Thrillers & Suspense

In these closely-related genres, a sense of menace permeates the books from early on, with this unease building to a climax. Action drives the stories and dangers beset the characters at every turn. In Suspense, we see the action from both the hero's and the villain's points of view, so we know more than the hero. We feel the protagonist's plight and anticipate his discoveries as he seeks the sinister cause of a deadly threat. In Thrillers we become insiders — spies, doctors, scientists, lawyers — as the story is worked out against the background of the protagonist's profession.

Pacing is the most important element in these engrossing stories. Readers are pulled into the story very quickly and keep turning pages until the very end. Apprehension and a building of tension force readers to read quickly to discover how the plot will be resolved. The action often takes place within a short time frame, with the days, hours, or even minutes indicated at the start of chapters to underline the urgency. Even if the time frame is longer, we feel as if the books move very quickly — faster than normal time — toward some dangerous deadline. These books are cinematic in scope and are often made into movies. Endings are resolved with the protagonist safe. (NoveList)

Thriller & Suspense authors include:

...and more

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