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Actors Edward Norton, left, and Brad Pitt in the movie adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s “Fight Club,” one of the great books with a twist.<\/p>\n
20th Century Fox<\/p>\n
Few books are as satisfying as those with a perfectly executed twist. The top plot-twist novels flip the story completely, revealing shocking secrets and clever clues that reward a second \u2013 or even third \u2013 reading.<\/p>\n
Top Novels With A Twist<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s an unreliable narrator, surprise motives or hints hidden in plain site, this reading list includes bombshell revelations you may recognize from movies based on books<\/a> and in genres for every taste \u2013 from thrillers<\/a> to romance novels<\/a> to fantasies to fairy tales. The rankings are based on books\u2019 commercial success, critical cachet and quality of writing. Warning: Spoilers ahead!<\/strong><\/p>\n 15. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (2014)<\/p>\n Seventeen-year-old Cadence Sinclair is trying to recover her memory two years after a traumatic fire left her with a brain injury. In a story told in flashbacks, she attempts to piece together her life from before and figure out her dysfunctional family with the help of her cousins and a friend.<\/p>\n This book, recently adapted as an Amazon Prime Video series, is best for those who enjoy commentary on wealth and privilege<\/a>. The twist: <\/strong>Cadence\u2019s cousins and friend died during the fire two years ago, and they\u2019ve been coming to her as spirits. E. Lockhart\u2019s We Were Liars is available from publisher Penguin Random House.<\/p>\n Amazon Prime Video recently adapted E. Lockhart’s novel with a big plot twist, “We Were Liars.” <\/p>\n Jessie Redmond\/Prime<\/p>\n 14. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz (2021)<\/p>\n Struggling writer Jake steals a brilliant plotline (about a mom who kills her daughter and then takes her place in college) from one of his late students, and the novel becomes a monster hit. But an anonymous tormenter threatens to reveal Jake\u2019s secret, which would upend his new marriage and sully his sterling literary reputation.<\/p>\n This bestseller that recently spawned a sequel is best for fans of thrillers with a bit of literary cred. The twist:<\/strong> Jake\u2019s wife is the anonymous tormentor\u2014turns out she was the inspiration for the morbid plotline, which she actually lived out. Jean Hanff Korelitz\u2019s The Plot is available from Macmillan.<\/p>\n 13. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (2007)<\/p>\n In the finale of the seven-book Harry Potter series, Harry, Ron and Hermione have their final showdown with Voldemort at Hogwarts, a battle to the death that has been building since Harry\u2019s birth. The bloody confrontation anoints new leaders and claims some old favorites but two final twists steal the show.<\/p>\n This blockbuster bestseller is best for fantasy lovers or anyone who\u2019s read the first six books. The twists:<\/strong> Harry is a Horcrux, sharing a piece of Voldemort\u2019s soul, and Snape really was protecting Harry all along. J.K. Rowling\u2019s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is available from publisher Scholastic.<\/p>\n 12. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (1926)<\/p>\n The master British mystery writer has two books on this list because she\u2019s the queen of twists. Agatha Christie\u2019s long-running recurring character Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate the, yes, murder of Roger Ackroyd, a wealthy widower. The Belgian detective\u2019s neighbor, Dr. James Sheppard, narrates the story,<\/p>\n This book is best for classic mystery fans. The twist:<\/strong> The mild-mannered narrator is actually the murderer \u2014 none of what he said could be trusted. Agatha Christie\u2019s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is available from publisher Penguin Random House.<\/p>\n 11. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2001)<\/p>\n Teenager Pi Patel spends more than 200 days stranded on a lifeboat with Richard Parker\u2014a Bengal tiger. Pi and his family, who owned a zoo in India, had been emigrating to Canada on a ship with their animals when it crashed, leaving Pi with the tiger and a handful of other animals.<\/p>\n This Man Booker Prize winner is best for those who enjoy survivalist fare like Lord of the Flies<\/a>. The twist: <\/strong>After he tells his tale to his rescuers, Pi then offers a second take on what happened\u2014revealing that the animals were actually humans, and that Pi did dreadful things to survive. Yann Martel\u2019s Life of Pi is available from publisher HarperCollins.