Intensity by Dean Koontz. This one knocked it out of the park for me. Koontz created an action vehicle that just did not let up, was relentless in its escalation of the stakes for the main character. The action was practically non-stop as Chyna finds herself in one horrible situation after another. In the character of Vess, Koontz created quite the nasty villain, but what makes the suspense so intense is that Chyna is a smart capable adversary for him. For me, this novel is a masterclass in how to write a suspense novel. |
Misery by Stephen King. This one for me shows that a suspense novel does not have to have nonstop action. This is a story that takes place in a very confined space with only two characters for the most part, and the suspense is born from the volatile nature of antagonist Annie Wilkes. Sometimes she can be cheerful and bubbly, but the reader knows below the surface is danger waiting to erupt and you never know when that explosion may happen. King shows us sometimes character is the key to suspense. |
This book uses mystery to build the suspense. For much of the book there is this building sense of dread and suspicion where you know some nefarious plot is underway but you don’t know the specifics and aren’t always certain who to trust. That leaves the reader breathless to discover the secrets, and the book delivers with a hell of a reveal. And unlike many things with a big twist, this one plays fair so when you reread the novel everything makes sense and nothing feels like a cheat. Great suspense teases but also pays off in the end.
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn She’s most famous for another novel, but I think this one is full of suspense. There is a murder mystery at play here, but the real suspense comes from the family dynamics here. The characters are so finely drawn here, the family drama and secrets sucks the reader in and makes us eager to keep flipping those pages well into the night to find out what further depths the story may sink to. It is also one of those stories where just when you think you have everything figured out, you discover there in another level. |
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. This one is a wonderful example of how suspense can be born from the audience knowing more than the characters. With this one, the reader knows exactly who the serial killer is, but it is a wonderful cat-and-mouse game as the characters have information slowly fed to them that leads the way there. The scene where Clarice walks right into Buffalo Bill’s Lair without realizing it definitely had the readers on the edge of our seats. The character of Hannibal Lecter added another level of suspense so that the reader had it coming at them from both sides. |