What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedWhat Was She Thinking?
Zoë Heller · Book · 2003
If you loved What Was She Thinking?, start with Notes on a Scandal (Richard Eyre, 2006) — a film on the same thread. Below: 2 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to What Was She Thinking? across media.
If you were captivated by What Was She Thinking?, you will love these stories exploring the corrosive power of obsession.
Films on the same thread
Notes on a Scandal
Richard Eyre · Film · 2006
Explores: Obsession, Manipulation, Power Dynamics.
This film adaptation serves as the direct mirror to What Was She Thinking?, capturing the exact same unsettling dynamic of a lonely woman weaponizing her friend’s scandalous forbidden affair.
Single White Female
Barbet Schroeder · Film · 1992
Shares a thread with What Was She Thinking?: Psychological Thriller.
Much like the toxic friendship found in What Was She Thinking?, this story explores how a predatory intruder can dismantle a woman’s life through calculated manipulation and deep-seated obsession.
Series on the same thread
My Brilliant Friend
Saverio Costanzo · Series · 2018
Explores: Female Friendship, Childhood, Memory.
The complex, lifelong bond between women in this series echoes the literary exploration of friendship in What Was She Thinking?, grounding intense personal secrets within a deeply intimate narrative structure.
Am I Being Unreasonable?
Selin Hizli · Series · 2022
Shares 2 threads with What Was She Thinking?: Dark Comedy, Psychological Thriller.
If the social isolation and dark humor of What Was She Thinking? resonated, you will appreciate how this series depicts the high cost of seeking connection in a stifling environment.
Unchosen
Julie Gearey · Series · 2026
Explores: Forbidden Desire, Secrets and Lies, Escapism.
This series mirrors the themes of forbidden desire and hidden secrets that drive the narrative of What Was She Thinking?, showcasing how risky affairs inevitably unravel a carefully constructed life.
Prime Suspect
Lynda La Plante · Series · 1991
Shares a thread with What Was She Thinking?: Psychological Thriller.
Fans of the relentless, singular focus found in What Was She Thinking? will recognize the same uncompromising ambition and obsessive drive in this portrait of a woman battling institutional barriers.
Podcasts on the same thread
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Esther Perel Global Media · Podcast · 2026
Explores: infidelity, emotional vulnerability, human connection.
For those fascinated by the psychological dissection of infidelity in What Was She Thinking?, this podcast provides a raw, real-world window into the complexities of desire and emotional vulnerability.
The Shrink Next Door
Audible | Bloomberg · Podcast · 2026
This investigation into a therapist’s manipulation mirrors the unsettling power dynamics of What Was She Thinking?, highlighting how easily one person can insidiously dominate the life of another.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the premise of What Was She Thinking?
What Was She Thinking? follows Barbara Covett, a lonely schoolteacher who forms a friendship with a new art teacher named Sheba Hart. The narrative unfolds as Barbara records the story of Sheba's illicit affair with a pupil, revealing personal details about their lives and the nature of their bond.
Who is the main character in What Was She Thinking?
The central character in What Was She Thinking? is Barbara Covett, a solitary schoolteacher who lives alone with her cat, Portia. Her perspective drives the novel as she documents the events surrounding her new friend Sheba Hart and the scandal involving a student at their school.
Is What Was She Thinking? told from a single point of view?
Yes, What Was She Thinking? is told from the perspective of Barbara Covett. As she records the story of her best friend Sheba Hart, Barbara reveals more about her own solitary life and internal thoughts than she perhaps intends to disclose through her account of the affair.
How does the friendship start in What Was She Thinking?
In What Was She Thinking?, the friendship begins when Sheba Hart joins the staff at St. George’s as a new art teacher. Barbara Covett, who has lived a solitary existence with few friends, senses an opportunity for companionship and initiates a relationship with her new colleague.