7 must-read books for Fool Me Once fans

Reading lists

Keep Your Friends Close

You thought you could trust her. 
You thought wrong . . . 
 
A gripping thriller from Leah Konen, author of You Should Have Told Me 
 
--------------- 
 
Willa is the best friend Mary never had . . . 
 
Appearing in Mary’s life in a moment of crisis – after divorcing her rich and powerful ex, George – Willa proves herself fun, charming and loyal. 
 
Until the day she vanishes, leaving Mary more alone than ever. 
 
Months later, Mary is looking to make a fresh start in a new town, when she runs into the last person she expects to see – Willa. 
 
Except her former friend is going by a new name, with a new family in tow. 
 
Hurt, confused and troubled, Mary doesn’t know what to think. 
 
She knows she can’t trust Willa. But soon she’ll have a choice to make. 
 
Because when George is found dead, Mary is quickly named the prime suspect in his murder. 
 
And what her former friend knows will either exonerate her or convict her. 
 
But is Willa on her side or not? 
And does Mary have time to figure it out – before it’s too late?

Packed with conniving characters, head-spinning twists, and female friendship at its most toxic, Keep Your Friends Close is a brilliantly constructed murder mystery. I didn't want it to end!

Surprise-packed...even seasoned genre veterans won't be able to predict where this supercharged spine-tingler ends up

Devoted fans of domestic suspense will enjoy the ride

A riveting, deliriously entertaining, and also chilling take on complicated female friendships, I couldn&rsquo;t turn the pages fast enough. Unbearably tense with masterful plotting, this juicy suspense will have you second-guessing who to trust with each chapter. It&rsquo;s Highsmith meets Lucy Foley with Konen&rsquo;s signature whip-smart voice and customary refreshing spin on domestic suspense

A tense, fast-paced psychological thriller

A fast-paced, plot-driven novel that manages to poke fun at millennial parenting and the culture of wealthy Brooklynites . . . a thrilling and unpredictable hunt for answers that pays off

Unravels at breakneck speed, careening crazily to the dramatic ending . . . This twisty tale told by an unreliable narrator will appeal to fans of Gillian Flynn, Shari Lapena, and Paula Hawkins

Intense, unpredictable and completely addictive

The twists keep on coming right up to the final page

A smart thriller that really keeps you guessing

This addictive read has all the elements of a perfect thriller - action packed, creepy and full of twists, it's unputdownable!

Clever, complex and expertly planned

Unique, cleverly plotted and emotionally resonant

With breathless suspense and cliffhangers in nearly every chapter, Leah Konen has written a pitch-perfect thriller with a plot so propulsive the pages practically turn themselves

Mary never meant to tell Willa her secret. 
But after leaving her husband and father of her young son, meeting Willa feels like fate. Finally, she has someone on her side. Until Willa disappears. 
Mary is heartbroken and confused. Why would her friend abandon her? But when she sees Willa months later, it's clear she never knew her at all. 
Because Willa's in a new town, with a new name, and a brand-new family. 
Mary knows she can't trust Willa. But Willa knows her very worst secret. And to keep her secret safe, Mary will have to keep her friend close - or risk losing everything . . .

The gripping new psychological thriller that will hook you from the first page

You Should Have Told Me

A devoted father. A loving partner. A suspect for murder . . . THE GRIPPING, PAGE-TURNING NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER THAT WILL GRIP YOU INSTANTLY 
 
'A gut-wrenching, breathlessly tense thriller' ALLIE REYNOLDS 
'Full of twists and revelations right to the end!' 5***** READER REVIEW 
'Cleverly plotted and emotionally resonant' ANDREA BARTZ 
'A taut, compelling thriller' SAMANTHA DOWNING 
__________ 
 
Having a child was supposed to make Janie and Max's lives complete. 
 
But six weeks in, Janie relies on Max just to get through the day. 
 
Until the night he doesn't come home. 
 
Suddenly Janie is left alone with their baby. She's desperate for answers. And when a woman's body is found, his disappearance raises serious alarms. 
 
For Janie, and for the police . . . 
 
Janie is sure Max couldn't be involved. 
 
