Five fully immersive psychological suspense novels

Laura Sims's new novel is Looker.

At CrimeReads she tagged five fully immersive novels of psychological suspense, including:

The Cry of the Owl by Patricia Highsmith

Highsmith is a master at peeling back the skin to reveal the heart of human nature, and The Cry of the Owl, her fourth book, is a particularly potent specimen. I read the novel years ago, and though the details have faded, I’ve never forgotten how the book feels, or the dark territory it explores. Her protagonist, Robert, is depressed after his divorce and wonders about the regular daily routine his therapist has encouraged him to adopt: waking in the morning, going to work, eating three meals a day, and so on. Robert tries, but makes a crack in this socially acceptable routine by spying on a girl through the windows of her isolated house. One might expect a typical stalker narrative to unravel from there, but when the girl, Jenny, catches him watching her, the story takes a bizarre and brilliant turn. No one captures mood and internal psychological landscapes like Highsmith does, in plain language and with minimal description; it’s a kind of magic act she performs.

Read about another entry on the list.

The Cry of the Owl is among John Mullan's ten best owls in literature.

--Marshal Zeringue