Thrillers...

[biodroid]

Who are the good thriller writers at this time. I have been out of thrillers for a long time (loved Dean Koontz but not his newer stuff, Winter Moon was the last I read of his) as I am getting a bit tired of reading the same old fantasy stuff over and over. Currently reading Neal Asher but want to try something more realistic or of our current time. I heard Jeffrey Deaver is good. What about Jonathan Kellerman or Faye Kellerman, Tami Hoag, Kathy Reichs, Andy McNab, Lee Child etc.(btw I have not read any of these authors just saw them on the shelves in stores). Not necessarily murder mystery, even political sounds interesting or military etc. Basically anything. What do you reccommend and why? Apologies if this has been asked before.

[BookStop]

Jeffrey Deaver's Lincoln Rhymes series is good, very reminiscent of James Patterson's Alex Cross books.

I like Kathy Reichs, but they are more medical thrillers. Tess Gerritson is my favorite medical thriller author.

Here, I'll break down the genres with what I like, pretty blue for my favs:

Medical Thrillers:

Tess Gerritsen
Patricia Cornwell - early books only
Kathy Reichs
Robin Cook
John Saul
Michael Palmer
Stephen White

Legal/Cop/Spy/political:

Jeffrey Deaver - Lincoln Rhymes
James Patterson - Alex Cross
Harlan Coben - sometimes good
Daniel Silva
David Baldacci
Catherine Coulter - her FBI series
Karin Slaughter is popular, but not my fav
Lee Child is ok

Sf/f/adventure:

Dean Koontz
Michael Crichton
James Rollins
Douglas Preston w/Lee child many times

Mystery:

Nevada Barr - Anna Pigeon, forest ranger books (maybe kinda girly)
Patricia Sprinkle - southern mystery, one of my favorite

[biodroid]

Hmmm, not into medical thrillers really I know my mom likes Gerritsen, is Baldacci any good? What about Martin Cruz Smith and Richard Price. These are names I can recall seeing at the shops. Also interested in WW2 thrillers, my dad says Heinz G. Konsalik (at least those translated to english) are very good.

[Connavar]

For political or spy thrillers Frederick Forsyth,Robert Ludlum,Barry Eisler i can recommend.

Lee Child first book The Killing Floor is good then he loses his touch later on. His books are something beteween regular crime and James Bond like.


Do you have anything against crime that arent typical murder mystery ? I like alot dark Noir stories about criminals or worlds that isnt so black and white.

[ravenus]

Michael Marshall Smith writes some good secret society conspiracy thrillers.

[biodroid]

Connavar - No I don't really like medical thrillers, but I meant is there any other types of mysteries besides murder and crime. Like for example, the Lost tv series would probably translate well into a book/s or stuff similar to it. I noticed most of the thriller movies are based on novels and sometimes the movie is over or under done so I don't bother reading the books. There was one movie I did not like was where a serial killer captured a girl so that he could use her hands to play piano or something like that (obviously didn't make an impact). Stuff I do like is the movie Seven, I liked No Country for Old men until the end ruined it for me. Basically I like action thrillers or even sci-fi thrillers, highly enjoy M. Night Shyamalans style and myteries. Murder myteries are cool to an extent, I think they start becoming generic, I liked Dragon Tears by Dean Koontz which was a supernatural-ish detective, cat-and-mouse chase for a serial killer who can stop time with his mind. Very creepy stuff.

[BookStop]

Biodroid - did you see The Bone Collector starring Angelina jolie and Denzel Washington? It is the first Lincoln Rhymes novel in movie form.

The Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child combos are dark adventure thrillers - a little horrific I think. The Relic is thier first collaboration, I think, and it was really good. I don't care for the agent Pendergast books which they also co-write. (BTW, I see I listed Lee childs and doug preston as co-writers, but I meant Lincoln child and Preston)

Congo and Sphere are 2 really good Crichton novels.

[biodroid]

Oooohhh, I loved Jurassic Park, maybe I should give him another spin what about timeline? The movie was ok and I am assuming the book is way better. Will look for Congo and Sphere. I think I saw a bit of the Bone Collector. Looks like Deaver is a good author to try.

[Hedrigall]

Gotta throw in my recommendation for Utopia by Lincoln Child (his first solo novel, he usually co-authors with Douglas Preston). It's a very good, Crichton-like thriller about a terrorist attack on a state-of-the-art theme park (which is rather like Disney World but with outstanding technology). If you like Jurassic Park try this, mainly because of the common amusement park theme.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by biodroid

Connavar - No I don't really like medical thrillers, but I meant is there any other types of mysteries besides murder and crime. Like for example, the Lost tv series would probably translate well into a book/s or stuff similar to it. I noticed most of the thriller movies are based on novels and sometimes the movie is over or under done so I don't bother reading the books. There was one movie I did not like was where a serial killer captured a girl so that he could use her hands to play piano or something like that (obviously didn't make an impact). Stuff I do like is the movie Seven, I liked No Country for Old men until the end ruined it for me. Basically I like action thrillers or even sci-fi thrillers, highly enjoy M. Night Shyamalans style and myteries. Murder myteries are cool to an extent, I think they start becoming generic, I liked Dragon Tears by Dean Koontz which was a supernatural-ish detective, cat-and-mouse chase for a serial killer who can stop time with his mind. Very creepy stuff.

Thats what im saying most good Noir books arent about the crime. Both modern and classic ala Chandler,Ross Macdonald etc

Darker underbelly of society kind of thing from the point view of a PI or other type characters. Good modern Noir crime are John D. Macdonald,John Connelly,Dennis Lehane.

No Country for Old Men is in that category. Heh i like the movie everything until the end too. Try Richard Stark if you liked that movie. Check up his Parker character in wiki.

Do you like Dexter tv show ? Jim Thompson wrote a great classic Noir novel about small time sheriff and his struggle to control the killer inside him. Its actually called The Killer Inside Me. Dexter books was inspired alot by it im sure.

Also have you read Mario Puzo ? His books are gangster thrillers and very very good.

Thats if you like Noir and hard stories like that and are not looking for thrillers of the kind Brown and other generic stuff.

[Tansy]

What about Cormac McCarthy the author of No County for Old Men - he has a few novels but not read any.. if you like the film you might like his books

[biodroid]

Connavar - I could give Noir a try but never seen or read anything by Mario Puzo or the likes of The Godfather. I heard Dexter was quite good but I get up early to go to work so in my country they used to show it late because its age restricted here.

I guess if it holds my interest and keeps the suspense and mystery going then I am sold. I really enjoyed The Prestige (movie) and thought it was one very clever movie with tons of twists and great characters and wonderful story. Same goes for No Country for Old Men (except the ending ). Sad thing is I can only recall movies becuase at one stage I felt that thrillers were too boring I guess since I am almost 30 I can give them a shot and try it out. I would like to try Tom Clancy but heard a lot of folks say he is boring.

The only book that really did the thrill/suspense/mystery thing for me was Dean Koontz - Lightning, James Clavell - King Rat, and Stephen King - Pet Sematary and Needful Things. Still gotta read IT and Cell.

I guess each and every book thrills, it just depends on the reader if its thrilling enough or not