In the vast and diverse world of thriller fiction, one sub-genre stands out for its unique ability to instill both unease and excitement: the remote location thriller. Whether it’s a mountain peak (Kimi Cunningham Grant and These Silent Woods), a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean (Will Dean and The Last Passenger) or chilling nordic wilderness (Lucy Clarke and The Hike) a remote location can be both setting and character, contributing wonderfully to the tension and drama of the book. With so many titles to choose from, here’s a brief round-up of our top eight.
Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney is an atmospheric locked-room mystery that plays on the isolated location of a dark and mysterious house and a family full of secrets.
After years of avoiding each other, they’re gathering for Nana’s 80th Birthday Party on a tiny tidal Island. At the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. An hour later, the next family member follows…
With a wicked wink to Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’ Daisy Darker’s unforgettable twists will leave readers reeling.
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger. What could be more restful and restorative than a weekend getaway with family and friends? Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway in this chilling locked-room thriller from Lisa Unger. However, they didn’t quite expect it to be as remote as it was and with a storm brewing, things are beginning to turn sinister.
Tension-building, gripping and manipulative, it’s a story-line told from different perspectives, written to provoke a feeling of claustrophobia and confusion.
To this day, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie remains the worlds best-selling mystery and seventh best selling book of all time. Eight people. And isolated Island of the Devon coast, and a framed copy of an old rhyme in every room. One by one, the guests are killed – as they realise a murderer is amongst them. A book that seems completely impossible, it is the most baffling mystery that Agatha Christie has ever written. Full of tension, isolation and twists, it’s a classic that will keep a reader hooked until the very end.
The Guest List by Lucy Foley – a list you really don’t want to be on! On an island off the windswept Irish coast, guests gather for the wedding of the year – the marriage of Jules Keegan and Will Slater. One of the guests is found dead, as a storm unleashes its wrath on the Island. Everyone is trapped. With a killer. Deliciously dark and glamorous, described as crime writing at its finest, it’s a classic whodunnit designed to prompt fear and suspicion.
From bestselling author Ruth Kelly, The Ice Retreat is a spine-tingling thriller set in the world of controversial wellness treatments. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell and Sarah Pearse. An evocative setting, very unpredictable twists, Ruth Kelly is the queen of the chilling thriller with this expert blend of suspense and intrigue.
The Drift by C J Tudor is one of the wildest thrillers ever. Outside a storm rages. Inside, a killer lurks. Hannah. Meg. Carter. Three main characters, three very desperate and dark situations. The threats, the setting, the other characters, the secrets, the lies, the bluffs… it was all perfect. It’s complex, it’s incredible, it’s ingenius actually, how C.J Tudor ties this together into a neat (but horrific) ending. So clever. Escape room vibes, locked room vibes, traitor vibes… it has everything you want in a horror. Horrific. In the best possible way.
One by One by Ruth Ware – snow is falling in the exclusive alpine ski resort of Saint Antoine… the sense of dread deepening. It’s a luxury getaway. The opportunity of a lifetime. Until guests start to disappear. One by One. Tipped to be the true heir to Agatha Christie’s crown, Ruth Ware is the queen of ‘just on more chapter.’ This book is twisty, modern and ingenious.
A destination thriller in a remote setting, The Castaways by Lucy Clarke is an Author at her very best, and now a major TV series starring Sheridan Smith… The characters are flawed and imperfect, the setting beautiful and desolate, the storyline twisted and fast-paced. Nothing is predictable – except perhaps that this will be another five star read. Gripping, twisty and full of sun-soaked atmosphere, The Castaways will whisk you far away to the island – and never let you go.
There are so many more books that could be added to the list for this sub-genre. Thrillers are made all the more gripping when characters are forced to confront their own fears and vulnerabilities in the most isolated of settings. So if you feel that there is something captivating and romantic about being cut off from the rest of the world, one of these novels will almost certainly change your view!
No responses yet