Books like 'Whitefern'
Readers who enjoyed Whitefern by V.C. Andrews also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary horror mystery psychological gothic southern-gothic dark family suspense epic
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Misery by Robin Waterfield, Stephen King
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsSimplified adaptation with language-learning materials.[Penguin Readers Level 6]Paul Sheldon is Annie Wilkes' favourite writer. She loves all his books about Misery Chastain. When she finds Paul injured after a car crash and takes him home she learns that he has decided to end the series by killing off Misery... -
Sul lato selvaggio by Tiffany McDaniel
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSix women—mothers, daughters, sisters—gone missing. Inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six, this harrowing novel tells the story of two sisters, both of whom could be the next victims, from the internationally best-selling author of Betty."Capture[s] what goes horribly wrong when women don’t fit a customary victim profile.. -
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... -
The Dark Bones by Loreth Anne White
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsShe’s come back to solve the mystery of her father’s death and confront her own dark past. When Detective Rebecca North left her rural hometown, she vowed never to return. Her father’s apparent suicide has changed that. The official report is that retired cop Noah North shot himself, knocked over a lantern, and set his isolated cabin ablaze. But Rebecca cannot believe he killed himself... -
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Counts of Eight by Brynn Ford
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRELEASE DATE: May 31, 2020ARCs sign-up open through May 18, 2020: bit.ly/CO8ARCsAll of my choices had been stripped from me except for one.Dance or die.Three years ago, I was taken, stolen away, far from the world I knew, far from civilization. I became a slave, forced to serve one of the four families with my talent. I'd been abused, battered, tortured in isolation... -
Dearest by Jacquie Walters
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA new mom in need of help opens her door to her long-estranged mother—only to invite something much darker inside—in this "fast-paced and frightening debut" (Rachel Harrison) about the long shadows cast by family secrets, perfect for readers of Grady Hendrix or Ashley Audrain. Flora is a new mom enamored of her baby girl, Iris, even if she arrived a few weeks early... -
All of Us Are Broken by Fiona Cummins
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s been a long time since the Hardwicke family has been on holiday. But thirteen-year-old Galen has wanted to see the wild dolphins at Scotland’s Chanonry Point for as long as she can remember, and her mother Christine – a lone parent since her beloved husband left – is determined she gets her wish. But their serene trip is about to be interrupted... -
The Isle of Sin & Shadows by Keri Lake
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis island alone boasts more ghost stories than all of Louisiana combined.And I'm one of them. In the Louisiana swamplands, ghost stories are as much a part of childhood as chasing fireflies and crawfishing. They never much scared me, though, nor the possibility of evil out to do me harm. Until the night I watched shadows come to life and butcher everything I loved... -
Alex by Pierre Lemaitre
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsAlex Prévost—kidnapped, savagely beaten, suspended from the ceiling of an abandoned warehouse in a tiny wooden cage—is running out of time. Her abductor appears to want only to watch her die... -
Traumaland by Josh Silver
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSeventeen-year-old Eli has been in a near-fatal car crash. As the anniversary looms, his therapist and family struggle to help him deal with the fall out. The accident has left him emotionally numb, with no memory of the months following the crash. Desperate to feel something again, Eli winds up at an underground club called Traumaland. But this is no ordinary nightclub... -
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsThink you know the person you married? Think again…Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife... -
My Darling Girl by Jennifer McMahon
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA spine-tingling psychological thriller about a woman who, after taking in her dying, alcoholic mother, begins to suspect demonic possession is haunting her family.Alison has never been a fan of Christmas. But with it right around the corner and her husband busily decorating their cozy Vermont home, she has no choice but to face it. Then she gets the call... -
A Ghost Arrives: A Novel by Abe Moss
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEvery family has its secrets, and every ghost has its reasons.★★★★★ "A creepy, slow burning ghost story with a twist that was dark in so many different ways! Imaginative, creative, and not afraid to deal the punches..." - Amazon ReviewerAfter moving back in with his elderly father, Wallace Harper discovers that something else has taken up residence in his childhood home.. -
