Are you addicted to the intriguing mystery and eccentric assassins of Killing Eve? We are! Season three begins airing on April 12, and we’re dying to know what Villanelle and Eve will do next in their game of cat and mouse. Here, we’ve rounded up seven mystery novels that fans of Killing Eve need to start reading ASAP.
My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
The couple that murders together stays together. I think Villanelle would agree. Samantha Downing’s thriller follows a couple whose marriage feels a little stale after 15 years. Then, something sparks between them: They realize they both have a passion for getting away with murder. If you love Villanelle’s unabashed enjoyment of killing then this one is for you.
Save Me from Dangerous Men by S.A. Lelchuk
What starts out as a routine murder for MI6 employee Eve Polastri turns into a deadly hunt for a new female assassin. In S.A. Lelchuk’s novel, P.I. Nikki Griffin isn’t a regular investigator—she only goes after dangerous men. The tables turn when men start chasing her. If you love the procedural chase and international secrets involved in Eve trying to find the truth about Villanelle’s employer, then this book is right up your alley.
Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage
In the words of Villanelle, “You should never call a psychopath a psychopath. It upsets them.” Baby Teeth follows Hanna, a seven-year-old who loves her daddy so much that she wants to kill her mother to get more of his attention. If you’re hooked on the unsettling psychological nature of Killing Eve, you won’t be able to put this one down.
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Villanella and Korede’s sister have a few things in common: They’re both deadly women with a habit of killing their boyfriends and a talent for spilling blood. Eve would absolutely adore this book and its perspective on a female serial killer. If you’re longing for the dark humor and gore of Killing Eve, then you’re in for a treat with this one.
Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton
At the beginning of Killing Eve, all Villanelle wants is to be in her French apartment buying expensive clothes, makeup, and perfumes with her nice assassin paycheck. Then Eve enters the picture and Villanelle becomes obsessed with her. Social Creature also deals with a toxic friendship that becomes deadly. If you’re watching for the intense bond between Eve and Villanelle, you’ll be hooked by this read.
The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton
Beautiful, obsessive, and psychotic. Are we describing Villanelle or the protagonist of this novel? Juliette will do anything to get closer to her boyfriend. She follows him. She gets a job with the airline he works for. The only problem is they broke up six months ago. If the “sorry baby” luggage scene was one of your favorite moments in Killing Eve, then you need to check this one out.
Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings
A list of book recommendations inspired by Killing Eve would be incomplete without the book the show is based on. Originally published as a four-part novella series, the story follows sophisticated and brutal Russian assassin Villanelle, and Eve Polastri, the MI6 agent tasked with finding her. If you can’t get enough of these characters on television, get inside their heads by reading the original.
