76 books like Hannibal

At a whopping 1,152 pages, Stephen King’s The Stand was just too much to capture in a single movie.

That’s why, in 1994, CBS adapted it across four, ninety-minute episodes of a limited run “mini-series” (a fancy way of saying “a really long movie”). In all fairness, it had a great cast and was better than it had any right to be, and was far more enjoyable than CBS’s 2020 attempt at a do-over.

But even with a total six-hour runtime, it couldn’t capture all the story, heart, and nuance that made the book so incredible. It’s a feat to read, one I did to pass the time when bored in school, and one I will surely do again in the future.

One of my favorite things in the world is listening to a good audiobook, start to finish, on a long road trip. Having moved back and forth across the country more times than I care to count, I’ve done this a fair number of times, and my favorite memory by far is the experience I had when listening to this book for the first time.

I’ve enjoyed most of Blake Crouch’s books for their tight pacing and titillating, mind-candy premises (in Dark Matter, it’s a neat mechanic for hopping alternate realities), but what really hit me with this one in particular was how monumentally hard this book drove home this feeling of losing (like literally losing) the one you love the most, and what you might do, what life you might choose, to find them again. It’s hardly ground that no one’s covered before, but without spoiling anything, I’ll just… show more.

I couldn't resist putting this in here. The book is as much of a treat as a movie and has its own darker vibe. It's the first “grown-up” book I ever read, and it's rewarded re-reads over the years. Like with Ira Levin, it's amazing to see a high-concept pulled off so well, and even now, you have to applaud what Crichton did with it.

It built in me a healthy respect for science and a skepticism of big business, and even now it makes me feel that wonder I had when I first read it. 

I can never understand why so many critics and readers are snooty about Dan Brown. For me, he does what every good storyteller should do: takes you on a page-turning journey. And his style is both readable and erudite, whatever the snobs might say.

Although this could technically be described as a crime thriller, it remains perhaps Brown’s best action-adventure so far, and regardless of whether Tom Hanks is your idea of Professor Robert Langdon or not, the thrills just keep on coming as you follow breathlessly through the streets and landmarks of Paris, London and beyond. Stylish and swaggering.

I love a great tale with so many twists and turns, that it keeps you guessing from chapter to chapter, and this book by Harlan Coben is the best example of this.

Coben has the uncanny ability to create plots with so many moving parts, that you’ll feel as if you’re riding the literary equivalent of a roller-coaster. I love a FAST read, and with so many twists and turns, you just HAVE to keep on reading. I love a lot of Coben’s work, but this one is a standout.

Don’t read this if you were ever afraid of being alone when you were a kid. If I had read this novel late into the night, I would’ve been calling the police when the fridge hummed.

The poem reminded me of wendigo stories and all the crazy urban legends I believed growing up. Who likes hearing whispers from someone unknown anyway? The atmosphere is so realistic, and the suspense kept my brain churning with fear.

Then there’s the characterization. I wanted to reach through the book and scream at the father and son, “Look out! Pay attention!” Honestly, I had more sympathy for Jake than the father. What’s not to love about a child who has imaginary friends? I had one. It made me wonder if mine was a ghost.

Okay, bear with me on this one. The Trench is the sequel to Steve Alten’s B-movie-in-a-book Meg, a horror thriller about a prehistoric shark surfacing in modern day.

Both the original book and its sequel have been adapted into movies starring Jason Statham. The first movie accurately captured the B-level quality of the first book. The second movie continued that feel, and while it honestly wasn’t bad, those who haven’t read the book it was partially based upon will be surprised to know just how different the two are.

The Trench, unlike subsequent Meg sequels, deviated from its B-movie nature and delivered a suspenseful, underwater thriller that far surpassed the quality of the first book and their movie counterparts.

I’m cheating slightly with this one, as Death Note is a twelve-volume manga rather than a singular novel. But the twelve volumes comprise one single, cohesive, top-notch story that I’d pit against any of my favorite, more traditional novels.

Death Note has been adapted into an anime, a Japanese series of movies, and, most recently, a Netflix movie. The anime is excellent. The Japanese movies are also pretty good. But that Netflix movie… compared to the source material, it’s utter garbage.

And unfortunately, because of Netflix’s popularity, it’s the version most people are likely familiar with. And that’s really sad, because I personally feel it damages a brand that has otherwise had great representation in multiple media formats. If the Netflix movie is all you’ve seen, do yourself a favor and pick up the original manga. You won’t regret it!

I’m fascinated by the in-depth character development and details in this book. The film is a classic, but I think the book is even better. Many people think of Hannibal Lecter as the obvious villain of Silence of the Lambs, forgetting that Clarice and the FBI were seeking his guidance to find “Buffalo Bill,” a fictional serial killer attacking women.

Buffalo Bill is an amalgamation of real serial killers, including Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, and Gary Heidnik. By cherry-picking the methods and traits of real killers, I think Harris created a truly terrifying villain. I find the characters, and especially the villain, to be rooted in reality, making them stick in your mind long after the last page.

This is an older dark romantic suspense but well worth the read, especially if you like conflict.

A serial killer and two wounded souls. The conflict and suspense are off the pages. It is an older book, but I re-read at least once a year. Superb writing. Superb storyline. Jack and Laurel are broken in different ways.

Jack is the bad boy you want to cheer for and Laurel the wounded former prosecutor who sees the good that Jack believes doesn’t exist. All this whle a serial killer plays cat and mouse with Laurel.

Bad Jack wants no one to care for but can’t help being drawn to Laurel.