My new thriller Rock Paper Scissors is about a marriage in trouble. But what is it that fascinates writers and readers so much about unravelling relationships? Maybe it has something to do with our desire to love and be loved. We all know the joy of real love, the fear of rejection and the pain of true heartbreak. Living in the Screen Age, we can see what used to remain behind closed doors all day every day, albeit through a filter. Perhaps our fascination with the lives and loves of others, is really about better understanding ourselves. Or, we might just be a nosy and voyeuristic species.
In Rock Paper Scissors things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland it might be just what their marriage needs. He’s a self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter who has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his wife. She works for Battersea Dogs Home in London, and thinks trying to save the world is more important than trying to rule it.
Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts—paper, cotton, pottery, tin—and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but Adam and Amelia didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to leave, or to live happily ever after.
Marriage can often mean murder in novels, and I’m not the first author to become obsessed with the conflict that exists in relationships. The marriage thriller is a popular genre for TV dramas and films too. I’m thrilled that Rock Paper Scissors is being made into a TV series by the producer of The Crown, and can’t wait to see Adam and Amelia come to life on screen. If you read the book, thank you and I hope you enjoy it!
Here are ten of my favorite novels with married couples at the heart of their stories.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Who can ever forget the story of Amy and Nick Dunne? Not me, that’s for sure. I loved the novel and the film, both written by thriller queen Gillian Flynn. In it, a previously perfect marriage unravels before our eyes and the plot thickens and darkens with every chapter. The twist in this thriller was exquisite, perfection on the page.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
For those who think the marriage thriller is a recent phenomenon, think again. Du Maurier’s classic was first published in 1938, but the haunting story of a young woman marrying a man who is tormented by his ex, even after her death, is just as powerful today.
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough
Opposites attract in this brilliant book. It’s another clever marriage-on-the-rocks story, but unlike any other you will ever read! This super smart and original novel will keep you on your toes and keep you guessing. I find I can often predict the endings of thrillers, but not this time. This book absolutely deserved the #WTFending reputation it earned, in a good way. One of my favorite twists ever.
My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
Millicent and her husband are definitely not your everyday couple in this unputdownable thriller. They fell in love, they had kids, they moved to the suburbs, and then they…I don’t want to spoil it for you. Every marriage has secrets, and theirs are pretty big. I loved everything about this novel.
Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin
When Rosemary Woodhouse and her struggling actor husband Guy move to an apartment in New York, their new neighbours seem welcoming, if a little nosy. That is just the beginning of this book, which still scares me if I think about it for too long.
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
The thing I remember most about this book is not being able to turn the pages fast enough! This is a marriage thriller that grabs you from the beginning and refuses to let go. Packed full of clever twists and characters you will love to hate.
The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty
Cecilia finds an envelope in the attic. Written on it, in her husband’s handwriting is the message: to be opened only in the event of my death. Curious? I certainly was, and once I picked this book up it was very difficult to put down. A truly gripping thriller about marriage, secrets, and the things we are capable of doing to protect those we love.
Our House by Louise Candlish
When Fiona Lawson arrives home to find strangers moving into her house, she is filled with fear and confusion. But they have all the relevant paperwork…and the keys. She and her husband, Bram, have owned their home for years and it was not for sale. They make the perfect odd couple in this addictive thriller, which was both scarily plausible and impossible to put down.
Your Truth or Mine by Trisha Sakhlecha
Secrets are the secret to a happy marriage if Mia and Roy Kapoor are anything to go by. This gripping psychological thriller will take you on an intimate trip to India and England, offering a front row seat to the breakdown of a marriage. Mia and Roy have so much and yet so little in common, but when they get married, they promise to love each other no matter what. Everything changes when the police knock on their door, in this deliciously dark and original debut.
Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith
Vic and Melinda Van Allen appear to be the perfect couple, but as we all know, appearances can be deceptive. This dark and twisty tale is about jealousy and mutual destruction. As their marriage implodes, the characters become ever more fascinating. I’ve also never looked at snails in quite the same way again. Highsmith called her protagonists “my psychopath heroes” and hers will become yours in this delightfully disturbing novel.
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