Hello everyone,
The best twists are the ones you never see coming, but work absolutely perfectly for the plot and are not far-fetched. Some are dramatic in the way they are revealed, either completely flooring you with shock or putting a whole different complexion on the story.
Looking back at my 2023 reads, there have not been as many truly dramatic twists compared to previous years, but there are still some which stand out. At the time, they gave each book a whole new status in my mind and really elevated the stakes.
With that in mind, here is a list of the books with the five most dramatic twists I have read in 2023 – no spoilers.
The Cloisters by Katy Hays
You can easily split this book into two halves – before the main twist and after. It goes from a slow-burning contemporary read to a gripping murder mystery in the space of one chapter, with the fascinating character dynamics given a whole extra meaning.
In this moment the narrator becomes unreliable too, and there is one further twist later on which arguably has an even more profound impact.
None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell
This book is so full of misdirection and shocking incidents, but the one truly surprising moment takes place about three quarters of the way through. It is when you realise what Josie Fair is truly capable of, and the way it plays out is not only sinister, but unexpected.
Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
Rosalind and her undercover partner Orion investigate a series of killings in Shanghai related to clandestine scientific experiments. It is gripping and superbly plotted, but then it takes a gigantic turn when we discover who is responsible for the deaths.
It is a breathtaking twist which leaves you asking ‘how??’, and that just adds to the intensity of the story. The ending has a pretty huge twist too.
The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
This book uses the technique of having dual narratives, seemingly in the voices of two women in a relationship with the same man – one the estranged wife and the other his new fiancée. But all is not as it appears, and a third of the way into the story we find out what is actually going on, and that opens up the plot completely from something underwhelming to absolutely compelling.
King Of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Of course we have the ending, but there are at least two rather huge twists before that in this magnificent book. When Nikolai and Zoya are taken up to the Shadow Fold by the three Saints, not all of them are as they seem. Also, discovering the identity of Hanne’s father is a major revelation too.
That is all I am going to say, but this was a story full of memorable moments and despite being over 500 pages long, it was never predictable for one second.
Let’s Chat
Have you read any of these books? Which books did you read in 2023 that contained the best twists? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading 🙂
Stephen Reads Books 