I love a good thriller and it’s no secret that it has to be the ‘gritty’ kind. The kind that keeps me turning pages long after I should have gone to bed. The kind that makes me say, "Just one more chapter," before realising it's midnight.
What I don't enjoy is being so terrified that I have to put the book down to give myself some breathing space, or to actually start breathing again as I’ve realised I’ve held my breath for the past half hour while reading!
The good news is that not all thrillers are created equal.
If you're thriller-curious but don't want nightmares, start by looking for books described as "suspenseful" rather than "terrifying." Suspense tends to focus on tension, mystery and clever twists, while horror leans more heavily into fear, gore and things that go bump in the night.
Another clue is the setting. Domestic thrillers - stories about families, friendships and secrets - often rely more on psychological tension than graphic violence. Think hidden truths, and shocking revelations rather than serial killers lurking in dark alleys.
It is also wise to pay attention to the book cover. While it's not a perfect science, but probably not rocket science, covers featuring cosy houses, winding roads or moody landscapes are often less confronting than those featuring blood splatters, shadowy figures or ominous knives.
And don't be afraid to ask your bookseller. One person's "edge of your seat" is another person's "sleep with the lights on." We spend a lot of time matching readers with books and can usually point you towards thrillers that deliver excitement without requiring a recovery period afterwards. If a customer is looking for a crime novel, I always ask ‘how gritty” do they want to go. A cozy crime such as Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series is dramatically safer than Sebastian Fitzek’s (German’s top crime writer) psychological thrillers.
Some of my favourite thrillers are the ones that make me think rather than scream. They leave me trying to solve the puzzle, second-guessing every character and feeling just a little bit smug if I manage to work out the ending.
Because sometimes the best thrillers aren't the ones that scare the daylights out of us. They're the ones that quietly get under our skin and refuse to let go.
