Thrillers For 100, Alex!

moderated by Nancy

With our usual gracious civility here at TLC, we've been discussing thrillers this week. And because it's gone so well (nobody has threatened bodily harm yet) why not continue the courteous exchange of scholarly thoughts on this subject?

                                 

By way of full disclosure and to counter any accusations of sour grapes, I'll remind one & all that none of the Book Tarts actually writes thrillers (at the moment) but we read them, discuss them, deconstruct them, critique them.  Occasionally lambaste them for being utterly idiotic. Being happy to share our opinions on any subject whether you like it or not, we think we have something intelligent to say about the state of the thriller genre.

And we like nothing better than stirring a pot.  So:

FRANKENSTEIN, if you ask me, is a good place to start. The story: One man, over-confident perhaps to the point of blindness in his own brilliance--ahem!--creates a creature that devolves into a monster. Forget all the movie versions. Read the book again. Okay, so the language is antiquated, but all the elements are there--a flawed protagonist who makes a mistake out of hubris, growing horror, real thrills, the ever-widening world. A brilliant Faustian plot peopled with rich characters. It's got actual ideas, too--philosophy and morality and stuff that challenges the reader to--gasp!--think beyond the action of the plot.

Have I mentioned yet it was written by a woman?

Lately, I picked up IN THE CUT by Susanna Moore.

The book was made into a movie, which I have avoided seeing because I found the book so compelling--and yes, thrilling in many senses of the word--that I don't want to spoil it. Perhaps the element that sucked me into this story right away was the troubled, yet erudite voice of a protagonist who studies language--particularly crude street vernacular, which she collects. Rather the way she collects sexual conquests. In the depths of a sleazy bar, she witnesses a sexual act, and the woman she observes is later found murdered (decapitated and "disarticulated"--what a thrillingly, deliciously awful word!) and our heroine is torn between wondering whether the investigating cop is the man for her...or if he's the killer. Tension escalates, as does the sex. She is stalked. And---spoiler alert--she comes to a very bad end. Sadistic? Yes. But the Writing. Is. Superb. It's quality, literary prose. Although it's a thriller plot, the story is ingeniously written from the first person--a real achievement of art and technique. Definitely a thriller for the ages, in my view.

Does the sex make male readers uneasy? Does the psychological subtext of eroticism give some readers--forgive me--the willies? Does the sexual element disqualify IN THE CUT from the thriller category?

Me, I think it makes the book even more--well, thrilling.

We're calling for nominations today.  What thrillers would you suggest are all-time greats? Iconic? Classics? The Best of the Best? And written by women, of course.

To help you along, Amazon categorizes thrillers--not exactly scientifically--by such sub-genres as:

Legal

Medical

Psychological

General

Spy

Intrigue

Suspense

Technothriller

And just to further your thoughts, I might add:

Scientific

Erotic

Domestic

Historical

Romantic Suspense (but I'm willing to be convinced this isn't a sub-genre of the thriller, so make your case, if you disagree with me.)

What specific thrillers would you nominate for the ages? By women, of course.

Comments

[Cinema Dave]

"Frankenstein" is a personal novel for me.

We read it in 10th grade and I made a "D" on the final exam on the subject. My english teacher claimed "I did not grasp the theme." It did not matter that I had seen all versions of the movie and read all the major criticism about the novel and movies since 5th grade.

Basically, my theme was that Victor Frankenstein was career obsessed and the poor creature was a victim of child abuse by neglect. I guess my literary theory was too personal for my old english teacher.

Last October, between Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma, our "Literary Cinema" program presented "Bride of Frankenstein" starring Karloff and directed by James Whale. It was our largest attendence and we gave away
copies of Mary Shelley's classic, courtesy of the Bonnie Kafin Literary fund.

Yes, the language is antiquated, but once you get beyond the birth of the creature, "Frankenstein" still holds up as a thriller.

In the meantime, i'll think of some nominations by the end of the day, I work the night shift...

