Your favorite thriller writers

Clancy and Ludlum apply. Patterson is iffy. I know you read the genre, Janet. You can do better than that!

Coben is more mystery than thriller, IMO. Horror can "thrill," but that's a separate genre. Okay, I'll give my favorites: Connelly, DeMille, (Lee) Child, Crais, Iles, Flynn, Grisham (sometimes) Sandford, Cussler, Clancy, Crichton, and, an oldie but goodie - Trevanian. I probably missed a few.

AFTER JACK THE KNIFE, JOHN SANDFORD.

In no particular order:  Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy, Robert Crais, Brad Thor, Dan Brown, Jack Du Brul, David L. Golemon, Michael Crichton, Vince Flynn, and  and our very own, John DeBoer!

Randy, and Gray - you're too kind! Jack Du Brul is the nephew of "Black Jack" Du Brul, infamous around Burlington, Vermont when I was there going to school. Black Jack was a race car driver and owner of the Red Dog, an infamous Burlington night spot. I read one of Du Brul's books and e-mailed him with my personal history re his uncle and Burlington. He responded promptly and took me back to those good old days on the shore of Lake Champlain. Nice! Thanks, guys.

Georges Simenon is more of a Mystery & Crime writer, however like a good thriller novel I find his novels hard to put down.

I've been listening to Robert Galbraith's books. He's only written three, The Cuckoo's Calling, The Silkworm and A Career of Evil. The plots are intricate, and the characters well fleshed out. They're British mysteries, not as quickly paced as American ones, but after the first book you get used to the slow layering of plots, ending in a terrifying climaxes. Lots of suspects which will keep you guessing until the end. Very satisfying for those who enjoy crime mysteries that aren't solved with guns.

Thanks for the tip, Andrew. I haven't read any of that series.

I understand that in the world of art and literature, it's quality, not quantity. Hat's off to Harper Lee. One book changed the world. But you've got to give respect where it's due, and James Patterson is not an author, he's an institution. Sure, he 'writes' a lot with other writers, but he clearly knows how to engage a reader and, when all is said and done, will have sold more books than Shakespeare. That's got to count for something.

The definition of a thriller novel is a novel that uses suspense, excitement, apprehension and exhilaration to tell a story.
http://www.yourdictionary.com/thriller-novel

I don’t read a lot of thrillers, but of the few I have read, these stand out in my mind: Frederick Forsyth (Day of the Jackal), John Grisham (all of them, even the kids’ books)
Going by the definition above, I wouldn’t classify Michael Connelly’s and Lee Child’s books as thrillers, and I’ve read all of theirs. Connelly’s cops are too methodical to be ‘edge of your seat’ characters. Lee Child’s Jack Reacher is more of a knight errant, and there’s never a doubt that he will triumph. Plus, he’s kind of a lovable teddy bear, always sensitive to the plight of others.

I do like the Scandinavian mystery writers, like Jo Nesbø (The Snowman) and Stieg Larsson (The MilleniumTrilogy). Have you read The Boy in the Suitcase?