{"id":4687,"date":"2019-09-12T21:36:40","date_gmt":"2019-09-12T16:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thebooksatchel.com\/?p=4687"},"modified":"2022-03-30T21:29:32","modified_gmt":"2022-03-30T15:59:32","slug":"books-drama-caroline-calloway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebooksatchel.com\/books-drama-caroline-calloway\/","title":{"rendered":"Obsession, Scams & Drama \u2014 11 Books to Read after the Caroline Calloway expose"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Hate it, like it, you have probably read the ‘white girl friendship gone wrong’ story in all the glory of its viral-ness. This reading list is in no way<\/u> a comparison of the relationship between Calloway and Beach, or related to their actions \u2014 these are books of secrets, obsession, toxic relationships, unlikeable characters, scheming minds and a helluva<\/em> drama, pointers that made us click and soak up the hyped Calloway-Beach narrative in the first place. Plus these books are more delicious with thrills and twists to keep you entertained.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many of the novels \u2014 temptingly good, if I may say so \u2014 listed include \u2018for fans of Gone Girl<\/em>\u2019 in the blurb. Gillian Flynn\u2019s Gone Girl<\/em> is on a league of its own, of course, where the lady (anti heroine?) is obsessed with herself and creates a whole new identity from scratch and fools everyone. I wish there were more novels on clever\u00a0 scams but\u00a0Catch Me if you Can<\/em> (love the movie!) sets a high bar. There is a generous platter of murders in here \u2014 what is this trendy trope of girl friendships going toxic and ending with murders? (Here is a list about non-toxic female friendships, Huffpost <\/em><\/a><\/span>) In their defense, probably because the more the drama and gruesome kills, the more we glug down the story.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The classic lovers, might appreciate the frenemies in the Neapolitan quartet<\/em> by Elena Ferrante, or the mysterious, adolescent friendship in Margaret Atwood\u2019s Cat\u2019s Eye<\/em> or the obsessive admiration of Harriet towards Emma in Jane Austen\u2019s Emma<\/em>. For the others, here are some novels to satiate your thirst for drama and obsession.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Delicious and sinister, Social Creature<\/em>, is a classic story of a poor girl befriended by the rich girl who has the perfect (and luxurious) life and enviable group of friends. It is Penn Badgley starrer YOU<\/em> (based on caroline Kepnes\u2019 novel) meets Gossip Girl<\/em>. There are lies, sub renting apartments, cleaning up rich girl\u2019s place, handsome boys and more. Subtract the murder mystery and Social Creature<\/em> reads like a novel version of The Cut story; I almost wondered if Natalie Beach ghost wrote the book too (no, she didn\u2019t);<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jephcott\u2019s debut about Truman Capote\u2019s infiltration into the elite society and its expose (which banished him from those circles in his social life) is thrilling and slow. With gossips, scandals, tragedy, decline and food (oh my! I lived for the luxurious spreads described in the novel), this one\u2019s a chunky read and I loved it!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Twins, dysfunctional, alcoholic families and a death (burnt alive, no less) \u2014 Dead Letters<\/em> begins with Ava who has discovered a new life and identity in Paris returning to her family\u2019s vineyard in Upstate New York after news about her estranged twin sister\u2019s death. A scavenger hunt (from A-Z) for clues, ample emotional manipulation and unlikeable characters make this debut a wholesome thriller.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The best part about this dark book about the small time con-man and compulsive liar, Mr. Ripley, is the ambiguity you feel towards the end of it \u2014 do you \u2018like\u2019 the killer? Ripley, gifted with the art of forgery and impersonation, is fascinated by the money and life of Dickie Greenleaf and romantically jealous of Dickie\u2019s lover, Marge. Many novels and movies are inspired from the anti-hero which is high praise in itself.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n What\u2019s with twin sisters and thrillers? A murderous, flirty beauty who has a thing for stabbing boyfriends and her twin sister nurse who scrubs crime scenes and destroys evidence make a compelling pair. Brathwaite\u2019s debut was shortlisted for the Women\u2019s Prize and longlisted for the Booker Prize this year, which is all the more reason to pick up this glittering, dead pan humoured, dark Lagos noir.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lonely, priggish, sixty-something school teacher, Barbara, is obsessed with the new middle-aged art teacher, Sheba, who is having an extramarital affair with her 15 year old student. Barbara writes her observations and keeps them safe under her mattress, but the more she writes, the more she exposes her own secrets. A dark tragicomic of manipulative-lady-turned-guardian-angel that battles sex and class \u2014 you\u2019ll probably read this in a single night.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Amber\u2019s goal is to marry rich guy, Jackson Parrish, but there\u2019s a small snag \u2014 his beautiful, perfect, philanthropist wife, Daphne. Amber ingratiates herself into the Parrish family and becomes Daphne\u2019s confidante and the kid\u2019s \u2018Aunt\u2019. Lots of scheming and burying secrets in this one. Trigger warning for abuse, domestic and sexual.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I was obsessed, with all the characters \u2014 more so with Lizzie in Schmidt’s true crime novel based on the Lizzie Borden murder case. I didn\u2019t know what to believe \u2014 I hated Lizzie but I had moments of empathy, and I was constantly wiping my hands during the read because of them feeling stickly and doused in pear juice. Two brutal axe murders and a mysterious, almost frighteningly obsessive bond between the Borden sisters, this deeply atmospheric book will make you very uncomfortable.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Because there are so many toxic female friendships and a handful of murders in this list \u2014\u00a0Big Little Lies<\/em> is an ultimate twister of three women making their way through lies, a death (but whose?) and parent-children problems and of course, men. Fantastic!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Destructive girl friendship set in Manhattan. Broke Brooklyn girl, Elle, who occasionally indulges in casual sex to put a meal on her plate, is given a \u2018new life\u2019 as a nanny by a rich Upper East side couple. Things are good until the nanny gets obsessed with the rich girl (and mother) and wants her life as well as her undivided attention. Devotion is on my TBR and comes recommended from Tara (@taralikestea)<\/a> <\/span>who says \u201cit doesn\u2019t have the punch of Social Creature<\/em> but is still a good read\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am waiting to read this novel that follows two college friends \u2014 the reckless and privileged, Stella, and the brainy and ambitious, Violet (who often cleans up the mess Stella creates). After college, Violet lands a job in cable news but Stella arrives to steal her thunder. I heard it is delicious with toxic friendship and unlikeable characters. The featured image is by Maria Popovic (Unsplash)<\/span><\/p>\n Three Bengali translated novels \u2014 pulp fiction, circus history and ghosts<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n1.Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton<\/h3>\n
2.Swan Song by Kelleigh Greenberg Jephcott<\/h3>\n
3.Dead Letters by Caite-Dolan Leach<\/h3>\n
4.The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith<\/h3>\n
5.My sister, the serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite<\/h3>\n
6.Notes on a Sacndal by Z\u00f6e Heller<\/h3>\n
7.The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine<\/h3>\n
8.See What I\u2019ve Done by Sarah Schmidt<\/h3>\n
9.Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty<\/h3>\n
10.Devotion by Madeline Stevens<\/h3>\n
11.Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak<\/h3>\n
\n11 books on obsession, scams and drama to add to your reading list \u2014 delicious brill reads with thrills and frills. <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\nYou might also enjoy<\/h4>\n