The most riveting reads in history meet today's biggest thriller writers in Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads.Edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads examines 100 seminal works of suspense through essays contributed by such esteemed modern thriller writers as: David Baldacci, Steve Berry, Sandra Brown, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, Heather Graham, John Lescroart, Gayle Lynds, Katherine Neville, Michael Palmer, James Rollins, R. L. Stine, and many more.Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads features 100 works - from Beowulf to The Bourne Identity, Dracula to Deliverance, Heart of Darkness to The Hunt for Red October - deemed must-reads by the International Thriller Writers organization.Much more than an anthology, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads goes deep inside the most notable thrillers published over the centuries. Through lively, spirited, and thoughtful essays that examine each work's significance, impact, and influence, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads provides both historical and personal perspective on those spellbinding works that have kept readers on the edge of their seats for centuries.
Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Working with a frustratingly broad definition drawn from John Buchan—that a thriller create[s] excitement and quicken[s] the reader's heartbeat—Morrell and Wagner's collection disappoints. Morrell's First Blood was the basis for the Rambo films, and Wagner is a regular contributor to Mystery Scene magazine; they have selected 100 examples of supposedly trendsetting thrillers, each introduced by a contemporary writer of the genre. Beginning with the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and ending with Dan Brown's 2003 bestseller, The Da Vinci Code, the list includes both obvious and puzzling selections. The introductions are also of varying quality, with the more interesting examples coming from writers who explore their personal connection to the work in question, such as the ingenious parallels Lee Child drew as a boy between the Theseus myth and Ian Fleming's Dr. No, or Duane Swierczynski discovering Donald Westlake's (writing as Richard Stark) Parker series and realizing it's fun to read about sons of bitches. But the collection lacks cohesion, and too much space is devoted to minibiographies of the writers (which can be easily gleaned elsewhere). Thriller aficionados may find new titles to add to their reading lists; casual fans will be overwhelmed by the broad-stroke approach. (July 5)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"This entertaining collection starts with Lee Child's thoughts on Theseus and the Minotaur (1500 B.C.) and ends with Steve Berry's take on Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code (2003). In between are some thought-provoking essays by contemporary stars of the thriller field."
- Mystery Scene, Issue 114 (Spring 2010)
"The title of this indispensable volume, grand as it is, only hints at the wonders therein. There is a true embarrassment of riches here, a term that applies not only to the quality of the books listed but also to the commentary provided for each and every one of them."
- Book Reporter, July 9, 2010
"This is an essential reference book."
-Library Journal, Starred Review, May 15, 2010
"A most interesting collection of essays on the genre and one that thriller readers will want to come back to time and again. These are seminal insights from masters of the craft of writing. Highly recommended."
- Midwest Book Review, July 2010
"Thrillers itself is a must-read."
- Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, July 11, 2010
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Questions from Readers for C. J. Lyons
Q
Hi C.J., How can I join your mailing list? Many thanks, looking forward!
Joyce A. Schneider
asked
Oct 7, 2012
Hi Joyce! You can join my Thrillers with Heart mailing list by entering your email in the box on the front page of my website: http://www.cjlyons.net Thanks! CJ
C. J. Lyons answered
Oct 7, 2012
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By D. K. Daniel
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Sparking an argument isn't the best thing about today's "listmania" - you know, the penchant for putting out a rundown of the top this or that. It's discovering those dusty gems that you didn't even know existed.
Morrell and Wagner offer up scores of books and authors likely to delight fans of the thriller genre. They have enlisted top thriller writers to polish those gems by discussing what makes them work and why they may have pushed the genre in a new direction.
My advice: Enjoy reading the essays about the books you have already read and make a list of those books you will want to read; return to those essays later. But don't make the mistake of skipping books that have been made into movies or TV shows you've already seen. You might be surprised to find them a delight not only for their prose but also for their plots.
