4 Books With Unreliable Narrators That Will Keep You Guessing Till the End
Sit back & enjoy the ride
Sit back & enjoy the ride
I love juicy thrillers.
My favourite way of spending a lazy autumn afternoon is picking a fast-paced paperback, lounging on my beanbag, sipping a cup of steaming green tea, and losing myself in the story.
What makes a thriller even more mind-boggling is if it has a delicious unreliable narrator. MasterClass defines four types of unreliable narrators primarily seen in literature as:
- Picaro: A character with a knack for exaggerating.
- Madman. A narrator who is mentally detached from reality.
- Naif. A character whose narrative abilities are impacted by inexperience, illness or age.
- Liar. The most deliberate of all the unreliable narrators, Liar is a character who fabricates stories, often to paint a better picture of themselves or achieve a desired outcome.
I recently had the good fortune of reading several excellent books with unreliable narrators. This post is all about them. If you trust my judgment, go ahead and pick them up. They will not disappoint.
(Note: The links mentioned in this article are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase these books through these links, it will help me earn a small amount of money — at no extra cost to you. Thanks!)
I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick
There are two parallel storylines. One is in the present where 17-year-old Anna Cicconi has been arrested for the murder of Zoe Spanos. She wasn’t framed or caught red-handed. She herself walked to the police station and confessed to the murder.
The other storyline is from two months ago when Anna has just arrived in the town to work as a babysitter for a wealthy couple. Every person she meets tells her she reminds them of a girl called Zoe Spanos who disappeared six months ago and has been missing ever since.
The premise sent chills down my spine. Everything was so complicated; it was hard to keep the book down until I found what was up with Anna and why she confessed to killing Zoe when two months ago, she wasn’t even aware of the girl’s existence.
Why you should read it
That twist in the end! No matter how much of a seasoned thriller reader you are, you would NOT see that coming. I was almost preparing myself for a supernatural element or a significant let-down. But the author did a fantastic job of tying all the loose ends together and keeping me guessing — right until the epilogue.
Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey
Maud is an 82-year-old lady suffering from dementia. She has episodes where she is clear, but several instances where she has no idea what’s going on. Her memory is getting so weak that she barely remembers her address. But there is one thing Maud knows for certain: her closest friend, Elizabeth, hasn’t called her for over two weeks. The house she lives in is empty. This could mean only one thing: Elizabeth is missing.
But the problem is: since Maud herself forgets most of what she says or does, how would she ever convince the police (or for that matter, anyone else) to help her in looking for her friend? And what if Elizabeth’s disappearance is somehow linked with Sukey, Maud’s elder sister who went missing 70 years ago?
Why you should read it
Flitting seamlessly between the past and the present, Elizabeth is Missing ties together two mysteries separated by 70 years. The character of Maud is endearing. Sometimes, it’s heartbreaking how she uncovers an important clue, only to find it gone a moment later when her memory starts fumbling. The final reveal will shock you, and although you might have expected the outcome, the manner in which it is revealed will take your breath away.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
This not a murder mystery…or is it?
The back blurb of the book will not tell you anything, so I would rather keep it that way.
When I started reading this book, I had absolutely no clue what to expect. The only reason I picked it up was that my book club had chosen this and apparently, the book had won the YA Goodreads Choice Award in 2014.
The suspense is painted on by layers of beautiful prose. Of course, you might form an accurate theory early on, but the journey remains worth it nevertheless.
Why you should read it
This book will mess with your head big time. The protagonist and her friends (a group of four who call themselves “Liars”) will make you wonder what’s going on. Is what you’re reading even real, or is it some strange flashback? What happened in summer 15 that left everyone so broken, and why does no one talk about it? Questions, questions, and more questions — all of them will make you want to keep turning page after page until you reach that final, satisfying conclusion.
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney
I like to pride myself that I am, in general, very good at guessing what the story might be. But this book defied all that. Nay, it took all my guesses, grabbed them by the throat, and threw them out the window.
Yes, it was that good — I am not exaggerating. The ending was brilliantly executed. The characters are flawed to the extent that a reader shudders every time the narrator goes, “I did something bad. I swear I didn’t mean to.”
Why you should read it
The start is a bit slow, but have some patience. There is a reason for all that, and that reason is BRILLIANT. All the seemingly unconnected threads come together brilliantly towards the end and will leave you reeling with shock. After all, how can you NOT like a book that begins with-
My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me:
1. I’m in a coma.
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore.
3. Sometimes I lie.
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