Buzzfeed: 41 Of The Most Suspenseful Books You’ll Ever Read

[snshne322]

Here's the list.

www.buzzfeed.com/lincolnthompson/41-super-suspenseful-novels-you-wont-be-able-to-put-down#.qv3OwDMA0

Do you agree or disagree with any?  Thanks to you guys, I've started The Cuckoo's Calling and it graces this list.

[kelliebeans104]

I've only read a handful of those on the list and agree with most of them (The Girl on the Train, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Cuckoo's Calling) but I definitely don't agree with Armada. I liked it enough but it wasn't super suspenseful but maybe my disappointment lies with the fact that it didn't at all live up to Ready Player One.

[Nonny]

Of the ones I've read:

Bird Box - incredibly suspenseful all the way up until the incredibly dumb shit, stupid ending.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - I listened to the first book, and I remember it being compelling, but I also remember there being a lot of list making which kind of kills the suspense. 

Rebecca - I read this as a teenager in high school (for English class even) and I remember it as being boring as fuck, but nothing else about it.

Everything I Never Told You - I feel very strongly that book is misrepresented as a mystery/thriller.  It's actually more about race relations and how you fit in when you are different than everyone else.  The first line of the book is, "Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet." Which is a great hook, but then it just kind of meanders around from there.

1st to Die - it's not really any more suspenseful than your average episode of CSI.

*Armada - I only read the preview chapter at the end of Ready Player One, and it seemed really dumb.

That said, just because I don't find a book suspenseful doesn't mean it isn't worth reading.    The Women's Murder Club books are fast "fluffy" reads for me, and enjoyable enough.  I also have The Cuckoo's Calling on my Kindle right now but haven't started it yet, and several other books on this list look interesting. 

[dorothyinAus]

I've only read two -- And Then There Were None and Rebecca, and I'm not really sure I would have classified either of those as suspense or suspenseful.

In the case of And Then There Were None, I had seen so many things based on the idea that I knew what was going to happen, so the plot, which was original and innovative when written was spoiled for me by all the imitations.

I don't really pick up on the suspense of Rebecca, but it is a very good book.

I don't really like to be scared or nervous, so in terms of things I would classify as suspense, I think the only author I read regularly is Mary Stewart and I'm not really sure that's the proper classification for her books.

[marigoldgirl]

I've read four on the list.

The Girl on the Train - I loved it.
Bird Box - It drew me in but I agree that the ending was very disappointing.
The Lost Symbol - I love all that Dan Brown writes.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series - I loved them all.

[ufcasey]

I've read 12 on that list and I'm going to go with: that list is pretty ridiculous. I really don't even read that many suspense novels, it's just not my preferred genre.

Agree: before I go to sleep, the lost symbol, the kind worth killing, the girl with the dragon tattoo

Disagree: and then there were none, the husband's secret, the silent sister, the 5th wave, rebecca, armada, everything I never told you, the wrath & the dawn

[aurora]

I've read

Bird Box - somewhat suspenseful, not the most I've ever read
Sphere - a long time ago and I don't really remember it
And Then There Were None - a fun read, but not a can't-put-it-down IMO
Mr. Mercedes - the best of those listed so far!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy - also very good, after the first ~50 pages
The Lost Symbol - entertaining, maybe comparable to Bird Box
The Cuckoo's Calling - even better than Mr. Mercedes!

[aurora]

Apr 18, 2016 16:24:38 GMT -5 Nonny said:

Of the ones I've read:

Bird Box - incredibly suspenseful all the way up until the incredibly dumb shit, stupid ending.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - I listened to the first book, and I remember it being compelling, but I also remember there being a lot of list making which kind of kills the suspense. 

Rebecca - I read this as a teenager in high school (for English class even) and I remember it as being boring as fuck, but nothing else about it.

Everything I Never Told You - I feel very strongly that book is misrepresented as a mystery/thriller.  It's actually more about race relations and how you fit in when you are different than everyone else.  The first line of the book is, "Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet." Which is a great hook, but then it just kind of meanders around from there.

1st to Die - it's not really any more suspenseful than your average episode of CSI.