Case in point is Morrell's own "First Blood." I know that movie so well ("He could eat things that would make a billygoat puke") that I was reluctant last year to read the novel, which Morrell published a good 10 years before Rambo first hit the screen in the 1980s. Turns out, the novel is different from the film in so many ways that it was exciting on an entirely unexpected level. (By the way, "First Blood" holds up quite well as a thriller that also says something about human beings, a Morrell specialty.) I suspect that other thrillers recommended in this book offer similar unexpected delights.
The essays collected here err at times by telling a little too much about the story, and some are a bit superficial. Those are minor flaws for such a collection. At its best, which is far more often than not, "Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads" is like having coffee with a good friend who tells you, "Hey, you gotta read this!"
Morrell and Wagner offer up scores of books and authors likely to delight fans of the thriller genre. They have enlisted top thriller writers to polish those gems by discussing what makes them work and why they may have pushed the genre in a new direction.
My advice: Enjoy reading the essays about the books you have already read and make a list of those books you will want to read; return to those essays later. But don't make the mistake of skipping books that have been made into movies or TV shows you've already seen. You might be surprised to find them a delight not only for their prose but also for their plots.
Case in point is Morrell's own "First Blood." I know that movie so well ("He could eat things that would make a billygoat puke") that I was reluctant last year to read the novel, which Morrell published a good 10 years before Rambo first hit the screen in the 1980s. Turns out, the novel is different from the film in so many ways that it was exciting on an entirely unexpected level. (By the way, "First Blood" holds up quite well as a thriller that also says something about human beings, a Morrell specialty.) I suspect that other thrillers recommended in this book offer similar unexpected delights.
The essays collected here err at times by telling a little too much about the story, and some are a bit superficial. Those are minor flaws for such a collection. At its best, which is far more often than not, "Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads" is like having coffee with a good friend who tells you, "Hey, you gotta read this!"
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Bookreporter
Format:Hardcover
The title of this indispensable volume, grand as it is, only hints at the wonders therein. What is presented here, under the careful editorship of author David Morrell and literary critic Hank Wagner, is a collection of essays by a veritable Who's Who of thriller authors and reviewers. Each essay concerns a classic work of the thriller genre, arranged in chronological order by publication. So it is that the book begins with a thoughtful discourse upon THESUS AND THE MINOTAUR, from 1500 B.C., written by Lee Child, and ends with Steve Berry's tribute to THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown, published in 2003.
Both of these contributions, as well as the other 98 essays that comprise THRILLERS: 100 MUST-READS, are relatively short (a few pages each) and do exactly what needs to be done, which is to send the reader to new and, in some cases, unexpected places. There is a touch of continuity that flows from essay to essay: each includes some biographical information about the subject, backstory on the creation of the book, a summary and commentary concerning the book (and establishing its bona fides for listing), and some personal comments about what the book has meant to the author of the essay. The selection of titles is excellent, while the pairing of each book with each essayist is in all cases thoughtful and, in some, the stuff of genius. Think of J. A. Konrath writing about THE GREEN RIPPER by John MacDonald, or COMA examined by C.J. Lyons, or Lee Child's KILLING FLOOR discussed by Marcus Sakey, and you'll get the idea.
Those of us who have enjoyed a steady diet of the genre will find some of the books included here familiar, either by acquaintance or reputation. There are also titles on the list of which you may never have heard. All the better. Think of being at a party with the most interesting people you know, some of whom have brought new friends for you to meet, others of whom you haven't seen in ages. That is what THRILLERS is at its core.
I never considered THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS by James Fenimore Cooper to be a thriller novel. I confess I have even made jokes in the past regarding the way in which Cooper's books for generations have created future ex-readers. Yet Rick Wilber's essay gave me pause. Wilber goes so far as to call Natty Bumppo, the protagonist of MOHICANS, the first great fictional hero in American literature. And he is right, of course. Then there is P.G. Wodehouse. One would hardly think of Wodehouse as an author of thrillers, yet R. L. Stine's commentary concerning SUMMER LIGHTNING demonstrates conclusively that there was a darkness to Wodehouse's comedic bent.
