Our Last Resort

Psychological thrillers are a subgenre of suspense fiction that center on the inner workings of the human mind, often prioritizing characterization over graphic violence. They create suspense through ambiguity and secrecy. The plots are often structured around moral uncertainty and shifting perceptions of truth, which is reflected in their use of unreliable narrators and fragmented chronology. Themes typically probe manipulation, coercive control, obsession, and the aftereffects of trauma. Plot twists reframe earlier scenes and expose the gulf between perception and reality.

Psychological thrillers are a popular genre in both literature and film. Patricia Highsmith is widely considered the genre’s foundational figure, with Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley serving as canonical examples. Strangers on a Train features a complex, suspenseful plot and uses moral ambiguity to meditate on the nature of guilt. A successful novel in its own right, it was also adapted into a popular film by Alfred Hitchcock. The Talented Mr. Ripley, which was also made into a film, examines the nature of identity performance and duplicity. Both novels explore the genre’s interest in characters who blur the line between victim and perpetrator.