[Elaine Viets]

Thrillers are a lot lot like porn and the Supreme Court. There's no clear definition, but you'll know it when you see it. Too bad International Thriller Writers didn't see any women for its upcoming Thriller Awards.
ITW says it represent the form's "rich literary feast" -- but left all women off its list of Thriller Award novel nominees. Not one single woman was nominated.
That struck me as odd. There were so many talented women writers, you'd have to work NOT to nominate one. Especially since some of the men nominees didn't write what I'd call thrillers. "The Color of Law," for instance, was nominated for ITW's Best First Novel. It's fun to read, but I'd consider it as a classic legal mystery.
However, ITW embraces a wider definition of thriller. Co-president David Morrell believes "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde is a "must-read thriller." (In that case, I'd like to add Edith Wharton's "Ethan Frome" to the "must-read" list.)
ITW also says, "By definition, if a thriller does not thrill, it is not doing its job." Here are some thrillers by women that worked for me.
I've starred the women's novels which were submitted to ITW but rejected by its judges for nomination. You'll be astonished by the number of women stars, in both senses of the word.
-- Elaine Viets

Best Novel
*Sue Grafton, S IS FOR SILENCE
*Faye Kellerman, STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS
Laura Lippman, TO THE POWER OF THREE
*Val McDermid, THE TORMENT OF OTHERS
*Lisa Scottoline, DEVIL'S CORNER

Didn't like those for Best Novel? How about these:

Best Novel Redux
*PJ Tracy, DEAD RUN
*Linda Fairstein, ENTOMBED
*Zoe Sharp, FIRST DROP
*Alice Blanchard, LIFE SENTENCES
*Sallie Bissell, LEGACY OF MASKS

Best Paperback Original
*Kathy Brandt, DANGEROUS DEPTHS
*Leslie Glass, A CLEAN KILL
*PJ Parrish, A KILLING RAIN
Dana Cameron MORE BITTER THAN DEATH
Rochelle Krich, NOW YOU SEE ME

Best First
*Elizabeth Becka, TRACE EVIDENCE
*Theresa Schwegel, OFFICER DOWN
*Alison Gaylin, HIDE YOUR EYES
*Michelle Martinez, MOST WANTED

Life-Time Achievement Award
*Sara Paretsky, for creating an unforgettable female character

Classics
Patricia Highsmith
Helen MacInnes
Maureen Tan did "Run Jane Run" and "AKA Jane" two books beloved by thriller aficionados.

[Mary R]

One overlooked thriller writer would be Nicola Griffith. Her THE BLUE PLACE is the best bodyguard/assassin novel I've read in years. Just finished Barry Eisler's HARD RAIN, which is good, but very conventional. THE BLUE PLACE takes the living of a double life to much scarier, darker zone. Aud Torvingen's relationship with her body, beauty, and the objects in her life is handled so well that it makes the reader see things a bit differently.

There is a follow up novel, STAY, also wonderful, but very much a sequel. They definitely should be read in order.

These two books do brilliantly what a lot of mysteries and thrillers do badly. Why the ignoring? Well, it was recommended to me, and I kept looking in the mystery sections for several months (I haunt bookstores). I finally asked someone to look it up and found that it was shelved with the gay/lesbian fiction. Griffith's previous novels were science fiction, so she is someone who has sadly been lost in the genre shuffle.

But, if anyone tells you a woman can't write kick-ass, cold-blooded hard-boiled action, have them read THE BLUE PLACE.

[Donna Andrews]

In the classics or iconics division, I'd nominate Katherine Neville's The Eight--which the Washington Post called "a feminist answer to Raiders of the Lost Ark." I agree, and I also think she's the modern heir of Rafael Sabatini.

(Did I hear someone say "Rafael who?" Remember Scaramouche? "He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad?" Of course you do, but it's one of my favorite quotations and I just wanted an excuse to repeat it.)

[Judith Evans Thomas]

I'm a big fan of Gayle Lynds, who is also one of the founders of the Thriller Society...don't remember its official title at the moment. Her books are:
The Last Spymaster, 2006
The Coil, 2005
Masquerade, 2004
Mosaic, 2002
and then all the Robert Ludlum books she wrote:
The Ambler Warning
The Hades Factor
The Altman Code
The Paris Option

[ramona]

Thanks, Nancy and Elaine, for the thriller suggestions.

