This list of 12 authors like Ruth Ware will take you on thrilling journeys filled with twists, secrets and suspense.
If you’re drawn to dark psychological dramas and captivating mysteries, these writers offer stories that echo Ruth Ware’s knack for tension-filled plots and compelling characters.
Whether you’re exploring intricate family dynamics, unreliable narrators or eerie atmospheres, these authors will keep you hooked from page one.
12 Authors Like Ruth WareÂ
1. Amy Tintera
Writing Style & Themes:
Amy Tintera blends dark humor with psychological suspense.Â
Her stories often revolve around complicated female leads and buried secrets.
Notable Books/Series:
- Listen for the Lie
- All These Monsters
- All These Warriors
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Her thrillers are sharp, smart and full of personality. She’s not afraid to take risks and her characters feel real and raw.
Amy Tintera’s Website: https://www.amytintera.com
2. Alex Michaelides
Writing Style & Themes:
Alex Michaelides writes psychological thrillers with intricate plots and mind-bending twists.Â
His stories often focus on unreliable narrators and deep psychological drama.
Notable Books/Series:
- The Silent Patient
- The Maidens
Why Readers Will Love Him:
Michaelides crafts tightly woven mysteries with shocking reveals. His writing keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
Alex Michaelides’ Website: https://www.alexmichaelides.com
3. M.T. Edvardsson
Writing Style & Themes:
Edvardsson’s thrillers delve into family dynamics, hidden secrets and moral dilemmas.Â
His writing style combines psychological tension with family drama, similar to Ruth Ware’s exploration of complex relationships.
Notable Books/Series:
- A Nearly Normal Family
- The Stranger
Why Readers Will Love Him:
Edvardsson’s ability to dissect family dynamics while building tension keeps readers hooked. His unpredictable twists make each of his books unforgettable.
M.T. Edvardsson’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18464973.M_T_EdvardssonÂ
4. Jean Hanff Korelitz
Writing Style & Themes:
Korelitz excels at writing literary thrillers filled with suspense and clever twists.Â
Like Ruth Ware, she weaves complex characters and compelling narratives with an eye for detail.
Notable Books/Series:
- The Plot
- The Latecomer
- You Should Have Known
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Korelitz’s knack for intricate plots and psychological depth makes her books fascinating. She delivers mind-twisting stories that linger long after the last page.
Jean Hanff Korelitz’s Website: https://jeanhanffkorelitz.com
5. Alexis Schaitkin
Writing Style & Themes:
Schaitkin’s work is characterized by mystery and psychological depth, focusing on complex characters and the unraveling of secrets.
Notable Books/Series:
- Saint X
- Elsewhere
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Schaitkin’s exploration of deep personal mysteries combined with compelling storytelling ensures readers stay captivated until the very end.
Alexis Schaitkin’s Website: https://www.alexisschaitkin.comÂ
6. Lisa Jewell
Writing Style & Themes:
Lisa Jewell’s thrillers delve into domestic noir with sharp insights into family life and psychological suspense.Â
Her stories often reveal chilling secrets hidden beneath the surface of ordinary lives.
Notable Books/Series:
- The Night She Disappeared
- Then She Was Gone
- The Family Upstairs
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Jewell’s ability to blend deep emotional drama with dark twists makes her books addictive. Readers love her relatable characters and gripping twist-filled plots.
Lisa Jewell’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/93504.Lisa_JewellÂ
7. Simone St. James
Writing Style & Themes:
Simone St. James writes gothic thrillers with historical elements and chilling atmospheres.Â
Her books often involve eerie settings and deep psychological tension, much like Ruth Ware’s eerie and suspenseful tales.
Notable Books/Series:
- The Book of Cold Cases
- The Sun Down Motel
- The Broken Girls
Why Readers Will Love Her:
St. James combines the eerie allure of gothic fiction with a modern twist.Â
Her ability to mix historical intrigue with psychological suspense is captivating.
Simone St. James’s Website: https://www.simonestjames.com
8. Lucy Foley
Writing Style & Themes:
Lucy Foley’s mysteries often involve ensemble casts and complex settings with a particular knack for atmospheric tension.Â
Like Ruth Ware, she excels at keeping readers guessing with shifting perspectives and suspenseful scenarios.
Notable Books/Series:
- The Paris Apartment
- The Hunting Party
- The Guest List
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Foley’s ability to build tension through multiple perspectives makes her books unpredictable and thrilling.Â
Her vivid settings and twists keep readers hooked until the end.
Lucy Foley’s Goodreads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7770523.Lucy_FoleyÂ
9. Sarah Pearse
Writing Style & Themes:
Sarah Pearse specializes in atmospheric thrillers with isolated settings and psychological tension.Â
Much like Ruth Ware, her novels often explore the complexities of the human mind in high-stakes environments.
Notable Books/Series:
- The Sanatorium
- The Retreat
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Pearse’s ability to create an immersive claustrophobic atmosphere keeps readers on edge. Her psychological suspense and twists are perfect for fans of Ruth Ware’s style.
Sarah Pearse’s Website: https://www.sarahpearse.co.ukÂ
10. Alice Feeney
Writing Style & Themes:
Alice Feeney’s psychological thrillers often feature unreliable narrators and dual narratives, creating a sense of suspense and surprise.Â
Like Ruth Ware, her plots involve dark secrets and unexpected twists.
Notable Books/Series:
- His & Hers
- I Know Who You Are
- Sometimes I Lie
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Feeney’s unpredictable plots and compelling characters draw readers in, leaving them guessing until the final twist.Â
Alice Feeney’s Website: https://www.alicefeeney.com
11. Megan Miranda
Writing Style & Themes:
Megan Miranda’s books explore the complexities of friendship, secrets and the dark undercurrents of everyday life.Â
Like Ruth Ware, her thrillers often feature unreliable characters and suspenseful mysteries.
Notable Books/Series:
- The Perfect Stranger
- All the Missing Girls
- The Last to Vanish
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Miranda’s stories of suspenseful friendship and buried secrets resonate with readers who love dark twists and psychological complexity, making her a standout in the genre.
Megan Miranda’s Website: https://www.meganmiranda.com
12. Shari Lapena
Writing Style & Themes:
Shari Lapena’s thrillers focus on family drama, betrayal and the hidden tensions that simmer beneath the surface of everyday life.Â
Like Ruth Ware, her novels feature twists that uncover dark secrets.
Notable Books/Series:
- Not a Happy Family
- The Couple Next Door
- Someone We Know
Why Readers Will Love Her:
Lapena’s quick-paced plots and sharp psychological tension keep readers on the edge of their seats.Â
Her focus on family secrets makes her books irresistible for fans of domestic thrillers.
Shari Lapena’s Website: https://www.sharilapena.com
Final Word on the Authors Similar to Ruth WareÂ
The above authors similar to Ruth Ware offer a thrilling variety of psychological suspense, mysterious plots and unforgettable characters.
From the twisty narratives of The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides to the eerie atmospheric settings in Simone St. James’ The Book of Cold Cases, these writers bring the same dark intrigue and emotional depth that Ruth Ware fans love.
Whether you’re drawn to family secrets in Lisa Jewell’s The Night She Disappeared or the unreliable narrators in Alice Feeney’s His & Hers, each of these authors like Ruth Ware provides a fresh yet familiar experience that will keep you turning the pages late into the night.