But just a warning-as someone who suffers from depression and self- harm ideations, I thought this book was very triggering. Just putting that out there.
It’s not a love story for sure, but she was kind of obsessed with that older asshole guy, so it kiiiiinda passes. Their relationship isn’t healthy for sure, but it takes a backseat to everything else.
Tampa by Alissa Nutting (make sure to read content warnings to confirm if you’re comfortable with this one, it is DARK)
The Push by Ashley Audrain (the obsession here is not fully on a romantic partner but there is definitely obsessive behavior)
I’ve read this book about every 2-3 years since I was 12. I’m 39 now and it honestly feels like I’ve grown up with Dolores Price. Truly my favorite book. Dolores is like a dear old friend that I’m still getting to know. Every re-read I get to understand her and relate to her a little bit more
He is brutal to his female protagonist and nurtures covert narcissism in his male protagonists. His female characters are 🧌FLAWED😭 and his male characters are 🥺flawed🙆♂️
If I recall, I read a book called I never promised you a rose garden that was written in the 60/70s. It’s vaguely autobiographical I think. She was being treated for “delusions” (which we would call schizophrenia now)
I remember the prose being beautiful and tragic and it greatly changed how I view other people’s inner worlds. It also helped me cope and understand when my nephew was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
I read this book as a teen. It takes you into the protagonist’s inner world (her visual and aural hallucinations) and documents her time in a mental hospital.
> ...which we would call schizophrenia now.
It would have been called schizophrenia then, too, but I can think of a couple of reasons why an author might want to avoid using that word: (1) She wants you to discover by means of the story what schizophrenia is like, rather than relying on your preconceived notions. (2) She wants you to experience it the way the main character does, that is, without knowing what it is. This fits with the advice often given to authors: Show, don't tell.
The pocket wife
She goes off her meds to solve a mystery, oddly one of the best portrayals of mental illness and very relatable
Still Alice
Describes creeping dementia
Definitely fits the bill and can’t believe I had to scroll this far to find it. I’m not sure how I felt about that one. It was definitely twisted but I didn’t have much of a reaction to it if you know what I mean.
I read The Girlfriend by Michelle Francis last month and it was a wild ride. It’s about a man whose mother is way too attached to him. He falls for a woman just as crazy as his mother and the whole book is the mom and girlfriend trying to oust the other from his life by doing horrible things to the other.
Pretty much every book by Gillian Flynn.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is about a young autistic woman.
DC Black Label's Harleen. It has breathtaking artwork, but it is important to note that it's not an accurate portrayal of DID/multiple personalities.
Alias/Jessica Jones from Marvel's 2005 MAX line is about a woman whose a former superhero and struggling to cope with PTSD.
And X-23:Innocence Lost (2005) chronicles the origins of the Marvel character X-23 -- AKA Laura from the movie Logan. It focuses heavily on abuse, PTSD, and Laura was one of the first canonically autistic comic book superheroes.
Animal by Lisa Taddeo.
The narrator is potentially a sociopath, has a lot of poignant observations on femininity, and has a painfully obsessive, predatory personality towards men (and women at times). It’s dark, disturbing and definitely not “cute romantic” but more self-destructive and scary. Check the trigger warnings before you read if you’re concerned about anything like that.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is another must-read for an obsessive female narrator.
Boy Parts by Eliza Clark also sports a frighteningly obsessive female narrator who thinks of men a lot like the way men think of women.
The Center Cannot Hold, by Elyn Saks, JD.
BRILLIANT woman with schizophrenia who is an esteemed mental health law professor at USC. She's also written other books, but that one is her personal memoir and a phenomenal read.
What Lies Between Us- John Marrs
All the Little Lights- Jamie McGuire**
Layla- Colleen Hoover (not 100% within the guidelines you’re looking for but it leaves you almost discombobulated in a good way)
Watching You by Lisa Jewel… there’s multiple perspectives but one is a girl who has an unhealthy obsession with her neighbor. I just love Lisa Jewel books!
