The Daily What Makes a Killer Thriller?
Tana French, an Irish novelist known for character-driven mysteries like In the Woods, and Sarah Lyall, a Times thrillers columnist who helped compile the 50-best thrillers list. They discuss what defines a thriller, how the list was assembled from nearly 300 expert ballots, surprising consensus picks, writing-by-discovery, rotating narrators, and how setting and society shape suspense.
42:29
What Defines A Thriller
- A thriller's core is suspense and a propulsive plot that makes you desperate to find out what happens.
- Sarah Lyall emphasises that 'thriller' is flexible, so mystery elements can range from subtle to central.
Thrillers Give A Guilty Pleasure High
- Thrillers create a visceral, almost illicit reading experience that can feel like a drug, leaving readers shaky and reluctant to explain why they loved it.
- Sarah Lyall recounts reading Presumed Innocent in secret and staying up all night to finish it.
How The 50 Best Thrillers List Was Built
- The Book Review compiled the 50 best thrillers by sending ballots to nearly 300 writers, critics, and industry insiders who each listed top 10s.
- Ballots had minimal constraints: books had to be published after 2000 and 'thriller' was undefined.
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Intro
00:00 • 3min
What defines a thriller
02:59 • 3min
How the 50 best thrillers list was made
06:06 • 3min
Consensus picks and surprises
08:43 • 7min
Ad break
15:30 • 3min
Who Tana French writes for
18:06 • 3min
Origin of In the Woods
21:05 • 3min
Writing by discovery and staying focused
24:24 • 4min
Ad break
28:30 • 2min
Why she rotates detectives
30:21 • 4min
Setting, society and motive
33:54 • 7min
Beloved favorites and reading recommendations
40:38 • 3min
Tana's upcoming book
43:24 • 2min
Outro
45:12 • 2min
#125876
CASE HISTORIES
Kate Atkinson
#33544
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
The Plot
The Plot
Jean Hanff Korelitz
In *The Plot*, struggling novelist Jake Bonner takes a story idea from one of his students and turns it into a bestselling book.
When anonymous messages begin accusing him of theft, he is pulled into a dangerous mystery that forces him to confront the true origins of the plot he used.
#119230
The Trespasser
Tana French
Hilda Fay
*The Trespasser* is the sixth novel in Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad series and can also be read as a standalone crime novel.
It follows Detective Antoinette Conway and her partner Stephen Moran as they investigate the death of a young woman, while pressure from colleagues and conflicting clues turn the case into a psychological puzzle.
#60569
The silver crown
Robert C. O'Brien
The Silver Crown follows Ellen, who wakes on her tenth birthday to find a silver crown on her pillow.
Soon after, her home is destroyed and her family disappears, sending her on a perilous adventure through strange places and against dark forces seeking the crown’s power.
First published in 1968, the novel is Robert C. O'Brien’s first book and is aimed at middle-grade readers.
#106750
The Witch Elm
Tana French
The Witch Elm is a standalone mystery novel by Tana French.
It follows Toby Hennessy, whose life changes after a violent attack and a return to his family home, where a human skull is discovered in an elm tree.
As investigators dig into the case, Toby is forced to confront unsettling questions about his past, his family, and who he really is.
#11395
• Mentioned in 6 episodes
North Woods
Daniel Mason
Daniel Mason's "North Woods" is a captivating novel that delves into the lives of individuals living in a remote area of the American West.
The story unfolds against the backdrop of a vast and unforgiving landscape, where the characters grapple with the challenges of survival and the complexities of human relationships.
Mason's writing style is known for its evocative descriptions of nature and its ability to create a sense of atmosphere.
The novel explores themes of isolation, resilience, and the enduring power of human connection in the face of adversity.
It's a story that stays with the reader long after the final page is turned, leaving a lasting impression of the beauty and harshness of the natural world.
#10204
• Mentioned in 7 episodes
Room
Emma Donoghue
Room is a novel by Emma Donoghue that tells the story of Jack, a five-year-old boy who has never known a world outside the 11-foot square room where he was born and raised.
The room is his entire universe, shared with his mother, whom he calls 'Ma'.
Unaware of the true nature of their confinement, Jack believes the world outside is fictional, as depicted on TV. His mother, abducted at 19 and held captive for seven years, has created a structured and loving environment for Jack despite the dire circumstances.
When Ma devises an escape plan, Jack's world is turned upside down as they face the challenges of the outside world and the complexities of their new freedom.
The novel explores themes of resilience, motherly love, and the process of adjusting to a new reality.
