I've got a new interest in thrillers. Or crime stories/horrors. Whatever. Any suggestions on what to read? A lot that I've seen seem like they're aimed at older-than-15's. I mean, I don't get disturbed too easily, but if the content's way too... you know, horrific or something, then I'd probably leave it half way read. So, suggestions? What about, I can't recall the name exactly - Dead Game? or was it death game? I think it's new... Oh, and just out of curiosity, how addicting was the book? (So I know to start reading it Friday night instead of the middle of the week)
I enjoyed the Alex Cross series by James Patterson, and if When the Wind Blows / The Lake House by the same author count as well, then I'm putting them in.
Ooh, this is a hard one. Pretty much all I read is either thriller or crime. My ultimate favorite author would be Vince Flynn. All of his novels are of the espionage/political thriller genre, and all, IMO, are quite fantastic. His first novel, Term Limits, is a stand-alone, but all the rest of his are part of the Mitch Rapp series. However, they do not need to be read in order [though I'd suggest reading Extreme Measures right before Pursuit of Honor, as PoH is a continuation of EM (but still unnecessary to read in order, as PoH does give enough background)], but if you do, his latest book, American Assassin, is chronologically the first book, as it goes back to Mitch Rapp's beginnings. So it's up to you if you want to read it first or last. Just as a warning, some other reviews of AA have complained about the grammar/etc. errors [which is mostly the editor's fault], though I don't find them all that distracting, as well as the fact that there isn't quite as much action in this book as usual, as it is more concerned with the training and overall character of Rapp, something I love. For more like him there's Tom Clancy [his Dead or Alive was fabulous, but long, as are all his books] and Brad Thor, who are also very, very good authors. Then there's also Steven Hunter and his Bob Lee Swagger -- a USMC Sniper -- series. I really enjoyed Point of Impact [the first in the series, also made into a movie under the title Shooter starring Mark Wahlberg], which is crime/thriller and quite enjoyable. For a book that has a lot of characterization, and somewhat little action, but is very good: Last Man Standing, by David Baldacci. Another really, really good crime/thriller book that I recently read was The Town [also published as Prince of Thieves], by Chuck Hogan -- there was a movie made about it recently which you may have seen with Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner. This also has a lot of characterization with Doug [the main character], but it was very well written, IMO. For a good legal thriller, the only one I have read would be Secret Sanction, by Brian Haig, which I really enjoyed. I thought legal thrillers might be kinda boring, but after I read this, I decided I would try some others [Michael Connelly, John Grisham, Steve Martini, etc.], which I will read some time. Now for some more "classic" crime authors: Agatha Christie, Ed McBain, and Dorothy Sayers. Christie's Poirot series is very good, and her other novels are good as well [my favorite by her would be And Then There Were None]. Ed McBain's 87th Precinct series is good, and long -- over 50 books. Dorothy Sayers has a good detective series as well. Other than that, there's people like Edgar Allan Poe, Alfred Hitchcock, etc., but those two can get a little "horrific," I guess. Maybe? Hope that helps.
I really liked The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as a crime story. The sequels, though, don't really match up IMO.
I would have to say Without Remorse by Tom Clancy is one of the best thriller/crime novels I have ever read and easily one of the most addicting. Its got the right ammount of everything.
I really love Kill me if you can by by James Patterson - it's number 2 on this list of the best thriller books of 2011. Matthew Bannon, a New York City art student is constantly trying to escape the Russian Mafia and assassins after having found a bag of diamonds. I highly recommend it. The Author, James Patterson, is one of my favorites as well.
Thriller - Marathon Man by William Goldman. If you like paranoid, insane thrillers then this one is for you! It was a real pageturner, but actually had some character development. There is also a movie. If you want horror, then you should try Edgar Allan Poe - definately my favorite horror writer. I especially recommend the story The Tell-Tale Heart. I'm currently reading Bram Stoker's Dracula, and it's really good too.