Edit: Lisa Jewell*
The last of Antonia White's *Frost In May Quartet* entitled *Beyond The Glass*. It's a harrowing but beautiful account of love and the inability to rely on one's own mind. Very much worth a read, and can be read without the preceding novels.
Looker by Laura Sims
The Rise of Life on Earth by Joyce Carol Oates (warning: you may never be the same person you were before you read it)
Cruddy by Lynda Barry
Geek Love
House of Small Shadows (Adam Nevill)
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin
It follows a woman who is a transcriber for a local sex therapist and becomes obsessed with one of his clients. The main character’s POV is pretty unhinged. And you get to read the transcripts from the therapy sessions she transcribes. I highly recommend the audiobook. They use different actors for the main characters so it’s like you’re listening in on people’s therapy and private moments.
The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton. As soon as I read your prompt this popped into my head and I read it 5 years ago. It definitely stayed with me!
finding alice. both of them. one is about a girl who gets ptsd from her first ever drug usage and the other is about a girl who becomes homeless after her schizophrenia surfaces in college. both supposedly written by the main character’s own mothers.
and alice in wonderland, it’s nothing like the movie. very dark, and a good read as long as your brain can interpret things like olde english or shakespeare. She was most definitely discovering the literal creativity to put her brain into a book through an influence.
Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake is partially about bipolar woman who doesn’t take her meds. It’s kind of an obsessive love story-ish. Kind of weird, but not Verity psycho.
The Woman Destroyed by Simone de Beauvoir, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Carmilla by Sheridan La Fanu, The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, and of course Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. that may be a few too many recommendations, but they’re all great!
I never promised you a rose garden.
It's a very interesting look into the mind of a young woman with schizophrenia. The world her mind created. The gods. Her neighbouring patients and their relationships in the psychiatric hospital. Therapy sessions with her doctor and what the gods in her mind's world think of what her Dr has said. The distance her illness created between her and her family.
I read it twice in my youth and again recently a few years ago.
It's just always been a fascinating read to me.
Graphic memoir round up
**1. RX: A Graphic Memoir by Rachel Lindsay**
The memoir delves into Lindsay's life as she grapples with the challenges of managing her mental health while maintaining her career in advertising. Through compelling illustrations and candid storytelling of her experience with bipolar disorder, Lindsay explores themes of stigma, identity, and the often fraught journey toward stability and self-acceptance.
**2. "Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer's, My Mother, and Me" by Sarah Leavitt**
Summary: Tangles is a poignant graphic memoir by Sarah Leavitt that recounts her mother's battle with Alzheimer's disease. Through a series of deeply affecting illustrations and narratives, Leavitt captures the heartbreaking and often confusing journey of her mother's decline. The memoir offers an intimate portrayal of the impact of Alzheimer's on family relationships, particularly the bond between mother and daughter.
**3. "Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me" by Ellen Forney**
Summary: Marbles by Ellen Forney is a graphic memoir that explores the author's journey with bipolar disorder. Forney shares her diagnosis at the age of thirty and her subsequent struggle to balance her mental health with her creative life. The memoir is richly illustrated with Forney's distinctive quirky artwork, capturing the highs of mania and the lows of depression with vivid detail.
**4. "Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice from My Bipolar Life" by Ellen Forney**
Summary: In this practical guide, sequel to the book above, and similarly quirky in its artwork, Forney offers advice and strategies for managing bipolar disorder, drawing from her own experiences and extensive research. The book is designed to be a companion for those living with bipolar disorder, providing tools and tips for maintaining stability, managing medications, and navigating the ups and downs of the condition.
Dark Spring by Unica zürn.
The Bell jar by Sylvia Plath
I think that The god of small things by Arundathi Roy shows some of the same themes, but it’s in third person so maybe not what you’re looking for
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki. Follows the perspectives of a woman and her young son. The woman has a hoarding disorder after the sudden death of her husband and as she accumulates more items in the house over the years her son starts to personify everything in the house.
