Why Thrillers Thrill
books of this type, the hero is swept away by circumstances beyond his control. Whether it is a psychotic fan as in Stephen King's "Misery", a giant shark as in Peter Benchley's "Jaws", a vindictive terrorist as in Tom Clancy's "Patriot Games" or a serial killer as in Kathy Reichs' "Déjà Dead", the protagonists find themselves in a situation of helplessness, where the forces bent on their destruction get closer and more threatening with every page turned. It is this powerlessness, this idea of horrific things happening to you, things you can't control, that every person fears. And that is why, at the end of a thriller, the hero must find the strength to save himself.
So why didn't my agent feel that my novel was a mystery? The mystery element is strong in my book. In a classic mystery, the protagonist is usually in control of the situation. Sherlock Holmes, and contemporary sleuths like Ian Rankin's and Eric Wright's detectives are seldom in any physical danger. Although they may be baffled by the murder, their lives are not at stake. But bestselling mysteries like Kathy Reichs' "Deja Dead" are touted as thrillers, and that is because her heroine becomes a victim in the course of the story.
At one time, thrillers were thought to appeal mainly to men. But women love them too. The original writer for women was probably Mary Stewart. In her heyday, "The Daily Express" called one of her books "the ideal thriller blend of plot, suspense, character drawing and good writing . . . It opens with the impact of a rifle report on a calm summer's day and drives to its climax of action with compelling urgency." You can't ask for a better review than that.
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