Shining Girls, the latest thriller from Apple TV+ based on the best-selling book of the same name by Lauren Beukes, is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good mix of science fiction and mystery. Time-traveling serial killers? Check. A determined journalist on the trail of the story of a lifetime? Check. Cameos of the original My Little Ponies toys? Check.
If binge-watching Season One of the series has left you craving more of the captivating genre-mixing of mystery and sci-fi, you're in for a treat. These 15 mystery books, movies, TV shows, and podcasts combine mystery, murder, time traveling, and shifting reality into fictional stories that Shining Girls fans are sure to love.
Added Trivia: It’s a favorite of bestselling author Stephen King, who has said the show is "exactly what streaming was made for."
If you want to READ about fictional serial killers
with a sci-fi twist:
This debut novel by Stuart Turton was one of the most hyped books of 2018, and for a good reason. The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is a twisty murder mystery set at a country estate where, each morning, the main character awakens in the body of a different guest. Like Kirby, he doesn't let his shifting
reality get in the way of his one goal — solving the murder of heiress Evelyn Hardcastle before the day ends. Thrillingly addictive, this mystery book follows one man's race against time to catch a killer, with a twist that reveals nothing is what it seems. The parallels to Shining Girls are plenty, with enough time traveling and whodunit to keep you reading all night. Read here.
An old-fashioned murder mystery mixed with sci-fi set in a luxury hotel for time travelers? Yes, please! January is a secretly-gifted security guard at the quirky Paradox Hotel, where time travel flights are offered to the ultra-rich. When a series of mysterious events occur, and government agents arrive, January
realizes her power might be the key to solving the mystery. But as the hotel's secrets unravel, so do hers. This Shining-Girls-esque blend of science-fiction and mystery will have you binge-reading January's adventures as quickly as you devoured Kirby's. Read here.
A storm sizzling with lightning wasn't the only unsettling thing about the night of Laura Shane's birth — a mysterious man appeared out of nowhere and saved her life. As an adult, he reappears in yet another flash of lightning, eerily similar to Shining Girls when Kirby meets Harper first as a child and then again in
adulthood. The parallels are clear, but the question remains — will the lightning man also be a serial killer, or will he have other motives? Dean Koontz's Lightning sets the bar if you haven't explored older mystery books. With the shifting reality of time travel and the mystery surrounding strange characters, this novel should be on any mystery lover's reading list.
Added Mystery: The novel's plot wasn't the only thing suspenseful and full of curveballs — the publishing process was a roller coaster ride. Koontz says it was a struggle to get this book published because it was "too complex and profound," but he persisted, and the book was an immediate success. Read here.
A psychological thriller similar to Shining Girls, this book is sure to appeal to mystery lovers. The Silent Patient is a gripping tale told from the perspectives of criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber and his patient, famous painter Alicia Berenson. Alicia, who gives off the same tormented-woman vibe as Kirby, was
institutionalized after she shot her husband and stopped speaking. Soon, Faber's growing obsession with solving the mystery threatens to consume him. Although there isn't any time traveling, the alternating past and present perspectives in The Silent Patient provide a similar feel, and the twists are sure to keep you guessing. Read here.
With its compelling story about a haunted but determined woman seeking to stop a killer, plus time traveling and a male sidekick, A Rip Through Time might just be Shining Girls' long-lost cousin. After homicide detective Mallory is brutally attacked, she awakens in the body of a housemaid strangled precisely 150
years before in the same spot. Time travel and murder mystery combine in a historical setting for a fresh and exciting twist in A Rip Through Time. The best part: It's the first of a new series, so you can look forward to more books in the future. Read here.
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If you want to WATCH a fictional mystery with a sci-fi twist:
If you want to watch another female lead navigate her shifting reality, check out Edgar Wright's new psychological thriller film, Last Night in Soho. In a series of dreams, young aspiring fashion designer Ellie is transported back to the Swinging Sixties. Ellie is fascinated by the charismatic wannabe singer Sandie,
but when she witnesses her murder, she realizes that she's in over her head. Shining Girls fans are sure to enjoy Last Night in Soho's mix of time traveling, mystery, and suspense.
Added Mystery: The shots of abandoned London streets in the credits were taken during the COVID-19 global pandemic, preserving the eerie emptiness of the time. Watch here.
7. Losing Alice
If you enjoy the psychological element of mysteries, add Losing Alice to your watch list. Like Kirby's dashed journalistic ambitions, Alice's career as a director has diminished while raising her daughters. When young director Sophie offers her a job, Alice quickly becomes obsessed with her, drawn into her dark, devious
lifestyle. However, as time goes on, shifting realities make it less clear who has entered whose life and for what reasons. Those intrigued by Kirby's personal and professional lives in Shining Girls will enjoy the psychological thriller following Alice's journey to question her identity as a woman and, ultimately, her own sanity.