* Cecilia by K-Ming Chang
* Hex by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight
* The Pisces by Melissa Broder
* Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier
* Y/N by Esther Yi
* You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
Liar by Justine Larbalestier— YA narrated by a compulsive liar. Fun because it veers into thriller/supernatural territory but it’s up to the reader how much is “really” happening.
I Am Not Okay With This by Charles Forsman— graphic novel, just read so it’s on my mind; short but much darker than the Netflix show, fair warning 🙃 Maybe look up spoilers if you’re sensitive.
The Woman in the Purple Skirt by Natsuko Imamura— weird little novel about a woman who becomes pathologically obsessed with a stranger.
Girl A by Abigail Dean—narrated by a survivor of a high-control abusive family (think the “Educated” memoir, or the real life Turpins case 🙁). Very good read.
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham— I didn’t love this one but I think I’m in the minority; narrated by a mother with severe insomnia/sleepwalking, whose young child disappears.
And I’m pretty sure everyone else has listed Gillian Flynn— anything by her is a good bet for this :)
‘The Abduction of Adrienne Berg’ is about a woman obsessed with the man who kidnapped her. Not as dark as it may sound but the main character definitely has a different way of looking at the world.
The first book that popped into my mind was House of Leaves.
Also The Box Man by Kobo Abe.
Just realised your post was asking for things from women's perspectives, and both of these recs have male narrators. My bad! Leaving it up because they are still good books though
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood.
Fictionalised version of a double killing in 1843 Canada, in which household servant Grace Marks was convicted for. It is unclear throughout whether Grace was a jealous murderer or an innocent spectator, and whether she is a cunning liar or suffering from multiple personality disorder.
Which book is it that you’re talking about? I know about one that has a Constance Verity but haven’t read it yet.
As far as disturbed women, another that I haven’t read, but is supposed to be disturbing is Tampa by Alissa Nutting, about a school teacher who wants to seduce school boys. I don’t know if that’s what you’re looking for, and I haven’t read it so I can’t say if it’s good.
the year of magical thinking by Joan didion, ***BUT, the mental health concerns stem from grief so be aware it’s heavily focused on grief. And it’s a memoir
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman It's a short story but fits the bill and is really well written.
This was my first thought. A classic!
Came here to say the same! An unsettling read.
You beat me to it. A wonderfully-written and chilling story.
I love this so much.
Oooh, this has been in my tbr since so long! I think it's time to pick it up!
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The first one that came to mind…
So good. And such a raw real perspective on mental illness
The fig jar metaphor is still one of my favorites of all time.
my first thought as well.
She’s so apathetic though and OP wants the opposite
I really enjoyed My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh.
But just a warning-as someone who suffers from depression and self- harm ideations, I thought this book was very triggering. Just putting that out there.
Agree, trigger warning. Also I reread OP’s post and this book does not fit the bill.
Probably also for anyone with an eating disorder
Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh is another great example of this.
It’s not a love story for sure, but she was kind of obsessed with that older asshole guy, so it kiiiiinda passes. Their relationship isn’t healthy for sure, but it takes a backseat to everything else.
The Haunting of Hill House - Possession? Mental illness? Internalized homophobia? All of the above?
Exactly what I was going to suggest!
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Drop everything you’re doing and read this one OP. You won’t regret it!!!!!
This one!!!
I came here to say!!
This book is so good!!!!
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.
Tampa by Alissa Nutting (make sure to read content warnings to confirm if you’re comfortable with this one, it is DARK) The Push by Ashley Audrain (the obsession here is not fully on a romantic partner but there is definitely obsessive behavior)
Tampa is crazy. I had to make myself finish it.
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. That book has stayed with me!
I’ve read this book about every 2-3 years since I was 12. I’m 39 now and it honestly feels like I’ve grown up with Dolores Price. Truly my favorite book. Dolores is like a dear old friend that I’m still getting to know. Every re-read I get to understand her and relate to her a little bit more
I've been reading and rereading it for nearly as long as you! 37 now, had my first go at it around 12 or 13. Definitely one that made an impression.
