SheReads Most Anticipated Thrillers in 2026
"Deliciously fun!" — Sarah Pekkanen, New York Times bestselling author
Sisters? Forever. Friends? NEVER. Who knew a reunion weekend could be so deadly?
Meet the sorority sisters of Theta Gamma Mu:
They've been summoned to Roxy's luxurious Palm Springs vacation home to celebrate the engagement of her son to Beth's daughter. But the refurbished 1920s estate is eerily reminiscent of the hotel where tragedy struck during Spring Break twenty-five years ago. Long-simmering tensions and shocking secrets begin bubbling to the surface like bodies—because while the weekend was supposed to be about celebrating the future, it's not so easy to bury the past...
For fans of Shari Lapena, Mary Kubica, and B. A. Paris, We Were Never Friends is an unputdownable, riveting train wreck full of dark humor and bad behavior.
Kaira Rouda, living in Southern California with her family, is an award–winning USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Reviews have touted her novels as “pure genius” (SheReads), “an exceptional psychological thriller” (Publishers Weekly starred review) and promising to “keep you at the edge of your seat” (PopSugar). It is clear, one outlet shares, that “Kaira Rouda is the new mistress of domestic suspense” (Bookstr). Kaira’s work has been translated into a dozen languages and three of her novels have been named Amazon Editor’s Picks for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. BENEATH THE SURFACE has been optioned for film and won a Zibby’s Book Award for Best Beach Read, and WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS and JILL IS NOT HAPPY were both featured in People magazine. Kaira is active in the mystery and thriller writing community as founder and co-host of the Killer Author Club, a live online interview series and podcast supporting authors. For more information please visit kairarouda.com