Thriller novels - Page 3

Pulpmeister · 03-09-2013, 12:44 AM

Among the postwar Brits and similar:

Hammond Innes:
I can recommend The Angry Mountain, c 1949, which climaxes in a small village being swallowed by lava as Vesuvius blows its top. Innes was stationed nearby when the mountain blew catastrophically in 1945, and he used what he saw and experienced in this novel set a few years later.

Also Wreckers Must Breathe, a war thriller. (He wrote lots of others.)

Desmond Bagley is very reliable.

Early Alistair MacLean. (Caution: His writing fell away badly after Puppet on a Chain.)

Geoffrey Jenkins, South African writer, a good series in exotic locations.

Jack Higgins, although his later Sean Dillon novels became repetitive. His earlier ones are the right length, fast and tough. The Eagle has Landed. East of Desolation. Brought in Dead.

Joshua.P · 03-09-2013, 12:56 AM

On topic now: The Innocent by David Baldacci.

usuallee · 03-09-2013, 02:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I am questioning your logic. How did you come to the conclusion that this book is a thriller? What makes it such?

It is NOT a thriller. You may be thrilled to read it, but that doesn't make it a thriller. It is a mystery. I know some thrillers have mystery elements to them. But in this case, it's a mystery and not a thriller.

What are you, the Genre Police? The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo IS a thriller. Prove that it isn't. Sure, it's a mystery. It's also a thriller. Things can be more than one genre, you know. It's not a mutually exclusive sort of proposition.

Violence, characters in peril, serial killers, and an ominous vibe throughout equals "thriller" in my book. Maybe we could do a little poll, assuming anyone else is even interested in weighing in on such a stupid argument.

Rizla · 03-10-2013, 05:27 AM

I don't like the genre, but I loved Fatherland by Robert Harris and Shella by Andrew Vachss.

xg4bx · 03-10-2013, 02:31 PM

I don't read thrillers much but I do like Jeremy Robinson, his books seem to skew more towards the X-Files side than your standard thriller.

kcarscadden · 03-11-2013, 11:33 AM

Try any of the books by Gavin Lyall - all good.

Similar to Lee Child's Reacher books are John D MacDonald's Travis McGee books.

Kane · 03-11-2013, 10:10 PM

I haven't posted in a long time, but I thought I could contribute here.

I used to run a charity bookstore and I would always recommend the books published by the International Thriller Writers Association, as they are essentially samplers.

http://thrillerwriters.org/aboutitw/publications/

Hope this is helpful.

ExEmGe · 03-12-2013, 12:58 PM

Defining 'Thriller' as any novel where the narator or principal character is in some serious/life threatening hazard,
I'd recommend
The Dogs of Riga (Henning Mankel)
Pompeii, Fatherland & 'The Fear Index' (Robert Harris)
'Deadly Decisions' or pretty well any (Kathy Reichs) Novel
'Rogue Male' (Geoffrey Household) & also 'Rogue Justice'.
'Aftermath' (Peter Robinson)
'Bleeding Hearts' (Jack Harvey - aka Ian Rankin)
'The Constant Gardener' (John le Carré)

HarryT · 03-12-2013, 01:45 PM

I'd also recommend anything written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, either individually or as a team. Only one to avoid, IMHO - a book called "Impact" by Douglas Preston, which is just plain silly. Everything else they've written is good or better.

DianNC · 03-13-2013, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExEmGe

I'd recommend
The Dogs of Riga (Henning Mankel)

I just got that one! Yay me! I love a good thriller.

Gazella · 03-17-2013, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd also recommend anything written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, either individually or as a team. Only one to avoid, IMHO - a book called "Impact" by Douglas Preston, which is just plain silly. Everything else they've written is good or better.

I just read Extraction, which was a really good short story. I want to read their Pendergast novels. Should I begin with Relic? I mean do you recommend that I read them in chronological order?

Doitsu · 03-17-2013, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usuallee

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I am questioning your logic. How did you come to the conclusion that this book is a thriller? What makes it such?

It is NOT a thriller. You may be thrilled to read it, but that doesn't make it a thriller. It is a mystery. I know some thrillers have mystery elements to them. But in this case, it's a mystery and not a thriller.

What are you, the Genre Police? The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo IS a thriller. Prove that it isn't. Sure, it's a mystery. It's also a thriller. Things can be more than one genre, you know. It's not a mutually exclusive sort of proposition.

Violence, characters in peril, serial killers, and an ominous vibe throughout equals "thriller" in my book. Maybe we could do a little poll, assuming anyone else is even interested in weighing in on such a stupid argument.

