Horror and Thriller, the same genre, right?

Right now, Horror and Thriller are two of the top genre’s dominating the industry and although both genres have similar writing styles and underlining themes, there are in fact core differences between them.

It seems that readers tend to pick a genre and either prefer Horror or Thriller, rather than a combination of the both.

We wanted to find out why! So, we’ve put together a collection of some of our favourite Austin Macauley Horror and Thriller titles in this blog for you to read, and tell us whether you preferred one specific genre, or enjoyed both!

HORROR

The horror genre falls into the category of speculative fiction, which intends for the reader to feel scared, horrified and startled at the plot.

Horror books focus on darker storylines, usually including themes of paranormal activity or mythical creatures. Horror novels tend to play on extraordinary human experiences and the illusion of safety and escape, offering the reader an urge to keep up with the storyline to find out what happens to the characters.

Writing a horror novel is more intricate than some may think and there’s more to a gripping horror storyline than gore, guts and ghosts. Famous and iconic authors that have nailed the horror genre and influenced writers in the field include Stephen King, H. P. Lovecraft, Anne Rice, Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley to name a few of our favourites.

There are a variety of literary categories that fall under the horror genre, some include:

• Horror Fiction
• Gothic Fiction
• Suspense
• Speculative Fiction
• Thriller
• Ghost Stories / Paranormal 
• Psychological Horror
• Vampire Literature
• Occult Fiction

However, with the horror genre becoming increasingly popular, there are more sub-genres and styles of horror to explore.

We’ve selected four of our most intense horror titles for you to explore:

1) Insanitus by William P. Thompson

One of our most popular spell-bounding books currently, contains short horror stories from the modern era of the 21^st century. The first story, Blood, is based on a hotel crime-scene where a man’s body is discovered. The writer makes the emotions resemble a man who remains ignorant of any pain or pleasure. Want to know more?

Check out the book on our website!

2) The Black Willows by Xavier James

This horror book is based on a guy named Tommy who goes missing in a forest outside a small-town, Jennifer’s Ridge. Family and local police have no trace of him after months. Read this gripping novel to find out whether his brother Jason, childhood friend, Pete, and the local rangers can bring him home from the darkest depths of the Black Willows.

Pick up a copy today!

3) Verge – Book 1 by Rebecca Bradford

This captivating and fantastic book combines horror, young adult and fantasy genres. It is based on 17 year old Ashleigh Palmer, living a very normal life, all set to celebrate her 18^th birthday. She has got good friends, a loving family and an outstanding academic record. Suddenly, Ashleigh’s inhumane cravings begin to appear, her mother’s keeping a secret.

Find out what happens to Ashleigh and grab a copy of this horrific story online today!

4) Down Here In My Bed by Clark Robbie

Down Here in My Bed is a horror book for your children to read, and a perfect one this Halloween! It is all about the creaking noises of the floorboards and lightning flashes from the approaching storm. There’s something weird and strange taking place in the house.

What exactly is it? Get the book to find out.

VIEW OUR FULL COLLECTION OF HORROR TITLES ONLINE.

THRILLER

Thriller novels on the other hand are usually known for having multiple, overlapping sub-genres.

What makes a good thriller? Well, a fantastic thriller in our opinion is one that has the reader sat on the edge of their seats, hooked with anticipation and suspense at what’s going to happen next.

Usually in thriller storylines, the protagonist is set with a problem in which they need to escape or complete a mission, and in most thrillers, this is usually a life or death situation. Packed with mystery, action and adventure, a good hearty thriller will leave the reader with more questions than answers.

Five of the biggest thriller titles, and some of our favourites include:

• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larson
• Misery – Stephen King
• The Silence of the Lambs – Thomas Harris
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey
• The Girl on the Train – Paula Hawkins

We’ve picked out three of our most gripping thrillers for you to get stuck into:

1) Greywater by D.C Dalby

This thriller book is all about the gang wars in Temple Caneston between the Syme Brothers and the underworld leader, Victor Monk. Sergeant Hazel Vernon, the detective supported by a rookie constable, must deal with the corrupt cops, the doctor with a foot-fetish and the psychic twins.

Gripping you all the way to the end, pick up a copy of Greywater today!

2) Pandora’s Child by Naureen Raahat

This 5-star rated thriller is about a woman named Abigail’s Williams whose home-life is unbearable. The only safe place she has is at her therapist’s, Sam Richards. Abigail runs away from home and gets caught in a grooming cult which is Sam’s greatest fear. Sam connects with her on a deeper level to save her.

Get a copy of this highly reviewed book to know the final destiny of Abigail.

3) Vixstory by Jacqueline Cottrell

This thrilling story revolves around Victoria, who tries to escape from her previous life and the humiliation of her marriage to a terrorism suspect.

She moves to start a new city-life but by chance, she’s involved in her closest friends’ secret world. Her search for the truth threatens her life and many others’. She needs to find her way through the obscuring truth of criminal underworld.

Find out what happens to Victoria and grab a copy online!

VIEW OUR FULL COLLECTION OF THRILLER TITLES ONLINE.

Let us know your thoughts, engage in our Horror vs Thriller genre battle on Facebook and Twitter!

Tell us your preferred genre and let us know if you’ve read any of our top reads!