In this article, we’ll also break down the different genres and subgenres out there, the elements of each, and wrap it up with great suggestions of some of the best suspense thriller novels out there today.

What’s the difference between thriller and suspense genres? Let’s start with what you will typically find in domestic thriller books (often analyzed in thriller book reviews). According to Writers Digest, “thrillers are typically the most emotional, focusing on the fear, doubt and dread of the hero as she faces some form of what Dean Koontz has deemed “terrible trouble.” This genre is a hybrid of mystery and horror. However, the thriller also shares a literary lineage with the epic and myth. Monsters, terror and peril prevail.”

Let’s explore what this means further and how best thriller authors create some of the best thriller books of all time. A thriller book, at its core, contains the following elements:

• As with many of the best fiction books of all time, a crime is about to be committed.
• The perpetrator is likely known, yet the hero cannot accept the truth of his/her guilt. Particularly in psychological suspense thriller books (a subgenre of thriller)
• As the hero tries to stop the next horrific act, s/he is under constant attack.
• The villain often targets the hero’s particular weakness
• The best psychological thriller books (a subgenre of thriller), the threat is more intimate, there are many twists, and character is more important than pacing.

Since phycological thrillers were mentioned, let’s go a bit deeper on that, to understand what this subgenre entails. According to an article in Masterclass, the best psychological thriller novels:

• Explores the psychology of its characters
• Revolve around minds and behavior
• It can include themes of mental illness, substance abuse, etc..
• Often involve plot twists.

Now let’s explore domestic suspense a little closer, and why they are so close to fitting in with the thriller genre:

According to dailywritingtips.com, thriller mystery books can be categorized as follows:

• Mystery: In some of the best mystery books, the main plot is to solve a crime, and the main character may not be in that much danger him/herself.
• Thriller: As some of the best books in 2020 show, in a thriller novel, “The protagonist is in danger from the outset.”
• Suspense: The danger may build, or at least the main character might become aware of it, gradually. “In a suspense story, the reader is aware of things unknown to the protagonist.”

What is domestic suspense, and how do you fit into it? As showcased in some of the best suspense books of all time, domestic suspense novels have:

• A female protagonist
• Are often dark in theme
• Involves a relationship as a key element in the story. This relationship can be a romantic one or a family/friendship/other type.
• Some of the best domestic suspense novelists out there now include Colleen Hoover (who also writes in other genres, but see the Verity summary below), Shari Lapena, with her novel, The Couple Next door, and many others. See below for more details.

As you can tell, these genres and subgenres overlap in many areas. It’s no wonder why these novels sit in many of these categories on the virtual bookstore shelves. You’ll even see them overlap with romance (romantic suspense), women’s fiction, and many others. No matter which category you found them in, you are sure to find an incredible author whose books you can enjoy for years to come. And they always make for a great summer read!  

Allow me to highlight some of the best thriller novels of all time and the best suspense books of all time:

Gone Girl. Gillian Flynn, the author of Sharp Objects, about a reporter who returns to her hometown after a murder, also wrote Gone Girl. Gone Girl is told from two different points of view:

• A woman who disappeared
• Her husband, the suspect.

This novel was later adapted into film, showcasing the incredible character building, pacing, and plot twists. Through this novel and subsequent projects, Flynn quickly solidified herself as a heavyweight in this industry. Her book, Sharp Objects, was also picked up for film rights and had just as dark psychological elements in it as Gone Girl. I loved both of these novels, and if you haven’t picked them up yet, I highly recommend you do!

The Silent Patient. Yes, it’s a thriller, but it also a great love story in the Greek-tragedy sense of the term. At its heart are two people, both the patient and the psychologist, entangled in their own tragic romances. While this is a phycological thriller, it still has the heartbeat of love woven throughout it. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it!

Verity. Talk about Dark Romance, but also Domestic Suspense! What can happen when romance goes horribly wrong, and wonderfully right? Colleen Hoover keeps you on the edge of your seat this ENTIRE novel, from the opening scene to the last page, you are hooked, addicted to finding out what comes next. Colleen Hoover quickly became one of my all-time favorite authors, and I’m so grateful I stumbled across her work. If you haven’t read any of her books, I highly recommend them!

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins was absolutely incredible. Told from the point of view of a woman who struggles with addiction, and has a faulty memory because of it, her thoughts can’t always be relied upon. Did she really witness something she shouldn’t have? And if she did, is she in even more danger than she imagined?

I hope you found this article helpful and maybe found some new authors and novels to try!

Xoxo

Kathy Lockheart

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