Amy Lloyd: my top five crime novels

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Characters are really important to me and I like them to be complicated and flawed: Gone Girl has some seriously flawed characters. And when I got to that twist I was grinning so wide my face hurt. I don’t think I have ever had so much fun reading a book.

Dare Me by Megan Abbott

What makes Megan Abbott’s books stand out in the world of crime fiction is the way she writes. It is effortlessly cool and evocative. When I think about this book I can still hear the slap of sneakers on the bleachers as the cheerleaders run drills and see them toss and flip in the football fields during practice. I love all her books but this was the one that stayed with me the most.

Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman

I love stories about a good girl gone bad and the darker side to those intensely close female friendships formed in adolescence. This book was made for me! As grungy and full of angst as the Nirvana songs that permeate the novel, I fell in love with it from page one.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Donna Tartt is my favourite writer in the whole world and this was the book that stole my heart. It’s literary fiction but at its core is a solid thriller: a murder, a dark and dangerous friendship and a slow-burning tension. Set in New England, I can still feel the cold from the winter break the narrator, Richard, spends alone in a warehouse. I only wish she would write quicker!

The Girls by Emma Cline

There is a new wave of thrillers that take inspiration from true crime. This book is loosely based on the Manson murders, from the perspective of one of the girls who becomes involved with the cult. It’s a smart book and beautifully written. Can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Read the first chapter of The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd here.