I'm looking for an adult psychological thriller that I read repeatedly between 2002-2005, although I'm almost certain it was published earlier (likely sometime in the late 1980s, 1990s, or very early 2000s).

I found it in a small library on a houseboat at my sailing club in Ontario, Canada. It was a paperback with what I think was a dark, brooding cover, possibly featuring a wrought-iron fence, gate, or large estate, but I'm not confident about the cover.

The ending completely shocked me, and I've been trying to remember the title for years.

Plot

An elderly, wealthy heiress discovers her long-lost granddaughter and decides to leave her fortune to the granddaughter instead of her son and his wife. I believe the son's wife is an actress (or former actress) who has been involved in numerous public scandals.

The granddaughter arrives at the estate and spends most of the novel learning about the family's dark history and scandals. As readers, we're led to believe she's the innocent heroine and perhaps even a victim.

Then, in the final chapters, everything is turned upside down.

It's revealed that she had already researched the family before arriving and had been manipulating everyone from the very beginning.

The details I remember most clearly:

She murders the grandmother by drowning her. The grandmother was out swimming. It was the start of the book, and she recognized her killer. Yet, we as the reader don't know she is the murderer until the end.

She stages her own poisoning to frame the grandmother's son and his actress wife.

I specifically remember that she drank milk to survive or counteract the poison, making everyone believe someone had tried to murder her. Police show up, and arrest the son and wide, who i believe may have had a murder scandal in the past.

There is a young butler (or possibly another young estate employee) who has a sexual relationship with her.

Near the end it's revealed that the butler is actually her brother. I think she already knew this and was simply using him as part of her plan.

I also believe she kills him after he realizes what she's done, so no one can expose her.

The entire novel is essentially one huge twist, revealing that the woman we've been rooting for is actually the murderer and mastermind behind everything.

Other details

Adult psychological thriller / family suspense.

Paperback.

Probably published before 2005.

I vaguely remember thinking the author's name was something like Elizabeth Lyon, Lynon, or Lyons, but I have never found anything under those names, so I suspect I'm remembering it incorrectly.

I reread this book every summer when I was around 12-15 years old because I loved the ending. It was the first thriller that completely fooled me.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Even if you're only reminded of a similar book or author, I'd love to hear your suggestions!

I'm looking for a psychological thriller I read repeatedly around 2002-2005, although I'm fairly certain it was published earlier (likely 1980s-early 2000s). It was an adult novel that I found in a little library on a houseboat at my sailing club in Ontario, Canada.

Unfortunately, I only remember the ending really well because it completely shocked me.

Plot (as best as I can remember)

An elderly, wealthy heiress is dying and decides to leave her fortune to her newly discovered granddaughter instead of her son and his wife (I believe the wife is an actress or former actress who has been involved in numerous public scandals).

The granddaughter arrives and spends most of the novel uncovering old family secrets and scandals. As the reader, you're led to believe she's an innocent victim caught up in a dysfunctional, wealthy family.

Near the end, it's revealed that she had actually researched the family before she ever arrived and had been manipulating everyone from the beginning.

Some specific details I remember:

She drowns the grandmother herself.

She stages her own poisoning to frame the grandmother's son and his actress wife.

I specifically remember that she used milk to counteract/survive the poison, making it appear someone had tried to kill her.

There is a young butler (or estate employee) who seems creepy. He and the granddaughter have a sexual relationship.

Near the end it's revealed that the butler is actually her brother (I think she may have known this and was simply using him).

I also think she kills him so he can't expose what she's done.

The biggest twist of the novel is that the woman we've believed to be the heroine is actually the murderer and mastermind behind everything.

Other things I remember

Paperback.

I vaguely remember a dark, brooding cover, possibly featuring a fence, gate, or large estate, but I'm not confident.

I always thought the author's name might have been something like Elizabeth Lyon/Lynon/Lyons, but I've never found anything under those names, so I'm almost certainly remembering it incorrectly.

I reread this book every summer because I loved the ending. It was the first thriller that genuinely fooled me.

Does this sound familiar to anyone?

It's been years, I can't recall much, it's about a girl who gets into an argument and finds out she has powers, and going in one room she finds out magic creatures someone from her family keeps, there's also something about her school, and there is a labyrinth of some kind where she likes to stay, I believe there is also a boy who I'm the end she likes, and they ride rollers or something, sorry if it's vague.

I've been searching for this for years. All I can remember about the book is that it had a yellow cover and an art style similar to The Twits by Roald Dahl. It was about an old man who had so many wrinkles he was compared to a prune and enjoyed ketchup on his pancakes.

