Most thrilling book you have ever read?

[Skye]

Interesting, Zoe:

[Wendy]

For, I remember reading The Gargoyle when it first came out and I loved that book! I still think about it.

[Skye]

When I was little, I lived in Old City, Philadelphia, and Wanamakers and several other buildings on Market & Chestnut Sts. had amazing gargoyles; the architecture in Phila. is amazing.

[Wendy]

I love gargoyles so much that I went to a place on Decatur Street in New Orleans and had one made out of cement from a cast that they had. He was about two or three feet tall and he even had a name "Oxford". I loved that thing. My son walked off with it and never brought it back.

[Alexes]

Does The Talented Mr. Ripleycount as a thriller? It was absolutely nerve-wracking. Great book.

[Wendy]

I saw the movie but I never read the book. I heard it was better than the movie and I really really liked the movie.

[Skye]

I wasn't that thrilled with the movie.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Alexes wrote: "Does The Talented Mr. Ripleycount as a thriller? It was absolutely nerve-wracking. Great book."

I love that book.

[Sally]

Nancy wrote: "Alexes wrote: "Does The Talented Mr. Ripleycount as a thriller? It was absolutely nerve-wracking. Great book."

I love that book."

That is a great book. The next one is even better Ripley Under Ground. It is very disturbing when you find yourself rooting for a cold blooded killer. Patricia Highsmith is an incredible author.

[Skye]

Sometimes that happens, though, and often we forget that so much depends upon how the writer presents the material.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

re Ripley:

"It is very disturbing when you find yourself rooting for a cold blooded killer. Patricia Highsmith is an incredible author. " (from Sally)

That's what is so great about Ripley -- he is the perfect anti-hero. I need to reread this series in its entirety.

[Skye]

hmmmmmmmm; kinda like Mersault ( my favorite character).

[Zoe]

ohhh man stop coming up with soo many good books that I need to read lol :P (only kidding) I really need to read The Talented Mr Ripley, if its anything like Dexter is then yeah will definitely need to have a read, I love it when you are faced with a character who in normal circumstances or in any other book you would not support but because of the way he/she is portrayed you find yourself on their side, so thanks people for finding me another book I need to read hehe

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Zoe wrote: "ohhh man stop coming up with soo many good books that I need to read lol :P (only kidding) I really need to read The Talented Mr Ripley, if its anything like Dexter is then yeah will definitely ne..."

That's what happens in this group. My tbr pile has grown exponentially.

[Skye]

how true

[Alexes]

Sally wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Alexes wrote: "Does The Talented Mr. Ripleycount as a thriller? It was absolutely nerve-wracking. Great book."

I love that book."

That is a great book. The next one i..."

Thanks Sally. I didn't know there were more in the series. Just bought Ripley Under Ground and looking forward to reading it.

[C.]

I read this book decades ago,and it totally creeped me out!
One of the scariest books I have ever read,and I never forgot it.

Also.....

[Skye]

I saw Coma, and it was very upsetting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tim]

I agree with Jeffrey. Without any doubt it has to be "The Silence of the Lambs." Fantastic book. I read it before I ever saw the movie. This is THE book that made me love this genre. Page for page had my heart pounding.

To the movie's credit, this is the only movie that I felt came close to capturing the feel of the novel.

[IShita]

The Ripley series have been sitting on my TBR for ages! I've been wanting to read that one for so long! Heard a lot of things about Highsmith. Is she really as good as I've heard?

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Ishita wrote: "The Ripley series have been sitting on my TBR for ages! I've been wanting to read that one for so long! Heard a lot of things about Highsmith. Is she really as good as I've heard?"

Yes. And beyond.

[Lynne]

Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October.

[C.]

"Skye wrote: "I saw Coma, and it was very upsetting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I know,I think it's because it is so believable!

With all the body-parts scandals today,I believe the book[Coma] would be even scarier now, than way back when I read it,and it was a thriller,even then!"

[Skye]

Yes, it was believable and that's what makes me wonder.....

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

My husband just finished I Am Pilgrim - and I would love for someone (regretfully, in the US only) to give it a new home. It's a giveaway - and I'll pay postage. If you want it, just be the first to make a comment and it's yours. No strings attached - we won't be keeping it, so someone who really wants it should have it.

[Nance]

I would love to read it, and would be happy to pay the postage.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Nance wrote: "I would love to read it, and would be happy to pay the postage."

Nope - I will pay postage -- don't worry. I'm all set up with stamps.com so it doesn't matter. I'm just grateful to give it a new home!

If you would please just send me a private message with your address, I'll get that out to you early next week.

Thank you for taking it!

[Trevor]

Marathon Man by William Goldman. But that's usually my answer to any question about a thriller.

[Patricia]

Memorial Day by Vince Flynn (RIP), had me on the edge of my seat because this could happen. I understand that a Hollywood producer optioned the book, then decided that terrorists would not be so bold, thus the book was just not believable. I disagree! Based on an interview with Vince before he died, he admitted his contacts within the various security branches of government provided him with great info (and scared the hell out of him). Actually, he did say he avoided including any classified information in his books. I wonder if we actually have a Mitch Rapp somewhere within our undercover forces.

[Skye]

I loved the movie Marathon Man, but it is really hard to answer this question: there are more than several books on my list that would answer this question.

[Michael]

Trevor wrote: "Marathon Man by William Goldman. But that's usually my answer to any question about a thriller."

Marathon Man was a GREAT read! One of the best I ever read.

[Reva]

I loved most of the books mentioned previously but these stand out in my mind:

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Jaws by Peter Benchley

The 39 Steps by John Buchan

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum

And not least

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

[Ron]

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Had me scared on page 2!

[Skye]

My family is from Ukraine; my grandmother's people came from the Carpathian Mt. region, very close to where Prince Vlad lived. They ritualistically spit on his grave site.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Ron wrote: "Dracula by Bram Stoker

Had me scared on page 2!"

The original Dracula novel is so good. Then come all the knock offs and the not so good.

[Ron]

Nancy wrote: "The original Dracula novel is so good. Then come all the knock offs and the not so good."

My thoughts, exactly. Bram Stoker spoiled me for all those other vampire stories. They just don't measure up!

[Ron]

Skye wrote: "My family is from Ukraine; my grandmother's people came from the Carpathian Mt. region, very close to where Prince Vlad lived. They ritualistically spit on his grave site."

While interesting, it's still a good book.

[[deleted user]]

The Innocent by David Baldacci.