But the harder she looks for him, the more she realises how much Max has been hiding . . . 
__________ 
 
Praise for Leah Konen: 
 
'Intense, unpredictable and completely addictive' T.M. Logan 
 
'The twists keep on coming right up to the final page. I read it in one sitting' Sarah Pinborough 
 
'One White Lie hooked me from the start. This book has everything - engaging characters, a unique story, and an ending that will blow you away' Samantha Downing

This gut-wrenching and breathlessly tense thriller perfectly captures the vulnerability, desperation and helplessness of a new mother trapped in a nightmare scenario. Raw, unflinchingly honest and emotionally compelling, with themes of family and trust

Readers are going to love You Should Have Told Me.There's so much to unpack in this taut, compelling thriller: New motherhood, a missing husband, a ton of secrets, all brilliantly written and plotted. Leah Konen's books are always at the top of my list

Unique, cleverly plotted, and emotionally resonant, You Should Have Told Me is the rare thriller that manages to be both a dazzling page-turner and a moving meditation on what it means to be a mother today. It thoughtfully explores society's sky-high standards for women, the secrets we hide even from ourselves, and how hard it can be to trust others-especially those we love the most. I absolutely loved it, and trust me: This book is going to be huge

You Should Have Told Me is an urgent, read-in-one-sitting story that asks when we should believe the worst about someone we love. A tightly constructed thriller that is also a frank, moving examination of the relentless labor and unspoken terrors of new motherhood, the struggle to let ourselves be known, and the pain of trying, and failing, to be good to the people we love. I adored this book, and Leah Konen should be at the top of any thriller lover's must-read list

Raw, brave and gripping, You Should Have Told Me is a brilliant portrayal of a new mother whose struggles will cut you to the core. The flawless writing is both emotionally resonant and tantalizingly suspenseful as we try to figure out the secrets and lies behind a missing person and a murder. Every chapter is more addictive than the last, leading to a stunning ending that you won't see coming. Leah Konen is an astonishing talent

With breathless suspense and cliffhangers in nearly every chapter, Leah Konen has written a pitch-perfect thriller with a plot so propulsive the pages practically turn themselves. Not only is You Should Have Told Me packed with stunning surprises and brow-raising reveals; it is also an unflinching exploration of the dark side of new motherhood - one that, too often, women are discouraged from sharing

Atmospheric and deeply thought-provoking, You Should Have Told Me is both a page-turning mystery and a deft exploration of the thorny intersection of marriage and parenthood and the complex, often fraught reality of new motherhood

The twisty psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the end

The Perfect Escape

YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO STOP READING. BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT . . . 
 
'Gripping. Kept me guessing right till the end and the final twist was brilliant!' 5***** READER REVIEW 
'Pulls you in from the get-go and refuses to let go until the final page. Tense, exciting and intriguing' 5***** READER REVIEW 
________ 
 
When her husband Harry walks out after just six months, a girls' weekend away with two friends seems like just what Sam needs. 
 
But they aren't even halfway to their destination when things start to go wrong: car trouble that just happens to leave them stranded in the town where Harry lives. 
 
And that's only the beginning. 
 
Because there are three things Sam doesn't yet know: 
 
One of her friends is lying about why they're there. 
One is lying about who she is. 
And one of them will never make it home . . . 
________ 
 
'Thrilling . . . This book is a real winner' 5***** READER REVIEW 
 
'A gripping and twisty thriller' 5***** READER REVIEW 
 
'This book has everything you would want in a thriller' 5***** READER REVIEW 
 
'A really addictive twisting thriller' 5***** READER REVIEW 
 
'I inhaled every chapter, desperate to find out what was going on. Those cliffhangers!' Andrea Mara 
 
'Clever, complex and expertly planned' Rachel Abbott 
 
Praise for Leah Konen: 
 
'Intense, unpredictable and completely addictive' T.M. Logan 
 
'The twists keep on coming right up to the final page. I read it in one sitting' Sarah Pinborough 
 
'Hooked me from the start. This book has everything - engaging characters, a unique story, and an ending that will blow you away' Samantha Downing

What a clever book, I inhaled every chapter, desperate to find out what was going on. I absolutely loved it! Those cliffhangers!

Andrea Mara, bestselling author of All Her Fault

A brilliantly addictive, tense and twisty thriller about toxic relationships, secrets and lies

Full of secrets and twists, The Perfect Escape is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller about a group of friends who may not know one another as well as they think. With its eerie setting, unsettling plot, and shocking reveals, this book had me completely captivated from the first page to the very last

Megan Miranda, author of Such a Quiet Place

When three women embark on a trip to forget their broken lives, they become embroiled in the centre of a murder investigation. The Perfect Escape is a clever, locked room mystery that is compulsively readable and impossible to put down!

