A single book, over three million copies sold, No. 1 bestseller, viral on TikTok; yes! It’s Verity by the one and only Colleen Hoover. One of the books CoHo is known for. Revolving around the internet, the book groups and readers, like always, it reached me. The thing that forced me to read this was shocking for me. I was wondering how Colleen Hoover could write anything except romance.
Like every book, it also came to an end 🙁 I kept waiting for a second part of this or a companion novella because I was obsessed with it. As per Colleen Hoover’s announcement, Verity is a single standalone book. Well, well, well, I know you are also here to find something more likely to Verity, so was I.
By searching and searching the internet and some libraries, I found the gold. Some books give the same vibe as Verity, Yeah!!! I got them. Although thousands of books target the same genre, these are my picks, without any hesitation, the best ones. Hold up, we are to dive into the valley of literature.
Related Books If You Liked Verity:
Let’s discuss Verity first. In Verity, we meet Lowen Ashleigh. She is a writer and having tough financial times. She gets a job as a writer from Jeremy Crawford. Jeremy’s wife, Verity, wants Lowen to finish her leftover book. Lowen stays and works in Verity’s house. One day, Lowen finds something shocking about Verity’s dead daughter. The point where she is stuck is if she should tell Jeremy or not and blah blah blah.
As the novel targets Mystery, Suspense, Fiction and Romance, my picks follow the same genre and story vibes as Verity. The books we will dive into are:
- The Silent Patient
- The Housemaid
- The Housemaid’s Secret
- The Perfect Marriage
- Never Lie
- Archer’s Voice
The Silent Patient:
Summary:
“The Silent Patient” is an Adult Crime and Contemporary novel. It is a fictional story about a woman, Alicia. The story shows Alicia’s violent act against her husband and a therapist, Theo Faber, who becomes obsessed with finding out the truth behind it.
The story begins with Alicia Berenson’s perfect life. She was a famous painter. Alicia married a well-known fashion photographer. They lived in a beautiful house in London. Everything was going smoothly, but one night, Alicia did something unimaginable. She shot her husband, Gabriel, five times in the face, and then she stopped speaking altogether.
Instead of explaining why she did it, Alicia stayed silent. She turned her tragedy into a big mystery that everyone talked about. Her paintings became even more valuable, and she was kept away from the public eye in a special hospital for mentally ill people in London.
Theo, the therapist who works with criminals, wanted to understand Alicia’s silence. He was eager to find out why she killed her husband. But as he went deeper into Alicia’s story, he got messed up in his secrets and desires.
| Publisher | Celadon Books |
| Publishing Date | First published January 1, 2018 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 336 Pages |
| Title | The Silent Patients |
| Literary Awards | Barry Award Nominee for Best First Novel (2020), Goodreads Choice Award for Mystery & Thriller and Nominee for Debut Novel (2019), Book of the Month Book of the Year Award Nominee (2019), Barnes & Noble Book of the Year Award Nominee (2019) |
| Settings | London, England, England, United Kingdom |
| Characters | Yuri, Alicia Berenson, Kathy Faber, Professor Lazarus Diomedes, Gabriel Berenson, Max Berenson, Christian West, Paul Rose, Lydia Rose, Jean-Felix Martin, Stephanie Clarke, Indira Sharma, Barbie Hellmann, Theo Faber |
| ISBN-10 | 1250301696 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1250301697 |
Review:
Mystery at the start, mystery in the middle, and a mysterious ending, could something be more interesting and gripping than this? Throughout the book, I had my hand on my heart, continuously waiting for the next and next page. The mind-blowing reveals and full of thriller twists were executed masterfully. I mostly don’t read male authors, but Alex Michaelides is really one step higher.
Alex showed exceptional skill in constructing the plot. The clues, suspects, and shocks were perfect to keep readers guessing until the final revelation. The book forced me to keep turning the pages. No distraction and no extra drama—this is called a worth read book. If we compare it to Verity, this book can be a competitor of it in Thrill and Suspense.
The Housemaid:
Summary:
“The Housemaid by Freida McFadden” is the first book of The Housemaid Series. The book features the same Mystery, Suspense, and Adult genres as Verity. We meet Millie, someone who is broken and lost. Millie lives in a Casa Nissan car. She is hired as the maid for the Winchesters, a ridiculously wealthy family. The synopsis is stated from Millie’s point of view. Nina Winchester welcomes Millie into her house, saying, “Welcome to the family.” Nina’s mansion is grand and beautiful.
