Psychological Fiction

The selections in our Psychological Fiction Collection focus on the mental and emotional experiences of characters. From psychological thrillers to suspenseful mysteries and crime novels, these narratives examine the complexity of the human mind and emotions as characters endure challenges, overcome obstacles, and face sometimes grueling circumstances.

Behind Her Eyes

by Sarah Pinborough

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Love, Marriage

Tags Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Romance, Relationships, Mental Illness, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Grief & Death, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Behind Her Eyes, a psychological thriller, was written by Sarah Pinborough and published in 2017. The book has sold over 1 million copies worldwide and was adapted for a TV series by Netflix. While clearly a best seller, there is great divergence of opinion on the book’s very unexpected twist at the end, with the publishers using the hashtag #WTFThatEnding to promote the book.Plot SummaryLouise is a single mother living in London and working as... Read Behind Her Eyes Summary

Bel Canto

by Ann Patchett

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Indigenous Identity, Colonialism, Politics & Government

Tags Music, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Ann Patchett’s 2001 novel, Bel Canto, tells the alternately life-affirming and heart-wrenching story of a disparate group of people who are taken hostage in the Vice Presidential mansion of an unnamed South American country. The group has gathered to celebrate the birthday of Mr. Hosokawa, a Japanese businessman and passionate opera lover. Mr. Hosokawa has requested that Roxanne Coss, a renowned soprano from America, sing at his party. She is captivating, but at the end... Read Bel Canto Summary

Blonde

by Joyce Carol Oates

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Fame, Fathers, Mothers

Tags Love & Sexuality, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction

... Read Blonde Summary

Brain Damage

by Freida McFadden

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Memory, Shame & Pride, Disability, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Midlife, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction

... Read Brain Damage Summary

Broken Harbour

by Tana French

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Mothers

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Irish Literature

Broken Harbour (2012), a literary thriller by Tana French, is the fourth installment in her Dublin Murder Squad series. The novel won numerous awards, including the Irish Crime Fiction Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. French has been praised for her blend of literary characterization, setting, and use of language alongside propulsive plots. Broken Harbour is told from the first-person point of view of Detective Mick “Scorcher” Kennedy. The plot involves... Read Broken Harbour Summary

Burnt Shadows

by Kamila Shamsie

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Colonialism, Equality, The Past

Tags Historical Fiction, Military & War, Indian Literature, World History, Japanese Literature, Psychological Fiction, Asian History, Politics & Government, US History, Relationships, World War II

Burnt Shadows, first published in 2009, is the fifth novel by Pakistani-British author Kamila Shamsie. A political-historical novel, it was nominated for the Orange Prize for Fiction, one of the UK’s most prestigious literary awards, and won an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, which celebrates books that contribute to a greater understanding of racism and diversity. Shamsie has been shortlisted several times for a John Llewellyn Rhys Prize; she also received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literature... Read Burnt Shadows Summary

Bye, Baby

by Carola Lovering

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Social Class, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Relationships, Psychological Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Bye, Baby Summary

Cat's Eye

by Margaret Atwood

Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes The Past, Memory, Gender Identity, Art, Aging

Tags Coming of Age, Psychological Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Cat’s Eye is a 1988 coming-of-age novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood that centers on Elaine Risley, a successful painter who is returning to Toronto for a retrospective show of her work. Throughout the novel, she has vivid recollections of her childhood and adolescence in the city during the postwar years—particularly of her friendship with Cordelia, who persecuted her in a way that had an indelible impact on her life. The novel was a finalist... Read Cat's Eye Summary

Creation Lake

by Rachel Kushner

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, The Past, Climate, Environment, Food, Place, Social Class, Community, Economics, Globalization, Politics & Government

Tags Psychological Fiction

... Read Creation Lake Summary

Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Publication year 1866

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Shame & Pride, Forgiveness, Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Philosophy, Poverty, Social Class, Russian Literature, Education, Education, World History, Philosophy

Crime and Punishment is a novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, first published in 1866. The story charts the alienation of a student named Raskolnikov who decides to commit the perfect crime to philosophically proving his superiority over others. The novel traces the depths of his mental disintegration as he comes to grips with the psychological consequences of being a murderer, exploring themes like Alienation and Shame, Criminality, and The Necessity of Suffering.Dostoevsky, a stalwart... Read Crime and Punishment Summary

Cross Down

by James Patterson

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Family, Teamwork, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Military & War, Action & Adventure

... Read Cross Down Summary

Cujo

by Stephen King

Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Safety & Danger, Fate, Daughters & Sons, Perseverance, Family

Tags Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Animals

Cujo, a horror-thriller novel first published in 1981, is the 10th novel by the American “King of Horror,” Stephen King. It was inspired by a trip the author took to a mechanic in rural Maine whose St. Bernard nearly attacked King. Cujo received several accolades upon its release and won the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1982. It was adapted into a film of the same name in 1983.The citations in this study... Read Cujo Summary

Death in Her Hands

by Ottessa Moshfegh

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Memory, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Aging, Death, The Past, Animals, Marriage, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction

... Read Death in Her Hands Summary

Different Seasons

by Stephen King

Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Fear, Hope, Justice, Death

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Psychological Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Introduction Different Seasons (1982) by Stephen King is a collection of four novellas that are tied together by a connection to the four seasons. Three of the four stories (“Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption”, “Apt Pupil”, and “The Body”) have been made into films, and the fourth (“The Breathing Method”) is under consideration for adaptation.This guide refers to the 1983 Signet edition.Content Warning: This book contains references to death by suicide, sexual assault, racism... Read Different Seasons Summary