One of the most successful thriller writers of all time is Lee Child.  He has written 26 novels, selling more than 100 million copies, so it would appear he knows a thing or two about keeping readers hooked. For example, in his novel Past Tense a couple are locked in a hotel room and are about to be hunted for sport by a group of men.

‘The bikes formed up into what sounded like single file. They drove through the lot. Shorty turned and watched out the window. A procession. The boardwalk lights were still on. The bikes drove by, left to right, one by one. The riders were all dressed in black. They all had bows slung across their backs. They all had quivers full of arrows. They all had weird one-eyed night-vision goggles strapped to their heads. Some of them were blipping their engines. Some of them were up out of their saddles, raring to go. They all rode away. For a second Shorty wondered who had bet on the west. Patty tried the door. It opened.’

Punchy, short sentences – the longest being just 13 words. Pace and purpose. Suspense. Who wouldn’t want to turn the page? When I was invited this year to attend a symposium at the University of East Anglia discussing Child’s work, it was an opportunity I grasped enthusiastically. I have been a fan of his, and his creation Jack Reacher, for many years. His prose has both menace and motivation. From the moment I open a Reacher book, I’m hooked. 

What I learned from the authors and academics discussing Child’s work is that the pacing of thrillers is one of the most important components. They pull you in and take you on a white-knuckle ride from start to finish. They are plot-driven stories that keep you guessing till the very end. Mysteries are about a puzzle, whereas crime thrillers are about adrenaline. They contain social and political commentary. Characters are under duress due to crime or violence and it exposes the flaws and cracks in the status quo.

Lee Child says he has three main criteria in mind when he sits down to write. They are character, plot and pace. Speaking at the UEA symposium, he said: “I put a tremendous amount of work into the rhythm of the sentences, always tripping ahead. They are being propelled forward. It is a technical skill and a lot of work goes into it.” He continued: “Instinctively, I like to write in first person. It is human, it is very connecting, but it is very limiting and takes away a tremendous amount of easily created suspense. Third person occurs more often because it is more consistent with a typical thriller plot.”

I was privileged to see Lee being presented with an honorary doctorate and took the opportunity to have a brief chat with him as he signed books after the event. I had to smile when he signed my copy of Past Tense – To Paul, from one Brummie to another!