Millie thinks that working here would give her a fresh start. Millie had a dark past; she’s been in jail and many other matters. But the dark secrets of the Winchester family are far more dark than Millie’s. Millie starts working there. She cleans their lavish home from top to bottom. Millie picks up their daughter from school and cooks for them.
| Publisher | Grand Central Publishing |
| Publishing Date | First published January 1, 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 325 Pages |
| Title | The Housemaid |
| Literary Awards | Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery & Thriller (2022) |
| ISBN-10 | 1538742578 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1538742570 |
She is kept away from the luxurious surroundings. Millie eats her meals alone in my small room upstairs. Nina enjoys watching Millie clean up all the mess. Her husband, Andrew, is increasingly troubled. Yet, Millie couldn’t help them. She can only desire their seemingly perfect life.
One day, Millie tried on one of Nina’s elegant dresses, but Nina caught her. Before Millie knew it, she found herself trapped in her room with a lock that only opened from the outside.
Millie was sure of her capabilities and confirmed that the Winchesters didn’t know any of her true identity or capabilities. The book is most likely to be loved by the lovers of “The Wife Between Us” and “Verity.”
Review:
A super exciting book with a super exciting story. It was hard to stop reading it. The book kept me hooked, and I don’t know how the book ended in one go. It was my late-night read, so I read it with better focus and enjoyed it more than average readers. After every few pages, there comes a surprise. We move to the next page, and a surprise pops up. The characters of the book, especially Millie, are loveable and interesting.
What made the book more realistic was its setting. The scene was set in New York. I didn’t like Nina. She was doing things illogical, and she was selfish. The start can be given 4 stars, but the ending is literally 100/5. The ending is really satisfying and totally unexpected, like a big finale that leaves you feeling amazed.
The Housemaid’s Secret:
Summary:
“The Housemaid’s Secret” is the second part of The Housemaid Series. Featuring the same genre and trope, we see something similar to the first book of the series. So, what happens here is that Millie is back and again working as a maid. She is in a relationship with a lawyer, Brock. She is struggling with her finances. We get the first-person perspective of Millie. She is finding a job where she can easily hide her past.
Luckily, Douglas Garrick hired her. The condition he puts in front of Millie is that Millie will stay away from his ill wife, Wendy. He has a fancy house, and Millie is hired to clean it and cook meals. Millie is happy as she got what she acquired.
| Publisher | Bookouture |
| Publishing Date | First published February 1, 2023 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 318 Pages |
| Title | The Housemaid’s Secret |
| Literary awards | Winner for Best Mystery & Thriller (2023) |
| ISBN-10 | 1837901317 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1837901319 |
After some time, Millie notices strange things like her crying voice and blood spots on Wendy’s gown. One day, Millie saw her room, and what she saw was shocking. After seeing that, Millie decided to protect Wendy and keep her secrets hidden. Millie has put herself in great danger and risked her job by trying to help Wendy.
Review:
It was predictable 🙂 Most of the scenes and the storyline were predictable. If you’ve read the first part, you can easily imagine the main theme of this book. Although this was also interesting and engaging. If there were no twists, I might have left the book, but the thrills kept me reading. The characters say something or do something, and complexities and tensions rise; hence, the book becomes interesting and entertaining.
The ending again here is unimaginable and fabulous. The ending scenes were satisfying, and the conclusion was great. I noticed some repetition patterns that led to the pre-prediction of the story. Millie has a bad attitude towards Brock that distracts from the real story. I am not sure, but 3.5 stars is all this book got from my side.
The Perfect Marriage:
Summary:
“The Perfect Marriage” is a Mystery Thriller and Adult Novel by a new author to me, Jeneva Rose. The book contains some psychological thrillers which double the fun. The synopsis is addressing to us as imagine if someone accused your husband of killing his secret girlfriend. Would you stand up for him and try to prove he didn’t do it? You can imagine how the story begins.
So, we see Sarah Morgan. She is a really successful lawyer in Washington D.C. Sarah is only 33 but she’s already a big deal at her law firm. Everything seems great for her. But her husband, Adam, is having a tough time. He’s a writer, but he hasn’t been successful yet. What’s more bad for Adam is that Sarah is always busy in work, and Adam feels neglected. On their 10th anniversary, Adam wants Sarah to spend the time with him at their lake house but Sarah don’t come because of work.
| Publisher | Bloodhound Books |
| Publishing Date | First published July 3, 2020 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 342 Pages |
| Title | The Perfect Marriage |
| Settings | Washington, D.C. (United States |
| Characters | Sarah Morgan, Kelly Summers, Adam Morgan |
| ISBN-10 | 1913419657 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1913419653 |
One day, something terrible happens. Adam gets arrested for the murder of his secret girlfriend, Kelly Summers. She was found dead in their second home in the woods. Sarah has to defend her own husband in court. Sarah is already shocked due to Adam’s relationship. She has to try to prove he didn’t kill Kelly. But the question for us as well as Sarah is whether Adam really do it, or is he innocent?
Review:
The Perfect Marriage is Jeneva’s debut novel, and she did great here. I can’t wait for the next ones if she can write a book like this in her debut. The content is filled with unexpected twists and turns that constantly engage me. This aspect added a layer of suspense and excitement to the story.
