Did you, like me, miss #halfaweenathon? (It’s the halfway point in the year to Halloween, in case you were wondering.) Not to worry. There’s still lots of time to add great thrillers to your #tbr list for May and beyond. Today, I’m sharing a suspense novel I thoroughly enjoyed and one that I’m just getting into. Feel free to watch in video format above. The Survivors by Jane Harper If you’ve read the post, “Suspense Book Recommendations: Jane Harper & R.D. Brady” then you alr

Supernatural suspense. Just the name of this sub-genre is enough to send spooky fingers of dread tapping up your spine. Supernatural suspense books, also called, supernatural thriller, paranormal suspense, and paranormal thrillers, along with horror, can be varied in their plots. But key elements tie them together. At the time of this writing, the following five books are in the Top 10 Amazon List for supernatural thrillers: Devoted, by Dean Koontz In the Heart of the Fire, b

Photo by Stephane YAICH on Unsplash Looking for your next thriller book to read but unsure what to pick up? Choosing a new novel can be tricky. While thriller and suspense books are among the most popular out there right now, the fact that there are so many to choose from can be overwhelming. As a lover of twisty-turning psychological thrillers and gothic suspense, it’s not often I come across a book, movie, or TV show that really checks all the boxes. Movies like What Lies B

You may have heard the terms “gothic horror” tossed around in book-related circles. But have you ever wondered what the terms actually mean? Horror itself can be a confusing genre. When most people think of horror they’re thinking of blood and guts, dismemberment, and characters like Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers. The type of slasher bloodbath movies that were a frequent part of sleepovers growing up. But horror as a genre is much more broad. Types of Horror How many subge

Photo by Angelo Pantazis on Unsplash What’s the last great thriller book you read? Did you leave a review of it on Amazon, Goodreads, or another popular site? Reviews are incredibly important to readers. Think of it like this: the last time you were going to buy a washing machine or check out a new restaurant in the city you were visiting, you likely did some research. Reviews played an important part in that process, didn’t they? Reviews help us to know the good, the bad, an

Are you as confused as I am about the sub-genres in the larger thriller genre? How about the other similar genres such as suspense, horror, supernatural suspense, and dark thrillers? Do these fall under the larger “thriller” umbrella or have their own distinct categories? image credit Yesterday, a book aficionado disagreed with my classification of Mary Stewart as a suspense author. “She’s a gothic novelist, or maybe a romance writer,” said “Betty”. And while I didn’t want to

Photo by Aalap Pathak on Unsplash The 19th Century has been described as some as a romantic time period, one where life–and luxury–was embraced. But this was a culture that was also fascinated by death and the macabre. The Victorian Book of the Dead, by Chris Woodyard, is a compilation of all things grim and gothic surrounding the death rituals in the Victorian time period. From funeral bicycles to macabre artwork, premature burials to post-mortem photography, this book explo

Photo by Catalin Sandru on Unsplash Have you ever held someone’s hand and walked out of sync with them? It feels disjointed, even jarring. Similar to dancing, walking hand-in-hand requires a certain amount of connection, a certain tuned-in-ness that if missing, makes for an uncomfortable experience. When Thriller Books Don’t Thrill…Whose Fault Is It? I mentioned in a recent post that I’d been in a reading slump. I thought it was over but two recent failed attempts at new-to-m

Thrillers and reading slumps. If you’re passionate about thriller books or reading in general, then chances are you’ve experienced a reading slump a time or two in your life. But what do you do when that slump lasts for weeks or even (gulp!) months? Getting over a reading slump Different slumps may need different plans of attack. For me, the slump was in part because life was so chaotic and I was in a place of personal transition (no death, divorce or other disasters, just an

I don’t fit in anywhere. I like dark, macabre things which, if you haven’t noticed, most Christians don’t. I also have an incredibly deep faith in God…which most horror-lovers don’t. Most of the time I feel like the proverbial fish out of water. Not only here online, but in my real life too. “How can you write such dark stuff?” a family member asked me at a barbecue. “Have you ever read the Bible?” I asked in return. It’s full of love, hope, light and goodness…and also lots a

Sure, you love reading thriller books. But is it good for you? What if I told you that yes, reading fiction is actually as beneficial to reducing stress as meditating? What if I proved to you that reading for fun is not only good for your mental health but also your physical health? It’s all true. So, if you needed another reason to pick up a good novel, you’ve got one. An article published in The New Yorker states: “Reading has been shown to put our brains into a pleasurable

Really looking forward to sharing two new thriller books with you guys! Before I dive in I wanted to let you know about a new group I’m creating via social media: #thrillerbooktribe. If you’re creating a new blog post, tweet, Instagram post or anything else online that you think other thriller readers would enjoy, please use the tag. I hope it will bring together like-minded readers so that we can better spread the word on great thriller novels. And now, on with the book reco

It’s thriller book recommendation time again! Guys, I’ve done it. Fallen hard for two new-to-me thriller authors: Jane Harper and R.D. Brady. But before we get too far, I just want to pause and thank you for all the good feedback I’ve been receiving about these book recommendation posts and videos. I’m glad that you’re enjoying them! Now, on to the book recommendations… Jane’s writing is the perfect blend of atmospheric tension, believable characters and an intriguing storyli

Thank goodness for a big stack of mystery books on my shelves because wow! We have had one epic snowfall after another this winter. It started in November and hasn’t let up since…except when it’s been in the deep freeze of zero or below. Brrr…I’m definitely a 60 degree kinda girl. I LOVE autumn and spring. Blizzards, snow squalls and frigid weather serve a great purpose though: they offer the prefect mystery book reading weather. I just finished The House of Closed Doors by J