I love that we’ve both been rereading this book for so many years!
Came here to say this. Amazing book.
One of my favorite books
He is brutal to his female protagonist and nurtures covert narcissism in his male protagonists. His female characters are 🧌FLAWED😭 and his male characters are 🥺flawed🙆♂️
If I recall, I read a book called I never promised you a rose garden that was written in the 60/70s. It’s vaguely autobiographical I think. She was being treated for “delusions” (which we would call schizophrenia now) I remember the prose being beautiful and tragic and it greatly changed how I view other people’s inner worlds. It also helped me cope and understand when my nephew was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
I read this book as a teen. It takes you into the protagonist’s inner world (her visual and aural hallucinations) and documents her time in a mental hospital.
Such a good book.
I recently read about this book and its so intriguing. Def going to read
> ...which we would call schizophrenia now. It would have been called schizophrenia then, too, but I can think of a couple of reasons why an author might want to avoid using that word: (1) She wants you to discover by means of the story what schizophrenia is like, rather than relying on your preconceived notions. (2) She wants you to experience it the way the main character does, that is, without knowing what it is. This fits with the advice often given to authors: Show, don't tell.
I wasn’t aware that the term was in use in the 60s so thank you
The pocket wife She goes off her meds to solve a mystery, oddly one of the best portrayals of mental illness and very relatable Still Alice Describes creeping dementia
Boy parts
Definitely fits the bill and can’t believe I had to scroll this far to find it. I’m not sure how I felt about that one. It was definitely twisted but I didn’t have much of a reaction to it if you know what I mean.
My Husband by Maud Ventura
Gone Girl!
So good :)
Seconded!
Final Girl Support Group. ole girl made the anxiety in my own head go “yeesh calm down” lol
Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen.
I Never Promised You A Rose Garden It's a very poignant story about schizophrenia
*Misery* by Stephen King
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
We have always lived in the castle would also fit the bill
Sorrow and Bliss - Meg Mason is so beautifully-written! Also, pretty much every Gillian Flynn book.
The woman in the window The girl on the train
Atlas Shrugged.
🤣
The girl on the train. She has fairly severe alcoholism
The Wives by Tarryn Fisher
Came to recommend this. I couldn't put it down.
Days of abandonment - elena ferrante
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Nightbitch is a good one
Bunny by Mona Awad
Eleanor oliphant is completely fine is exactly this
I think Anxious People by Fredrik Backman sort of fits the bill too. It's a light, short read, but one with depth, I feel.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation.
The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
The Last Mrs. Parrish. So good! It's broken into 3 parts, part 1 is a little slow but part 2 and 3 will blow your mind!
There’s a folllowup that dropped today! The Next Mrs. Parrish!
I read The Girlfriend by Michelle Francis last month and it was a wild ride. It’s about a man whose mother is way too attached to him. He falls for a woman just as crazy as his mother and the whole book is the mom and girlfriend trying to oust the other from his life by doing horrible things to the other.
Motherthing https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60097451
How about a woman driven crazy by her lack of love for other things? The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Maybe girl interrupted?
Pretty much every book by Gillian Flynn. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is about a young autistic woman. DC Black Label's Harleen. It has breathtaking artwork, but it is important to note that it's not an accurate portrayal of DID/multiple personalities. Alias/Jessica Jones from Marvel's 2005 MAX line is about a woman whose a former superhero and struggling to cope with PTSD. And X-23:Innocence Lost (2005) chronicles the origins of the Marvel character X-23 -- AKA Laura from the movie Logan. It focuses heavily on abuse, PTSD, and Laura was one of the first canonically autistic comic book superheroes.
Sweetpea by C.J. Skuse (and it has 3 sequels). Dark and witty.
Animal by Lisa Taddeo. The narrator is potentially a sociopath, has a lot of poignant observations on femininity, and has a painfully obsessive, predatory personality towards men (and women at times). It’s dark, disturbing and definitely not “cute romantic” but more self-destructive and scary. Check the trigger warnings before you read if you’re concerned about anything like that. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is another must-read for an obsessive female narrator. Boy Parts by Eliza Clark also sports a frighteningly obsessive female narrator who thinks of men a lot like the way men think of women.