#22966
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
Winter's Bone
Daniel Woodrell
Amir Tsukerman
Daniel Woodrell's 'Winter's Bone' tells the story of Ree Dolly, a 16-year-old girl in the Ozark Mountains who is struggling to care for her mentally ill mother and younger brothers.
When her father disappears after putting their house up for bond, Ree must navigate a dangerous criminal underworld to find him and save her family from homelessness.
The novel paints a stark and unflinching portrait of poverty, violence, and the bonds of family in a rural American community.
Ree's resilience and determination drive the narrative, as she confronts drug dealers, meth cooks, and her own extended family to uncover the truth.
'Winter's Bone' explores themes of survival, loyalty, and the sacrifices people make to protect those they love.
#52453
Broken Harbor
Tana French
Stephen Hogan
Broken Harbor follows Detective Michael 'Scorcher' Kennedy as he investigates a brutal attack in a half-finished housing estate after Ireland's financial collapse.
Tana French uses the ruined suburban setting to examine social fallout from the 2008 crisis and the fragility of domestic life.
The story focuses on the detective's slow psychological unraveling as personal and professional pressures mount.
French's writing combines atmospheric dread with compassion for characters facing moral and economic ruin.
The novel is praised for its mood, social resonance, and character-driven approach to a crime story.
#3069
• Mentioned in 20 episodes
Slow Horses
Mick Herron
#6050
• Mentioned in 11 episodes
The Sympathizer
Viet Thanh Nguyen
Francois Chau
The Sympathizer is the story of a man of two minds, a captain in the South Vietnamese national police who is secretly a mole for the National Liberation Front.
The novel explores his life between two worlds, from his education in America to his return to Vietnam to fight for the Communist cause.
It delves into themes of loyalty, identity, and the complexities of the Vietnam War, offering a unique perspective on the conflict and its legacy in literature, film, and contemporary politics.
#12411
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)
Stieg Larsson
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first novel in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series and follows investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander as they uncover secrets surrounding the disappearance of Harriet Vanger.
Published posthumously in 2005 and later translated into English, the novel became an international bestseller and is known for combining mystery, family drama, corruption, and social criticism.
#38382
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
The Searcher
Tana French
Cal Hooper hopes to leave behind his old life when he buys a house in a quiet Irish village after retiring from the Chicago police force.
But when a local teenager asks for help finding his missing brother, Cal becomes entangled in the village’s secrets and dangers.
The novel blends mystery, suspense, and rural noir with Tana French’s signature focus on character and atmosphere.
#100258
Big Little Lies
A Novel
Liane Moriarty
Big Little Lies is a 2014 novel by Australian author Liane Moriarty.
Set around a beachside primary school, it follows three women whose lives become entangled through friendship, family conflict, bullying, and hidden pasts, all building toward a deadly mystery.
The book became a New York Times bestseller and later inspired the HBO television series.
#342
• Mentioned in 106 episodes
The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown
In 'The Da Vinci Code', Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre Museum in Paris after the murder of the curator, Jacques Saunière.
Along with French cryptologist Sophie Neveu, Langdon embarks on a perilous journey to decipher cryptic clues hidden in the works of Leonardo da Vinci.
The plot revolves around an alternative religious history, suggesting that Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene had a child, and their descendants are protected by the Priory of Sion.
The novel is a blend of relentless adventure, scholarly intrigue, and cutting wit, with numerous twists and turns that keep the reader engaged until the astonishing conclusion.
#3445
• Mentioned in 18 episodes
Lonesome Dove
larry mcmurtry
Lonesome Dove is Larry McMurtry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1985 novel about two retired Texas Rangers, Woodrow Call and Augustus McCrae, who lead a cattle drive from Texas to Montana.
Set in the waning days of the Old West, it blends adventure, humor, and tragedy while exploring friendship, old age, love, and the end of a frontier era.
#3969
• Mentioned in 16 episodes
Presumed Innocent
Scott Turow
In 'Presumed Innocent', Scott Turow crafts a suspenseful tale set in the fictional Kindle County.
The story follows Rožat 'Rusty' Sabich, a chief deputy prosecutor, who is assigned to investigate the murder of his colleague, Carolyn Polhemus.
Complicating the case is Rusty's past affair with Carolyn, which makes him a prime suspect.
The novel explores themes of legal intrigue, personal relationships, and the complexities of the justice system, all while maintaining a gripping narrative that keeps readers uncertain about the true culprit until the final pages.
#652
• Mentioned in 67 episodes
CHARLOTTE'S WEB
E. B. White
Charlotte's Web, written by E.B.
White, is a timeless children's classic that tells the story of Wilbur, a pig, and Charlotte, a spider, who form an unlikely friendship.
The story is set on a farm and revolves around the efforts of Charlotte to save Wilbur from being slaughtered.
Through their relationship, the book explores themes of friendship, courage, self-sacrifice, and the natural cycle of life and death.
The novel is known for its vivid depiction of farm life and its ability to address complex emotions and themes in a way that is accessible to children.
The book has been widely acclaimed and has sold over 45 million copies worldwide since its publication in 1952.
#21285
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
In the Woods
A Novel
Tana French
In the Woods is Tana French’s 2007 debut novel and the first book in the Dublin Murder Squad series.
It follows Detective Rob Ryan and his partner Cassie Maddox as they investigate the murder of a twelve-year-old girl in Knocknaree, a case that echoes the unexplained disappearance of Ryan’s childhood friends in the same woods.
The novel blends crime fiction with psychological suspense, exploring memory, identity, and the lasting effects of trauma.
#16690
• Mentioned in 4 episodes
The Likeness
Tana French
#2034
• Mentioned in 28 episodes
The Goldfinch
Donna Tartt
The novel centers around 13-year-old Theodore Decker, whose life dramatically changes after he survives a terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where his mother is killed.
During the chaos, Theo takes the famous Dutch painting 'The Goldfinch' by Carel Fabritius.
The story follows Theo's journey through grief, guilt, and his complex relationships, including his friendship with Boris and his involvement in the art underworld.
The novel spans several years, detailing Theo's struggles with identity, loss, and the impact of the painting on his life.
#695
• Mentioned in 63 episodes
The Secret History
Donna Tartt
#7363
• Mentioned in 9 episodes
The Yiddish Policemen's Union
Michael Chabon
In this novel, Michael Chabon imagines a world where Jewish refugees were settled in Sitka, Alaska, after World War II, instead of Israel.
The story revolves around Meyer Landsman, a detective with the Sitka Police Department, who is tasked with investigating a murder in a hotel where he resides.
Despite orders to drop the case to avoid bad publicity before the impending 'Reversion' of Sitka to Alaskan control, Landsman persists.
The investigation delves into a complex web of religious rites, government conspiracies, and personal struggles, blending elements of noir detective fiction, romance, and exploration of themes such as exile and redemption.
#5498
• Mentioned in 12 episodes
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins
The novel follows Rachel Watson, a 33-year-old alcoholic who is reeling from the end of her marriage.
She commutes to London daily and fantasizes about a perfect couple she sees, whom she names 'Jess and Jason'.
However, when the woman she calls 'Jess' (actually Megan) goes missing, Rachel becomes deeply involved in the investigation, revealing a complex web of relationships, betrayals, and dark secrets.
The story is told through the perspectives of three women: Rachel, Megan, and Anna, Tom's new wife, each with their own struggles and unreliable narratives.
#894
• Mentioned in 53 episodes
Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn
In 'Gone Girl', Gillian Flynn crafts a gripping narrative about the disintegration of a marriage.
The story revolves around Nick and Amy Dunne, a couple whose seemingly perfect relationship turns out to be a facade.
On their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy disappears, and Nick becomes the focus of a police investigation and media scrutiny.
Through alternating narratives, the novel reveals the complex and troubled dynamics of their relationship, exposing themes of deception, manipulation, and the superficial nature of appearances.
Amy's elaborate scheme to frame Nick for her murder is a central plot twist, highlighting her vengeful and manipulative nature.
The novel concludes with Nick trapped in a toxic relationship, forced to maintain the illusion of a perfect marriage for the sake of their unborn child.
The New York Times Book Review recently released its list of the 50 best thrillers of the 21st century.
To put it together, the team asked almost 300 authors and other experts to vote for the best heart-thumping, page-turning, white knuckle reads published since 2000.
In this episode of “The Sunday Daily,” Natalie Kitroeff talks with the Times thrillers columnist, Sarah Lyall, about how the list came together. Then, Natalie speaks with one of the greatest thriller writers of this century — with four books featured on the list — the author Tana French.
On Today’s Episode:
Sarah Lyall writes a monthly thrillers column for The New York Times.
Tana French is the author of many best-selling books, including “In the Woods,” “The Searcher,” “The Likeness” and “The Witch Elm.”
Background Reading:
The 50 Best Thrillers of the 21st Century
Photo credit: Naila Ruechel
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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