That is not to say that all of the selections come from a thoughtful left field. The work of Stephen King is represented, as one might expect. Yet Christopher Mooney --- a noteworthy author of the genre in his own right --- reaches to King's groaning shelves of works and selects MISERY, and for all the right reasons. Though King is primarily associated with the supernatural --- on the strength of his early work and his Dark Tower volumes --- it is this novel that demonstrates that the most frightening of our demons dwell right on this plane. MISERY has long been my favorite work of King's, and so I was delighted to find it --- and Mooney's essay --- included here. The presence of Eric Ambler's A COFFIN FOR DIMITRIOS, with comments by Ali Karim, is another wonderful find. Ambler was one of the first writers of spy novels that it was my pleasure to encounter, and Karim, who is a tireless and insightful booster of the thriller genre, is the perfect choice to present Ambler's work.
There is a true embarrassment of riches here, a term that applies not only to the quality of the books listed but also to the commentary provided for each and every one of them. Whether you are seeking to introduce yourself to the rich and wide range of thriller novels, or to fill in the gaps in your collection --- and every bibliophile has at least one --- THRILLERS: 100 MUST-READS is the final word on the subject.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Both of these contributions, as well as the other 98 essays that comprise THRILLERS: 100 MUST-READS, are relatively short (a few pages each) and do exactly what needs to be done, which is to send the reader to new and, in some cases, unexpected places. There is a touch of continuity that flows from essay to essay: each includes some biographical information about the subject, backstory on the creation of the book, a summary and commentary concerning the book (and establishing its bona fides for listing), and some personal comments about what the book has meant to the author of the essay. The selection of titles is excellent, while the pairing of each book with each essayist is in all cases thoughtful and, in some, the stuff of genius. Think of J. A. Konrath writing about THE GREEN RIPPER by John MacDonald, or COMA examined by C.J. Lyons, or Lee Child's KILLING FLOOR discussed by Marcus Sakey, and you'll get the idea.
Those of us who have enjoyed a steady diet of the genre will find some of the books included here familiar, either by acquaintance or reputation. There are also titles on the list of which you may never have heard. All the better. Think of being at a party with the most interesting people you know, some of whom have brought new friends for you to meet, others of whom you haven't seen in ages. That is what THRILLERS is at its core.
I never considered THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS by James Fenimore Cooper to be a thriller novel. I confess I have even made jokes in the past regarding the way in which Cooper's books for generations have created future ex-readers. Yet Rick Wilber's essay gave me pause. Wilber goes so far as to call Natty Bumppo, the protagonist of MOHICANS, the first great fictional hero in American literature. And he is right, of course. Then there is P.G. Wodehouse. One would hardly think of Wodehouse as an author of thrillers, yet R. L. Stine's commentary concerning SUMMER LIGHTNING demonstrates conclusively that there was a darkness to Wodehouse's comedic bent.
That is not to say that all of the selections come from a thoughtful left field. The work of Stephen King is represented, as one might expect. Yet Christopher Mooney --- a noteworthy author of the genre in his own right --- reaches to King's groaning shelves of works and selects MISERY, and for all the right reasons. Though King is primarily associated with the supernatural --- on the strength of his early work and his Dark Tower volumes --- it is this novel that demonstrates that the most frightening of our demons dwell right on this plane. MISERY has long been my favorite work of King's, and so I was delighted to find it --- and Mooney's essay --- included here. The presence of Eric Ambler's A COFFIN FOR DIMITRIOS, with comments by Ali Karim, is another wonderful find. Ambler was one of the first writers of spy novels that it was my pleasure to encounter, and Karim, who is a tireless and insightful booster of the thriller genre, is the perfect choice to present Ambler's work.
There is a true embarrassment of riches here, a term that applies not only to the quality of the books listed but also to the commentary provided for each and every one of them. Whether you are seeking to introduce yourself to the rich and wide range of thriller novels, or to fill in the gaps in your collection --- and every bibliophile has at least one --- THRILLERS: 100 MUST-READS is the final word on the subject.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By R. Fountain
Format:Hardcover
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads presents as a summer reading list on steroids. Chosen for the impact each book had on the thriller genre, various authors were invited to write essays analyzing the importance of the work.
