In this world gone mad, we need to take time to escape, and a good book can take you to a place that allows your imagination to run free. Psychological thrillers are quite popular, as they keep you immersed in stories that connect characters with plot lines that create suspense. According to an online article in Psychology Today by Yoo Jung Kim MD and Yoo Eun Kim, psychological thrillers explore their characters’ innermost thoughts and motivations, allowing us to examine how their decisions propel the plot forward into the extremes of human ethics and morality. The author, Jean Hanff Korelitz who wrote the title You Should Have Known states that the reason that psychological thrillers are so engaging is the ongoing tension between what the audience knows (or thinks that they know) and what the characters know (or what they don’t know) and the sort of “smugness” the readers feel in relation to the characters. She states, “and while we’re busy yelling at them (in our heads, at least) not to make such stupid decisions, we’re also telling ourselves that we would never fall for such a suspicious character or obvious ruse.” Our guest on this episode of TMSOG is Jenny Milchman, the Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning and USA Today bestselling author known for her gripping psychological thrillers. In her latest novel, The Usual Silence, Jenny introduces us to psychologist Arles Shepherd, a character haunted by her own past while striving to help others, and she brings true crime podcast characters into the plot, which reflects the growing influence of true-crime media in real-life investigations. True crime podcasts are very popular and some have contributed to solving cases. There is even a TV show, Only Murders in the Building, where the characters have a shared interest in true crime podcasts, and wind up producing their own podcast about the murders which took place in their upscale apartment building in NYC. In The Usual Silence, Jenny highlights how modern technology, podcasts and social media can intersect with traditional investigative methods.
Beyond her writing, Jenny Milchman is the founder of “Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day,” an initiative celebrated annually across all fifty states and on five continents, encouraging young readers to explore the joys of bookstores, and she is also known for her extensive book tours, having embarked on journeys that span over 400 bookstores across the United States, reflecting her dedication to connecting with readers nationwide. For our listeners eager to dive into Jenny’s newest compelling psychological thriller, The Usual Silence, it is available at bookstores, libraries and online at amazon.com. To stay updated on Jenny’s future projects, visit her website at https://jennymilchman.com/
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