Thrillers that Feature Toxic Female Relationships
I’m one of those semi-rare specimens who went to an all-girls school from first through twelfth grade, and I have only a sister—no brothers—so I feel like I’ve been studying women in an anthropological sense from a very young age. Ironically enough, the universe handed me two sons, and it wasn’t until I had a third kid that I became a mom of a daughter. I actually adore being a mom to boys—so much less drama!—but that has left me plenty of room for drama in my own writing. It seems only natural that I would gravitate towards writing about complicated, prickly, strong-willed, bad-ass women.
My most recent novel, THE LAST APPLICANT, centers on two such women who become enmeshed in each other’s lives in the world of high-stakes private school admissions. The instant the idea for this book struck me, I knew that diving into the world of these frenemies—and digging into what ultimately becomes a toxic female relationship on many levels—would be a delicious, dark and twisted exploration. I looked to many of my favorite psychological thrillers and domestic suspense novels for inspiration and guidance. Lo and behold—several of my favorites featured toxic female friendships, and all of these are go-to’s that I’ve re-read, some of them multiple times. These are truly brilliant books that take the female relationship to new levels and ask us to think about ourselves, and our connections with other women, in new and unexpected ways.
Another brilliant novel that explores what it means to “play it safe” as a woman in our current world. Does having a child mean you can’t take risks anymore? That your life is one toddler tantrum away from not even mattering? Ava Wong is one such mother—until she reconnects with her college roommate, Winnie Fang, whom she hasn’t seen in years. Winnie waltzes in with a Birkin on her arm and a counterfeit handbag scheme that she’s eager to rope Ava into. The two become entangled in their illicit business until things go off the rails, and Ava has to pick up the pieces. My favorite aspect of this darkly comic and insightful caper is their toxic friendship—which isn’t at all what it seems at first glance.
Discover the Author
Rebecca Hanover is the New York Times bestselling author of THE SIMILARS duology. After graduating from Stanford University with a BA in English and drama, Rebecca joined the writing team of the CBS daytime drama GUIDING LIGHT, where she earned an Emmy Award. Still, she never lost her love of books—particularly YA. She now writes Young Adult as well as adult novels full-time from her home in San Francisco, where she enjoys matcha lattes and a complete lack of seasons. When she isn’t writing, she can be found in a yoga class or reading anything Dav Pilkey with her husband and three kiddos.
Audrey Singer revels in her position as the admissions director of an exclusive Manhattan private school. Parents cater to her whims and desires, desperate to give their children an edge. Audrey’s power is undeniable; privilege comes with the territory. Her perfect marriage completes the glossy picture of her life.Until the arrival of the neurotic, vulnerable Sarah Price. Determined to get her son into the city’s most coveted kindergarten class, Sarah inserts herself into Audrey’s world, testing boundaries at every turn. For Sarah, everything Audrey has is a potential target: her job, her friends…even her marriage.
But what seems to be another ploy by an overachieving mother takes a dark and ominous turn. Sarah seems to be hiding secrets of her own. Are her designs on Audrey’s life purely about getting what she wants for her son?Or is there something more sinister at play in this cutthroat game?
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