From Homer's The Illiad and the Odyssey and standard classics like Beowulf and Robinson Crusoe, Thrillers: 100 Must Reads takes you from Lee Child's Theseus and the Minotaur circa 1500 B.C. to Dan Brown's 2003 mega-hit The Da Vinci Code.
The essays highlight the essence of each book in regards to such matters as: influence, ground-breaking subject matter and enduring appeal--such as Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, which is just as relevant now as it was in 1938.
Most of the essays were well-done, succeeding in extolling the virtues of the represented works. However, a few didn't quite manage to capture the spirit of the book, nor pique my interest enough to read it--in theory.
Although I shamefully admit to only reading 12 of the 100 chosen titles (so far), the Thriller collection is the perfect opportunity to re-visit some old favorites, remember ones you forgot and perhaps make a few new discoveries.
From Homer's The Illiad and the Odyssey and standard classics like Beowulf and Robinson Crusoe, Thrillers: 100 Must Reads takes you from Lee Child's Theseus and the Minotaur circa 1500 B.C. to Dan Brown's 2003 mega-hit The Da Vinci Code.
The essays highlight the essence of each book in regards to such matters as: influence, ground-breaking subject matter and enduring appeal--such as Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, which is just as relevant now as it was in 1938.
Most of the essays were well-done, succeeding in extolling the virtues of the represented works. However, a few didn't quite manage to capture the spirit of the book, nor pique my interest enough to read it--in theory.
Although I shamefully admit to only reading 12 of the 100 chosen titles (so far), the Thriller collection is the perfect opportunity to re-visit some old favorites, remember ones you forgot and perhaps make a few new discoveries.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you like thrillers, you'll love this...
100 short essays by a range of thriller authors, giving biographical information on the "must-read" author, and a history/analysis of the book itself. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Roland Cooke
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of good stuff to read
I'm a sucker for lists of books, always looking for something new to read. And I'm a big fan of thrillers so this book was right up my alley. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jim Lester
1.0 out of 5 stars
Thrillers--100 Must Reads
This was a rather disappointing book. The title is very misleading. To put such books as Last of the Mohicans in a "thriller" category was puzzling to me. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Joseph W. Nichols
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Read
This book gave me great insight to whom our great thriller authors think were their motivation. I learned a great deal about authors I never heard of and am already reading some. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Barry J. Evans, MD
4.0 out of 5 stars
This one's a keeper
"The Thriller is the oldest kind of story - rooted in our deepest hopes and fears, for ourselves, those we love, and the world around us. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Robert Carraher
5.0 out of 5 stars
A triple treat
If you think thrillers are limited to such works as "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold," "Day of the Jackal", "The Borne Identity," "Red Dragon" or "Eye of the Needle" (all titles... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Helen S. Andrews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Nice list, but no excerpts!
Everything about this book says, "read some of the greats right now."
But none of the greats are here. All we have are essays about them. Read more
But none of the greats are here. All we have are essays about them. Read more
Published on May 11, 2011 by River Man
3.0 out of 5 stars
Expand your reading options with this book.
This book presents an interesting concept: pick history's biggest thrillers and let today's biggest thrill writers tell you about them. Read more
Published on March 16, 2011 by A. Nye
4.0 out of 5 stars
Who Wrote King Kong? Have You Really Read 'The Thirty-Nine Steps'?
This book delivers value in many ways. I enjoyed it for its main purpose of introducing or re-introducing great works. Read more
Published on January 10, 2011 by Jeffrey Swystun
5.0 out of 5 stars
"A Must-Read for Thriller Fans"
As a passionate reader and collector of thriller novels for over 40 years, I found this survey of thriller fiction to be highly informative and well- edited. Read more
Published on November 20, 2010 by Steele Curry
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