Vicious by Kevin O'Brien
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNO MOTIVE For more than two years, he held Seattle in a terror grip. A cold-blooded killer who abducted young mothers right in front of their sons and murdered them execution style. Then, as suddenly as the killings began, they seemed to stop.NO MERCY Susan Blanchette is looking forward to a relaxing weekend getaway with her fianc�, Allen, and young son, Matthew... -
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Closet Full of Bones by A.J. Aalto
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEver since they were children, Gillian Hearth has been her sister Frankie’s guardian, her sounding board, and her best friend. Together, the Hearth sisters quietly bury their secrets and form a formidable team during any crisis. Purchasing the old Blymhill house with the hopes of turning it into an artists’ retreat, the sisters are finally living their dream... -
You're Family Now by Jack Stainton
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratings⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ EPIC!! EPIC!! EPIC!! This book had EVERYTHING I love in a book!! ' Goodreads ReviewerHe only had to do one thing. Love her family…Matt Walker was a chancer; he’d spent his entire profession chasing the next job. His personal life took on a similar mantra; a succession of one-night stands and brief relationships. Life was slowly drifting him by... -
My Perfect Daughter by Sarah A. Denzil
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMost mothers hope their little girl turns out like their dad, but not Zoe. She hopes the apple falls far from the tree.Zoe didn't meet her daughter the way most mothers do. She finds five-year-old Maddie alone and dirty on a countryside road. Frightened for Maddie's safety, she picks her up and takes her back to her father, not knowing what she's about to step into... -
No One Saw a Thing by Andrea Mara
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsTwo children get on the train. Only one gets off...No one saw it happen.You stand on a crowded tube platform in London. Your two little girls jump on the train ahead of you. As you try to join them, the doors slide shut and the train moves away, leaving you behind.Everyone is lying.By the time you get to the next stop, you've convinced yourself that everything will be fine... -
People Like Them by Minka Kent
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsNobody’s perfect—although one beautiful couple certainly comes close. Discover the cracks beneath the polished surface in this unsettling short story from bestselling author Minka Kent.Veronica and Ryan Hartley are the envy of Auburn Drive. When the exclusive neighborhood hosts its annual progressive dinner party, the couple’s perfection is on display... -
The Good Samaritan by John Marrs
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsShe’s a friendly voice on the phone. But can you trust her?The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life is worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn’t want them to hope. She wants them to die.Laura hasn’t had it easy: she’s survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for forty, unsettled and angry... -
I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll
Rated: 4.02 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsWhen Ella Longfield overhears two attractive young men flirting with teenage girls on a train, she thinks nothing of it—until she realises they are fresh out of prison and her maternal instinct is put on high alert. But just as she’s decided to call for help, something stops her. The next day, she wakes up to the news that one of the girls—beautiful, green-eyed Anna Ballard—has disappeared... -
Here To Stay by Mark Edwards
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsA beautiful home. A loving wife. And in-laws to die for.Gemma Robinson comes into Elliot’s life like a whirlwind, and they marry and settle into his home. When she asks him if her parents can come to stay for a couple of weeks, he is keen to oblige – he just doesn’t quite know what he’s signing up for... -
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe New York Times bestselling Queen of Twists returns…with a family reunion that leads to murder.After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. Finally back together one last time, when the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours... -
Shadowface: A Dark College Romance by Rhea Ryan
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe was my nameless monster, lurking in the shadows of my dreams. A constant presence in the depths of the night. A kiss, a caress, and a night so passionate I questioned my sanity. My first day of class at Kinsmen University changes everything. A leaked photo, a dead body, and a man who rises from the grave... -
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Anatomy by Yolanda Olson
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThere's a monster before me that's killing everything I believe in. A villain that sees me for what I'm worth and wants the pound of flesh I've offered up as repayment for my sins. The burden I carry is heavy on my shoulders, but as pieces of me are stripped away to bare the horrors within, I can feel myself becoming worthy of the pain. I'm not a monster... -
Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Tilia Klebenov Jacobs
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen Tsara Adelman leaves her husband and two young children for a weekend to visit her estranged uncle, she little dreams he is holding several local children captive on his lavish estate. Mike Westbrook, father of one of the boys, kidnaps her to trade her life for the children's... -
No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay
Rated: 3.96 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFourteen-year-old Cynthia Bigge woke one morning to discover that her entire family, mother, father, brother had vanished. No note, no trace, no return. Ever. Now, twenty-five years later, she'll learn the devastating truthSometimes better not to know. . . Cynthia is happily married with a young daughter, a new family. But the story of her old family isn't over... -
The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
Rated: 3.95 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe Plot meets Please Join Us in this psychological suspense debut about a young author at an exclusive writer’s retreat that descends into a nightmare.Alex has all but given up on her dreams of becoming a published author when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo... -
Suddenly Last Summer by Tennessee Williams
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsKerr, in the NY Herald-Tribune, describes: "This, says Mr. Williams through the most sympathetic voice among his characters, 'is a true story about the time and the world we live in.' He has made it seem true-or at least curiously and suspensefully possible-by the extraordinary skill with which he has wrung detail after detail out of a young woman who has lived with horror... -
The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA rash of grisly serial murders plagued Seattle until the infamous "Beacon Hill Butcher" was finally hunted down and killed by police chief Edward Shank in 1985. Now, some thirty years later, Shank, retired and widowed, is giving up his large rambling Victorian house to his grandson Matt, whom he helped raise... -
Problem Child by Victoria Helen Stone
Rated: 3.94 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsShe’s cold, calculating, and can deceive with a smile. Jane Doe is back in the Amazon Charts bestselling series - and this time she's met her match.After a brutal childhood, Jane Doe has been permanently wired to look after herself and only herself. Now, looking next to normal, Jane has a lover and a job. But she hasn't lost her edge. It sharpens when she hears from her estranged family... -
Not a Speck of Light: Stories by Laird Barron
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s about to get very dark. Bram Stoker Award-winning author Laird Barron returns to the dark and dreadful with his fifth horror collection, which weaves sixteen weird tales into a mosaic of the bloody and the macabre. Bring a flashlight and a book of matches. Where we’re going, there’s not a speck of light... -
The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsGhostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of legendary horror author Vincent Taylor, famous not only for his novels but for being the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of his siblings... -
Secret Whispers by V.C. Andrews
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThere's no place like home...On the eve of her graduation from an exclusive private school, shy wallflower Semantha Heavenstone is caught in a whirl of scandal and betrayal. Now, she's returned to the grand Kentucky mansion where painful memories of her mother and her older sister, Cassie, are as potent as newly mown bluegrass... -
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Silent Victim by Caroline Mitchell
Rated: 3.92 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsEmma’s darkest secrets are buried in the past. But the truth can’t stay hidden for long.Emma is a loving wife, a devoted mother…and an involuntary killer. For years she’s been hiding the dead body of the teacher who seduced her as a teen.It’s a secret that might have stayed buried if only her life had been less perfect... -
The Half Truth by Sue Fortin
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEvery marriage has its secrets… Tina Bolotnikov, widowed after her husband, Sasha, is killed in a car accident, relocates back to her hometown on the south coast of the UK, to bring up her young son. Her life back in London with her adored husband is now nothing but a memory; a history to pass onto her son... -
Denizen by James McKenzie Watson
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA gothic thriller exploring rural Australia’s simultaneous celebration of harsh country and stoic people – a tension that forces its inhabitants to dangerous breaking points.On a remote property in western NSW, nine-year-old Parker fears that something is wrong with his brain... -
The Clinic by Cate Quinn
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom the critically acclaimed author of Black Widows comes a thriller set in a remote rehab clinic on the Pacific Northwest coast, in which the death of a woman inside prompts her sister to enter the clinic as a patient in order to find the truth... -
