Any of Patricia Cornwell's books....any of John Sandford's books....any of James Patterson's books....any of Dean Koontz's books, and anything by Stephen King or Peter Straub.
Yeah, I know that's kind of general, but they're all such good writers. Patricia Cornwell writes books about forensics and serial murderers, tracked down by the FBI and a Medical Examiner; John Sandford writes books about a detective who tracks down serial killers; James Patterson writes, I guess you'd call them suspense....but they're excellent, and varied in their themes, from modern to medieval; and Dean Koontz is pure horror....Stephen King is terror, pure and simple. I like him. Some people don't. I like the way he can build up the suspense, only to have nothing happen, then hit you out of the blue with something just when you've become complacent. Peter Straub is a bit more subdued than King, but still as horrific.
Stephen King wrote The Talisman and Black House with Peter Straub. Straub also wrote a book called Shadowlands that rocks. If you've read The Talisman and Black House, you can tell where Stephen King stops and he starts....
I think there's a definite line between horror and terror, and Stephen King and Peter Straub are terror. Horror is seeing something and going "ewwwww, gross!" Terror is wondering if something is going to jump out at you as you round the corner....Your heart's pounding, your breathing is quick, but the surprise you fear doesn't happen..then, just when you think you're out of the woods, and safe, BOOM! That's terror. And it ain't easy to write.
Sidhe
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My free will...I never leave home without it.
--House
Someday I want to be rich. Some people get so rich they lose all respect for humanity. That's how rich I want to be.
-Rita Rudner
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