Loved "The Secret History"... what next?

[Elmersnewfriend]

Just got back from holiday where I read "The Secret History"... I absolutely loved it, any suggestions what to read next? I think anything I choose will be a real disappointment!

[Katinkka]

The Goldfinch? I loved them both.

[tripfiction]

Try Black Chalk by Christopher J Yates www.tripfiction.com/book-set-in-new-york-and-oxford-right-cocktail-people-perfect-blend-calamity/
which is interesting if you have read The Secret History...

The Sixteen Trees of the Somme is a newly published novel that is just beginning to gain deserved traction

Yesterday by Felicia Yap is interesting, massive hype, 4* from us, but it won't appeal to everyone...

Have a nice second part of your holiday!

[Elmersnewfriend]

Thank you! The Goldfinch is a great idea but I've already read it... I did enjoy it but not like The Secret History... I didn't get into the characters in the same way and it didn't make me keep thinking about it days later!!

I have ordered Black Chalk and Yesterday, and added Sixteen Trees of the Somme to my wish list. Thank you so much!

[SatsukiKusakabe]

Have you read Middlesex? Not the same subject but a long satisfying and well written twist on a family saga, and had the same page turning quality for a large book.

The Magus deals with classicism, myth, and the slow unravelling of a secret.

[TheTurnOfTheScrew]

Have a look at Shirley Jackson - I found We Have Always Lived in The Castle to have that same gothic, New England feel.

[MozzchopsThirty]

I have the secret history for my holiday read
Is it good?

[LockedOutOfMN]

The Secret History is great! Liked The Goldfinch but not as much. (Didn't really like The Little Friend at all).

Do you like Bret Easton Ellis' books? Tartt allegedly got the idea for TSH from a line in one of Ellis' novels, I think it was 'The Rules Of Attraction'. There is some similarity between the two novels, although a lot of difference too. Ditto 'American Psycho'. Ellis is a bit Marmite.

I'm reading the suggestions on this thread with interest!

[Ollycat]

I loved The Little Friend and Secret History but hated The Goldfinch.

Have just read I'm Traveling Alone - easy but compelling read.

[Wildernesstips]

How about A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, it had a Secret History feel to it.

[SerenaJoy]

Have you read any Sarah Waters? The Night Watch and Fingersmith are both brilliant reads. Not sure how similar they are to Secret History, mind you (which I also loved btw).

[ShimmeringIce]

Not terribly similar but I think Sarah Addidon Allen's books have the same "world you can get lost in" feel. Garden Spells might be my favourite

[ShimmeringIce]

That should have said Addison

[Chunkamatic]

I loved Secret History and The little friend.

I would second pp's recommendation for A Little Life, I'm nearly finished. It's fantastic.

[sunshine75]

A Little Life - amazing.

[Ktown]

'The party' by ??? Just been released is a low brow English version of the secret history and is really good fun.
It overdoes the cliches (Notting hill and the Cotswolds) so it feels dated already, but it is a great summer read.

[Mupflup]

A Little Life, definitely. The best book I have read in a decade without a doubt.

[DandelionAndBedrock]

I find that I can become as absorbed in the characters in Wally Lamb's books as I did in Secret History. Not really a similar style, but the same loss of time when reading.

[AaarghUsername]

"The Rule of Four" by Ian Caldwell et al is a good one, with added Dan Brown-ish mystery in it. I really enjoyed this book.

[UsedToBeAPaxmanFan]

These recommendations are great. I've just bought "A Little Life" for £1.19 on Kindle.

[43percentburnt]

The crimson petal and the white. Not the same style/subject etc but very captivating.

[Failbydefault]

The Magus by John Fowles. Gripping and sinister ( but long) or The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, both real page turners!

[littlewoollypervert]

The Likeness - Tana French feels very similar 're the friendship group to TSH. In fact I love all her books.

[Pallisers]

Prep: Curtis Sittenfield

Gentlemen and Players and Different Class both by Joanne Harris

Bright Lights Big City by Bret Easton Ellis (I think he was at Bennington same time as Donna Taart - that is the inspiration for the college in Secret History).

Recently read If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio. It wasn't brilliant but it did have that same feeling - college/tight group of friends/death

[woollychimp]

The Little Friend and The Goldfinch are also really good.

Agree Prep by Curtis Sittenfield and also Sisterland by her is brilliant

[Broken11Girl]

Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marissa Pesl, similar theme, quirky.