If you loved
What Was She Thinking?
Zoë Heller · Book · 2003
If you were captivated by What Was She Thinking?, you will enjoy these stories exploring the destructive consequences of obsessive female intimacy.
Films on the same thread
Notes on a Scandal
Richard Eyre · Film · 2006
Explores: Obsession, Manipulation, Power Dynamics.
As the direct adaptation of What Was She Thinking?, this film captures the same chilling power dynamics and manipulative obsession that define Barbara and Sheba’s toxic, ill-fated connection.
Series on the same thread
Am I Being Unreasonable?
Selin Hizli · Series · 2022
Shares 2 threads with What Was She Thinking?: Dark Comedy, Psychological Thriller.
Much like the unraveling social isolation in What Was She Thinking?, this series explores how a new, intense female friendship can mask deep-seated secrets and personal instability.
Podcasts on the same thread
Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel
Esther Perel Global Media · Podcast · 2026
Explores: infidelity, emotional vulnerability, human connection.
If the illicit affairs and raw emotional vulnerability in What Was She Thinking? kept you hooked, these real-life therapeutic dialogues offer a profound, non-fiction look into similar relationship betrayals.
The Shrink Next Door
Audible | Bloomberg · Podcast · 2026
This podcast mirrors the unsettling psychological control found in What Was She Thinking?, exposing how a seemingly ordinary connection can transform into a disturbing, long-term manipulation of personal boundaries.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is What Was She Thinking? told from the perspective of the teacher involved in the affair?
No, What Was She Thinking? is narrated by Barbara Covett, a lonely schoolteacher who records the story of her best friend Sheba Hart. Barbara observes and documents Sheba’s affair with a pupil at St. George’s school rather than being the participant herself.
What is the role of Barbara Covett in What Was She Thinking?
Barbara Covett is the protagonist and narrator of What Was She Thinking? She is a solitary schoolteacher who initially seeks friendship with her new colleague, Sheba Hart. Barbara eventually reveals more than she intends while documenting the details of Sheba's illicit relationship with a student.
Does What Was She Thinking? focus on the relationship between two teachers?
Yes, What Was She Thinking? centers on the complex dynamic between two teachers at St. George’s, Barbara Covett and Sheba Hart. The narrative follows their developing friendship and how Barbara’s perspective shifts as she records the story of Sheba’s affair with a pupil.
Is What Was She Thinking? a story about a teacher’s solitary life?
What Was She Thinking? explores the life of Barbara Covett, a schoolteacher who leads a solitary existence with only her cat for company. The novel tracks how her life changes when she attempts to form a friendship with a new teacher, Sheba Hart, at her school.