Best Secret Identity Books

The highest-rated books featuring the Secret Identity trope, ranked by readers and listeners. Browse 50 titles across Fantasy, Romance, Thriller.

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Secret identity creates a delicious internal conflict: the character knows who they really are, but everyone around them doesn't. That gap between perception and truth generates constant tension—will they be discovered? What happens when they are? There's also an intimate payoff when someone finally sees all of them and accepts it. Whether the secret is a superpower, a criminal past, or a hidden nobility, it forces characters to grapple with shame, isolation, and the fear of rejection.

You'll find this trope everywhere: fantasy assassins masquerading as ordinary people, superheroes juggling double lives, horror characters hiding monstrous natures. Some books use it for high-stakes thriller tension; others explore the loneliness of being unknown. Expect reveals that change everything, found family who accepts the real person, and characters learning that hiding a part of yourself costs more than you think it will.

  1. 1
    Empire of Storms cover

    Empire of Storms

    Throne of Glass • Book 5

    by Sarah J. Maas

    More about this pick

    Aelin must unite kingdoms against Erawan's approaching army while grappling with the full cost of her fire magic and the keys needed to lock away evil forever.

    4.63 Goodreads (1.3M ratings)
  2. 2
    Queen of Shadows cover

    Queen of Shadows

    Throne of Glass • Book 4

    by Sarah J. Maas

    More about this pick

    Maas escalates the stakes as Aelin embraces her royal identity, orchestrating elaborate schemes to free her allies while preparing for magical war against tyrannical rule.

    4.62 Goodreads (1.4M ratings)
  3. 3
    The Will of the Many cover

    The Will of the Many

    Hierarchy • Book 1

    by James Islington

    More about this pick

    A young fugitive poses as an orphaned student at the Academy, but the Catenan Republic's power-draining Hierarchy holds darker secrets than murder.

    4.59 Goodreads (223.8K ratings)
  4. 4
    The Primal Hunter 7: A LitRPG Adventure cover

    The Primal Hunter 7: A LitRPG Adventure

    The Primal Hunter • Book 7

    by Zogarth

    More about this pick

    Politics complicate Jake's alchemy studies at the Order as he conceals his connection to the Viper while dealing with vampire merchants and mandatory social events. Zogarth balances character growth with world-building.

    4.57 Goodreads (10.2K ratings)
  5. 5
    He Who Fights with Monsters 4 cover

    He Who Fights with Monsters 4

    He Who Fights with Monsters • Book 4

    by Shirtaloon

    More about this pick

    Jason's reverse-portal story tackles the classic question of whether you can go home again when you've fundamentally changed. The family secrets and hidden supernatural world reveal add fresh layers to this familiar setup.

    4.49 Goodreads (23.2K ratings)
  6. 6
    Fool's Assassin cover

    Fool's Assassin

    Fitz and the Fool • Book 1

    by Robin Hobb

    More about this pick

    Behind Tom Badgerlock's respectable middle age lurks FitzChivalry Farseer's violent past as royal bastard, beast-magic user, and trained killer.

    4.43 Goodreads (66.7K ratings)
  7. 7
    Quicksilver cover

    Quicksilver

    The Fae & Alchemy Series • Book 1

    by Callie Hart

    More about this pick

    Water thief Saeris survives in an unforgiving desert until she breaks an ancient seal and unleashes magical chaos on her world. Hart builds a richly imagined fantasy world where water is currency and magic comes with deadly consequences.

    4.32 Goodreads (889.6K ratings)
  8. 8
    Reign of Madness cover

    Reign of Madness

    King's Dark Tidings • Book 2

    by Kel Kade

    More about this pick

    The mysterious warrior Rezkin continues hunting for clues about his purpose and past while his supernatural abilities make him a target in an increasingly hostile world.

    4.45 Goodreads (19.3K ratings)
  9. 9
    Prince's Gambit cover

    Prince's Gambit

    Captive Prince • Book 2

    by C.S. Pacat

    More about this pick

    Damen and Laurent's deadly chess match continues on the battlefield, where political machinations blur the line between enemy and ally in this tension-filled middle volume.

    4.37 Goodreads (92.7K ratings)
  10. 10
    Mark of the Fool 4 cover

    Mark of the Fool 4

    Mark of the Fool • Book 4

    by J.M. Clarke

    More about this pick

    Alex Roth leads a university expedition to investigate the Ravener in Greymoor's dangerous hills, but ancient forces beyond training await. Clarke balances magical education with genuine cosmic horror as the Hero of Thameland emerges.

    4.51 Goodreads (5.9K ratings)
  11. 11
    The King of Attolia cover

    The King of Attolia

    The Queen's Thief • Book 3

    by Megan Whalen Turner

    More about this pick

    The former Thief of Eddis has won his queen and crown, but ruling Attolia means surviving courtiers who see him as weak—a dangerous miscalculation.

