If You Like This Book…You’ll Love This

After I read A Study in Charlotte it really reminded me of Truly Devious, so I decided to do a blog post where I recommend books that are similar! Whether that be by genre or theme, I have four pairs of novels that you should check out.

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A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro & Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson. If you’re looking for a good YA boarding school mystery these are my top recommendations! They both kept me on the edge of my seat until the end!

A Study in Charlotte – Cavallaro’s contemporary take on the Sherlock Holmes stories follows the lives of Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes, descendants of the infamous Watson and Holmes duo. A Study in Charlotte is set at Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school which is coincidentally one hour away from Jamie’s estranged father. When Jamie arrives already admiring Charlotte and the stories he has been told about her he decides to introduce himself. But will his expectations match her reality? When a student dies under the most mysterious of circumstances, Watson and Holmes become the prime suspects. But are they remaking the murders from the legendary Sherlock Holmes stories, or is someone framing them for murder?

Truly Devious – This is another boarding school mystery, set at Ellingham Academy, a private school for the smartest minds. Founded by Albert Ellingham in the early twentieth century, the school quickly became shrouded in mystery when his wife and daughter were kidnapped. With the only clue being a taunting riddle signed “Truly, Devious” the case was unsolved. Fast forward to the present day and Stevie Bell, a true crime lover and first year student decides to solve the case. But with the pressures of school, roommates, and a budding romance, will she succeed? I LOVED Truly Devious and I cannot wait to read the rest of the trilogy!

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One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus & A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. These fast and addictive YA mysteries are MUST reads!

One of Us is Lying – Five students walk into detention on Monday afternoon, only four walk out. The novel uncovers the brain (Bronwyn), the beauty (Addy), the criminal (Nate), the athlete (Cooper) and the outcast (Simon) of Bayview High.
Simon, the creator of the school’s gossip app never leaves detention, a day after he planned to post the juiciest gossip about his fellow classmates. As they turn into sudden suspects in Simon’s murder, how far will the four of them go to protect their secrets?
This novel had me guessing until the very end and the sequel in my opinion is just as good!

A Good Girl’s Guide – When college student Pippa Fitz-Amobi decides to look into a cold case for her EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) she starts to uncover secrets that someone desperately wants to stay hidden. The small town of Little Kilton is home to more secrets than meets the eye.
The case is as follows: schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh five years ago. The police and everyone in town knows he did it. Pip refuses to believe it, but how far will she go to reveal the truth?
I already have a review up on my blog if you want to see my views on it!

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Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf & The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Post-War/ 1920s Culture. Mrs Dalloway and The Great Gatsby are modern classics and, in my opinion, rightly so! They are both beautifully written and cleverly reflect a society in transition. The internal struggles in Mrs Dalloway are mirrored in Gatsby where opulence and desire fuel visions of the American Dream.

Mrs Dalloway – Spanning one day, Mrs Dalloway features interwoven stories from multiple characters across London. The stream of consciousness narrative is an acquired taste, but I personally think that it adds to the story. From socialite Clarissa Dalloway to war veteran Septimus, Woolf captures the interior struggles as well as the exterior ones created by the war. There is a primary focus on the characters rather than the plot which does make it a challenging read, but nonetheless this novel is emblematic of the modern age.

The Great Gatsby – I am biased because The Great Gatsby is one of my favourite books, but if you haven’t read it you really should! The Great Gatsby is a literary masterpiece that encompasses the age of jazz and swing. The novel follows Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who’s love for the mesmerising Daisy Buchanan dictates his every move. But in an attempt to grab Daisy’s attention, Gatsby highlights the dark underbelly of America and the fateful façade of the American Dream.

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The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena & Our House by Louise Candlish. If you’re a fan of thrillers, these domestic thrillers will keep you guessing until the last pages, especially Our House. I was gripped!

The Couple Next Door – The premise of leaving your six-month-old baby at home, alone, whilst you attend a dinner party next door because your hostess does not like babies is already a cause for concern. But when you return home to an empty house and an empty crib, you know that every parent’s worst nightmare has occurred. Your baby is missing. This novel dives into the lives of parents Anne and Marco Conti, and the secrets that they have fought to keep hidden for years. But just how far will you go to get your baby back?

Our House – The idea of walking down your own street and seeing people move into your house is a fearful situation. For Fiona Lawson, losing her precious South London home is the least of her worries as she soon finds out that her ex-husband and co-parent Bram is missing…and so are their children. What has happened to them? Are they safe? Why are people moving into her house? The house she was in a few days ago. The house where she co-parents using the bird’s nest custody arrangement, allowing each parent to live in the house for half of the week. This domestic thriller had me on the edge of my seat and the twists keep on coming. Whether you’re an avid thriller reader or you’re introducing them into your tbr list, this is a MUST read!

I know this post is a lot longer than my previous ones but I hope that you’ve got some good recommendations! I’d love to know what you’re currently reading.