When Besties Turn Deadly: Thrillers with Toxic Female Friendships
There’s nothing like a good best friend breakup—unless you add some blood and betrayal to the mix. These thrillers about toxic female friendships go beyond petty arguments and dive straight into the kind of relationships that twist over time: manipulative group chats, secrets that shouldn’t be shared, and favors that come with a cost.If you like your thrillers messy and your characters morally gray, this list is for you.
And be sure to watch the live episode of Novel Hour I co-hosted with Laura from What to Read Next. Her picks included on this list? Vicious, layered, and so much fun.
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Watch the live show below featuring Laura from What to Read Next! Make sure to subscribe to the What to Read Next YouTube channel for more excellent recommendations!
6 Thrillers About Toxic Female Friendships Gone Wrong
Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman
A summer in Greece ends in tragedy, and ten years later, Bess and Joni are still haunted by what happened. One built a career from the scandal. The other disappeared into a quiet life—until Joni comes knocking with a favor she can’t refuse.
Key Themes: long-buried secrets, media scandal, post-trauma friendship fallout.
Grab Before We Were Innocent on Amazon
One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke
Six women head to a Greek island for a bachelorette trip. Some are friends. Some aren’t. But everyone’s hiding something—and by the end of the weekend, one of them won’t make it back.
Key Themes: destination thriller, bridal party secrets, vacation gone wrong
Grab One of the Girls on Amazon
You May Now Kill the Bride by Kate Weston
Five childhood best friends. One dead bride-to-be. And plenty of secrets that should’ve stayed buried. This one is part thriller, part dark comedy, and totally unhinged in the best way.
Key Themes: wellness retreat, passive-aggressive bridesmaids, murder with a side of Prosecco.
Grab You May Now Kill the Bride on Amazon
The Birthday Girl by Melissa de la Cruz
Ellie throws herself a 40th birthday bash at her swanky Palm Springs estate. The guest list? Handpicked “friends” she may or may not actually trust. As the champagne flows, so do the betrayals—and someone isn’t making it to the cake.
Key Themes: old grudges, secrets under luxury, frenemies in designer dresses.
Grab The Birthday Girl on Amazon
My Summer Darlings by May Cobb
Three lifelong friends fall hard for a handsome new neighbor—but someone in the group knows more than she’s letting on. What starts as a summer crush turns into something far more dangerous.
Key Themes: suburban mean girls, obsession, weaponized charm.
Grab My Summer Darlings on Amazon
The Wild Girls by Phoebe Morgan
Four former best friends reunite for a girls’ weekend in Botswana—only to realize the invite might’ve been a trap. Their shared past comes back to haunt them in ways they never saw coming.
Key Themes: remote getaway, fractured friend group, twisted revenge.
FAQ: Thrillers with Toxic Female Friendships
What makes a friendship toxic in thrillers?
In this genre, toxic friendships often involve jealousy, manipulation, and power games. Sometimes the tension is subtle, but other times it leads to murder.
Are these books more thriller or more mystery?
Most lean into psychological thriller territory—with secrets, mind games, and twists—but many also feature mystery elements like a whodunit or a buried crime.
Do these books have likable characters?
Not always. And that’s the fun. These stories often feature deeply flawed, complicated women who are at their most dangerous when they’re with the people who know them best.
Where can I find more thrillers like this?
Check out the Mysterylandia Thriller Archive for more recs sorted by tropes, settings, and vibes.
Your Best Friends Might Be the Most Dangerous People You Know
Friendships in thrillers hit different. These aren’t just falling-outs—they’re high-stakes unravelings. The secrets are sharper. The lies go deeper. And the consequences? Deadly. So if you’re looking for suspense that starts with friendship and ends with blood on the floor, this list has your name all over it.
You may also like:
- Check out even more thriller books
- Popcorn Thrillers on Kindle Unlimited That Aren’t Freida McFadden
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