Even before I was out of high school, I was working in a law office. My Home Economic teacher’s husband hired me as his legal secretary right after graduation and it was a great introduction to office life. One where I would stay for the next thirty-some years!
There’s something about being surrounded by the same people every day, working for a common goal, that creates bonding and deep relationships. So, when a colleague or client ends up dead in the office setting, it’s no wonder a terrifying ripple moves through the group. It begs the question—how well do you know those who surround you? That was one of the many questions I aimed to answer in Don’t Ask Don’t Follow, in which a young lawyer is murdered in his office.
Paralegal Beth Ralston is attending the firm’s office party, and her plus one, her big sister, Lindsay, is a no show. Ready to call it a night, Beth gets set to leave. But on her way out, she finds her boss murdered, and Lindsay sprinting out the backdoor after leaving Beth a message: Don’t Ask. Don’t Follow. Beth has heard that far too many times, and it sets her on edge—Lindsay only uses that directive when she’s up to no good!
Beth’s determination to find her sister and figure out if she had any involvement in the murder puts a target on Beth’s back. But as she peels back the layers of what Lindsay was into, and how it ties to her deceased boss, everything she thought she knew about the people around her shatters. Did Lindsay kill Beth’s boss? Or is there something much deeper, and darker, in play? That question, of course, is the basis of all good office thrillers.
Here’s a few novels in an office and workplace setting that will have you side-eying your own colleagues!
All Her Little Secrets by Wanda Morris
Ellice Littlejohn definitely has some secrets—including that she’s sleeping with her very married white boss. A secret that will come to the forefront when she finds him dead with a gunshot to his head. Random or a conspiracy, she’s not sure, but something is definitely off, and as Ellice is promoted to her former boss/lover’s position, her past and present will collide. This book has everything a good office thriller should have: corporate intrigue, emotional grit, and a serious look at today’s social and racial issues. A must read!
The Cage by Bonnie Kistler
Two women, one a lawyer, one the human resource director, get in an elevator on the 30th floor heading home after a long day at fashion conglomerate Claudine de Martineau International. By the time the elevator arrives in the lobby, one of them is dead. Wow—this book takes some twists and turns and explores evil on a global and corporate level. Twisty and intriguing. Definitely recommend!
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books so is thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. But when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, Nella is left in the dust. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk telling her to leave. Now as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career. A smart and dynamic thriller, this one is not to be missed!
The Herd by Andrea Bartz
Eleanor Walsh seems to have it all: close friends, a sweet husband, and a glamorous and successful female-empowerment-based company in New York City. That is until she vanishes on the night of a glitzy press conference—and the police suspect foul play. Eleanor’s BFF, who happens to be the head of The Herd’s PR, feels trapped in a nightmare. And her sister wants to jump on the story hoping it will launch her investigative journalism career. Let’s just say secrets abound, and Eleanor had plenty, along with the two investigating sisters!
Root of All Evil by Liz Milliron
Rumors of a meth operation catch the attention of Pennsylvania State Trooper Jim Duncan. More so when a man who recently dodged a drug conviction has returned to the county. Meanwhile, assistant public defender Sally Castle’s colleague, Colin, has become unusually nervous and secretive. Her suspicion that he’s hiding something serious is confirmed when she learns of a threatening visitor and discovers a note on his desk stating, “You’d better fix this.” Colin’s subsequent murder is the first frayed thread in a complex web of deceit and puts Sally in a killer’s crosshairs as she doggedly searches for answers.
The Interview by C.M. Ewan
This is a workplace situation that uses isolation to create the thrills. Kate Harding is late for a 5pm interview. When she arrives, she quickly realizes that everyone has gone home for the weekend and that she and the interviewer are the only ones in the building. As the interview progresses, things turn weird, and disturbing. The only way out of the interview is to answer a seemingly impossible question. If she can’t, the consequences could be deadly. This book will be making you question who else is around the next time you schedule a job interview!
White Elephant by Trish Harnetiaux
White Elephant gift exchange rules are simple: Bring an unmarked, cheap gift. The tackier the better. But at the office holiday party for the Aspen-based real estate firm owned by Henry Calhoun and his wife Claudine, a strange gift shows up in the mix: an antique cowboy statue. Years ago, the statue was the weapon Henry used to commit a murder that Claudine helped cover up by hiding the weapon so it would never be seen again. So, which of their employees know their secrets, and what is their endgame? A snowstorm adds to the drama, keeping them all trapped until they find out!
The Maid by Nita Prose
Here, the “office” for Molly Gray is the hotel in which she works as a maid. Her Gran used to help interpret the world for Molly, and now she’s left to navigate the complexities on her own. Soon, her life is upended when she finds an infamous and wealthy guest dead in his bed. Molly’s unusual demeanor quickly puts her on the police’s radar, and she finds herself in a web of deception. Reading like a locked-room mystery, you will root for Molly and the friends she never knew she had who unite to help clear her name.
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