The making of Adam’s character, particularly his half-crazed attitude, adds depth to the story. The author skillfully captured his complexities and made him a memorable character. The thing I didn’t like was the police. I don’t know why, but I didn’t get them. Although we can get some moral lessons from Sarah’s life. It is the most common case that some of us dive into work and leave our loved ones, so they must move on and find someone who cares.
Overall, “The Perfect Marriage” offers a domestic thriller with amazing characters and a suspenseful plot. Though it may have some minor flaws in terms of realism and pacing, the book is great.
Never Lie:
Summary:
Never Lie is a perfect Thriller and Mystery book in the Adult Fiction genre. We meet Tricia and Ethan, a newly married couple. They are on the hunt for their ideal home. They stopped upon a private mansion once owned by Dr. Adrienne Hale. Dr. Adrienne was a famous psychiatrist. He vanished four years ago. A cruel winter storm traps them inside the house. They have no way out until the ambience clears.
To pass the time, Tricia explores the mansion and discovers a hidden room. The house is kind of weird. There is a huge portrait of a woman covering the whole wall. Also, a huge bookshelf filled with many copies of the psychiatrist’s book “Anatomy of Fear.” Tricia found some cassette tapes of Dr. Hale’s patient interviews. She started listening to them and learned about the upsetting events leading to Dr. Hale’s disappearance.
| Publisher | Poisoned Pen Press |
| Publishing Date | First published September 19, 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 336 Pages |
| Title | Never Lie |
| ISBN-10 | 1728296161 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1728296166 |
As Tricia listens to each tape, she pieces together a disturbing story. With every tape, the mystery deepens until Tricia reaches the final cassette, which holds the terrifying truth behind Dr. Hale’s vanishing act. Are they alone in the home, or will the mystery be more deep and dark…?
Review:
I must say, Freida McFadden can’t ever disappoint me. I mean, how? The plot was just amazing. Some parts literally made my jaw drop. The novel was fast-paced, and I was getting addicted to it. I think the suspense genre needs to be interesting, and this book made it. The dual point of view hooks the reader from the first word to the last. The story is full of suspense, mystery, fear, cuteness, and love.
The characters were sweet and incredible. The twists were unique and awesome. Despite all this, some parts were illogical, not many but a few. The suspenseful and creepy-like environment may not be suitable for everyone. Overall, the story was gripping, the characters were well-designed, and the scenes felt real. So, I can say—recommended read!
Archer’s Voice:
Summary:
Archer’s Voice is an Adult Fiction and Contemporary Romance novel. It does not feature much suspense, but the writing style and vibes somewhat match Verity. The story begins when Bree Prescott arrives in the quiet town of Pelion. Bree had a bad experience with her past. She really hopes that Pelion is where she can finally feel peaceful. On her first day, she meets Archer Hale. A guy who is very much alone and has a painful secret nobody knows about.
“Archer’s Voice” is about both Bree and Archer. Some flashback scenes from Archer’s childhood are in Archer’s POV. We also see some present-day shots from Archer’s point of view. Bree is haunted by a terrible night, and Archer struggles silently with his pain. Bree helps Archer open up and find his voice. It’s a story about how love can heal wounds and change lives, even when things seem hopeless. The story is told from Bree’s point of view (mostly).
| Publisher | Forever |
| Publishing Date | First published January 25, 2014 |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 345 Pages |
| Title | Archer’s Voice |
| Literary Awards | Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Romance (2014) |
| Settings | Maine (United States), Pelion, Maine (United States) |
| Characters | Archer Hale, Bree Prescott |
| ISBN-10 | 1538727374 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1538727379 |
It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone novel.
Review:
The book marks the readers with a deep emotional impact. I still remember being on the 5th page and wet with my tears. Somewhere, laughter, somewhere, fear, such a great combo. The depth of emotional content adds a layer of relatability to the book. Bree and Archer are well-developed characters with unique qualities that make them relatable. Readers witness their growth throughout the story, which adds authenticity to their journey and strengthens the reader-character bond.
The chemistry between Bree and Archer is awesome. It sparks their romance on the pages. Their relationship evolves naturally. From friendship to something deeper, the love story engages the readers. There is no unnecessary drama, and the characters have a genuine nature, which adds a natural and realistic touch to the book. Some parts are easily predictable. There are some pacing issues, like slow building. Although the writing style was great and commendable.
Conclusion:
In the realm of scary and interesting stories like Verity, there are many other books that can keep you on the edge of your seat. With twists and surprises just like Verity, these books will make you wonder what will happen next. The books and authors may differ, but they all have something special that will make you want to keep reading. So, if you enjoyed Verity, try these other books too. They’ll give you the same exciting feeling and keep you guessing until the end. Get ready for more thrills and surprises!