6 Page-Turning Novels to Read If You’re Obsessed With ‘The Traitors’
Murder. Backstabbing. Capes. The Traitors is a reality TV sensation, thanks to a combination of devious gameplay and gloriously camp hosting, courtesy of Alan Cumming.
The hit Peacock/NBC series brings together a disparate group of celebrities (and this season, regular people) in an atmospheric Scottish castle, then challenges them to compete for a cash prize. But some of the players aren’t being honest about their intentions. These “traitors” are out to steal the prize for themselves, at any cost – unless the “faithful” can suss them out and banish them from the castle first.
Many of the elements that make The Traitors so compelling are the same that go into a perfectly crafted page-turners. Secrets, deceptions, murder, and twists abound in these six books (some of them set in the world of reality TV), that are perfect for fans of The Traitors.
‘Dead Famous’ by Ben Elton
Ben Elton took inspiration from Big Brother for his 2001 satirical novel, Dead Famous, which focuses on a fictional show titled House Arrest. Ten contestants are locked in a house, with their every move tracked by dozens of cameras and microphones. One player turns up dead, and the crime is captured on camera, though the killer’s identity isn’t clear. Elton layers on the mysteries in this novel, holding out on revealing not only the identity of the killer but also the identity of the victim as well as the winner of House Arrest.
‘One Perfect Couple’ by Ruth Ware
Ruth Ware has penned plenty of twisty thrillers, including The Woman in Cabin in 10, which was turned into a 2025 Netflix movie starring Keira Knightley. Several of her books feature groups of people trapped in an isolated location, including One Perfect Couple. In this 2024 book, Lyla Santiago’s actor boyfriend convinces her to drop everything so they can appear on a new reality show. Five couples are left on an island, and the last pair standing wins. But when the contestants find themselves stranded for real, they realize the game’s stakes are much higher than they imagined.
‘Game of Lies’ by Clare Mackintosh
A reality show is at the center of Clare Mackintosh’s Game of Lies. Seven people are stranded in the Welsh mountains. Each has a secret. If another player guesses what they’re hiding, they’ll be eliminated. Even worse, the truth will be exposed to everyone who is watching. When one player vanishes, Detective Ffion Morgan arrives and attempts to untangle what’s really going on – and discover who might have a motive for murder.
‘The Hunting Party’ by Lucy Foley
If you love the Scottish setting of The Traitors, Lucy Foley’s The Hunting Party will be right up your alley. A group of 30something friends gather at a hunting lodge in the Highlands for their annual New Year’s Eve party. Will a blizzard leave them trapped in the picturesque but isolated lodge? Definitely. Will one of them end up murdered? You bet. Will you be able to put this book down? Probably not.
‘Everyone Is Watching’ by Heather Gudenkauf
Five contestants compete for a $10 million dollar grand prize in Heather Gudenkauf’s locked-room mystery. The cast of One Lucky Winner don’t know what to expect when they arrive at a secluded estate in Northern California. While their every move is broadcast, they’re completely cut off from the outside world. But as the game begins, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary reality show.
‘And Then There Were None’ by Agatha Christie
This classic Agatha Christie mystery is one of the best-selling novels of all time, and for good reason. And Then There Were None set the template for dozens (if not hundreds) of books to come. Ten people are invited to an island off the coast of England. After they arrive, a mysterious message accuses each of murder. A storm strands the group, and one by one, each guest is killed, leaving the dwindling survivors frantically trying to save themselves from an unknown killer.
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