Books like Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers

In an elite New England college, a charismatic classics professor lures a group of eccentric students into obsessive study, leading them from intellectual curiosity to corruption, betrayal, and ultimately murder.

A young bride, the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter, arrives at Manderley on the Cornish coast and finds her new home haunted by the memory and housekeeper’s obsession with her mysterious, stylish predecessor—Rebecca.

A young governess in a remote estate discovers that the souls of two children are threatened by the malevolent ghosts of a former governess and her lover.

A woman haunted by a violent past finds herself entangled with an enigmatic sailor, whose twisted affection forces her to confront her identity and the dangers that lurk on a storm‑ridden sea.

In Edith Wharton’s classic, Lily Bart, a beautiful and intelligent young woman devoted to luxury, struggles to navigate New York’s strict social hierarchy and moral expectations, ultimately confronting the limits of her independence.

A virgin college student battles a mafia prince who stalks and threatens her freedom, forcing her into a dangerous, forbidden romance.

Valerie is tired of her monotonous life until her wealthy sister Vivian brings her on a holiday to Switzerland, setting the stage for a change of heart in a family bound by obligation.

A teenage woman thrust into the ruthless world of a secret society of dominant men must decide if freedom is worth the life she must give up as they treat her as their trophy.

A dark romance with morally grey themes and scenes, told through dual POV. Themes include consensual non-consent, praise kink, exhibitionism, and fighting/mma/boxing. The book is fast-paced and follows a male lead as he navigates dangerous situations. Please check the TWs at the beginning of the book.

Set in a crumbling Georgian manor in rural Warwickshire, *The Little Stranger* follows a doctor arriving at a long‑standing family home where a death‑bed patient and chilling supernatural forces intertwine against the backdrop of post‑war Britain.

Molly Devereaux has vanished, sparking a tense search that pulls strangers into a small Oregon town. In a dark, dual‑point‑of‑view narrative, the mystery deepens against the backdrop of Montana’s remote mountains.

A darkly erotic romance with a rich, complex villain and a sassy, vulnerable heroine.

K.C. Carter’s seemingly perfect college life shatters when she must return to her small hometown for community service, putting her smack‑in‑the‑face of her high‑school nemesis, Jaxon Trent. As old grudges and hidden secrets surface, a hard‑boiled romance challenges both of their fragile hearts.

Shy Gerard Freeman battles haunting memories of his mother’s death while trying to preserve a century‑old ghost story once owned by his great‑grandmother.

A rich hero obsessed with a woman he despises, leading to dangerous consequences.

When reclusive novelist Vida Winter’s health wanes, she tasks biographer Margaret Lea with revealing the truth of her life, though Margaret must sift through Winter’s penchant for exaggeration to arrive at facts.

A gritty, contemporary dark romance where a hardened prisoner meets a fragile, shy heroine in a cell, sparking an intense, possessive bond that tests limits of desire, dominance, and personal freedom.

A high school romance plot twists into a deadly game of cat and mouse between a new girl and a dangerous man.

In the quiet town of Shelburne Falls, a high‑school romance between the virtuous Hawken Trent and the rebellious Cassie McCaffrey unfolds amid mysteries, hidden speakeasies, and supernatural mirror legends.

A dark, emotionally charged tale of power, obsession, and survival as a dominant king‑like figure reclaims a woman he once loved, forcing her into a perilous, intense relationship of control and desire.

An Enigmatic Seducer with Words... Ex-spy turned successful novelist, l. J. Carlson was dashing but difficult, a mystery man who drove Cassandra Lockland mad with a mocking glance or a wicked put-down. How could she be attracted to a man she could barely tolerate, a man who enjoyed baiting her about her business and did his best to provoke her each time they met? Enough of struggling to maintain her composure--she was through with letting him rile her! When she boldly challenged him Carlson saw the fire beneath her cool facade and knew he must pursue her He teased and tormented her with kisses that demanded everything and more, but could this author of passionate love scenes transform her fantasies into sizzling reality? Cassandra inspired him, tantalized him--and made him yearn to reveal the need he sensed in her to love and be loved. But once he'd taught her not to be afraid, could she make him see that all she feared was losing the man who'd shaped her soul only for him?

Step‑sisters collide in a dark, controversial college romance where a toxic man‑husband with an abusive, possessive persona forces his beautiful step‑daughter into the role of his personal toy while lingering forbidden love and power plays simmer.

Avery Decker seeks vengeance after betrayal, confronting violence and obsession in a dark romance that blends suspense, abuse, and BDSM themes.

A fierce Mafia heir and a lethal King pair up in a dark, high‑stakes romance where survival, loyalty, and power collide.