Books like 'Special Topics in Calamity Physics'
Readers who enjoyed Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery thriller literary-fiction coming-of-age dark-academia crime drama suspense bildungsroman
-
All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom the New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End comes a soaring thriller and an epic love story that spans decades.“Impeccably crafted, deeply emotional, entirely shattering. I was captivated from page one.” ―Bonnie Garmus, New York Times bestselling author of Lessons in Chemistry1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier...Categorized as:
crime suspense thriller friendship literary-fiction amateur-sleuth coming-of-age mystery -
![Faith and the Beloved by Kochery C. Shibu]()
Faith and the Beloved by Kochery C. Shibu
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNaithy Cherozil is a rich and successful business woman from Mumbai who marries the young and handsome model Tony D'Souza after the death of her spouse. Little does she know that the ideal sex slave of her husband is the sleeper cell of a terror outfit. Events in her life take unforeseen turns as the male Mata Hari is activated... -
![A Different Kind of Gone by Catherine Ryan Hyde]()
A Different Kind of Gone by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe truth behind a teenage girl’s disappearance becomes something to conceal in a gripping novel about justice, lies, and impossible choices by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.When nineteen-year-old Jill Moss goes missing near the Utah-Arizona border, everyone has an opinion. Only Norma Gallagher, a search and rescue volunteer, knows the real story... -
![Jude by Kate Morgenroth]()
Jude by Kate Morgenroth
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen fifteen-year-old Jude's father is brutally murdered, Jude is a witness. But to save his own life, he can't tell the police what he knows. Still, Jude is determined to clear his name and win the approval of his mother -- the district attorney he has not seen since he was an infant. At the urging of his mother's longtime companion, Jude agrees to a crazy scheme to protect her political future... -
-
![Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein]()
Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWe don’t pick and choose what to be afraid of. Our fears pick us.Tash Carmody has been traumatised since childhood, when she witnessed her gruesome imaginary friend Sparrow lure young Mallory Fisher away from a carnival. At the time nobody believed Tash, and she has since come to accept that Sparrow wasn’t real. Now fifteen and mute, Mallory’s never spoken about the week she went missing... -
![No Child of Mine by Susan Lewis]()
No Child of Mine by Susan Lewis
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom internationally bestselling British author Susan Lewis comes an unflinching, thoroughly suspenseful novel—perfect for readers of Jodi Picoult—about the darkest secrets a family can hide. Alex Lake’s life is centered on helping people. Her job as a social worker in a British seaside town is more than a career: It’s the very essence of who she is... -
![The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith]()
The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsModern ideas get tangled up with traditional ones in the latest intriguing installment in the beloved, best-selling No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. Precious Ramotswe has taken on two puzzling cases. First she is approached by the lawyer Mma Sheba, who is the executor of a deceased farmer’s estate... -
![The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page]()
The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA charming, uplifting debut novel—full of humor and depth—that has taken readers around the world by surprise. Everyone has a story to tell. But does Janice have the power to unlock her own?She can’t recall what started her collection... -
![Die Schatten, die wir verbergen by Allen Eskens]()
Die Schatten, die wir verbergen by Allen Eskens
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsIn the highly-anticipated sequel to the national bestseller The Life We Bury, Joe Talbert returns to investigate the murder of the father he never knew, and to reckon with his own family's past.Joe Talbert, Jr. has never once met his namesake... -
![The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb]()
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsGrowing up in rural NC, Ray McMillan’s life is already mapped out. If he’s lucky, he’ll get a job at the hospital cafeteria. Extra lucky, he’ll earn more than the minimum wage. But Roy has a gift-he’s determined to become a world class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way... -
![The Baltimore Boys by Joël Dicker]()
The Baltimore Boys by Joël Dicker
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsSwiss Sensation Joel Dicker's compulsive follow-up to the phenomenally bestselling The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair... -
![The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs]()
The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNo one wants me to tell you about the disappearance of Sloane Sullivan.Not the lawyers or the cops. Not her friends or family. Not even the boy who loved her more than anyone. And most certainly not the United States Marshals Service... -
![Found by Harlan Coben]()
Found by Harlan Coben
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsMurder. Mystery. High School.A new Mickey Bolitar novel following on from Shelter and Seconds Away.It’s been eight months since Mickey Bolitar witnessed the tragic death of his father.Eight months of lies, dark secrets and unanswered questions.As if that wasn’t bad enough, Mickey’s sophomore year of high school brings on a whole new set of troubles... -