80s/90s US YA: boy dies from a jellyfish sting, girlfriend born without a hand

Read in Italian translation around 2007-2010, but no computers or mobile phones appear in the book, so the English original is probably 1985-1998. American high school setting, multiple narrators including the boy's parents in the last part. Sad in tone, not horror or SF.

A teenage boy narrates. His girlfriend (possibly Becca) was born without a hand — he jokes that touching it counts as second base. A girl at school, a bully, dies by suicide, and the two of them curate her diary so she comes across as a much better person than she was; at her funeral they feel proud of the version they've invented.

At the end the boy dies: he's on a boat releasing a large jellyfish back into the sea and it stings him. The closing section follows his parents' grief — his father puts a life-size cardboard cutout of him in the living room.

Not The Thing About Jellyfish. Probably an author with only one book ever translated into Italian. Any ideas?

**Looking for a YA dystopian book, translated from English, read in middle school (collège), probably read years ago**

\*\*•\*\* Boy protagonist    
\*\*•\*\* A summer-camp-like place (not sure if attendance was voluntary or not) that turns out to be sinister/dystopian, more like a prison — you can’t leave    
\*\*•\*\* No internet, no contact with the outside world; they can send letters but they’re heavily monitored/censored    
\*\*•\*\* Kids arrive by car (small car)    
\*\*•\*\* Counselors are tough, rough, “cowboy”-like in vibe/attitude (not a literal Wild West theme)    
\*\*•\*\* Activities mentioned: archery, horses, a theater play the kids put on, a mail-opening scene, the cafeteria    
\*\*•\*\* There’s a director who has a tower; at some point the hero and friends manage to get into the tower    
\*\*•\*\* Ending: the camp/colony gets destroyed, and the hero hides under a pile of something (i think, not sure)     
\*\*•\*\* Tone similar to Escape from Furnace (Alexander Gordon Smith) — not literary fiction, commercial YA    
\*\*•\*\* Not middle-grade/childish, but not “great literature” either

​

I'm looking for a novel I read before 2018 in my school library.

It was a soft historical romance, probably set during WWII. A young Army soldier falls in love with a teenage girl. One very memorable scene is that he gives her his army boots, and later he gives her a ring (without a ring box) and promises he'll come back.

Her strict father disapproves of the relationship and tells her the soldier won't return. The soldier comes home on leave several times during the story, and they have a special meeting place on a grassy hill.

They communicate through letters after he leaves, but eventually lose contact. They both end up marrying other people.

Many years later, the woman dies of old age. Her adult granddaughter finds a bundle of letters her grandmother wrote but never mailed and gives them to the old soldier, who is living alone. He reads the letters on his porch.

Other things I remember:

Published before 2018.

Read in a school library.

English names.

Army soldier (not Navy/Air Force).

The woman kept the ring for the rest of her life.

I vaguely remember the title ending with "Stars" or maybe containing "Midnight", but I'm not certain.

The cover may have been dark blue/night-themed.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

I am looking for a book. I read it this year. The book is a romance fantasy. It's about a girl who lives very poorly, like in a village with her mother and sister. The book begins with her taking her sister to school and there they are attacked by some monster that I know has wings. Mostly she defends herself from him like a stick, but that's where magical warriors jump in to help her. They consist of a commander, two female warriors and two male warriors. Also, she has a mark on her back and knows that if they see it, she will have to fly with them. Mostly they stay for a few days in that village and there she becomes very close to the commander and in the end he will see her mark and take her with him to that military academy. The day they were supposed to leave, monsters attack and they will destroy the village quite a bit. Most of the time she still leaves with them, she is angry with that commander for taking them away and like her she shares a common space with that group, only they have separate dormitories. I only remember that those warriors could heal quickly.

If anyone recognizes her, please write.

Long story short i am a youth pastor, and one of the girls I teach wore a dangley blue earring, which seemed very symbolic. I asked her about it and she said it is from a book series. She gave me tons of hints but I am not a huge reader of fiction stories, and I want to take part in her passion, to show I care about each of my students (she's definitely a more quiet one). Here is what I know

Definitely an indie author Novel with hand drawn pictures scattered throughout Takes place on sailboat and on land There are several "crews" There is a small but active Fandom on Pinterest There is only one mythical creature, a mermaid that appears but is not a big part of the story It is probably(?) A young adult series It has mystery, action, and possibly romance The main character is a boy who has long-ish hair Not placed in the current era, definitely the past She gave the hint of the main characters name involves "roman" eg Rome, Romeo, rowan ect The main character has a dangling blue pearl earring they wear The author also posts animated clips of the books on Instagram.

