The 5 Most Gripping Mystery-Thriller Recommendations from Reese’s Book Club

If you’re into mystery-thrillers, you’ve got to check out these picks from Reese’s Book Club. These thriller book recommendations from Reese Witherspoon’s reading group are impossible to put down. I’ve read all of these and can personally say they’re totally worth your time. Each book is packed with twists, turns, and all the suspense you’d want in a great thriller. These would make great thriller book club choices too. I’ve included a summary of each book along with my review and a quick blurb.

Mystery Books Reese Witherspoon Book Club Picks

If you’re into mystery thrillers, you’ve got to check out some of Reese Witherspoon’s book club picks. Seriously, she’s picked some of the best rated thriller books out there. If you’re looking for a gripping suspense thrillers that’ll keep you guessing, these mystery-thriller selections from her book club is a must-read.

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston

(January ’24 Pick)

Summary: Evie Porter seems to have it all—a perfect life with a perfect boyfriend. But Evie isn’t real; she’s an identity created by a mysterious boss, Mr. Smith. Her job is to infiltrate the life of Ryan Sumner, but this time, things get complicated. Evie’s real identity surfaces in the same town, and she must stay ahead of her past while keeping her future intact.

My review: First Lie Wins had a really strong start, and it pulled me in right away. I really loved Evie—I thought she was a great protagonist. The book took an unexpected turn when her two lives started to intersect, and it made the story even more gripping.The ending could have had more depth, and I also thought it was a bit rushed. But overall, it’s an engaging thriller. If you like a good cat-and-mouse game, give this one a try.⭐⭐⭐ Also check out book club questions for First Lie Wins.

Blurb: Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist.

The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time.

Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to—her real identity—just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn’t be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge. Also check out book club questions for First Lie Wins.

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The Guest List by Lucy Foley

(July ’20 Pick)

Summary: Evie Porter seems to have it all—a perfect life with a perfect boyfriend. But Evie isn’t real; she’s an identity created by a mysterious boss, Mr. Smith. Her job is to infiltrate the life of Ryan Sumner, but this time, things get complicated. Evie’s real identity surfaces in the same town, and she must stay ahead of her past while keeping her future intact. The stakes are high, and Evie loves a challenge.

My review:  I really loved the plot and setting in The Guest List. The creepy, isolated island was perfect for the story. Each character had their own secrets, and I also enjoyed the multiple POVs—it wasn’t confusing at all. As the story unfolded, I was completely absorbed. This is a must-read for thriller fans!. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Also read book club questions for The Guest List.

Blurb: A wedding celebration turns dark and deadly in this deliciously wicked and atmospheric thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hunting Party.

The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner – The bridesmaid – The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

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The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

(December ’17 Pick)

Summary: Amber Patterson is tired of being a nobody. She envies Daphne Parrish, a wealthy socialite with the perfect life. Amber worms her way into Daphne’s world, plotting to take her place. But dark secrets and twists threaten to unravel her plans. This thriller is full of shocking turns and juicy drama.

My review: The Last Mrs. Parrish was an unputdownable thriller. Amber Patterson is the perfect villain. She’s cunning, and her plan to steal Daphne’s life kept me hooked. The characters were well-developed too. The ending wrapped things up nicely. It’s a juicy, addictive read that I couldn’t put down. . ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Check out book club questions for The Last Mrs. Parrish.

Blurb: Amber Patterson is fed up. She’s tired of being a nobody: a plain, invisible woman who blends into the background. She deserves more—a life of money and power like the one blond-haired, blue-eyed goddess Daphne Parrish takes for granted.

To everyone in the exclusive town of Bishops Harbor, Connecticut, Daphne—a socialite and philanthropist—and her real-estate mogul husband, Jackson, are a couple straight out of a fairy tale.

Amber’s envy could eat her alive . . . if she didn’t have a plan. Amber uses Daphne’s compassion and caring to insinuate herself into the family’s life—the first step in a meticulous scheme to undermine her. Before long, Amber is Daphne’s closest confidante, traveling to Europe with the Parrishes and their lovely young daughters, and growing closer to Jackson. But a skeleton from her past may undermine everything that Amber has worked towards, and if it is discovered, her well-laid plan may fall to pieces.

With shocking turns and dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the very end, The Last Mrs. Parrish is a fresh, juicy, and utterly addictive thriller from a diabolically imaginative talent.

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The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

(May ’21 Pick)

Summary: Hannah’s husband, Owen, disappears, leaving behind a cryptic note: “Protect her.” As the FBI closes in, Hannah realizes Owen wasn’t who she thought he was. With her stepdaughter Bailey, she races to uncover Owen’s true identity and the reason behind his disappearance. A suspenseful and emotional journey.

My review:  The Last Thing He Told Me pulled me in right away. I loved how the story unfolded through Hannah’s perspective as she tried to protect her stepdaughter, Bailey. The bond between Hannah and Bailey grew in a way that felt real and emotional. If you love domestic thriller, you should check this one. ⭐⭐⭐⭐Also check out book club questions for The Last Thing He Told Me.

Blurb: Before Owen Michaels disappears he smuggles a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows to whom the note refers—Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child and wants nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss, as a U.S. marshal and federal agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.

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Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

(August ’22 Pick)

Summary: Jen watches in horror as her teenage son, Todd, stabs a stranger. After Todd is arrested, Jen wakes up to find herself reliving the day before the murder. Each time she wakes, she’s further back in time, searching for the moment that led to the crime. Can she stop the murder before it happens? A thrilling time-loop mystery.

My review: Wrong Place, Wrong Time is a really cool thriller! The idea of waking up and going back in time to stop a murder is so smart. Jen’s desperation to save her son, Todd, felt super real. Every time she went further back in the past, I was trying to figure out the clues right along with her. I remember finishing this thriller in just one day, even though I’m usually a slow reader. It’s a well-crafted thriller that I highly recommend. If you enjoy time-travel twists, you’ll love this one.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Also check out book club questions for Wrong place Wrong Time.

Blurb: Can you stop a murder after it’s already happened?

It is midnight on the morning of Halloween, and Jen anxiously waits up for her 18-year-old son, Todd, to return home. But worries about his broken curfew transform into something much more dangerous when Todd finally emerges from the darkness. As Jen watches through the window, she sees her funny, seemingly happy teenage son stab a total stranger.

She doesn’t know who the victim is, or why Todd has committed such a devastating act of violence. All she knows is that her life, and Todd’s, have been shattered.

After her son is taken into custody, Jen falls asleep in despair. But when she wakes up… it is yesterday. The murder has not happened yet—and there may be a chance to stop it. Each morning, when Jen wakes, she is further back in the past, first weeks, then years, before the murder. And Jen realizes that somewhere in the past lies the trigger for Todd’s terrible crime…and it is her mission to find it, and prevent it from taking place.

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