Books That Thrill
You've seen them in airports, and on the morning commute. They're littered along beaches, foiled letters glittering in the sun. A good thriller is its own kind of travel — all-consuming, briskly-paced and easily digested. Escapism.
Essentially, all thrillers are about a threat to human happiness, whether it's grand government conspiracies, computer hackers, terrorist plots, serial killers or bitter ex-lovers. But if there's one common characteristic in the genre, it's the clever protagonist with a divorce/heartbreak or two under her belt and a general wariness toward potential lovers — which inevitably gets tested over the course of the narrative — along with the required degree of insanity required to put herself in harm's way, time and again.
Viewed through the lens of an expert, the thriller becomes surprisingly informative. Through Mitch Rapp, the hero of Vince Flynn's Separation of Power, for instance, we learn about the inner workings of the CIA and the darkest corners of political power. Patricia Cornwell's Dr. Kay Scarpetta novels expose the daily life of a forensic scientist. In Along Came a Spider we travel alongside Alex Cross, a different kind of forensic specialist, one who specializes in the makings of a criminal mind. In The Scarecrow, Michael Connelly offers a window into the worlds of both of its main settings — a newsroom and an internet security firm.
A little humor never hurts, either. In A is for Alibi and One for the Money there are enough comic interludes, neurotic foibles and quirky supporting cast to distract us — at least momentarily — from the killers lurking under the bed.
Ultimately, though, what make a thriller great are characters that fascinate us. The following are some choice thrillers with compelling protagonists (and a healthy dose of mutilation and murder) for your listening enjoyment.
