The 23 Best Backstabbing Betrayals in Fiction

For a book with lots of twists and turns with a betrayal that will leave you gasping for air, Rick Riordan’s newest release is thrilling. This modern reimagining of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea follows Ana Dakkar, a freshman at the Harding-Pencroft Academy which produces the finest naval scientists, warriors, explorers and navigators in the world. When a tragedy changes the entire trajectory of her freshman class, Ana finds herself in a leadership position as they fight deadly enemies and make astounding discoveries, including ones about her heritage.  

This book is spellbinding and the very definition of perfection. Amari and the Night Brothers follows Amari whose older brother disappeared, and Amari is the only one who hasn’t given up hope that he’s alive. When she finds herself training to be a part of the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she also finds out her supernaturally enhanced talent is “illegal.” As she tries to pass the tests to become an agent, she puts her all into passing and finding out what happened to her brother. This book’s betrayal sneaks up on you, and it’s definitely a must-read. 

If you’re looking for both literal and figurative backstabbing, then this new release is the perfect book for you. Full of sisterhood, secrets, and swords, this gender-bent retelling of The Three Musketeers will keep you on the edge of your seat as Tania de Batz finds her footing and searches for the truth of what happened to her father, a former Musketeer who was brutally murdered. This brilliant debut is full of twists and turns, betrayal, and found family, and it certainly is one for all! 

The title of this historical thriller says it all. Set under the dictatorship of Ceausescu in Romania, this page-turner follows seventeen-year-old Cristian who is blackmailed into becoming a part of the citizen spy network the communist government had in place. Cristian must decide whether he will betray everyone he loves, or whether he wants to risk everything to try to undermine one of the cruelest dictators in Eastern Europe.

What did Willa do? Luz, Britta, and Willa used to be inseparable, but now, Willa’s left with a box of memories recounting their years of friendship. As she sorts through the items in the box, Willa must examine their friendship, the repercussions of the times they leaned too heavily on each other, and what caused her to betray her friends. Most of all, she must examine who she might be without them, something she never thought she’d have to do, especially after the three had been through so much together already. 

This alternate reality in which America has a monarchy rather than a democracy is chock full of complex relationships that of course lead to betrayals and backstabbing. With American Royals and Majesty already out and Rivals on the way (plus a prequel novella, Inheritance), there’s plenty of material to give you everything you could hope for! From a first-born daughter stepping in as Queen, to the “spare” second-born learning to embrace all she is capable of, and her twin brother who has two extremely different girls vying for his attention, this series is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time as you uncover more and more about each character! 

For a dark academia filled with betrayals, you’ll want to check out One of Us is Lying! The first of a duology, this book took the world by storm, and it also involves a bit of a whodunnit mystery! When five kids enter detention, but only four survive it, those who survived become prime suspects in the fifth’s, Simon’s, death. The four each have secrets, ones that Simon planned to expose the next day, and the question becomes: how far would they go to keep their secrets? 

In this thriller involving former friends, a rigorous prep school, and lots of secrets, the betrayals and backstabbings are embedded into this plot. How We Fall Apart is about four former friends who unite to find out who killed their fifth friend when all their deepest darkest secrets are threatened to be revealed. With intricate relationships, an anonymous texter, and lives and futures on the line, this book is a page-turner that envelops you in the pressures of the academics at Sinclair Prep.  

Adventure into the Greater Jungle with Koffi and Ekon in their unlikely alliance to hunt down the vicious monster that evokes so much fear into their city. Beasts of Prey is full of magic, vivid world building, and a shocking betrayal that will leave you gasping. This book will captivate you from the very beginning, and you won’t be able to stop until you’ve finished the whole book! 

This series is absolutely unputdownable, and now is the perfect time to pick it up. It’s a West-African inspired fantasy about a girl trying to stop a crown prince from eradicating magic for good. Children of Blood and Bone contains star-crossed lovers, facing injustice, and adventure that will cause your heart to race! With character growth and shifting allegiances throughout, this book is the perfect backdrop for betrayal to strike, and you won’t want to miss it! 

In a world where people with Red blood serve those with Silver blood, it comes as a shock when Mare, a Red-blooded person, has special powers like the Silver-blooded elites. Mare quickly goes from being a thief barely scraping by to being forced to pose as a lost Silver princess. Betrothed to the King’s son, Mare finds her allegiance split between those she’s now tied to and the Scarlet Guard (a group of reds preparing to rebel against the Silvers), and the only way forward is betrayal. 