    4.38 Goodreads (43.5K ratings)
  12. 12
    Starsight cover

    Starsight

    Skyward • Book 2

    by Brandon Sanderson

    More about this pick

    Pilot Spensa infiltrates the alien Superiority to steal hyperdrive technology, posing as one of their own while her people remain trapped on their besieged planet.

    4.34 Goodreads (109.9K ratings)
  13. 13
    Royal Assassin cover

    Royal Assassin

    The Farseer Trilogy • Book 2

    by Robin Hobb

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    Crippled from his first mission, royal bastard Fitz must navigate deadly court politics and face the Red Ship Raiders, whose soulless Forged victims terrorize the coastlands while civil war threatens the Six Duchies.

    4.29 Goodreads (247.8K ratings)
  14. 14
    The Assassin's Blade cover

    The Assassin's Blade

    Throne of Glass #0.1-0.5

    by Sarah J. Maas

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    Five novellas chronicle Celaena's missions for the Assassin's Guild and her doomed romance with fellow killer Sam, setting up the heartbreak that defines her character.

    4.20 Goodreads (1.2M ratings)
  15. 15
    Mark of the Fool 8 cover

    Mark of the Fool 8

    Mark of the Fool • Book 8

    by J.M. Clarke

    More about this pick

    Alex Roth's world crumbles when terrible revelations force him to question everything about the Ravener cycle and hunt the secret priests threatening his survival.

    4.49 Goodreads (3.8K ratings)
  16. 16
    Alanna: The First Adventure cover

    Alanna: The First Adventure

    Tortall • Book 4

    by Tamora Pierce

    More about this pick

    Twins trade places so Alanna can train for knighthood while her brother studies magic, launching a beloved fantasy series about courage, friendship, and breaking societal barriers in Pierce's richly detailed medieval world.

    4.27 Goodreads (137.2K ratings)
  17. 17
    Assassin's Quest cover

    Assassin's Quest

    The Farseer Trilogy • Book 3

    by Robin Hobb

    More about this pick

    Rising from apparent death, Fitz must track the missing King Verity while Prince Regal destroys the kingdom from within. Hobb's trilogy conclusion tests her protagonist's loyalty, identity, and sanity in a desperate quest for restoration.

    4.22 Goodreads (199.3K ratings)
  18. 18
    Wizard in Exile cover

    Wizard in Exile

    Wrath of the Stormking • Book 1

    by Michael G. Manning

    More about this pick

    The townsfolk think Kelvin is just another war refugee working as their cook, unaware he's the supposedly dead storm mage Will Cartwright. Manning builds intrigue around a powerful wizard living in deliberate obscurity.

    4.50 Goodreads (1.8K ratings)
  19. 19
    The Priory of the Orange Tree cover

    The Priory of the Orange Tree

    The Roots of Chaos • Book 1

    by Samantha Shannon

    More about this pick

    Ancient dragons stir as Queen Sabran struggles to conceive the heir needed to protect her realm from destruction. Shannon weaves Eastern and Western dragon mythology into an epic standalone fantasy exploring duty, sacrifice, and the cost of power.

    4.17 Goodreads (286.2K ratings)
  20. 20
    The Guy on the Left cover

    The Guy on the Left

    The Underdogs • Book 2

    by Kate Stewart

    4.32 Goodreads (8.9K ratings)
  21. 21
    Us cover

    Us

    Him • Book 2

    by Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy

    4.23 Goodreads (57.6K ratings)
  22. 22
    Agent Zero cover

    Agent Zero

    Agent Zero • Book 1

    by Jack Mars

    More about this pick

    College professor Kent Steele's quiet academic life explodes when killers target him, triggering suppressed memories that suggest he's actually a highly trained government operative with erased past.

    4.29 Goodreads (10.6K ratings)
  23. 23
    Zealot's Eleventh Crusade cover

    Zealot's Eleventh Crusade

    Divine Apostasy • Book 11

    by A.F. Kay

    More about this pick

    Transformed into Ruin Val'dor within the Destruction Realm, the former Ruwen Starfield must navigate noble bloodline politics while fighting for his humanity. Dark fantasy that questions the cost of power.

    4.55 Goodreads (1.0K ratings)
  24. 24
    The Way of Shadows cover

    The Way of Shadows

    Night Angel • Book 1

    by Brent Weeks

    More about this pick

    Guild rat Azoth trades his name and innocence to become apprentice to Durzo Blint, the city's most skilled wetboy, learning that assassination demands sacrificing everything he once was.

