What is a Thriller?

I usually categorize a good mystery as being a thriller. I don't get into romance books much, but never get tired of a suspenseful thriller.

The only bad thing about reading a thriller is I have a hard time getting anything else done until the book is done.

I do OK for the first few chapters, but once I am really into the book and the plot, I might stay up all night just to see what happens.

I know it is a good thriller when I can't make myself turn off the lights and finish the book the next day.

Many times I won't start a thriller unless I know I will have some time to devote to reading. If it is a crazy, hectic week then I would rather read something that is not as suspenseful so I am not as tempted to stay up so late reading.

I love the suspense of a good thriller, but don't like watching them when I am by myself.

I made the mistake of doing this once when my husband was out of town, and I had a hard time sleeping that night.

Once I did drift off, I woke up at any little sound, and kept having strange dreams.

I learned my lesson and now only watch a good thriller when he is home. When we want to watch a movie, he will usually always choose a thriller.

I like a good comedy now and then too, but an exciting thriller will definitely keep me on the edge of my seat.

My favorite genre of thrillers for both film and books are legal thrillers. I have never had any legal training, but these are the type of thrillers that keep me on the edge of my seat.

There are some courtroom drama shows I like to watch on TV, but one of my favorite activities is reading a good thriller.

When I am going on vacation and know I will have some extra time to read, I always include some kind of thriller in my reading list.

If you looked at all of the books I have on my electronic reader, you would see that a majority of them are thrillers or mysteries.

Thrillers and suspense just go hand in hand. Even if the suspense only lasts a moment, it is usually present in the work in several different locations.

I've noticed that thrillers aimed at children feature shorter periods of suspense than those for adults. I think this is because kids generally have a short attention span, and in order for them to remain interested, things have to happen fast.

As long as the suspense is riddled with intervals of fighting or pursuit, it keeps them happy. My nephew loves thrillers, and he tells me that he likes to watch things that keep his heart beating fast.

I prefer thriller films where the characters are all real people over those featuring monsters or individuals with superpowers. I can relate to them more, because the plot seems like something that could really happen.

I have watched several thriller movies where people get kidnapped by psychotic individuals, and I'm continuously on edge. I am also constantly looking for ways that the one held captive could escape, and I even yell at her sometimes if she doesn't take the opportunity.

Some people say it isn't good for my health to get so into something on television. They tell me that I'll give myself a heart attack or something.

@Oceana – I know what you mean. I'm way more into the suspense of a thriller than all the running and fighting that usually occurs in one.

I really like scary thrillers, as long as they don't have a lot of gore in them. I get chilled to the bone when someone is walking through a quiet, dark house, because I know that something terrifying could jump out at them at any moment.

Though this normally would involve someone running from something bad, at least it doesn't involve a bunch of superheroes darting about. An ordinary gunfight or fistfight won't ensue if the person is caught by what is chasing him.

I don't like thrillers, because I actually feel stressed out when there is a lot of action in a show or movie. I don't like being on the edge, because I have enough stress to deal with in everyday life, so why would I want to put myself through any unnecessary strain?

This could be because I get really into whatever I'm watching. I can't separate myself from the characters onscreen. If they cry, I cry, and if they jump across buildings, my hands sweat.

I prefer slow-paced films without much physical action. I'm prefer insightful or meaningful dialogue and a well-developed plot to violence and running.

Is anyone aware of a comedy thriller? I feel like when something is funny, or lighthearted, it usually gets called an adventure. But it seems like there must be a way to blend the lightness of a comedy with the darkness of a thriller. Is anyone aware of any examples on film or television or in print?

One of my favorite movies of all time is also one of the best thrillers to make it to the screen. It is The Conversation, directed by Francis Ford Coppola at his peak and starring Gene Hackman. The film is the quintessential example of 70s paranoia.

The film follows an audio surveillance expert who has been commissioned to record a couple having a conversation. The expert becomes obsessed with the conversation he records and begins to suspect that he may have contributed to a crime. There is very little blood or violence but the film manages to feel tense and claustrophobic throughout. I have seen it probably 10 times and I could watch it 10 more.

For me, the queen of the literary thriller is Patricia Highsmith, the author of the Ripley novels as well as Stranger On A Train and many others. I was only introduced to her work about a year ago but I have been steadily working my way through her catalog.

Few of her novels are mysteries. In most cases there is no question of who pulled the trigger. The suspense arises from the weird psychological depths she allows her characters to travel into. She is also a master of plotting and pacing. Few of her books I have been able to put down. Anyone who had not read her owes it to themselves to check her out.