For a vivid world of faeries, human outsiders, and royalty, The Cruel Prince will keep you hooked from the very first page until the last. This book follows Jude whose parents were murdered when she was seven and she and her two sisters were whisked away to live in the High Court of the Faerie. Jude wants nothing more than to be accepted despite the fae hating humans, so she embarks on a journey to win a place at the Court, defying Prince Cardan and bearing the consequences. 

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include The Count of Monte Cristo on this list! One of the greatest stories of betrayal and revenge, this book follows Edmond Dantès whose friends were so jealous of his good fortune in both life and love that they accused him of treason which resulted in Dantès’ imprisonment in a 19^th century island jail. What follows is a dazzling tale of adventure and vengeance, and it’s one you’ll want on your TBR! 

We’re going to make you an offer you can’t refuse. This book is steeped in intrigue, betrayal, and greed, and if you love complex families and crime, then this is the perfect book for you. The Corleones will have you enraptured as you discover a family full of traditions and legacies passed from father to son. The push and pull of the seduction of power and family loyalty wrap readers in revenge and betrayal, so prepare yourselves because “revenge is a dish best served cold.” 

You’ll want your tissue box by your side for this one. A heartbreaking story of an unlikely friendship, the price of betrayal, and what it takes to earn redemption, The Kite Runner will linger in your mind long after you finish reading. It follows the friendship of a wealthy boy and his father’s servant’s son, and it explores the relationship between them as well as the relationships fathers have with their sons. This book is a contemporary classic that you won’t want to miss.  

If you haven’t read this one, then you should pick it up now! Sula is another home run by Toni Morrison, and it follows two different women and the way their choices both in the past and present inform their relationship to each other. The book follows the two women from their girlhood to their adulthood, and it explores their discovery of their sexuality and relationships, especially considering their extremely different personalities. With an unforgivable betrayal, will their friendship end? You’ll have to read it to find out! 

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include Atonement on this list of betrayals and backstabbings. When Briony misconstrues a flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and her childhood friend, Robbie, her misunderstanding brings about a crime that changes their lives forever. Taking place throughout World War II and the end of the twentieth century, this book follows the repercussions of that crime and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page! 

A story of tangled love and war, The Piano Teacher is a story of betrayal set in a war-torn Hong Kong. This debut follows Claire, a woman who accepts a position as a piano teacher to the daughter of a wealthy couple after her husband has been transferred to Hong Kong. While working for them, she becomes smitten by their driver, Will, who quickly becomes her companion. The book is full of passion and intricacy, and it explores how people’s lives are impacted both by the present and by the past. 

Perfect for fans of Downton Abbey, you’ll find the intricacies of manor life, British aristocracy, and service in The Remains of the Day. The story follows Stevens, a butler who prides himself on the perfection of his service. When the owner of the manor dies, ownership changes, and Stevens finds himself with a reduced staff and a new owner to serve. When the new owner takes a trip, he offers Stevens the chance to borrow his car and enjoy a ride to the countryside. This drive is the backdrop for introspection and decisions about the price of Stevens’ service and will give you and Stevens a ride to remember. 

Full of complex friendships, betrayal, and heartbreak, Something Borrowed is the perfect book to read on the Ides of March. Rachel has always been the classic good girl, rule follower type, and her best friend, Darcy, has always been the magnanimous one, constantly finding herself the center of attention. All of that changes on the night of Rachel’s thirtieth birthday when Rachel confesses her feelings for Darcy’s fiancé to him, and to her excitement and horror, he feels the same way. As the wedding date looms closer, everything spirals out of control and Rachel must decide between her heart and her conscience.  

Maybe you know a little of what’s going on if you’ve watched the movies, but we simply had to include Jurassic Park on the list for the betrayal that kicks off the entire dire situation. With dinosaurs able to be cloned, you would think someone might understand what would happen if the security system got shut down, but alas…instead we got a park full of the public with hungry velociraptors running around.  

Even if you haven’t read The Lord of the Rings, you at least have heard of it (unless you live under Mount Doom), but did you know that this series also has one heck of a betrayal in it? We promise not to spoil it, but if you want to know exactly how a dangerous journey across middle earth and power hungry beings lead to betrayal, you’ll definitely want to pick this series up!  

This series is known for its complexities and betrayals, and between the books and the TV show, the betrayals are no secret. If you’re looking for an action-packed fantasy full of death, backstabbing, and complex relationships, then you’ll definitely need to binge-read this series.