How about a little horror mixed in with a mystery? Netflix's gripping series The Haunting of Hill House, based on Shirley Jackson's classic novel of the same name, follows a family haunted by the ghosts of their past. The iconic Victoria Pedretti's Nell Crain is every bit as captivating as her Love Quinn in You, filling
the screen with the same on-the-brink-of-breakdown energy as Kirby. Although it veers a bit more towards horror than strict mystery, the series is certainly worth the watch. Watch here.
9. The Woman in the Window
Were you left wanting more of Shining Girls' intriguing heroine and her determination to conquer both a mystery and her own demons? If so, The Woman in the Window is for you. After agoraphobic, alcoholic, pill-popping psychologist Anna Fox's husband leaves her, she becomes obsessed with
watching the neighbors from her window. After witnessing a brutal crime, she discovers that things aren't as they seem. She struggles to grasp her shifting realities as she sinks deeper into her own issues. Based on A.J. Finn's 2018 novel, The Woman in the Window is packed with twists and turns you'll love.
10. Behind Her Eyes
There's no doubt that any true mystery or shifting reality fan is already familiar with the book with THAT ending. Still, no mystery list is complete without mentioning Behind Her Eyes. If you've already read the 2017 thriller that claimed "the most shocking ending you'll read all year," you need to watch the new
miniseries released on Netflix. (And in case you haven't read it yet, you should. Trust us on this.) This psychological thriller stays pretty true to the book by Sarah Pinborough, but thanks to its stellar cast, you'll stay riveted until the stunning bombshell ending.
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If you want to LISTEN to a fictional mystery with a sci-fi twist:
Mystery lovers who enjoy strong female protagonists and time traveling adventures should check out Kate Mascarenhas' The Psychology of Time Travel. Yes, this is a mystery book, but we're recommending the audiobook because of Elle Heydon's fantastic narration. Her grounding voice ties together the histories
of four women who built the world's first time machine with Ruby, the granddaughter of those scientists. A mysterious news clipping prompts Ruby to investigate why one of the team's pioneers was exiled after a breakdown — and erased from history. If you like mystery audiobooks, The Psychology of Time Travel is a must-listen that will keep you hooked till the end. Listen here.
The first time you listen to Limetown, it might sound like a true-crime podcast like Serial. However, it's entirely fiction, a story about a town that vanishes overnight told from the perspective of a journalist determined to find out why. A frantic 911 call brings responders to the gates of Limetown, Tennessee, a town of 300 built
around a neuroscience facility that houses scientists, researchers, and their families. Three days pass before security allows them in — and when they do, everyone has disappeared. The podcast is filled with intrigue and mystery, so if you enjoy Shining Girls, you'll enjoy this too. And after you've finished listening, check out Facebook Watch's screen adaptation starring Jessica Biel. Listen here.
Podcast, audiobook, and movie rolled into one, Shipworm is unlike anything you've heard before. Fans of Shining Girls' compelling mix of mystery and sci-fi will love this feature-length audio thriller. After waking up with an earpiece implanted in his head, former Army doctor Wallace Conway realizes he needs
to obey a voice known as The Conductor if he wants to keep his family alive. Only told that he is "the most important person in the world," Wallace is instructed to carry out several strange and unsettling tasks. It doesn't take long for shifting realities to converge, leaving us wondering if The Conductor exists — or if it's all in his head. Listen here.
This one is a true story, not fiction, but if you're looking for a mystery with a satisfying ending that made a true impact on society, you might want to check out Bear Brook. In 1985, bodies were found in a blue barrel in the woods — and 20 years later, the exact same thing happened in the same place. This New
Hampshire Public Radio podcast follows the case as detectives try to piece together what happened. This one will keep you guessing until the very end.
Added Mystery: The Bear Brook case was solved using then-groundbreaking genetic and genealogy techniques that paved the way for future cases. Listen here.
15. Mabel
If you like a side of spooky with your mystery, this podcast is for you. Mabel combines ghosts, family secrets, and strange houses into a fantastical story you won't want to stop listening to. In an attempt to find family contact info for her ailing dementia patient Sally, live-in nurse Anna Limon explores the house,
discovering a box of letters in the attic. As she leaves messages for Sally's granddaughter Mabel, Anna begins having strange dreams and uncovering riddles throughout the house. She soon realizes there's more to the house and her charge than she had imagined.
There you have it! If you enjoyed Shining Girls, then you're in for a treat with these mystery books, movies, TV shows, and podcasts that blend sci-fi and mystery. From spine-tingling thrillers to time-twisting psychological dramas, there's something on this list for everyone. So curl up with your favorite blanket and get ready to be shocked, surprised, and entertained by your next favorite mystery.