    4.15 Goodreads (177.4K ratings)
  25. 25
    The Bourne Supremacy cover

    The Bourne Supremacy

    Jason Bourne • Book 2

    by Robert Ludlum

    More about this pick

    Bourne faces his most personal threat yet—someone else has stolen his identity and is killing in his name, forcing him back into a world he desperately wanted to escape.

    4.11 Goodreads (182.5K ratings)
  26. 26
    Stay of Execution cover

    Stay of Execution

    ONSET • Book 4

    by Glynn Stewart

    More about this pick

    The Vampire War's bloody end leaves America reeling from nuclear devastation, while the crumbling Masquerade threatens to expose the supernatural world completely.

    4.43 Goodreads (1.2K ratings)
  27. 27
    Graceling cover

    Graceling

    Graceling Realm • Book 1

    by Kristin Cashore

    More about this pick

    Born with the Grace of killing, Katsa serves as her uncle's thug until Prince Po shows her how to fight for justice instead of tyranny. Cashore creates a fantasy where deadly power becomes a tool for liberation.

    4.06 Goodreads (481.3K ratings)
  28. 28
    Orphan X cover

    Orphan X

    Orphan X • Book 1

    by Gregg Hurwitz

    More about this pick

    Government-trained assassin becomes underground helper for the truly desperate, but old enemies want their weapon back. Hurwitz creates a killer with a conscience in this action-packed thriller debut.

    4.14 Goodreads (56.7K ratings)
  29. 29
    Penric’s Demon cover

    Penric’s Demon

    Penric and Desdemona (Publication order) • Book 1

    by Lois McMaster Bujold

    4.20 Goodreads (12.8K ratings)
  30. 30
    The Bourne Identity cover

    The Bourne Identity

    Jason Bourne Series • Book 1

    by Robert Ludlum

    More about this pick

    Jason Bourne wakes with amnesia, millions in Swiss banks, and killers hunting him—but no memory of why he knows seventeen ways to kill with his hands.

    4.05 Goodreads (442.1K ratings)
  31. 31
    Fearless cover

    Fearless

    The Powerless Trilogy • Book 3

    by Lauren Roberts

    More about this pick

    After killing the king, Paedyn faces an unexpected proposal from his son Kitt rather than execution. Roberts concludes her trilogy by exploring whether love can bridge the divide between Ordinaries and Elites.

    4.05 Goodreads (401.6K ratings)
  32. 32
    Angels & Demons cover

    Angels & Demons

    Robert Langdon Series • Book 1

    by Dan Brown

    More about this pick

    Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon has four hours to stop antimatter from vaporizing Vatican City while the mysterious Illuminati resurface. Brown combines science, religion, and relentless pacing through Rome's darkest secrets.

    3.96 Goodreads (3.4M ratings)
  33. 33
    The Watcher cover

    The Watcher

    Men of Hidden Justice • Book 4

    by Melanie Moreland

    More about this pick

    Damien DeSalvo runs security while secretly coordinating vigilante justice until protecting terrorized Raven Bailey becomes personal. Moreland combines romantic tension with dangerous conspiracies as the watcher becomes emotionally invested.

    4.39 Goodreads (1.2K ratings)
  34. 34
    The Likeness cover

    The Likeness

    Dublin Murder Squad • Book 2

    by Tana French

    More about this pick

    When Cassie finds a corpse bearing her face and fake ID, she must go undercover as the dead woman to infiltrate a group of graduate students living like it's still the 1920s.

    4.06 Goodreads (181.9K ratings)
  35. 35
    A Secret Love cover

    A Secret Love

    Cynster • Book 5

    by Stephanie Laurens

    More about this pick

    The boldest Cynster brother yet, Gabriel has known many women but loved none—until a mysterious lady in a black veil seeks his protection. Laurens crafts passionate Regency romance with mystery.

    4.17 Goodreads (10.1K ratings)
  36. 36
    The Half-Hearted Queen cover

    The Half-Hearted Queen

    The Shattered King • Book 2

    by Charlie N. Holmberg

    More about this pick

    Political intrigue weaves through dark fantasy as a captured protagonist navigates forbidden love while kingdoms clash around her. Holmberg balances intimate emotional stakes with sweeping magical warfare.

    4.25 Goodreads (3.1K ratings)
  37. 37
    Cyrano de Bergerac cover

    Cyrano de Bergerac

    by Edmond Rostand, Lowell Bair, Eteel Lawson

    More about this pick

    The greatest swordsman in France loves Roxane from afar, using his wit and poetry to woo her for another man in this immortal story of sacrifice and beauty.

    4.06 Goodreads (91.6K ratings)
  38. 38
    In the Shadow of Love cover

    In the Shadow of Love

    Shadow • Book 2

    by J.E. Leak

    More about this pick

    Reporter Jenny Ryan's attraction to a sultry nightclub singer leads her into both love at first sight and dangerous OSS espionage during World War II.

