Crime Reads » Nicci French

Writing a Character Through a Psychotic Breakdown

Writing a Character Through a Psychotic Breakdown

Nicci French on the delicate task of an extreme psychological event.

By Nicci French | March 19, 2025

Lifelong Trauma in a Psychological Thriller

Lifelong Trauma in a Psychological Thriller

Nicci French on witnessing the toll of a trauma that will never relent – and the decision to bring it to a novel.

By Nicci French | March 20, 2024

What Makes a Psychological Thriller?

What Makes a Psychological Thriller?

Nicci French on the fine line that divides everyday life and the raw material of psychological thrillers.

By Nicci French | October 29, 2021

10 Thrillers That Revolve Around Grief

10 Thrillers That Revolve Around Grief

Grief is one of the most complex, universal emotions, but one we rarely find at the center of a thriller.

By Nicci French | June 23, 2021

The Great Works of Prison Fiction

The Great Works of Prison Fiction

Exploring the extremes of humanity from a setting where the walls are closing in, power is twisted, and the violence is open.

By Nicci French | October 27, 2020

What Authors Can Learn from the Greatest Long Takes in Movie History

What Authors Can Learn from the Greatest Long Takes in Movie History

An unedited shot can create incredible tension and excitement—it works for novelists, too.

By Nicci French | January 28, 2020

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