![Ali's Pretty Little Lies by Sara Shepard]()
Ali's Pretty Little Lies by Sara Shepard
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsPerfect for fans of the #1 New York Times bestselling series and the hit ABC Family TV show, this Pretty Little Liars prequel novel reveals Ali's secrets from before she was murdered.Rewind a few years to seventh grade: Alison DiLaurentis and her friends are the It girls of Rosewood Day. Boys want to date them. Girls want to be them... -
-
![Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow]()
Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThree estranged sisters reconnect in their Louisiana hometown to face an unresolved past in a heartfelt novel about family, grief, secrets, and forgiveness.Savannah was four years old when her twin sister, Georgia, went missing from their small Louisiana town, fracturing their family... -
![Redemption Lake by Susan Clayton-Goldner]()
Redemption Lake by Susan Clayton-Goldner
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTucson, Arizona – Eighteen-year-old Matt Garrison is harboring two terrible secrets: his involvement in the drowning death of his 12-year-old cousin, and a night of drunken sex with his best friend’s mother, Crystal, whom he finds dead in a bathtub of blood. Guilt forces Matt to act on impulse and hide his involvement with Crystal.Detective Winston Radhauser knows Matt is hiding something... -
![To Hatch a Thief by Zara Keane]()
To Hatch a Thief by Zara Keane
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn Irish cozy mystery featuring mystery, mayhem, and…chickens? When a valuable diamond necklace is stolen, former American cop and classic movie buff, Maggie Doyle's, peaceful vacation on a remote Irish island comes to an abrupt end. An island lawyer hires Maggie to find the necklace before its owner realizes it's missing... -
![Things We Never Say by Caitlin Weaver]()
Things We Never Say by Caitlin Weaver
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThree mothers. Three secrets. One devastating scandal.Anna has always been the quiet one, the soft-spoken mother who kept her head down and her secrets close. But when she's thrown together with Maggie and Rhea on a PTA project, they begin to bond over wine and gossip, and slowly share the truths behind their picture-perfect lives... -
![The Perfect Family Man by M.M. DeLuca]()
The Perfect Family Man by M.M. DeLuca
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFive years ago, my little boy went missing. Now my husband’s vanished, too.I wish I could say that the tragedy of little Jack disappearing brought me and Nate closer together. But my husband is more distant from me now than he’s ever been. Perhaps that’s why I don’t ask him exactly where he’s going when he sets off on another business trip...Categorized as:
crime suspense amateur-sleuth literary-fiction family thriller psychological contemporary -
![One Little Mistake by Emma Curtis]()
One Little Mistake by Emma Curtis
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsVicky Seagrave is blessed: three beautiful children, a successful, doting husband, great friends and a job she loves. She should be perfectly happy. When she risks everything she holds dear on a whim, there's only person she trusts enough to turn to. But Vicky is about to learn that one mistake is all it takes; that if you're careless with those you love, you don't deserve to keep them . . -
![Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt]()
Skin Deep by Laura Jarratt
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn against-the-odds love story at the heart of a book for teens about prejudice, courage, and a dark, compelling mystery—shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists Association AwardUgly people don’t have feelings. They’re not like everyone else. They don’t notice if you stare at them and turn away. And if they did notice, it wouldn’t hurt them. They’re not like real people... -
![Paradise Lost by Kate Brian]()
Paradise Lost by Kate Brian
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsParadise awaits.... Now that Cheyenne's murderer has been revealed and Reed knows the truth about who's been stalking her, she's ready to leave the heartache and turmoil of last semester behind. And what better way to recover than a five-star Caribbean vacation? Reed is reunited with former Billings Girls Kiran and Taylor, and she and her friends take over the exclusive island...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic suspense boarding-school -
![The Halo Effect by Anne D. LeClaire]()
The Halo Effect by Anne D. LeClaire
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn this tour de force, a father, shaken by tragedy, tries to avenge his daughter’s murder—and restore his family’s shattered life. It was supposed to be a typical October evening for renowned portrait artist Will Light... -
![The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith]()
The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsBusiness is slow at the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, so Mma Makutsi persuades Mma Ramotswe to take her first-ever holiday. When a new client arrives just as she's about to depart, Mma Ramotswe almost cancels her trip. But Mma Makutsi is adamant that she and Charlie have the situation in hand... -
-
![Her Perfect Family by Teresa Driscoll]()
Her Perfect Family by Teresa Driscoll
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsA gripping psychological thriller from the bestselling author of I Am Watching You. The perfect family? Or the perfect lie?It’s their daughter’s graduation and Rachel and Ed Hartley are expecting it to be one of their family’s happiest days... -
![Seconds Away by Harlan Coben, Nick Podehl]()
Seconds Away by Harlan Coben, Nick Podehl
