Read Before You Watch: Famous Thriller Shows Based on Books
Be it whodunits, psychological thrillers with multiple POVs or unreliable narrators, and detective-style true crime — these trending shows are a must-read.
‘Tis the Spooky Season!
October is the month where we all curl up in our sofas and beds to watch a nice horror movie, which always involves a lot of ghosts and jump scares. But, I disagree here. Some of my favourite horror movies, in fact, do not have any appearance of supernatural creatures or exorcism. Recently, my favourite horror story has been East of Eden on Netflix.
Psychological Thriller is my new favourite horror genre to watch (and read). I love me some stories that leave me staring at the wall long after. So, here is me recommending you some “spooky” shows that absolutely do not have any paranormal activity but will make you question your sanity. And, the best part ? If you are a reader like me, you can read the book first before you jump in to watch. As always, read before you watch!
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The Girlfriend
Laura seems to have it all — a loving husband, an art career, and her prized son, Daniel. But her perfect world shatters when Daniel introduces his new and eccentric girlfriend, Cherry, whom Laura finds highly suspicious.
The story is narrated from both Laura and Cherry’s perspectives, which makes the show highly intriguing to watch. Subtle differences in the same scenes from dual POVs make the viewers question who is speaking the truth and who is hiding secrets.
Plot twists, buried secrets, and shocking revelations keep the viewers hooked till the very end! This Prime Video show is based on the chilling debut psychological thriller novel, The Girlfriend, by Michelle Frances.
The show makes significant deviations from the book, but the core story, characters, and narration are similar.
Book: The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances
Length: 369 pages
Stream On: Prime Video
We Were Liars
Every summer, Cadence Sinclair Eastman returns to Beechwood Island, her wealthy grandfather’s private island, where she spends her days with her cousins Johnny and Mirren, and her childhood friend Gat — the boy she has quietly fallen for.
They call themselves the “Liars”, a close-knit group who share adventures, inside jokes, and dreams of a life beyond the Sinclair family’s expectations. But during her fifteenth summer, Cadence suffers a mysterious accident and is left with no memory of what happened.
A year later, she returns to the island determined to piece together the missing fragments of that summer when the accident happened. Her family refuses to give her straight answers, and Gat, Johnny, and Mirren seem strangely distant.
As Cadence begins uncovering the truth, the glamorous world of the Sinclairs starts to crack. Beneath the wealth, beautiful houses, and carefully maintained appearances lie jealousy, resentment, heartbreak, and long-hidden secrets.
Atmospheric and emotionally charged, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is a gripping coming-of-age mystery about love, loss, and the devastating consequences of keeping secrets. The show has also been renewed for a second season based on the second novel in the series, Family Of Liars.
Book: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (Book 1 in the series)
Length: 240 pages
Stream On: Prime Video
His & Hers
His & Hers follows an estranged couple, one a detective and the other a news reporter, tied up in a murder mystery case, in which one believes the other is a prime suspect.
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The story begins with a scene where a woman has been stabbed and is bleeding on the hood of a car in the middle of a forest. Cut to Anna, the female lead, who is seen returning to her hometown, Dahlonega, to cover the story of the murder. Jack, Anna’s estranged husband, is the lead investigator for the murder case.
When these two clash, deep-buried secrets are revealed that uncover that the couple may be more deeply tied to the murder victim than they thought.
The show is steady-paced, with Anna narrating the major part of the story and ending with a shocking plot twist that viewers never saw coming.
His & Hers is based on the book of the same name by Alice Feeney, the author of the bestseller, Rock Paper Scissors, which is also in the works of being adapted into a 6-part show for Netflix.
Book: His & Hers by Alice Feeney
Length: 384 pages
Stream On: Netflix
56 Days
What happens when a whirlwind romance ends in murder? If you love thrillers with an element of dark romance, 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard is your next perfect read.
Set in Dublin, just before the COVID-19 lockdown period, Ciara and Oliver meet at a supermarket and hit it off with instant chemistry. However, each is wearing a mask and harbouring secrets of their own.
56 days later, detectives Lee and Karl are tasked with uncovering what happened when an unidentified body is found in a tub in Oliver’s luxurious apartment, with Oliver and Ciara nowhere to be found.
Instead of following a straightforward murder investigation, the series takes viewers back through the couple’s relationship, gradually revealing the events that shaped those crucial 56 days.
The story moves between the past and present, allowing seemingly ordinary moments to take on a darker meaning as new details emerge. The show spent 6 weeks in the Prime Video Top 10 charts following its premiere.
Book: 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard
Length: 432 pages
Stream On: Prime Video
The Housemaid
Although this one’s a movie, The Housemaid by Freida McFadden deserves a special mention. Based on the book of the same name, the plot follows Millie, an ex-con just out of prison, searching for a steady job to pay her bills.
She interviews for the post of “housemaid” for the wealthy and elite Winchester family of three — Nina, Andrew, and their daughter, Cecelia. Impressed by Millie, Nina hires her for the job.
Millie is ecstatic and begins working for them under one condition: she has to live with them, and she is offered a room in the attic upstairs. As Millie spends more time with the family, she realises they are not as straightforward as they seem and may be hiding some very dark family secrets.
The movie was initially released in theatres and is now available to stream on Prime Video. This book is a 3-part series consisting of The Housemaid, The Housemaid’s Secret, and The Housemaid is Watching, with a novella, The Housemaid’s Wedding, between books 2 and 3.
The second movie is greenlit for production and scheduled to release on December 17, 2027. I daresay, the movie doesn’t do justice to the book, except for Amanda Seyfried, who I thought was the only one that carried the whole movie.
Book: The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (Book 1 in the series)
Length: 336 pages
Stream On: Prime Video
Happy watching (and reading)!
