Sub Genres of Thriller and Suspense

There are four main book categories:

Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction and Drama.

In this blog, we're going to zoom in on Fiction.

Fiction can be split into two categories:

Popular Fiction - Plot-driven fiction written with a particular audience in mind. It normally fits into a specific genre and can already have a firm fan base.

Literary Fiction - Character-driven writing, which is valued for its complex form, language or style.

We are going to look into Popular Fiction which has five main genres:

Romance, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Thriller & Suspense, and Mystery & Crime.

In today's blog, we are going to discuss Thriller and Suspense.

A Thriller or Suspense novel uses excitement, suspense, apprehension and exhilaration to tell a story. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. And just like all the previous genres, it has a huge array of sub-genres.

Action - A race against the clock, lots of violence and an obvious antagonist.

Comic - A Thriller played for laughs.

Conspiracy - A Thriller in which the hero battles a large, powerful group whose true extent only they recognise.

Crime - A story focused on the commitment of a crime, often from the point of view of the criminals.

Disaster - Mother nature herself is the antagonist, in the form of a hurricane, earthquake, or some other natural menace.

Erotic - A Thriller in which sex plays a major role.

Espionage - The classic, international spy novel but spies now battle terrorists instead of other spies.

Forensic - A Thriller featuring the work of a forensic expert, whose involvement puts their own life at risk.

Historical - A Thriller taking place in a specific and recognisable historical period.

Psychological - A suspenseful Thriller in which the conflict between the characters is mental and emotional rather than physical.

Romantic - A Thriller in which the protagonists are romantically involved.

Supernatural - A Thriller in which the hero, antagonist or both have supernatural powers.

Technological - A Thriller in which technology is central to the plot.

Eco Thriller - A story in which the hero battles some ecological calamity and often has to fight the people responsible for creating it.

Legal - A Thriller in which a lawyer confronts enemies inside and outside the courtroom.

Medical - A Thriller featuring medical personnel, whether battling a legitimate medical threat such as a world-wide virus, or the illegal or immoral use of medical technology.

Military - A Thriller featuring a military protagonist often working behind enemy lines, or as part of specialised forces.

Police Procedure - A Crime Thriller that follows the police as they work their way through a case.

Political Intrigue - A Thriller in which the hero must ensure the stability of the government that employs them.

I hope you found a new genre to read, or discovered the subcategory of your book!

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Sources Kristen Martin - Determining the genre of your book https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3ZfSAzaGUc

Writers Digest - Sub Genre Descriptions https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/genredefinitions