The Best Deliciously Dark Books Exploring Female Fury

Women are angry – and women writers are channelling that fury and turning it into cathartic thrillers, tales of revenge and cannibalistic horror stories and my God, it’s delicious.

I know this as a reader, an author and a woman who, like many, struggles to even look at daily news headlines without my insides churning with rage. When we have to plan our running routes around the possibility of being apprehended by a bad man, and when we see beautiful female movie stars trashed for ‘ageing like milk’ (and it’s not just the men saying this) then you can forgive us for wanting to get lost in fiction where the tables are turned. Where women don’t have to look pretty and play nice.

My most recent novel is my first published thriller – When Sally Killed Harry. You can immediately tell from the title that this is feminist revenge (although I’ve nothing against Billy Crystal’s Harry – my Harry’s a different character entirely and a particularly nasty piece of work). But after writing novels exploring mental health, addiction stigma and feminism, I wanted to take things a step further and use fiction cathartically. It’s fantastical and humorous (so I’m told!), and yet it explores some of the very real issues we see happening every day. Because sometimes, we just need to vent – and have fun while we do.

Of course, I’m nowhere near the first to do this. Feminist revenge stories have taken many forms and date back many years. But today, there’s a real swell of books in this genre and a real appetite for them too. So here are some of my picks of stories exploring fury, rage, revenge and womanhood that I personally love.

Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding (2023)

Picture this: a bad man’s severed head resting on a table in the back room of a hotel in Newcastle. Seven women all had good reason to swing the axe, but nobody is admitting to Jamie Spellman’s grisly death. So, who finally put a stop to his abominable behaviour? First of all – a bunch of women standing around a severed head – what an opener! If that doesn’t get you immediately hooked and intrigued I don’t know what will. Secondly, this is a brilliantly written tale that takes us back through the lives of all seven women and their unfortunate encounters with Jamie, who’s a bit of a shit actually. A furious revenge thriller with multiple intertwining back stories that will keep you guessing.

The Lamb by Lucy Rose (2025)

This book has the best opening line of any book I’ve ever read (“On my fourth birthday, I plucked six severed fingers from the shower drain”). What?! Up until this point I thought my rancid soapy hair was the worst thing you could find down the plug hole. Apparently not, and this book only gets more visceral the more you read. It’s about female cannibals living in the woods – told from the point of view of young Margot, whose mama has an insatiable appetite for ‘strays’. Narcissistic parenting and female fury combine to create a world that Margot finds both delicious and distasteful all at once. Motherly love takes on a whole new meaning in this captivating folk horror.

The Darkest Night by Victoria Hawthorne (2024)

Several generations of Reid women are furious – and for good reason. When Ailsa’s grandmother goes missing, Ailsa and her mother Rowan look to centuries-old stories of their ancestors for clues. Some were burnt at the stake on the hill above the Reid house, one was forced to hide her sexuality, another witnessed the contemptable actions of an abusive father, and now, Ailsa is dealing with the aftermath of an incident that took place at the school in which she works. Are the Reid women really cursed?

How to Kill Men and Get Away With It by Katy Brent (2022)

A social media influencer taking out the trash. Kitty Collins is livid and she’s on a mission to seek out and take out the worst of mankind. The ones on the dating apps, the ones living the high life as a celebrity footballer and the ones being released from prison for committing horrific crimes against women. Just so happens this vegan serial killer has inherited a family business that’s perfect to help her cover up her bone-crushing crimes. A funny, cathartic and delightful read – which now has a follow up too – I Bet You’d Look Good in a Coffin.

Psychomachia by Kirsty Allison (2021)

OK – strap in. This is one hell of a ride and you’ll leave Scarlett Flagg’s world exhausted, dazed and like you’ve been repeatedly sucker-punched. Step back in time to the 90s where Scarlett wants revenge on the man who raped her when she was a teenager – the arch patriarch of rock ‘n’ roll Malachi Wright. Fucked up and furious, Scarlett’s on a drug-infused ride that leaves her wondering if she killed Malachi – or was it her boyfriend? Or her father? Either way, this emotional, chemically-induced literary rollercoaster will leave you wondering what the fuck just happened – but really glad you went there.

Sweet Pea by C J Skuse (2017)

Do you still lie awake at night dreaming up the perfect vengeful scenarios for that bully from high school? Or that terrible ex-boyfriend? Or even that cashier who smiled at you funny in the supermarket? Sweet Pea (now a TV drama, too) explores revenge in all it’s possible glories, told through the eyes of Rhiannon – an unassuming and quiet girl who makes the tea in the office and never quite gets the praise she’s after. Underestimate her at your peril – you really don’t want to know what she’s hiding in her late parents’ house…

The Burnings by Naomi Kelsey (2023)

I’ve added this one to my list for a quite different reason – because it will encourage every woman reading it to explore their feminist fury – it certainly did me. That’s because this one’s inspired by the Berwick witch trials of the 16^th-century – a horrific stain on our history that reminds us that men wanted to keep women ‘in their place’ (and some still do) and the idea of witchcraft was a way of doing so – of stopping women excelling in the roles men coveted. It’s told through the eyes of Scottish housemaid Geillis and Danish courtier Margareta during a time when rumours of black magic resulted in the excruciating torture and deaths of many women. As the book’s description says – Nothing scares men like witchcraft. Beautifully and powerfully written – and an infuriating yet fascinating reminder of our history.

When Sally Killed Harry by Lucy Roth (Avon Books) is published 27^th March

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