How to Write a Gripping Psychological Thriller
Key Tips to Keep Readers Up at Night with Karen Osman
In this week’s Thriller Thursday, bestselling author Karen Osman unpacks the anatomy of a gripping psychological thriller—from flawed protagonists and twisted perspectives to the art of the perfect plot twist—and how weaving these elements together can turn your idea into an unputdownable novel.
How to Write a Gripping Psychological Thriller
What is it about a great psychological thriller that keeps us reading long past bedtime, heart pounding and mind racing?
The answer lies in the genre’s power to tap into the human psyche, revealing the darker layers of our thoughts, fears, and motivations.
If you’re looking to learn how to write a psychological thriller that truly grips readers, the following guide covers the key elements, writing tips, and tools you’ll need to craft your own compelling thriller.
As a bestselling author of psychological suspense novels like The Good Mother, I’ve spent a lot of time studying what makes thrillers effective.
Drawing from my experience and analyzing bestselling books like Gone Girl, The Silent Patient, and The Girl on the Train, I’ve broken it down so you can start building your own gripping thriller novel—and maybe even your writing career.
1. Start With a Relatable Protagonist and a Compelling Story
Great psychological thrillers start with believable characters. Your main character doesn’t need to be a detective or a spy; in fact, some of the most impactful stories center around an ordinary person whose everyday life is shattered by extraordinary events.
These relatable protagonists allow readers to imagine themselves in the same position—a powerful tool to create tension and empathy.
In The Good Mother, Catherine is a regular woman, a mother balancing her family and work life. But when she starts writing to a man in prison for murder, the internal conflicts and moral dilemmas she faces take center stage. It’s these internal struggles, not just the external events, that make readers sit on the edge of their seats.
2. Understand the Psychology Behind the Genre
Writing psychological suspense means diving into your characters’ minds. Their psychological condition or mental state often drives the plot more than physical action.
Themes like mental illness, trauma, paranoia, and hidden agendas are not just tropes—they reflect real fears and truths, which is why they resonate on a deeper level.
The Silent Patient is an excellent example. Alicia Berenson’s silence after the murder of her husband becomes a puzzle deeply rooted in her psychological disorder. As writers, our job is to explore these mental landscapes in a believable, empathetic way.
3. Use Unreliable Narrators and Twisted Points of View
One of the most powerful tools in the psychological thriller genre is the use of the unreliable narrator. Whether you're writing in first person or third person, giving your readers limited or skewed access to the truth can heighten suspense.
Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl is a masterclass in this. Through the dual first-person narrator structure, we experience the story through Amy Dunne and Nick's perspectives, each hiding their own dark secrets. The first thing that grips readers is not the murder mystery, but the realization that they can’t trust either main protagonist.
If you’re planning your first novel, think about how using a first-person narrator with a flawed perspective or an untrustworthy backstory can build psychological depth and create a sense of mind games between the author and the reader.
4. Introduce High Stakes and Escalating Tension
Psychological thrillers live and die by their stakes. The best way to keep readers engaged is by creating a breakneck pace, even when your story unfolds over a longer time frame.
Whether it's a serial killer on the loose, a family member hiding dark secrets, or a financial analyst covering up a crime, each new piece of information should raise the stakes.
Layer in both internal and external conflicts. For example, in Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train, Rachel’s battle with alcoholism and memory loss is compounded by a murder mystery. The key is to make every scene matter.
5. Craft Complex Characters and Supporting Cast
It’s not just your main character that matters. Secondary characters play a major role in a compelling thriller. They may be red herrings, foils, or unexpected villains. A well-written supporting cast can reflect or contrast the protagonist’s mental state and help reveal their character arc.
Consider the character development in Silence of the Lambs. Hannibal Lecter, though a supporting character, manipulates events from the sidelines. His presence adds psychological horror and tension, showing how great characters can dominate even from the shadows.
6. Master the Art of the Plot Twist
A thriller novel without a twist ending isn’t likely to leave a lasting impression. Whether it’s a hidden affair, a false identity, or a completely inverted plot line, the twist is an important part of any story in this genre. However, for it to work, you need to earn it.
Plant clues throughout your narrative that only make sense in hindsight. A twist shouldn’t feel like it came out of nowhere. Instead, it should reframe everything your reader thought they knew.
Wendy Walker, for example, uses this technique brilliantly in her domestic thrillers. In All Is Not Forgotten, she sets up a gripping narrative involving the erasure of a traumatic memory in a teenage girl. As the story unfolds, subtle clues begin to suggest that not everyone involved is telling the truth—including the girl's parents and even the psychiatrist. The final twist lands with emotional and psychological weight, but if you reread the novel, you’ll see the breadcrumbs were always there.
7. Create an Atmospheric Setting
The setting of your story plays a huge role in psychological suspense.
A posh neighborhood like Fairfield County can seem safe on the surface while hiding horrifying secrets—as seen in Wendy Walker’s Don’t Look for Me, where the picture-perfect Connecticut town masks layers of grief, trauma, and hidden agendas.
Or a claustrophobic apartment can reflect the trapped mental state of your character, like in The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn, where the main protagonist’s psychological condition is mirrored by the confines of her isolated New York home.
Use atmosphere to mirror internal emotions. Think rain, silence, shadowy rooms, and social media feeds that tell a different story than reality. Even seemingly mundane places can feel eerie if painted through the lens of a disturbed mind.
8. Define the Sub-Genre and Know Your Audience
Are you writing crime fiction with a psychological slant? A domestic thriller? Psychological horror? Knowing your sub-genre of thrillers helps define tone, plot expectations, and reader base.
Readers who love psychological thrillers are often seeking something more than physical danger—they want emotional and intellectual tension.
They want to get inside the characters' minds, experience their anxieties, and live through their breakdowns. That’s why books like Gone Girl and The Silent Patient perform so well—they blend crime novels with deep psychological insight.
9. Pay Attention to the Opening and Ending
The first line is crucial in hooking your reader, while the ending is what they remember most.
A memorable first line should create intrigue in order to keep the reader reading, for example Stephen Booth’s Scared to Live opens with:
Even on the night she died, Rose Shepherd couldn’t sleep.
In just a few words, the author has hinted at what’s to come evoking questions in the reader, such as How did she die? Why did she die? We’re curious and want to read more.
I always advise my writing students to get the inciting incident early in the book so it can launch both the plot and your protagonist’s internal journey. For example, in my novel The Good Mother, the inciting incident—Catherine, the protagonist, writing to an inmate in prison for murder—is in the first chapter.
The ending is also critical in that it should meet readers’ expectations. In the thriller genre, readers often expect a major twist at the end, so it’s important to offer a resolution that feels true to your character’s arc and the story’s themes (whether or not your story has a happy ending).
And when it comes time to wrap it up, don’t shy away from ambiguity if it suits the tone of your story—some of the most chilling horror stories end with more questions than answers.
Final Thoughts: Start Writing
The best psychological thrillers combine emotional resonance with clever plotting. They use atmosphere, character development, and moral ambiguity to engage readers on a deeper level. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to write your first draft, now’s your chance.
If you’re looking for a way to get started, my 5-Day Book Blueprint offers a step-by-step guide to take your idea and turn it into a powerful, page-turning manuscript.
Good luck—and remember, your next great idea might just come from the quiet moments of everyday life. After all, the most terrifying stories often begin in the most familiar places.
A really compelling and insightful list! Thanks so much Karen
This is so helpful, thank you!