5 Thriller & Mystery Picks From Reese's Book Club That Aren't Worth Your Time, According To Reviews

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Reese Witherspoon may have impeccable taste in beige linen suits and Southern-grown charms in film, but when it comes to Reese's Book Club's preferred genre of mystery and suspense, every pick is not always a hit. Although we've seen dozens of thrilling, high-stakes stories in her selections that really deliver, there have also been a few outings that left readers baffled rather than breathless. Some promised chills and tension, but delivered lukewarm red herrings, paper characters, and plot twists so preposterous they had readers questioning how they had managed to end up on the list. 

And for every heart-pounding whodunit, for every devastating domestic drama that keeps you up till 2 a.m., there are plenty that called for eye-rolls rather than gasps. Readers are candid, critical, and not afraid to rate things accordingly when a story is a disappointment. A so-called star endorsement does not guarantee a book is worth reading, as evidenced by these three Reese's Book Club reads that aren't worth your time, according to reviews. Here are five Reese's Book Club thriller and mystery selections you can skip.

Laura Dave's "The Last Thing He Told Me" follows Hannah, a woman whose husband, Owen, mysteriously disappears, leaving behind a note that simply says, "Protect her," referring to his teenage daughter. As federal agents start closing in on Owen's workplace, Hannah and her reluctant stepdaughter unravel a web of lies and secrets about the man they both thought they knew. 

"The Last Thing He Told Me" received a Goodreads rating of 3.83 stars, with many readers finding the execution too slow, the emotional stakes tepid, and the suspense underwhelming. One reader wrote, in part, "the premise is certainly captivating and the start is strong. Then, slowly but surely, it devolves into nonsensical silliness, along with a heaping serving of the main female character acting ever more paranoid. And on top of that, there aren't even any good twists or surprises in here."

Miranda Cowley Heller's "The Paper Palace" tells the story of Elle, a married mother of three who spends every summer at her family's rustic Cape Cod retreat. On one sultry day, she sleeps with her childhood best friend, Jonas — while her husband and their families are nearby. What follows is a meditative and memory-heavy journey through Elle's past, as well as events packaged as a suspenseful story of forbidden love and buried secrets.

"The Paper Palace" received a Goodreads rating of 3.79 stars, and despite promising an intriguing mystery, many readers were surprised to find something much slower, heavier, and more introspective. In addition to the difficult subject matter, one reader called the characters "infuriating." The reader added, "secrecy is a main point, but WOW these characters are poor communicators, especially as adults. I found their lack of growth and their responses to each other confounding at times. The one relationship I did find fascinating is between Elle and her sister, Anna, and I was disappointed at how little of that is ultimately available."

Liv Constantine's "The Last Mrs. Parrish" follows Amber Patterson, a scheming young woman determined to infiltrate high society by stealing the life and husband of the glamorous Daphne Parrish. Told in dual POVs, the book first lets us into Amber's world as she worms her way into Daphne's inner circle. But halfway through, the perspective flips and Daphne's side of the story reveals that not all is as it seems.

While some enjoyed the soap opera drama, which received a 3.96-star rating on Goodreads, others felt it was not worth their time. "This is the first book in a long time that I've actually HATED," one person said. "A slow book that still keeps me reading to the end can usually get two stars from me, but the slowness combined with a message that left a really bad taste means I can't and do not want to give it more than one star." Another reader wrote, "So, this is pretty boring. It's slow with dull scenes and so overtly dramatic in its boring elements that it becomes comical and cheesy."

In Andrea Bartz's "We Were Never Here," best friends Emily and Kristen meet annually for epic girls' trips. But during their latest getaway in Chile, Kristen kills a man, supposedly in self-defense. The thing is, the same thing happened on their trip the year before. As they return home, Emily begins to unravel, unsure if Kristen is a danger to others, or to herself. Goodreads gave the book a 3.50-star rating, as some readers struggled with the implausibility of repeated murder cover-ups. 

One reader said, "I feel stupider for having read this book. I pushed past some truly atrocious prose ('my insides tumbled like concrete,' 'his clothes formed a casserole by his body') because the setup and first few chapters were actually pretty promising. What follows is a sloppy patchwork of cliches ... and exposition-heavy scenes that test the reader's patience." Another person commented, "I just wanted this book to stop, stop, stop."

Ellery Lloyd's "The Club" takes readers to an exclusive members-only island resort called Home, where influencers, celebrities, and tech moguls gather for lavish parties — and dirty secrets. The story is told through multiple points of view, including staff and VIP guests, as a murder unfolds during a high-stakes weekend. Goodreads rated the book 3.29 stars. The premise is delicious, but many readers felt the plot collapsed under the weight of too many characters and not enough tension. 

One reader addressed Reese Witherspoon directly, writing, "your book club selections often leave much to be desired." They added, "the cover sucked me in, but I thought the content was just turrrrrrrible." Another person wrote that they did not finish book, saying, "when a book is more descriptions than actual plot. You know it's not for you. Good lord I barely made it through two chapters before all the descriptions gave me a migraine."

We chose these five books based on a few key points. First, each title had to be an official Reese's Book Club pick. While Reese Witherspoon has spotlighted dozens of standout stories (as evidenced by our list of her club's best thriller and mystery picks), not every selection has left readers glued to the page, especially in the thriller and mystery category. So, we narrowed our scope to novels billed with suspenseful, twisty plots and mystery elements.

Next, we took a stroll through Goodreads. Rather than focusing only on buzz, we looked at books with more mixed reader reactions, specifically titles that hovered around or below the 4.0-star average rating mark. Anyone who has spent time on Goodreads knows a 4.0-star rating is not just a number, it is a badge of honor earned through the judgment of thousands of picky and passionate readers.

Finally, we factored in recurring themes from reviews: pacing issues, predictable twists, underwhelming finales, or characters that felt thin. While we respect Witherspoon's literary eye, not every "top pick" turns out to be a thriller worth thrilling over, though she has one of the best celebrity book clubs to join for the genre. These five were not chosen to bash, but to reflect a reality many readers know too well: Sometimes, a beautiful cover and a celebrity stamp still lead to a reading experience that feels more "meh" than mesmerizing.