Thriller author names her top 5 spine-chilling books — including one that was adapted for Netflix

Author Lucy Foley has shared her top five thriller books, including one that has been adapted into a popular Netflix series

Since publishing her debut novel, The Book of Lost and Found, in 2015, author Lucy Foley has shot up the best-sellers chart. While she started by publishing historical fiction, Lucy has since turned her pen towards crime and thriller.

In 2018, she published The Hunting Party, which was followed in 2020 by The Guest List. Lucy continued her foray into thrillers and who-dunnits with The Paris Apartment in 2022 and The Midnight Feast in 2024.

Like many authors, Lucy is also quite a big reader. Back in 2020, she sat down with Reese’s Book Club to reveal five of her favorite thrillers, including one Agatha Christie novel and a popular book series that’s been adapted by Netflix.

Lucy Foley’s five favorite thrillers:

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

The first book recommended by Lucy is Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, The Serial Killer, which she describes as a “fun read”, adding that it’s proof that there can be comedy and lightheartedness within the thriller genre.

This book, which has proved popular since its release in 2018, follows the story of Korede and her dysfunctional relationship with her sister Ayoola, who, as the title suggests, is a serial killer.

Adele by Leila Slimani

Next up on Lucy’s list is Adele by Leila Slimani, which was translated into English by Sam Taylor. This book is the suspenseful story of Adele, a sex addict and unhappy wife, who organises her day around her extramarital affairs. Lucy describes the book as a 21st-century take on Madam Bovary, which she found “gripping and deeply troubling.”

Although this was the only one of Slimani’s works to make it onto the list, Lucy did add that she also recommends The Perfect Nanny, and Sex and Lies, a non-fiction book of essays.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Perhaps unsurprisingly, considering her own works, Lucy considers Christie a huge inspiration in her writing. For her list of recommended reads, she names The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, the third book featuring the iconic detective Hercule Poirot.

Lucy recalls first reading Christie’s books as a child and sharing that when she re-read them as an adult, they weren’t quite the “cosy crime” reads she remembered. They are actually quite dark at times, making them perfect thrillers.

You by Caroline Kepnes

Lucy also recommends You by Caroline Kepnes, which was adapted into the popular Netflix show of the same title. The show stars Penn Badgley as Joe Goldberg, the murderous main character, who Lucy describes as one of the “best literary creations of all time.”

Plotting and Writing Suspense Fiction by Patricia Highsmith

This non-fiction writing guide, from the author of The Talented Mr Ripley and Strangers on a Train, was “invaluable” for Lucy when writing The Hunting Party and The Guest List.

She adds that it should be a “must-read” for anyone planning on writing their own thriller novel.