[Note from Frolic: We’re so excited to welcome author Alexis Bass to the site today. She’s sharing her love for YA suspense. Take it away, Alexis!]
These days it’s not hard to walk into a bookstore and see a plethora of suspense and thriller novels in the Young Adult section. (Though these days ‘walk into a bookstore’ means ‘browse online.’) There’s no short supply of suspenseful mysteries and dark thrillers, and readers keep coming back for more. What is it about this genre that garners such ferocious fans and loyal readers? I polled some friends to look into this further. And, as a thriller fan myself, I discovered other insights from some of my favorite books and authors.
The answer that was the most popular? Compulsive readability. Readers crave that instant hook. And since many suspense and thriller novels are built around a plot mystery that presents itself right on those opening pages, they have a reputation for providing an immediate pull. The hook of the story doesn’t have to be earned. The reader gets to know the characters based on this driving question, and this isn’t to say that character development takes a backseat, but that the plot only gets stronger as the story goes on.
Another popular answer was the wild plot twists. (Of course!) This genre doesn’t shy away from pushing the envelope and taking stories in shocking and unexpected directions. The guessing game of ‘what happens next’ is part of the thrill. Readers love that feeling of being thrown off guard when they think they know what is about to happen and—surprise!—they’re wrong.
My friends also pointed out that these kinds of books are an exhilarating way to explore things that terrify them. Pieces of the real world that are too dark or dangerous to explore in reality, but are safe to be immersed in within the pages of a book, where one can entertain those fears in an electrifying way.