What is the  Thriller Genre?

A thriller is a type of mystery with a few key differences. As its name suggests, thrillers tend to be action-packed, page-turners with moments full of tension, anxiety, and fear. Without fail, they are plot-driven stories with plenty of plot twists. Whereas a good mystery may provide a deep dive into the clues that lead a detective to solve a crime, thrillers give you just enough information to provide a convincing motive for the characters to get back to the action and the plot. All thrillers are mysteries — readers want to know how the world will be saved or how to escape a serial killer — but not all mysteries are thrillers

What is the  Mystery Genre?

A mystery is simply an unsolved question and the attempt to answer it. In literature, this mystery is often a crime, but anything unexplainable can inspire a great mystery novel.

Like all genre fiction, Mystery follows a formula, one that readers expect. The thing that must happen: something unexplainable. It could be a crime, a disappearance, or the impossible arrival of something or someone. (Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl checks several of these boxes.) Once the mystery is declared, an investigation begins. Clues and witnesses are gathered; suspects emerge. At some point, everything will go off the rails thanks to red herrings or last-minute alibis.

Eventually, the investigation takes a giant leap forward — whether it’s a crucial clue or a tortured confession — and, at last, the mystery is solved. But that’s not necessarily the end of the story. If a crime has been committed, the criminal needs to be caught. If someone disappeared, they need to be found. And, of course, all villains should receive the punishment they deserve.

Mysteries are typically told chronologically from the time the mystery is discovered to the instant it’s solved, but not always. Sometimes, the mystery is solved early in the novel, and the rest of the storyline is spent searching for the motive or the criminal, as in Tom Rob Smith’s Child 44. Whatever the timeline, all mystery novels create the same questions for the reader: Who is responsible for the mystery? What are the details of what happened? Why did this happen? If anyone deserves punishment, is justice served?


What is the  Suspense Genre?

The suspense genre is closely related to a mystery or thriller, which can make it difficult to classify. Often, the three genres are lumped together by publishers and classified as Mystery/Suspense or Suspense/Thriller, but other times they are kept separate. So how do you know if you’re writing a suspense novel?

In general, “suspense” refers to the sense of worry or anticipation a reader feels when reading. This means, in general, all mysteries and thrillers contain suspense. What differentiates them is the type of suspense that is created throughout your story.



Conditions

Pre-owned and/or vintage books are not comparable to new books, and so minor signs of wear and tear such as scuff marks, finger prints, and creases to the spine or pages are to be expected. Sometimes a vintage book will have a musty or similar odour from age and being stored. All major flaws or damage will be included in the item description or photographs. I skim through each book before listing and will comment if I find markings or small flaws. I do not examine each page and therefore I cannot guarantee that I have not missed a marking or the like. It is for this reason that I describe books as acceptable or good even when they appear to be in a higher category of condition.