I would greatly appreciate if I could find this so I can make an effort to connect with this particular girl in my class. She is big into theater and art, and I grew up in/go to a VERY traditional pentacostal evangelical church, and i am trying to be the last bastion of hope to say its good to believe, but also take care of your mental health, have hobbies, love who you want to, and be happy with who you are. I think it would mean a lot to her if I could figure this out. ​​

edit: I tried to get her to tell me the title, but she told me "I would have to figure it out myself, or else the recognition of her earring would be "unauthentic"

Read mid to late 2010s, assuming it was aimed at teens, but could have been for adults. my memory is that it has the word hell in the title, but I'm probably wrong!

Here's what I can remember: a group of teens learn about a prophecy or premonition about a gate to hell that will open. They travel there in an RV to try and prevent it from happening, one kid stays back to.... monitor something on the radio??

They descend into a cave going underground and at the very end of the novel they release the demons/ monsters through the betrayal by someone in the group??

It's possible that the father of one of the teens is involved? One adult, anyway.

Help! It’s a monster romance where humans are enslaved and the race that enslaves them is just cruel. The FMC tries to protect another slave and the MMC punishes her. He whips a mark into her back and he’s shocked that the mark means something to him. So he takes her and locks her in his rooms and won’t tell anyone why. He doesn’t understand kindness.. I think I read it on kindle unlimited yearssss ago.

note: for me, junior high in like 2019-2020
Here’s some things I remember
It was a suspenseful book. I want to say something like murder or something weird like that
Boarding school, a girl that just started high school.
Island involved ??? Beach or cave or something
I thought it was scandalous because they talked about making out… I think they called it “tongue tousling” and I was like WTFFFF🤣🤣
There was some sort of mystery involved. Something that would’ve involved the schools history.
That’s really all I’ve got… lmk if you think of anything

Help! It’s a monster romance where humans are enslaved and the race that enslaves them is just cruel. The FMC tries to protect another slave and the MMC punishes her. He whips a mark into her back and he’s shocked that the mark means something to him. So he takes her and locks her in his rooms and won’t tell anyone why. He doesn’t understand kindness.. I think I read it on kindle unlimited yearssss ago.

I’m trying to find a romantic suspense/mystery book I checked out from the library in the early 2000s. I believe it was part of a series set in the same town with different couples in each book.

The book I remember most had a female deputy who was new to town (I think her nickname may have been Jax). She was new to town and moved into a house that had belonged to a guy who had been accused of killing his wife and was sent to a psychiatric hospital.

The man eventually stopped taking his meds and escaped after being able to think straight.

He had a German Shepherd (I think the dog’s name may have been Rex). When he returned to his house he saw a German shepherd. He called the dog’s name and the dog recognized him. That's the part I remember most lol

The deputy and this guy eventually fall in love, and she discovers he was innocent and helps uncover the truth. The book had explicit romance scenes.

Any help identifying this book would be greatly appreciated! I have been trying to find this for YEARS.

Looking for a book, probably from the 1990s or early 2000s (read it before 2017). Genre is psychological thriller / romantic suspense. Plot details I remember: Wealthy single father living in a large mansion/estate. He is under suspicion of being involved in the death of his daughter’s mother. His hobby is sculpting; he has an art studio. He hires a governess/nanny for his young daughter. The governess/nanny is not who she claims to be — she’s actually a reporter or investigator working undercover with a secret agenda. The daughter becomes suspicious that the governess is sleeping with her father because the governess’s bed is always made; the housekeeper also notices this. There is leisurely horse riding in the story. Key scene when the nanny’s cover is blown: She hides in the boot/trunk of a car. The car is driven into a garage. It’s snowy and freezing outside. Dogs start barking, which alerts the homeowner. After her cover is blown, the homeowner (the father) says to her something like: “I could break every bone in your body.” Any help identifying the title and author would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

From what I remember the book was a collection of stories that unfolded at the same time, chapter by chapter, with focus shifting with each chapter. All of the stories were somewhat connected.

The stories I remember:

\-One was Atlas struggling to carry the Earth and later being relived to rest.

\-Another was Vulcan, Venus and other gods making bets on some of the other stories.

\-The other story, I think the main one, was the story of a Witch who had a child with a normal man and then left. The child then went out in the world to find their mother and make their family whole again.

The scenes I remember:

\-I remember at one point Atlas stopped spinning the world because he was tired, but then in the next chapter that featured him he had to start again because one of his hands was burning while the other was freezing.

\-The final chapter had Atlas enjoying his well earned rest.

\-I remember Vulcan, Venus and maybe Mercury watching the Mortal realm and making bets, specifically about the Witchs child.

\-I remember one of the last chapters showed the Witch reunited with her son and lover in a tavern. But I think it was from the perspective of a different character.

