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If you loved The Secret History…

76 replies

DrainYou · 27/02/2023 12:25

…please could you recommend other books you also enjoyed? I absolutely love the dark, witty characteristics of The Secret History and am struggling to find similar. It is not necessarily the “university” genre, more the intrigue and grittiness of it. I also really enjoyed Perfume and The Gargoyle.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

OP posts:
MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 03/03/2023 13:20

PSH has a young son who's an actor, maybe he can be Bunny.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 03/03/2023 13:28

Echobelly · 03/03/2023 11:27

You might like Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, also The Marriage Plot by him. Not mysteries but I think people who like Tartt's style would enjoy his.

I agree

garlictwist · 03/03/2023 13:36

What about The Sparsholt Affair (Alan Hollinghurst). It's got that university scandal vibe that The Secret History has.

stickybear · 03/03/2023 14:45

I also love The Secret History and The Little Stranger. I recently enjoyed The Beloved Girls by Harriet Evans, which has a similar
Gothic vibe and lots of secrets among friends. I found My Dark Vanessa seriously disturbing though.

CrepuscularCritter · 03/03/2023 15:08

ItsMeAnnie · 28/02/2023 12:21

"The Magus" by John Fowles- its wonderful. Both that and The Secret History are in my top 10 books ever.

I came here to say exactly that!

CrepuscularCritter · 03/03/2023 15:22

I would also recommend Unto The Forest by Jean Hegland for another enclosed world rich in detail.

CrepuscularCritter · 03/03/2023 15:22

#into

ItsMeAnnie · 04/03/2023 11:54

Wow, some great ideas here. I've also ordered a few from these recommendations.
Another one I'd recommend is "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier. I was always sceptical about this one- thought it would be stuffy and old fashioned. But how wrong I was- it's magical, foreboding and gripping.

FuckingHateRats · 04/03/2023 11:54

VictorStrand · 27/02/2023 13:35

If We Were Villains - it's like The Secret History but in drama school. (It's not as good as The Secret History but then few books are).

Came to say the same thing

AncientBallerina · 04/03/2023 12:00

MonaChopsis · 02/03/2023 22:29

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Poison wood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver both have a similar feel too me.

Also anything but Anne Tyler. Totally different style but really engrossing writing.

Absolutely love both of these. Reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver at the moment. She creates the most amazing characters.
Daphne du Maurier books are fantastic for creating an ominous atmosphere- ‘My Cousin Rachel’ and ‘Rebecca’

MyBloodyMaryneedsmoreTabasco · 04/03/2023 12:01

Have been reading TSH since I was in university in the 90s and I love it - never got on with the other two, despite the huge anticipation waiting for them to be published.
I also like Perfume, Rebecca, Little Life and the Virgin Suicides. My addition to the list of suggestions is Asylum by Patrick McGrath. Dark and a bit twisty but something a bit joyful about it at the same time. Noone ever agrees with me, but I persist in recommending!

AncientBallerina · 04/03/2023 12:01

Sorry crossed posts with another Du Maurier fan!

AncientBallerina · 04/03/2023 12:07

Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel also has that unsettling feel. I couldn’t finish though because I felt haunted. It’s not at all like Secret History really but is similarly unnerving. Bit of a derail - apologies!

Viogner · 04/03/2023 12:17

You've probably read it but I always thought Alex Garland's The Beach had a similar vibe.

afterdropshock · 04/03/2023 23:25

Joanne Harris

Bichette · 07/03/2023 16:59

Some of my favourite books have been mentioned here.
I also like early Barbara Vine - A dark adapted eye and Fatal inversion.
Also Kate Atkinson - Behind the scenes at the museum.
Literature-map.com is useful for finding similar authors.

Bichette · 07/03/2023 17:00

www.literature-map.com/donna+tartt

LobeliaBaggins · 07/03/2023 17:13

Barbara Vine is brilliant. My fave is The Brimstone Wedding. Also love Du Maurier. I recommend My Cousin Rachel, as good as Rebecca.

I also recommend Tana French's books, particularly In the Woods and Faithful Place.

MurderAtTheBeautyPageant · 07/03/2023 17:19

I forgot about Barbara Vine. My favourites are A Dark Adapted Eye and Asta's Book. Haven't read them in so long.

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 07/03/2023 17:41

It's funny reading through this list - almost everything I've thought of has been mentioned and almost everything that's been mentioned, I've loved. This is a really distinct niche!

You could include The Talented Mr Ripley in there and potentially some of the older Angela Carters if you wanted to dial up the gothic a notch or two - The Magic Toyshop, maybe. I also like Sadie Jones in terms of that overheated, intense feel.

Mercurial123 · 11/03/2023 04:44

If We Were Villians by M L Rio very similar to The Secret History. Murder in a small exclusive college in the US and the main characters are students who are Shakesperian actors.

Abracadabra12345 · 11/03/2023 20:46

Secret History is a gem of a book and her writing is exquisite. I was so excited when she finally produced Little Friend, after ten years. And so disappointed with it.

Goldfinch had its moments but just went on and on.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 11/03/2023 21:26

I'm sure Donna herself is disappointed with The Little Friend

MrsDoyle351 · 12/03/2023 07:45

Oh my goodness - sorry folks - but I couldn't disagree more heartily. The Little Friend was also superb - so atmospheric, I still think about parts of that book/story years later.

Also the Goldfinch was excellent. To me, Donna Tartt can do no wrong! Grin

MyopicBunny · 13/03/2023 15:33

Ooh this is a great thread for me.