Tell us what you think makes a good thriller - to win a copy of crime novel The Darkness Within plus £100 voucher. Now closed!

[SorchaMumsnet]

From global bestseller Cathy Glass comes gripping new crime novel The Darkness Within, written under the name of Lisa Stone.

When critically ill Jacob Wilson is given a life-saving heart transplant, his parents are relieved that their darling son has been saved.

However, before long, his family are forced to accept that something has changed in Jacob. Their once loving son is slowly being replaced by a violent man whose mood swings leave them terrified – but is it their fault?

Jacob's girlfriend, Rosie, is convinced the man she loves is suffering from stress. But when his moods turn on her, she begins to doubt herself – and she can only hide the bruises for so long.

When a terrible crime is committed, Jacob's family are forced to confront their darkest fears. Has the boy they raised become a monster, or is someone else to blame? You know your son better than anyone... don't you?

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of The Darkness Within plus a £100 Love2Shop voucher, just tell us: what makes a good thriller? Give examples of your favourites if you like!

This discussion is sponsored by Avon and closes at midday Wednesday 9 August

Books T&Cs apply

A good thriller is one which has you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next twist in the plot. It has to have an ending you did not see coming.

Genuinely engaging with the characters and being concerned about their fates.
If you don't care about the characters, you wont care about what happens to them.

I love psychological thriller, the ones that really make you think about the characters

I recently read a thriller that made me gasp out loud and say 'oh no' ! It was twisting and turning and I was reading the unexpected. It was awful but exciting at the same time, and I read it every opportunity I got - that's a good thriller to me.

There has to be suspense involved so you are on the edge of your seat. I think there has to be some twists with unexpected ending.
I loved the Julia Roberts film Sleeping with the Enemy.

has to have a twist in the tale

I don't care whether it's believable I just want to be entertained.
I want to catch myself wondering what's happening in my book during the day when I'm not reading it. I want action from page one.
In a thriller I'm not looking for great literature.
I haven't enjoyed many of the books mentioned on here. Girl on the Train and Gone Girl were both dull and certainly didn't make me want to stay up all night.
I don't like graphic violence or rape scenes. I love Stuart McBride's writing style and wit but I can't get past the gore.
I love anything by Lee Child, some Linwood Barclay, enjoyed Big Little Lies and I let You Go.

When you can't put it down after the first page, you know it is going to be good.

Strong characters, a decent plot and some good twists.

I am not a scifi buff so for me a thriller is something I feel could happen in real life. They need realistic characters that are not super human with fast paced action making every minute or hour feel like real time. I love trying to work out who the baddy is so lots of twists and turns with the plot gradually unfolding really works for me.

A good plot that keeps you guessing

I read a lot of thrillers, particularly Agatha Christie, and I love it when the story keeps you guessing until the very end.

Twists and turns and something a bit different, but not overdoing it! If there are so many twists and turns it loses being believable then it ruins a good story!

An outcome you didn't see coming, but if you read the book again you see all the signs! Also, a chapter ending on a cliffhanger so you can't help but go onto the next one

Changes of pace, unexpected twists, no exclamation marks.....

Twists to make it a complete page turner. I personally love thrillers of this sort. I just have to keep on reading them. Also relatable characters too I think are important.

A good thriller has to have characters that you're interested in, a believable plot ( but with enough unexpected twists to keep you guessing) and a story that you can actually follow. Sometimes thrillers can be so complicated that you literally lose the plot !

when you are unable to guess the twist x

It has to have a great story on that has you gripped from this ,beginning, it needs of have loads of twist and turns to keep you guessing & in the end has to have a awesome conclusion, to make you want to watch or read it again, to see where if you missed the clues along the way

I love a believable scenario, one that makes you think anyone could find themselves in those circumstances. A plot that makes you try to work out what the reality is, not one that you see it all in a couple of chapters. And engaging characters, whether likeable or not.

I like lots of twists & turns that make me unable to put the book down. It must not be predictable, & it needs to be fresh, also innovative. It must be realistic, & well researched so everything is correct so I don't keep thinking , - that wouldn't happen, or that's not a true to life situation, etc. I must have a good ending as I hate those novels that leave the reader up in the air trying to decide their own conclusion.

Has to be a good plot twist

When they get a twist in that you didn't see coming

A double twist makes a good thriller into a great one - just when you think you've figured it all out, there's a second twist to the plot right before the end.

I don't like thrillers to be too gory and gross - it's more about the mystery and figuring things out that i like.

I love real life places being used as the setting - towns and cities that I'm familiar with.

Suspense, plot twists, character development throughout.