People have recently become much more aware of Earth’s decay. Climate change, the extinction of flora and fauna, and various other natural crises affect almost everyone. A recent study even says that 85% of people on the planet are living with the effects of global warming.

Understandably, there’s a lot of fear and doubt spreading around. It’s what fuels the most gripping stories in environmental fiction.

Best Ecological Thrillers

Below is a list of works that concern the world at large and humanity’s place in it. Each one tackles a threat that, when ignored or denied, can create irreversible damage. It’s not just a few lives on the line, but an entire species, human or not.

1. Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

Inti Flynn and her twin sister lead a team of biologists in reintroducing grey wolves into the Scottish Highlands. She hopes not only to rebalance nature, but also to heal from the tragedy that drove the sisters out of Alaska.

Some of the locals see the animals only as mindless killers, especially when a farmer is found dead. Inti knows the wolves aren’t to blame. To prove people wrong, she begins a wild journey into the dark heart of man. But the predator she’s hunting might be closer than she thinks.

2. The Disaster Tourist by Yun Ko-Eun

Yona works for Jungle, a leading travel agency that specializes in destinations devastated by disaster. But she’s about to lose her job after refusing her boss’s inappropriate advancements.

To save herself, she takes a paid “vacation” to the desert island of Mui. There, she needs to pose as a client and assess why it’s the company’s least profitable location. What she finds, though, is a plot to engineer a catastrophe. With her life on the line, she must choose whether to stop the conspiracy or help implement it.

3. Zodiac by Neal Stephenson

Sangamon Taylor is a chemist with a reputation for exposing water polluters. Tests reveal an alarming spike in PCB levels in the Boston Harbour, which can lead to public health issues. The toxic trail leads to Basco Industries and he decides to investigate.

All of a sudden, Taylor’s being followed, menaced, framed, and discredited. With his corporate foes circling in, he must acquire proof of the conspiracy before it’s too late.

4. Moby Dick by Herman Melville

A white whale ravages the seas and takes revenge against hunters of his kind. It destroys Captain Ahab’s ship and bites off one of his legs. Fueled by revenge, he takes on a new crew and chases after the whale.

But Moby Dick is just as cunning as his hunter. It’s only a matter of time before the monomaniacal captain clashes against the inhuman and, ultimately, uncaring force of nature.

5. Beneath the Mountain by Luca D’Andrea

Jeremiah Salinger moves to his partner’s isolated hometown nestled in the Italian Dolomites. He decides to make a film about a mountain rescue group that goes horribly wrong, leaving him the only survivor. He spirals into depression, blaming himself for the tragedy.

An overheard conversation about a triple murder years ago breathes new life into him. He grows obsessed, and the investigative itch pulls him deeper into the case. But in this small town—isolated and insular—poking around might unearth long-buried secrets that can fracture the community.

6. A Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet

Twelve children are on a forced vacation with their families in a lakeside mansion. Their parents, more interested in partying, leave them largely to their own devices.

A massive storm arrives and creates a flood. Convinced by their parents’ inability to take care of them, the kids strike out independently. But their newly found tranquility can only last for so long.

7. Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

Winter is coming and a small Anishinaabe reserve loses power. Food supplies dwindle and panic sets in. A small band of members struggles to maintain order.

Unexpected visitors arrive from a ruined society to the south and take control. Tensions rise and so does the death toll. Frustrated, a group of friends turn to an unlikely leader in the hopes of seeing their community prosper again.

8. Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson

Mars has always beckoned to humanity. For any person with a spacefaring dream, conquering the desolate planet has always been the first step to the space age.

Now, a hundred people are sent in to terraform the planet. If successful, transnational corporations would gain access to martian resources. But not everyone agrees humanity has the right to colonize the planet, especially when done with such reckless haste.

9. The New Wilderness by Diane Cook

American cities have become overcrowded, resource-draining places. Bea’s five-year-old daughter, Agnes, is slowly dying from the perpetual smog and pollution. Her only chance is the Wilderness State, the last swath of untouched, protected land.

Along with eighteen other volunteers, they take part in an experiment to see if humanity can exist with nature without destroying it. They must hunt and forage without leaving a trace behind. The wilds will test everything they are, including the bonds they share.

10. The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey

Just home from the jungles of Southeast Asia, George Hayduke finds the pristine lands of the American West being violated. Industrial development is ruining nature, befouling the air, and contaminating the waters.

Along with three other misfits, George decides to fight back. The group takes on strip miners, dam builders, bridge makers, and anyone else that threatens the natural habitat.

What Is an Ecological Thriller?

Ecological thrillers are best defined as rousing stories with a widespread threat that is aggravated by ecological factors. Nature is central to the narrative but isn’t the main villain.

This way, authors are able to expound on the relationship between humanity and the world. It includes society’s responsibilities to nature and the consequences that come from failing them.

This rules out a ton of science fiction, horror, and other thrillers. Man-eating sharks (Jaws), genetically engineered dinosaurs (Jurassic Park), and carnivorous plants (The Ruins) are thrilling, but they’re not eco-thrillers. Though there’s an element of human meddling in the stories, the villain ultimately comes from nature.

Instead, think of industrialists deforesting an entire continent, society turning a blind eye to the ocean’s pollution, and people dying from winter because of insufficient housing. All of these have relevance in this age of rapid natural destruction.

Essentially, an ecological thriller is a reminder of real-life environmental issues that need to be addressed. And that nature is both beautiful and terrible, depending on how we take care of it.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post 10 Ecological Thrillers for the Environmentally Concerned appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

Hardboiled detective fiction is a tough, unsentimental, and cynical kind of detective story. It zeroes in on the violence and corruption that exists in society, and presents it against unsavory urban backgrounds.

The genre was created as a response to traditional detective fiction. While classic detectives were confident, quirky, and almost supernaturally skilled at investigation, hardboiled detectives were doubtful, deeply flawed, and often luckless individuals.

A Brief Background of Hardboiled Fiction

In its earliest use, the term hardboiled didn’t describe a type of crime fiction, but the cynical attitude characters had in response to violence and society.

Crime writer Carroll John Daly is credited with creating the first hardboiled story. It was titled “The False Burton Combs”, which was published in Black Mask magazine in December 1922.

The genre was later popularized by Dashiell Hammett, a former Pinkerton Agency detective and frequent contributor to pulp fiction magazines. His detectives, the Continental Op and Sam Spade, are considered two of the most influential hardboiled characters in crime fiction.

These stories differed from the usual formula of cozy mysteries, which were set in isolated manors inhabited by meek servants, mysterious aristocrats, and warring relatives. Instead, hardboiled fiction presented raw narratives that highlighted character and societal flaws. This kind of storytelling was later refined by writers such as James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, and George Carroll Sims.

Hardboiled started and became a staple in pulp magazines, so much that “pulp fiction” became an interchangeable term for the genre. This is most prominent in the Black Mask magazine, where editor Joseph T. Shaw vigorously encouraged writers of the genre.

It’s also closely associated with noir fiction due to their many similarities, especially with their emotional outlooks on society. However, while hardboiled ends with characters having a clean ethical slate, noir is murkier.

Characteristics of Hardboiled Fiction

To best understand what hardboiled fiction is, you should first understand what it’s not. As the counterpoint to classic detective fiction, it displays many of the elements that are usually not found in the latter. Here are a few characteristics unique to this literary genre.

1. The Language

Hardboiled prose is characterized by its economy. Descriptions are restricted to concrete objects, rather than ideas. Adjectives are kept to a minimum. The prose talks about what is done and what is said, rather than what is felt.

In this, it emulates much of Ernest Hemingway’s writing style, but it was also influenced by financial concerns during the genre’s heyday. Back then, writers were paid by the word and editors were keen to keep costs low by removing unnecessary words.

This paired-down writing style evolved sometime in the 1980s. Rather than focusing on only one narrative voice, writers such as James Ellroy began adding epistolary elements into their prose. The inclusion of newspaper and radio reports heightened their story’s sense of realism.

2. The Detective

The hardboiled investigator is presented as a tough, independent, and solitary figure that originates from the frontier heroes of the 19th century. Think of cowboys reimagined in an urban setting. Most are professional detectives, but the genre doesn’t require them to be.

