A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the “Battle of the Moriartys” and this time there are two thriller contenders. Which one was the winner? Read on…

Keep Them Close by David Ellis. This one kept me on my toes! I think David Ellis is one of the best thriller writers in the biz, with the nonstop revelations and twists, and this one didn’t disappoint. I’m not sure it’s quite up to the calibre of Look Closer, but I’ll still recommend it. My only minor complaint is that I couldn’t warm up to any of the characters—I admired them, yes (Allison was brilliant), but I wasn’t really rooting for anyone. I hear this is great in audio. Readers who liked The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides will find this as entertaining, and for more authors similar to Ellis, try books by Peter Swanson (The Kind Worth Killing is excellent) and Alice Feeney’s My Husband’s Wife.

The Unknown by Riley Sager. This author’s books always entice me, but I have a love/hate relationship, as he writes the kind of books I would dearly love to love, but there’s *always* something about the plot or a lack of attention to detail that irritates me, or maybe it’s the nonstop twists that are a few too many. However, I listened to the audiobook, which was very well narrated and, for the most part, kept me engaged. At first, I rated this a 4, then it dipped to a 3 halfway through (mainly because of practical matters that didn’t make sense) and rose back to 4.5 by the end, with its twisty twistiness. Don’t read this expecting in-depth character studies; the only character I could picture was Violet, obviously based on Meryl Streep, and even the narrator mimicked her voice.

I recommend this with reservations, as there are a few trigger warnings, but it was definitely suspenseful and perfect for readers who like a few paranormal experiences that may or may not be happening. Fans of Riley Sager may want to try books by Simone St. James, Ruth Ware, and Sarah Pinborough’s We Live Here Now.

Who was the victor? If Riley Sager had been a little better with his one-to-two-too-many implausible twists, it would have been a tie, so I’m giving this one to David Ellis, but both are worth reading if you need something compelling and fast.