There’s something particularly tantalizing about glimpsing into the world of the ultra-wealthy—the gleaming facades of their lives, their gilded social circles, and the dizzying power they wield. It’s a world of dazzling excess, but it’s also a world where darkness lurks just beneath the surface. Behind the perfectly curated appearances and million-dollar smiles lie secrets, rivalries, and desires that simmer and crackle like an unstable fault line, ready to erupt.
The obsession with the mega-rich isn’t new, but shows like Succession have sharpened our appetite for peeking behind the velvet curtain. Who really wins in a family bound by blood but driven by ruthless ambition? How far would someone go to protect their fortune—or claim it? Power, control, betrayal: these are the universal ingredients of great thrillers, but in the rarefied air of unimaginable wealth, they become something even darker and more dangerous. The rich, after all, are often as enigmatic as they are powerful—shielded by their privilege, yet exposed to the same human flaws as the rest of us.
When I was writing my novel, The Inheritance, I wanted to explore these very questions—how greed, ambition, and loyalty collide within families. The novel follows the Agarwals, who have gathered together on a private island off the west coast of Scotland ostensibly to celebrate their parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. But when a body is found, it becomes obvious that this reunion is about more than just celebrating family. The patriarch, Raj, is about to retire and sell the family business that he built from scratch. And on this trip, he’s due to announce how he plans to split the proceeds – three hundred million pounds – between his three adult children: the golden child Myra, the martyr son Aseem and the baby of the family, Aisha. All of them are vying for the largest share of the profits and all of them have hidden agendas and secrets they would die to protect. But only one of them is capable of murder…
The Inheritance tells the story of a close-knit but extremely dysfunctional family. Think Succession meets Agatha Christie’s Crooked House, but with a mega-rich Indian family. Who will survive this high-stakes reunion, and who will become a victim of their own greed?
In these 11 thrillers, you’ll find the themes of betrayal, secrecy, and ambition explored with razor-sharp intensity. Whether it’s the perfect family torn apart by scandal, a carefully maintained reputation in freefall, or power struggles that spiral out of control, these stories expose the shadows that haunt the wealthiest among us. The allure of money and power might seem irresistible, but as these novels—and The Inheritance—remind us, the lives of the mega-rich are often built on illusions that hide deep fractures. And in these thrillers, we get to indulge our schadenfreude as we watch those facades crumble.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Big Little Lies begins with a shocking death at an elementary school’s trivia night, rocking a community of affluent parents to their core. They want to know: Was this death an accident, or did something more sinister occur? In an idyllic setting of perfect families, perfect houses, and seemingly perfect lives, the truth is connected to three women whose picture perfect exteriors hide secrets and lies.
The Club by Ellery Lloyd
The Club is set at the much-anticipated launch party of The Home, a high-end members’ club for celebrities. Chaos ensues as away from the prying eyes of the media, the rich and famous let loose. The atmosphere drips with luxury and glamour, each guest bringing with them secrets, resentments, and hidden agendas. This is a thriller that’s as dark as it is gripping.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
A poignant family drama with the pace of a thriller, Lockhart’s novel centers on the Sinclairs, a wealthy family with a perfect veneer, a family full of lies, tragedy, and guilt. The novel’s twisty narrative draws readers into a dark tale of privilege, loss, and betrayal, as the protagonist, Cadence, tries to piece together her fractured memories of the tragic accident that tore her family apart.
Pretty Things by Janelle Brown
Two women, from vastly different backgrounds, find their lives entwined in this novel that delves into the world of luxury, deceit, and revenge. One is a grifter, and the other, a wealthy socialite. Throw in a plot abounding with secrets and you have a twisty thriller that explores the disparity between rich and poor, while building suspense around what happens when the two worlds collide.
The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
Set against the backdrop of Nantucket’s elite, this thriller follows a wedding weekend that quickly takes a dark turn when a murder occurs. Hilderbrand’s exploration of secrets within a privileged family reveals the cracks in their seemingly flawless lives.
The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine
This psychological thriller tells the story of Amber Patterson, a woman who infiltrates the life of a wealthy couple with sinister intentions. She is determined to take the place of the perfect, seemingly untouchable wife, and the narrative unravels with shocking twists as Amber’s own secrets are revealed.
The Darlings by Cristina Alger
Paul Ross is a self-made lawyer who marries Merrill Darling, the daughter of a billionaire, and has gotten used to their lifestyle. But when a financial investigation threatens to bring down the family, Paul has to decide where his loyalties lie. As a former analyst at Goldman Sachs, Cristina Alger draws on her unique insider’s perspective to give us a glimpse into the highest echelons of New York society and the high stakes that often accompany a life of unimaginable wealth and success.
Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton
Set against the backdrop of New York City’s exclusive social scene, this novel follows the life of a young woman, Louise, who becomes obsessed with the glamorous and elusive Lavinia. As their friendship becomes more twisted, dark secrets come to light, revealing the cutthroat nature of the city’s elite.
We That Are Young by Preti Taneja
A modern reimagining of Shakespeare’s King Lear, this novel takes place in the world of India’s ultra-wealthy. When an aging hotel tycoon attempts to split his company shares between his three adult daughters, his youngest refuses to play into his wishes, and a family-wide power struggle begins. Taneja’s exploration of family dynamics and the pursuit of power highlights the dangerous consequences of being born into privilege.
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
The powerful Wadia family controls New Delhi, but their future rests in the hands of three individuals: Sunny, the playboy heir to the family fortune; Ajay, a servant, who was born in poverty; and Neda, a journalist grappling with what is right. Set against the backdrop of India’s political and business elite, this novel paints a vivid picture of the excess, corruption and moral decay that often comes with immense wealth.
Trust by Hernan Diaz
Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. Together, they have risen to the very top of a world of seemingly endless wealth. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? In Trust, Diaz explores the life of a wealthy financier in the early 20th century, unravelling the complexities of his empire through multiple perspectives. The novel questions the nature of truth, wealth, and the lengths to which the ultra-rich will go to protect their legacies.