The Center Cannot Hold, by Elyn Saks, JD. BRILLIANT woman with schizophrenia who is an esteemed mental health law professor at USC. She's also written other books, but that one is her personal memoir and a phenomenal read.
The yellow wallpaper
What Lies Between Us- John Marrs All the Little Lights- Jamie McGuire** Layla- Colleen Hoover (not 100% within the guidelines you’re looking for but it leaves you almost discombobulated in a good way)
White Ivy by Susie Yang The Ice Beneath Her by Camilla Grebe
Vladimir by Julia May Jonas
Anais Nin’e diaries (the one labeled Henry and June. I think. Starting around 1930)
Watching You by Lisa Jewel… there’s multiple perspectives but one is a girl who has an unhealthy obsession with her neighbor. I just love Lisa Jewel books! Edit: Lisa Jewell*
I love her books too and I feel like several of them probably fit OP’s criteria.
None of This is True probably also fits!
The last of Antonia White's *Frost In May Quartet* entitled *Beyond The Glass*. It's a harrowing but beautiful account of love and the inability to rely on one's own mind. Very much worth a read, and can be read without the preceding novels.
Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler
Looker by Laura Sims The Rise of Life on Earth by Joyce Carol Oates (warning: you may never be the same person you were before you read it) Cruddy by Lynda Barry Geek Love House of Small Shadows (Adam Nevill)
Bunny by Mona Awad ! So good
Adelaide by Genevieve Weaver
Bunny by Mona Awad! Don’t look up anything about it, just dive in blind (but I guess trigger warning because it’s crazy)
My year of rest and relaxation.
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
Big Swiss by Jen Beagin It follows a woman who is a transcriber for a local sex therapist and becomes obsessed with one of his clients. The main character’s POV is pretty unhinged. And you get to read the transcripts from the therapy sessions she transcribes. I highly recommend the audiobook. They use different actors for the main characters so it’s like you’re listening in on people’s therapy and private moments.
The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton. As soon as I read your prompt this popped into my head and I read it 5 years ago. It definitely stayed with me!
Our Little Secret by Roz Nay, My Husband by Maud Ventura, Damage Done by Amanda Panich. Maybe The Favorite Daughter by Kaira Rouda
finding alice. both of them. one is about a girl who gets ptsd from her first ever drug usage and the other is about a girl who becomes homeless after her schizophrenia surfaces in college. both supposedly written by the main character’s own mothers. and alice in wonderland, it’s nothing like the movie. very dark, and a good read as long as your brain can interpret things like olde english or shakespeare. She was most definitely discovering the literal creativity to put her brain into a book through an influence.
I think it's meant to be seen as possession but I read it more as an accurate detection of psychosis Come closer by Sara.grant
Indecent!!!!! By Corinne Sullivan.
Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake is partially about bipolar woman who doesn’t take her meds. It’s kind of an obsessive love story-ish. Kind of weird, but not Verity psycho.
Any book by Kay Redfield Jamison if you are looking for non-fiction. She has bipolar disorder and is also a psychiatrist
The Woman Destroyed by Simone de Beauvoir, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Carmilla by Sheridan La Fanu, The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, and of course Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. that may be a few too many recommendations, but they’re all great!
A Certain Hunger is a good one!
Eleanor oliphant is completely fine
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca
we were liars by e. lockhart
I never promised you a rose garden. It's a very interesting look into the mind of a young woman with schizophrenia. The world her mind created. The gods. Her neighbouring patients and their relationships in the psychiatric hospital. Therapy sessions with her doctor and what the gods in her mind's world think of what her Dr has said. The distance her illness created between her and her family. I read it twice in my youth and again recently a few years ago. It's just always been a fascinating read to me.
The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante.
I’m a Fan by Sheena Patel
I’m writing one now… I’ll let you know.
