We All Have a Dark Side: 8 Psychological Thriller Books from Joyce Carol Oates

When teenage babysitter Katya is approached by Marcus Kidder, his wealth and stability are irresistible departures from her dreary home life. Enticed by the prospect of freedom, Katya accepts the man’s offer: he’ll pay her mother’s debts if she becomes his muse. Soon, their immediate connection takes a frightening turn, and Katya realizes Marcus is more predator than savior...Oates weaves psychological thrills with sexual menace to create a taut reinterpretation of the fair maiden archetype and her king.  

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With a lucrative career, a beautiful wife, and a family fortune, Terrence Green is the living embodiment of the American Dream. While serving jury duty, he meets Ava-Rose—the victim of a sexual assault—and obsession takes a fatal blow to his picture-perfect life. Their fiery relationship outside of the courtroom will lead Terrance into the shadows of her dangerous life...And when a man has it all, he also has everything to lose.

When young Brendan Bauer is raped by his professor, the crime is swept under the dean’s rug—until the accused is found murdered a few days later. While all eyes turn to the victim, Maggie Blackburn is convinced that Brendan isn’t responsible, and she sets out to find the true culprit. As Maggie’s investigation uncovers dark secrets, darker histories, and the evils lurking behind Forest Park’s pristine exterior, Nemesis takes on the eerie twistedness of a David Lynch film.

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Death row inmate Lee Roy Sears is finally free—all thanks to his loyal attorney, Michael O’Meara. On the surface, Lee seems comfortable with his new life outside prison walls, striking up a friendship with Michael’s wife and rekindling his passion for the arts. But like the cruelest murder weapons, Lee is a slow poison in the O’Meara household, and Michael’s paranoia distorts the line between man and monster. Snake Eyes imagines the most frightening nightmare of all—one where evil exists inside our heads and in the room down the hall.

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After her husband died, Dorothea Deverell never thought she’d find love again. Colin Asch, a charismatic young bachelor, has changed all of that—though his expressions of love are strange to say the least. Colin is a veteran killer, and he’s more than happy to slash throats if it means winning Dorothea's heart. Though Dorothea grows wary of his bizarre behavior, Colin still believes she’s the one for him. But can a ruthless killer truly have a soul mate when he has no soul at all?

The good/bad twin trope gets a gritty makeover in Oates’ thriller of two very different sisters. Goody-two-shoes Lily Merrick is living a conventional life when her twin, Sharon, ends their fifteen-year estrangement by showing up at her door. Where Lily has played the New York housewife, Sharon has worked in cheap motel rooms—and become the country’s most wanted serial killer. Her murderous alter-ego, Starr Bright, isn’t interested in reconciliation, but revenge, and she’s ready to destroy her next victim, limb by limb.

This 18-story collection tackles the most hidden parts of our minds. Oates’ contribution—which sits alongside stories from other award-winning authors—is a graphic tale of a woman’s complicated relationship with control, sex, and men. The nameless protagonist is a lonely drifter, but her string of meaningless seductions is marked by an unexpected change of heart. Will she finally let someone in, or will her violent nature and self-imposed isolation sabotage her chances at love?

For the booklover who loves a good whodunit, the Bibliomystery series deserves a spot in your collection. Oates introduces us to a seasoned killer, code-named Charles Brockden. He sets his sights on a new acquisition—a quaint New Hampshire bookstore—though he isn’t pleased with the steep price tag. Charles’ greed, mixed with his lethal expertise, leads him to one simple solution: he will murder the owner. Short but loaded, Mystery, Inc. packs the twists and psychological suspense of a Christie or Doyle novel.