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsLength: 7 hrs and 41 minsWhen tragedy strikes close to home, Mickey Bolitar and his loyal new friends — sharp-witted Ema and the adorkably charming Spoon — find themselves at the center of a murder mystery involving their friend Rachel... -
![A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away by Christopher Brookmyre]()
A Big Boy Did It and Ran Away by Christopher Brookmyre
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsBack when they were students, just like everybody else, Ray Ash and Simon Darcourt had dreams about what they'd do when they grew up. In both their cases, it was to be rock stars. Fifteen years later, their mid-thirties are bearing down fast, and just like everybody else, they're having to accept the less glamorous hands reality has dealt them...Categorized as:
crime humor law-enforcement literary-fiction satire suspense thriller action-adventure -
![January by Gabrielle Lord]()
January by Gabrielle Lord
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsOn New Year's Eve, Cal is chased down the street by a crazed man with a deadly warning:They killed your father.They'll kill you.You must survive the next 365 days!Forced into a life on the run, Cal finds himself hunted by ruthless criminals and the police... -
![Remember Me by Romily Bernard]()
Remember Me by Romily Bernard
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the sequel to Find Me, Wick Tate, sarcastic teen hacker, is back and once again dealing with criminals and corrupt cops…and a brooding new love interest. Will Wick persevere when some secrets refuse to stay hidden?Wick had thought her troubles were over.But she should’ve known better... -
![A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis]()
A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLydia Chass doesn’t mind living in a small town; she just doesn’t want to die in one. A lifetime of hard work has put her on track to attend a prestigious journalism program and leave Henley behind—until a school error leaves her a credit short of graduating. Undeterred, Lydia has a plan to earn that credit: transform her listener-friendly local history podcast into a truth-telling exposé... -
![Whisper Me This by Kerry Anne King]()
Whisper Me This by Kerry Anne King
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsSingle mother Maisey Addington has always fallen short of her own mother’s expectations—never married, a bit adrift, wasting her high IQ on dead-end jobs. The only thing Maisey’s sure she’s gotten right is her relationship with her twelve-year-old daughter, Elle…until a phone call blows apart the precarious balance of their lives... -
![Second Son by Lee Child]()
Second Son by Lee Child
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsIn this new short story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child, available exclusively as an eBook, a young Jack Reacher knows how to finish a fight so it stays finished. He knows how to get the job done so it stays done. And, in one of his earliest challenges, he knows that his analytical brain is just as important as his impressive brawn. Okinawa, 1974... -
![The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky, Голди Молдавски]()
The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky, Голди Молдавски
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNew girl Rachel Chavez is eager to make a fresh start at Manchester Prep. But as one of the few scholarship kids, Rachel struggles to fit in, and when she gets caught up in a prank gone awry, she ends up with more enemies than friends... -
![Suspicion by Kate Brian]()
Suspicion by Kate Brian
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsForbidden fruit... Reed, Noelle, and former Billings Girls Kiran and Taylor have been living it up on St. Barths over winter break. The tropical sun has melted away all the tensions of last semester, and for the first time in months, Reed is happy. She's got her best friends by her side, she has a palatial suite with an ocean view, and she's landed Upton, the most sought-after guy on the island...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic suspense boarding-school -
-
![Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride by Will Leitch]()
Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride by Will Leitch
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom the award-winning author of How Lucky and The Time Has Come, this heartfelt and humorous novel follows an Atlanta police officer who learns he has months to live and determines to get killed in the line of duty to provide for his son . . . but keeps failing in unexpected ways... -
![The Rules for Breaking by Ashley Elston]()
The Rules for Breaking by Ashley Elston
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWho do you trust when no one is what they seem? The gripping sequel to contemporary, romantic YA thriller, The Rules for Disappearing.Anna Boyd almost lost her life to get what she wanted most in the world: freedom.But just when it seems that her family has finally escaped Witness Protection, the illusion that Anna could resume a normal life comes crashing down... -
![The Good Byline by Jill Orr]()
The Good Byline by Jill Orr
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRiley Ellison, quirky young library assistant in hometown of Tuttle Corner, Virginia, is asked to write an obituary for childhood best friend Jordan James. A paranoid reporter convinces her the death is murder. He leads her down a dangerous path to organized crime, secret lovers, and suspicious taco trucks... -
![Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Henderson]()
Kiss in the Dark by Lauren Henderson
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWith Dan McAndrews's murder finally behind her, Scarlett has high hopes for a fresh start at Wakefield Hall Collegiate, the elite English boarding school her grandmother runs. Unfortunately, those hopes are dashed when her nemesis, the infamous Plum Saybourne, is transferred to the school. Plum wastes no time turning Scarlett s impressionable classmates against her...Categorized as:
