Thriller (or Suspense) books put a character (usually the MC) in jeopardy. This genre generally includes cliffhangers, escape, shocking twists, and more. The threat to the MC can be physical or psychological.
There are some subgenres of thrillers including Psychological Thrillers, Crime Thrillers, Spy Thrillers, Techno Thrillers, and Historical Thrillers.
Some examples of Thriller books include Gone Girl, Home Before Dark, and The Push.
Stay Awake by Megan Goldin
Megan Goldin’s Stay Awake is an electrifying novel that plays with memory and murder.
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
The Last House on Needless Street is a dark and disturbing story.
The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
The small town of Neapolis is being torn apart by a devastating rape trial.
The Hidden by Alison Knight
Secrets, Nightmares, and a Big Black Dog
The Other Family by Wendy Corsi Staub
A family making a fresh start moves into a house which was the site of an unsolved triple homicide--and are watched by an unknown person...
A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw
A richly atmospheric story following three residents of a secluded, seemingly peaceful commune as they investigate the disappearances of two outsiders.
Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff
When two hardscrabble young boys think they’ve committed a crime, they flee into the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Will the adults trying to find and protect them reach them before it’s too late?
Trail of the Jaguar by Jonathan Hanson
Biologist and wildlife photographer Clayton Porter witnesses what appears to be a routine drug-smuggling flight across the Arizona-Mexico border.
The Cuts that Cure by Arthur Herbert
Alex Brantley is a burned-out surgeon whose desperation to start a new life outside of medicine leads him to settle in a sleepy Texas town close to the Mexican border, a town that has a dark side.