# Psychological Thrillers???



## melissamissestx (Mar 3, 2009)

I love, love, love psychological thrillers and the best I've read was Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane.  Does anyone have any other recommendation for me?


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## egh34 (Jan 11, 2009)

Try Lisa Unger...can't think of the titles at the moment, but they are excellent!


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## marianneg (Nov 4, 2008)

This book is very good, as long as you're ok with a Christian overtone:


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

Great one, and only $3.99 right now!


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I was gonna be strong and not mention it, but I can't resist.....For me, the strongest way to experience this genre is in a movie rather than a book. Movies are shorter so I can stay focused and not think too hard about the premise (which is often ridiculous). I'd especially recommend Alfred Hitchcock (duh) but in addition to his well-known movies, I'd look up "Lifeboat"

http://www.amazon.com/Lifeboat-Special-Tallulah-Bankhead/dp/B000A9QK7I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1263092572&sr=8-1

Whole thing takes place in a small lifeboat with nine people on it! (yet they still managed to work in a Hitchcock cameo)


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## TC Beacham (Nov 23, 2009)

Lucky for us, the movie will be out soon!

http://www.shutterisland.com/


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

Try this:











King's "Misery" is a great suggestion.

If you've never read Thomas Harris start with this:











I don't know why "The Silence of the Lambs" is not on Kindle. But you should also try his earlier:


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## PhillipA82 (Dec 20, 2009)

s Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane is my favorite too


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

Best. Ever.  Judas Child by Carol O'Connell.  Best.  Ever.  Will leave you sockless.


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## kevindorsey (Mar 4, 2009)

Black Sunday is a pretty good read, manly.


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## melissamissestx (Mar 3, 2009)

Thanks, everyone.  I can't wait to try these out.  I've already bought three of them!!


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

Which three?


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## kayakruthie (Jan 28, 2010)

I wrote an LA noir psychological thriller a few years back that has as many twists and turns as Sunset Boulevard. Very Hitchcock.

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Darkness-ebook/dp/B001DAI7CO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2


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## Tabby (Oct 7, 2009)

I also love psychological thrillers! If you haven't already, try Chelsea Cain.


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## mmefford (Dec 9, 2009)

One of my all-time favorites is The Alienist by Calab Carr. I simply couldn't stop reading it--and I was on my honeymoon! It's a blend of psychological thriller and historical fiction set in early 1900's NYC. Incredible book. 

Take care and good reading,

Mike Mefford


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## Eric C (Aug 3, 2009)

Stephen White's "Kill Me." (He's a psychologist by training.)


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## Digital Tempest (Dec 17, 2009)

I've read quite a few, but my absolute favorite is Primal Fear by William Diehl. You may have seen the movie. I saw the movie first and it was some years later when I read the book. I don't know if they have it in Kindle version or not. I'll have to check and see.


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## Winter9 (Jan 19, 2010)

If you don't mind crime, Karin Fossum is a genius on the psychological part!


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## LaRita (Oct 28, 2008)

mmefford said:


> One of my all-time favorites is The Alienist by Calab Carr. I simply couldn't stop reading it--and I was on my honeymoon! It's a blend of psychological thriller and historical fiction set in early 1900's NYC. Incredible book.


I have to agree about The Alienist. Absolutely riveting. The sequel, Dark Angel is equally good.


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## scottnicholson (Jan 31, 2010)

ah great recommendations! I forgot "A Simple Plan"--amazing book. "Misery" is one of my favorite Kings. I also recommend William Goldman ("Magic" is the very definition of pysch thriller) and Ira Levin, two overlooked masters.

Scott Nicholson
The Skull Ring (psych thriller!)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Skull-Ring-ebook/dp/B003980ELA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267040921&sr=1-1


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## Winter9 (Jan 19, 2010)

Ira Levin isn't overlooked? Or is it? I have read one book of him, and heard about that book in a number of occasions.


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

I agree about "Shutter Island," it's a dandy. The movie version is pretty good too.

One of the best psychological thrillers I've read is Crack-Up







by Eric Christopherson. It would easily be worth $9.99, but for 99 cents, it's a great bargain.


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## CJ West (Feb 24, 2010)

Melissa,

I'm reading the Dirty Secrets Club by Meg Gardiner for my Blog Talk Radio show. 

Meg is a strong writer and the story is riveting. I think you'll really enjoy it.

CJ


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## scottnicholson (Jan 31, 2010)

Oh yeah, A Simple Plan is a great book! For a while, I thought it was Stephen King using a pen name...


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## L.J. Sellers novelist (Feb 28, 2010)

I agree; Heartsick is a terrific book, but a little more graphically violent than I usually read. To add to the mix, I consider all of Ann Rule's true crime stories to be psychological thrillers. She's terrific. 
L.J.


