About the Author
Robyn Harding is the author of several books, including The Party and Her Pretty Face, and has written and executive produced an independent film. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband and two children.
WORDS || ROBYN HARDING
While I have only recently started writing thrillers, I have been reading them for years. In fact, it was my love of reading this genre that inspired me to try my hand at writing it. I’m not very good at qualifying why I like a book; I just know when I do. These are the thrillers that I have loved and have stuck with me over the years.
Presumed Innocent – Scott Turow
This might be the first thriller I ever read. It was originally published in 1987, and I read it shortly after. In 1990, I saw the movie adaptation starring Harrison Ford. Recently, I reread it and it stands the test of time. And I dream of concocting a mind-blowing twist like the one in its final pages!
Apple Tree Yard – Louise Doughty
This one is about a middle-aged scientist who embarks on a sexy, steamy affair with a man she meets through work. A shocking, violent incident leads the illicit lovers into dangerous territory, and no one’s life will be the same. This book zigged when I thought it would zag and haunted me long after I finished reading it.
The Husband’s Secret – Liane Moriarty
Oh, Liane, how I adore thee! Her mix of humour, insight and intrigue is so delicious. I’ve enjoyed all her books, but The Husband’s Secret was the one that I could not put down. I had to know the secret, and once I did, I had to know how it would impact all her very real and relatable characters.
Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
Sometimes, when I read a book with a lot of hype, my expectations are so high that I end up disappointed. Not with this one. It is so clever, so devious, and so well written. And it has a twist to rival the one in Presumed Innocent.
The Couple Next Door – Shari Lapena
It is Lapena’s pacing that makes this book impossible to put down. I read the whole book on a five-hour flight, and my husband read it on the flight home. Its major plot twist comes smack-dab in the middle. You think you know the characters, and then you learn you don’t know them at all. This makes the second half of the book even more fun!
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