If you enjoy a heart-pounding, fast-paced read that keeps you on the edge of your seat, thrillers could be the right genre for you! Thrillers have high-stakes, action-packed plots and increasing tension that will keep you turning the pages in anticipation. The main characters in thrillers are in an almost constant state of danger, and conflict can arise from psychopaths, criminals, paranormal beings, and even worldwide pandemics and extreme weather events. Sometimes you as the reader may have knowledge that the protagonist doesn’t, which heightens the suspense even further and will have you hooked to the story from the very start.
The most popular type of thriller is the psychological thriller, in which two brilliant minds are pitted against each other in an intense battle of wits. Psychological thrillers focus mainly on the thought patterns of the characters and their unstable mental states. Although they are often highly intelligent, the characters in these stories are usually paranoid, obsessive, or suffer from some sort of distorted mental perception. Popular psychological thrillers include “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn, “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins, “The Woman in the Window” by A.J. Finn, “The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides, and books by Ruth Ware, B.A. Paris, and Lucy Foley.
Crime thrillers are another popular subgenre of thriller novels. Crime thrillers often center on serial killers, complex heists, kidnappings, ransoms, hostages, and other violent crimes. Revenge is a common theme in crime thrillers, and the characters, both good and bad, are gritty and usually have a complex, troubled past. The Millennium Series by Stieg Larson, the Cormoran Strike Series by Robert Galbraith, the Harry Hole Series by Jo Nesbo, the Will Trent Series by Karin Slaughter, and the Robert Langdon Series by Dan Brown are examples of crime thrillers.
There are also many other types of thrillers that may grab your interest. Techno-thrillers contain elements of science fiction and are usually set in the future (“One Second After” by William R. Forstchen). Medical thrillers feature medical professionals who are faced with a dangerous epidemic or a new medical advancement gone wrong (“Coma” by Robin Cook). Legal thrillers revolve around lawyers who represent clients whose livelihood is being threatened by an individual or corporation (books by John Grisham). Historical thrillers take place in the distant past and create suspenseful scenarios without the use of modern technology (“The Templar Legacy” by Steve Berry). Characters in military thrillers risk their lives in combat missions (books by Tom Clancy, “World War Z” by Max Brooks). Spy and political thrillers include themes such as political corruption, terrorism, and warfare (“American Assassin” by Vince Flynn, “The First Lady” by James Patterson). Supernatural thrillers contain elements of fantasy and horror and characters include vampires, werewolves, ghosts, witches, and other fantastical beings (“Pet Sematary” by Stephen King, “The Rise of Magicks” by Nora Roberts).
As you can see, there’s sure to be a thriller novel to appeal to almost anyone, regardless of your reading preferences. If you’re looking for a read that’s suspenseful and layered with plot twists, place a hold on a thriller for curbside pickup today!
-Audrey Clark
Fincastle Library