For a classics nominee, I'd like to throw in MY COUSIN RACHEL. More so than REBECCA, Rachel creeped me out from the get-go. The rotting hanged man in scene one lets on that bad, bad things are going to happen, but I was still thrown when they did.

A current author I greatly enjoy is Ruth Rendell, esp. writing as Barbara Vine. The Vine books are catalogued as mysteries, but qualify as pyschologial thrillers, I suppose. They certainly thrill me, and they're definitely a head trip! GALLOWGLASS (obsession/kidnapping) and THE CROCODILE BIRD (obsession/madness) in particular seem to fit the standard thriller mode. I also love THE BRIMSTONE WEDDING. The fact that she had a new book (MINOTAUR) out in March- and she is in her mid-seventies!!!--should place Baroness Rendell up there with the big boys.

Off topic a bit, but I had the pleasure of seeing Sarah Strohmeyer last night at West Chester Books & Music. Great talk, Sarah! I wore my tiara all the way home.

[Kathy Sweeney aka Smart Tart]

I'll take romantic suspense:

J.D. Robb writes a futuristic series about a stone cold cop (who happens to be a woman) and her posse - yes, this author is none other than Nora Roberts, and before you turn your nose up, read one. "Naked in Death" is the first.

Suzanne Brockmann, a former romance writer, has crafted a series about a group of FBI, Navy and former military - "Gone Too Far" is in the middle of the series, but it's one of the best.

And in paranormal romance/erotica, there are women writing some books that kept me up at night. Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series started with less sex and more danger - they get darker and sexier as the series continues. Christine Feehan's books are also thrilling, if you like this category.

Best Thriller by an author who doesn't even have a website: Carol O'Connell. She writes the Kathleen Mallory series, and also has a stand-alone called "Judas Child". Kathleen Mallory is a character who is a thriller in and of herself. Due to childhood experiences, Mallory is a sociopath. Her actions can be just as suspenseful as the overall plot. Probably my favorite thriller author - and I don't even read many of them.

Elaine already mentioned Laura Lippman, Michele Martinez and Lisa Scottoline, who has written two back-to-back stand alones that are superb.

Great topic!!

[Harley]

No kidding about Katherine Neville and Carol O'Connell. And as for Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, I was so taken with FRANKENSTEIN that I borrowed Mary's name for my character Wollie. I hope this has not caused Mary S. (or her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft)to roll over in their respective graves.

[MLB]

Like Thrillers?? Come on down to Mystery Lovers Bookshop(in Oakmont) and shop to your hearts content!

[Kathy Sweeney aka Smart Tart]

Harley - cool. I never even made that connection.

[Sarah Stewart Taylor]

Interesting discussion, you guys. I'd have to put Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine up for about the best woman "thriller" writer going. Actually, comparing her Wexfords (which are traditional "mysteries") with her Ruth Rendell standalones (which are psychological thrillers, I'd say) with her Barbara Vines (which I think of as a different kind of novel altogether) provides a pretty good context for this whole discussion. The other thing that I think is kind of interesting is that a lot of more traditional practitioners of the police procedural seem to be taking their last couple of novels more in the direction of thriller -- that is, the question of "whodunit?" isn't as central to the novel's success as the question of "willandhowtheygonnagethim/her?". Does that make sense? I'd put forward Elizabeth George, Minette Walters and Donna Leon as evidence. What do other people think?

[Kristine Coblitz]

I'm a huge fan of Joy Fielding. MAD RIVER ROAD, one of her latest thrillers, made the hair on the back of my neck stand up from chills and thrills. She has the ability to go up against ANY male counterpart in the genre, IMO.

~Kristine

[ramona]

Yay--another Rendell/Vine fan! And since the author has such good taste (aka, same taste as mine) I think I'd better run off and buy JUDGMENT OF THE GRAVE...

