Sarah Pekkanen's work has been published in People, TheWashington Post, USA Today, The New Republic, The Baltimore Sun, Reader's Digest and Washingtonian, among others. Her debut novel, The Opposite of Me, was published in March 2010. She writes a monthly column for Bethesda Magazine, and has been an on-air contributor to NPR and E! Entertainment's "Gossip Show." She is the winner of a Dateline award and the Paul Miller Reporting Fellowship. Sarah lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her husband and three young sons.
The Best We Could Hope For (2025) Nicola Kraus "Writing with grace and intelligence, Kraus explores the complex intersection of memory and loyalty in a sweeping story about a broken family and the women who knit together the remains. Perfect for book clubs."
The Inheritance (2025) Trisha Sakhlecha "I was enthralled from the very first chapter all the way through to the gut-clenching twists. Trisha Sakhlecha is a supremely gifted storyteller."
The Stalker (2024) Kate Rhodes "A creepy slow-burn of a thriller - one that will have you looking over your own shoulder as you read late into the night."
If Something Happens to Me (2024) Alex Finlay "If Something Happens to Me shows why Alex Finlay is one of the leading thriller writers today. Pulse-pounding, layered, and impossible to put down. Finlay-the master of twists-has outdone himself."
Baby X (2024) Kira Peikoff "It's hard to find a thriller with a unique plot these days - but Kira Peikoff pulls it off spectacularly. Propulsive, innovative, and futuristic, Baby X unveils a chilling glimpse of the possibilities that lie in wait for us all."
Nightwatching (2024) Tracy Sierra "If Stephen King and Dean Koontz co-wrote a thriller, the result would be a lot like Nightwatching. Eerily atmospheric, pulse-pounding and unputdownable, this book will keep you up at night."
Where You End (2024) Abbott Kahler "A vividly written, deeply layered novel about the intersection of sisterhood, memory, and trauma. Abbott Kahler is a powerful storyteller, and this book kept me in its grasp until the final page."
Salthouse Place (2023) Jamie Lee Sogn "This slow-burn tale of friendship, grief, and the seductive allure of cults ratchets up in intensity as the pages turn, culminating in twist after shocking twist. Fans of Nine Perfect Strangers will devour Salthouse Place and root for Delia, the appealing heroine."
The Senator's Wife (2023) Liv Constantine "The Senator's Wife is another twisty triumph for bestseller Liv Constantine. I devoured this thoroughly entertaining, well-crafted thriller. If you loved The Last Mrs. Parrish, you'll want to pick up this book."
Bookish People (2022) Susan Coll "A smart, original, laugh-out-loud novel . . . If you sell, buy, or simply love books, Bookish People is for you. I wholeheartedly recommend this quirky gem."
The Lies I Tell (2022) Julie Clark "Another terrific nail-biter by Julie Clark. The Lies I Tell weaves together the stories of two strong, complicated women: a brilliant con artist, and the journalist determined to unmask her. Fast-paced and beautifully plotted."
Smile Beach Murder (2022) (Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery, book 1) Alicia Bessette "I love every wise, graceful word Alicia Bessette writes, and Smile Beach Murder is a perfect example of why: Her descriptions are so vivid you can feel salty tang of the ocean breeze, and her pages are populated by quirky, unique characters. Throw in a murder with eerie echos of the past, and you've got a recipe for an absolutely terrific summer read."
Dark Roads (2021) Chevy Stevens "My favorite Chevy Stevens book since Still Missing. Stevens reliably creates complex, resilient female characters, and Hailey and Beth - whose lives collide in Dark Roads - are utterly compelling. The suspense builds with every page, and the ending is a complete shocker."
For Your Own Good (2021) Samantha Downing "I'm a huge fan of Samantha Downing, who is masterful at creating diabolical characters and deliciously chilling plots. An absolutely terrific book!"
Survive the Night (2021) Riley Sager "Riley Sager's premise is bone-chilling--what if you caught a ride from a guy who could be a serial killer?--and his writing is propulsive and gripping. Woven throughout is a clever nod to classic movies, which adds to the intricate architecture of this absolutely terrific book."
I Don't Forgive You (2021) Aggie Blum Thompson "A terrific page-turner. Allie Ross has an enviable life with her loving husband and adorable son - until she moves into a suburban neighborhood where menace lurks beneath the glossy, Instagram-worthy facade. Don't try to guess what'll happen next - just hang on for the ride!"
The Vines (2021) Shelley Nolden "THE VINES weaves beautiful writing around an unsettling mystery: Who is the strange, scarred woman living on a seemingly uninhabitable island? Shelley Nolden's debut seems not just prescient - given the world's current focus on virology and immunizations - but also timeless, as it illustrates in painful detail how mankind seems destined to repeat our cruelest mistakes. Luckily for us readers, there's a bright thread of hope running through this book - as well as the promise of a sequel."
Do No Harm (2021) Christina McDonald "Gripping and unflinching, Do No Harm explores the ferocity of a mother's love-and shows, in heartbreaking detail, how she'll risk everything to save her child."
Confessions on the 7:45 (2020) Lisa Unger "A chance meeting—or is it?—with a stranger on a train tilts Selena Murphy's tidy world upside-down in this taut, beautifully-written novel. What elevates Lisa Unger's psychological thriller to a new level are her shrewd insights into the dynamics of a seemingly ideal marriage."
Perfectly Famous (2020) Emily Liebert "What a fun, engrossing read! Emily Liebert has such a gift for creating relatable characters who find themselves tangled up in something sinister. The ending of this book packs a huge surprise you won't see coming!"
Summer Darlings (2020) Brooke Lea Foster "Beautifully written and richly detailed--it pulled me in from the very first page. Heddy is an unforgettable heroine, and I'll be recommending this book to everyone I know."
Reputation (2019) Sara Shepard "What an addictive, juicy novel, with a whip-cracking plot full of twists and turns. Reputation is packed to bursting with all of the best elements of commercial fiction. Read this one!"
The Other Mrs (2019) Mary Kubica "The Other Mrs. is Mary Kubica's best book yet--which is saying a lot! I tore through the twisty, spine-tinglingly creepy pages."
Recursion (2019) Blake Crouch "Blake Crouch is brilliant. His innovative novels never fail to grip!"
Close Enough to Touch (2017) Colleen Oakley "It's so rare these days to find an utterly original heroine like Jubilee - one who is bravely living an almost unimaginable life. Gripping, raw, and moving, this is one of my favorite novels of the year."
Every Wild Heart (2017) Meg Donohue "By turns sweet, funny, and tension-filled, Meg Donohue’s wonderful new novel shows us the power of wild hearts - and the remarkable females who possess them."
This Was Not the Plan (2016) Cristina Alger "A funny, bittersweet, and ultimately uplifting look at parenthood through the eyes of a single father. You won't just root for these characters—you'll fall in love with them."
It Ends With Us (2016) (It Ends With Us, book 1) Colleen Hoover "It Ends with Us isn't an ordinary love story. It will break your heart while filling you with hope,and by the end of this gripping, pulse-pounding novel, you'll be smiling through your tears."
The Lake Season (2015) Hannah McKinnon "Hannah McKinnon's lyrical debut tells the story of a pair of very different sisters, both at a crossroads in life. McKinnon's great strength lies in her ability to reveal the many ways the two women wound - and ultimately heal - each other as only sisters can."
Happiness for Beginners (2015) Katherine Center "Such a charming, heartfelt novel about a woman who needs to escape from her life in order to rebuild it. I read it all in one delicious gulp."