These investigators almost always get emotionally involved with the cases they handle. They lose their cool and find it hard to remain in control when faced with higher and higher stakes. As such, they make mistakes or commit injustices that can prove fatal in the future.

A lot of them are also depicted as highly flawed individuals. They are gamblers, chain-smokers, alcoholics, and often estranged from their families. The problems that stem from these flaws are often explored alongside the cases they handle.

All of these are in direct contrast to detectives of classic detective fiction, who are always portrayed as competent and without fault. They’re always confident and in control, even in the face of unexpected developments. Readers are always assured that they’ll piece together the clues, solve the crime, and catch the culprit.

3. The Setting

A hardboiled story is usually set in a city. The setting itself becomes a character in the story, where the harshness of city life becomes a focal point in the narrative.

The city tends to be a dark and dangerous place. Gangsters have a strong presence and the legal system has become as corrupt as organized crime itself. As such, violence and crime have become normal aspects of life, making many people cynical about society.

Good things rarely happen in the city. Even when they do, the situation is always bittersweet. The crime may be solved, but the characters are still unable to escape the systemic corruption that allowed the crime to happen in the first place.

This is in contrast to classic detective fiction, whose settings are often closed-off to the larger world. These are country homes, trains stuck in isolated locales, and out-of-the-way manors. If they are in the city, it’s usually in a locked room or building. The isolation allows for a cleaner ending, as the investigation focuses only on the crime and the immediate setting.

4. The Plot

Hardboiled plots rarely focus on the solution of a crime. The detection doesn’t focus on making sense of clues and putting order to the chaos the crime has brought; rather, the crime ends in a violent climax that usually makes things messier than they already were.

The detective is on a quest, but the journey is far more interesting than its destination. They struggle with moral and physical dilemmas that develop throughout the investigation. These dilemmas, along with the detective’s flaws and subsequent decisions, are the focus of the narrative.

There is some resolution to the crime and chaos, but it’s rarely complete or satisfying. A villain might be put away, but it’s not the villain that needs to be arrested. In the end, the detective walks away from the aftermath and waits for the next case to come, all the while wondering if they did the right thing.

Plots from classic detective fiction are more predictable, with most following the same rough outline. A crime is committed and the detective comes in sniffing for clues. It culminates with them retracing the crime, accusing a culprit, and laying out how they came to their hypothesis.

Examples of Hardboiled Fiction

Here are a few examples of hardboiled fiction. Some of these are classics, while others are a modern version of the genre.

Double Indemnity by James M. Cain

Walter Huff is an insurance agent with a talent for sniffing out troublesome clients. But when he meets the seductive Phyllis Nirdlinger, he can’t help but fall in love despite his instincts blaring red.

It doesn’t take long for him to deduce that she wants to get rid of her husband, and not much longer to decide to help. Knowing that insurance pays double on accidents, they plot to kill him, make it look like a railroad accident, and avoid arousing suspicions from everyone else.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

A crippled millionaire hires private investigator Philip Marlowe to work on a blackmail case involving one of his daughters. But it proves far more complicated when he finds evidence of kidnapping, extortion, and pornography scattered all around the case.

Closing in on the trail, he is shot at, knocked out, and finding dead bodies everywhere. The perpetrators are closer than anyone suspects, and they’re willing to add anyone who needs shutting up to their body count.

Fast One by Paul Cain

Gerry Kells is currently living a comfortable life. But chaos is about to ensue as Prohibition ends and the first days of the Depression come in.

Various crime bosses are looking to control Los Angeles, and they need his particular talents as a former enforcer to win. But he has no intentions of going back—even when they frame him for murder, or threaten him with death.

I, The Jury by Mickey Spillane

Private detective Mike Hammer arrives at his friend and fellow investigator Jack Williams’ apartment to find him dead. The death is cruel, with Williams shot in the stomach to make it slow and painful.

Hammer is consumed by vengeance, vowing to kill the murderer in the same excrutiating way. But his investigations take him into a vast conspiracy involving narcotics, violence, and heartbreak.

The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett

A gang war is in danger of flooding the streets, sparked by the murder of a local senator’s son. Crime boss Paul Madvig hopes to use the crime to further his political ambitions. He sends his friend Ned Beaumont, an amateur detective, to investigate the case.

But when evidence points to Madvig as the culprit, Beaumont is left doubting who to trust. And falling in love with Madvig’s love interest isn’t helping his situation one bit.

Hard Stories and Harder Characters

Hardboiled fiction is a genre that offers no illusions. Rather, it focuses on the darker elements that other crime fiction skips over or ignores. When you read hardboiled stories, you get into the nitty-gritty aspects of humanity.

The characters here are like people you know about in real life. The crimes being tackled are the type that you can possibly read about in newspapers. The settings explored are similar to their real-world counterparts. As Raymond Chandler said in his The Simple Art of Murder, the world “is not a very fragrant world, but it is the world you live in.”

This doesn’t mean it’s always dark, though. There are occasional wins: justice is served, hapless victims survive, and bad guys go down in a cathartically violent way. The genre simply prefers to go with endings that are realistic, so completely happy endings are rare.

The protagonists become focal points for moral, ethical, and physical dilemmas. How they react to these dilemmas mirrors what you might possibly feel when faced with similar situations. The right decisions they make in the face of an overwhelmingly corrupt world inspire people to always choose the right path.

Because the protagonists are everyday people with flaws, anyone can relate. They’re a reminder to everyone that heroism isn’t rare, but something anyone can tap into no matter how unremarkable they believe themselves to be.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post What Is Hardboiled Fiction? appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

We all have dark urges, but most of us recognize that they’re bad and rarely act on them. Then there are those who don’t recognize these urges, or just don’t care about the consequences. Maybe that’s why they’re some of the most cathartic characters in literature.

Books About Sociopaths

Many literary sociopaths are charming, witty, and intelligent. This combination of traits allows them to hide behind seemingly normal facades. The truth is that they never play by the same social rules that we do, and that makes them some of the greatest villains we have in fiction.

Below are 10 books featuring the most compelling sociopaths ever written.

1. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

A product of a broken home, the young and handsome Tom Ripley has one goal: a life among the rich elites. And through his new friend Dickie Greenleaf, he finally tastes the easy life. Reluctant to let go, he finds a way to make it permanent—even if it means murder.

With his victim’s entire fortune at his disposal, he enjoys a lavish lifestyle—and anyone who starts to suspect he’s a fraud ends up dead.

2. The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks

Sixteen-year-old Frank Cauldhame lives on a small island somewhere in rural Scotland. Apart from his father, he’s entirely isolated from the world. He spends most of his time with rituals that include killing animals and putting their heads on poles, and forcing wasps to choose their own demise.

From his matter-of-fact explanation of why he kills animals to his telephone conversations with his equally sociopathic brother, Frank looks at the world as if everything in it needs killing.

3. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Rebecca “Becky” Sharp is strong-willed, cunning, and very poor—but that’s not going to stop her from climbing the ranks of English society.

Whether it’s seducing other women’s men, stealing from creditors, or running any other financial con, she’s more than willing to do anything to get ahead, including murder.

4. No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

Chigurh is a juggernaut who decides the fates of his victims with the flip of a coin. Ruthless and remorseless, he inflicts violence on others as if they were mere livestock lined up for slaughter.

5. The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson

Lou Ford is a 29-year-old deputy sheriff in a small Texas town. To those he serves, he’s just a run-of-the-mill cop leading a mundane life. But beneath the facade is a cunning sociopath with sadistic tastes.

While his usual outlet for his desires is harmless, falling into a sadomasochistic relationship with a prostitute opens up a gateway to darker activities. Now he’s ready to have more than just a taste of the things he’s long deprived himself of.

6. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Humbert Humbert has an obsession. Haunted by an unfulfilled love during his adolesence, he falls crazily in lust with his landlady’s 12-year-old daughter, Dolores.

Desperate for the smallest physical touches, he looks for every opportunity to get closer. There’s nothing he won’t do and no crime he won’t commit to finally be with his Lolita.

7. I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells

John Wayne Cleaver knows he’s in danger of becoming a serial killer. He’s obsessed with killers, is fascinated by fire, and abuses animals for the fun of it. But John doesn’t want to be a serial killer, so he lives by a set of rigid rules to help him mimic normal life.