Shared by Two by Jon Athan
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNestor Castle—a bestselling, award-winning extreme horror author—has the perfect life, having transitioned from indie darling to mainstream success. Although he dislikes the limelight, he finds comfort cooped up in his lake house with his loving wife and healthy daughter... -
Skin Deep by Liz Nugent
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 18 ratings'Once I had cleared the bottles away and washed the blood off the floor, I needed to get out of the flat.'Cordelia Russell has been living on the Côte d'Azur for ten years, posing as a posh English woman fallen on hard times. But her luck is running out. Desperate to escape her grotty flat and grim reality, Cordelia spends a night at a glittering party... -
After Caroline by Kay Hooper
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe highly acclaimed author of Amanda mesmerizes readers with a haunting, suspense-filled new tale. After a near-fatal accident, Joanna Flynn is plagued by strange dreams. When she is repeatedly mistaken for someone named "Caroline", Joanna travels to Oregon to try and unravel her connection to this mysterious woman and unearth the secrets of her life... -
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith
Rated: 3.89 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsTwo brothers and their friend stumble upon the wreckage of a plane–the pilot is dead and his duffle bag contains four million dollars in cash. In order to hide, keep, and share the fortune, these ordinary men all agree to a simple plan... -
Family Storms by V.C. Andrews
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn the eye of the storm . . . Living on the streets with her destitute mother, selling knickknacks and trinkets just to survive, Sasha Porter dreams of someday having a normal life, with a real house and family... -
Broken Wings by V.C. Andrews
Rated: 3.86 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThree girls from different worlds with one thing in common: They were born to be wild. Robin...With a mom who's more absorbed in her singing career than in her own daughter, Robin's left to her own devices when the two move to Nashville. That's where her mom hopes to strike gold -- and where Robin finds nothing but trouble. Teal...This rich girl will do anything to get her parents' attention.. -
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Play Dead by Anne Frasier
Rated: 3.88 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsNo one is more familiar with Savannah's dark side than homicide detective and native resident Elise Sandburg. She's been haunted for years by her own mysterious past: she was abandoned as a baby in one of the city's ancient cemeteries, and it's rumored that she is the illegitimate daughter of an infamous Savannah root doctor... -
Skin by Kathe Koja
Rated: 3.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAs a sculptor of metal, Tess is consumed with the perfection of welds, the drip of liquid metal, addicted to the burn. Her solitary existence ends when she meets Bibi. A self-proclaimed "guerilla performance artist," Bibi pushes her body to the utmost in her dancing, sculpting it into a finely tuned machine. But the limits of her body frustrate her... -
Stunden der Nacht by V.C. Andrews, Uschi Gnade
Rated: 3.85 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsLillian's world is as thrilling as the fairy tales Mama spins for her and her little sister, Eugenia. No one, not even her cold, stern Papa and her Bible spouting sister Emily, can crush her spirits — until the day Emily reveals the shattering secret at Lillian's birth. Still Lillian refuses to believe Emily's hateful claim that she is evil, a curse... -
Melody by V.C. Andrews, Laurel Lefkow
Rated: 3.85 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsMelody Logan knew her beautiful mother, Haille, was unhappy in their hardscrabble mining town....But with her wonderful father's unwavering love, Melody always felt safe until a dreadful mine accident ripped her from her family's moorings.She was still devastated by her father's death when she left West Virginia with Haille to follow her mother's dream of becoming a model or actress... -
The Date by Louise Jensen
Rated: 3.85 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsSomething bad has happened to Alison Taylor. Her Saturday night started normally. Recently separated from her husband, Ali has been persuaded by her friends to go on a date with a new man. She is ready, she is nervous, she is excited. She is about to take a step into her new future. By Sunday morning, Ali’s life is unrecognisable. She wakes, and she knows that something is wrong... -
The Companion by Katie Alender
Rated: 3.83 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe other orphans say Margot is lucky. Lucky to survive the horrible accident that killed her family. Lucky to have her own room because she wakes up screaming every night. And finally, lucky to be chosen by a prestigious family to live at their remote country estate. But it wasn't luck that made the Suttons rescue Margot from her bleak existence at the group home...
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