Before I go to Sleep by SJ Watson
Graphic memoir round up **1. RX: A Graphic Memoir by Rachel Lindsay** The memoir delves into Lindsay's life as she grapples with the challenges of managing her mental health while maintaining her career in advertising. Through compelling illustrations and candid storytelling of her experience with bipolar disorder, Lindsay explores themes of stigma, identity, and the often fraught journey toward stability and self-acceptance. **2. "Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer's, My Mother, and Me" by Sarah Leavitt** Summary: Tangles is a poignant graphic memoir by Sarah Leavitt that recounts her mother's battle with Alzheimer's disease. Through a series of deeply affecting illustrations and narratives, Leavitt captures the heartbreaking and often confusing journey of her mother's decline. The memoir offers an intimate portrayal of the impact of Alzheimer's on family relationships, particularly the bond between mother and daughter. **3. "Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me" by Ellen Forney** Summary: Marbles by Ellen Forney is a graphic memoir that explores the author's journey with bipolar disorder. Forney shares her diagnosis at the age of thirty and her subsequent struggle to balance her mental health with her creative life. The memoir is richly illustrated with Forney's distinctive quirky artwork, capturing the highs of mania and the lows of depression with vivid detail. **4. "Rock Steady: Brilliant Advice from My Bipolar Life" by Ellen Forney** Summary: In this practical guide, sequel to the book above, and similarly quirky in its artwork, Forney offers advice and strategies for managing bipolar disorder, drawing from her own experiences and extensive research. The book is designed to be a companion for those living with bipolar disorder, providing tools and tips for maintaining stability, managing medications, and navigating the ups and downs of the condition.
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
[Margaret Thatcher: The Autobiography]()
Magpie Elizabeth Day. Fantastic read
Gone Girl Wasted by Marya Hornbacher
Fiona Griffiths series
Mine by Robert McCammon
[*Bellevue Square*](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a68b6de1-87a4-467e-a965-8eb46911e7b0) by Michael Redhill knocked my socks off.
Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino
Dark Spring by Unica zürn. The Bell jar by Sylvia Plath I think that The god of small things by Arundathi Roy shows some of the same themes, but it’s in third person so maybe not what you’re looking for
Possibly Stella Maris by McCarthy
Satans Affair by H D Carlton
Confessions of a sociopath by M E Thomas 🥰
The Good Samaritan by John Marrs What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton. I read this after Verity, I tore through it
Paula Hawkin's "The Girl on the Train." She's a delusional stalker and I was rooting for her to fail.
Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering
Unlovely by Carol Walsh Greer. It's been a long time but the main character definitely fits that description.
Violets by Kyung-sook Shin! A short but good read
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki. Follows the perspectives of a woman and her young son. The woman has a hoarding disorder after the sudden death of her husband and as she accumulates more items in the house over the years her son starts to personify everything in the house.
* Cecilia by K-Ming Chang * Hex by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight * The Pisces by Melissa Broder * Pizza Girl by Jean Kyoung Frazier * Y/N by Esther Yi * You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
“Play it as it lays” is a good one, but go into it knowing that it’s more vibes than plot
Liar by Justine Larbalestier— YA narrated by a compulsive liar. Fun because it veers into thriller/supernatural territory but it’s up to the reader how much is “really” happening. I Am Not Okay With This by Charles Forsman— graphic novel, just read so it’s on my mind; short but much darker than the Netflix show, fair warning 🙃 Maybe look up spoilers if you’re sensitive. The Woman in the Purple Skirt by Natsuko Imamura— weird little novel about a woman who becomes pathologically obsessed with a stranger. Girl A by Abigail Dean—narrated by a survivor of a high-control abusive family (think the “Educated” memoir, or the real life Turpins case 🙁). Very good read. All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham— I didn’t love this one but I think I’m in the minority; narrated by a mother with severe insomnia/sleepwalking, whose young child disappears. And I’m pretty sure everyone else has listed Gillian Flynn— anything by her is a good bet for this :)
The girl on the train
Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
Mary by Nat Cassidy, Yellowface (kinda) by R.F. Kuang (I definitely felt icky listening to this narrator anyway).