*Armada - I only read the preview chapter at the end of Ready Player One, and it seemed really dumb.

That said, just because I don't find a book suspenseful doesn't mean it isn't worth reading.    The Women's Murder Club books are fast "fluffy" reads for me, and enjoyable enough.  I also have The Cuckoo's Calling on my Kindle right now but haven't started it yet, and several other books on this list look interesting. 

Your Bird Box description made me LOL. I was listening on audiobook and figured I must have just missed something, so I listened to the end again. Nope.

[dorothyinAus]

Apr 18, 2016 21:32:37 GMT -5 aurora said:

I've read

Bird Box - somewhat suspenseful, not the most I've ever read
Sphere - a long time ago and I don't really remember it
And Then There Were None - a fun read, but not a can't-put-it-down IMO
Mr. Mercedes - the best of those listed so far!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy - also very good, after the first ~50 pages
The Lost Symbol - entertaining, maybe comparable to Bird Box
The Cuckoo's Calling - even better than Mr. Mercedes!

I really think And Then There Were None has been spoiled by all the other things with a similar plot.  I'm glad I read it, but the idea is so common that there wasn't anything special, and I was prepared for the twist.

But then again, I don't really find any of Agatha Christie's novels to be "can't-put-down" kind of reads.  I love Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple is fun, but they're not the kind of gripping, I-have-to-finish-it-tonight books others in the genre are.

[aurora]

Apr 18, 2016 21:45:51 GMT -5 dorothyinAus said:

Apr 18, 2016 21:32:37 GMT -5 aurora said:

I've read

Bird Box - somewhat suspenseful, not the most I've ever read
Sphere - a long time ago and I don't really remember it
And Then There Were None - a fun read, but not a can't-put-it-down IMO
Mr. Mercedes - the best of those listed so far!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy - also very good, after the first ~50 pages
The Lost Symbol - entertaining, maybe comparable to Bird Box
The Cuckoo's Calling - even better than Mr. Mercedes!

I really think And Then There Were None has been spoiled by all the other things with a similar plot.  I'm glad I read it, but the idea is so common that there wasn't anything special, and I was prepared for the twist.

But then again, I don't really find any of Agatha Christie's novels to be "can't-put-down" kind of reads.  I love Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple is fun, but they're not the kind of gripping, I-have-to-finish-it-tonight books others in the genre are.

I do feel like Christie's books may have been more revolutionary for her time. They do stand some tests of time, but it seems that everything is faster-paced today.

[dorothyinAus]

Apr 18, 2016 21:48:18 GMT -5 aurora said:

Apr 18, 2016 21:45:51 GMT -5 dorothyinAus said:

I really think And Then There Were None has been spoiled by all the other things with a similar plot.  I'm glad I read it, but the idea is so common that there wasn't anything special, and I was prepared for the twist.

But then again, I don't really find any of Agatha Christie's novels to be "can't-put-down" kind of reads.  I love Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple is fun, but they're not the kind of gripping, I-have-to-finish-it-tonight books others in the genre are.

I do feel like Christie's books may have been more revolutionary for her time. They do stand some tests of time, but it seems that everything is faster-paced today.

I agree.  And Then There Were None was original, innovative and different when it was first published, but in the 77 years since, many things have used the same forumla and no longer feels original.  It's hard to be wowed by something that has been copied so many times (and so badly in some cases).

Her other work was probably as inventive and unusual when it was published originally, but it can pale in comparison to the copies/pastiches that are out there today.

And I agree today's audience wants a faster paced story and classics, whether mysteries or not, can be a bit slower paced.

[susiebw]

I've only read a few of these, too. A bunch of them are on my TBR, though. Maybe I'll pick up one of these next.

Of all of the books I've ever read, Intensity by Dan Koontz is definitely the most suspenseful. I LOVE that book.

I didn't feel the suspense with the Girl on the Train so much. It was good, and definitely a page-turner, but I didn't feel suspense, exactly. I feel that way about In The Woods and Geek Love, too.

[leeba25]

So I am reading a book right now (that I don't want to name because I'm afraid of spoilers), and I'm wondering if the author is messing with me. I'm weary of books with lying authors. The only examples I can think of right now are "We were Liars" and "Gone Girl" but I know I've read a ton. I like suspense, and I like mysteries, but being outright lied to is ... tiring.