All of that is thrown out the window when a serial killer comes to visit. Now John’s against an unpredictable threat that’s slowly eroding his own self-control.

8. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Just two days before his 16th birthday, Kevin Khatchadourian goes on a killing spree. He claims the lives of seven high school students, a cafeteria worker, and a much loved teacher.

Now, two years later, his mother continues to face the stigma of his actions. To finally be free, she must come to terms with what her son has become, and how much of it was her fault.

9. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Cathy Ames delights in using and destroying the people she interacts with. In her youth, she drives one of her teachers to suicide, seduces a married man, and frames two innocents for rape.

As she grows older, her depravity goes deeper. She bails on her family, poisons her employer to steal her business, and blackmails all of her patrons. There’s nothing she won’t do to always get what she wants, despite already having everything she needs.

10. Tampa by Alissa Nutting

Celeste Price is drop-dead gorgeous, rich, and married to a devoted, albeit alcoholic, husband. However, her devotion lies elsewhere—14-year-old boys.

To slake her sexual thirst, she uses her position as a middle-school teacher and picks one of her students as the object of her obsession. And after every school year, she’s always ready to throw them away, caring only for her pleasure. But this year’s student might be more attached and more determined than all the others.

Why Sociopaths Make Interesting Characters

The medical field calls sociopathy by another name: “Antisocial Personality Disorder”. They describe it as a pervasive pattern of disregard for consequences and for the rights of others.

Sociopaths have a conscience, though it is weak. They can feel empathy and remorse, but it won’t stop them from doing hurtful things for their own benefit. They know their actions are wrong, but rationalize why they can and should do them. They’re also impulsive and hot-headed, often going into fits of rage.

It’s a complex condition that lends itself well to fiction. You can make them terrible monsters that are able to kill at the slightest provocation, or you can explore the deeper implications of their disorder, examining how and why they act in a particular way.

Many of us control our actions and desires because of our sense of right and wrong, but it doesn’t mean those impulses disappear. This is probably why many also enjoy reading and watching sociopathic characters.

These characters aren’t constrained by the rules that shackle our own decisions. They’re free of the guilt, drama, emotional consequences, and moral dilemmas. It makes them dangerous, unpredictable, and compelling characters that are satisfying to experience from a safe distance.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post 10 Spine-Chilling Novels About Sociopaths appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

The mysterious becomes surreal—with both protagonist and reader unable to explain what’s going on. It then becomes a personal challenge to set aside your beliefs and confront something unexplainable and unsettling.

As you turn each page, these books seep into your imagination and latch on to your fears. And yet, despite the possibility of something horrific, you still find yourself reading on.

Best Supernatural Thriller Novels

From possessed criminals to the occult, or anything outside the realm of science, below is a list of supernatural thrillers that are sure to entertain even the most veteran fan.

1. Fellside by M.R. Carey

Jess Moulson is going to prison. In a heroin-induced rage, she sets fire to photos from her current toxic relationship, which burns down the whole building. Ten-year-old Alex Beech, an upstairs neighbor, dies in the blaze.

Fellside prison isn’t a place anyone wants to be in. Faced with the possibility of staying there for the rest of her life, Jess must face her guilt while avoiding the prison’s internal intrigues.

But she didn’t expect the whispers—and one of them has a message for Jess.

2. The Woman in the Woods By John Connolly

In the beautiful Maine woods, a secret is uncovered. Rain washes away the soil from a shallow grave, exposing the body of a young woman, who is discovered to have given birth shortly before her death. But where is the baby?

Veteran detective Charlie Parker is hired to join the search. But others are also interested, and they’re not afraid to leave bodies in their search.

Meanwhile, a young boy is about to receive the call of his life—from a toy phone and a dead woman, no less.

3. Pines by Blake Crouch

Ethan Burke travels to the town of Wayward Pines, Idaho with a clear goal: uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of two federal agents who went missing in town just a month ago.

But Wayward Pines is a weird place. Within minutes of arriving, Burke gets into an accident and wakes up with no ID and no way to contact the outside world.

As he digs deeper into his vanished colleagues, he finds himself increasingly shackled to the mysterious town. Soon he faces the possibility that the only way to get out is to die.

4. Wendigo by Vaughn C. Hardacker

The Wendigo is a creature of malice with the need to consume flesh. To John Bear, it’s nothing more than a scary legend told by his grandfather to scare children.

At least that’s what he thought, until a man is found butchered deep in the frozen woods, his heart missing. The only tracks around the corpse can’t possibly be human.

Convinced it’s the work of a Wendigo, John must figure out a way to stop a creature he once believed only existed in stories. And still, the snow continues piling up, further isolating their already remote outpost from the rest of the world.

5. Poe Must Die by Marc Olden

The most powerful psychic in the world is in search of King Solomon’s fabled throne. Buried beneath it is the secret to life and death—power he intends to use to unleash hell on earth for his lord, Lucifer.

In New York City, writer Edgar Allan Poe drowns himself in rotgut, trying to forget the pain of his beloved’s death. But soon a bare-knuckled fighter arrives with a letter that’ll change his life. Together, they must confront a horror far more than even those in Poe’s imagination.

6. A Mind to Kill by Brian Freemantle

Gerald Lomax’s office is one without privacy, a literal box of glass. So when his second wife, Jennifer, comes and stabs him to death, everyone gets an unobstructed view. It’s an open-and-shut case, with 16 eyewitnesses to the crime.

But Jennifer still claims she’s innocent. Her unusual defense? That Gerald’s deceased first wife is the real killer, possessing her body to take revenge on her cheating husband from beyond the grave.

7. Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes

Detective Gabriella Versado is no stranger to corpses, but her latest case is something else entirely. Half boy and half deer, this victim is just one of the many grotesque bodies being found across Detroit.

Unknown to her, Versado’s daughter has taken up the dangerous hobby of pedophile baiting. Meanwhile, a washed-up journalist craves a story that’ll revive his career, and a homeless man seeks to protect the family he has created.

As the body count piles up, all four are drawn to the killer’s dream to remake the world in his image.

8. The Boy Who Could See Demons by Carolyn Jess-Cooke

Ten-year-old Alex Connolly is in need of serious counseling. Along with trying to cope with his mother’s suicide attempt, he often blacks out and harms himself and others. At the center of it is his imaginary friend Ruen, who urges him to indulge in this self-destructive behavior.

Dr. Anya Molokova is familiar with these symptoms. After all, she’s seen it in her daughter before. Suspecting Alex is schizophrenic, she begins to treat the child.

But as soon as she does, strange incidents begin to occur, which leads her to the question: What if Ruen wasn’t so imaginary after all?

9. The Outsider by Stephen King

An 11-year-old boy’s brutalized body is found. All evidence and eyewitnesses point to one person: Terry Maitland, one of the city’s most beloved citizens. The case is airtight, with DNA evidence further cementing his guilt.

But Terry claims to have been out of town for a teacher’s conference during the murder. Several others confirm his attendance, throwing an impossible wrench into the case.

But what if someone’s been wearing Terry’s face? With the death toll rising, everyone and anyone can be the killer.

10. The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Every day, Aidan Bishop must suffer the sight of Evelyn Hardcastle’s murdered body. And every day, he wakes up and finds himself in the body of a different guest.

To stop the loop, he must discover the identity of the killer. The catch is, he must do it in eight days. Failing to do so will restart the entire process and wipe out his memories, sending him back to the very beginning.

But two others are competing to unmask the killer—and only one of them will be permitted to leave.

11. Within These Walls by Ania Ahlborn

Cult leader Jeffrey Halcomb drove his followers into committing ritual murder/suicide. Since that day, he’s been silent about his crimes, refusing to share the details or motivation for the event. But now, years later, he’s finally ready to divulge his secrets.

Washed-up true-crime writer Lucas Graham sees this as a way back to the glory days. With nothing left to lose, he moves into the farmhouse where Halcomb spilled the blood of his worshippers.

But Halcomb did promise his followers eternal life… and they are still very much alive within these walls.

12. Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

Kate Reese and her son, Christopher, flee an abusive home in the middle of the night. They end up in Mill Grove, Pennsylvania, far off the beaten path—the perfect place to start anew.

Then Christopher disappears for a week, only to return unharmed. But now there’s a voice that only he can hear. It urges him to complete a mission only he can perform: build a treehouse before Christmas, or something terrible will happen to everyone in town.

Thrillers with Supernatural Elements

Genre mixing almost always results in a product that’s greater than the sum of its parts. It adds an extra dimension to a story, giving it a different kind of depth.

Thrillers, in particular, take on aspects of the weird and unnerving when you mix supernatural elements into their narratives. These are things usually reserved for genres such as weird fiction, horror, and fantasy.

The books in this list can be initially shocking to long-time readers of thriller fiction. But while they border other genres, they still primarily deliver the high stakes, dynamic characters, and sense of dread that the thriller genre is known for.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post 12 Supernatural Thrillers to Keep You up at Night appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

And the more books you read, the more difficult it becomes to find one that you haven’t read yet. So it’s great that there are tons of thriller writers who are always up for the challenge to satisfy your literary cravings.

Best New Thriller Books

Ready to dive into some mystery and mayhem? From unrestrained crime thrillers to psychological page-turners, below is a list of new thrillers books released in 2022.

1. The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Jess, ever the bad decision-maker, leaves her job under less than ideal circumstances. Broke and alone, she decides to travel all the way to Paris and crash with her half-brother Ben. But when she shows up at his very nice apartment, Ben is nowhere to be found.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess digs into his disappearance. But it’s difficult to search for clues when the neighbors are downright hostile. They know something, and it’s up to Jess to find out exactly what.

2. A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

When Chloe Davis was only 12, six teenage girls went missing in her town during the summer. Her father confessed to the crimes, leaving her family shattered.

Now Chloe’s all grown up and preparing for her wedding. Determined to keep the happiness she’s worked hard to achieve, everything needs to be perfect. But then a local girl goes missing, quickly followed by another.

For the second time in her life, is Chloe about to confront another killer?

3. Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

Meroe island lies in the middle of the Pacific, far away from anything else. It’s a paradise with a history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and murder—the perfect place for an adventure.

A party of six settle down for the perfect vacation—until a stranger sails in looking for a different kind of relaxation. Cracks begin to emerge as each couple is revealed to be not as perfect as they claim.

When one of them goes missing and another ends up dead, those remaining begin to wonder what darkness lies beneath this sunny paradise.

4. Nine Lives by Peter Swanson

Nine people receive a list with their names on it in the mail. They don’t know each other, they each have different professions, and they’re located all over the country. They dismiss the list as junk.

But then horrible things begin happening to the people on the list. First, a well-liked man is found drowned in Maine. Then a man is shot in the back in suburban Massachusetts.

FBI agent Jessica Winslow, also on the list, seeks to find the connection between all of them. As she struggles to identify what binds them all, she must also discover whose name will be crossed off next.

5. The Maid by Nita Prose

Molly Gray struggles with social skills and regularly misreads other people’s intentions. With the help of her gran, she learns how to navigate the world. Gran’s been dead for a few months, but Molly’s coping just fine and focusing on her job as a hotel maid… that is, until she enters a suite and finds the infamous Charles Black dead in his bed.

And because of her unusual demeanor, the police quickly peg Molly as the culprit. Good thing she has friends to help her crack the case before she’s sent away for a crime she didn’t do.

6. The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

In 1977, two men were killed seemingly at random, but with the same gun. The prime suspect, rich and eccentric Beth Greer, was acquitted and subsequently isolated herself in her mansion.

Fast forward to 2017: Shea Collins runs the Book of Cold Cases, a true-crime website she started to cope with trauma from her past. In need of a story for the site, she asks Beth for an interview and is surprised to be granted one at Beth’s residence.

But unseen dangers lurk in Beth’s mansion. And the deeper Shea dives into the case, the more she worries that she’s being manipulated by a stone-cold killer.

7. The Night Shift by Alex Finlay

New Year’s Eve, 1999. Four teenagers working late at a Blockbuster Video are attacked and only one survives. Police quickly identify the culprit, the boyfriend of one of the victims, but he flees before they can arrest him.

Fifteen years later, teenagers are once again attacked, this time in an ice cream store. Again, only one of them survives.

Now FBI agent Sarah Keller must delve into the events of both nights, looking for a connection. To do so she must stir up the memories of the first survivor and the brother of the accused, who has always maintained his brother’s innocence.

8. Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

Helen lives an idyllic life in London’s upscale Greenwich Park. The only thing missing is a child she and her husband can dote on. And after suffering multiple miscarriages, their dream is finally on the way.

Everything’s thrown out of the loop when Helen meets the reckless, single mother-to-be Rachel in maternity class. She smokes, drinks, and is the opposite of everything maternal—but she’s always fun to be with.

As their friendship grows, Rachel’s behavior becomes more erratic. Soon, Helen realizes that Rachel has a secret that could ruin all of their lives.

9. The Perfect Escape by Leah Konen

Sam, Margaret, and Diana all bond after going through their divorces at the same time, but they don’t really know each other that well. Still, they plan a weekend getaway to distance themselves from their bad experiences.

Trouble starts when their car breaks down halfway into their trip. Stranded in a remote mountain town, they begin to realize how little they know about each other.

Then Diana fails to return after a night out, and an ex-boyfriend shows up. As odd coincidences pile up, they begin to realize that their unfortunate detour may not be an accident after all.

10. The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks

Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem like the perfect couple—until Marissa cheats. Now she’s desperate to fix things for the sake of their eight-year-old son, and because she loves her husband.

Avery Chambers is a therapist. And while she’s lost her license, her unorthodox methods are so successful that clients keep flocking to her door. From children of domineering parents to assault victims, she can help those desperate to leave their trauma behind.

And the Bishops are desperate. But as Avery looks deeper into their relationship, there is much more than any of them suspect.

11. The Other Family by Wendy Corsi Staub

Nora Howell, her husband, and their two daughters are eager for a fresh start. As newcomers to Brooklyn, they expected to live in a shoebox. But the brownstone they find is not only bright and gorgeous, but has a huge kitchen and a backyard.

The catch: its previous owners were victims of a triple homicide that remains unsolved. Strange things begin happening around the house and the eldest daughter becomes convinced that a stranger is watching them.

And one of the Howells will know his face, because one of them is hiding a secret that can shatter the family.

12. Cherish Farrah by Bethany C. Morrow

Farah Turner is one of only two black girls in her community, and the only one with black parents. The other girl, Cherish Whitman, was adopted by a wealthy white family.

Cherish’s parents spoil her at a level that even upper-class black parents can’t reach—something Farah likes to exploit. And when Farah’s family is unexpectedly faced with foreclosure, she is determined to embed herself in the Whitmans’ lives—even when strange things begin happening in their household.

But when the Whitmans take her in closer, she begins to wonder who’s really in control.

New Thriller Books in 2022

There are definitely a lot more must-read thriller books out there aside from the ones on this list. And the year’s still young, so expect tons more to be released. That’s probably going to be more than you can read, but still, if you’re a book lover, you’ll probably put a respectable dent on your reading list this year.

Whether you’re looking for serial killers, deranged cults, cozy murders, and other thriller staples, I hope you find this list helpful. Happy reading!

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post 12 New Thriller Books Released in 2022 appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

In Michaelides’s story, a famous painter murders her husband seemingly without motive and falls into absolute silence. Then comes a psychotherapist who becomes increasingly obsessed with her case. It’s a riveting read that drags you into its taut and twisty depths.

The problem is, the author has written only one other book so far—The Maidens, released in 2021. What’s a fan to do when they’re craving more?

Books Like The Silent Patient

The Silent Patient is unique, but there are books that offer the same mysterious characters, tragic circumstances, page-turning events, and things that aren’t what they seem. Here is a list of these books that you’re sure to love.

1. The Woman In The Window by A. J. Finn

Anna Fox is a recluse who suffers from agoraphobia following a traumatic car incident. To pass the time, she drinks wine, watches old movies, and spies on her new neighbors, the Russels.

Never did she imagine that her hobby would lead her to see something she shouldn’t. As her already fragile world falls apart, she must separate reality from imagination while dealing with a threat that is definitely real.

2. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

Libby Jones arrives home to a letter she’s been waiting for her whole life. In it is the answer to her true identity, along with her birthright: an abandoned mansion located in one of London’s most fashionable neighborhoods.

But by claiming it, she’s also accepting a darker inheritance—an unsolved mystery and the hidden players bidding their time for her to make herself known to them.

3. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Journalist Lo Blacklock is given the assignment of a lifetime: a week-long cruise aboard a luxury ship gliding through the waters of the beautiful North Sea. All she expects is an enjoyable trip along with other pleasant guests.

Then she witnesses a horrifying sight: a woman being thrown overboard. But no passenger is missing and the ship sails on as if nothing has happened. Only Lo knows the truth and is left to discover what has gone terribly wrong.

4. Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

Jack is an attorney who has never lost a case. Grace is the ultimate housewife. Together, they’re the neighborhood’s dream couple. They’re rich, gorgeous, and utterly inseparable.

But beneath the glitz and glamour is something sinister. Why does Grace never answer the phone or meet up for coffee? How can she stay slim despite preparing such elaborate meals? And why are there heavy metal shutters installed on the windows?

5. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson

On the way to Boston, Ted strikes up a friendship with the stunning and mysterious Lily. Over a game of truth, they reveal to each other their most intimate secrets.

But when Ted jokes about killing his cheating wife, he never expected Lily to offer her help. After all, some people are just the kind worth killing. What Ted doesn’t know is that Lily’s hiding a dark history—one that draws them into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse.

6. I See You by Clare Mackintosh

Zoe is a creature of habit, following her daily routine like clockwork. Every day, she takes the same route to the train station, waits at the same spot, and sits on the same seat. And someone’s been watching her each time.

While returning home, she finds her own face on a newspaper advertisement. As other women begin appearing in the same ad, she realizes they’re all falling victim to violent crimes—and she might be next.

7. The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine

Amber Patterson is tired of being poor, unimportant, and invisible. While she hates the rich and privileged women in her town, she’ll do anything to join their ranks.

But Amber has a plan to change her life. It starts with befriending the town’s top socialite, the filthy rich and drop dead gorgeous Daphne Parrish. Everything that Daphne has, Amber wants—and she’s making damn sure she’ll get it all in the end.

8. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

Sarah Morgan is a high-powered defense attorney and a partner at her law firm. Her husband, Adam, is a struggling writer who feels increasingly distant from his ever-working wife.

Adam begins a passionate affair that abruptly ends when his mistress is found murdered. Now his only hope is the wife he betrayed, who must put aside her emotions to take on her toughest and most personal case yet.

9. The Night Before by Lisa Jackson

Caitlyn Bandeaux wakes up covered in blood and with no memory of the night before. It seems her estranged husband is the latest victim of a serial killer plaguing the town. But could the killer be Caitlyn herself?

Unsure of what’s real or who to trust, Caitlyn is left with no choice but to piece together her fragmented memories and learn what really happened—preferably before someone else ends up dead.

10. Come Closer by Sara Gran

Amanda, a successful and happily married architect, suddenly finds her otherwise normal life derailed. She begins hearing voices and having bad dreams. She starts smoking again, and for some inexplicable reason, burns her husband with a cigarette.

As her condition steadily worsens, her marriage, reputation, and future are put to the test. But is she simply going mad, or is there something sinister behind her self-destructive behavior?

11. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

It’s been ten years since Laurel’s daughter, Ellie, vanished without a trace, and Laurel’s still trying to mend her shattered life. She finds another chance in the form of a man she unexpectedly meets in a cafe.

But the sight of his daughter has her spiraling back down into the depths of despair and unanswered questions. What happened to Ellie? Why does Poppy look so much like her? And who is Floyd, really?

12. The Couple On Cedar Close by Anna-Lou Weatherley

Cedar Close, a place where nothing ever seems to go wrong. That is until the body of Robert Mills is found sprawled in his bedroom floor. Downstairs, his wife Laurie sits alone in the dark with her head in her hands.

She knows she’s not the killer, but it’s hard to convince everyone when she can’t remember the hours leading up to Robert’s death. Is there a chance, however small, that she did kill her husband?

13. The Good Neighbor by R.J. Parker

When Leah Talbot hits a deer, her salvation comes in the form of a nearby house where the charming and handsome Martin Tate opens the door and invites her in. And though she’s not there long, she feels she owes him a big favor.

Returning the next day to thank him, Martin is no longer there. In his place are the police and the body of the sole female occupant of the house.

It doesn’t take long for Martin to resurface though. But this time it’s Leah he’s after.

14. Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

An impetuous marriage sees the unnamed narrator as the new Lady de Winter. What she doesn’t realize is how large and sinister the shadow her husband’s late wife, Rebecca, will cast on their marriage.

Despite being dead, Rebecca’s malice lives on in the unspoken guilt of the Lord de Winter, the obsession of the housekeeper, and the seemingly perfect reputation she left behind. With her marriage already strained, the new Mrs. de Winter must find a way to deal with the old one’s persisting spectre.

15. The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

When one of her niece’s friends is murdered in school grounds, psychotherapist Mariana Andros becomes interested in an elusive group of female students called The Maidens. She’s certain that their professor, Edward Fosca, is the murderer.

But Fosca—handsome, charismatic, adored by all—is untouchable. And when the murders continue, her interest begins to turn into an obsession. Soon, she’s willing to sacrifice everything for the truth, including her life.

Psychological Thrillers You Can’t Put Down

Books like The Silent Patient have a way with time. You become so focused on the story that you rarely feel time passing by as you flip through hear-stopping scenes, shocking twists, and excellent character development.

You’re almost always surprised that you’ve finished the book, and find that you’ve been reading for hours. All that’s left is to sit back down and contemplate what you’ve just read.

There’s a rush of satisfaction and disappointment in finishing a book you loved reading. You enjoy the journey it’s given you, but can’t help wishing for more. This is called a book hangover, and it’s a bit of a pain to deal with. What other delights would there have been if the story just ran a little longer?

One of the best cures to a book hangover is finding stories with similar plots, atmosphere, or characters. If you enjoyed Michaelides’s novel, then hopefully the 15 books above can satisfy your literary cravings as well.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post 15 Twisty Books Like The Silent Patient appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

These characters are the twisted mirrors to the heroes. And while some heroes don’t exactly need to be heroic, villains take it up a notch by representing evil in its many forms. Everything the heroes are, they’re not; and everything the heroes fear, they are.

Best Thriller Villains in Literature

While villains come in various shapes and forms, there are those that simply stick in your mind because of their sheer intensity. They’re physical and mental juggernauts that seem to crush everything that’s thrown at them. Over the years, literature has collected an assortment of such villains. Below are just a few of them.

Do note that all of these have been adapted into succesful films and TV series that deserve their own recognition. While there are small differences, these adaptations still largely follow the original plots.

1. Hannibal Lecter from Red Dragon by Thomas Harris

Hannibal Lecter is known as the purest form of a sociopath, and that’s not a hard claim to believe. But the books go way beyond that, labeling him as a sociopath only because “they don’t know what else to call him.”

He is highly intelligent, with impeccable manners and refined taste, which runs counter to his inner nature as a devious and remorseless serial killer. This juxtaposition often lulls his victims to a false sense of security. He’s also into gourmet dining—only, his favorite kind of meat is human.

2. Anton Chigurh from No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy

Anton Chigurh is a robot born as a human. Entirely devoid of conscience and compassion, he is a methodical killer who considers the act of killing as normal as breathing.

His signature weapon, a cattle gun, is a testament to how he views other people—nothing more than livestock that he occasionally has to put down.

But he’s not just your ordinary psychopath, because he does have a moral code he strictly follows. Admittedly, it’s an extremely twisted one that is against everything society considers moral.

3. Carrie White from Carrie by Stephen King

There’s a lot of debate over whether Carrie is a hero, villain, or victim. The one thing that’s sure is that when she finally lashes out, she’s a terrifying force to confront. In the book and film adaptations, she’s always depicted as unstoppable, and only dies from a lucky stab by her deranged mother.

What makes her truly frightening is that deep down we all know how close to reality her story is. We’ve seen it on the news countless times—those who are bullied and finally snap can take their retaliation to the highest levels, and often in the most catastrophic way.

4. Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

Nurse Ratched is the perfect example of the corrupting influence of power. As the head administrative nurse in a mental hospital, she wields her authority like a sword over her patients and peers.

As a tyrant, she controls almost every aspect of a patient’s care, whether it’s their medication, basic necessities, or privileges. And while her superiors know about her draconian methods, they turn a blind eye because of her efficiency.

As someone whose job is to care for others, her conscious decision to be cruel is what makes her a true monster—especially when you consider that her patients are helpless, mentally-compromised people.

5. Professor Moriarty from Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Moriarty sits comfortably at the top of the criminal foodchain. Like a spider at the center of an intricate web, he’s responsible for at least half of the evil being done in London. As such, Holmes calls him the “Napoleon of Crime”.

Despite that though, he never does the dirty work. As a consulting criminal, he provides criminals with the necessary support to commit their crimes—in exchange for a fee or cut of the profit, of course.

As Holmes’s match in virtually any aspect, Moriarty is a formidable opponent who heads a dangerous organization. Many of the cases that he and Watson have solved are heavily implied to have been Moriarty’s doing.

6. Sadako from Ring by Koji Suzuki

A ghost who haunts through videotape may seem ridiculous, but Sadako is the stuff of your nightmares. Her curse is inevitable, and the only way to be free of it is to copy the videotape and show it someone else, letting them die in your place.

So the choice is to either die a decent human or commit murder by haunting. The decision is made harder by the manner of death—after only a week, victims die an excruciating death.

The books go for a scientific approach, with the cause of death being a supernaturally induced heart attack caused by the merging of Sadako’s powers and the smallpox virus.

Meanwhile, the movies depict her emerging from the television and apparently scaring her victims to death, leaving them with grotesque expressions.

Best Thriller Villains in Movies

Many iconic villains were made for the screen. Some of them become so popular that they earn a permanent place in pop culture, staying relevant through sequels, revivals, related media, and spin-offs. Check some of them out below.

7.  T-800 from The Terminator

Part of a villain’s terrorizing aspect is their unstoppability. And what’s more unstoppable than an intelligent, self-learning machine that doesn’t feel pain and can perform superhuman feats?

As a cyborg from the future, the T-800 is equipped with technology that’s far more superior to those found in 1980s era it is sent back to. It is outwardly indistinguishable from a regular human, going as far as mimicking bodily functions such as sweating and bleeding to better blend in.

Conventional weapons barely hurt it, merely stripping away the layer of tissue that covers its robotic endoskeleton. In the end, only the accumulated damage from a series of desperate attacks is able to destroy it.

8. The Shark from Jaws

Duuun dun. Duuun dun. Everyone who’s seen the film knows that when this song starts playing, death and destruction come shortly after.

When a great white shark develops a taste for human flesh, a small band of concerned citizens set out to hunt it down. The problem is, the shark holds all of the cards: it’s larger, stronger, and better-armed.

It’s terrifying to know that something intent on killing you is lurking beneath the waters. To have a slim chance of stopping it, you’ll need to enter its natural hunting grounds, knowing full well that you’re at a disadvantage.

9. The Xenomorph from Alien

The Xenomorph’s entire being is driven only by the spread and preservation of its species. It lacks any form of civilization, and it’s only social interactions are with its queen and the rest of its brood.

Its entire life cycle is a terror in four stages. To propagate, an egg is laid by the xenomorph queen, which stays dormant until it detects the presence of a potential host. When it does, a facehugger erupts from the egg, wraps itself around its victim, and deposits an embryo down the victim’s throat.

After a brief incubation period, a chestburster violently rips open the host’s chest and undergoes a dramatic growth spurt, reaching its final adult form in a matter of hours.

10. Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds

Many of the greatest villains are those that don’t care about their sinister nature, and SS Colonel Hans Landa gleefully revels in his. He’s earned a reputation as a ruthless officer who’s especially skilled in hunting down Jews.

While being a Nazi automatically puts him on the evil list, it’s his behavior that truly makes him a villain. He makes no effort in hiding what he is—a power tripper who loves playing with other people’s lives.

He’s also unfamiliar with the concept of loyalty and responsibility. He easily betrays the Nazis and, after committing many crimes, thinks he can get away without any repercussions.

11. Alonzo Harris from Training Day

Alonzo Harris is the worst kind of cop there is: competent, skilled, but dirty to the core. He’s a perversion of the policeman’s creed to serve and protect.

Harris uses his authority to exploit his peers, the people he’s sworn to protect, and the criminals he is duty-bound to arrest. All that matters is that he comes out on top, with no regard to those around him.

His “do as the Romans do” approach inevitably corrupts him. He’s hardcore because his opponents are, uses drugs to better understand the gangs, and employs force because he knows it’s the only effective way to control criminals.

12. John Doe from Se7en

Unseen villains are typically some of the most suspenseful ones as well. They lurk in the shadows, pulling strings until everything is at the point of collapse. That’s exactly what John Doe did in this film.

While barely seen in the movie, his murders, based on the seven deadly sins, cause widespread turmoil throughout society. His deviousness is such that he’s always in control, even when he turns himself in to the police after causing five deaths.

In the end, the detectives assigned to his case fail to realize his end goal. And when he finally drops his ace in the hole, the two remaining sins are found and he happily dies knowing that his plan is a success.

Legendary Villains

Thrillers are often villain-driven, with the “bad guy” representing the ultimate obstacle that the hero must overcome. So in building this list, I opted for villains who can keep the audience at the edge of their seats as the plot races to an explosive climax.

They keep a story’s sense of suspense, anxiety, and anticipation at a high level to make the pay-off more tantalizing. As the stakes go higher and the heroes become more desperate, readers and viewers are drawn further into the story.

Aside from creating conflict and pushing the plot forward, villains are there to elicit a reaction from you. They make you hyper-aware of your surroundings and emotions, making you more susceptible to jumpscares and your doubts.

It’s not uncommon for them to linger in your mind long after you’ve finished their stories. And the longer they affect you, the more intense their villainy becomes.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post 12 Best Thriller Villains from Books and Movies appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

Pair those situations with the heavy responsibility of guarding a patient’s life and you have the perfect setting for a thriller. And it works! From TV series to books, medical thrillers are one of the most popular genres in the media.

Medical Thrillers

Medical thrillers are stories that center on medical environments and involve medically-trained characters. These thrillers portray how these characters deal with the problems and difficulties that often surface in surgery, virology, immunology, and other medical fields.

Because of this, a medical thriller’s narrative often involves heavy scientific knowledge that may or may not be restricted to medical science.

It often goes at length to explain the purpose, benefits, and risks of a medical procedure or piece of equipment. With such highly specific information, it’s not uncommon for writers of this genre to have medical backgrounds or at least consult relevant experts.

Medical thrillers often go for narratives where medicine has either gone terribly wrong, or is struggling to keep up with horrific scenarios—like diseases becoming epidemics, doctors going rogue, and medical companies practicing horrible ethics.

In this way, the genre also gets to explore the people within the medical field—like how they cope with being unable to save people from dying, make necessary decisions for their patients, and compartmentalize their personal and professional lives.

Popular Medical Thriller Books

As a popular genre, there are thousands of medical thrillers available for you to read. Here are some of the most popular ones to date.

1. Coma by Robin Cook

Susan Wheeler is an attractive, up-and-coming medical student working at Boston Memorial Hospital. During her training, it comes to her attention that Boston Memorial has an oddly high amount of patients going into a coma after being treated.

Deciding to investigate, she discovers that the oxygen line to Operating Room 8 has been tampered with, leading to possible brain death. But what she finds further on is far more horrifying—a large-scale black market operation for human organs taken from the very people the hospital promised to help.

2. Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell

For Kay Scarpetta, the goal isn’t to save those in her care. Instead, as a medical examiner, she focuses on determining how they died so she can save whoever’s next.

And right now, the Richmond Police Department is relying on her to find clues for a string of unsolved murders. But her investigation puts her in the killer’s sights. Will she be able to determine who it is before she becomes the next victim?

3. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson’s picture-perfect life comes to an end when she kills her husband and never speaks again. Her refusal to talk, even to defend herself, turns the case into a high-profile drama that everyone seems to watch.

Admitted into a secure psychiatric unit, Alicia is placed in the care of Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist with a keen interest in her side of the story. But as he digs deeper into her psyche, it becomes clear that his agenda may be more personal than he lets on.

4. Harvest by Tess Gerritsen

A car crash victim’s heart is found to be the perfect match for Boston Bayside Hospital’s wealthy private patient, Nina Voss. However, Dr. Abby DiMatteo makes sure it’s transplanted to a dying 17-year-old instead—a move that may have just ended her career.

But then a new heart is suddenly found and given to Nina. When Abby realizes it didn’t come from the proper channels, she plunges headfirst into a chain of deceptions involving organs and the Russian mob.

5. The Cobra Event by Richard Preston

Seventeen-year-old Kate Moran wakes up feeling sick. Hours later, she’s convulsing, blood is rushing out her nose, and she can’t stop biting herself. As similar cases appear everywhere, the CDC sends in Dr. Alice Austen, a forensic pathologist, to investigate.

When she finds evidence that what she’s investigating may be manmade, she’s faced with the possible collapse of the United States. It’s a race to find the cure—and the perpetrators—before it’s too late.

6. The Line Between by Tosca Lee

Wynter Roth has just escaped a doomsday cult when she is immediately confronted by what she’s been fearing her whole life—the apocalypse. A strange disease frozen in the Alaskan permafrost has gone active, causing madness in its victims.

When her sister shows up with samples that may be the key to everyone’s survival, Wynter knows what to do. As the nation descends into chaos, she must take the samples to a lab in Colorado, in the hopes of saving a world she’s always been taught was evil.

7. The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton

A space probe returns to Earth and unleashes an extraterrestrial organism that decimates a whole town. A team of scientists is sent in to investigate and contain the threat.

But the microbe, code-named Andromeda, is unlike any terrestrial organism on earth, rapidly evolving to change its biological properties. When it escapes containment, the team must deal with an imminent nuclear explosion that may just turn Andromeda into its deadliest form.

8.  Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw

Dr. Greta Helsing is a doctor specializing in the inhuman. She fashions new bones for mummies, cures sore throats for banshees, and supplies blood to vampires in need. Despite all that, her life is a relatively quiet one.

That’s until a sect of murderous monks begin killing humans and undead alike. As one who lives on both worlds, only Greta has the necessary skills and insights to bring back peace to the community.

What Makes a Medical Thriller?

Medical thrillers are identified by their use and comprehension of medical science and beyond. Many writers of this genre, such as Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen, are former medical practitioners. This equips them with the necessary inside view on medicine that makes their novels realistic.

This genre speculates on the limitations, possibilities, and dangers of the medical field—how far is too far in medicine, the emergence of new threats such as viruses and bioterrorism, and how medical science is used to enhance society. In this, it serves as a reminder of the delicate balance that medicine must maintain.

And just like other thrillers, this subgenre finds ways to uncover the darkness in the human spirit—like how villainy festers like a wound in some people, and that, no matter how medicine was created for the betterment of society, there are doctors that kill their patients, corporations that unfairly raise their prices, and medicine that’s used for illegal activities.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post What Is a Medical Thriller? Definition and Examples appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

Six of Crows is one such story that seems to have bewitched many readers. It’s become a YA phenomenon much like The Hunger Games, leaving many fans with a book hangover.

Books Like Six of Crows

Six of Crows follows the exploits of a crew of mismatched thieves who are brought together for the heist of a lifetime. They must do the impossible, and save the world while they’re at it.

In searching for books similar to Six of Crows, I’ve focused on considering what most people like about it.

From a not-so-brief exploration of Reddit and other forums, it seems that most readers love the book for its blend of heists and magic. And of course, who doesn’t love reading about underdogs, especially one as compelling as Kaz Brekker!

Below are the 10 books like Six of Crows that feature charismatic gang leaders, heists, and fantasy elements.

1. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

Criminal mastermind Kelsier “snaps” and finds himself a Mistborn—a person empowered by the metals he consumes. With his newfound powers, he begins planning out his most ambitious operation to date. With him are Vin, an orphan with untapped potential, and his crew of loyal thieves, each able to access unique abilities when “burning” metal.

But they’re not after riches or power. Rather, they’re off to topple the reign of the Lord Ruler, a ruthless, nigh-invincible figure who’s been dominating the world for a thousand years.

2. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

To the thieving public, Locke Lamora and his Gentlemen Bastards are simple two-story men. A small, albeit competent crew of thieves—nothing much to worry about.

But to the nobility, they’re elite con artists who’ve stolen fortunes from the aristocracy, reducing the wealthy to paupers. The crew is already set for their next adventure, and all it takes is one gullible noble to step on their trap.

3. Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

Crown prince Lucien wants nothing more than to escape the very court that adores him; no tutor is brave enough to correct his mistakes. And every lady he knows is only interested in finding their place beside him—that is, until the arrival of the carefree, sharp-witted Lady Zera.

There’s just one problem: Zera is Heartless, the immortal soldier of a witch. With her heart under the witch’s control, she has no choice but to obey, and now the witch is looking to obtain a prince’s heart—literally.

4. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Kell is one of the last magicians with the rare ability to move between parallel Londons: Red, Gray, White, and in the past, Black, before it was consumed by its magic. It makes him quite the popular smuggler, taking money from people desperate to catch a glimpse of the other worlds.

But of course, one of his exchanges goes awry and he finds himself on the run. Not only must he stay alive, but he also must stop the treacherous magic seeping into every world.

5. The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Adelina Amouteru survived the blood fever that ravaged the nation over 10 years ago. Survivors like her are called the Young elites, hunted by the Inquisition Axis and admired by the Dagger Society.

And in Adelina, both organizations discover powers they’ve never seen before. Pursued on all sides, all Adelina wants is to feel accepted and loved. But with the world turning against her, maybe it’s time she turns against it.

6. Seven Deadly Shadows by Courtney Alameda 

Kira Fujikawa has always lived in the background—bullied by the popular and ignored by her family. She’s also hiding a secret: the ability to see ghosts and demons that haunt Kyoto.

Everything changes when she learns that Shuten-doji, the demon king, is set to rise on the next blood moon. Out of her depth, Kira enlists the aid of seven death gods. But can they save humanity, or will Shuten-doji begin a reign of darkness?

7. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

It is 1926 and Shanghai is a battlefield. Eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai is the heir of a powerful gang, while her first love, Roma Montagov is heir to their most bitter rival.

Their gangs have been at it for generations but as mysterious deaths occur around the city, they find themselves setting aside grudges and working together. Because if they don’t, they may not have a city left to rule.

8. Jade City by Fonda Lee

The island of Kekon is the only place that produces magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage magical abilities. And for generations, honorable Green Bone clans like the Kaul family have protected it from foreign invasions. Nowadays, they’re only concerned with the protection and upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When a new drug hits the streets—one that lets anyone use jade—violence erupts between the Kauls and their rivals, the Ayts. The future of the Green Bones and Kekon itself hangs in the balance.

9. The Palace Job by Patrick Weekes

Loch wants something back. The problem is, she’s in jail, and the elven manuscript she’s looking for is in the hands of the most powerful man in the Republic.

To take back her family’s treasure, she needs a team of experts—including an illusionist, a unicorn, a death priestess, a talking war hammer, and a lad with a prophetic birthmark. What could possibly go wrong?

10. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

In the Martial Empire, absolute allegiance is required. This means that to Laia and those at the bottom, any perceived slight is met with execution. So they eke out a quiet existence in the empire’s backstreets.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, she makes an important choice that sees her entering the empire’s greatest military academy. There she meets Elias, the academy’s best student. Both are on opposite sides but may have more things in common than they realize.

What Books Should You Read If You Liked Six of Crows?

No two books are alike, so trying to find one exactly like the last one you loved is a futile task. A better way to do it is to find the books that share similar tropes, character development, and worldbuilding.

All the books in this list exhibit criminal masterminds like Kaz Brekker, silent assassins like Inej, magical abilities like the Small Science, and more. That’s not a guarantee that you’ll love them, but it will ease you into the reading experience.

