I’m relatively new to psychological thrillers, and if I’m honest, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about them.
Before I started reading them, I had this idea that psychological thrillers might be too much for me. Too disturbing, too unsettling, or just a little too close to the things that would genuinely get under my skin.
And I’m sure there are books out there that would be too much for me. I know myself well enough to know that there are certain storylines and subjects I probably wouldn’t enjoy reading.
But so far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised.
My First Psychological Thrillers
My first real step into the genre was Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, followed by The Divorce by Freida McFadden. Both surprised me with how much I enjoyed them.
Since then, I’ve picked up The Housemaid, The Housemaid’s Secret and, most recently, The Housemaid’s Watching. I’ll be reviewing those books here on The Oak Bookshelf soon.
More Gripping Than I Expected
What I’m discovering is that I don’t necessarily find these books frightening. Instead, I find them gripping.
I like the feeling of slowly trying to work out what is really happening. I enjoy questioning the characters, wondering who I can trust, and thinking I’ve figured something out, only to realise I probably haven’t.
There’s something about that feeling of “I’ll just read one more chapter” that makes psychological thrillers surprisingly addictive.
Knowing My Limits
I still have my limits. There are definitely psychological thrillers I look at and think, Nope… that one might be a little too much for me!
But the ones I’ve read so far? I’m finding them much more manageable — and much more enjoyable — than I expected.
Perhaps I’ve discovered a new genre to add to my reading list after all.
I think there’s something special about finding a genre you didn’t expect to love. Sometimes a book surprises you simply by being nothing like you imagined it would be. And sometimes, before you know it, you’re completely caught up in the story and wondering how you ever thought it might be too much.