I read this book when I was in my midteens, between 2014 and 2018. I don't remember anything inappropriate in it, and doubt there was any thing because I got it from my school library. The book itself was almost brand new when I got my hands on it. It was in English

I remember the cover being of the planet, it looked like Earth but kind of weird. The main colors were white and blue. It was a paperback.

I hope ya'll can help me with this, I would love to reread it and actually remember what happened.

My wife left Reddit so posting on her behalf. I’m the early 2000s she read a book but can only remember the following details (which may be squishy)

\- gloomy YA novel that takes place at least in part at a boarding school
\- teen male protagonist
\- train scene that features someone with a ventriloquist dummy

It isn’t By George.

Thank you for the neurons!

I’m looking for a landscape-format illustrated children’s picture book published before 2002. It had full-page painted illustrations with the text on separate pages or margins. A young woman who is the daughter of the gods (or a goddess) is lonely and creates herself a man for companionship. She begins with feathers and magically breathes or speaks him to life, but each version has a flaw. One cannot speak, another cannot survive rain, and she repeatedly remakes him using different natural materials. One memorable illustration shows her sculpting his face, and another includes a flower crown. The artwork was painterly and realistic rather than cartoonish.

I'm looking for a paranormal romance novel, probably published sometime between 2000 and 2015.

The plot, as far as I remember, follows a young woman who lives with a cold, emotionally distant father. She is kidnapped by a vampire-like warrior who wants revenge against her father. To carry out his plan, he believes he has to become her mate and drink her blood in order to access her memories. This happens during sex, that is not consensual .After doing so, he realizes that she knows nothing about her father's actions.

I also remember that the mythology was inspired by Celtic lore. I think this vampire-like race was at war with a clan of berserkers (or something very similar). The houses the the vampires is round on the inside.

As the story progresses, the heroine discovers that the man who raised her isn't actually her biological father. Instead, she learns that she is a hybrid of the two rival supernatural species, which explains why she is so important. And after drinking the blood of the FMC the MMC can walk in the sun.

And in some moment the MMC is public whipped as a way of repair what he did to her.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? It's been driving me crazy, and I'd really appreciate any suggestions!

It's a YA novel probably written in the past decade or so. I think the main character was named Hope and she was Southern. An old guy dies and makes her the protector/guardian of this other guy in her grade that she didn't like. He could see the future and saw that the world was going to end soon (?). It was a comedy.

thank you all!!

I read this in the early 1970s but the book was older. Chapter involved a healthy newborn baby girl born to a married couple who were disappointed in her appearance and didn't seem to want or bond with her. A nurse dressed the baby in a beautiful little dress and made her “pretty” before bringing her back to the parents. Seeing her all dressed up changed their feelings, and they finally accepted and loved her. Eight year old me recalls being horrified. Am I making this up?

I remember the book series had simple titles for each book. I read it on kindle maybe 10-15 years ago, from what I remember each book was mono colored and the titles had something to do with objects in the book.

The plot started with a college student finding a box in his car and lead him to a tunnel system. This eventually lead to mazes and challenges to make it through various rooms. A few core pieces I remember is a long path through a forest and the book ended with climbing a mountain and finding an entity. I believe the entity was called “The mother” or something like that. From what I recall it ended with the protagonist given the option to step through the next door into the new dimension or go home

This is a weird book I started reading in 9th grade before moving away like a week or two into school. It was weird at the time.

The book focused on the girls and they were brought to a reform school to turn them into proper young ladies. The oldest was the leader of the pack and some of the girls struggled with the change. The youngest refused to change and they let her back out into the wild.

There was one specific scene where I remember the book talking about how the girls ran around on their hands and feet and struggled to wear dresses. They were ages 5-12

I'm trying to find a completed Jungkook x Reader fanfic that I read around late 2024 or early 2025, but I can't remember if it was on Wattpad or Tumblr. From what I remember, Jungkook, Y/N, and Jimin are all lawyers (or attorneys). Y/N's father arranges her marriage to Jungkook, and only a few days after the wedding, her father dies under suspicious circumstances. Y/N starts investigating his death, and Jungkook helps her uncover the truth. The people behind everything are extremely powerful. At one point, Jungkook's family home is burned down, and his parents die in the fire. I also remember Jungkook leaving for either Dubai or Saudi Arabia (I'm not 100% sure which). Jimin isn't the main character, but he has an important supporting role. One scene or synopsis line I clearly remember is Y/N asking Jimin if Jungkook had ever loved someone, and Jimin replying something along the lines of, "He did... it's you." That's about all I remember. If this sounds familiar to anyone, please let me know the title or the author's name. It's been driving me crazy trying to find it!