Most of them usually have a complex relationship at the core. For example, in 'Gone Girl', the relationship between the husband and wife is full of secrets and deceptions. This makes the romantic aspect very intense and also ties in with the suspense as you try to figure out the truth about their relationship.
Well, 'Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris has elements of romantic suspense in a very dark way. The relationship between Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter has a strange allure. 'Rebecca' by Daphne du Maurier is a classic. The mystery surrounding the first wife, Rebecca, and the new bride's relationship with her husband Max is full of suspense and has a touch of romance. And 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt, with its group of students and a dark secret, has some romantic undertones within the suspenseful plot.
Well, 'Silence of the Lambs' can be considered in a way. While it's mainly a thriller, there is a certain strange connection between Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter that has an element of the romantic in the midst of all the horror and suspense. Then there's 'The Bourne Identity' series. The relationship between Jason Bourne and Marie Kreutz has a romantic aspect as they are on the run together and he is trying to figure out his past, which is full of suspense. Also, 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown has a bit of a romantic sub - plot along with its historical mystery and suspense.
Then there's 'Before I Go to Sleep' by S.J. Watson. It has a unique take on a relationship where the main character has amnesia. Every day she wakes up not knowing who she is really, but there is a sense of love and a big mystery about her past that is slowly uncovered. The suspense of not knowing what will happen next and the developing relationship make it a great romantic suspense novel.
'The Girl on the Train' by Paula Hawkins is also a great one. The narrator, who has a drinking problem and memory gaps, witnesses something mysterious from the train window. Her unreliable narration adds to the suspense, while there is also a romantic sub - plot intertwined with the mystery.
Some of the top selling ones are 'The Kiss Quotient' by Helen Hoang. It combines a heartwarming romance with elements of suspense as the characters navigate their relationship while dealing with personal and family issues that keep you on edge.
The settings in these top 100 romantic suspense novels also play a crucial role. They can be used to enhance the mood of both the romance and the suspense. A spooky old mansion in a novel might be the place where a couple falls in love while also being the site of a mystery or a series of unexplained events. Authors use the environment to build tension. For example, in many of these novels set in small towns, the close - knit community can both be a place for a romantic connection to develop and a place where secrets are hard to keep, leading to the suspense. Also, the pacing is often carefully crafted. There are moments of slow - building tension as the relationship develops, and then sudden bursts of action and revelation when it comes to the suspense elements.
Some of the well - known ones are 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn. It's a thrilling tale of a marriage gone wrong with lots of twists. Another could be 'The Girl on the Train' by Paula Hawkins, which keeps you on the edge of your seat as the story unfolds with elements of mystery and a touch of romance. And 'Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris also has a strange kind of romantic suspense as Clarice Starling has a complex relationship with Hannibal Lecter while trying to solve the mystery.
Here are the top ten mystery novels of 2022:
1. perfume
2. The Summer of Getting Birds
3. Silence of the Lambs
4. Rebecca
5. sound of the wind
6. psychological crime
7. Tibetan code
8. Sherlock Holmes
9. The Fate of the Death Notice
10. 13th hour
These novels were very popular in 2022, covering different suspense topics and styles.
Some of the well - known ones could be 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn. It has a complex plot full of twists. Another is 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson which combines mystery and thriller elements really well. And 'Silence of the Lambs' by Thomas Harris, the psychological suspense in it is top - notch.