in a fall from the roof of the asylum. The cause is ruled a suicide, but she is not convinced and determines to find the truth at all costs. The period is synchronic with that of The Abolitionist’s Daughter and the depth of research fascinated me. Blakemore’s writing and extensive attention to sensual detail is exceptional. Since I have my own yet-to-be-titled historical mystery due for release in the Spring of 2022, I loved delving into this twisting page-turner with a woman of determination in an equivalent period of history.

By Kim Taylor Blakemore ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked After Alice Fell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Until she discovers the truth of her sister's death, no one will rest in peace.

New Hampshire, 1865. Marion Abbott is summoned to Brawders House asylum to collect the body of her sister, Alice. She'd been found dead after falling four stories from a steep-pitched roof. Officially: an accident. Confidentially: suicide. But Marion believes a third option: murder.

Returning to her family home to stay with her brother and his second wife, the recently widowed Marion is expected to quiet her feelings of guilt and grief-to let go of the dead and embrace the living. But that's not easy in…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Darling Girls

Nicole Trope Author Of The Family Across the Street

From my list on helping you explore the darker side of suburbia.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been a writer for almost as long as I have been a reader, and I have always been attracted to the darker side of ordinary life. I write psychological suspense thrillers, always featuring a family in crisis. I am fascinated by what happens behind closed doors and what the headlines do not tell you about a situation. Most people love a good secret exposed, and I am no different. I look at those around me and wonder, ‘What are you hiding?’ because everyone is hiding something. And I want to know what it is.

Nicole's book list on helping you explore the darker side of suburbia

Nicole Trope Why Nicole loves this book

This domestic suspense novel explores a less traditional family.

Jessica, Norah, and Alicia are foster children who end up together on an idyllic farming estate, but their lives are filled with manipulation, secrets, and lies. Their foster mother, Miss Fairchild, is a complicated and scary character, and her abuse of her young charges is difficult to read.

By Sally Hepworth ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Darling Girls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER... Sally Hepworth’s new novel has it all.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three…


Book cover of Living Lies

Jaime Jo Wright Author Of The Souls of Lost Lake

From my list on to mix crime and romance.

Why am I passionate about this?

I adore suspense, mystery, and romance, but more so, I love books that inspire me and also aren’t necessarily easy to figure out. I’m a published and Christy award-winning author in this genre myself, but I have been reading this genre for over thirty-three years. I would definitely have to say my qualifications as a reader of suspense and mystery far outweigh those of an author. When I read suspense and romance, I look for two key elements: hard-to-figure out suspense and believable romance. I’m not out for bells and whistles as a reader, but instead look for well-crafted stories that are more like a puzzle that must be solved. 

Jaime's book list on to mix crime and romance

Jaime Jo Wright Why Jaime loves this book

This was the first book I read from Natalie Walters and it was fabulous! She is an auto-buy for me with a riveting story that is not only crime-centric but with relatable and real characters! Her romance is light and expertly woven through a story that will keep you guessing, biting your fingernails, and skipping dinner!

By Natalie Walters ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Living Lies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the little town of Walton, Georgia, everybody knows your name--but no one knows your secret. At least that's what Lane Kent is counting on when she returns to her hometown with her five-year-old son. Dangerously depressed after the death of her husband, Lane is looking for hope. What she finds instead is a dead body.

Lane must work with Walton's newest deputy, Charlie Lynch, to uncover the truth behind the murder. But when that truth hits too close to home, she'll have to decide if saving the life of another is worth the cost of revealing her darkest secret.…


Book cover of And Now She's Gone

Delia C. Pitts Author Of Murder Take Two

From my list on featuring Black private eyes.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a nerd by temperament (raised by a psychologist and a librarian, what else could I be?) and by profession (decades working as a U.S. diplomat and an academic administrator honed my people-watching faculties to a fine edge). So, of course, I’ve always been drawn to my opposite: that cynical loner whose pursuit of justice requires hard fists and a bent moral compass. Private eye mysteries are my perfect place. In them, I can exercise my passion for intellectual puzzles and my love for thrilling action. I enjoy the combination of social commentary and sheer entertainment I find when I dive into reading (or writing) a private eye mystery.

Delia's book list on featuring Black private eyes

Delia C. Pitts Why Delia loves this book

Los Angeles investigator Grayson Sykes is hired to track down a missing woman who may have disappeared for excellent reasons. As she digs into the secrets and betrayals surrounding her quarry, Gray uncovers unexpected commonalities with the missing woman. I enjoyed the intricate dance between two damaged and complex women, a dance that kept me shifting my loyalties and sympathies as the mystery deepened.

By Rachel Howzell Hall ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked And Now She's Gone as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Sharp, witty and perfectly paced, And Now She’s Gone is one hell of a read!” ―Wendy Walker, bestselling author of The Night Before

Isabel Lincoln is gone.

But is she missing?

It’s up to Grayson Sykes to find her. Although she is reluctant to track down a woman who may not want to be found, Gray’s search for Isabel Lincoln becomes more complicated and dangerous with every new revelation about the woman’s secrets and the truth she’s hidden from her friends and family.

Featuring two complicated women in a dangerous cat and mouse game, Rachel Howzell Hall's And Now She’s…


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of Beneath Devil's Bridge

Heather Critchlow Author Of Unsolved

From my list on true crime podcasters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been hooked on true crime podcasts ever since Serial burst onto the scene in 2014. My favourites are set in remote locations and breathe life into long-forgotten cases, giving victims’ families hopes of resolution and delivering justice. Initially dispassionate podcasters often find themselves sucked into the stories they cover, continuing for years in a bid to discover the truth. I’m fascinated by what motivates the men and women behind the microphones, which inspired me to write my own podcast novel. Now Unsolved is out there, I love reading other authors’ takes on true crime podcasters and these are five of my favourites – dark and sinister with buckets of atmosphere!

Heather's book list on true crime podcasters

Heather Critchlow Why Heather loves this book

One of the things that appeals to me about true crime podcasts is the idea that people who have harboured secrets for decades can be ready to set them free.

In Beneath Devil’s Bridge, young true crime podcaster Trinity Scott wants to make a name for herself and interviewing the killer locked up for the shocking murder of a local teenager is her way to do that. Despite having confessed to the crime, he now claims he wasn’t the killer after all.

The revelations aired in the podcast episodes force ex-police officer Rachel Walczak to question everything she thought she knew. Beautifully written, the characters in this book got right under my skin and the small-town backdrop is the perfect setting.

By Loreth Anne White ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Beneath Devil's Bridge as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A true crime podcast yields new revelations about a shocking murder in a riveting novel of suspense by Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestselling author Loreth Anne White.

True crime podcaster Trinity Scott is chasing breakout success, and her brand-new serial may get her there. Her subject is Clayton Jay Pelley. More than two decades ago, the respected family man and guidance counselor confessed to the brutal murder of teenage student Leena Rai. But why he killed her has always been a mystery.

In a series of exclusive interviews from prison, Clayton discloses to Trinity the truth about what happened…


Book cover of We Unleash the Merciless Storm
Book cover of These Toxic Things: A Thriller
Book cover of The Daughter

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