The best psychological thrillers that function as demented self-help books

I stumbled upon this book when I researched the psychology behind my first novel (the protagonist goes to therapy sessions). Although most psychologists follow Jung, I decided to make the therapist in my book an Adlerian psychologist. Why? Because Adler studied the criminal mind and posed interesting theories of how we follow a “faulty pattern of life” set forth from the time we are children. Kids develop defense mechanisms that allow them to cope with a given situation (violent parent, cloying parent, bullying at school, etc.) The problem is, as the kids grow up, they forget that these “patterns” they’ve cultivated were based on survival and may not guide them in the right direction. To be happy, people may have to rewire their brains. Good stuff! And I used the heck out of it. 

This is an old book, but it digs deep into the fragility of the human spirit. As Emlyn states in the foreword: "The proper study of mankind is man. And man cannot be ignored because he has become vile. Woman neither.” Perhaps nowadays we should say the proper study of humankind is humans. Whatever way you’d like to put it, the sentiment behind the pronouns rings true. It’s written as a fictional novel but it follows the crimes of Myra Hindley and her sadistic lover, Ian Brady. Emlyn Williams does a fine job of laying out everything that stoked the fire of that ill-fated and dangerous friendship. What do you come away with? How a human being can fall apart into something inhumane. 

This book precedes Harris’s famous The Silence of the Lambs. Red Dragon scared the heck out of me. Why do I think it fits my chosen theme? Because Harris shows us the struggle people face to feel accepted by their peers, to fit in. In the case of the killer in this book, to envy happy families. We get into the killer’s brain, and I got more out of that than the tongue-in-cheek banter between psycho-psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter and the detective. You almost feel sorry for the guy, and why you do is something to think about.

A classic. It’s every outcast’s dream to find something that makes him/her/they feel powerful. In Carrie’s case, she develops telekinesis and can move objects with her mind. We are rooting for Carrie a) because her mother is strange, fanatical, and violent, b) kids pick on Carrie at school, and c) even the adults mistreat her. Most people will feel alienated at some point in their lives, and we are so happy for Carrie when she begins feeling empowered (and yes, a little bit pretty, too). This being an A-1 horror story, you can bet the good times don’t last. However, the takeaway is why we feel such compassion for Carrie. Compassion and awareness go a long way in this world and are two vital traits worth exploring.

Is this a psychological thriller? I’d say ‘yes.’ It features an orphaned girl, living in a period of time when the only county facilities that helped the “poor” were workhouses. Jane suffers abuse in the home of her aunt, who then ships the young girl off to a school, where the cruelty continues. Through it all, Jane has stamina and works on herself to always be strong. When she becomes a governess at the dark estate of Mr. Rochester, she stands up to his scrutiny and brusqueness. Jane suspects something is wrong about the whole setup, especially when she hears creepy laughter at night, nearly catches an arsonist, and bandages a wound on a strange, raving man. What do we learn from Jane’s experiences? To be graceful under fire. To believe in one’s inner strength and to trust in our capacities, even when it seems the entire world (even the era in which we live) is out to get us.