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## SimonWood (Nov 13, 2009)

I would recommend Barbara Vine.  She manages to get to heart of what makes people tick.  Fatal Inversion and the Chimney Sweeper's Boy are stand out reads.


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## Laurie (Jan 9, 2009)

kayakruthie said:


> I wrote an LA noir psychological thriller a few years back that has as many twists and turns as Sunset Boulevard. Now on Amazon. (Use the link. I haven't figured out how to make the book cover link work yet.)
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Darkness-ebook/dp/B001DAI7CO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
> 
> ...


I just finished Primal Wound and really enjoyed it so I was tempted to grab this one too... but $19.99 was a bit high for me. Grabbed a sample though.


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## eldereno (Dec 27, 2009)

kayakruthie said:


> I wrote an LA noir psychological thriller a few years back that has as many twists and turns as Sunset Boulevard. Now on Amazon. (Use the link. I haven't figured out how to make the book cover link work yet.)
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Darkness-ebook/dp/B001DAI7CO/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
> 
> ...


Did anyone check out the Kindle book price for this book??


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## Laurie (Jan 9, 2009)

eldereno said:


> Did anyone check out the Kindle book price for this book??


Yes - just commented on it in the post above yours. Glad I wasn't the only one thinking that....


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## NicolaFurlong (Dec 4, 2009)

Hi,

Some great recommendations. I heartily approve of The Alienist. No one's mentioned Minette Walters. I absolutely loved The Sculptress and The Scold's Bridle; perhaps more mystery than thriller but both thrilling none the less.

Cheers from southern Vancouver Island, BC

Nicola Furlong


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## TC Beacham (Nov 23, 2009)

CJ West said:


> Melissa,
> 
> I'm reading the Dirty Secrets Club by Meg Gardiner for my Blog Talk Radio show.
> 
> ...


Looks interesting - just ordered the sample. Thanks!


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## DebbiM (Jun 16, 2009)

I'm reading a really excellent psychological thriller right now. If you like thrillers with a supernatural angle, DRUMMER BOY by Scott Nicholson is one of the spookiest I've ever read. It involves strange doings around an old burial site in a cave called the Jangling Hole. The ghosts of Civil War soldiers long-buried there seem to be stirring, possibly because the area is being developed. Nicholson takes pains to describe the lush landscape of the Appalachian setting, his description making the story even more suspenseful. But, man! Those ghosts are creepy. The story has so much to offer as a combination of social commentary and coming of age story, while also being the sort of spooky tale you might hear around a campfire. His characters are real and down-to-earth. Nicholson is obviously a skilled writer--he even manages to make a scene in a bowling alley (of all places!) fraut with tension and fear.

Warning: this book could be highly addictive.

Debbi Mack
Identity Crisis
http://www.debbimack.com
http://midlistlife.wordpress.com


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

Tabby said:


> I also love psychological thrillers! If you haven't already, try Chelsea Cain.


Gotta second this one. Awesome read. All 3 of her books are great. HEARSICK, SWEETHEART, and EVIT AT HEART.

I would also recommend Alex Kava.


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## blackbelt (May 4, 2010)

Anything by Dean Koontz.  Start with Shadows, Lightning, Strangers, Tick Tock.  Can't go wrong.


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## padowd (Jan 14, 2010)

Someone on here mentioned Judas Child by Carol O'Connell. It was not available for my Kindle but I got it from the library and it was so good. I could not stop reading on it. I liked it so much I found someone on EBay that had several of her books and bought them because I liked her so much. I had said I would not buy any more books because our house is full of them but these were a good bargain and I will pass them along to a guy I work with. That is a problem I run into alot when I find a book and it is not available for the Kindle. But I would recommend this book because it is very good.


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## Chloista (Jun 27, 2009)

Ooooh!  Just ordered HEARTSICK.

This site is so bad for my budget...


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## Tabby (Oct 7, 2009)

Chloista said:


> Ooooh! Just ordered HEARTSICK.
> 
> This site is so bad for my budget...


I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Last night I started Evil at Heart which is Chelsea Cain's 3rd book in the Archie & Gretchen series.


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## 5711 (Sep 18, 2009)

I recommend any thrillers by Patricia Highsmith or Val McDermid. Both are dark writers -- what Highsmith lacks in plot she makes up for in damn good (or bad) characters.


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## kayakruthie (Jan 28, 2010)

Patricia Highsmith is one of my favorite writers.  What makes her such a great psychological writer is that she taps into the dark side of each of us, what you or I MIGHT do if we thought we wouldn't get caught.


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## James Everington (Dec 25, 2010)

I agree with the Ira Levin vote - some straight up thrillers, some veering into horror territory.  All worth reading from what I've read...


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## djgross (May 24, 2011)

I've recommended this book on another thread (Books that make you go Wow) as well. French does an amazing job of creating a sense of mounting tension as the book progresses.


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