Favorite Suspense Novel Writer

[Mr Light]

It's a rare thing that I truly get excited about reading a book, tearing through the pages all at once. One sure bet is a new book from Douglas Preston and/or Lincoln Child. They write a suspense/adventure series starring a Holmes-like FBI Agent that involve fringe science and apparently paranormal threats with a scientific basis, but also regular mastermind killers. Every single short chapter keeps you guessing and en rapt. There's a mystery of who/what is the killer that I usually guess wrong for.

Anyway, what are your favorite authors for this kind of page turner popcorn suspense thriller book? I'd love to find a new author as exciting as Preston/Child.

I'm just now reading my first book from Brad Meltzer (who I know from writing comic books) and it's good but not as good as Preston/Child. I would also place Michael Chricton in this category but I've already read all his books.

 

[indianatrekker26]

im getting into Lee Child. started his first book. hard to put down

 

[Admiral_Young]

I'm partial to David Hagberg's Kirk McGarvey series that I've followed since 2oo3 or there abouts.

 

[sidious618]

Hmm... Jason Starr and Ken Bruen come to mind immediately. I enjoy Nelson DeMille as well although he can be hit or miss.

 

[Nardpuncher]

im getting into Lee Child. started his first book. hard to put down

I was just about to say Lee Child.

I like his books, though the mystery part is never really good...it's never something the reader can figure out because he doesn't give enough info at the start...but it's his main character that draws the readers in.
I also like how Lee Child plans on writing a book a year for all long as he can.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Jeffery Deaver tops the list here, though I like Preston/Child and recently read the first Lee Child book and liked it too.

 

[Goliath]

Hmm... Jason Starr and Ken Bruen come to mind immediately.

Excellent choices. I've especially enjoyed their collaborations for Hard Case Crime.

Duane Swierczynski writes a pretty good thriller as well, though I'm finding that Secret Dead Men is not as good as his other three.

Dan Simmons' Joe Kurtz novels are also good.

 

[sidious618]

Hmm... Jason Starr and Ken Bruen come to mind immediately.

Excellent choices. I've especially enjoyed their collaborations for Hard Case Crime.

Me, too, although The Max was a dissapointment. Bruen's Jack Taylor series is perfection, though. Have you read those?

 

[John Clark]

Another recommendation for Jeff Deaver from me

 

[Captaindemotion]

Another Lee Child vote here.

 

[Goliath]

Hmm... Jason Starr and Ken Bruen come to mind immediately.

Excellent choices. I've especially enjoyed their collaborations for Hard Case Crime.

Me, too, although The Max was a dissapointment. Bruen's Jack Taylor series is perfection, though. Have you read those?

All of them up to Cross. I like his Southeast London Police Squad series as well.

 

[Mistral]

Preston/Child. Good stuff! Read two by Lee Child-they were ok, but it takes a doozy to impress me re: suspense writers. I cut my teeth on my parents' collection and find most modern authors in the field to be hacks or just plain unimaginative. Liked some of Koontz's early stuff. Like Chrichton. Like Dashell Hammett.

 

[sidious618]

All of them up to Cross. I like his Southeast London Police Squad series as well.

The one after Cross, Sanctuary, is the last oneas it appears he is not publishing anymore. I've read it and I can say that it feels like it is the last one.

I haven't read his other series yet, the Bryant one, but I plan on it.

 

[Lonemagpie]

I'm not sure Lee Child is really a *suspense* writer in the way that Deaver is... Thriller, certainly, but, thinking about it, not suspense.

 

[Top41]

James Patterson used to be a must-read of mine, but his recent books have been so formulaic and mediocre that I haven't been into them at all. I haven't even read the last few...I think the last one I read was Double Cross, which was forgettable. Or maybe The Quickie--same thing.

I only read a few Ridley Pearson novels many years ago (sometime in the 90s), but they were excellent. I've heard many people praise him, too. I liked his two main detectives.

On the girlier side of things, I enjoy Sandra Brown's thrillers. They're always fun.

I guess there's no thriller writer that I read regularly anymore, and that kind of makes me sad. Some favs that I've enjoyed are: Philip Margolin, Richard North Patterson (for legal/political thrillers, he's fun), Tess Gerritsen (but not her mystery series...it's just okay) and David Baldacci (before the Camel Club books).

 

[Mr Light]

Do Lee Child or Jeff Deaver do paranormal/monster/fringe science stories?

 

[Misfit Toy]

Do Lee Child or Jeff Deaver do paranormal/monster/fringe science stories?

Not that I'm aware of. Neither does my current favorite, James Lee Burke.

 

[Lonemagpie]

Do Lee Child or Jeff Deaver do paranormal/monster/fringe science stories?

No.

For that type of suspense, Dean Koontz is still your man.