A thriller’s a thriller, right? Wrong! Very different things set each reader’s pulse racing. Here are some of our favorite writers in a wide array of suspenseful fiction, with suggestions for further reading; tune in next week for part 2.
- Jeff Abbott writes relentless, high octane intrigue with action on every page. Also try: Robert Ludlum, James Patterson, Thomas Perry, Ridley Pearson, Andrew Grant, and Rick Mofina.
Louis Bayard writes atmospheric historical suspense that vividly evokes distant places and ideas. Also try: Arturo Perez-Reverte, S. J. Parris, Rebecca Stott, David Pirie, David Liss, Francis Cottam, Iain Pears and Michael Cox.- Ted Bell writes swashbuckling adventures in which superspy Alex Hawke saves the world. Also try: Clive Cussler, Ian Fleming, James Rollins, Matthew Reilly, Jeff Long, Lincoln Child, Richard Doetsch, William Dietrich and Forrest DeVoe.
- Chelsea Cain writes gruesome, grimly sardonic thrillers that peer within the twisted brains of serial killers. Also try: Jeffery Deaver, James Patterson, Jane Casey, Anne Holt, Alan Jacobson, Jack Kerley, Thomas Harris, Mark Billingham, Karin Slaughter and Jeffry P. Lindsay.
Mike Carey writes supernatural thrillers featuring the hardboiled freelance exorcist Felix Castor. Also try: Dean Koontz, F. Paul Wilson, Jim Butcher, John Connolly, Charlie Huston, Ted Dekker, Michael Koryta, and Félix J. Palma.- Marcia Clark writes morally complex legal thrillers that explore the gray areas between good and evil. Also try: Scott Turow, John Hart, William Landay, Greg Iles, Linda Fairstein, Richard North Patterson and Sheldon Siegel.
- Charles Cumming writes intelligent contemporary spy fiction with three-dimensional morally-conflicted characters. Also try: JohnLe Carré, Chris Morgan Jones, Adrian Magson, Olen Steinhauer, Alex Dryden, David Ignatius, Charles McCarry, Dan Fesperman, and Gerald Seymour.
David Ellis writes swiftly-paced legal thrillers with action that extends well beyond the courtroom. Also try: John Grisham, Steve Martini, Justin Peacock, Robert Dugoni, William Lashner, Joseph Finder, and Phillip Margolin.- Gillian Flynn writes creepy psychological suspense that explores the dark places in our minds. Also try: Stieg Larsson, Chevy Stevens, Elizabeth Haynes, Natsuo Kirino, Nicci French, Cornelia Read, S. J. Watson, and Patricia Highsmith.
- Lisa Gardner writes swiftly-paced romantic suspense often involving forensic criminal investigation. Also try: Iris Johansen, Tami Hoag, Tess Gerritsen, Catherine Coulter, Sandra Brown, Meg Gardiner, April Smith and Lisa Jackson.
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