Lakeland Public Library discussion

What's the literary equivalent of an April Fool's joke? The unreliable narrator. They tell us their story, but the more we learn, the more we see that their version of the tale is not one we can trust. Whether they are lying to us or to themselves, it can make for some great plot twists. Here are a few of our favorite books with unreliable narrators. Have a title you'd like to share? Share it with us in the comments section.


Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
Two U.S. Marshals come to Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane on Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a patient as a hurricane bears down on them. Things only get crazier from there.


Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Piscine "Pi" Patel tells us how he survived 227 days after a shipwreck, stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. An unforgettable adventure of the mind and spirit.


Atonement by Ian McEwan
A young girl misinterprets events involving her older sister and their childhood friend, Robbie, setting off a chain of events that tears her family apart and leads her on a lifelong search for truth and absolution. Exquisite examination of the dangers and rewards of imagination.


Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
The Queen of Mystery outdoes herself with this locked room whodunit. Join Hercule Poirot on his most challenging case. Murder, suicide, blackmail. This one has it all.


I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
When a couple takes a road trip on the cusp of a winter storm, the girlfriend has already made a pivotal decision about their relationship. The journey turns awkward, then unnerving, before skidding off the rails altogether.


Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel
Rose Gold testified against her mother when she realized her chronic illness was the result decades of poisoning. Five years later her mother is out of jail and living with Rose and her newborn son, Adam. Recipe for disaster or the perfect revenge? This propulsive read will keep you guessing.


We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
A deliciously twisted novel about the Blackwood family: isolated, perverse and potentially murderous. When an unexpected visitor shows up, a dramatic struggle ensues. An unsettling dive into a family's dark neurosis.


The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Fifteen-year-old Christopher is gifted with a superbly logical brain, even as he has no understanding of human emotions. When a neighbor's dog is killed, he sets out solve the murder. A poignant and fascinating portrayal of an entirely literal mind.


One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Five students walk into detention, but one doesn't make it out alive. The four suspects narrate alternating chapters and it's up to the reader to figure out who's telling the truth, who's lying, and who is a murderer.


You Don't Want a Unicorn by Ame Dyckman & Liz Climo
When a little boy uses a wishing well to get himself a pet unicorn, he has no idea the havoc he will unleash. Thankfully the boy learns his lesson. Or does he? Ridiculous and delightful fun.



The Bear Ate Your Sandwich by Julia Sarcone-Roach
This narrator wants you to know what happened to your missing sandwich. See, there was this bear. And, well, you know what happened next. Or do you? This silly story with a twist will be an instant favorite.