Thriller suspense novels (1 Viewer)

[timschochet]

What are your favorite thriller suspense novels? I'm always looking for good ones to read. I prefer one-offs, not series, though I'll read both. It doesn't have to be a mystery or a police procedural, though it can. I'm looking for page turning heart pounding suspense. Whatcha got?

 

[timschochet]

Here are some that I love:

Marathon Man by William Goldman

Cathedral by Nelson DeMille

24 Hours by Greg Iles

Hostage by Robert Crais

Pale Horse Coming by Stephen Hunter

 

[Johnny Bing]

Always been a fan of John Sandford novels. He is more known for the "prey series" but he has some one-offs.

The series is based out of minneapolis with detective Lucas Davenport.

 

[timschochet]

Always been a fan of John Sandford novels. He is more known for the "prey series" but he has some one-offs.

The series is based out of minneapolis with detective Lucas Davenport.

These are actually on my list of books to read, starting with Rules of Prey. I've heard good stuff.

 

[rct]

Always been a fan of John Sandford novels. He is more known for the "prey series" but he has some one-offs.

The series is based out of minneapolis with detective Lucas Davenport.

Sandford has written only a couple of one offs. Most of his other books are series too, the Virgil Flowers books are his most recent non-prey (7 in that series) and are pretty good too as well as the 4 Kidd Novels (a series which he has discontinued). But as much as I like the Davenport/prey books, that series seems to have run its course.

For Tim I would recommended David Baldacci who has a mix of series and one-off and all good in the suspense/mystery category. The Camel Club novels are all excellent.

 

[skol asylum]

James Rollins

Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Steve Berry

 

[gianmarco]

Who Killed Mr. Ishida?

 

[snogger]

Dean Koontz - Maybe not in the "Suspense thrillers" listed here, but I've read all of his books and just ordered his latest The City

Dan Brown - Just finishing up Inferno now.. Great twists and turns so far.

James Rollins is always a fun read.

Lee Child

Douglas Preston

James Patterson

Michael Connelly

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

Read James Ellroy's quartet of LA novels (Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential, White Jazz).

 

[timschochet]

Read James Ellroy's quartet of LA novels (Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential, White Jazz).

I tried, after I saw the LA Confidential movie (which I enjoyed.) I couldn't get into them.

I like all sorts of thrillers, but my favorite are when the clock is ticking down...

 

[Abraham]

Intensity by koontz is a fun weekend read.

 

[timschochet]

Just started The Day After Tomorrow, by Allen Folsom. Written in the 90s, but highly recommended. So far so good.

Next up is Transfer of Power, the first Mitch Rapp novel. Somebody told me it was like 24, which I enjoy.

After that, the Killing Floor by Lee Childs, then Brad Thor, then John Sandford.

Hoping for the best...

 

[Eephus]

I picked up Ken Follett's Eye of the Needle out of a free box and thought it was a great example of an old school thriller. Good characters and characterizations, a plot that deftly switched between protagonists and legitimate tension as the chapters wound down.

 

[Dan Gladden's Mustache]

I picked up Ken Follett's Eye of the Needle out of a free box and thought it was a great example of an old school thriller. Good characters and characterizations, a plot that deftly switched between protagonists and legitimate tension as the chapters wound down.

 

[HellToupee]

The Friends of Eddie Coyle by Higgins ? Its a fast read , only about 200 pages but well worth it

 

[Frostillicus]

James Rollins

Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Steve Berry

Love the first two, will need to check out Berry now.

 

[Frostillicus]

Tim I think you'll love the Rapp novels.

I think Koontz is horrible, but to each their own.

 

[timschochet]

Tim I think you'll love the Rapp novels.

I think Koontz is horrible, but to each their own.

Hope so. For years I refused to read the guy because he was known to be a frequent guest on the Glen Beck show, and I can't stand Beck. But everybody loves Flynn, and if it's really like 24 I'll enjoy it.

Koontz is hit or miss for me, mostly miss. Everybody seems to love Intensity; for me it was just OK. I liked Watchers.

 

[skol asylum]

I read the first two Flynn books and they arent bad but the guy is pretty over the top with his black and white conservative good and liberal bad shtick.

 

[Zow]

Always been a fan of John Sandford novels. He

is more known for the "prey series" but he has

some one-offs.

The series is based out of minneapolis with detective Lucas Davenport.

These are actually on my list of books to read, starting with Rules of Prey. I've heard good stuff.

Great thrillers. Read them when I lived in Minneapolis.

 

[Zow]

For mindless reading I love me some Robert Parker "Spenser" novels.

 

[msommer]

Philip Kerr writes some great historical thrillers in the Bernie Gunther series, which takes place in Nazi Germany. The first three are pre war and then it's more flashback against some post war background. Highly enjoyable. I believe the first is called March Violets

David Downing's 'Station' series is also worthwhile although the last in the series is not up to standard - also set in Nazi and post war Germany

I like Robert Crais' Joe Pike novels, not that many of them.

Barry Eisler's John Rain series is good too

I feel like I am forgetting a lot, I might come back later with more suggestions

PS I second that the 'prey' novels have run their course. I prefer the Virgil Flowers books

 

[Spike]

.

 

[shader]

Robert Ludlum, author of Bourne books..he was a great writer.

 

[snogger]

Tim I think you'll love the Rapp novels.

I think Koontz is horrible, but to each their own.

Hope so. For years I refused to read the guy because he was known to be a frequent guest on the Glen Beck show, and I can't stand Beck. But everybody loves Flynn, and if it's really like 24 I'll enjoy it.

Koontz is hit or miss for me, mostly miss. Everybody seems to love Intensity; for me it was just OK. I liked Watchers.

Watchers was very good and was the first book of his I read..

Some of My favorite Koontz books are Phantoms, Night Chills & Lightning.

Something I at first had a "why would you go there Koontz? " response to, but loved reading, was the Frankenstein series.. Really well written and a great story.

 

[(HULK)]

Robert Ludlum, author of Bourne books..he was a great writer.

Honestly, those Bourne books are so boring I fall asleep trying to read them. If I had to describe them in one word, I'd say "dry".

 

[timschochet]

Robert Ludlum, author of Bourne books..he was a great writer.

Honestly, those Bourne books are so boring I fall asleep trying to read them. If I had to describe them in one word, I'd say "dry".

I haven't read him but that's exactly what I DON'T WANT. A lot of these writers are way too dry for me. Tom Clsncy comes to mind.

 

[(HULK)]

Robert Ludlum, author of Bourne books..he was a great writer.

Honestly, those Bourne books are so boring I fall asleep trying to read them. If I had to describe them in one word, I'd say "dry".

I haven't read him but that's exactly what I DON'T WANT. A lot of these writers are way too dry for me. Tom Clsncy comes to mind.

I read Hidden Order by Brad Thor at the beach this summer. Quick pacing and suspenseful. Give it a read imo

 

[eoMMan]

For mindless reading I love me some Robert Parker "Spenser" novels.

Yeah, these are good. I also like the Doc Ford ones by Randy Wayne White.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Stephen Hunter's a good one. There are all of the Swagger books (some of them got a little rote a few years ago, but the last couple have been better) and stand alones like Dirty White Boys. Hunter is a big gun guy and will go into detail on weapons - I gloss over most of that. He also, unlike many suspense writers, has a sense of humor.