The Center Cannot Hold by Elon Saks. Phenomenal book about a woman’s journey through severe mental illness & healing. I cannot recommend it enough
‘The Abduction of Adrienne Berg’ is about a woman obsessed with the man who kidnapped her. Not as dark as it may sound but the main character definitely has a different way of looking at the world.
The Consequence of Anna by Kate Birkin and Mark Bornz
We Spread
My Husband by Maud Ventura
Land of the Fox by Jane Stuart
Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is a great read. Highly recommend it!!
Women by Chloe Caldwell... It's a wlw love story but a pretty toxic relationship and the narrator is not well. It really grabbed me.
Elizabeth is Missing the protagonist is dealing with onset dementia but knows her friend is missing
Most (if not all) of Francesca Lia Block’s work
umm not sure if this really counts but i’m absolutely loving Mary by nat cassidy rn. is quite dark but narration is an absolute ride
Flamboyant. By Elizabeth Swados. Some craziness. Really well written. Also with some funny charming moments.
Postcards from the Edge by Carrie Fisher
Chlorine by Jade Song
I haven't read it yet but recently heard about it and it sounds like it fits your criteria. Misery by Stephen King
Anything by Sylvia Plath
From the 60s; I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN.
When I Was You by Amber Garza!
Earthlings - Sayaka Murata The Bluest Eye - Toni Morrison
“One’s Company” sooooo good. Woman obsessed with threes company tv show Makes a bunker To be alone Supposedly happy
We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
A woman in the window by AJ Finn
It’s told by a man’s POV: You. It’s also a popular Netflix series.
The first book that popped into my mind was House of Leaves. Also The Box Man by Kobo Abe. Just realised your post was asking for things from women's perspectives, and both of these recs have male narrators. My bad! Leaving it up because they are still good books though
The Perfect Girlfriend - Karen Hamilton
Untitled for Now by Desiree Moore
Eileen by Otessa Mosfegh fits the bill quite nicely
Mary: Awakening of Terror.
Animal by Lisa Taddeo This one was a ride and I still think of it often
“Don’t Touch” by Rachel M. Wilson. Slightly more subtle, but absolutely captivating.
My Husband by Maud Ventura
None of This is True by Lisa Jewell comes to mind.
Crazy Eights by Barbara Dana, but she's a teenager
All’s Well by Mona Awad for sure!!
Mental health and non-fiction Faces, by Tobe Ditlevsen (also the trilogy with her own biography). What my bones know, by Stephanie Foo
Vladimir by Julia May Jones
Phantom Limb, Lucinda Berry - maybe? I feel a lot of her books have mentally unstable characters
My Husband by Maud Ventura
Not exactly what you have in mind but still in that category, Come closer by Sara Gran. Absolutely riveting
my husband by maud ventura!
She's come undone, Wally Lamb. A smidgen subtle at first. Great book.
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb
The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante and The Woman Destroyed by Simone deBouvoir
The September House
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. Fictionalised version of a double killing in 1843 Canada, in which household servant Grace Marks was convicted for. It is unclear throughout whether Grace was a jealous murderer or an innocent spectator, and whether she is a cunning liar or suffering from multiple personality disorder.
Which book is it that you’re talking about? I know about one that has a Constance Verity but haven’t read it yet. As far as disturbed women, another that I haven’t read, but is supposed to be disturbing is Tampa by Alissa Nutting, about a school teacher who wants to seduce school boys. I don’t know if that’s what you’re looking for, and I haven’t read it so I can’t say if it’s good.
Girl, interrupted
the year of magical thinking by Joan didion, ***BUT, the mental health concerns stem from grief so be aware it’s heavily focused on grief. And it’s a memoir
Diary by chuck palahnuk
An Unquiet Mind - Jamison
Young adult selection : Turtles all the qay down by John Green, Liar by Justine Larbalestier
The Wasp Factory
the woman destroyed by simone de beauvoir
Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead