I have been a fan of mysteries, suspense, thrillers, and even some horror for longer than I can remember. There’s nothing like a book where the author takes me on a thrill ride, and I can’t help but keep turning the pages.

I became a fan of the suspense genre after reading my first Mary Higgins Clark book, Where Are The Children? The way she interwove the characters through the plot, hurling obstacles at them and constantly upping the danger gave me the adrenaline rush that I love in a great story.

I equally enjoy suspense/thrillers where we know who the villain is and hope that the protagonist survives whatever is thrown at them, as well as whodunnits where the reader must figure out who’s causing all the chaos by following the trail of clues and red herrings.

Currently, I’ve been inhaling books by Freida McFadden, B.A. Paris, Mary Kubica, as well as many debut authors, and loving every minute of it. I enjoy reading many different authors and continue to discover new ones all the time.

So why do I love suspense/thrillers so much?

For me, a good suspense/thriller has characters who are put in situations that cause them to dig into their very core to outwit, overcome, and survive impossible odds. One would think that it would be the twisty plots, which of course are necessary, that entice me. And they do. But, when I can feel the authenticity of a character right from the start, I care what happens to them, and that’s what makes me want to keep reading. Each author uses their distinct voice to tell their stories and when I find a voice I particularly enjoy you know I’m going to try to read everything they’ve written in the genre.

I love villains and what makes them tick.

I love seeing an underdog character who, through no fault of their own, is thrust into circumstances that force them to either step it up or face the consequences of failing.

I love females in terrifying situations who aren’t rescued by males.

I love watching nice people navigate things that they never expected to have happen to them.

I love scenarios where there doesn’t seem to be a way out – and yet there is in the end.

I love a well-earned twist (or twists). That jaw dropping moment when you didn’t see it coming is so satisfying to me as a reader.

I love psychological thrillers. Getting inside the minds of the characters and why they do what they do fascinates me.

I love the pacing of suspense/thrillers.

I love books with secrets.

I love gaslighting and relationships with a dark side.

I love domestic suspense (and I’ve written two novels in this genre, one that was published in 2014, When Love Won’t Die, and the other coming out in 2028, Amorous Obsession).

What’s your favorite genre(s)? Let me know in the comments.