@JSWolf: Have you actually read all three books??

Here are some of my recent favorites:

John Katzenbach - The Analyst (2 of his other books, Just Cause and Hart's War, were made into movies.)
Jussi Adler-Olsen - Mercy (UK title)/The Keeper of Lost Causes (US title)
Joseph Finder - Paranoia (his equally good book High Crimes was made into a movie)

HarryT · 03-17-2013, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gazella20

I just read Extraction, which was a really good short story. I want to read their Pendergast novels. Should I begin with Relic? I mean do you recommend that I read them in chronological order?

Yes, definitely read them in order; there are numerous ongoing plot developments as the series goes on.

BreezyDay · 05-07-2013, 09:10 PM

xxxxx

crich70 · 05-11-2013, 06:17 AM

Dean Koontz has written some that are thrillers I think. Whispers for one.

03-12-2013, 12:58 PM	#38
ExEmGe Member Posts: 15 Karma: 470352 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Sony Reader	Defining 'Thriller' as any novel where the narator or principal character is in some serious/life threatening hazard, I'd recommend The Dogs of Riga (Henning Mankel) Pompeii, Fatherland & 'The Fear Index' (Robert Harris) 'Deadly Decisions' or pretty well any (Kathy Reichs) Novel 'Rogue Male' (Geoffrey Household) & also 'Rogue Justice'. 'Aftermath' (Peter Robinson) 'Bleeding Hearts' (Jack Harvey - aka Ian Rankin) 'The Constant Gardener' (John le Carré) Last edited by ExEmGe; 03-12-2013 at 01:11 PM.

05-07-2013, 09:10 PM	#44
BreezyDay 12 Miles and Climbing Posts: 40 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: none	xxxxx Last edited by BreezyDay; 08-29-2019 at 02:16 PM.

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03-09-2013, 12:44 AM	#31
Pulpmeister Wizard Posts: 2,886 Karma: 29145056 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Perth Western Australia Device: kindle	Among the postwar Brits and similar: Hammond Innes: I can recommend The Angry Mountain, c 1949, which climaxes in a small village being swallowed by lava as Vesuvius blows its top. Innes was stationed nearby when the mountain blew catastrophically in 1945, and he used what he saw and experienced in this novel set a few years later. Also Wreckers Must Breathe, a war thriller. (He wrote lots of others.) Desmond Bagley is very reliable. Early Alistair MacLean. (Caution: His writing fell away badly after Puppet on a Chain.) Geoffrey Jenkins, South African writer, a good series in exotic locations. Jack Higgins, although his later Sean Dillon novels became repetitive. His earlier ones are the right length, fast and tough. The Eagle has Landed. East of Desolation. Brought in Dead.

03-09-2013, 12:56 AM	#32
Joshua.P The Dark Knight Posts: 97 Karma: 497090 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: Kindle Keyboard	On topic now: The Innocent by David Baldacci.

03-10-2013, 05:27 AM	#34
Rizla Member Retired Posts: 3,183 Karma: 11721895 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Nook STR (rooted) & Sony T2	I don't like the genre, but I loved Fatherland by Robert Harris and Shella by Andrew Vachss.

03-10-2013, 02:31 PM	#35
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	I don't read thrillers much but I do like Jeremy Robinson, his books seem to skew more towards the X-Files side than your standard thriller.

03-11-2013, 11:33 AM	#36
kcarscadden Zealot Posts: 141 Karma: 13776 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: semi-north Ontario, Canada (N 45.41 W -79.67) Device: iPad Air 5, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE	Try any of the books by Gavin Lyall - all good. Similar to Lee Child's Reacher books are John D MacDonald's Travis McGee books.

03-11-2013, 10:10 PM	#37
Kane Member Posts: 11 Karma: 5234 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Deep in the Heart of Texas Device: Sony Reader PRS505	I haven't posted in a long time, but I thought I could contribute here. I used to run a charity bookstore and I would always recommend the books published by the International Thriller Writers Association, as they are essentially samplers. http://thrillerwriters.org/aboutitw/publications/ Hope this is helpful.

03-12-2013, 01:45 PM	#39
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'd also recommend anything written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, either individually or as a team. Only one to avoid, IMHO - a book called "Impact" by Douglas Preston, which is just plain silly. Everything else they've written is good or better.

05-11-2013, 06:17 AM	#45
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	Dean Koontz has written some that are thrillers I think. Whispers for one.