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Original poster

Anyone recommend a great book with an unexpected twist please?

138 replies

TangoShoes · 10/02/2023 19:45

Thanks 😊

OP posts:
AltitudeCheck · 13/02/2023 21:55

I do wish Sarah Waters would write another book! Fingersmith was excellent!

What I loved by Siri HustVedt, it has some beautiful parts (and some tedious parts) but I've never had such a physical, punched in the stomach, feeling as I did reading that.

Kissedbyfire1 · 13/02/2023 21:54

Spanielsarepainless · 13/02/2023 18:40

The Breakers by Claudie Gallay
The Way the Crow Flies by Laura Hill
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Absolutely love Owen Meany and pretty much anything by John Irving. He’s the writer that Stephen King could be if he didn’t insist on writing gut-churning commercial trash.

Kissedbyfire1 · 13/02/2023 21:52

PuppyMonkey · 13/02/2023 19:04

I think if you’re watching or reading something you KNOW has a twist coming, it’s not actually an “unexpected twist.”

Reminds me of when The Sixth Sense came out and my sister said I should go and see it, it has a great twist at the end. So I watched the first five minutes knowing there was going to be a big twist at the end and wondering what it could be… bloody worked the whole thing out. Before the opening credits had even finished from what I remember.Grin

Ha, about 5 mins from the end of the Sixth Sense I said to DH -“ Oh!”. He gave me a look and said that he’d figured it out 5 mins from the start and had sat there waiting for me to catch up 🤣.

Crikeyalmighty · 13/02/2023 21:49

@countrypunk I totally agree.

Kissedbyfire1 · 13/02/2023 21:48

Also agree with pp, We need to talk about Kevin, also by Lionel Shriver

Rogue1001MNer · 13/02/2023 21:48

Sorry, its notes on a scandal.

Zoe heller

Kissedbyfire1 · 13/02/2023 21:47

Girl A, Abigail Dean
A God in Ruins, Kate Atkinson
Big Brother, Lionel Shriver

Crikeyalmighty · 13/02/2023 21:47

I also thought Lisa Jewels - and then she was gone was very good ,

Kate Atkinsons - behind the scenes at the museum kind of fits too and is a terrific book

Rogue1001MNer · 13/02/2023 21:46

Scandal.

Can't remember who wrote it. There's a not very good film with Judy Dench and cate blanchette

Agree about fingersmith and Kevin

BreadInCaptivity · 13/02/2023 21:44

Just finished reading The Cloisters by Katy Hays after the author was interviewed on Radio 4.

Dark academia genre. Really enjoyed it and did not expect the ending at all.

Usually I'm pretty good at guessing so called plot twits but didn't see this one coming at all.

autienotnaughty · 13/02/2023 21:41

Jane fallon best friends

autienotnaughty · 13/02/2023 21:40

Harriet Tyce The lies you told
Kia Abdulah Next of kin
Mark edwards follow you home
Ruth ware the death of Mrs westerway

countrypunk · 13/02/2023 21:03

Not so much a twist, but the revelation at the end of Dark Places by Gillian Flynn is really satisfying.

countrypunk · 13/02/2023 21:01

When I read Fingersmith and got to the twist, I was so shocked by it I had to put the book down and go for a walk round the block. It floored me! I think with Sarah Waters' writing you just become so utterly absorbed in the character telling the story that you take absolutely everything they're saying at face value. I love her, she's absolutely wonderful.

yellowhedges · 13/02/2023 20:55

Following blatantly

newfriend05 · 13/02/2023 20:55

The Peculiar Smell of lemon cake ... the ending left me opened mouthed

Heyjoewhatsup · 13/02/2023 20:55

The cuckoo sister by Alison Stockham, it’s a new psychological thriller about a sister who takes the other sister’s children. Very original

MissJam · 13/02/2023 20:52

whirlyhead · 11/02/2023 21:45

We need to talk about Kevin. That book totally threw me for six when I read it.

Me too! I struggled through it and then when I got to ‘that bit’ I was beside myself!

My suggestion is I’m The King of the Castle by Susan Hill - I did this in A Level English and it’s still one of my favourite books. Couldn’t believe the ending.

Findyourneutralspace · 13/02/2023 20:52

Fingersmith is the twistiest book ever but I’ve just finished Tipping the Velvet. That’s less plot twist but the protagonist twists herself all over the place. It’s a good read.

MamaNewtNewt · 13/02/2023 20:51

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult really surprised me.

OneFrenchEgg · 13/02/2023 20:49

I feel there are a couple of comments here that give the book away, but otherwise there are some really brilliant suggestions. I'm trying to think of a good 'twist' but I haven't read one in ages.

Andante57 · 13/02/2023 20:40

The Goldfinch. There were two twists I never saw coming though with hindsight there were hints for one of them.

Allshallbewell2021 · 13/02/2023 20:35

Yes Fingersmith!

almay8830 · 13/02/2023 20:08

F

AccidentallyFabulous · 13/02/2023 19:57

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 11/02/2023 21:55

Verity by Colleen Hoover

I found that incredibly tedious, but other book group members enjoyed it.