<\/p>\n Yann Martel won the Booker Prize for “Life of Pi,” which has a fantastic plot twist.<\/p>\n Getty Images A young woman marries a wealthy widower but can\u2019t seem to escape his late wife, Rebecca, whose presence hangs over the new Mrs. de Winter\u2019s life. As the (unnamed) woman learns more about her predecessor, she feels inadequate and insecure. But then she discovers Rebecca may not have been so perfect.<\/p>\n This literary classic is best for those who enjoy gothic novels. The twist:<\/strong> Rebecca was a cheat and a liar who had a terminal cancer diagnosis and was killed by her husband (not in a boating accident as he claimed). Daphne du Maurier\u2019s Rebecca is available from publisher Penguin Random House.<\/p>\n 9. Mistborn: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson (2008)<\/p>\n In the final chapter of the hugely successful Mistborn series, the Deepness returns, bringing with it natural disasters that seem to indicate the final fall of humanity. Emperor Elend Venture, now a Mistborn, thinks he can save the world along with another Mistborn, Vin, who\u2019s overcome with guilt for accidentally freeing The Ruin.<\/p>\n This bestselling book is best for those who enjoy fantasy novels. The twist: <\/strong>Though the world is ultimately restored to how it should be thanks to Sazed, Vin and Elend die. Brandon Sanderson\u2019s Mistborn: The Hero of Ages is available from publisher Macmillan.<\/p>\n 8. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2020)<\/p>\n Noem\u00ed heads to High Place, an old mansion in the Mexican countryside not unlike the setting of Rebecca, when her cousin claims she’s been poisoned by her husband. But it may be the house itself that’s the problem, as the family uses its supernatural power to influence people and gain immortality.<\/p>\n Winner of the Locus Award for Best Horror Novel, this book is best for those who love a plot with deeper meaning. The twist: <\/strong>While Noem\u00ed eventually escapes the house, she may be returning to society with the fungi spores, leaving readers to wonder if it will spread. Silvia Moreno-Garcia\u2019s Mexican Gothic is available from publisher Penguin Random House.<\/p>\n 7. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2012)<\/p>\n Amy and Nick Dunne seem to have it all\u2014good looks, a loving marriage, a bright future. Then Amy goes missing, and their picture-perfect world blows up as Amy\u2019s diary suggests Nick was not the loving husband everyone believed. He was cheating on her, and people begin suspecting he knows more about her disappearance.<\/p>\n The bestselling thriller, adapted into the David Fincher-directed movie<\/a> starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, is best for anyone who appreciates a love story gone wrong. The twist: <\/strong>Amy set up Nick\u2014she lied in the diary and is very much alive and trying to frame Nick for a crime he didn\u2019t commit. Gillian Flynn\u2019s Gone Girl is available from publisher Penguin Random House.<\/p>\n 6. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (2019)<\/p>\n Psychotherapist Theo Farber thinks he can be the one to get through to Alicia Berenson, a high-profile artist who stopped talking after she shot and killed her husband in a case splashed across the tabloids. He thinks he\u2019s making progress, but he seems to take two steps back for every step forward.<\/p>\n This book is best for those who love psychological thrillers. The twist: <\/strong>Theo actually killed Alice\u2019s husband, and he\u2019s trying to make sure she won\u2019t expose him. Alex Michaelides’s The Silent Patient is available from publisher Macmillan.<\/p>\n 5. Atonement by Ian McEwan (2001)<\/p>\n Briony falsely accuses family friend Robbie, who happens to be her sister Cecilia\u2019s secret lover, of sexual assault. He goes to prison and later fights in World War II, and Briony becomes a nurse, finally seeing the harsh impact of her childhood action. Cecilia and Robbie sweetly reunite decades later.<\/p>\n This Booker Prize nominee is best for fans of beautiful writing and characterization. The twist:<\/strong> Actually, Cecelia and Robbie don\u2019t really reunite; Briony wrote that story to atone for her sins. Ian McEwan\u2019s Atonement is available from publisher Penguin Random House.<\/p>\n British novelist Ian McEwan wrote “Atonement,” a book with a big twist you won’t see coming. <\/p>\n Getty Images This National Book Critics Circle Award winner follows three children who bond at a posh British boarding school. As they go through life, they discover they are actually clones bred so their organs can be harvested. Their only hope is to earn a deferral if they can prove they are in a loving relationship.