Books Like Overqualified

Epistolary novels have been around for a long time, and as technology has improved, the genre has expanded to include more than letters. These days, epistolary novels can feature everything from online messages to e-mails, text messages, and much more. For example, Overqualified by Joey Comeau consists of a series of job application letters where instead of the usual information, the author instead includes ridiculous and irreverent stories about himself. For more novels where the story is conveyed via different types of messages, check out the following books like Overqualified. IlluminaeBy Amie Kaufman and Jay KristoffIlluminae is the first novel in The Illuminae Files series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. The setting is the year 2575 on a planet where two rival megacorporations are at war with each other. The story is told via a dossier of hacked documents, which includes everything from e-mails and maps to files, instant messages, medical reports, interviews, and more. Kady Grant is fortunate enough to escape the planet on one of three ships, but things are looking grim with the enemy closing in from behind, a deadly virus spreading through one of the ships, and the onboard AI seemingly going rogue. Kady hacks into a web of data to discover the truth, but much to her dismay, it looks like the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she just broke up with. SadieBy Courtney SummersSadie is an epistolary novel by Courtney Summers that is partially told via the unique medium of podcast transcripts. It is the tale of Sadie Hunter, a nineteen-year-old runaway who fled home after the brutal murder of her little sister, Mattie. West McCray is a popular radio personality who is drawn to her story after finding out that Sadie might be on a mission for revenge. Sadie has no idea that West is following in her footsteps as she sets out to hunt the killer armed with only a switchblade. The Twyford CodeBy Janice HallettThe Twyford Code by Janice Hallett is the story of Steven “Smithy” Smith and is told via the voice recordings he makes on an old iPhone. After discovering a copy of a famous children’s book as a child, Smithy shows it to his English teacher, Miss Illes. She believes that the disgraced author, Edith Twyford, had a secret code that ran through all of her novels, but then disappeared during a class field trip. Forty years later, Smithy leaves prison after a long stretch and decides it is time to investigate the mystery of Edith Twyford. In addition to visiting the people of his childhood, Smithy also looks back on the events that would eventually land him in prison. In the process, he discovers that the Twyford code indeed holds a great secret, and he might have found the key.84, Charing Cross RoadBy Helene Hanff84, Charing Cros Road by Helene Hanff is a classic love story between the author, Helene, a freelance writer in New York City, and Frank, a used-book dealer in London. Helene started her correspondence with Frank after searching for obscure classics and British literature that she couldn’t locate in New York. The two quickly bonded over their shared love for books and continued corresponding for 20 years. 84, Charing Cross Road is told via the letters that the two sent to each other over this period. Miernik DossierBy Charles McCarryMiernik Dossier is the first novel in the Paul Cristopher series by Charles McCarry. Paul is an American agent who is deep undercover in a world of double- and triple-crosses. He ends up as part of a group of international agents who embark on a road trip from Switzerland to Sudan. Amongst the interesting assortment of people is one who has their finger on the trigger of a terrorist threat that could heat up the Cold War. This puts a lot of pressure on Paul to find out who it is and put a stop to their plans. Miernik Dossier is told via the collection of dossier notes that Paul makes on the mission.AttachmentsBy Rainbow RowellAttachments by Rainbow Rowell is set at a newspaper office where Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder send each other endless e-mails discussing every aspect of their personal lives. While they know that it is company policy for someone to monitor their work e-mails they don’t take it very seriously. That someone is Lincoln O’Neill, who didn’t expect his position as internet security officer would involve having to snoop on other people’s e-mails. Initially, Lincoln is entertained and captivated by the messages exchanged between Beth and Jennifer, but then he begins to fall for Beth.     XXBy Rian Hughes XX by Rian Hughes tells the story of first contact with something of extraterrestrial origin via the use of redacted NASA reports, artwork, magazine articles, and secret transcripts. It begins with the detection of a mysterious signal by a Jodrell Band Observatory in England, followed by an artificial intelligence expert believing that his tech startup can interpret the message. Everyone is wondering if the signal itself is a form of alien life and if it is a threat, with this novel depicting what might happen in the wake of such a monumental discovery. EBy Matt BeaumontE by Matt Beaumont is the story of the employees of a London ad agency, that is told entirely via e-mail. Miller Shanks is an advertising firm that is eager to win Coca-Cola as a client and with billions on the line, they are pulling out all the stops. For the employees, it means plenty of bureaucratic, bungling, cutthroat maneuvers as well as lies and schemes as they all try to claw their way to the top of the company ladder.