The important thing is to not treat them as another Six of Crows, but to see them as separate books with their own identities. Give them a chance and you might just find a new series to obsess over.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post 10 Books Like Six of Crows to Binge On appeared first on killerthrillers.net.

They’re able to trick their way in and out of any situation, from infiltrating exclusive events to getting away from justice.

Real-Life Con Artists

While con artists take up a fair amount of space in fiction, their nonfiction counterparts don’t fall behind in offering you the most unbelievable tricks and scams.

Below are some of these real-life con artists who have made it as history’s legendary swindlers. Some of their exploits you’ll find laughable, while others you’ll simply think are horrifying.

1. Elizabeth Holmes as told in Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely considered the next Steve Jobs. Brilliant and charismatic, she promised the world a faster and easier way to test blood—something that would potentially revolutionize the medical industry.

There was just one problem: her technology didn’t work. That didn’t stop her and her business partner from keeping it quiet while raking in the money, though.

2. Charles Ponzi as told in Ponzi’s Scheme by Mitchell Zuckoff

Imagine having a scheme so associated with your identity that the world not only names it after you, but the majority of people only know you from it. That’s essentially Charles Ponzi’s legacy.

Sometime in the early 1920s, Ponzi started promising investors to double their money after only a mere three months. To fulfill that promise, he used the money taken from more recent investors to pay his old clients. The money ultimately came back to him because people kept re-investing in his scheme.

3. John R. Brinkley as told in Charlatan by Pope Brock

In 1917, John R. Brinkley began claiming that he had found the answer to male impotence: transplanting goat testicles onto humans. Surprisingly, a lot of people took him up on his offer. He later expanded his business to selling his own medicine and offering medical advice over the radio.

But he wasn’t even a doctor and his procedure wasn’t supported by any medical research. As a result, dozens of people died or were wrongfully diagnosed.

4. Leo Koretz as told in Empire of Deception by Dean Jobb

Leo Koretz operated much in the same way and almost at the same time as Charles Ponzi. But instead of using postal reply coupons, Koretz took advantage of fraudulent oil claims in Panama to lure his investors.

He was so trusted by his investors that after Ponzi’s arrest, they jokingly called him “Our Ponzi,” never realizing that they were being duped the same way. His scheme was only discovered when his wealthier investors traveled to Panama to take a look at fictional oil operations there.

5. The Enron Executives as told in The Smartest Guys in the Room by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind

Energy company Enron was once the darling of the 90s corporate world. A rising star, it boasted consistent profits that reportedly came to at least $100 billion during the year 2000.

It was only when an article (by one of the book’s authors)questioned how the company made money did people take a closer look at the company. It turns out, their skyrocketing profits were a result of the company’s executives committing corporate fraud.

6. Joseph Weil as told in Conman by himself and W.T. Brannon

“Yellow Kid” Weil worked with many fellow con men and started a wide range of successful cons. During his career, he reportedly swindled more than $8 million from various people.

Some of his best-known schemes were tricking Benito Mussolini out of $2 million, selling oil-rich lands he didn’t own, and staging fake prizefights.

7. Edgar Laplante as told in King Con by Paul Willetts

Edgar Laplante was a small-time con man and actor who who decided to reinvent himself as Chief White Elk—war hero, civil rights leader, sportsman, and Cherokee nation leader.

Under this guise, he went around the American West and eventually Europe, duping world leaders, rich businessmen, and high-class women alike. At one point, he even went to Italy and posed as a delegation member for the League of Nations.

8. Catch Me If You Can by Frank W. Abagnale

Frank Abegnale tells his true story of how he became one of the world’s most sought-after con men, posing as a pilot, doctor, layer, and professor all before he was 21.

Known by the police of 26 countries and all 50 states as “The Skywayman,” he lived a luxurious life on the run until the law finally caught up with him.

Con Artists in Fiction

Literature tends to treat the con artist as being one of two extremes. They can be the lovable rogue who restricts their cons to the rich, the unlikable, and those who deserve it. Or perhaps they’re the total scoundrels who particularly like preying on the desperate, the vulnerable, and the gullible.

Below are a few examples of the literary con artists and the daring schemes they pull off. Some of them are complete villains, while others are more of the loveable sort.

Spoiler Alert! The tricks performed by the con artists below are significant to their narratives. Anything you read past this point may affect your reading experience with these books.

9. John Constantine from Hellblazer by Various Authors

John Constantine calls himself a magician, but most of his success lies in his talent for the con. His scams extend from gullible mortals to a plethora of supernatural beings.

In Dangerous Habits, he manages to sell his soul to three unsuspecting Lords of Hell. Each lord, too proud to cede their claim on him, ultimately decides to heal him and bring him back to the world.

10. The Wizard from The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

The Wizard of Oz is venerated by all of his subjects, who believe that he possesses potent magic. Thinking that he is the only one who can solve their problems, Dorothy and her crew journey to his palace for help.

It turns out that the wizard is just an ordinary man from Nebraska who accidentally sailed into the Land of Oz. He uses elaborate tricks and props to maintain the illusion of being “great and powerful.”

11. Loki and Odin from American Gods by Neil Gaiman

The story of American Gods is basically a two-man con. The Old Gods are losing power as people begin believing in a newer generation of gods.

Loki and Odin then scheme to have the Old and New Gods fight each other to the death, taking power from the resulting chaos. They even go as far as orchestrating the protagonist’s birth.

12. Tom Ripley from The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

Tom Ripley is a struggling man from New York City who keeps himself above water by doing whatever’s necessary. A chance encounter with someone leads him to Italy, where he first experiences a lavish life.

Desperate to hold on to his new life, he commits murder and assumes a different identity. Most of the novel then shifts to him maintaining the deception.

13. The Gentlemen Bastards from The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

To the thieves community, the Gentlemen Bastards are simple second-story men. But to the rich and powerful nobility of Camorr, they’re a force to be feared.

Trained by a gifted mentor, the Bastards know everything there is to tricking nobles out of their fortunes. At one point, they even trick their marks in two ways: as swindlers posing as merchants and the lawmen who eventually reveal the scam.

14. Moist von Lipwig from Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

When it comes to con artists, Moist von Lipwig checks every box. He’s smart, charming, and believes he’s above other criminals. After all, he does it for the challenge and never hurts anyone.

But then he’s captured and sentenced to death. It’s a good thing the government wants his criminal genius to solve a long-standing problem—organize the mail.

15. Dr. Vladimir Dragan from The Little Red Chairs Edna O’brien

Dr. Vladimir Dragan arrives at a little Irish village and sets up shop. From poetry to sex therapy, he does it all. Charming, pretty, and sophisticated, he quickly wins the villagers over.

Then he’s arrested and revealed as the notorious Beast of Bosnia—a war criminal whose crimes include genocide, torture, and ethnic cleansing.

16. The Soldiers from The Stone Soup by Marcia Brown

It’s odd that a beloved folktale often told to children encourages us to cheer for the con artist. In this story, a group of hungry strangers resort to tricking a whole village into creating a delicious meal.

The details change from place to place, but this particular version sees tired soldiers setting up a cauldron and claiming to cook a “stone soup” fit for royalty. The initially selfish villagers, curious about how it tastes, begin contributing food to the soup to make it better. They eventually give enough to create a tasty meal.

What Is a Con Artist?

Con artists are called so because they first gain your trust—your confidence—before exploiting you for all that you have. They prey on people who are easily manipulated, mainly those who are naive, egotistical, irresponsible, or greedy.

The basic con artist is seen on the streets, operating simple confidence scams that are interesting enough to draw in victims, but seem harmless enough to evade too much attention.

For example, a man offering a prize for correctly guessing which cup a coin is in seems like an easy way to make money. What the people don’t know though, is that the contest is rigged. The only person who stands to get rich is the con artist.

As the con becomes more complicated, so do the risks and rewards. From targeting high-profile people to entire organizations, con artists not only live for whatever they can take, but also for the excitement of the con.

Cole Salao

Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!

The post 16 Real and Imaginary Con Artists Who Pull Off the Most Incredible Schemes appeared first on killerthrillers.net.