Writing Pairs In Mystery & Suspense
Suspense novels are often at their best when they feature a lot of shocking twists and winding turns. The more complicated they are, the more satisfying it is to watch all of the puzzle pieces gradually slot into place. This makes them perfect for rereading, too: being able to pick out all of the clues you missed the first time is just as much fun as the initial surprise of discovery.
Because of their intricate nature, mystery books benefit more from having multiple authors than just about any other genre. With two writers on the job, you can count on twice the suspense, twice the danger, and twice the heart-pounding action. In some cases, you even get to see character interactions that could never have happened without the combined experience and expertise of two different people. Here are five mystery suspense titles that are all the better for being written by more than one author.
Pop star Delilah Winter is one of the most-watched people on the planet. Bodyguards protect her 24/7, journalists report on every move, and millions of fans from across the globe eagerly follow and imitate her. It should have been impossible for her to be kidnapped at all, let alone in the middle of a concert at the Hollywood Bowl—and yet that's exactly what happened. Her only hope lies in a trio of investigators with just one trait in common: a determination to find the truth.
New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen teams up with her son, Roy Johansen, an award-winning author in his own right, in Blink of an Eye, the recently released eighth book in the "Kendra Michaels" series. Featuring Kendra Michaels, an investigator who specializes in solving the unsolvable, this is one mystery suspense adventure that you will not want to look away from.
Logan Tanner lives the exhilarating life of a professional gambler, taking risks with nerves of steel. From casinos in Macau to Monte Carlo to Milan, he’s racked up a fortune and become a living legend. But all the glitz and glamor hide a dark and violent past as an extractor—a world that comes rushing back to him when the beautiful and innocent Lara Balkon enters his life.
Soon Logan is drawn into the conflict between two Russian mafia bosses over Lara, whose life now hangs in the balance. Logan has been offered something more valuable to him than money—information he desperately needs—in exchange for getting Lara out of Russia and to safety. Once together, Tanner discovers that Lara is a force to be reckoned with in her own right. Tanner’s search for the truth leads them to the bright lights of Las Vegas. Where the person who was hunting Lara now lies in wait for them.
With the stakes climbing with each deadly confrontation, Logan and Lara are soon catapulted into a game against pure evil. The odds are stacked against them, but it’s a game they know they must play…even if it may cost them their lives.
When criminals strike in post-World War I England, it is Inspector Ian Rutledge's job to stop them. His latest adventure, A Fatal Lie, takes him from Scotland Yard headquarters all the way to Wales. There, he tries to solve the murder of a man who no one knows, and who at least one person wants to ensure that no one will ever know. Rutledge puts his own life on the line to identify the dead man and stop his murderer before anyone else gets hurt.
Charles Todd and his mother, Caroline Todd, are the creators of the "Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries" series, of which A Fatal Lie is the twenty-third entry. The series began with A Test of Wills and has been thrilling fans ever since. The historical setting adds a unique flavor to these suspense books.
As a new FBI agent, Corrie Swanson gets stuck with all of the uncomfortable, low-level assignments. Then, finally, an intriguing case comes her way: a local sheriff stumbles onto a mummified corpse. Swanson, with her degree in forensic anthropology, is the perfect agent for the job. With help from Nora Kelly, an experienced archaeologist, Swanson faces all of the dangers—natural and manmade—of the New Mexico desert to uncover a sinister truth.
Acclaimed duo Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child return with The Scorpion's Tail, a chilling tale that mixes archaeology with suspense, murder, and dark secrets. Their previous collaborations have garnered praise from NPR, Publishers Weekly, and many others. Preston's interest in archaeology and Child's experience as a novelist make their collaborative efforts as informative as they are exciting.
Detective Joona Linna does not believe in vigilante justice. So when a mysterious killer begins targeting some of Europe's most dangerous criminals, Linna, unlike some of his coworkers, is not inclined to celebrate. Teaming with Officer Saga Bauer to try to untangle their foe's identity and motivations, Linna's worst fears are confirmed: the killer isn't just targeting criminals. Rather, he is targeting Linna and Bauer—and he will stop at nothing to destroy them both.
The creative minds behind the "Joona Linna" series are Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril, a Swedish husband-and-wife team who write under the name Lars Kepler. Linna has a recurring partner of his own: he often calls on Bauer to assist with his most difficult and dangerous cases. Lazarus, the seventh book in the series, might be their most terrifying adventure yet.
James Patterson is known for his empire of mystery and suspense novels. From the famous Alex Cross series to his standalone titles, there's a Patterson book out there for every type of reader. He's known to collaborate with different authors on many of his books. No collaboration is as successful or as long-running as that of James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. Together, they've co-authored 21 books in the Women's Murder Club series. The latest, on sale May 3rd, is 21st Birthday. In this newest book, Detective Lindsay Boxer vows to protect a young woman from a serial killer long enough to see her twenty-first birthday.
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Eileen Gonzalez is a freelance writer from Connecticut. She has a Master’s degree in communications and years of experience writing about pop culture. She contributes to Book Riot and Foreword Reviews, and she occasionally tweets at @eileen2thestars.