It is difficult to define the term thriller (aka suspense/adventure) because authors often combine situations from other genres such as mystery, horror, science fiction, and romance. For our purposes, the following characteristics must be in a novel to be a “Thriller.”

1. Sustained action & excitement over the course of the novel.
2. A main character that has to use his/her wits or physical abilities to overcome/vanquish the villain causing the problem.
3. No happy ending is guaranteed.

According to Michael Gannon in Blood, Bedlam, Bullets, and Badguys (2004), the main character(s) can always expect the worst as they proceed on their path or quest. These characters are often thrown into dangerous situations that make them rely on their abilities, both physical and mental, to survive their ordeal. There must be a villain—the bad guy who is the adversary or presents the obstacle the good guy must overcome.

Action & excitement, preferably a roller-coaster ride of chilling thrills is standard operating procedure. The International Thriller Writers state: “One of their common denominators is that they quicken the reader’s heartbeat.” “Thrillers pull no punches. Happy-ever-after endings are, as in life, never guaranteed.” There is no such thing as a cozy thriller.

“Today, thriller novels provide a rich literary feast embracing a wide variety of worlds — the law, espionage, action-adventure, medicine, police and crime, romance, history, politics, high-tech, and religion. But old or new — and this vibrant field never stays still — all thrillers share certain characteristics. Like Homer in ancient Greece keeping his audiences captive with his tales, thriller authors are constantly aware that their readers are looking to them to provide the sudden rush of emotions, the excitement, sense of suspense, apprehension, and exhilaration that drive the narrative, sometimes subtly with peaks and lulls, sometimes at a constant, breakneck pace. By definition, if a thriller does not thrill, it is not doing its job.” [http://www.thrillerwriters.org 3/28/06]

The list that accompanies this definition contains novels that are known for their author’s craft and because they have had a impact on the Thriller genre. It is not definitive—but it is meant to be a sampler of some of the classic and current popular titles and authors who weave a suspenseful tale. Both the International Thriller Writers site and Michael B. Gannon's book, Blood, Bedlam, Bullets, and Badguys: A Reader's Guide to Adventure/Suspense Fiction (2004, Libraries Unlimited) were invaluable resources for this list.