Author Spotlight
Shari Lapena’s Thriller Reading List
Plus, the Canadian author, known for plot twists, shares a few of her own with our exclusive Q&A.
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
“I love Ripley—Highsmith gets into the mind of a sociopath so brilliantly.”
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
“I think this might have been one of the first books I read that really upended me—in the sense that nothing was what I thought it was. An amazing twist.”
The Dinner by Herman Koch
“This book about two couples who sit down to dinner to discuss something horrific their children have done has really stayed with me—with each course, the horror deepens.”
We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
“Probably one of the most chilling books I have ever read. Are monsters born or made? This book doesn’t have the answer …”
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
“A brilliant book about a crime that rocked America—a true classic.”
What book feels like home to you?
“Probably anything by Agatha Christie. I grew up reading her, so there’s definitely a bit of nostalgia there.”
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever researched for a story?
“How to fool a lie detector test? It is possible and involves a tack in your shoe.”
If you could swap places with another author, who would that be?
“Right now, Ruth Ware because she has a big Netflix movie of The Woman in Cabin 10 coming out and I would love to see something of mine adapted to the big screen. I think that would be so fun.”
What book title best describes your life?
“The Maid. [laughs] But seriously it’s hard to be a writer when you’ve got a family …”
Which book is your most treasured possession?
“I have a number of signed first editions. My most treasured is probably either The White Hotel by D.M. Thomas, or Fingersmith by Sarah Waters.”
A piece of Canadiana you’ve included in your work?
“My latest book, She Didn’t See It Coming, has an online true crime sleuth posting pictures of cops coming out of donut shops … is that Canadian enough?”