    4.44 Goodreads (551 ratings)
  39. 39
    Eye Spy cover

    Eye Spy

    Valdemar: Family Spies • Book 2

    by Mercedes Lackey

    More about this pick

    Heralds Mags and Amily's daughter Abidela seeks to build on her spy parents' legacy while new threats emerge to challenge Valdemar's carefully maintained peace.

    4.18 Goodreads (3.1K ratings)
  40. 40
    The Crown Jewel Mystery cover

    The Crown Jewel Mystery

    Sherlock Holmes and Lucy James Mystery #0.5 • Book 4

    by Anna Elliott, Charles Veley

    More about this pick

    An unknown American actress seeking her identity crosses paths with Holmes on the trail of a criminal mastermind in this series prequel. Elliott and Veley set up their partnership with Victorian atmosphere and the promise of cases that will challenge them both.

    4.27 Goodreads (1.1K ratings)
  41. 41
    Ritual of Ruin (King's Dark Tidings Book 7) cover

    Ritual of Ruin (King's Dark Tidings Book 7)

    King's Dark Tidings • Book 7

    by Kel Kade

    More about this pick

    Hidden from the world, Rezkin and Azeria seek forgotten weapons from the legendary Demon War to stand against Caydean's supernatural forces. Kade weaves ancient mysteries into modern magical warfare with satisfying complexity.

    4.24 Goodreads (1.4K ratings)
  42. 42
    The Wolf's Hour cover

    The Wolf's Hour

    Michael Gallatin • Book 1

    by Robert McCammon

    More about this pick

    British agent Michael Gallatin uses his werewolf abilities to infiltrate Nazi Germany and uncover the Iron Fist plot threatening D-Day. McCammon creates a supernatural World War II thriller that balances visceral transformation scenes with espionage intrigue.

    4.09 Goodreads (12.3K ratings)
  43. 43
    The Understatement of the Year cover

    The Understatement of the Year

    The Ivy Years • Book 3

    by Sarina Bowen

    4.06 Goodreads (22.3K ratings)
  44. 44
    Reaping the Benefits cover

    Reaping the Benefits

    by E.J. Noyes

    More about this pick

    Morgan works in the afterlife administration department and has a crush on her human employee Jane, who's about to learn the truth about her boss's otherworldly job.

    4.22 Goodreads (1.3K ratings)
  45. 45
    Trumps of Doom cover

    Trumps of Doom

    The Chronicles of Amber • Book 6

    by Roger Zelazny

    More about this pick

    Computer designer by day, prince of Amber by birthright—Merlin's two worlds collide when assassination attempts force him into Shadow. Zelazny blends contemporary San Francisco with interdimensional politics.

    4.06 Goodreads (16.4K ratings)
  46. 46
    Whiskey & Roses cover

    Whiskey & Roses

    Xander King • Book 1

    by Bradley Wright

    More about this pick

    A grieving son secretly becomes the CIA's most lethal weapon while plotting revenge against his parents' murderers—Wright builds a compelling dual identity thriller.

    4.15 Goodreads (2.9K ratings)
  47. 47
    Black Talon cover

    Black Talon

    Dragonblood Assassin • Book 1

    by Jaime Castle, Andy Peloquin

    More about this pick

    Imperial assassin Kullen and his dragon Umbris witness the Crimson Fang kill two noblemen, launching an investigation that uncovers lies at the heart of the Empire. The soul-forged dragon bond adds depth to this political fantasy thriller.

    4.20 Goodreads (1.5K ratings)
  48. 48
    The Hunter from the Woods cover

    The Hunter from the Woods

    Michael Gallatin • Book 2

    by Robert McCammon, Vincent Chong

    More about this pick

    Michael Gallatin, the werewolf hero of 'The Wolf's Hour,' prowls through interconnected stories that reveal new dimensions of his character. McCammon uses multiple vignettes to build a complete portrait of his supernatural protagonist.

    4.20 Goodreads (1.3K ratings)
  49. 49
    Pathfinder cover

    Pathfinder

    Pathfinder • Book 1

    by Orson Scott Card

    More about this pick

    Time isn't linear when you can see every path a person has ever walked, and Rigg's strange gift threatens to unravel his world's carefully hidden secrets. Card builds a fascinating magic system around temporal perception and consequence.

    4.01 Goodreads (25.1K ratings)
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    About That Kiss cover

    About That Kiss

    by Harper Bliss

    More about this pick

    Fading Hollywood star Ida Burton lands a leading role in a lesbian romantic comedy that offers more than career revival—it's her chance to finally live authentically. Bliss explores the costs of staying closeted in the spotlight.

    4.08 Goodreads (4.5K ratings)