Why Do We Love A Thriller?

Maybe we are a little obsessed? In the UK, figures showed that crime books had become the bestselling fiction books, with 18.7 million sold, compared to 18.1 million general fiction titles. Crime stories seem more popular than ever. Bookshop shelves and TV schedules are heaving with murder mysteries and whodunnits. And the ‘true crime’ genre was certainly given a new lease of life, with smash-hit documentaries such as Making A Murderer, The Jinx and The Keepers. Is there a reason we love them so? Find out more in Why Do We Love A Thriller?

It may sound surprising but according to evolutionary psychologists, we are drawn to gruesome tales because murder, rape and theft have been a significant part of human society since our hunter-gatherer days. It seems we are attuned to criminal behaviour, almost as if we are tuned to some kind of unseen frequency.

The knowing of the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’ and ‘where’ is said to be so that we can find out what makes criminals tick, in order to better protect ourselves. Let’s face it we also love to get lost in a great story too.

This year, the Book of the Year Shortlist, under the category of Crime & Thriller sees a plethora of cosy crime novels, espionage thrillers, and a twisty psychological thriller or two. From new writers to established names the Murder Mystery genre seems to be going nowhere.

2024  shortlist for book of the year Crime/Thrillers

In December 2023 writer James Woolf bought out Indefensible. A gripping crime thriller.

Daniel, a criminal barrister, is working all hours on a sensational trial at the Old Bailey, defending a client he believes is wrongfully accused of a grisly murder. Determined to keep Rod out of prison, he begins to neglect his wife, and soon afterwards suspects she’s having an affair.

After Daniel triumphs in court, the bond he’s formed with his newly acquitted client grows even stronger. Then Rod offers Daniel a favour that he really shouldn’t accept . . .

When things take a catastrophic turn, Daniel realises his conduct has veered from unprofessional to indefensible—and that he’s trapped in a nightmare of his own making 

Woolf’s new follows up to his debut novel is a different take on a
similar genre. The Company She Keeps will be published on 1^st  July. 

How many bad men can one woman have in her life?

It’s 1979 and a leading businesswoman is struggling with who she can trust in a deeply patriarchal society. With three very different men craving her attention, and a serial killer on the loose, Rebecca finds herself in a twisted game of cat and mouse. But what do the men around her really want from her? And could one of them in fact be a cold-blooded killer. The Company She Keeps is a pacey novel set against the real-life backdrop of an inept police force’s attempts to catch the Yorkshire Ripper.

A 2010 study at the University of Illinois found that women tend to be more drawn towards true crime stories than gentlemen. Women, it seems, are most interested in stories that give insight into the killer’s motives, that contain information about how victims escaped, and that feature female victims.

If you are more of a film thriller watcher then maybe the latest offering from Klassiki will capture your imagination.

Presenting the UK premiere of Philip Sotnychenko’s Rotterdam award-winning thriller LA PALISIADA (2023) at the ICA London on the 28th June at 6.30 pm.

La Palisiada tells the powerful story of an investigation into the murder of a police colonel in 1996 which ultimately leads to the final execution to take place in independent Ukraine. 25 years later, shortly before Russia’s full-scale invasion, a new generation of young Ukrainians face their own personal and political crises, with shocking consequences.

Klassiki is a Membership online film club specialising in Eastern European Cinema

So this fits with the evolutionary idea, that people are instinctively drawn towards stories where they can identify with the victim and read about tips and strategies for defeating the ‘baddies’.

Of course, there are other reasons why we’re drawn to true crime: there’s a problem-solving element to many of the cases, and then there is the satisfaction of getting lost in a really good story, or even beating the storyline by working out before the end of it who done it!

The Company She Keeps will be published on 1^st  July and can pre-order on  Amazon  there will also be an Audible publication with actor Henrietta Meire

To join Klassiki click here Films.klassiki.online

If you enjoyed reading Why Do We Love A Thriller? then why not read Antwerp So Cool Its Been Left Out here