It Should Have Been You: A Novel

by Andrea Mara

Overview

A gripping new thriller from Andrea Mara, the #1 international bestselling author of ALL HER FAULT, now streaming on Peacock 

Your neighbors have secrets. How far would they go to keep them?

“A simple, ordinary mistake explodes into a suburban nightmare in this hugely compelling, one-sitting read packed full of thrilling moments and genuinely surprising twists. Andrea Mara is at the very top of her game.” —Catherine Ryan Howard

You press send and your message disappears. Full of secrets about your neighbors, it’s meant for your sister. But it doesn’t reach her – it goes to the entire local community WhatsApp group instead.

As rumor spreads like wildfire through the picture-perfect neighborhood, you convince yourself that people will move on, that this will quickly be forgotten. But then you receive the first death threat.

The next day, a woman has been murdered. And what’s even more chilling is that she had the same address as you – 26 Oakpark – but in a different part of town. Did the killer get the wrong house? It won’t be long before you find out…

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593832097
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/13/2026
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Andrea Mara is a number one international bestselling author. Several of her books have been shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year awards. She lives in Dublin, Ireland, with her husband and three young children. Someone in the Attic was her US debut, and It Should Have Been You is her second novel to be published in the US.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for It Should Have Been You:

“Wow, It Should Have Been You blew me away. Ingenious plotting, brilliantly written, pacy and totally unpredictable, I devoured it over a weekend. This is Andrea Mara’s best book yet. Absolutely outstanding!”
—Claire Douglas, international bestselling author of Local Girl Missing

“The intricacy of the plotting, the tension, the pacing, the delicious gossipiness. . . masterful. I love all [of Andrea Mara's] books . . . but this one is my all time fave.”
—Sophie White, international bestselling author of Where I End

“Andrea Mara has done it again! It Should Have Been You unravels the veneer of suburban calm with every twist and turn. An unputdownable, deviously plotted ride of a psychological thriller.” —Tracy Sierra, author of Nightwatching

“Plays expertly into one of our worst fears. The convincing storyline maintains real dread in a world of everyday domestic detail. Very enjoyable.”
—Daily Mail (UK)

“Mara delivers a rattling domestic thriller [. . . and] sets a relentless pace. . . Readers will hold their breath as the plot’s puzzle pieces click into place, exhaling only after the absurdly satisfying finale. It’s a blast.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Cleverly plotted and told from various points of view, It Should Have Been You shows how one mistake can have life-threatening consequences. Punchy writing, strong characterization, and short chapters propel it to a dramatic, satisfying finale. Highly recommended.”
—Sunday Independent (UK)

“I was completely hooked from the very first page.”
—Stylist (UK)

“It had me enthralled. A masterclass in tension.”
—Patricia Gibney, international bestselling author of The Missing Ones

“A simple, ordinary mistake explodes into a suburban nightmare in this hugely compelling, one-sitting read packed full of thrilling moments and genuinely surprising twists. Andrea Mara is at the very top of her game.”
—Catherine Ryan Howard, international bestselling author of 56 Days

“It Should Have been You left me breathless. Andrea Mara deftly reveals each character’s dark, deadly secret with her usual skill.”
—Jane Corry, bestselling author of My Husband's Wife

Praise for Someone in the Attic:

“[Mara] lays out the pieces of the puzzle with diabolical wit, some good suspense and an unexpected note of sentimentality.”
—The New York Times

“Bestselling Irish crime fiction writer Mara makes her U.S. debut with a meticulously crafted suspense tale replete with fiendishly clever twists and turns and a claustrophobic sense of menace that will have readers themselves wondering about the odd noise or two they hear at night in their own homes. A highly readable suspense novel in the style of Riley Sager, Alice Feeney, and Lisa Jewell, with a dash of Liane Moriarty thrown in for good measure.”
—Library Journal (starred)

“Does for bathtubs what Psycho did for showers. A thriller honed to a fine point, sharp and keen and piercing; it's darkly comic, too, and uncommonly observant.”
—A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

“A gripping story, beautifully told. Andrea Mara is masterful.”
—Patricia Cornwell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Postmortem

“A tense, terrifying, guessing game. Someone in the Attic twists, thrills and chills. I loved it.”
—Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin at the End

“Someone is getting inside your house. . . It’s a chilling premise, and Andrea Mara executes it brilliantly. This one is an absolute page turner!”
—Shari Lapena, New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

“As if attics weren’t creepy enough already, this book will leave you scared of the slightest overhead squeak. Someone in the Attic augments its horrifying premise with shocking twists, complicated friendships and dark secrets. Highly recommended!”
—Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines

“The tension in Someone in the Attic is meticulously crafted, with a cover-your-eyes creep factor. If you’re a domestic thriller fan who hasn’t yet read Andrea Mara, you might have just found a new favorite.”
—Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

“This is Andrea Mara at her heart-stopping best. Someone in the Attic is a dark, creepy, twisty thriller full of clever misdirection that would make Hitchcock proud, but it’s also a moving and thought-provoking tale of regret and letting go of the past. A brilliant book.”
—Claire Douglas, internationally bestselling author of Local Girl Missing

“A genuinely chilling concept - told with skill, empathy and wit. I enjoyed every terrifying page.”
—Elly Griffiths, international bestselling author of The Last Remains

“Spine-tingling . . . Mara skillfully weaves multiple mysteries into her bustling plot . . . ratcheting up the suspense. When it all comes to a head, readers will be equal parts shocked and satisfied.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Mara skillfully layers red herrings and discoveries at a satisfying pace . . . Well paced and creepy—especially if you’re alone in the house while you read.”
—Kirkus

“Gripping. . . I'll never look at the hatch up to my attic in the same way again!”
—Clare Pooley, New York Times bestselling author of The Authenticity Project

“Full of twists and surprises, Someone in the Attic is a totally gripping, compelling read that will have you guessing and guessing again. She has a genius for creating situations where our worst nightmares come true. Hugely enjoyable–I couldn't put it down.”
—Jane Casey, author of A Stranger in the Family

“[A] super-creepy, addictive thriller [that] layers mystery upon mystery. Not one to read late at night!”
—Good Housekeeping (UK)

“Creepy and unsettling and I couldn't turn the pages quick enough! Wow - what a story! I'll be keeping the light on tonight!”
—Ruth Kelly, international bestselling author of The Escape

“This is a rich and compelling story with a satisfying conclusion and—best of all—one that I didn’t see coming. Twisty, clever, and scarily relatable. I loved it and I can’t wait to see what Mara does next.”
—Nicole Kennedy, author of After Paris

From the Publisher