I'm also re-reading The Fifth Wave, which made this list, and I agree that one was super suspenseful and really compelling (from a suspense standpoint, but also in terms of character and story). I can't wait for the 3rd one to come out next month.

[abs]

This list is weird. I've read several of them.

1. The Girl on the Train: Loved it. It was the first in this genre I read though so that plays into it.
2. Sphere: I read it a long time ago but I don't remember it now. I did go through a big Michael Crichton phase and have read most of his stuff.
3. The Husband's Secret: Snore. I did not like this book at all.
4. The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo series: Loved it! But only after the first few chapters as aurora said.
5. The Lost Symbol: Oh I hated this book so much. I don't think I finished.
6. The 5th Wave: I enjoyed the first one but haven't read the sequels.
7. Everything I Never Told You: Not really a suspense novel. I also am in the minority and really disliked this book.
8. The Kind Worth Killing: Loved it and couldn't put it down.
9. The Silence of the Lambs: Great and creepy. I definitely agree with this being on the list!

I did find a few others on the list I want to read.

[Vespasia]

The Shadow of the Wind is an amazing book but I do not remember it being particularly suspenseful.

[mrspez07]

Apr 19, 2016 13:36:28 GMT -5 Vespasia said:

The Shadow of the Wind is an amazing book but I do not remember it being particularly suspenseful.

Ditto. I've read a few on the list and some were suspenseful and others were just a good who-dunit, like Cuckoos Calling, I don't remember being suspenseful.

When I think of a good suspenseful book, I think of a page-turner that is hard to put down, not necessarily all the way thru, but definitely towards the end. My most recent read Girl on the Train would be as I described. Even "And Then There Were None" was pretty suspenseful (try listening to it).

[snshne322]

I'm on part 3 or 15 of The Cuckoos Calling and I'm starting to get invested. Typically I have large chunks of time to invest in audiobooks and it hasn't been that way yet this week. I want to listen more!

[booknerd]

Apr 19, 2016 8:21:07 GMT -5 susiebw said:

I've only read a few of these, too. A bunch of them are on my TBR, though. Maybe I'll pick up one of these next.

Of all of the books I've ever read, Intensity by Dan Koontz is definitely the most suspenseful. I LOVE that book.

I didn't feel the suspense with the Girl on the Train so much. It was good, and definitely a page-turner, but I didn't feel suspense, exactly. I feel that way about In The Woods and Geek Love, too.

Yes! Intensity is one of my favorite books and I immediately thought of it before opening the list. I still feel like I'm on the edge of my seat every time I reread that book.

[kiminky]

Apr 18, 2016 15:14:03 GMT -5 kelliebeans104 said:

I've only read a handful of those on the list and agree with most of them (The Girl on the Train, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Cuckoo's Calling) but I definitely don't agree with Armada. I liked it enough but it wasn't super suspenseful but maybe my disappointment lies with the fact that it didn't at all live up to Ready Player One.

Armada was such a let down after Ready Player One. I guess I can still hold out hope that Steven Spielberg does Ready Player One justice w/ the movie.

[kelliebeans104]

Apr 20, 2016 7:12:26 GMT -5 snshne322 said:

I'm on part 3 or 15 of The Cuckoos Calling and I'm starting to get invested. Typically I have large chunks of time to invest in audiobooks and it hasn't been that way yet this week. I want to listen more!

I'm glad you're liking it!

[kelliebeans104]

Apr 22, 2016 14:42:09 GMT -5 kiminky said:

Apr 18, 2016 15:14:03 GMT -5 kelliebeans104 said:

I've only read a handful of those on the list and agree with most of them (The Girl on the Train, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Cuckoo's Calling) but I definitely don't agree with Armada. I liked it enough but it wasn't super suspenseful but maybe my disappointment lies with the fact that it didn't at all live up to Ready Player One.

Armada was such a let down after Ready Player One. I guess I can still hold out hope that Steven Spielberg does Ready Player One justice w/ the movie.

I hope so too.  It has potential to be an awesome movie.