As a thriller writer of 3 novels, I’ve learned a thing or two about suspense writing and how to keep the reader engaged. If you’re an aspiring or veteran author who writes or wants to write thrillers, check out this FAQ post for writers about writing psychological thrillers and understanding the elements of a psychological […]
It’s February. Many of us are in the grip of a polar vortex. Most of us are isolating at home. All of us are anxious and uncertain about what COVID-19 might inflict upon us. You might think the last thing you need is something to make you even more nervous. Even if psychological thriller novels […]
Who can resist the lure of a domestic noir book, a style of psychological thriller that focuses on the dark side of intimate relationships? Novelist Julia Crouch coined the term in 2013 to describe her own books, calling them stories about unraveling, involving “the toxic marriage and its fallout.” As a psychologist who writes domestic […]
He’s our favorite spy, played by seven actors over 26 films notably, the late great Sean Connery. But is James Bond a psychopath? Maybe. Ian Fleming’s swashbuckling secret agent is supposedly based on British WWII spy Forest “Tommy” Yeo-Thomas, known to Nazis as the “White Rabbit.” Like Bond, he was known for his daring, ruthless exploits and ability to seduce beautiful […]
Micro Publishing Media spoke with Freda Hansburg, author of Shrink Rapt and Tell on You on what makes a good thriller novel. Read on for her amazing tips on how to write a thriller novel that will capture your reader. MPM: Because so much of the psychological thriller genre depends on suspense and tension, how […]
Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Aileen Wuornos also known as the “Damsel of Death.” The Zodiac Killer, The Green River Killer, The Night Stalker, BTK, The Boston Strangler, Son of Sam, So many serial murderers we recognize by name or nickname, And all of them American as apple pie, Two-thirds of all serial killers since 1900 have been American […]
There are the classic vampires, from Dracula and Nosferatu through Lestat, who have long been the staple villain of the horror genre. Psychopaths, from Tom Ripley and Hannibal Lector to Amy Elliot Dunn, are the go-to baddies of the contemporary take on horror – the thriller movie genre. But beyond the fictional gore of Hollywood, […]
According to Dr. Scott Bonn of Drew University, author of Why We Love Serial Killers: The Curious Appeal of the World’s Most Savage Murderers, public fascination with fictional serial killers and real-life serial killers, has boomed since the 1970’s – and says as much about society as it does about the “celebrity serial killers” themselves. We don’t care […]
Think fast: Who would you rather be locked in a room with? A psychopath or a serial killer? If you answered psychopath, congratulations. You have better odds of walking out of that room alive. Despite the stereotype of the psychopathic serial killer, ala Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, one of the best […]
Who doesn’t love a scary movie? But what makes a good psychological thriller? A psychological thriller focuses on the inner makeup of its characters and their unstable mental states. According to British director John Madden, a good psychological thriller book focus on story, character development, choice and moral conflict; with fear and anxiety driving the […]