[ArkansasCyndi]

I'll have to agree with Kathy about Suzanne Brockman. She is one of the best! Since I tendency to cheat when I read (horrors..I have been known to read the ending first), I have to do Brockman's books as audios. Keeps me honest. But really, I prefer thrillers as audios.
As far as PJ Tracy, I liked Monkey Wrench better than Dead Run. I thought MW was more of a "thriller" with some great suprises twists. And yes, I did then by audio to keep me honest to the end!
I've read all the JD Robb books and not sure I'd classify them all as thrillers, but within the series, there are some thrillers and some I'd classify as mysteries.
I haven't read any Erica Spindler, but I hear she writes stories that will curl your toes. Anyone read her?
How about Lisa Gardner?
I don't read just female authors nor male authors. I couldn't care less what genitalia the writer has. I'm interested in their ability to put words on the page.

[Kerry, the Martial Tart]

I don't have any authors to add, but just wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions (starting, actually, with the "what am I reading this summer" posts). I'm keeping a notepad right next to my computer and writing names and titles down. As soon as I polish off the latest shipment of books, I'll start ordering these!

[Carstairs38]

Elaine,

Kathy Brandt as a potential nominee? I've read her first three books, and after the one you listed, I'm not giving the fourth a chance. 2D characters, weak plots, and she can't even keep her own timeline straight.

Ramona,

Don't just give JUDGEMENT OF THE GRAVE a chance. Read all three of Sarah's excellent books.

Mark

[Lori G. Armstrong]

Piping in with a big "me too" for JD Robb...the In Death series, in my humble opinion is the single best series out there in any genre. Love Suzanne Brockmann. How about Linda Howard? A couple of hers are very thrilling.

[nancy martin]

It's been a long time since I read A Handmaid's Tale. Is it more of a horror story? SF? Too literary? I'm remembering it as pretty shocking the first time around. Does shocking mean thrilling?

Here's Janet Maslin's review of THRILLER, by the way: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/22/books/22masl.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Maybe it helps us better define what a thriller is?

[ramona]

It's been ages since I read A Handmaid's Tale, but I remember it as intense and creepy and riveting. Does that qualify as thrilling?

Mark, I concur with you on the Sweeney St. George books (already read the first two) being great.

[Kathy Sweeney aka Smart Tart]

I can't even look at the cover of A Handmaid's Tale - that book scared me shitless. Does that count as a thriller?

[annette]

Arkansas Cyndi, I've read Erica Spindler, she's OK. She's a local. I like Julie Smith and Alafair Burke, (daughter of James Lee Burke)
better. I wouldn't classify any of these author's books as thrillers. They are more grittier suspense/mysteries if there is such a catagory.
I am currently reading Murder in Greenwich Village by Lee Harris. It is the third in the Jane Bauer Manhattan Mystery series. Jane is a NYPD cold case cop. The books are filled with details of the ins and outs of the NYPD and NY neighborhoods. I love reading books with lots of details.
Lee Harrris writes another series, feaaturing ex nun, Christine Bennet. This is more of a cozy series. Each murder occurred over 20 years ago and happened around a holiday or important day in the victim's life.
As a former librarian, I am sometimes amused at how publisher classify or catalog fiction. There probably should be more cross references, but alas publishers probably think the average reader is too dense to understand or too busy to take the time. Pity, because in the long run, readers are the ones who are misssing out on discovering new authors.

[Kerry, the Martial Tart]

I can't even think about A Handmaid's Tale without shuddering, and it's been over 10 years since I read it. Dystopian horror for sure; thriller? Dunno. But scary as all get-out.

[Cinema Dave]

...yea...Wollie was another reason we chose "Bride of Frankenstein" for "Literary Cinema" last October. I even went as far as writing "Wollstonecraft" on each book mark as giveaways.

O.k...you got me...everytime I thought or a thriller of some sort, I realized it was a male author.

Thanks for the education ladies!
It will help me with my job.

[Fran]

Want to read a kick-ass book that happens to be written by a woman? The Breathtaker by Alice Blanchard. Great characters. Great action. Beautiful writing. Also, a few years before, her debut novel Darkness Peering was easily the debut of the year, and of course, virtually ignored in those awards catagories.