Wendy Walker, author of Don't Look for Me

Nobody writes twists like Leah Konen-this woman puts Hitchcock to shame. The Perfect Escape is somehow even more fantastic than her stunning debut, One White Lie; her sophomore effort is a gripping, whip-smart, and unforgettable pulse-pounder that left my head spinning. With its intricate plotting and truly shocking reveals, this thriller is both an addictive page-turner and a brilliant examination of female friendship, shame, and betrayals. Thriller lovers: You need this book

The Perfect Escape is the type of captivating, masterfully-constructed thriller you'll consume in a breathless rush-and then flip right back to the beginning to figure out how the author pulled it all off. Konen keeps the shocking twists coming while wringing nail-biting tension out of even the smallest moments. I couldn't put it down!

It's rare that a novel keeps me guessing until the very last page - but One White Lie delivers in a big way. If you crave an escape from the real world, this is the book for you. It's absolutely terrific

bestselling co-author of The Wife Between Us

Hooked me from the start, with an ending that will blow you away

Samantha Downing, bestselling author of My Lovely Wife

Intense, unpredictable and completely addictive... everything a great psychological thriller should be

When her husband Harry walks out after just six months, a girls' weekend away with two friends seems like just what Sam needs. 
 
But they aren't even halfway to their destination when things start to go wrong: car trouble that just happens to leave them stranded in the town where Harry lives. 
 
And that's only the beginning. 
 
Because there are three things Sam doesn't yet know: 
 
One of her friends is lying about what happened. 
One is lying about who she is. 
And one of them will never make it home . . .

One White Lie

It's only ONE WHITE LIE, until someone turns up dead . . . The No. 1 bestselling, utterly gripping psychological thriller that you won't be able to put down 
 
'Intense, unpredictable and completely addictive' TM Logan 
 
 'An ending that will blow you away' Samantha Downing 
________ 
 
Imagine you've finally escaped the worst relationship of your life, running away with only a suitcase and a black eye - and you're terrified what will happen if he finds you. 
 
Imagine your new next-door neighbours are the friends you so desperately needed - fun, kind, empathetic, very much in love. 
 
Imagine that they're in trouble. That their livelihoods - even their lives - are at risk. They have a plan to keep all of you safe, but they just need you to tell one small lie. 
 
One small lie, and all of these problems would disappear . . . 
 
You'd do it. Wouldn't you? 
 
It's only one small lie, until someone turns up dead. 
________ 
 
'A masterful psychological thriller' Lisa Regan 
 
'Reads like the best Hitchcock film never made' Sarah Pinborough 
 
 'Remarkably insidious. Extremely readable' Caroline Kepnes 
 
READERS ARE HOOKED BY ONE WHITE LIE 
 
'Every word of this novel is a mystery. Wonderfully written with brilliant characters. I haven't read such a great book in a long time' 5***** Reader Review 
 
'A compelling, gripping roller coaster of a ride . . . I couldn't put the book down until finished' 5***** Reader Review 
 
'I would recommend this to anyone who wants to be able to read and feel their heart pounding at the same time' 5***** Reader Review

Intense, unpredictable and completely addictive - One White Lie is everything a great psychological thriller should be

TM Logan, bestselling author of The Holiday

Reads like the best Hitchcock film never made... Konen keeps the earth shifting beneath you as she expertly cranks up the suspense with a cast of characters as quietly slippery as they are intriguing and then, once she's you're on the edge of your seat with tension and unease, the twists keep on coming right up to the final page. I read it in one sitting. An assured and astonishing debut from an author destined to become a big name in thriller fiction

One White Lie hooked me from the start. This book has everything-engaging characters, a unique story, and an ending that will blow you away

Remarkably insidious. Puts a sick smile on your face. Extremely readable

Caroline Kepnes, bestselling author of You

It's rare that a novel keeps me guessing until the very last page-but One White Lie delivers in a big way. If you crave an escape from the real world, this is the book for you. It's absolutely terrific

Sarah Pekkanen, bestselling co-author of The Wife Between Us

Even the biggest thriller fan will struggle to guess the ending of this twisty, gorgeously written debut

