Three thrillers to read this weekend

I love thrillers. It’s the genre I most gravitate towards. It gives me an adrenaline rush that feels so good. Mysteries are what I pick up when I’m not in the mood for heavy stories that get me all riled up, struggling to get a hold on my emotions. The thing about mysteries and thrillers, however, is that the more you read, the more you are able to predict the course of the story. You start seeing a pattern and then it takes a lot to catch you by surprise.

But there are some books and authors who are really the master of their crafts. Reading them always makes me marvel over their talent. Their works are gripping and full of twists and turns. No matter how many thrillers I have read, I have never been able to guess the ending. This week, I’m sharing three of my favorite thrillers and authors hoping you will love them as much as I do, and that they will bring you some respite when you need it the most.

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

‘The Housemaid’ by Frieda McFadden follows a struggling young woman who makes a fresh start by working as a housemaid to a wealthy, upscale couple. But little does she know that the family isn’t as perfect as it seems. But Millie too has secrets of her own. The Housemaid has two more books in the series. It’s a taut thriller that made me anxious for the characters. Unlike most thrillers, here the characters aren’t black and white. Everyone has good and bad points and you struggle to decide whose side you are on. I could never really make up my mind. Besides The Housemaid series, McFadden has many other thrillers to her credit. Her novels have been translated into more than 30 languages.

 The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

My husband and I both love Keigo Higashino. The Japanese author is a phenomenal writer whose stories are crafted with an unmatched precision. ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’ sold more than two million copies in Higashino’s native Japan, becoming what the English translation calls a ‘national obsession’. The premise of the book is how a mathematical genius uses his abilities to save the woman he is secretly in love with from being arrested for murder. There’s even a movie adaptation of the book starring Kareena Kapoor. The book is a thriller that has many elements of a love story as well. After the popularity of The Devotion of Suspect X, many of Higashino’s other works have been translated into English. ‘Malice’ and ‘A Midsummer’s Equation’ are two other titles that I found to be hugely entertaining.

 The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

I love this book for its dark vibes. The novel is set in Paris and follows a young woman, Jess, as she investigates the disappearance of her half-brother, Ben. In doing so, she uncovers the many secrets of the residents living in the same apartment building as her brother. The novel is fast paced and the ending is a bit predictable but that doesn’t take away from its atmospheric setting that sucks you in from the first page. I’m a huge fan of Lucy Foley. Her books stress me out. I feel like I’m the one who’s trapped in the difficult situations Foley builds in her stories. ‘The Hunting Party’ and ‘The Guest List’ were suspenseful and kept me up at night. The Paris Apartment also makes for a fascinating exploration of life and culture in Paris.