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 - or even third - reading.
Whether it's 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 and in genres for every taste - from thrillers to romance novels to fantasies to fairy tales. The rankings are based on books' commercial success, critical cachet and quality of writing. Warning: Spoilers ahead!
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.
This book, recently adapted as an Amazon Prime Video series, is best for those who enjoy commentary on wealth and privilege. The twist: Cadence's cousins and friend died during the fire two years ago, and they've been coming to her as spirits. E. Lockhart's We Were Liars is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
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's secret, which would upend his new marriage and sully his sterling literary reputation.
This bestseller that recently spawned a sequel is best for fans of thrillers with a bit of literary cred. The twist: Jake's wife is the anonymous tormentor -- turns out she was the inspiration for the morbid plotline, which she actually lived out. Jean Hanff Korelitz's The Plot is available from Macmillan.
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's birth. The bloody confrontation anoints new leaders and claims some old favorites but two final twists steal the show.
This blockbuster bestseller is best for fantasy lovers or anyone who's read the first six books. The twists: Harry is a Horcrux, sharing a piece of Voldemort's soul, and Snape really was protecting Harry all along. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is available from publisher Scholastic.
The master British mystery writer has two books on this list because she's the queen of twists. Agatha Christie's long-running recurring character Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate the, yes, murder of Roger Ackroyd, a wealthy widower. The Belgian detective's neighbor, Dr. James Sheppard, narrates the story.
This book is best for classic mystery fans. The twist: The mild-mannered narrator is actually the murderer -- none of what he said could be trusted. Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
Teenager Pi Patel spends more than 200 days stranded on a lifeboat with Richard Parker -- a 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.
This Man Booker Prize winner is best for those who enjoy survivalist fare like Lord of the Flies. The twist: After he tells his tale to his rescuers, Pi then offers a second take on what happened -- revealing that the animals were actually humans, and that Pi did dreadful things to survive. Yann Martel's Life of Pi is available from publisher HarperCollins.
A young woman marries a wealthy widower but can't seem to escape his late wife, Rebecca, whose presence hangs over the new Mrs. de Winter's 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.
This literary classic is best for those who enjoy gothic novels. The twist: 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's Rebecca is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
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's overcome with guilt for accidentally freeing The Ruin.
This bestselling book is best for those who enjoy fantasy novels. The twist: Though the world is ultimately restored to how it should be thanks to Sazed, Vin and Elend die. Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn: The Hero of Ages is available from publisher Macmillan.
Noemí 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.
Winner of the Locus Award for Best Horror Novel, this book is best for those who love a plot with deeper meaning. The twist: While Noemí 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's Mexican Gothic is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
Amy and Nick Dunne seem to have it all -- good looks, a loving marriage, a bright future. Then Amy goes missing, and their picture-perfect world blows up as Amy’s 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.
The bestselling thriller, adapted into the David Fincher-directed movie starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, is best for anyone who appreciates a love story gone wrong. The twist: Amy set up Nick — she lied in the diary and is very much alive and trying to frame Nick for a crime he didn’t commit. Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
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’s making progress, but he seems to take two steps back for every step forward.
This book is best for those who love psychological thrillers. The twist: Theo actually killed Alice’s husband, and he’s trying to make sure she won’t expose him. Alex Michaelides’s The Silent Patient is available from publisher Macmillan.
Briony falsely accuses family friend Robbie, who happens to be her sister Cecilia’s 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.
This Booker Prize nominee is best for fans of beautiful writing and characterization. The twist: Actually, Cecelia and Robbie don’t really reunite; Briony wrote that story to atone for her sins. Ian McEwan’s Atonement is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
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.
This book is best for those who enjoy speculative fiction. The twist: No one can actually earn a deferral. Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
The bestseller that was adapted into a Hulu series follows Nella, the only Black worker at a publishing house until Hazel (the "other Black girl") 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.
This book is best for fans of satire or who want to read a creative take on office racism. The twist: After months of resisting, Nella voluntarily joins the organization. Zakiya Dalila Harris's The Other Black Girl is available from publisher Simon & Schuster.
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's clear someone (the absent host?) is targeting them, each of whom has been accused of taking someone else's life. As their numbers dwindle, they try to figure out the murderer.
This classic book is best for those who love to puzzle out a mystery. The twist: The murderer is the judge, a guest who faked his own death. Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None is available from publisher HarperCollins.
Everyone knows the first rule of Fight Club -- you do not talk about Fight Club. So goes bestselling author Chuck Palahniuk's 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.
This book is best for anyone who predicted the movie plot twist or loves satire. The twist: Tyler doesn't exist -- he's the narrator's alter ego. Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club is available from publisher W.W. Norton.
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.