For me, thrillers are like a car accident on the side of the interstate. You know you shouldn't look, but you've got to do at least a little rubber necking. Ok. So I know me. If I indulge in a little suspense, I know it will be a long night. I don't handle psycho-thrillers well at all. But c'mon. That's why we read them. They raise our heart rate. They stretch us in an unusual way. They cause us to look outside of the box and see what we never saw before. Scary? You bet. But it's worth it.
Here is a list of current top thrillers to keep you up at night:
The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker is a mind trip in itself as you bounce back and forth between reality and dreams. Thomas Hunter fights a deadly virus but is it for real or just a dream? This trilogy is awesome and now available in a 3-in-1 book. Amazon reviewers gave it 5 stars.
House by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. Written by two powerhouse writers, you are guaranteed a nail biting ride. "One game. Seven players. Three rules. Game ends at dawn". Enter at your own risk.
This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti is a strong lesson in spiritual warfare. I had to keep putting the book down as it became very real to me. It makes the point that we are being followed and watched and conspired against by the enemy of our soul and we need to keep on our game in order to stay ahead of him. How? Pray. And pray hard. I loved this book. Nothing soft about it. If you are afraid christian writers can't stimulate as secular authors can, start with this one. A great read to prove christian fiction can be as good-no, better.
The Shack is not so much a thriller as suspenseful. A father is invited to a shack for a weekend encounter with God. What is so special about this shack? This was the scene of his daughters brutal murder four years prior. This book will impact you strongly, not so much with theology but in the sense that God does have a plan for our lives, even if it involves tragedy.
Close the blinds, climb under the covers and settle in for a long night. These books are worth the missed sleep.