One White Lie is compulsively readable. A gripping page-turner. The tension builds with every page. Each shocking twist is followed by an even more shocking twist. This is one of those books you'll want to read again the moment you finish. A masterful psychological thriller that will leave you breathless

Lisa Regan, bestselling author of Vanishing Girls

I love Konen's writing style - One White Lie is super pacy and whizzes you along - before you know it, the minutes have turned into hours! I couldn't put it down until I knew how it ended

Sandie Jones, bestselling author of The Other Woman

This fast-paced but nuanced thrill ride grabbed me on the first page and didn't let go. With spare, haunting prose, a tense and richly wrought setting, intricate plotting, and twists that would make Hitchcock himself gasp, One White Lie is a masterful debut. Thriller fans, meet your new favourite author

Leah Konen hits it out of the park with her debut suspense, One White Lie, in which a faked death goes horribly awry. Konen delivers with Lucy, who escapes to rustic Woodstock for a fresh start, only to discover her new neighbours are harbouring disturbing secrets of their own. A sly, up-all-night thriller that ends with a surprising bang

Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of Dear Wife

Believable twists imbue the narrative's urgency as each character's secrets are spilled and as Lucy's past catches up with her. Lucy's credible fears about Davis elicit empathy. Konen should win a new set of fans with this domestic thriller.

A swift, compelling thriller with unexpected swoops and swerves.

Leah Konen is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied journalism and English literature. She's the author of several young adult novels, including Love and Other Train Wrecks and The Romantics. 
 
She lives in Brooklyn and Saugerties, NY, with her husband, their daughter, Eleanor, and their dog, Farley. One White Lie is her first thriller.

Imagine you've finally escaped the worst relationship of your life, running away with only a suitcase and a black eye. 
 
Imagine your new next-door neighbours are the friends you so desperately needed - fun, kind, empathetic, very much in love. 
 
Imagine they're in trouble. That someone is telling lies about them, threatening their livelihoods - and even their lives. 
 
Imagine your ex is coming for you. 
 
If your new best friends needed you to tell one small lie, and all of these problems would disappear, you'd do it, wouldn't you? 
 
It's only one small lie, until someone turns up dead.

Leah Konen

I devoured this twisty, addictive, feminist take on The Shining. Terrifying and taut, The Woman In Room 13 is equal parts tantalizing mystery, scary snowstorm survival tale, and thoughtful portrait of a complex female friendship speeding toward a cliff. If you love tightly plotted thrillers about women on the edge - read this now

Full of creepiness and tenable red herrings, the story is solidly engaging, with the author offering just enough breadcrumbs to hint at the truth without giving anything away too soon...[the] setting of the secluded motel is evocative and entirely eerie...A fast-paced thriller

The Woman In Room 13 is a masterclass in psychological tension, weaving themes of creativity, ambition, and betrayal into a gripping narrative that kept me unable to look away until I reached the last page. Konen expertly explores the haunting space between truth and deception, both in the stories we write and the ones we live. A must-read for anyone who loves a thriller that lingers long after the final page

Konen deftly shifts the mesmerizing narrative between characters as well as back and forth in time, with nerve-shredding results, before delivering a pulse-pounding conclusion with a final, delightfully devious, Hitchcockian twist. Tipping her literary cap to Stephen King’s The Shining, Konen serves up a superbly crafted novel of suspense that will thrill and delight fans of Lucy Foley, Alice Feeney, and Sarah Pearse

A smart thriller that keeps you guessing

A brilliantly constructed murder mystery. I didn't want it to end!

Riveting, deliriously enteratining...I couldn't turn the pages fast enoguh. Unbearably tense with masterful plotting...It's Highsmith meets Lucy Foley with Konen's signature whip-smart voice and customary refreshing spin on domestic suspense

When Kerry arrives to start a new job as the caretaker of a remote motel in the Catskills, she’s excited for a fresh start. 
But she quickly realises that something is very wrong. 
Her room is full of the previous caretaker’s belongings – and it looks like she was trying to leave in a hurry. 
And then, Kerry sees it – the trails of blood. The hand reaching out from the snow… 
Confused and scared, in the midst of a snowstorm, Kerry goes out to seek help. When the police arrive, though, things go from bad to worse. 
Because the body has disappeared. But the killer is still out there…

Leah Konen

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7 must-read books for Fool Me Once fans

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