The thriller is a very popular literary genre that has developed over the last 20 years in a sprawling way and has given rise to subgenres such as the thriller, the noir novel, espionage and many others… Yes! All these categories are part of the world of crime fiction, so here is our little guide to help you see more clearly.
THE THRILLER
The thriller is one of the most well-known and appreciated genres of the detective genre. You will easily recognize a thriller by the tension and suspense that characterizes its reading. A word of advice: get ready to shiver! Be careful not to get lost in the false leads of these complex cases…
Our reading suggestions:
A classic: The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris
A must-see: Tell No One by Harlan Coben / The Crimson Rivers by Jean-Christophe Grangé
A favourite: Norfeville by Franck Thilliez
A discovery: The Cleaning Lady by Freida McFadden
THE NOIR NOVEL
If violence doesn’t scare you and you’re ready to face a harsh social reality full of pessimism, you’re ready to start reading a crime novel! You will recognize a noir novel by the heavy atmosphere that the story gives off and by the darkness of the subjects addressed: generally violence and crimes in working-class neighborhoods.
Our reading suggestions:
A Classic: 1275 Souls by Jim Thompson
A must-see: James Ellroy’s Black Dahlia
A favorite: The Silence by Dennis Lehane
A discovery: The Two Faces of the World by David Joy
THE SPY NOVEL
Are you passionate about intelligence services and state secrets? Look no further, spy novels are for you! You will discover plots far from those of the classic thriller, often set in political contexts full of secrets.
Our reading suggestions:
A classic: The Six Days of the Condor by James Grady
A must-see: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carré
A favorite: I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
A discovery: Twilight in Casablanca by Melvina Mestre
THE HISTORICAL THRILLER
As its name suggests, the historical thriller is a detective novel whose plot progresses in a specific historical context, it can highlight both real and fictional events. There’s nothing better than a historical thriller to be immersed in the past!
Our reading suggestions:
A classic: The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
A must-see: Philip Kerr’s Berlin Trilogy
A favourite: Abir Mukherjee’s attack on Calcutta-Darjeeling
A discovery: The Office of Occult Affairs by ÉricFouassier
THE COSY MYSTERY
If you are looking for a novel with a light tone and without violence, the cozy mystery is the kind of book you need! The cosy mystery has several particularities, generally the stories take place in the English countryside where an amateur detective leads the investigation to solve a crime presented without violence.
Our reading suggestions:
A classic: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
A must-see: Agatha Raisin investigation by M.C. Beaton
A favorite: The Yorkshire Detectives by Julia Chapman
A discovery: The 4 investigators of the Gwangseon supermarket in Gunwoo Jeon
THE ETHNO-THRILLER
A desire for discovery and thrills, this is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in an ethno-thriller! The ethnological thriller is a detective novel whose plot takes place in a distant country, through the plot that takes place there the author makes us discover its culture and its history.
Our reading suggestions:
A classic: Zulu by Caryl Férey
A must-see: The Last Lapland by Olivier Truc
A favourite: No one dies in Longyearbyen by Morgan Audic
A Discovery: D.B. John’s Northern Star
THE FUTURISTIC THRILLER
The current world doesn’t seem dark enough to you, wait until you discover the sci-fi thrillers… You will immediately be immersed in a frightening future, in which technological, social and political advances inspired by the shortcomings of our society will go so far as to make your blood run cold.
Our reading suggestions:
A classic: 1984 by George Orwell
A must-see: The Year of the Lion by Deon Meyer
A favourite: Who After We Live by Hervé Le Corre
A discovery: The Situation of Karim Miské
THE DETECTIVE NOVEL
If you are thirsty for the truth and can’t stand an investigation remaining unsolved, then you will surely devour a detective novel. In these classic investigative novels, a professional investigator solves a news item. By cross-checking all the clues, he manages to unmask the culprit and his motive, all with a great methodology and an unstoppable sense of logic!
Our reading suggestions:
A classic: Leave quickly and come back late by Fred Vargas
A must-see: Tastesof Los Angeles by Michael Connelly
A favorite: The Guyanese series by Colin Niel
A discovery : The Executioner of Gaudí de Aro Sáinz de la Maza
