Liz Between The Lines

Disclaimer: I am just an avid thriller and suspense reader; not an expert. This recipe is based on nothing but my observations and what I like when reading. Suspense, Crime or Mystery Thriller books are some of the highest earning genres of books (2nd only to Romance/Erotica). With so many books already published, how do authors still manage to write bestsellers? I've decided to compile a recipe from what I've observed from a few of my favourite authors. 1. UNRELIABLE NARRATOR  This is the main ingredient in The Perfect Thriller recipe. Unreliable first person narrators do not necessarily lie (except Amy Dunn from Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl) but give the reader just omit enough material information to steer the reader in the direction they want them to go. Your narrator must be pretty convincing for this to work. 2. TRUST and SECRETS I love a mess. Fragile relationships between the characters due to a lack of trust or keeping secrets from each other helps drive th...

Day 11 of Lockdown and 5 books later, I've just finished Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough. This is the second thriller I've read by Sarah. (The first was Behind Her Eyes - another thriller I've recently discussed with 2 friends and still enjoyed.) Lisa has lived a sheltered life, constantly looking over her shoulder, for the past 10 years with just her teenage daughter (Ava), her best friend (Marilyn) and her job for company. Lisa's overprotective parenting style strains the mother-daughter relationship, but if Ava knew what Lisa's history entailed, she'd understand. Ava thinks she's the most mature 16 year old woman and the rest of her friendship circle is simply childish - at least that's what he tells her. He is just one of Ava's many secrets, vaguely shared with her best friend Jodie. The sassy Marilyn has been Lisa's pillar of strength, both in and outside the workplace, for as long as they've known each other. Lisa and her ...