<\/p>\n This book is best for those who enjoy speculative fiction. The twist: <\/strong>No one can actually earn a deferral. Kazuo Ishiguro\u2019s Never Let Me Go is available from publisher Penguin Random House.<\/p>\n 3. The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris (2021)<\/p>\n The bestseller that was adapted into a Hulu series <\/a>follows Nella, the only Black worker at a publishing house until Hazel (the \u201cother Black girl\u201d) comes along. At first Nella is excited, but she becomes more and more suspicious of Hazel, who turns out to work for a group assimilating Black women into white society.<\/p>\n This book is best for fans of satire or who want to read a creative take on office racism. The twist: <\/strong>After months of resisting, Nella voluntarily joins the organization. Zakiya Dalila Harris’s The Other Black Girl is available from publisher Simon & Schuster.<\/p>\n 2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1939)<\/p>\n Ten strangers are invited to a deserted island, where their host fails to show up and the guests begin dying one by one. Soon it\u2019s clear someone (the absent host?) is targeting them, each of whom has been accused of taking someone else\u2019s life. As their numbers dwindle, they try to figure out the murderer.<\/p>\n This classic book is best for those who love to puzzle out a mystery. The twist: <\/strong>The murderer is the judge, a guest who faked his own death. Agatha Christie\u2019s And Then There Were None is available from publisher HarperCollins.<\/p>\n 1. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk (1996)<\/p>\n Everyone knows the first rule of Fight Club\u2014you do not talk about Fight Club. So goes bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk\u2019s debut novel, about an insomniac unnamed narrator who falls in with the charismatic Tyler Durden to put on fights in bar basements. Together, the two start Project Mayhem to foil modern civilization.<\/p>\n This book is best for anyone who predicted the movie plot twist<\/a> or loves satire. The twist: <\/strong>Tyler doesn\u2019t exist\u2014he\u2019s the narrator\u2019s alter ego. Chuck Palahniuk\u2019s Fight Club is available from publisher W.W. Norton.<\/p>\n Bottom Line<\/p>\n Whether you opt for a thriller, a fantasy or a literary novel, you will find an unexpected ending in these excellent books with a plot twist. Make sure to carve out plenty of reading time so you can reread as well\u2014you won\u2019t believe these endings.<\/p>\n Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/p>\n What Are Good Thriller Books With A Plot Twist?<\/p>\n There are countless thriller books with mind-boggling plot twists. Two great recent ones are:<\/p>\n The Girl on the Train<\/a> by Rachel Hawkins (2015), in which an alcoholic woman swears she witnessed the murder of a pregnant woman through the window of the train on her way home from work. No one believes her, but turns out it\u2019s true\u2014and the murderer turns out to be her ex-husband.<\/p>\n Hidden Pictures<\/a> by Jason Rekulak (2022), in which a babysitter suspects something supernatural is making the young boy she cares for draw pictures of a murder. It turns out the boy is actually a little girl whose kidnappers murdered her mom, who\u2019s haunting the house.\u00a0<\/p>\n What Are Good Fairy Tales With A Plot Twist?<\/p>\n Fairy tales aren\u2019t always straightforward. Two good fairy tales with dark plot twists are:\u00a0<\/p>\n The Little Mermaid<\/a> by Hans Christian Andersen (1837), in which a mermaid makes a deal with a witch to temporarily become human like her love, the prince. But unlike in the Disney movie, he marries someone else, and she has to spend 300 years doing good deeds to get to heaven.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Little Match Girl<\/a> by Hans Christian Andersen (1845), in which the other villagers ignore a little girl selling matches as she freezes to death because she\u2019s scared to let down her abusive dad. She dies with a smile, as she envisions her grandmother, and the villagers are devastated by her death, even though they did nothing to help her in life.<\/p>\n What Are Good Romance Books With A Plot Twist?<\/p>\n Good romance books with a twist offer a surprise while still focusing on the love story. Here are two great recent reads:\u00a0<\/p>\n Verity<\/a> by Colleen Hoover<\/a> (2021), in which bestselling author Verity suffers an injury and hires struggling writer Ashwin to finish a book series. Ashwin discovers an autobiographical manuscript that suggests Verity murdered her children. Ashwin and Verity\u2019s husband, Jeremy, fall in love, but in the end, it appears Jeremy may have been the murderer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n10. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1938)<\/p>\n
\n4. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (2005)<\/p>\n