10 Books to Read If You’re Obsessed with Big Little Lies

In this throat-grabbing thriller, suspicions and accusations fly in the rumor mill of a seaside town that single mother Joanna calls home. At school drop-off one morning, Joanna hears a rumor that a so-called reformed murderer has chosen to start over with a new identity in their small community. But when the rumors begin to take on a life of their own and Joanna’s curiosity gets the best of her, she puts her entire family in danger. Because really, who’s to say the killer is actually reformed?

Everything’s peachy between four Colorado families whose lives have been intertwined ever since their kids were born over a decade ago. But when a highly exclusive school for gifted children opens its doors in their town, life becomes a jumbled mess of standardized tests; cutthroat, misplaced ambitions; and ticking time bombs of life-altering secrets. Will their friendships—and their children’s well-being—survive?

Jean Taylor won’t be controlled by her husband, Glen, anymore. They married young and he’s been telling her what to do, where to go, how to behave all these years. But now he’s gone. Some would say Glen got what he deserves—getting hit by a bus after being accused of kidnapping and murdering a child. But what’s the truth in all of this? What did Jean know of her husband’s doings, and what does she know about his demise?

Rachel Klein wouldn’t say she regrets kissing her professor, the famous writer Zahid Azzam, but when Zahid comes calling to her luxurious Connecticut home and sparks start to fly between him and Rachel’s newly divorced mom, Becca, things get a little… tense. A riotous and seductive story of sex, bad behavior, and life among East Coast elites, Very Nice makes for one wickedly enjoyable read.  

Beth has recently moved to Washington, D.C., with her husband, Matt, who’s intent on getting a job that “means something,” unlike his former job as a lawyer. Beth’s not a fan of D.C.: the constant politics chatter, the weather, the culture. But when she meets Ashley, her and Matt’s lives begin to change. As they find success, it takes a toll on their marriage. Soon, Beth begins to wonder where the man she married went, and if she’ll ever get him back.

Jess’s life has been turned upside down. She’s a single mom trying to provide for her two kids, and she takes things day by day. Today, she’s trying to get her younger daughter to a math competition, and she’s failing. That is, until Ed—a multimillionaire whose house Jess cleans—steps in to save the day. But Ed has his own personal demons, which all come to the surface in this romantic comedy.

Beatrice thinks she knows her sister, Tess, well, so when she receives news that Tess has disappeared, she rushes to figure out what happened. But upon arriving, Bee discovers that she didn’t know much about her sister at all. As Beatrice moves into her sister’s flat and tries to understand Tess and what might have happened to her, she uncovers parts of her sister that she never even imagined.

When Detective Cassie Maddox is called to the scene of a murder, she’s astonished to find that the victim looks exactly like her. Cassie decides to assume the identity of the dead woman in order to determine who murdered her, but she becomes enmeshed in this new life and begins to question everything around her.

Anne and Marco are going to the neighbors’ house for dinner, so they decide to leave their sleeping 6-month-old baby at home after the babysitter cancels. After all, they reason, they’re only going next door. They can just check on her every half hour or so. But when they return home and their daughter is gone, their worlds fall apart. Who took their daughter? Could it be someone they know?

Claudia Morgan-Brown has everything she’s ever wanted, as the mother of two stepsons with a baby of her own on the way. Cognizant of the fact that she’s going to need some help taking care of her family—she’s also a full-time social worker—Claudia hires Zoe. On paper Zoe seems perfect, but there’s something about her that unsettles Claudia. When someone starts attacking pregnant women, Claudia starts to wonder if she needs to look more deeply into Zoe’s past.