The Beginning of the Thriller Genre

We’re all familiar with the thriller genre in both literature and media; however, when did it all begin? In 1844, Alexander Dumas published The Count of Monte Cristo, which would be revered as a thriller for its fast-paced adventure with the plot of revenge at its heart after the protagonist is betrayed by his closest friend. Another example of a classic thriller would be Homer’s Odyssey represents the genre with stark elements of suspense.

What Makes a Thriller Novel?

To understand a thriller novel successfully, a few things need to be understood. Starting with the elements that create the foundation of the thriller genre, there are also the sub-genres within thrillers themselves to consider.

Thrillers are complex, dark, and suspenseful from the story’s beginning to the end. Thrillers are known to create a tense, plot-driven story revolving around disappearances or murders of protagonists or supporting characters and typically involve a plot twist to take readers by surprise.

In a thriller, the story usually begins with the protagonist being thrown into a world that they once thought they knew to take a turn when tragedy strikes. Tragedy can come in various forms within the genre. For example, the disappearance or death of a protagonist’s loved one could drive the plot forward. In other circumstances, a stranger meets the protagonist and they are somehow linked together, forcing them to embark on a journey of searching for the antagonist responsible and retracing hints that reveal dark secrets along the way.

The Sub-Genres of Thrillers

One may think that Thriller is a singular genre defined solely by suspense and mystery; however, other key elements add to the novel depending on the sub-genre.

Psychological Thriller – Psychological thrillers are easily distinguished for their incorporation of mental illnesses, unreliable narrators, and questionable morality, which drives the protagonist forward. In addition, psychological thrillers tend to have the protagonist (depending on point-of-view) be considered an unreliable narrator. Therefore, making the ultimate conclusion in the novel to either confuse the reader or answer all the mysteries that were yet to be uncovered thanks to the narrator.

 Action Thriller – Action thrillers focus less on the mystery side and primarily on the physical sense of suspense. Many action films explore the world in which the protagonist is caught off guard suddenly. This sub-genre is fast-paced, action-packed, and full of challenges set up by the antagonist.

Crime Thriller – Crime thrillers have the common element known as the red herring, which is used to mislead the reader from the true antagonist or twist in the novel. The red herring can be either a person or a series of events to add to the anticipation. Of course, there is always a plot twist within the crime subgenre that every classic thriller novel has and an occasional scare factor to keep up with the apprehension that builds for both the protagonist and readers as the story grows closer to the climax.

Political Thriller – Manipulation, deceit, danger, and political intrigue are vital to fueling a political thriller. The political subgenre is a power struggle wherein suspense is at its highest level throughout the novel. As a result, political thrillers will have darker themes with tense scenes between the characters working towards a goal.