crime family friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic suspense boarding-school -
![Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson]()
Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsScarlett thought Dan McAndrew's murder was long behind her, but when she and her classmates arrive in Edinburgh for a weeklong field trip, she's startled to be joined by her old St. Tabby's cohorts--and enemies--who are visiting the area on a field trip as well...Categorized as:
crime friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic suspense boarding-school book -
![The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis]()
The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA burnt-out political aide quits just before an election — but is forced to run a hopeless campaign on the way out. He makes a deal with a crusty old Scot, Angus McLintock — an engineering professor who will do anything, anything, to avoid teaching English to engineers — to let his name stand in the election... -
![The Marriage by K.L. Slater]()
The Marriage by K.L. Slater
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsTen years ago he killed my son. Today I married him.Ten years ago my darling son Jesse was murdered and our perfect family was destroyed. My strong, handsome boy, so full of life, became a memory, a photo I carried with me everywhere.But today I’m finally close to finding happiness again. My ash-blonde hair has been curled into ringlets. Carefully placed white flowers frame my delicate features... -
![Still Waters by Ash Parsons]()
Still Waters by Ash Parsons
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA gritty, powerful debut that evokes The Outsiders. You won't be able to look away. High school senior Jason knows how to take a punch. Living with an abusive father will teach a kid that. But he’s also learned how to hit back, earning a reputation at school that ensures no one will mess with him... -
![My Own Worst Frenemy by Kimberly Reid]()
My Own Worst Frenemy by Kimberly Reid
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Langdon Prep series for young adults features edgy characters with a multicultural twist, as 16-year-old Chanti Evans tries to balance prep school, boys, and solving mysteries. With barely a foot in the door, fifteen-year-old Chanti gets on the bad side of school queen bee Lissa and snobbish Headmistress Smythe... -
![The Surrogate by Louise Jensen]()
The Surrogate by Louise Jensen
Rated: 3.90 of 5 stars · 20 ratings‘You know that feeling? When you want something so badly, you almost feel you’d kill for it?’ Be careful what you wish for…Kat and her husband Nick have tried everything to become parents, and are on the point of giving up. Then a chance encounter with Kat’s childhood friend Lisa gives Kat and Nick one last chance to achieve their dream. But Kat and Lisa’s history hides dark secrets... -
-
![Gideon Green in Black and White by Katie Henry]()
Gideon Green in Black and White by Katie Henry
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGideon's short-lived run as a locally-famous boy detective ended when middle school started, and everyone else--including his best friend, Lily--moved on while Gideon kept holding on to his trench coat, fedora, and his treasured film noir collection. Now, he's sixteen and officially retired. That is, until Lily shows up suddenly at Gideon's door, needing his help... -
![Passionfruit by Daniel Pennac]()
Passionfruit by Daniel Pennac
Rated: 3.95 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsBenjamin Malaussène and family are far from happy when his fortune teller younger sister Thérèse marries the aristocratic Count Marie-Colbert de Roberval at a televised wedding – a ceremony from which Marie-Colbert has unceremoniously banned the madcap Malaussène clan... -
![This Secret Thing by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen]()
This Secret Thing by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsOut of love. Out of protection. Out of fear. Everyone has a reason to lie. Everyone in Raleigh, North Carolina, is talking about Norah Ramsey, the single mother accused of being a suburban madam. But Norah’s not the only one keeping secrets. After her mother’s arrest, Norah’s teenage daughter, Violet, is devastated and alone. She has no one to turn to until her grandmother Polly arrives... -
![Her Deadly Secret by Chris Curran]()
Her Deadly Secret by Chris Curran
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA FAMILY BUILT ON LIES…A dark and twisty psychological thriller, in which a young girl is abducted and her family is confronted with a horror from deep in their past. Perfect for fans of BA Paris and Sue Fortin.A young girl has been taken. Abducted, never to be seen again.Joe and Hannah, her traumatized parents, are consumed by grief... -
![The Big Picture by Douglas Kennedy]()
The Big Picture by Douglas Kennedy
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhat If You Had to Choose Between Your Life and Someone Else's?Ben Bradford has it all: a beautiful wife and two healthy sons, a big house in an affluent Connecticut suburb, partnership at a prestigious Manhattan law firm. But scratch the surface and you'll find a deeply unhappy man... -
![The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman]()
The Juvie Three by Gordon Korman
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsGecko, Terence, and Ajay are serving time in juvenile detention centers until they get a second chance. Douglas Healy, a former juvenile delinquent himself, takes them into his halfway house, hoping to make a difference in their lives. One night there is a scuffle, and Healy is accidentally knocked unconscious. When he awakes in the hospital, he has no memory of them or of the halfway house...
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
